[00:05:04] OKAY. IT IS 6:00. WE WILL BEGIN. [00:05:10] WE'LL CALL THE AUGUST 13TH MEETING OF THE AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ORDER. WE BEGIN ALL OUR MEETINGS WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING WAS PUBLISHED BOTH TO THE PUBLIC AND THE BOARD IN ADVANCE. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REQUESTS FROM THE BOARD FOR EDITS OR CHANGES TO IT. SO WE WILL CONSIDER, IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS, WE'LL CONSIDER THE AGENDA APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTIONS. WE HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES TO APPROVE FROM A PREVIOUS MEETING, AND THAT'S THE REGULAR MEETING OF JULY 30TH OF THIS YEAR. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JULY 30TH? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MOTION BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY MR. SILAS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF JULY 30TH OF THIS YEAR. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THOSE MINUTES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. I GOTTA. COUNT. THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? ALL THOSE ABSTAINING. THAT'S TWO ABSTAINING. MOTION CARRIES SIX IN FAVOR, TWO ABSTENTION. THAT BRINGS US TO SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING. THE FIRST ONE DOCTOR JOSH PANOFSKY, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ATHLETIC TRAINERS. I DON'T SOME TIME AGO. I DO NOT SEE HIM IN THE AUDIENCE. THE SECOND PERSON THAT SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING WAS MISS NIVENS, WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE TRANSFER OF MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH COACH MISS NIVENS. IF YOU'LL WATCH THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AS A MEMBER OF THE GRANITEVILLE COMMUNITY. I FEEL THAT IT'S NECESSARY THAT I ADDRESS THE SCHOOL BOARD REGARDING THE DISMISSAL OF OUR FOOTBALL COACH. WE NEED OUR LEADERS TO ALWAYS DISPLAY THEIR BEST BEHAVIOR TO BE ROLE MODELS FOR OUR CHILDREN. HOWEVER, WE NEED TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO VALUE OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM BY SHOWING THEM THAT BEING ACCUSED OF BAD BEHAVIOR DOES NOT MAKE YOU GUILTY OF BAD BEHAVIOR, NOR SHOULD YOU BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR OR PUNISHED FOR BEHAVIORS THAT YOU'RE NOT GUILTY OF. ANYONE AND EVERYONE CAN BE ACCUSED OF THINGS AND BE WRONGFULLY ACCUSED. AND ON THE OTHER HAND, WE SHOULD WANT OUR CHILDREN TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU WILL BE REWARDED FOR YOUR GOOD ACCOMPLISHMENTS. NOW, I DO NOT KNOW MR. CHAPMAN PERSONALLY, BUT I RECOGNIZE HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I KNOW THAT HE AND HIS STAFF, I KNOW WHAT THEY'VE DONE FOR OUR FOOTBALL TEAM AND OUR FOOTBALL PROGRAM AND THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MIDLAND VALLEY. I KNOW THE RESPECT AND ADMIRATION THE STUDENTS HAVE FOR HIM. I KNOW HOW HE ENCOURAGES THEM AND INSTILLS IN HIM THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ACADEMICS. AND THE NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF STUDENT ATHLETES WHO HAVE GONE ON TO COLLEGE SINCE HE'S BEEN THERE, AND THE ONES NOW THAT ARE STRIVING TO GO TO COLLEGE BECAUSE OF HIM AND HIS LEADERSHIP. I HAVE WITNESSED THE CHANGE OF THE ATTITUDES OF THE CHILDREN. I WORK WITH THE CHILDREN IN MY COMMUNITY ALL THE TIME, AND THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE TOWARD THEIR FUTURE. [00:10:02] HE HAS INSPIRED THEM AND ENCOURAGED THEM TO DO WELL ACADEMICALLY AS WELL AS DO WELL ON THE IN THEIR SPORTS. HE MAKES OUR KIDS STRIVE FOR SUCCESS BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD. NOT ONLY DOES HE ENCOURAGE THE FOOTBALL PLAYERS, BUT I CAN LOOK UP AND SEE HIM AT BASKETBALL GAMES AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE VOLLEYBALL GAMES. HE ENCOURAGES ALL THE ATHLETES AND ALSO ASSISTS THE OTHER ATHLETES, AND HE ALSO ENCOURAGES THEM AS YOUNG AS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THEM AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL GAMES AS WELL. NOW, WE CIRCULATED A PETITION ON FACEBOOK, AND I HAVE A COPY OF THAT PETITION THAT HAS OVER 400 SIGNATURES, AND I HAVE THAT TO BE ABLE TO PASS THAT OUT TO ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT AS WELL. AND WE'RE JUST HERE TO SAY TONIGHT THAT WE WANT OUR COACH BACK. THANK YOU, MISS NIVENS. AND IF YOU I WILL SAY CERTAINLY IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE THAT WITH DOCTOR MINOLFO, WHO WAS BY THE MICROPHONE, OR IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE HERE FOR A LITTLE BIT WHEN WE REACH A BREAK. I CERTAINLY WILL GET THAT FROM YOU. THANK YOU. SO I CHECKED, I DID NOT HAVE ANYBODY ELSE THAT SIGNED UP WITH A FORM AT THE MEETING TONIGHT FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. SO WE WILL GO TO THE NEXT SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS. AND THAT'S OUR SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION. WELCOME BACK, STUDENTS AND STAFF. AND WE'RE TURNING THIS OVER TO MISS PICCOLINO. GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN NESTLE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD, DOCTOR MURPHY. THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION IS CREATING AN ONLINE ALBUM FEATURING EACH OF THE 72 SCHOOL BOARDS ACROSS OUR STATE AS WE WELCOME STUDENTS AND STAFF BACK FOR THE 2425 SCHOOL YEAR. MR. NESTLE, DOCTOR MURPHY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE BOARD, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE JOIN US DOWN HERE. WE'D LIKE TO GET A COUPLE OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF YOU WITH THIS SIGNAGE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION HAS PROVIDED. AND WE ALSO HAVE A VERY SPECIAL GUEST WITH US TONIGHT. MR. ALAN RIDDICK WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A PHOTO OF YOU GUYS WITH THE SIGNAGE AND ONE WITHOUT FOR A PICTORIAL BOOK THAT HE'S PUTTING TOGETHER OF AIKEN IN 2024. SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE PART OF THAT. AND TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU. AND THEY'RE JUST RIGHT. OVER HERE. THANK YOU. I THINK I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM ALL IN. OKAY. YOU GOT THAT ONE? OKAY. CAN I TAKE THESE? AND THEN I'D LIKE TO GET ONE. THANK YOU. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? JUST A BOY THIS TIME. YEAH, I'M. TRYING TO HELP YOU OUT, BUT YOU LOOK BETTER WITH YOURS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Y'ALL WILL BE FACEBOOK FAMOUS IN NO TIME. EXCITED? THERE WAS NOTHING FOR OFFICE OF BOARD CHAIRMAN. SO WE'LL BEGIN WITH INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. REGRETTABLY I HAD TO INFORM THE BOARD OF A RESIGNATION FROM OUR BOARD THIS WEEKEND. [00:15:01] SO, MR. DWIGHT SMITH, WHO YOU SEE IS NOT WITH US TONIGHT. HE TENDERED HIS LETTER OF RESIGNATION TO ME ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 11TH. TO RESIGN FROM THE BOARD, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, ON AUGUST 11TH. JUST FOR PERSONAL REASONS. AND WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TONIGHT IS WE WE ACCEPT THAT WE HAVE A MOTION AND VOTE TO ACCEPT THAT RESIGNATION. WHAT? I'LL SAY I'LL GET WHAT I HAVE TO SAY BEFORE WE DO THAT MOTION, BUT MR. SMITH HAS SPENT HIS ENTIRE WORKING CAREER WORKING FOR THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT IN ONE CAPACITY OR ANOTHER AS A TEACHER, A COACH, A PRINCIPAL, AND THEN LATER, AFTER HE RETIRED A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. AND I DID NOT COUNT THE YEARS OF SERVICE, BUT HE HAS A LIFETIME OF SERVICE TO THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT AND THANK HIM FOR ALL THOSE YEARS OF SERVICE. ONE THING I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THAT MR. SMITH WANTED TO SERVE A LITTLE BIT LONGER BUT SAW THE OPPORTUNITY IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION TO NOT HAVE TO NOT HAVE TO COST THE TAXPAYERS THE COST OF A SPECIAL ELECTION. AND IF YOU Y'ALL DON'T NEED TO KNOW THIS, BUT ONCE YOU DECLARE THE VACANCY LIKE YOU DID ON SUNDAY, THE SPECIAL ELECTION IS THE 13TH. TUESDAY AFTER THAT VACANCY IS DECLARED, WHICH IS NOVEMBER 5TH, ELECTION DAY. AND HE THINKS SO MUCH OF HIS, OF THIS COUNTY AND HIS CONSTITUENTS THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO CAUSE THE COST OF A SPECIAL ELECTION. AND HE WENT AHEAD AND TENDERED HIS RESIGNATION. WITH THAT, I WILL NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT MR. SMITH'S RESIGNATION, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 11TH, 2024, FROM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. SO MOVED. MOTION BY DOCTOR BRADLEY. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY DOCTOR HANKS. ANY DISCUSSION? MR. SILAS. MR. SMITH'S NOT HERE TONIGHT, AND MAYBE THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO MORE OF THE SAME IN THE FUTURE. BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE TO EXPRESS TO MR. SMITH HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE HIM AND HIS TIRELESS SUPPORT AND PASSION FOR ALL OF THE STUDENTS OF AIKEN COUNTY, AND THEN MORE SPECIFICALLY OF AREA THREE. I APPRECIATE HIS FRIENDSHIP AND DIRECTION AND THE THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED FROM HIM AND MY SIX YEARS ON THE BOARD. MR. SMITH, I'LL SAY HE'S PROBABLY KNOWN ME A LOT LONGER THAN I'VE KNOWN HIM. HE LIVED BESIDE ME WHEN I WAS PROBABLY 4 OR 5 YEARS OLD. SO, YOU KNOW, WE GO WE GO QUITE A WAYS BACK AND KNOW A LOT OF THE SAME PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR THE MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THAT WE APPRECIATE HIM AND ALL HE'S DONE. SO THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. ANY OTHER DOCTOR? BRADLEY. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH DWIGHT AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DISTRICT. HE WAS AN EXCEPTIONALLY ENERGETIC PERSON. HE REALLY TRIED HIS BEST TO DO WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS BEST FOR THE STUDENTS THAT HE SUPERVISED WHEN HE WAS A PRINCIPAL. AND SINCE WE. I JOINED HIM ON THE BOARD I, I FEEL LIKE WE WERE FRIENDS AND I'M JUST GOING TO MISS HIM A LOT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MR. BROOME. I KNEW I KNEW MR. SMITH BACK AS COACH SMITH. HE WAS MY COACH AT JACKSON HIGH SCHOOL BACK IN THE LATE 70S. SO THAT'S WHEN I FIRST MET HIM AND THAT'S WHAT I KNEW HIM AS. BUT I WILL SAY THAT HE HAS PUT AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF EFFORT INTO THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT AND IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND I ADMIRE HIM FOR THAT. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY DOCTOR BRADLEY, SECONDED BY DOCTOR HANKS, TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF DWIGHT SMITH FROM THE AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, EFFECTIVE SUNDAY, AUGUST 11TH, 2024. WE'VE HAD OUR DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. AND THAT'S ALL OF US. EIGHT IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES. AND WE WILL TRY TO HAVE MR. SMITH BACK TO THANK HIM SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE. JUST FOR A POINT OF INFORMATION MR. SMITH SERVED AS VICE CHAIR OF THIS BOARD. THERE IS NO IN BOARD POLICY AS FAR AS REPLACING A CHAIR OR VICE CHAIR IN THE MIDDLE OF A YEAR. THERE'S NO DESIGNATED TIMELINE. BUT I'M JUST LETTING THE BOARD KNOW WE WILL HOLD THAT OFFICER ELECTION AT OUR SECOND MEETING IN AUGUST. THIS MONTH. IN TWO WEEKS. SECOND INDIVIDUAL ITEM PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS. [00:20:04] SO WE WERE PROVIDED IN ADVANCE WITH A LIST OF CERTIFIED AND CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL THAT WAS SCREENED BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION, WHICH WE MUST NOW APPROVE. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY MRS. TYLER. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIES. WE HAVE A COUPLE SOME POLICY REVISIONS. THE FIRST ONE IS AN UPDATE OF THE ORGANIZATION CHART EMBEDDED IN POLICY CC. THIS IS SECOND READING. SO WE'VE HEARD THE FIRST READING THE MAJOR CHANGES WAS REMOVAL OF A DOTTED LINE ON THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT. EXCUSE ME, SUPERINTENDENT POSITIONS AND THE ADDITION OF THE MULTI-LANGUAGE LEARNER DIRECTOR POSITION ONTO THE ORG CHART. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ON SECOND READING THE UPDATE TO THE ORG CHART AND POLICY CC? MOVES BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON. IS THERE A SECOND SECOND BY MR. MOULTON? A DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES. INDIVIDUAL ITEM NUMBER FOUR. WE WERE PROVIDED. THIS IS SECOND READING, BUT PREVIOUSLY. AND TONIGHT WE'RE PROVIDED WITH A LIST OF REVISED POLICIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE RULES WITH MINOR EDITS PRIMARILY AROUND TITLES TO GET THEM, CURRENT JOB TITLES, ETC.. AND WE WERE PROVIDED WE SAW THAT BEFORE, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER LIST TONIGHT OF THE SAME POLICIES THAT WERE BEING REVISED. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ON SECOND READING THOSE LIST OF REVISED POLICY AND ADMINISTRATIVE RULES MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON? IS THERE A SECOND SECOND SECONDED BY MR. SILAS DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ON SECOND READING, REVISED POLICIES, ADMINISTRATIVE RULES IN ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO INDIVIDUAL ITEM NUMBER FIVE. AND THIS IS FIRST READING OF AN UPDATE TO POLICY. J I'D A CODE OF CONDUCT. AND ON THIS ITEM THERE IS A CLARIFICATION TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT BASED ON LOCATION. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ON FIRST READING THE REVISION TO POLICY G KDA CODE OF CONDUCT. MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON. IS THERE A SECOND SECOND SECONDED BY MISS TYLER. DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ON FIRST READING THE REVISION TO POLICY G KDA CODE OF CONDUCT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES. WE HAVE ANOTHER FIRST READING AND THIS IS ON POLICY K.B.E. RELATIONS WITH PARENT ORGANIZATIONS. WE'RE UPDATING THIS POLICY BECAUSE OF A LAW THAT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW THIS YEAR. SOUTH CAROLINA LAW IS 5917 DASH 170. AND THE GENERAL SUBJECT OF THIS CHANGE IS PROHIBITING PEOPLE. THE LAW IS TRYING TO PREVENT PEOPLE WITH CERTAIN CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS FROM SERVING ON IN BOOSTER CLUBS AS OFFICERS. AND WE ARE UPDATING OUR POLICY ACCORDINGLY WITH THE LANGUAGE FROM THE LAW. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ON FIRST READING POLICY? K.B.E. RELATIONS WITH PARENT ORGANIZATIONS. SO MOVED. MOTION BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? I HEARD DOCTOR HANKS FOR THE SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALSO COMPENSATED ME. HOLD ON A SECOND, I GOT. EXCUSE ME. I'M JUST TAKING A POINT OF INFORMATION. THIS WORD NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TO. TO ME. WELL, IT'S NOT WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA. CAN WE DO THE NEXT? YEAH. SO? SO WE HAVE DOCTOR MURPHY'S POINTING OUT ONE THING TO ME. AND WE CAN ASK DOCTOR MURPHY IN DISCUSSION ON MY AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION. SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE A MOTION WITH A SECOND ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE ON FIRST READING. POLICY, KB RELATIONS WITH PARENT ORGANIZATIONS. I MOVE THAT WE AMEND THAT MOTION TO ALTER, MAKE ONE SLIGHT WORD CHANGE ON THE ON THE [00:25:01] POLICY ON FIRST READING WHERE THE SENTENCE IS UPON THE RECEIPT OF A BOOSTER CLUBS REGISTRATION, THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT OR HIS HER DESIGNEE WILL REQUEST A STATE CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECK. AND THEN IT GOES ON. WE WOULD. MY AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION IS TO CHANGE THAT WILL TO A MAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO CHANGE ONE WORD FROM WILL TO MAY IN THE POLICY. SECONDED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON. DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ON THE AMENDMENT. YEAH, THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY QUESTION. SO, DOCTOR MURPHY, WOULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY WE WANT TO CHANGE WILL TO MAY? YES, SIR. MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS IN CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY MISS MAHONEY. WE DID NOT WANT TO GET OUT AHEAD OF THE LAW. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE OUR POLICY WAS ALIGNED WITH THE LAW. AND THE LAW ACTUALLY STATES MAY INSTEAD OF WILL. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE THE WORD WILL IN OUR POLICY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF AMENDING THE MAIN MOTION SO THAT WE CHANGE WILL TO MAY. IN THAT ONE SENTENCE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIES. WHICH BRINGS US BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION THAT IS NOW AMENDED. SO WE HAVE AN AMENDED MOTION TO APPROVE ON FIRST READING POLICY. K.B.E. RELATIONS WITH PARENT ORGANIZATIONS WITH THE SMALL EDIT OF CHANGING THE WORD WILL TO MAY IN THE ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR FIRST SENTENCE OF THE FIFTH PARAGRAPH OF THAT POLICY IN RELATION TO REQUEST WILL DO A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK SAYING MAY DO A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK. SO THAT'S THE AMENDED MOTION. ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT AMENDED MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE. EXCUSE ME POLICY, KBE WITH THAT AMENDMENT ON FIRST READING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT, THAT BRINGS US TO EXCUSE ME, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN UNDER INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. FIRST READING OF POLICY LC RELATIONS WITH EDUCATION RESEARCH AGENCIES. UNDER THIS POLICY, IT GIVES A LITTLE MORE GUIDANCE, IN MY OPINION, ABOUT HOW WE SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH WITH EXTERNAL AGENCIES, WHICH DOES HAPPEN. AND THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND ASSESSMENT HERE IN THE DISTRICT OFFICE IS NOW TASKED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FACILITATING THAT COLLABORATION OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ON FIRST READING POLICY? LC RELATIONS WITH EDUCATION RESEARCH AGENCIES? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECONDED BY MR. SILAS. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ON FIRST READING POLICY LC RELATIONS WITH EDUCATION RESEARCH AGENCIES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. WE GOT THROUGH THE POLICY REVISIONS OR POLICIES. THE LAST INDIVIDUAL ITEM, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, IS A PROPOSED SIGN ON BONUS FOR HVAC TECH. EXCUSE ME, HVAC TECHNICIANS. SO THERE ARE TWO POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED OR BEEN VACANT FOR APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MONTHS. AND OUR THE ADMINISTRATION IS SEEKING FUNDS TO GIVE AN INCENTIVE FOR HIRING THESE TWO POSITIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF 15, EXCUSE ME, 3000. WRITE 3000 FOR EACH POSITION. THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED AS FAR AS HOW THAT WOULD BE SPLIT UP. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS PROPOSED SIGN ON BONUS FOR HVAC TECHNICIANS FOR THE TWO POSITIONS? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? SECONDED BY MR. MOULTON. QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? YOU WANT TO GO? MR. BROOME, GO AHEAD. MR. BROOME. I KNOW OUT IN INDUSTRY TODAY THAT SIGN ON BONUSES ARE USED AT TIMES. I MEAN, I'VE EVEN SEEN PLANTS USING SIGN ON BONUSES FOR PARTICULAR SKILL SETS. WHAT I SEE HERE IS, QUITE HONESTLY, WE'RE NOT COMPETITIVE IN OUR IN OUR CRAFT, YOU KNOW, PAY SCALES. SO ALTHOUGH I THINK A SIGN ON BONUS IS A GOOD TOOL TO GET SOMEBODY IN, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THIS CASE THAT SHIT. [00:30:01] IT'LL WORK BECAUSE YOU MAY GET SOMEBODY IN TO WORK THE PERIOD TO TAKE THE SIGN ON BONUS. BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE ABILITY TO RETAIN THEM. AND HONESTLY, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE BETTER. TECHNICIANS ARE GOING TO BE LURED BY THAT ANYWAY BECAUSE THEY ALREADY GOT BETTER JOBS. SO ALTHOUGH I DO UNDERSTAND THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND IT, I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT OUR STANCE ON ON BEING IN THIS BUSINESS. AND I KNOW IT'S MONEY DRIVEN, BUT I THINK IT'S A BAND-AID ON A SOMETHING THAT NEEDS A LOT MORE. SO IT'S A RISK WE MAY COULD DO IT, BUT I REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP THE SITUATION A LITTLE, IF ANY. JUST KNOWING HOW INDUSTRY IS WORKING RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION. MR. SILAS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO SAY ANYTHING DIFFERENT, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH SAYING AGAIN THAT THAT I BELIEVE IT IS A SHORT TERM SOLUTION. AND I, YOU KNOW, APPLAUD THE EFFORT TO TO MAKE SOME, SOME EFFORT TO FILL THESE POSITIONS THAT'S BEEN OPEN FOR SO LONG. AND IT'S NOT THAT I'M OPPOSED TO TO TRYING TO DO SOMETHING TO ATTRACT SOMEONE TO THEM, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S A, IT'S A SUSTAINABLE, YOU KNOW, POSITION. RIGHT. AND SO WHAT IS IT. IT'S TO RAISE THE SALARY TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY A DISCUSSION WE SHOULD HAVE HAD SIX MONTHS AGO. RIGHT. AND HOW WE FIND THE MONEY TO, TO GET WHERE WE NEED TO BE AND HAVE A, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST US TO BE COMPETITIVE FOR. WE KNOW MANY OF OUR CRAFT POSITIONS ARE IN THAT SITUATION. BUT BUT SPECIFICALLY, THE MORE YOU KNOW, WE SEEM TO BE MORE IN NEED OF HVAC OR, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE HARD TO YARBOROUGH TO PRIORITIZE ONE OR THE OTHER. BUT BUT CERTAINLY HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER, HVAC GETS PLENTY OF ATTENTION, RIGHT? SO. MAYBE IT'LL SOLVE A PROBLEM FOR WHAT'S THE TIME FRAME THAT THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK TO JUST 90 DAYS, 90 DAYS. SO YOU KNOW, AND THEN AND THEN THEY COULD BE UP AND GONE AFTER SOME EXPERIENCE. SO MORE EXPERIENCE AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE. SO I THINK IT BEARS A HARDER DISCUSSION OVER FINDING MONEY TO RAISE THOSE SALARIES WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. AND THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A DISCUSSION FOR TONIGHT, BUT IT'S A DISCUSSION WE NEED TO HAVE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. AND FROM A BUSINESS MINDED POINT OF VIEW, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A POPULAR SUGGESTION, BUT FROM A BUDGET SCENARIO, IT MAY BE TIME TO LOOK AT DEPARTMENTAL CUTS TO BE ABLE TO SHIFT MONEY FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER YOU KNOW, ANOTHER AREA. AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE MET WITH PROBABLY YOU KNOW MUCH AGREEMENT FROM A DISTRICT STANDPOINT, BUT BUT I THINK I THINK IT'S TIME WE HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. MR. RHINEHART-JACKSON. MY MINDSET IS ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH WITH THE TWO PREVIOUS BOARD MEMBERS. AND MY MAIN CONCERN IS AT THE 91ST DAY THAT THESE PEOPLE CAN DECIDE TO RESIGN AND WALK AWAY. AND I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED WITH THAT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE POLICY. I MEAN, TO AMEND THE RECOMMENDATION TO. SPLIT THE BONUS 1500 AT THE BEGINNING AND THEN 1500 AFTER SIX MONTHS. THAT'S MY AMENDMENT, MY MOTION. SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND. YEAH, WE ALREADY HAVE A MAIN MOTION, DON'T WE? YEAH. SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH I BELIEVE IS GERMANE TO CHANGE THE TIME PERIOD ON BULLET POINT NUMBER TWO, ABOUT WHEN THE SECOND PART OF THE BONUS IS PAID FROM 90 DAYS TO SIX MONTHS. IS THERE A SECOND? SO I HEARD A SECOND FROM MR. SILAS, SO SPECIFIC TO THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION CHANGING THE THE TIME PERIOD FOR WHEN THE SECOND PART OF THE BONUS IS PAID. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? YES. DOCTOR HANKS. SO IS THERE CLARIFICATION? WE'VE GONE DOWN THIS RABBIT HOLE BEFORE AND THERE WAS SOME RATIONALE OR REASON. HOW DO WE DECIDE ON A 90 DAY TIME PERIOD? OKAY. GOOD EVENING. YES, MA'AM. WE ACTUALLY DISCUSSED IT, AND THERE'S BEEN A CONCERN OF OURS AS WELL AS TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, IF WE GIVE THE THE SECOND HALF OF THAT BONUS WITHIN 90 DAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT'S TO STOP THEM. BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT COIN IS IT WE'RE DOING IT AS AN INDUCEMENT TO HIRE. AND MANY TIMES, IF THE INDUCEMENT IS STRETCHED OUT OVER 90 DAYS. YOU LOSE THAT EFFECT OVER SIX MONTHS. AND SO RIGHT NOW, IF A YOUNG MAN OR YOUNG LADY WANTS TO COME INTO THIS CAREER FIELD, THEY THEY SEE A $3,000 BONUS. [00:35:01] BUT IF YOU STRETCH IT OUT OVER SIX MONTHS NOW, EFFECTIVELY IT'S A 6 OR $1500 BONUS. AND SO IT WAS A CONSENSUS OF MY TEAM LEADERS SAYING, LOOK, IF WE WANT IT TO HAVE AN IMPACT, IT'S GOT TO BE MORE IMMEDIATE FOR THE FOLKS WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT. SO THAT'S THAT WAS OUR THINKING BEHIND IT, AS OPPOSED TO PUTTING IT AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER OR THE END OF THE YEAR. SO I THINK WHEN WE HAD THIS IN THE PAST, I HAD THE SAME QUESTION. WE CAN'T LEGALLY BIND ANYONE. ACCORDING TO HR, ONCE WE OFFER THAT INCENTIVE, WE CAN'T SAY YOU HAVE TO FULFILL A ONE YEAR CONTRACT. CORRECT. CHAIRMAN MURPHY. NO, THEY DON'T WORK ON AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT. THEY'RE EMPLOYED AT WILL. AND SO PART OF THE REASON OF EXTENDING IT TO THAT 90 DAYS VERSUS ALL GIVING IT AT THE MOMENT OF HIRE IS BECAUSE WE WE CAN'T WE CAN'T SAY YOU HAVE TO REPAY IT OR WITHHOLD IT. WE COULD ASK A REPAYMENT IF THEY RETIRE, IF THEY RESIGNED WITHIN A TIME FRAME, BUT IT'S UNLIKELY THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THAT MONEY BACK, AND WE CAN'T WITHHOLD IT FROM THEIR PAYCHECK TO ULTIMATELY TAKE THEIR PAYCHECK TO BELOW A MINIMUM WAGE. SO THE 90 DAY MARK GIVES ENOUGH TIME FOR THEM TO BE ACCLIMATED AND AND ENGAGED IN THE SYSTEM. IT TAKES THEM THROUGH THAT FIRST 90 DAY PERIOD OF JOB CHANGE. AND, AND MORE PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO STAY ONCE THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR THAT TIME PERIOD. YOU KNOW, COULD THEY BE WOOED AWAY WITH BIGGER DOLLARS FROM SOMEBODY ELSE? OF COURSE. I MEAN, WE RISK THAT ALL THE TIME. BUT THE PURPOSE OF THAT INCENTIVE IS TO IS TO GIVE AS MUCH AS WE CAN AT THE BEGINNING, BUT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO TO HOLD THEM OR REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE A ONE YEAR CONTRACT WITH ESSER. MR.. BROOME. MR.. I WAS GOING TO CALL YOU UP ANYWAY WHEN YOU COME UP. I DON'T WANT TO SIT HERE. I KNOW YOU, THIS IS YOUR JOB, AND YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT THE JOB MARKET, SO I FEEL A LITTLE FUNNY. US MAKING DECISIONS OF THINGS YOU'RE TRYING TO DO. WHAT'S THE WHEN WHEN WE GO TO HIRE SAID HVAC TECH. WHAT KIND OF IS THERE SOME KIND OF CERTIFICATION THAT WE REQUIRE FOR THEM? HOW ARE WE GOING TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE QUALIFIED OR, YOU KNOW, OR MY SON RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL COULD COME, SAY, WANTED TO BE AN HVAC TECH. AND WE GIVE HIM I MEAN, I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING HOW THAT HOW HOW DO WE GAUGE THAT? SO FIRST WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE JOB DESCRIPTION FOR ALL THE REQUIREMENTS LISTED. AND I WOULD LOVE TO TELL YOU THAT I KNOW DEFINITIVELY EVERY REQUIREMENT OF EVERY POSITION, AND I DON'T I WOULD HAVE TO READ IT TO SEE. I AM ASSUMING THAT THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF CERTIFICATION REQUIRED IN THAT FIELD. THAT INDIVIDUAL THEN INTERVIEWS WITH THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT WHO WOULD HAVE SPECIFIC SUBJECT MATTER KNOWLEDGE TO ENSURE THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE POSITION AND CAN DO THE JOB. DO WE HAVE IN OUR CRAFT NOW? DO WE HAVE SAY WE BROUGHT IN SOME ENTRY LEVEL HVAC TECHS? DO WE HAVE ADEQUATE PEOPLE TO TRAIN THEM TO BRING THEM UP TO SPEED ON? I KNOW A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S GETS MUCH MORE COMPLICATED WITH ELECTRONICS AND A LOT OF THESE NEW SYSTEMS. I WOULD NEED TO DEFER TO DOCTOR YARBOROUGH ON THE ON THE STAFF AND THEIR CAPACITY TO TRAIN. YES. MR. BROOME. WE DO HAVE AN HVAC FOREMAN WHO HAS A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE. AND WHEN WE BRING SOMEONE ON AT THE ENTRY LEVEL, IT'S HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO TRAIN THAT PERSON AND BRING THEM UP TO SPEED. YES. AND ALSO WE ALWAYS ASK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE CERTIFICATION. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE USE TO DISALLOW THEM OR PREVENT THEM FROM BEING HIRED, BUT THAT'S ALWAYS A PLUS, OF COURSE. YES, SIR. AND I ASK THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, WITH THE WITH THE MARKET AS IT IS, AND THIS I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WE HAVE BAD JOBS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WORKING FOR THE DISTRICT HAS GREAT BENEFITS. BUT I'M ALSO FINDING OUT AS YEARS GO ON THAT YOUNGER PEOPLE A LOT OF TIMES DON'T SEE THAT IMMEDIATELY. THEY SEE DOLLARS. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY YOU SEE SO MANY COMPANIES THAT DON'T HAVE FIXED RETIREMENT ANYMORE. AMONG OTHER REASONS. BUT SO OKAY. I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO MR. MOULTON NEXT. THANK YOU, DOCTOR YARBOROUGH, IF YOU'LL STAY UP THERE JUST A SECOND. I APPRECIATE IT. FIRST OF ALL, I KNOW WE'RE ON THE AMENDMENT RIGHT NOW, AND I WANT TO SAY I AGREE WITH I THINK EVERY EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SAY, CERTAINLY THE CONCERN THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO, AND I THINK YOU WOULD AGREE WITHOUT TRYING TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING MORE LATER TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BASED ON THE MARKET FOR THESE TYPES OF SKILLS. YES, SIR. HOWEVER, ON THE AMENDMENT, I'M GETTING THERE ON THE AMENDMENT I DID WANT [00:40:05] TO ASK YOU AND MISS HART, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE THE 3000 UP FRONT IS THE WAY TO GO VERSUS WAITING THE SIX MONTHS? I MEAN, I REALLY WANTED TO HEAR YOUR OPINION ON THAT. BEFORE I VOTE, IF YOU DON'T MIND. YES, SIR. JUST AS A, FOR INSTANCE, THE TWO POSITIONS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FILL WERE BOTH VACATED BY VERY YOUNG WORKERS, AND THEY LEFT US FOR THE VERY REASON THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A VERY SMALL INCREASE IN PAY PER HOUR. AND, OF COURSE, WE TRIED OUR BEST TO CONVINCE THEM NOT TO DO THAT AND TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE. BUT NOT TRYING TO PAINT WITH A VERY BROAD BRUSH HERE, BUT VERY OFTEN YOUNG PEOPLE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT DOLLAR AND THEY'RE LESS CONCERNED ABOUT HEALTH CARE OR RETIREMENT. AND SO THEY WERE LURED AWAY FROM US FOR A RELATIVELY PALTRY AMOUNT OF MONEY INCREASED PER HOUR. SO TO ME, IT WOULD SEEM LIKE A $3,000 OFFER UP FRONT MIGHT ATTRACT SOMEONE WHO'S IN THAT SAME POSITION, A YOUNG PERSON WHO'S MUCH MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SALARY THAN THE BENEFITS. AND I AND I AGREE, MAKING A PERSON WAIT SIX MONTHS TO GET THE SECOND HALF OF THE OF THE BONUS, I THINK IS A LONG TIME. AGAIN, THINKING LIKE A YOUNG PERSON WHO LIVES IN THE NOW IN THE HERE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S SIX MONTHS IS A LONG TIME FOR THEM. DOCTOR YARBOROUGH. SO ONE SECOND. IT WAS DOCTOR HANKS HAD HER HAND UP EARLIER. PRETTY MUCH THAT SAME. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND SO GO AHEAD, MR. SILAS AND MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON. YEAH. DOCTOR YARBOROUGH, JUST TO FOLLOW UP, PLEASE. YOU KNOW, TO MY PREVIOUS POINT ABOUT ADDRESSING THE SALARY AND THE LONGER TERM SOLUTION TO BECOME AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, WE MAY NOT EVER BE THE SAME AS PRIVATE INDUSTRY, BUT AT LEAST GET CLOSER WHERE SOME OF THOSE BENEFITS MAY MAKE A, YOU KNOW, TIP TO SCALE. MAYBE I'M PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT AND I APOLOGIZE, BUT COMING FROM THAT POSITION, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT WHAT BUDGET IMPACT THAT MAY BE TO TAKE THOSE HVAC POSITIONS TO A COMPETITIVE RATE? WELL OF COURSE I COULD RELY ON MR. TRAXLER TO TO HELP ME. BUT AT THE VERY TOP END OF THE PAY SCALE, FOR INSTANCE FOR A PERSON WHO WOULD BE IN AN HVAC POSITION, IT'S IN THE UPPER 30, 38, $39 AN HOUR. BUT, BUT, BUT TO REACH THAT LEVEL, YOU LITERALLY WOULD HAVE TO BE WITH US PROBABLY FOR OVER 30 YEARS, RIGHT? WELL, I THINK I'D LIKE TO REQUEST, IF I CAN DO THAT WITHOUT A MOTION, THAT THE DISTRICT PROVIDES SOME OF THAT INFORMATION TO US AS TO WHAT, YOU KNOW, YOUR BEST ESTIMATE AS TO WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FROM A BUDGET SCENARIO TO. BE MORE COMPETITIVE, AT LEAST TO BE MORE COMFORTABLE THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, ATTRACT AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES IN THESE KEY MAINTENANCE POSITIONS. HVAC, YOU KNOW, BEING THE PRIMARY ONE AT THIS POINT IN TIME. YES, SIR. BECAUSE I DO ANTICIPATE A FURTHER DISCUSSION OVER SHIFTING MONEY AROUND. I MEAN, IF THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO TO GET US OVER THIS HUMP. WE'LL GO TO MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON. UNLESS THERE WAS A QUESTION YOU HAD FOR MR. TRAXLER. UNLESS HE. UNLESS MR. TRAXLER HAD MORE INFORMATION ON MY I MY COMMENT. MR. CHAIR, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH A COMPENSATION STUDY RIGHT NOW THAT'S LOOKING AT POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. IT'S ONE THAT THE BOARD APPROVED FUNDING FOR THE STUDY A YEAR AGO. IT HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS. THERE'S A LOT OF INFO TO GO THROUGH. BUT IT IS NEARING THE END AND WE ANTICIPATE HERE IN THE RELATIVELY NEAR FUTURE WHERE RESULTS WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO PROVIDE IN ADVANCE OF THE 2526 BUDGET PROCESS. SO IT CAN BE CONSIDERED. I WOULD ANTICIPATE IT'S A SITUATION WHERE SIGNIFICANT OUTLIERS ARE ONES THAT ARE RECOMMENDED AND LOOKED AT FIRST. AND THESE POSITIONS ARE ARE ONES THAT WE CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT. BUT EVERY POSITION IS GOING TO BE A PART OF THAT. SO WE WILL HAVE THAT INFO IN THE RELATIVELY NEAR FUTURE FOR THE BOARD. OKAY. MR. RHINEHART-JACKSON. LET'S PLAY WHAT IF FOR A MINUTE? WHAT IF MY AMENDMENT FAILS? WE VOTE TO DO THE $3,000 INCENTIVE 15 AT THE BEGINNING, 1500 AT THE BEGINNING, 1500 AFTER 90 DAYS, THE 91ST DAY, BOTH OF THEM QUIT. WHAT'S THE PLAN? [00:45:02] ARE WE GOING TO. ARE YOU ALL GOING TO COME BACK TO US AND ASK US TO YET AGAIN PROVIDE ANOTHER $3,000 INCENTIVES FOR TWO POSITIONS? SO NOW WE'RE OUT AND I WANT TO SAY WE'RE OUT OF $6,000 BECAUSE IT'S MONEY WELL SPENT FOR A POSITION THAT WE NEED, POSITIONS THAT WE NEED. BUT WE SPENT $6,000 TRYING TO HIRE TWO POSITIONS. THEY LEAVE US, AND NOW WE'RE RIGHT BACK TO WHERE WE STARTED IT. IF I MAY, MR. CHAIR. YES, SIR. WE WE DO. WE DO RUN THAT RISK. YES, MA'AM. WE DO RUN THAT RISK. BUT THAT'S NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN LAST YEAR'S RETENTION BONUS OR BONUSES THAT WE PROVIDED BUS DRIVERS IN THE PAST. SO WE WE HAVE RUN THAT RISK. IDEALLY WE HOLD ON TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS. AND IT MAY BE A SITUATION WITHIN THOSE 90 DAYS THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE COME FORTH ON THE SALARY SCHEDULE, AND WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS AT THAT POINT, BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY NO GUARANTEE THERE AND NOTHING TO HOLD THEM HERE. NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER NINE TEACHERS THAT HAVE RECEIVED BONUSES IN THE PAST. YEAH. MISS TYLER. I DO AGREE THAT THE $3,000 SIGNING BONUS IS A GREAT IDEA. HOWEVER, THE 90 DAY LIMIT KIND OF BOTHERS ME A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE YOUR FIRST 90 DAYS ON A JOB, YOU'RE ACTUALLY LEARNING YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. YOU HADN'T REALLY GOTTEN UP TO SPEED YET, SO TO SPEAK. SO I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE OF GREAT BENEFIT TO US TO EMPLOY THEM FOR 90 DAYS, PAY THEM AN ADDITIONAL $3,000, AND THEN THEY WALK ON THE 91ST DAY. HOWEVER, I COULD GET BEHIND THE $3,000 BONUS, ISSUING A $1,000 BONUS EVERY OTHER MONTH FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION? I'LL JUST. I'LL JUST MAKE ONE JUST ONE COMMENT. THE YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE FOR YEARS, NOT MONTHS AND HAVE A GOOD WORKPLACE WHERE THEY WHERE THEY WANT TO STAY. AND FROM A COMPENSATION STANDPOINT, IT'S GOING TO TAKE BUDGET WORK IN THE NEXT SEVERAL BUDGETS TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT. AND WE CAN'T ADDRESS IT TODAY. AND WE'VE GOT TWO OPEN POSITIONS FOR SOMETHING THAT I'M SURE FOLKS HERE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT DEFICIENCIES IN SOME OF OUR BUILDINGS CURRENTLY. WHERE WE CAN'T GET PEOPLE OUT TO DO THE WORK. AND I IF 90 DAYS IS THE ONLY EVALUATION PERIOD WE HAVE FOR FOLKS, I CAN SEE JUST DOING IT ALL WITHIN THAT 90 DAYS BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO I CAN UNDERSTAND WANTING TO MAKE SURE YOU WANT TO KEEP SOMEBODY BEFORE YOU PAY THEM THE SECOND HALF. BUT SIX MONTHS, YOU MAY CONVINCE YOURSELF TO TURN IT INTO 12 MONTHS TO TWO YEARS. AND THAT'S JUST MY ONLY COMMENT. MRS RHINEHART-JACKSON. I AGREE WITH MRS. TYLER. AND I CAN I'M WILLING TO WITHDRAW MY AMENDMENT, OR EITHER I CAN RE RESTRUCTURE IT. WHAT'S THE PROPER. WELL, I THINK THE EASIEST THING IS JUST TO TAKE A VOTE. OKAY. AND THERE, THERE. I'M SURE THERE'S A WAY YOU COULD RESCIND THE AMENDMENT, BUT I KIND OF, LIKE, JUST SEE THE VOTE. AND OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE'S HEARD YOU SAY THAT. SO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION? OKAY. WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION, WHERE IT'S A SPECIFICALLY CHANGES THE TIME FRAME FOR THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF THE BONUS OF $1,500 FROM THE END OF THE 90 DAY EVALUATION PERIOD TO THE END OF SIX MONTHS OF SERVICE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. SORRY. I TAKE THAT BACK. SO WE GOT TWO IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S THE REST OF US. WHICH IS SIX. SO THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION FAILS 2 TO 6. SO WE HAVE A MAIN MOTION ON THE FLOOR. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE MIGHT HEAR ANOTHER AMENDMENT. SO SOMEONE LIKE TO OFFER A DIFFERENT AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION. WE'LL DO IT. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION. I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE PAY OUT THE BONUS $1,000 UPFRONT, $1,000 UPFRONT, AND THE REMAINING 2000 EVERY OTHER MONTH. [00:50:05] SO WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY WAS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE BONUS WOULD BE 3000. A THOUSAND WHEN THEY START, AND THEN ANOTHER THOUSAND AFTER TWO, TWO MONTHS AND THEN ANOTHER THOUSAND AFTER TWO MONTHS, FOR A TOTAL OF 3000. AS AN AMENDMENT TO THAT, THE TIME FRAME IN WHICH IT GETS PAID OUT ON THE MAIN MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL RIGHT. SO MOTION BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY MISS TYLER AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION TO CHANGE HOW THE BONUSES PAID OUT SUCH THAT IT'S THREE INSTALLMENTS OF 1000, A THOUSAND UP FRONT, 1002 MONTHS LATER, AND THEN 1002 MONTHS AFTER THAT. OR DID I GET. DID I GET THAT RIGHT? YEAH. OKAY. DISCUSSION ON THAT AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION. SO WE'RE TALKING HANKS. WE'RE TALKING FIVE MONTHS INSTEAD OF SIX. CORRECT. ACTUALLY WITH THE BONUS BE PAID IN THE FIRST PAYCHECK. THAT'S HOW IT WORKS. TYPICALLY, THE WAY IT WORKS, BY THE TIME THEY GO THROUGH ORIENTATION, WE TRY TO HIT IT WITH THE SECOND PAYCHECK. SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT SECOND PAYCHECK AT DAY 60 AND AT DAY 120, IF WE'RE SKIPPING TWO MONTHS IN BETWEEN, IF I'M IF I'M INTERPRETING CORRECTLY. MAY I, MR. CHAIR? MISS TYLER YES, MY THOUGHT WAS THE INITIAL BONUS WITH THE FIRST PAYCHECK. HOWEVER THAT IS STRUCTURED, HOWEVER THAT LOOKS. THEN TWO MONTHS LATER THE THE EXCUSE ME, THE NEXT $1,000 BONUS AND THEN THE. YEAH, TWO MONTHS AFTER THAT, THE LAST PAYMENT. SO IT WOULD PROBABLY END UP BEING AROUND FIVE MONTHS AND SOME CHANGE, HONESTLY. OKAY. THANK YOU, MISS TYLER. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION, MR. BROOME? THIS IS DOWN THE RABBIT TRAIL, BUT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THERE. WE ASKED. I UNDERSTAND, MR. TRAXLER. DID WE NOT ASK FOR HIM TO LOOK AT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO MAKE THESE CRAFT POSITIONS COMPETITIVE. I'M JUST GOING TO THROW SOMETHING OUT THERE. I HEARD THE NUMBER MR. YARBOROUGH SAID FOR 30 PLUS YEAR VETERAN, JUST BEAR IN MIND WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS AND I'M REALLY TALKING TO Y'ALL IN THE CRAFT INDUSTRY NOWADAYS, FROM APPRENTICE TO TOPPING OUT IS NORMALLY 4 TO 6 YEARS. MOST PLACES ARE ABOUT FOUR YEARS, WITH CAVEATS OF DEGREES OF, YOU KNOW, OF OF ACHIEVEMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO TO MEET YOUR CRAFT. IN TODAY'S WORLD, I THINK WE REALLY NEED WHEN WE START LOOKING AT THIS, WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT A STRUCTURE LIKE THAT, THAT BECAUSE THE NUMBER YOU SAID WASN'T BAD. IT'S COMPETITIVE, BUT YOU GOT TO BE 60 YEARS OLD TO GET THERE. SO JUST BEAR THAT IN MIND. IT MIGHT NOT BE AS EXPENSIVE AS WE THINK IF WE LOOK AT IT THAT WAY AND OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT GOOD SUPERVISION. YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE ARE READY FOR THESE THESE BUMPS AND IT CAN BE EITHER BY MERIT OR IT CAN BE BY, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVEMENT, CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT. AND IF THEY'RE NOT DOING THEIR JOB, YOU MAKE IT A JOB, THEN THAT IS WORTH HAVING. AND LOSING ITS BEARS A LITTLE MORE PROBLEM. THANK YOU. I AGREE FULLY WITH WHAT BRIAN SAID IN THE BEGINNING. WE REALLY NEED A STUDY, AND WE REALLY NEED TO REDO THE PAY SCHEDULE FOR MAINTENANCE WORKERS. BUT I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO DO IT ON THE BASIS OF FACTS, NOT SUPPOSITION. WE NEED A STUDY, AND I MEAN A QUICK ONE. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S A IT'S A SIMPLE MATTER TO CALL UP, BRAG, HOLLY BRADLEY ALL THESE PLACES THAT HAVE HVAC PEOPLE AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU PAY? AND I'M SURE THEY'LL BE GLAD TO TELL US. AND THEN WE CAN LAY THAT DOWN BESIDES WHAT WE PAY. AND THEN WE KNOW PRETTY WELL WHERE WE STAND IN RELATION TO THE COMPETITION. AND I REMEMBER MY MY FACTS MAY BE WRONG, BUT I HAVE A FRIEND WHOSE SON WORKED HERE FOR US FOR A WHILE AS AN HVAC MECHANIC, AND HE LEFT US TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. IT WAS EITHER 6 OR $8000 A YEAR INCREASE IN SALARY. SO, I MEAN, THE NEED IS THERE. IT'S SORT OF DESPERATE, REALLY, TO RAISE SOME OF THESE SALARIES. SO WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE. IF YOU GET PEOPLE, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT NOBODY ELSE WANTS. BUT BEFORE WE JUST GO HAIRY, SCARY, DOING ALL KINDS OF STUFF, [00:55:01] I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO EXPEDITE THAT SALARY STUDY AND TAKE SOME ACTION ON IT AS A AS A STOP GAP MEASURE. I THINK WE NEED TO DO THIS, BUT I NEED SOME INCENTIVE TO GO AHEAD AND TRY TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT NOW. BUT WE REALLY JUST NEED TO PUT AN EMPHASIS ON GETTING THIS THING DONE SO THAT WE CAN ACT FROM FROM KNOWLEDGE RATHER THAN WHAT WE THINK. IF IF I MIGHT ADD THAT THAT SALARY STUDY IS BEING PERFORMED BY A THIRD PARTY. WE WANT IT TO BE UNBIASED. A LOT OF POSITIONS THEY ARE COMPARING TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, SELECT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT SKILLED POSITIONS SUCH AS THIS, SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY POSITIONS ARE LOOKING AT THIS AREA BECAUSE WE'RE COMPETING WITH SOME OTHER ENTITIES. SO IT WILL LOOK AT THAT. AS FAR AS US DOING IT UP HERE, IT IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A LITTLE TIME INTENSIVE. AND, AND AGAIN, FOLKS MAY SAY, WELL, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME LEVEL OF BIAS THERE. SO WE'RE PAYING FOR THE STUDY AND HOPEFULLY WE HAVE HAVE THE THE RESULTS FROM THAT SOON, AND WE'RE ABLE TO PRESENT IT TO THE BOARD. WITH THOSE COMPARISONS, CAN WE ASK FOR THEM TO DO THAT IN A PIECEMEAL WAY, MAYBE EXPEDITE THE MAINTENANCE NEEDS AND THEN DO THE REST LATER OR SOMETHING? JUST AN IDEA. YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ME. YEAH. SO I HEARD DOCTOR. I SAW DOCTOR HANKS HAND DOCTOR HANKS. SO WE HAVE, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, GONE DOWN THIS RABBIT HOLE BEFORE. I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO SEE THE STUDY AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN GET IT. NOT JUST FOR THE HVAC, BUT FOR THE OTHER CRITICAL MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENTS AS WELL. AND I ALSO WANT US TO GO INTO THAT BEING FAIR IN THOUGHT, BECAUSE COMPARING WHAT WE AS STATE EMPLOYEES ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY ANYONE NO MATTER WHAT THEIR SKILL COMPARED TO THE THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR WHOEVER THAT MAY BE. I JUST DON'T SEE HOW WE'LL EVER HAVE A BUDGET TO COMPETE WITH THAT. SO I'M IN AGREEMENT. LET'S GET THE NUMBERS. LET'S SEE WHERE THEY LOOK AND TRY TO COME UP WITH WHAT WE THINK THE DISTRICT CAN DO. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION THAT CHANGES THE TIMING OF THE PAYMENTS OF THE OF THE BONUS? OKAY. HEARING NONE, WE'LL TAKE A VOTE. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION TO CHANGE THE THE PAYMENT OF THE $3,000 BONUS TO 1000 UPFRONT, 1002 MONTHS AFTER THAT ONE, AND THEN 1002 MONTHS AFTER THAT ONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S FOUR IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S THREE OPPOSED. ALL THOSE ABSTAINING. I'M ALL ABSTAINING. YOU'RE. YOU'RE ABSTAINING. I'M ABSTAINING TO BREAK THE TIE. OKAY, SO THE MOTION CARRIES FOUR TO 3 TO 1, ONE, AND THE MAIN MOTION HAS BEEN AMENDED WITH THAT TIMING OF THE F3 INSTALLMENTS OF THAT BONUS. SO WHICH BRINGS US BACK. WE NOW HAVE AN AMENDED MAIN MOTION TO PAY A $3,000 BONUS FOR TWO POSITIONS OF HVAC TECHNICIANS IN THREE INSTALLMENTS OF 1000 EACH, TWO MONTHS BETWEEN EACH PAYMENT, AND ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ON THAT AMENDED MAIN MOTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. SEVEN IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S ONE AGAINST MOTION CARRIES 7 TO 1. THAT IS THE END OF INDIVIDUAL ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. THAT BRINGS US TO CONSENT ITEMS, WHICH WE WILL VOTE ON AS A GROUP, BUT CERTAINLY CAN DISCUSS INDIVIDUALLY BEFORE A VOTE IS TAKEN. AIKEN. THE FIRST ONE IS PRETTY STANDARD. WE HAVE A LIST OF OUT-OF-DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUESTS FOR FOLKS THAT WANT TO TRANSFER OUT OF THE DISTRICT FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR. THE SECOND IS A REQUEST FOR APPROVAL FOR HOME INSTRUCTION. THAT WE'VE WE SAW THAT ATTACHMENT. THE THIRD IS A DONATION FROM SRP FEDERAL CREDIT UNION. SO THEY CAN COUNTY CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER FOR THE SUM OF $2,000 TO BE USED FOR GENERAL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES IN SUPPORT OF THE CAREER CENTER'S KATE TECHNO CAMP AND THEIR SUMMER ACADEMY. THE FOURTH, WHICH I BELIEVE GENTLEMEN ARE HERE WITH A PRESENTATION. THE FOURTH CONSENT ITEM IS THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, DRAWINGS AND BUDGET FOR THE AIKEN COUNTY, THE NEW AIKEN COUNTY CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY PROJECT. AND IS SOMEONE INTRODUCING OUR SPEAKERS? [01:00:02] DOCTOR YARBOROUGH. YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS, DOCTOR MURPHY. I WOULD LIKE FOR OUR ARCHITECT TO COME FORWARD. HIS NAME IS MARK WARREN WITH GMC. AND HE HAS THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT DRAWINGS AND THE BUDGET FOR THE NEW AIKEN COUNTY CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER. OH MY GOODNESS. YES. YES. IF YOU NEED TO. IT'S THAT LITTLE BUTTON. GOT IT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MISTER CHAIRMAN. BOARD MEMBERS. DOCTOR YARBOROUGH. MY NAME IS MARK WARREN, AND I LEAD THE ARCHITECTURE GROUP FOR GOODWYN, MILLS AND CAWOOD. AND IT'S MY PLEASURE TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE NEW CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER PROJECT DESIGN. WE HAVE BEEN SPENDING THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE INSTRUCTORS FROM THE FACILITY PRINCIPAL LOT TO DEVELOP THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS IMAGE, INCLUDING ADDING THE SRP BANK INTO THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING. AND WE ARE VERY, VERY CLOSE TO WRAPPING UP THE DOCUMENTS TO MOVE THE PROJECT FORWARD INTO CONSTRUCTION. THE THE PROJECT HAS EVOLVED A LITTLE BIT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS SINCE WE LAST PRESENTED THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN BACK LATE FALL OF 2023. BUT WE ARE STILL ON TARGET TO PROVIDE A BUILDING THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 100,000FT². WE HAVE RECENTLY ADDED H.D. REYNOLDS TO THE TEAM AS THE CMR CONTRACTOR THAT WILL BE CONSTRUCTING THE BUILDING, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY'VE BEEN PROVIDING SOME BUDGET UPDATES AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS. AND WE ARE VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE ON BUDGET FROM WHAT WE PRESENTED ABOUT NINE MONTHS AGO TO THE BOARD. WE HAVE SUBMITTED TO OSF FOR APPROVAL. WE HAD A TABLETOP REVIEW WITH THEM ABOUT A MONTH AGO. EVERYTHING IS ON TRACK FROM A DESIGN PERSPECTIVE, FROM A LIFE SAFETY DESIGN PERSPECTIVE, AND WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD TRYING TO WRAP UP THE DOCUMENTS IN ABOUT 45 DAYS. THE PROJECT VISION AGAIN, STILL REMAINS. OUR FOCUS IS TO PROVIDE A STATE OF THE ART FACILITY THAT WILL TAKE THE CAREER CENTER INTO THE 21ST CENTURY AND BEYOND. WE'VE BEEN PAYING VERY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO NOT ONLY THE DESIGN THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE INSTRUCTORS, BUT ALSO PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN TRENDS, IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO LAST FOR ANOTHER 50 YEARS AND PROVIDE STATE OF THE ART EDUCATION TO TO THE DISTRICT. WE ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON PROVIDING AN AUTHENTIC WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS, AND ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SHOWCASE THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE THE BUILDING WHILE TRAINING WITH INDUSTRY EXPERTS. SO TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW, THE SITE FOR THE NEW FACILITY WILL BE ON AIKEN TECH'S CAMPUS. WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CAMPUS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DESIGN AND THE ARCHITECTURE FITS THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION. THERE WAS TWO BUILDINGS THAT WERE DEMOLISHED TO INTEGRATE INTO THE CAMPUS FACILITY. WE HAVE DEVELOPED THE TWO STORY FACILITY. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE DIAGRAM, THE YELLOW AREA THAT YOU SEE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS THE BUILDING DESIGN. THERE IS A STUDENT COURTYARD THAT'S BETWEEN THE TWO BUILDINGS. AND ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THAT IS THE SERVICE YARD, WHERE ALL THE HIGH BAY AREAS, INCLUDING DIESEL TECH AUTOMOTIVE, ALL OF THE KIND OF HEAVY INDUSTRIAL AREAS WILL BE CONNECTED TO THAT SERVICE YARD. THE LOWER LEVEL IS THE PRIMARY ENTRANCE FOR VISITORS, ALONG WITH ACCESS TO THE STAFF PARKING LOT, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OF THE 20 COMPONENTS IN THE BUILDING ON THIS LOWER LEVEL, AS WELL AS A TWO STORY ATRIUM SPACE IN THE CENTER OF THE BUILDING THAT WILL BE LIGHT FILLED. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IF YOU CAN SEE THAT NUMBER FIVE, THAT'S WHERE THE SRP BANK HAS BEEN INTEGRATED INTO THE PLAN. THEY HAVE A SEPARATE EXTERIOR ENTRANCE, AS WELL AS CONNECTIVITY TO THE SECURE VESTIBULE THAT WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO WORK IN THAT, GET TRAINING IN THAT BANK ENVIRONMENT, WHICH WILL BE A VERY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY. THE SECOND LEVEL OF THE BUILDING HAS THE BALANCE AND REMAINDER OF ALL THE PROGRAMS. AND AGAIN, WE'VE GOT THAT STUDENT COURTYARD, WHICH IS KIND OF IN BETWEEN THE TWO BUILDINGS. AND ON THE NORTH SIDE IS WHERE ALL THE HIGH BAY ACCESS IS FOR FOR VEHICLES, DELIVERIES, ETC.. THIS IS THE NOW RENDERING OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE FACILITY. AND YOU CAN SEE THE SRP BANK HAS BEEN INTEGRATED INTO THE DESIGN TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE A SEPARATE ENTRANCE, AS WELL AS CONNECTIVITY TO THAT SECURE VESTIBULE. HERE'S A PULLED OUT VIEW OF WHAT THE FRONT ELEVATION OF THE FACILITY WILL LOOK [01:05:05] LIKE AS PEOPLE APPROACH THE BUILDING FROM JEFFERSON DAVIS HIGHWAY. WE HAVE THIS IS THE SOUTH ELEVATION. WE'VE GOT A COMMUNITY SPACE, WHICH IS IN THAT KIND OF YELLOW BAR ON THE SOUTH OF THE BUILDING THAT ALLOWS REALLY A SHOWCASE AND A SHOWPIECE AS PART OF THIS FACILITY. AND THEN A COUPLE OF VIEWS OF WHAT THAT HIGH BAY SPACE IS. EACH OF THE PROGRAMS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE SERVICE YARD FOR DELIVERIES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, ALLOW THEIR PROGRAMS TO SPILL OUT INTO THAT COURTYARD SPACE. AND EACH ONE OF THOSE IS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THOSE LARGE SCALE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE ON THE OVERHEAD DOORS. AND AGAIN, KIND OF BACK TO THE FRONT. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE HERE WHERE THE SRP BANK HAS BEEN ADDED AND INTEGRATED INTO THE FACILITY. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT PROGRAM IS AND HOW TO NOT ONLY CREATE A SECURE ENVIRONMENT FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY, WHICH MAY HAVE DIFFERENT HOURS THAN THE SCHOOL, BUT ALSO HOW THE STUDENTS WOULD INTERACT AND WORK WITHIN THAT PART OF THE FACILITY. AND THIS IS, AGAIN, JUST A BLOW UP VIEW OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. AND THEN THIS IS JUST A AN EXAMPLE DIAGRAM OF HOW SRP WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE FACILITY. AND SO THERE ARE A SERIES OF KIOSKS WHERE AN EMPLOYEE OF THE BANK WILL WORK WITH A STUDENT TO HELP FULFILL A CUSTOMER'S REQUEST. THEY WILL NOT PHYSICALLY TOUCH THE MONEY. IT'S IT'S EFFECTIVELY LIKE AN ATM TRANSITION OR TRANSFER, BUT IT'S WITH THE STUDENT ACTING AS THE EMPLOYEE. THERE'S NO VAULT OR ANYTHING IN THAT SPACE. AND THEN THIS IS JUST A VERY QUICK VIEW OF OF THE SHELL OF THAT SPACE ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING. WE'VE WORKED VERY CAREFULLY WITH HG REYNOLDS TO PROVIDE A BUDGET UPDATE. WE HAVE BEEN SORT OF MOVING SOME MONEY AROUND IN TERMS OF COLUMNS. WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT? WHETHER IT'S EQUIPMENT YOU KNOW, PLAYGROUNDS HOW THINGS ARE GOING TO BE PROCURED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN ALIGNMENT. AND FROM THE BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED BACK IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, WE WERE ABOUT $200,000 OVER THAT PREVIOUS BUDGET. SO WE WERE AT 53 MILLION. AND SOME CHANGE PREVIOUSLY. WE'RE AT 53.2 MILLION. AND WE'RE WORKING NOW TO TO BRING THAT BACK DOWN. AND WE IMAGINE THAT THE, THE NEXT ROUND OF BUDGET WILL BE RIGHT AT $53 MILLION, AS WE HAD PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED. WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN UP TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. MR. BROOME, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. IS DOES THE STATE OR AIKEN TAKE OWN PROPERTY? WHERE HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THAT BUILDING OR IS IT KIND OF LANDLOCKED? SO LET ME GO BACK TO THE SITE, PLAN FOR A MOMENT, AND WE CAN KIND OF TALK THROUGH THAT RELATIONSHIP. SO THERE IS A BASICALLY WHAT EFFECTIVELY IS A GROUND LEASE BETWEEN AIKEN TECH AND AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR US TO CONSTRUCT THE BUILDING ON THEIR LAND. EVERYBODY'S IN FULL AGREEMENT. WE HAVE A MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING IN PLACE TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PLAN, IT'S A LITTLE BIT BLOWN OUT. BUT THERE ARE ROADS THAT BIND THE SOUTH, THE WEST AND THE NORTH SIDES OF THE SITE, BUT TO THE EAST, WHERE YOU SEE NUMBER 11, THAT RIGHT NOW IS IS A GREEN SPACE. AND IT'S PLANNED TO STAY AS A GREEN SPACE ON THE CAMPUS. AND SO THAT WOULD ALLOW THE BUILDING TO GROW IN THAT DIRECTION IN THE FUTURE IF NECESSARY. OKAY. THANK YOU. LIKE. OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DOCTOR HANKS HOW LONG IS THE LAND LEASE? I BELIEVE THE INITIAL. WE WENT BACK AND FORTH A LITTLE BIT. I WANT TO SAY IT'S 50 YEARS. FOR THE INITIAL LEASE AND THEN WE HAVE AN OPTION TO RENEW IT. SHOULD WE WANT TO AT THAT TIME? DOCTOR BRADLEY DON'T DON'T WE OWN SOME PROPERTY THAT'S ADJACENT TO THIS PROJECT? WE DO OWN THE. IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ADULT ED. YEAH. I DON'T THINK IT'S CONTIGUOUS, THOUGH. I THINK THERE MAY BE ANOTHER PROPERTY IN BETWEEN. I COULD BE MISTAKEN. OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. SIR. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. SO WE'VE WE'VE HAD A REVIEW OF THE FOUR CONSENT ITEMS. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FOUR CONSENT ITEMS AS WE DISCUSSED? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND SECOND SECONDED BY DOCTOR HANKS. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE FOUR CONSENT ITEMS? OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE FOUR CONSENT ITEMS, [01:10:03] PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES. WE HAVE WE DO HAVE TWO INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. AND I'LL WELCOME DOCTOR YARBOROUGH BACK UP TO THE PODIUM TO GO OVER TWO CONSTRUCTION STATUS REPORTS. YES, SIR. MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS, DOCTOR MURPHY WE DO HAVE TWO BRIEF CONSTRUCTION STATUS REPORTS. ONE FOR THE NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH ATHLETIC FIELDS PHASE FOUR PROJECT. SO JUST A GRAPHIC OR A OUR RENDERING OF A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF WHAT THE COMPLEX WILL WILL BE LIKE. BOTH THE BASEBALL AND THE SOFTBALL, AS WELL AS THE DUGOUTS AND RESTROOMS AND AND THAT KIND OF THING. AND SOME OF THE CURRENT WORK THAT'S GOING ON THERE. I PASSED BY THE SITE VERY FREQUENTLY. IT'S A VERY BUSY SITE. YOU KNOW, SLABS HAVE BEEN POURED. VISITOR FOOTINGS THE THE DUGOUT, THE FOOTINGS HAVE BEEN HAVE ALREADY BEEN POURED. THE RETAINING WALL, WHICH IS RATHER LARGE, HAS BEEN PUT AT THE BACK OF THE PROJECT, WHICH YOU SEE PART OF THAT HERE. AND THAT RETAINING WALL IS BEHIND THE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELDS. DRAINAGE IS GOING IN THERE ALREADY. THERE'S STILL DISCUSSION GOING ON ABOUT HOW BEST TO PREVENT BALLS FROM GOING INTO THE ROAD WHEN GAMES ARE PLAYED. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE SOLVED RELATIVELY EASILY. SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AS FAR AS KNOBCONE AND ITS LOCATION WITH THE OUTFIELDS WHERE THEY'RE, WHERE THEY'RE SITUATED. BUT THOSE ARE ALL PROBLEMS THAT CAN BE SOLVED. AND THEN MOVING ALONG TO THE NEXT UPDATE IS FOR WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH I WANT TO STRESS IS ON SCHEDULE AND WITHIN THE BUDGET. ALL OF THE HVAC UNITS ARE RUNNING THE SWITCHGEAR WAS INSTALLED. POWER WAS TRANSFERRED FROM GENERATORS AND BATTERY POWER TO THE UTILITY PROVIDER. SO THE BUILDING IS HOT, AS THEY SAY. LABS ARE COMING ALONG. THE SCIENCE LABS ARE COMING ALONG. THE STUDENT PARKING LOT HAS BEEN ASPHALTED. JUST A DRONE'S VIEW OF THE CAMPUS. OF COURSE TWO LARGE RETENTION PONDS ARE IN PLACE. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WITH ALL THE RAIN WE'VE HAD FUNCTIONING WELL. A WONDERFUL CANOPY, WHICH HAS BEEN A NEED AT THE EXISTING HIGH SCHOOL FOREVER. THAT WILL KEEP OUR STUDENTS DRY WHEN THEY'RE LOADING AND UNLOADING BUSSES. THIS IS IN THE ATHLETIC WING. ON THE LEFT SIDE IS THE GYM. THE LEFT SIDE OF THAT HALLWAY, THE RIGHT SIDE ARE COACHES OFFICES. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU GET A SENSE OF THE SOARING SPACE, VERY HIGH CEILINGS. IT'S A VERY IMPRESSIVE SPACE. ANY QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING? SEEING NONE. THANK YOU, DOCTOR YARBOROUGH. ALL RIGHT. APPRECIATE THOSE TWO UPDATES. YES, SIR. WE HAD NO INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER ITEMS THIS MEETING. AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE. DOCTOR MURPHY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ALREADY IN OUR FOURTH WEEK OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND IT'S BEEN AN EXCITING AND SUCCESSFUL START. OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF REPRESENTING OUR DISTRICT AND SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS AND MEDIA INTERVIEWS. THESE INCLUDED AN APPEARANCE ON THE MEANS REPORT, ATTENDING THE JEFFERSON HIGH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION COMMUNITY EVENT, AND SPEAKING AT THE AIKEN CHAMBER'S FIRST FRIDAY BREAKFAST. EACH OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES HAS ALLOWED ME TO SHARE THE REMARKABLE WORK HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS AND TO CONNECT WITH OUR BROADER COMMUNITY AT THE AKINS CHAMBER. FIRST FRIDAY ON AUGUST 2ND, I WAS PARTICULARLY EXCITED TO UNVEIL SOME EARLY RENDERINGS OF WHAT AN ENHANCED SOUTH AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE AND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL. SILVER BLUFF HIGH SCHOOL, NORTH AUGUSTA MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THE NEW AREA THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MIGHT LOOK LIKE THESE. THIS PRESENTATION WAS THE FIRST OF MANY. [01:15:02] AS WE ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY ON THE POSSIBLE RENEWAL OF THE $0.01 SALES TAX AND FORMING OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THESE PROJECTS NEEDS, PROJECT NEEDS AND THE RENEWAL OF THE TAX WOULD BE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AS WE APPROACH THE COMMUNITY. VOTE IN NOVEMBER. LAST WEEK BROUGHT AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE IN THE FORM OF TROPICAL STORM DEBBY. THE DECISION TO CANCEL AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND DELAY THE START OF SCHOOL AND WORK DAY WAS NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY, AND I AM GRATEFUL THAT WE WEATHERED THE STORM WITHOUT MAJOR INCIDENTS. I WANT TO EXTEND MY THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR FLEXIBILITY AND UNDERSTANDING DURING THOSE CHALLENGING DAYS. ON A BRIGHTER NOTE, I AM THRILLED TO SHARE THAT TWO OF OUR DISTRICT TEACHERS, BRIANNA ALLEN FROM MIDLAND VALLEY AND JENNIFER MCMILLEN FROM JACKSONVILLE, WERE RECENTLY HONORED AT THE 2024 STAR CLASSROOM GRANT WINNERS BY THE PALMETTO STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION. OUT OF 44 SUBMISSIONS STATEWIDE, ONLY NINE WERE SELECTED, AND WE ARE PROUD THAT TWO OF THOSE WINNERS ARE FROM AIKEN COUNTY. THIS RECOGNITION SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE DEDICATION AND EXCELLENCE OF OUR EDUCATORS. OVER THE WEEKEND, I ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION SCHOOL LAW CONFERENCE IN CHARLESTON WITH THE FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. THIS WAS A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN OUR RELATIONSHIP AS WE WORK TOGETHER, AND OUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS. I MET WITH PRINCIPALS TODAY TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN BEST IMPLEMENT NEW CURRICULAR CHANGES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS. WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF LEADERS IN OUR DISTRICT AND I AM I'M COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THEIR GROWTH AND LEADERSHIP. ADDITIONALLY, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE INSPIRING LEADERS WE ARE DEVELOPING THROUGH OUR INTERNAL PROGRAMS. LOOKING AHEAD, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT NEXT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21ST, WILL BE OUR FIRST EARLY DISMISSAL OF THE YEAR. ALL SCHOOLS WILL DISMISS TWO HOURS EARLY TO ALLOW TIME FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WE'LL BEGIN SHARING REMINDERS WITH FAMILY THIS WEEK. FAMILIES THIS WEEK TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION. I ALSO WANT TO ADD A BRIEF NOTE ABOUT THE SERVICE AND DEDICATION OF MR. DWIGHT SMITH ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE BOARD. I THINK OF THREE WORDS WHEN I THINK OF MR. SMITH, AND THAT'S PASSION, THAT'S FIRE, AND THAT'S DEDICATION TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE COMMUNITY HE SERVES. AND HIS PRESENCE ON THE BOARD WILL BE GREATLY MISSED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AS WE NAVIGATE THIS SCHOOL YEAR. IT'S BEEN A STRONG START, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT TOGETHER, WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THIS MOMENTUM FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR MURPHY. WE ARE. WE HAVE ONE SHORT MATTER TO COVER IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO WE WILL NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING FOLLOWING MATTER IN AS THE BOARD DEEMS APPROPRIATE. AND WE HAVE A CONTRACTUAL MATTER REGARDING THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT. FOLLOWING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE IN REGULAR SESSION TO ANNOUNCE ANY MATTERS CONSIDERED AND TAKE ANY ACTIONS THAT MAY BE NECESSARY. IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THIS PURPOSE? MOVE BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY MISS TYLER. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ENTERING EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THIS PURPOSE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL BEGIN EXECUTIVE SESSION IN THE BOARDROOM IN AFTER A SHORT 5 OR 10 MINUTE BREAK. [02:24:17] SURE IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH. [02:24:51] I'M JUST. OKAY. OH, OKAY. [02:25:49] ALL RIGHT. WE CONCLUDED EXECUTIVE SESSION. [02:25:53] WE ARE IN NEED OF A MOTION TO RETURN TO REGULAR SESSION. [02:25:57] MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY MISS TYLER? [02:26:00] ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ENTERING REGULAR SESSION, [02:26:04] PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR. [02:26:07] THE MOTION CARRIES. WHILE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. [02:26:10] WE DID DISCUSS ONE CONTRACTUAL MATTER REGARDING THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT. [02:26:15] THERE'S NO ACTION NECESSARY FROM THAT ITEM. [02:26:18] AND SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. [02:26:22] MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY MISS TYLER. [02:26:26] ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. [02:26:30] THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.