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OKAY. IT IS 6:00. I WILL CALL THE APRIL 15TH SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE AIKEN COUNTY
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BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ORDER.WE BEGIN ALL OUR MEETINGS WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
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. ALL RIGHT. WE DO HAVE A WE HAVE NOT MANY ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, BUT TRUST ME, IT IS A FULL AGENDA THIS EVENING.
THIS SPECIAL CALLED MEETING WAS PRIMARILY FOR A BUDGET WORKSHOP.
BUT WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS. SO WE'LL START WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
SO THE AGENDA, THE PUBLIC WAS DULY NOTIFIED IN ADVANCE OF THIS MEETING, AND WE CIRCULATED THE AGENDA TO BOTH THE PUBLIC AND THE BOARD.
AND I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY CALLS FOR CHANGES TO THAT AGENDA.
AND IF THERE ARE NONE, WE'LL ADOPT THE AGENDA WITHOUT OBJECTION.
YES, WE'LL CONSIDER THE AGENDA APPROVED.
WITHOUT OBJECTION. THE THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS.
SO THE BOARD WAS PROVIDED A LIST OF CLASSIFIED AND CERTIFIED PERSONNEL THAT WAS SCREENED BY HUMAN RESOURCES AND APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO APPROVE. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS? MOVE TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL.
IS THERE A SECOND SECOND? THAT WAS A CLOSE SECOND.
THE MOTION MADE BY DOCTOR BRADLEY, SECONDED BY MR. SILAS, TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS AS PRESENTED. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EVERYONE. THE MOTION PASSES.
THE ONLY OTHER ITEM FOR REGULAR SESSION IS THE 2526 BUDGET WORKSHOP AND DOCTOR MURPHY.
DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE THE SUBJECT? GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN. BOARD MEMBERS.
MY TEAM IS GONE. WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS ABOUT 5 OR 6 MEETINGS IN A ROW. AND SO MR. TRAXLER GOING TO COME UP AND GIVE YOU OUR BEST THINKING AS TO WHERE WE NEED TO HEAD GOING INTO THE 25, 26 BUDGET YEAR.
TREY. GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR. BOARD MEMBERS. DOCTOR MURPHY.
SO, AS DOCTOR MURPHY MENTIONED, WE'LL BE SHARING THE BUDGET OVERVIEW.
IT IT REALLY IS A SNAPSHOT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
SO THERE'S A CONSTANT UPDATE HERE.
YOU'LL SEE SOME INFO TONIGHT THAT I'VE EVEN ADDED THIS AFTERNOON SINCE SOME SOME WORD WAS PROVIDED AT 330 THIS AFTERNOON.
SO A FEW LITTLE TWEAKS THAT AREN'T IN YOUR COPY.
BUT WE'LL POINT THOSE OUT TO YOU.
SO AS A, AS A BRIEF KIND OF KICK OFF, LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR BUDGET CALENDAR.
SO WE OFFICIALLY BEGIN THIS EVERY YEAR AROUND DECEMBER.
BUT IN ALL TRUTHFULNESS, THIS PROCESS NEVER ENDS.
WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS NOW, AND I'M ALREADY STARTING TO TAKE NOTES ON THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT YEAR, THINGS WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF.
MAYBE THERE ARE SOME ONE TIME ITEMS THAT NEED TO COME OUT OF THE BUDGET NEXT YEAR.
THAT WILL BE A REMINDER TO ME, OR THERE MAY BE SOME ITEMS THAT THAT ARE RECURRING THAT WE WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF.
WE CAN'T LOOK AT THINGS IN A ONE YEAR SNAPSHOT.
OUR OPEN MEETINGS THIS YEAR, OUR MEETINGS WITH THE BOARD STARTED OFF WITH THAT BOARD RETREAT IN JANUARY.
WE HAD A WORK STUDY IN FEBRUARY, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT UNUSUAL FOR US.
WE HAVEN'T HAD MANY OF THOSE EARLY IN THE WINTER.
IN RECENT YEARS, WE'VE REALLY WAITED UNTIL THIS APRIL WORK STUDY TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW.
AND WE'VE DONE THAT BECAUSE WE WANT TO HAVE AS UP TO DATE OF INFO TO YOU AS POSSIBLE.
FOR THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT NEXT WEEK.
[00:10:02]
AFTER THAT, WE'LL HAVE A BUDGET ADVERTISEMENT.WE'LL GIVE OUR CITIZENS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, IN OUR STAKEHOLDERS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU AT THE BUDGET HEARING.
THAT'S AT THE MAY MEETING, AND WE'RE SCHEDULED FOR THE SECOND FINAL READING OF THE BUDGET AT THAT 2ND MAY MEETING.
IF THERE WERE A NEED TO TO PUSH OFF THAT FINAL DECISION, WE WOULD LIKE FOR THAT WORST CASE TO BE DONE BY JUNE 10TH BECAUSE OUR FIRST PAY DATE OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR IS JULY 5TH.
AND IN ORDER FOR US TO UPDATE THINGS GLOBALLY AS WE ROLL OVER.
WE NEED A COUPLE OF WEEKS TIME TO DO SOME FINAL CLEANUP AND START THOSE PREPS THERE.
SO. WE'RE HEAVILY RELIANT ON STATE FUNDING.
IT'S OUR LARGEST SOURCE OF FUNDING.
SO WE FOLLOWED THEIR TIMELINE VERY CLOSELY THIS TIME OF YEAR, AND I'M SURE YOU SEE IT.
YOU GET SCHOOL BOARDS, ASSOCIATION UPDATES, WE GET SCASSA UPDATES, I GET KASBO UPDATES. SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS NOW LOOK AT THOSE.
AND I THINK THEY COLLABORATE ON A LOT OF THEM.
YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THE SAME WORDING, BUT ALMOST EVERY WEEK OR LITTLE QUICK HITTERS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, WE'LL BE HEARING AND, AND WE'RE READING THOSE AND WE'RE EVALUATING WHAT THE IMPACT IS ON OUR, ON OUR BUDGET.
SO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTED IN JANUARY, MID FEBRUARY YOU HAD THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS VERSUS ANOTHER BUDGET.
EARLY MARCH YOU HAD THE FULL HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET.
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE MET LAST WEEK, AND NEXT WEEK WE'LL HAVE THE FULL SENATE.
AND ALONG EACH LEG OF THIS PROCESS, OUR STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED WILL WILL TAKE WHAT HAS BEEN APPROVED IN THAT VERSION OF THE BUDGET AND WITHIN ABOUT 2 TO 3 WEEKS, TYPICALLY THEY'LL TELL YOU, ALL RIGHT, THIS IS WHAT WAS APPROVED.
NOW WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR ABBEVILLE? AIKEN ON DOWN THE LINE.
SO WE'LL GET A MULTI-PAGE REPORT.
I KNOW TO GO TO PAGE TWO AND I CAN PULL OUR INFO INSTEAD OF DIGGING THROUGH, LIKE, SOME OTHER DISTRICTS, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS.
AND REALLY, IT'S EVER CHANGING THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
SO WE KIND OF HAVE OUR HEAD ON A SWIVEL.
I WILL NOTE TOO, AND THIS SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THOSE YEARS.
THERE ARE SOME YEARS WHERE THE THE HOUSE AND SENATE VERSIONS OF THE BUDGET CLOSELY ALIGN.
THIS SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THOSE YEARS.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER YEARS WHERE THEY MAY BE FAR OFF, AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SETTLE ON THIS END, ON THAT END, OR SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.
THOSE YEARS WHEN THEY DO CLOSELY ALIGN, IT MAKES THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
IT DOESN'T EXTEND IT OUT AS MUCH AND LEAD TO AS MANY UNKNOWNS.
SO BUT STILL WE'RE CONTINUING TO, TO WATCH THIS THIS IS A LITTLE GRAPHIC OR WHATEVER THAT WE'VE SHARED FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, BUT JUST TO KIND OF DISPLAY THE THE BUDGET PROCESS.
WE HAVE EXISTING AND RECURRING EXPENDITURES.
EVERY YEAR. THERE ARE SOME MANDATORY TYPE EXPENDITURES THAT IT.
WE HAVE VERY LITTLE CONTROL OVER.
THOSE ARE ITEMS THAT MAY BE SET AT THE STATE LEVEL.
WE MAY HAVE SOME PRE-APPROVED ITEMS THAT THE BOARD HAS ALREADY BLESSED BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO TO GET A MOVE ON TO SOMETHING.
YEAH. TWO OF THOSE ITEMS THAT CAME TO THE BOARD IN LATE MARCH THAT YOU GAVE PRE-APPROVAL TO. SO OUR HR DEPARTMENT, SO OUR INSTRUCTIONAL FOLKS COULD START PLANNING, OUR SCHOOLS COULD START PLANNING WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THEM.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME ITEMS THAT HIGH NEED HIGH PRIORITY.
BUT THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT A REQUIREMENT.
SO THOSE THOSE ARE ITEMS THAT AREN'T MANDATORY.
ON THE REVENUE SIDE, WE'LL HAVE EXISTING REVENUES.
WE'LL HAVE RECURRING REVENUES.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT THE STATE WILL EVERY YEAR WILL SEE AN INCREASE IN OUR REVENUE NUMBERS SOME YEARS A LARGER INCREASE THAN OTHERS.
SO WE WILL HAVE SOME NEW REVENUES.
THERE ARE OTHER REDUCTIONS THAT WE'LL SEE FROM OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE EVEN SEEN WHERE THE STATE HAS ELIMINATED CERTAIN ALLOCATIONS THAT WE'VE SEEN AND RECEIVED OVER THE YEARS.
BUT BUT THEY REALLY ROLLED IT UP INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
I GUESS THEY KIND OF GET LOST IN THE MIX ULTIMATELY, THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS I THINK EVERYBODY'S GOAL IS THE SAME IS TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR STUDENTS. SO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS?
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WHAT'S BEST FOR SCHOOLS? AND TRYING TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
AGAIN, THOSE MUST ITEMS TEACHER SCALE INCREASE, STEP INCREASE FOR TEACHERS.
WE HAVE TEACHER LIGHT POSITIONS.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THE STATE WILL REQUIRE US TO TO AT LEAST MEET CERTAIN LEVELS WITH BUS DRIVER STAFF AND COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
WE HAVE STATE RETIREMENT THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN IN STATE HEALTH.
ANY CHANGES THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR PREMIUMS IN THE CONTRIBUTION RATES ARE GOING TO IMPACT OUR BUDGET. WE HAVE NO DISCRETION OVER THAT.
WE HAVE A SALARY STUDY PROPOSAL.
THE BOARD PROVIDED FUNDING IN THE 2324 BUDGET.
THAT STUDY CONTINUED THROUGH THE START OF THIS YEAR.
WE'LL DISCUSS IT. IT HAS A LARGE BEARING ON THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, POTENTIALLY. WE HAVE UNAVOIDABLE, NECESSARY BUDGET ITEMS THAT IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, IT'S TOUGH FOR US TO TO CONTROL THOSE.
AND THERE'S JUST A TREND OF INCREASES ON SOME OF IT.
WATER, SEWER UTILITIES, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE HAD TO LOOK AT.
I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THOSE EARLY APPROVAL ITEMS. WE HAVE HIGH PRIORITY BUDGET ITEMS THAT WERE SHARED IN FEBRUARY.
WE'LL ALSO RECAP THOSE TONIGHT AS A REFRESHER.
SO EACH YEAR THE LEGISLATURE ADOPTS A ESTABLISHES A MINIMUM TEACHER SCALE.
AND THEY PROVIDED THAT THIS YEAR.
AND THIS IS REALLY A BEGINNING POINT FOR OUR TEACHER SALARIES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.
THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET IS $5,500 PER SALE IN THE TEACHER SCALE.
AND WE WERE WATCHING THE SENATE FINANCE VERSION THINKING THAT MAYBE THEY WOULD LOOK AT 3000. BECAUSE THAT WAS THE GOVERNOR'S INITIAL REQUEST.
THAT WAS THE STATE SUPERINTENDENTS INITIAL REQUEST.
THE SENATE FINANCE ENDED UP GOING WITH 1500 AS WELL.
SO IT SEEMS IN ALL LIKELIHOOD IT'S GOING TO END UP BEING A $1,500 INCREASE.
NOW, OVER THE YEARS, THE THE THE TRAIN OF THOUGHT WITH AT THE STATE LEVEL HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT ON THE TEACHER SCALE.
IN THE OLD DAYS, THEY WOULD SAY, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE INCREASING OUR SCALE 3%.
SO YOU INCREASE YOUR SCALE 3%.
WE'RE INCREASING EVERY SALE BY 1000.
WELL, NOW THEY SAY THAT AS LONG AS YOU MEET THE STATE MINIMUM YOU, YOU HAVE DISCRETION BEYOND THAT.
SO IF IF YOU'RE ABOVE THE STATE MINIMUM ACROSS THE BOARD, YOU DON'T HAVE TO INCREASE 1500.
MOST DISTRICTS DO TO MAINTAIN COMPETITIVENESS, BUT IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT.
SO THE FIRST STEP THAT WE WANT TO DO IS LOOK AT THE TEACHER SCALE, SAY, ALL RIGHT, ARE WE ARE WE MEETING ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS? ARE WE MEETING THE STATE MINIMUM.
THEN WE WANT TO LOOK AT COMPETITIVENESS.
WE ALSO HAD TO BE MINDFUL OF THOSE TEACHER LIKE POSITIONS.
ROTC, OTC SCHOOL PSYCHS AND NURSES.
THIS MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO SEE, BUT THIS IS A THIS IS THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE MINIMUM TEACHER SCALE FROM THIS YEAR.
LAST YEAR BACHELOR'S ZERO STEP.
SO A BACHELOR'S DEGREE WITH ZERO YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WAS 47,000.
NOW, IN THAT, IN THAT FIRST YELLOW HIGHLIGHT UP UNDER CLASS THREE.
SO EVERY SCALE HERE, EVERY STEP IS EVERY CELL IS INCREASED $1,500.
SO WHENEVER WE LOOK AT OURS AND COMPARE IT TO THE STATE MINIMUM, THERE'S ONE CELL HERE WHERE WE JUST MISS IT.
WE'RE WE'RE 100, AND IT'S EITHER 138 OR 183 OFF OF OF COMPLYING WITH THAT.
SO NOT THAT THE BOARD WOULD DO THIS, BUT THERE THERE ISN'T A REQUIREMENT TO INCREASE ANYTHING WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THAT RED CIRCLE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE HEADERS HERE AT THE TOP, YOU SEE CLASS EIGHT IS THE DOCTORATE SCALE.
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CLASS SEVEN IS MASTER'S PLUS 30.HISTORICALLY WE'VE HAD FIVE DEGREES.
BACHELOR'S PLUS 18 IS MISSING NOW.
AND A YEAR AGO, WHENEVER THE HOUSE STARTED LOOKING AT THE BUDGET.
THEY WERE LOOKING AT COLLAPSING.
I THINK EVEN THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL WAS TO COLLAPSE INTO INTO TWO PAY SCALES, JUST HAVE A BACHELOR'S PAY SCALE AND A GRADUATE.
SO WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT THERE MAY BE A COLLAPSE HERE.
AND AND THAT'S WHAT LOOKS LIKE IS PROBABLY GOING TO HAPPEN.
THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET TOOK OUT BACHELOR'S 18.
THE SENATE FINANCE VERSION OF THE BUDGET MAINTAINED THAT SO KEPT IT OUT.
NO LIKELIHOOD THE SENATE'S ALSO GOING TO TAKE THAT OUT.
OOPS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 102 TEACHERS ON THAT ON THAT PAY SCALE.
SO EVEN THOUGH THE STATE IS DOING AWAY WITH IT, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO MAINTAIN THAT PAY SCALE.
OTHERWISE YOU WOULD BE DROPPING INDIVIDUALS ON THAT PAY SCALE.
CURRENTLY DOWN TO BACHELORS, IT WOULD IMPACT PAY.
SO RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN IT AND EVENTUALLY ELIMINATE THAT THROUGH ATTRITION. YOU MAY HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT ADVANCE THEIR DEGREES AND MOVE UP.
YOU MAY HAVE FOLKS THAT LEAVE, RETIRE OR RESIGN, WHATEVER, BUT EVENTUALLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO COLLAPSE THAT.
AND WE THINK THIS IS FAIR TO OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES.
NOW AS WE HIRE FOLKS WHO'S, WHO'S CERTIFICATE MAY SAY BACHELOR'S PLUS 18 ON THAT IN THE FUTURE, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE PLACED ON THE BACHELOR SCALE.
MY HOPE IS THAT WHENEVER WE GET A TEACHER CERTIFICATE THAT CURRENTLY LISTS ONE OF THOSE FIVE DEGREES, THEY NO LONGER HAVE BACHELORS PLUS 18 BEGINNING NEXT YEAR.
BUT WE'LL KNOW WHO THOSE 1 OR 2 ARE.
THIS IS A TABLE THAT THAT WE PROVIDED IN PAST YEARS.
WE LIKE TO WE LIKE TO SHOW HOW WE COMPARE TO THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, 72 OR 70, 72 SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
NOW I HAVE 73. SO OUT OF 72 SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH A NUMBER ONE BEING THE HIGHEST PAYING FOR THAT SALE. YOU SEE HOW AIKEN COMPARES AT BACHELOR'S ZERO, WHERE 22 WERE THE 22ND HIGHEST OF 72 SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AS YOU GET FURTHER DOWN THE SCALE, YOU SEE THAT THAT WE'RE MORE COMPETITIVE.
SINGLE DIGITS. A LOT OF TIMES.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WELL.
THIS INFORMATION IS COLLECTED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED.
SO EVERY SINGLE YEAR THEY ASK EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT BY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, BY DEGREE, SUBMIT WHAT YOU'RE PAYING TEACHERS FOR 190 DAYS.
SO ONCE THEY POSTED INFO WE ARE ABLE TO DRAW SOME COMPARISONS AND DO THINGS LIKE THIS.
I'LL NOTE TWO. YOU SEE THINGS GETTING GRADUALLY HIGHER BETWEEN STEPS ZERO AND THREE. WE HAVE A PAY BAND HERE WHERE IT'S THE SAME PAY AMOUNT FOR ALL OF THOSE STEPS, AND AT ONE POINT, I THINK THERE WAS IT WAS ADVANTAGEOUS AND IT PREDATES ME.
BUT WE'VE ALSO SEEN SOME YEARS WHERE, WHERE IT CREATES SOME ISSUES.
AND THIS PROBABLY ISN'T THE YEAR.
BUT AT SOME POINT, I THINK IT WOULD BEHOOVE US TO, TO TRY AND BREAK THAT UP.
SO JUST TO GET SOME SEPARATION THERE YEARS WHERE THERE'S A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT OR DECENT COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, TEACHERS MAY NOT REALIZE IT, BUT WE HAVE HAD YEARS WHERE WE'VE HAD A VERY MINIMAL TEACHER INCREASE, AND THEN IT'S VERY NOTICEABLE BECAUSE WHILE YOU WOULD TYPICALLY GET ABOUT 2% IN A PAY INCREASE WITH A STEP INCREASE, TEACHERS AT STEP ZERO ADVANCING TO STEP ONE OR 1 TO 2 OR STEP TWO ADVANCE IN STEP THREE ARE SIMPLY MOVING UP THE SCALE.
SOMETIMES THEIR PAY IS BASICALLY THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
AGAIN, SMALL HERE. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE IT BETTER ON YOUR SCREEN, BUT YOU'LL SEE THE PAY BAND.
THE AMOUNTS HERE ARE WHAT OUR PAY SCALE WOULD BE IF WE INCREASED EVERY SINGLE SALE BY 1500.
[00:25:02]
WE AREN'T REQUIRED AGAIN, WE AREN'T REQUIRED TO DO THAT.SOME DISTRICTS MAY GO BEYOND THAT.
WE'VE INCLUDED THE THE COST ESTIMATE HERE FOR EVERY $500 OF INCREASE.
OVER THAT 1500 OR EVEN THE 1500 PER $500 IS 01,135,000 IS WHAT IT COSTS US A SALARY AND FRINGE BASED ON BASED ON OUR CURRENT STAFF AND ESTIMATED COST OF OF THOSE VACANCIES.
THE STATE ESTABLISHES A MINIMUM BUS DRIVER PAY SCALE.
BUT ONE DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT THEY SAY EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY EXCEED THE STATE MINIMUM, WHICH WE DO, YOU STILL HAVE TO INCREASE BY WHATEVER DOLLAR FIGURE WE INCREASE BY.
NOW, IT'S NOT A REAL BIG DOLLAR AMOUNT.
THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN SHOWS WHAT THE HOURLY RATE INCREASE WOULD BE.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE DISCRETION THERE.
NOW, FOR US, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS SALARY STUDY, WE HAVE A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD MEET THIS.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN ISSUE THIS YEAR, BUT IT IS SOMETHING TO BE MINDFUL OF IN FUTURE YEARS. STATE RETIREMENT ON YOUR COPY.
THIS WAS A SINGLE SLIDE WITH STATE RETIREMENT.
STATE HEALTH. I'LL SHOW WHY IT'S BROKEN UP IN A SECOND, BUT STATE RETIREMENT IS CURRENTLY 24.91%, SO THAT'S NEARLY A QUARTER OF SOMEONE'S SALARY. WE'RE PAYING INTO THE STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM ON THEIR BEHALF.
AND I THINK THE EMPLOYEE RATE IS NINE NOW NINE AND CHANGE.
I DON'T EVEN RECALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
THIS RATE ISN'T GOING UP OR WE DON'T ANTICIPATE IT GOING UP, BUT IT WILL STILL LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN RETIREMENT EXPENDITURES BECAUSE SALARIES ARE GOING UP. SO EVEN IF EVEN IF THAT RATE STAYS THE SAME, WE'RE GOING TO SEE OUR BUDGET FOR RETIREMENT INCREASE BECAUSE SALARIES ARE GOING UP.
THIS ONE DID CHANGE INITIALLY.
JUST IGNORE THAT. THAT FIRST BULLET THERE.
NO CHANGE IN PREMIUMS IS EXPECTED.
AND I TRIED TO MAKE A QUICK FIX TO THAT THIS AFTERNOON AFTER ABOUT 330.
SO LAST YEAR THIS TIME WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE INCREASE IN THE EMPLOYER HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS, 11.8%. WE SAY THAT BECAUSE THESE GO INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY.
IT'S MORE LIKE A 5.9% IN YEAR ONE.
THEN THE NEXT YEAR YOU GET THE FULL IMPACT OF THAT 11.8%.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO THE COST OF THAT FULL IMPACT IS ABOUT 1.4 MILLION MORE THAN THAN WHAT IT WAS FOR 2425.
BUT THEN AT 330 THIS AFTERNOON, AFTER UNTIL 329 TODAY, HEARING THAT THE EMPLOYER PREMIUMS WEREN'T EXPECTED TO INCREASE.
RECEIVED WORD OF A POSSIBLE 4.6% EMPLOYER HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM INCREASE.
ESTIMATED COST. THERE IS 547,000.
I WAS I WAS SURPRISED UP UNTIL THIS POINT THAT THERE WAS NO INCREASE ON THE EMPLOYER SIDE. I WAS PLEASED BUT SURPRISED THAT IT WASN'T.
SO IT DOESN'T REALLY SURPRISE ME THAT THERE'S TALK NOW OF IT, AND I WOULD EXPECT IT TO TO BE IN THE BUDGET.
SO I WOULD EXPECT US TO BEAR SOME OF THOSE COSTS THERE.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S 547,000 DUE TO THE LATENESS OF THAT WORD.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME NUMBERS IN HERE, AND I MAY MENTION DIFFERENT NUMBERS BECAUSE I JUST DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO UPDATE EVERYTHING, BUT WE'LL MAKE NOTE OF THAT AS WE GO THROUGH.
WELL, PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HELPED IF I WOULD HAVE INCLUDED THAT SALARY STUDY.
SO WE WE PROVIDED A VERY DETAILED OVERVIEW DURING THE BOARD RETREAT.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT SOME MORE AT OUR FEBRUARY 18TH WORK STUDY.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A SUMMARY VERSION.
JUST TO KEEP THINGS RELATIVELY BRIEF TONIGHT AND COVER A LOT MORE INFO.
SO TO RECAP, THE BOARD FUNDED A A STUDY IN 2324.
MID-YEAR. THE ESTIMATED COST TO THE GENERAL FUND IS ABOUT 12.2 MILLION.
EARLIER A SALARY AND FRINGE BENEFITS FUNDED IN FULL AT WHAT THIS GROUP THE THE VENDORS
[00:30:09]
HAS PROPOSED. ONE OF THE BIG KEYS AS WE LOOK AT THIS IS SUSTAINABILITY.SO NOT JUST HOW DO WE HOW DO WE FUND IT IN ONE YEAR.
BUT I TALKED EARLIER. WE HAD TO LOOK AT BIG PICTURE.
WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS IN FUTURE YEARS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE THAT WE HAD TO CONSIDER.
IS THIS SUSTAINABLE? HOW COULD WE MAKE THIS SUSTAINABLE THIS FIRST YEAR DESPITE THE LARGE PRICE TAG WE HAVE EIA CARRYOVER FUNDS.
THAT WOULD HELP JUMP START THIS.
SO THOSE ARE STATE MONIES THAT WE'RE CARRYING OVER TO HELP US GET OFF THE GROUND WITH THIS.
BUT IN ORDER TO MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE, WE'VE DISCUSSED A MILLAGE INCREASE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE REQUIRED.
WE WE JUST CAN'T SUSTAIN IT WITHOUT THAT 7.5 MIL INCREASE IS WHAT WE LOOKED AT INITIALLY FOR 2526, FOLLOWED BY THREE YEARS OF FIVE MIL INCREASES.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE, TOO.
WHAT THAT MEANS, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S ALL ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY.
NOW MIGHT THE BOARD, COULD THE BOARD SAY LET'S, LET'S WAIT A YEAR, LET'S NOT DO SEVEN AND A HALF MEALS? WELL, YEAH, WE COULD DO THAT.
BUT THAT MEANS IT WOULD BE A MORE DRASTIC INCREASE NEXT YEAR.
SO THIS AT LEAST IS IS MORE OF A GRADUAL INCREASE.
WE ALSO WANT TO TRY TO AVOID SOMETHING WHERE WE DO A LARGE INCREASE THIS YEAR.
NO INCREASE NEXT YEAR, ANOTHER INCREASE.
WE WANT TO AVOID THAT YO YO EFFECT TOO.
SO WE THINK THAT THAT A GRADUAL INCREASE IN SHARING THIS PLAN NOW IS PROBABLY BEST CASE IF WE FUND THIS IN FULL.
NOW, THE PROPOSAL THAT WE'VE RECEIVED WILL LOOK SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE CURRENTLY UTILIZE FOR OUR SALARY SCALE.
OUR CURRENT ONE STARTS OFF AT ZERO.
OUR CURRENT ONE TOPS OUT AT 26.
THIS ONE WOULD BE AT AT STEP 20.
OUR CURRENT ONE HAS A PAY TABLE THAT IS REALLY IDENTIFIES WITH A GROUP OF POSITIONS.
SO YOU MAY HAVE A CLERK SCALE.
YOU MAY HAVE AN AIDE SCALE WHERE ALL AIDES ARE ARE PAID FROM THAT.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL ED BUS DRIVER SCALE.
THIS ONE WILL HAVE PAY TABLES THAT MAY HAVE A VARIETY OF POSITIONS ON THOSE.
YOU MAY HAVE A VARIETY OF OF AID TYPE POSITIONS THAT ARE SPREAD OVER 2 OR 3 DIFFERENT PAY TABLES, JUST BASED ON RESPONSIBILITIES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO IT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN ACCUSTOMED TO.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE WITHIN OUR SYSTEM.
WE ASK THE BOARD TO AT LEAST GIVE US THE GO AHEAD ON THE CONCEPT OF BUILDING THIS BUDGET BASED ON THE SALARY STUDY.
IT WASN'T A FINAL DECISION ON THAT, BUT IT'S REALLY IF IF IT WASN'T GOING TO HAVE A CHANCE, THEN THE WORKLOAD WAS BETTER SERVED, I THINK, WORKING ON OUR OLD PAY SCALE.
SO BUT AGAIN, THE FINAL DECISIONS WITH THAT SECOND AND FINAL READING OF THE BUDGET IN LATE MAY. OTHER BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS? RELATIONS. 90% OF OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS TIED UP IN SALARIES AND FRINGE, AND A BIG CHUNK OF THAT IS OUR CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL STAFFING ALLOCATIONS.
AND THAT INCLUDES OUR ELEMENTARY CAPS THAT WERE PUT INTO PLACE TWO YEARS AGO.
SO THAT HAS A LARGE BEARING ON ANYTHING IN HERE, BECAUSE 90% OF OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS TIED TO SALARIES AND FRINGE, PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING THAT WE DO WITH SALARIES.
AND FRINGE IS GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR BUDGET.
WE HAVE A DOJ DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AGREEMENT TO ADD 13 MULTILINGUAL LANGUAGE TEACHERS.
THE BOARD APPROVED FIVE OF THOSE TEACHERS DURING JANUARY, AND SO THEY WEREN'T IN OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET FOR 2425.
WE HAD A MIDYEAR AMENDMENT TO ADD THOSE, SO THEY'LL BE IN THERE.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO ADD EIGHT MORE OF THOSE TEACHERS, AND THAT'S BUILT INTO THE BUDGET.
I MENTIONED UTILITIES EARLIER.
SO LAST YEAR, THE SECOND READING OF THE BUDGET,
[00:35:03]
WE HAD A LATE PROPOSAL TO TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO CONTRACT ATHLETIC TRAINERS TO BE FUNDED OUT OF ONE TIME FUNDS.AND FOR THIS YEAR, THAT'S WE'RE MAINTAINING THE SAME AMOUNT, BUT WE BUILT IT INTO THE BUDGET.
IT'S NOT BEING PAID FOR OUT OF OUT OF ONE TIME FUNDS WHILE WE MAINTAIN THAT BUDGET.
SO DAP AND READING COACH FUNDING SHORTFALL.
SO SERDAB IS OUR 4K PROGRAM STATE FUNDED.
BUT IT'S NOT FULLY FUNDED BY THE STATE.
SO BECAUSE THAT THAT STATE FUNDING AMOUNT MAY NOT INCREASE THAT MUCH.
OUR GENERAL FUND ENDS UP PICKING UP THE TAB ON THAT.
ANY SHORTFALLS IN EACH SERDAB EACH 4K CLASS HAS A TEACHER.
IT HAS AN AIDE. TYPICALLY WE'RE LOSING.
WE'RE PITCHING IN 25, 30, 35,000 PER CLASSROOM.
DEBT SERVICE ON THE ABM PROJECT.
THIS IS A LONG TERM DEBT AGREEMENT THAT WILL BE PAYING ON.
AND WE'VE INCREASED THE BUDGET BY 98,000 FOR THAT.
WE HAVE OUR INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR PROPERTY AND WORKER'S COMP.
WE HAVE FUNDING FOR AN EAP EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT'S ADDED IN THERE.
THIS PAST YEAR, WE HAD A STATE GRANT, 780,000IN OUR GENERAL FUND THAT WE WE HOPED WOULD WE'D BE ABLE TO TO GET FOR FUTURE YEARS.
WE KNEW THERE WAS A CHANCE THAT, THAT IT MAY ONLY BE ONE YEAR.
AND THAT'S THE CASE. IT WAS ONLY ONE YEAR, BUT IT BOUGHT US ONE YEAR WORTH OF GENERAL FUND FUNDING THAT THAT WE AVOIDED IN OTHER SOURCES.
WE'VE ALSO INCREASED ATHLETIC EXTRACURRICULAR SUPPLEMENTS AND STIPENDS BY 3%.
THAT 3% CLOSELY MIRRORS THE PERCENTAGE OF THE AT 1500 INCREASE TO THAT BACHELOR ZERO STEP. THESE ARE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER HERE.
ONE PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WE'RE WATCHING IS PAID PARENTAL LEAVE.
SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE STATE REQUIRED THIS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND ALL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.
AND AT THE TIME, IT ESTABLISHED SIX WEEKS OF PAID PARENTAL LEAVE FOR A PARENT GIVING BIRTH OR TWO WEEKS OF PAID PARENTAL FOR THE NON-BIRTHING SPOUSE.
AND THIS WAS AT THE COST OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND GOVERNMENTS.
THERE WAS NO FUNDING ATTACHED TO IT.
WELL, NOW THERE'S THERE'S DISCUSSION AT THE STATE LEVEL OF DOUBLING THAT.
YES. AND AND I WOULD I THINK IT'S UNLIKELY THAT FUNDING WOULD BE ATTACHED TO THAT.
THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION IN RECENT WEEKS WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS IT WAS INTENDED TO INCLUDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR NOT.
AND WE GOT CLARIFICATION LAST WEEK THAT SAID, YES, IT INCLUDES SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND TYPICALLY DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, OUR STATE DEPARTMENT WILL EMAIL US AND SAY, HEY, THIS LEGISLATION HAS COME UP.
LEGISLATORS WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON IT, HOW IT MAY IMPACT YOU.
THERE ARE SOME ITEMS THAT COME TO US AND THIS HAS ZERO IMPACT WHATSOEVER.
WE'VE ESTIMATED RIGHT NOW THAT BASED ON TWO YEARS WORTH OF DATA WHERE WE'VE WE'VE PAID PAID PARENTAL LEAVE AND HAD TO COVER SUBS FOR THOSE CLASSROOMS, IT'S COST US ON AVERAGE PROBABLY ABOUT 225,000 IN SUB COST.
SO WE PAID THAT 225 UP OUT OF OUR POCKET.
SO WE'RE ESTIMATING IF THINGS DOUBLE THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL 225 OUT OF OUR POCKET.
BUT THAT'S FLUID. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE FEWER OR MORE OCCURRENCES.
INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IMPACTED, INDIVIDUALS THAT THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PEOPLE IN ANY GIVEN YEAR.
AND THEN YOU'LL ALSO HAVE SOME POSITIONS.
IT IS ANY POSITION IN THE DISTRICT, BASICALLY ANY REGULAR EMPLOYEE IN THE DISTRICT. SO YOU'LL HAVE SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS THAT THAT AREN'T SUBSTITUTE ELIGIBLE POSITIONS. AND TYPICALLY THAT THAT BURDEN FALLS ON THE REMAINING STAFF TO PICK UP THE PICK UP THE WORKLOAD FOR THAT FOR THAT TIME.
TWO HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS THAT THE BOARD HAS ALREADY APPROVED THAT'S BUILT INTO THIS
[00:40:05]
VERSION OF THE BUDGET THAT YOU'LL YOU'LL SEE IN HERE NEXT WEEK, IS THE SECOND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.SO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, OVER 500 STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE A SECOND AP.
CURRENTLY, ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS RECEIVE ONE AP ALLOCATION, REGARDLESS OF SIZE. SO OUR LARGEST ELEMENTARY WILL GET THAT SECOND ADMINISTRATOR POSITION.
AND THEN WE HAD THE MIDDLE SCHOOL EXTENDED TO LEARNING THAT THE BOARD ALSO APPROVED.
IT WAS A NET OF 16 TEACHER ALLOCATIONS AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF 1 MILLION AND CHANGE THERE THAT WE BUILT INTO THE BUDGET.
THOSE ARE TWO OF THOSE ITEMS THAT REQUIRED SOME MOVEMENT TO TAKE PLACE RIGHT NOW JUST FOR PLANNING PURPOSES.
THE IMPACTS ON THE CLASSROOM AND AND OTHER.
REMAINING HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS OR ITEMS THAT WE'VE SHARED BEFORE.
THIS FIRST ONE IS A COST NEUTRAL PROPOSAL WITHIN OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT.
FOR THE CREATION OF THREE POSITIONS RECLASSING 12 POSITIONS, MODIFYING TWO COORDINATOR POSITIONS, AND THEN OFFSETTING THAT AGAINST CONTRACTED SERVICES ITEMS WITH THE LITTLE ASTERISK TO THE SIDE.
THOSE ARE CURRENTLY BUILT INTO THE BUDGET FOR THE CREATION OF POSITIONS AND OFFSET AGAIN BY REDUCING THAT CONTRACTED SERVICES BUDGET.
THIS NEXT ITEM HAS NO GENERAL FUND IMPACT.
IT'S WITH OUR CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM, AND WE'VE SHARED THIS BEFORE THAT I'LL SPEND A MOMENT LONGER ON THIS.
DOESN'T IMPACT THE GENERAL FUND.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR A FIELD SUPERVISOR TO SOMEONE TO TO SUPERVISE OUR MANAGERS AND OUR LUNCHROOMS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, JUST GEOGRAPHICALLY THAT THAT EXTRA FIELD SUPERVISOR WOULD HELP.
BUT THIS NEXT ONE HELPS US SOMEWHAT IN THE MAINTENANCE REALM.
CHILD NUTRITION IS ITS OWN SEPARATE FUNDING POT.
THEY CAN'T PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO EVEN IF THEY HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OVER THERE, CAN'T UTILIZE THAT IN THE GENERAL FUND.
BUT I WAS TALKING TO DOCTOR YARBOROUGH A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND WE'VE WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE POSITIONS.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A REFRIGERATOR REFRIGERATION THAT SPENDS A LOT OF TIME IN SCHOOL, FOOD SERVICE KITCHENS.
AND WE BOTH THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO FUND A POSITION OUT OF CHILD NUTRITION THAT WORKED EXCLUSIVELY WITH THAT.
SO REPORTED MAINTENANCE OPERATING OUT OF THE OPERATIONS CENTER, FUNDED BY CHILD NUTRITION.
GIVES US AN ADDITIONAL BODY IN THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.
AND WHILE THAT PERSON WOULD BE EXCLUSIVE TO CHILD NUTRITION, IT MAY FREE UP GIVE US A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH THE GENERAL FUND FUNDED STAFF SO IT INDIRECTLY IT CAN BENEFIT THE GENERAL FUND.
BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS WERE BUILT INTO THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM BUDGET AGAIN NOT IMPACTING THE GENERAL FUND. AND THEN THESE NEXT THREE PAGES ARE HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS. THEY AREN'T IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET AT THIS POINT.
THEY'RE ONES THAT WE'VE SHARED PREVIOUSLY.
I JUST BRIEFLY GOING THROUGH THESE MODIFICATION FOR THE CAREER CENTER AND THE CAPE PROGRAM THAT THAT INCLUDE SOME POSITION CHANGES, ELIMINATIONS AND CREATION SHIFTING HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC DIRECTORS TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE IF THEY HAVE THE, THE CREDENTIALS.
AND AT THOSE SCHOOLS, GETTING RID OF THE HIGH SCHOOL AD SUPPLEMENT.
UPGRADING SPREAD COORDINATORS THREE TO A DIRECTOR LEVEL POSITION.
STAFFING HIGH SCHOOLS WITH LICENSED SOCIAL WORKERS.
CREATING A WEBMASTER VIDEOGRAPHER POSITION.
MODIFYING DIRECTORS OF OPERATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS AND FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION TO EXECUTIVE MODIFYING COORDINATOR.
COUNSELING. ADDING TEN DAYS TO OUR STUDENT INFO CLASS ARE CURRENTLY 200 DAYS.
REQUEST IS TO TAKE THOSE TO 210.
MODIFICATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT BOARD.
[00:45:03]
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO ADD OFFICE MANAGER DUTIES.MAINTENANCE POSITIONS, THE CREATION OF AN ADDITIONAL HVAC TECHNICIAN AND ADDITIONAL PLUMBER POSITION, AND THE MODIFICATIONS OF TWO OTHER POSITIONS.
ITEM 12 THERE WE'VE WE'VE ADDED THIS.
IT WASN'T ON THE ON THE PREVIOUS HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS. AND AGAIN, AT ONE POINT WE WERE THINKING THAT THE TEACHER SCALE WAS GOING TO INCREASE $3,000. BUT THE ADDITIONAL $500 INCREASE PER SALE.
SO INSTEAD OF 1500 TAKING IT TO 2000, THAT'S THE ESTIMATED COST THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER. CONTINUATION OF FALL AND SPRING INTERSESSION IS NOT IN THE BUDGET CURRENTLY.
WE WE USE ONE TIME FUNDS THIS PAST YEAR TO FUND THAT PROGRAM, AND WE'VE LEFT THAT SAME AMOUNT THERE.
THERE MAY BE SOME MODIFICATIONS THAT COULD BE MADE, BUT THE AMOUNT THAT WE BUDGETED FOR THIS PAST YEAR WAS $1,007,000.
SUCCESS. COACHES AT HIGH SCHOOL.
THESE ARE EXTRA DUTY HOURS, 217,000.
AND THEN CREATION OF AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SECURITY AND EMERGENCY.
SO THAT'S 3.9 MILLION IS WHAT THOSE TOTAL UP TO BE, EXCLUDING THAT COST NEUTRAL ITEM, EXCLUDING THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM ITEM.
THIS IS A SNAPSHOT AND IT WAS A DRAFT AS OF THIS WEEKEND BEFORE WE RECEIVED THAT, THAT UPDATED INFO ON HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS OF WHAT THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET MAY LOOK LIKE, PENDING TONIGHT'S DISCUSSIONS AND ANY OTHER MODIFICATIONS THAT WE HAD TO MAKE.
NOW THAT THIRD LINE, THERE ARE FRINGE BENEFITS.
THIS IS RETIREMENT. THIS IS HEALTH.
AND THEN PAYROLL TAXES THERE THAT THAT LINE WILL GO UP 547,000 BASED ON THE NEWS OF THE EMPLOYER HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM INCREASE.
THIS IS A A VASTLY SUMMARIZED A VERSION OF OUR BUDGET.
WE HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF ACCOUNTS FOR EVERY LOCATION.
SO THIS IS A SUMMARIZED VERSION OF IT HERE.
BUT YOU SEE WHAT SOME OF THE CHANGES ARE.
AND AS WE'LL GET TO THE END HERE, THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES THAT YELLOW HIGHLIGHT 286.3 MILLION BASED ON THE INFO THAT WE SHARED THROUGHOUT TONIGHT AND WHAT WE WERE WORKING WITH LEADING UP UNTIL TODAY'S NEWS.
SO NOW THAT WOULD BE CLOSER TO 286.8 PENDING OTHER DISCUSSIONS TONIGHT.
SO DRAFT EXPENDITURES ARE ABOUT 22.9 OR 33 MILLION EVEN OVER THE PRIOR YEAR ORIGINAL BUDGET, PENDING THESE DISCUSSIONS.
FUNDING INCREASES INCLUDE STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS AT 388, RETIREMENT INSURANCE AND BUS DRIVER PAY.
IT'S NOT AS STRONG AS SOME OTHER YEARS.
WE'VE SEEN LARGER INCREASES IN A LOT OF YEARS, BUT THE NET INCREASE HERE IS ABOUT 4.1 MILLION.
PROPERTY TAX REVENUE WE'VE INCREASED EVERY YEAR IN OUR IN OUR TAX BASE.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE WE HAVEN'T HAD A HISTORY OF OF INCREASE IN TAXES FOR SOME TIME, WE STILL HAVE SEEN OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE INCREASE SOME, JUST AS THERE'S MORE GROWTH WITHIN OUR WITHIN OUR DISTRICT AND AS VALUES INCREASE.
BUT THIS ALSO THIS YEAR INCLUDES THE 7.5 MILL INCREASE.
WE BUILT THE SALARY STUDY INTO THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE BUDGET.
WE HAD TO HAVE THAT FUNDING MECHANISM THERE.
SO THIS INCLUDES A 7.5 MIL INCREASE FOR CONSIDERATION, PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES, FEES IN LIEU OF TAXES.
WE'VE UPPED THAT BUDGET INTEREST AND INVESTMENT EARNINGS.
THEN THE TRANSFER FROM EIA IS LARGER THAN PAST YEARS.
LARGE CHUNK OF THAT IS THAT CARRYOVER THAT WE WOULD USE TO TO JUMP START THE SALARY STUDY PROPOSAL. AGAIN, SIMILAR TO WHAT I JUST SHARED ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THIS IS WHAT THE REVENUE SNAPSHOT LOOKS LIKE.
THE HIGHLIGHT THERE, THE LEVIES FOR CURRENT OPERATIONS REFLECTS THAT 7.5 MIL INCREASE.
[00:50:03]
NOTHING BEYOND THAT. THAT HIGHLIGHT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE IS THE PORTION OF STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS THAT RIGHT NOW WE WOULD PROJECT NEEDING TO HELP US.THE SEAT BALANCE HERE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
THE NUMBER JUST BELOW IT, THE 13.5 MILLION.
IS THAT EIA CARRYOVER FUNDING TO HELP US JUMP START.
AND THE BOTTOM LINE THERE THE BOTTOM YELLOW HIGHLIGHT 281.5 MILLION.
SO AS WE SUMMARIZE THOSE SLIDES SAYS A 4.8 MILLION SHORTFALL IS REALLY A 5.3 MILLION SHORTFALL RIGHT NOW WITH REVENUE AT 280 1.5 ON THE PRECEDING SLIDE AND THEN 280 6.8 ON EXPENDITURES. THAT'S BEFORE THE THE INCLUSION OF ANY OF THOSE HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS THAT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TWO THAT YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED LAST MONTH.
POSSIBLE OPTIONS TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND IT COULD BE SOME COMBINATION OF THESE.
IT'S BALANCING IS FAIRLY SIMPLE.
WE'VE EITHER GOT TO HAVE MORE COMING IN, IF LESS GOING OUT OR SOME COMBINATION OF THAT. EITHER REVENUES INCREASE, EXPENDITURES DECREASE, OR WE HAVE SOME COMBINATION AS IT GOES BACK TO THAT TO THAT BALANCE.
PROPERTY TAX INCREASE IS ONE THAT I'LL SHARE SOME ADDITIONAL INFO ON IN A MOMENT.
BUT ALL OF THESE ESTIMATES ARE BASED ON A FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SALARY STUDY.
THERE'S AN OPTION TO PULL BACK ON THAT.
SOME PHASE IN ELEMENTARY CLASS SIZE CAP IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST.
THE USE OF FUND BALANCE IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE UTILIZED IN THE PAST.
TRY TO USE THAT FOR ONE TIME TYPE ITEMS. OTHER EXPENDITURE REDUCTIONS.
THIS AND A LOT OF THAT AT THIS POINT WOULD BE KIND OF NICKEL AND DIAMOND KIND OF THINGS.
BUT WE'RE CONTINUALLY LOOKING AT THOSE OR SOME COMBINATION.
SO. STATE LAW ESTABLISHES HOW MUCH WE COULD GO UP ON ON SCHOOL OPERATING MILLAGE ON PROPERTY TAX. IN YEARS PAST, YEARS AGO, THE STATE USED TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, YOU COULD GO UP 3% ON YOUR MILLAGE.
AND IF YOU DIDN'T USE IT THAT YEAR, IF YOU WENT UP 1% OR 2% OR DECIDED NOT TO GO UP ANY ON TAXES, THAT'S FINE.
BUT YOU COULDN'T COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND SAY, HEY, I DIDN'T USE THOSE THREE MEALS.
COULD I RECAPTURE THOSE? NO, IT'S USE IT OR LOSE IT.
ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO, IT WAS ESTABLISHED WHERE SCHOOL DISTRICTS COULD HAVE A THREE YEAR LOOK BACK. SO IF YOU HADN'T USED ALL OF YOUR MILLAGE IN THE THREE PRIOR YEARS, YOU GET THE UPCOMING YEAR'S INCREASE, PROJECTED INCREASE PLUS THREE YEARS.
LOOKING BACK NOW, WE HAVEN'T INCREASED TAXES SINCE SCHOOL OPERATING MILLAGE SINCE 1314.
WE'RE A GOOD TEN PLUS YEARS IN.
SO WE HAVE A THREE YEAR, THE FULL THREE YEAR LOOK BACK, PLUS THE UPCOMING YEAR'S CAP AND CAPS DETERMINED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA REVENUE AND FISCAL AFFAIRS OFFICE.
THEY SEND US A PERCENTAGE AND THEN WE APPLY THAT TO WHATEVER OUR MILLAGE RATE IS.
SO YOU MAY HAVE YOU MAY HAVE A DISTRICT THAT HAS A HISTORY OF, OF INCREASE IN TAXES IN A DISTRICT LIKE AIKEN.
THAT DOESN'T. BOTH DISTRICTS MAY.
MAY BE TOLD. ALL RIGHT, YOU COULD INCREASE TAXES 3%.
WELL, THIS OTHER DISTRICT IS IS AT 300 MEALS.
THEY COULD GET A THEY COULD GET A NINE MIL INCREASE OUT OF THAT.
WELL, AIKEN LET'S SAY 130 WHATEVER.
I MEAN, IT'S A FRACTION OF OF WHAT THAT OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN INCREASE, EVEN THOUGH OUR, OUR CAP, OUR PERCENTAGE MAY BE THE SAME.
AND THE PREVIOUS, PREVIOUS VERSIONS OF THIS, WE DIDN'T YET HAVE THE 25, 26 INFO, SO WE HAD 2122 ON THERE.
EVEN THOUGH WE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO FALL OFF.
WE WANTED TO LEAVE THAT AS A PLACEHOLDER.
[00:55:04]
THE CAP ON 2526 IS 5.7 MILLION.SO THIS IS THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL.
34 MILLS. SO IF YOU ADD THOSE UP AS THE MILLAGE WITH THAT, LOOK AT THAT. WE HAVE THE VALUE ON THAT WITH OUR VALUE OF A MILL IS ABOUT 20 MILLION.
THEY'RE SITTING THERE. SO THERE'S A SIZABLE CHUNK OF FUNDING THAT WE HAVEN'T UTILIZED OVER THE YEARS. WE BALANCED OUR BUDGET, BUT THERE ARE SOME LARGE PRICE TAG ITEMS THAT ARE NOW UPON US IN LIMITED ABILITY TO TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE.
WE'VE SHARED THIS IN THE PAST.
AGAIN, WE WE THINK IT'S WELL WORTH SHARING.
AGAIN, THIS IS HOW AIKEN COMPARES.
AS FAR AS ITS OPERATING MILLAGE, THIS IS BASED ON LAST YEAR'S INFO.
SO I WENT TO THE. OUR STATE DEPARTMENT WILL COLLECT THIS.
IT WASN'T QUITE UP TO DATE, SO I WENT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE WEBSITE AND PULLED THE INFO FROM THERE.
ON WHAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE CHARGING.
BUT I THINK THERE ARE 19 DISTRICTS HERE.
YOU SEE AIKEN IN BLUE ON THE FAR LEFT.
THAT BLACK BAR ON THE FAR RIGHT IS WHAT THE AVERAGE IS OF THESE OTHER DISTRICTS.
THE AVERAGE 225 MEALS FOR SCHOOL OPERATIONS.
AIKEN IS AT 134. THE RED LINE IS A NEW ADDITION.
WE'VE TALKED IN IN THE WORK STUDY, IN THE RETREAT IN THE FEBRUARY WORK STUDY ABOUT 20 MIL INCREASE IF THERE WERE A 20 MIL INCREASE.
THAT RED LINE REPRESENTS HOW HIGH THAT BLUE BAR WOULD GO FOR US.
IN DOING SO, OF THE CURRENT DISTRICTS, WE WOULD WE WOULD BYPASS ONE OF THOSE THE OTHERS, WE WOULD STILL FALL BELOW.
SO WE THINK THAT THIS GIVES A PRETTY.
PRETTY GOOD VISUAL OF HOW WE COMPARE TO SOME OTHER DISTRICTS.
AND THESE ARE ONES THAT ARE IN THIS REGION OF THE STATE. SOME ARE IN THE IN THE COLUMBIA AREA, BUT A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORS.
OF THAT TOO. I THINK THERE ARE 11 OTHER 19 THAT ARE OVER 200, THREE OF THOSE THAT ARE OVER 300 MEALS.
SOME OF THOSE LARGER DISTRICTS IS A MIX OF LARGE, SMALL, COMPARABLY SIZED DISTRICTS.
AGAIN, WE'VE MENTIONED THAT AT 20 MILL INCREASE.
SO I, I BASED THESE CALCULATIONS ON THAT.
BUT IF THERE WAS SOME DESIRE TO LOOK AT SOME PORTION OF THAT, A FRACTION OF THAT 10 OR 15 OR WHATEVER IT ENDS UP BEING, WE COULD WE COULD QUICKLY ESTIMATE WHAT THE COST IS.
THIS FIRST ONE IS THE ONE WE, WE CONTINUE TO TO, REMIND FOLKS ABOUT THERE AT THREE ADA IS A STATEWIDE PENNY SALES TAX THAT REPLACED SCHOOL OPERATING MILLAGE ON A PRIMARY RESIDENCE.
SO 20 MIL INCREASE HAS ZERO IMPACT ON A PRIMARY RESIDENCE.
4% PROPERTY WOULD BE $80 PER 100,006% PROPERTY.
SO THIS IS RENTAL PROPERTY A VEHICLE BOAT, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
$120 PER 100,000 OR $12 PER 10,000 FOR VEHICLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
10.5% PROPERTY IS $210 PER 100,000.
UTILITIES. WE SHARE THIS IN FEBRUARY.
I WANTED TO SHARE IT AGAIN. I'LL GO THROUGH IT QUICKLY, BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL EXAMPLES HERE. SO FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT SEE IT REAL WELL, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A OF A PRIMARY RESIDENCE.
AND YOU SEE IN THAT CIRCLE THERE YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SEE TWO YELLOW HIGHLIGHTED LINES.
THE TOP ONE SHOWS WHAT THE PROPERTY TAX WOULD BE ON THE HOME FOR SCHOOL OPERATING MILLAGE.
AND THEN THAT NEXT LINE SHOWS WHERE IT'S BEING CREDITED THERE.
THAT'S STATEWIDE PENNY SALES TAX AT 388.
SO PRIMARY RESIDENCES ARE EXEMPT.
THERE WOULD BE NO NO IMPACT ON IT.
THIS VEHICLE EXAMPLE IS A $25,000 VEHICLE WOULD BE $30 MORE PROPERTY TAX IF THERE WERE 20 MILL INCREASE. THIS MAYBE IT'S A JET SKI OR SOMETHING, BUT THIS IS A WATERCRAFT VALUED AT $857.
IT WOULD BE A BUCK 80 TAX ON THAT.
[01:00:02]
BUSINESS PROPERTY THAT IS VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY 2.4 MILLION.20 MILLION INCREASE WOULD BE JUST SHORT OF 5000.
YOU. NEED TO GET MY PAGE FLIPPED AND THUMB IN SYNC, I GUESS.
OKAY. SO THIS SHOWS OUR CURRENT MILLAGE RATE.
SHOWS THE YEARS. IT SHOWS WHAT THE INCREASE BY YEAR WOULD BE.
SO IF THERE WERE A 20 MIL INCREASE WOULD GO FROM ONE 34.2 TO 150 4.2.
EACH OF THE NEXT THREE YEARS, THERE'S A FIVE MIL INCREASE THERE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THE INCREASE NEEDED FOR THE THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS TO HELP FUND THE SALARY STUDY.
IF FULLY IMPLEMENTED, THERE WOULD BE REASSESSMENTS WITHIN HERE.
I THINK THAT THE 26, 27 AND PROBABLY 31, 32 YEARS OF REASSESSMENT.
SO WE'D HAVE SOME ROLLBACK THERE DEPENDING ON OF THE MILLAGE.
SO IT IT WOULD GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT STILL EQUALIZES BECAUSE VALUES ARE GOING UP EXISTING VALUES.
BUT LOOKING AT THIS SNAPSHOT WOULD HAVE, WOULD HAVE 20 MILLION INCREASE AND A FIVE MIL, FIVE MIL, FIVE MIL.
THAT WOULD TAKE US UP TO 160 9.2.
OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN ALMOST ALL OF THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WERE ON THAT, ON THAT CHART THAT I SHOWED A MOMENT AGO, STILL 60 PLUS MEALS LOWER THAN THE AVERAGE OF ALL OF THOSE.
AND THAT'S THAT'S ASSUMING THAT THOSE DON'T HAVE LARGE INCREASES THERE AS WELL, SO THAT THEY HELD STEADY.
SO THE SECOND OPTION THAT I MENTIONED WAS A SALARY STUDY PHASE IN.
WE'VE ESTIMATED THE COST AT 12.2 MILLION.
OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT IF WE IF WE DO LOOK AT A PHASE IN REALLY TRY TO LIMIT IT BECAUSE THE INTENTION WOULD BE TO CATCH UP AT SOME POINT.
AND IF THERE WAS A DRASTIC REDUCTION, IT'S GOING TO BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO TO MAKE THAT HOLE. AND AND KEEP THINGS FROM WITHIN THAT SALARY PROPOSAL FROM GOING OBSOLETE. SO IF WE WAIT LONGER IS GOING TO LOSE VALUE THERE.
MORE WAYS THAN ONE, BUT A RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE NOT GOING LOWER THAN 90%.
THAT WOULD BE A 1.2 MILLION REDUCTION.
AND THEN OUR HOPE WOULD BE TO RESTORE THAT NEXT YEAR.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE WOULD WANT TO TO MAKE UP THAT DIFFERENCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF WE'RE ABLE. ELEMENTARY CLASS SIZES.
WE'RE ASKING FOR SOME FLEXIBILITY IN SOME OF THOSE SITUATIONS.
OBVIOUSLY IT COULD PROVIDE SOME SOME RELIEF FINANCIALLY, BUT THERE ARE SPACE CONCERNS THERE.
AND THE TEACHER SHORTAGE THAT WE'VE SEEN.
WE WE STILL HAVE SOME TEACHER VACANCIES THAT THAT POP UP.
SO JUST FOR THE SAKE OF ESTIMATING POTENTIAL SAVINGS OR COST AVOIDANCE THERE.
IF WE HAD TEN FEWER CLASSROOMS, THAT MAY SAVE THREE QUARTERS OF $1 MILLION.
LIST OUR PUPIL TEACHER RATIOS IN OUR NEXT FEW PAGES WILL SHOW BASED ON ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, BASED ON PUPIL TEACHER RATIOS.
WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING OUR CLASS SIZES TO BE.
NOW, THE LONGER WE WAIT ON ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THE MORE DIFFICULT IT MAY BE TO IMPLEMENT.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE SCHOOLS NOW AND HR THAT ARE WORKING TO TO FILL VACANCIES.
SO IF THEY DON'T KNOW OTHERWISE THEY'RE GOING TO BE CONTINUING TO, TO FILL THOSE. I DIDN'T LIST 4K ON HERE.
THOSE CLASSROOMS ARE WITHIN EIGHT AS WELL.
SO AS WE'RE FOLLOWING THE STATE CAP THERE YOU SEE KINDERGARTEN CLASS SIZES.
[01:05:06]
I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME, BUT EACH KINDERGARTEN CLASS YOU HAVE A TEACHER AND AN AIDE. SO ANY ANY REDUCTION THERE.AND WE MAY NOT HAVE MUCH OF AS MUCH OF AN ABILITY HERE, BUT ANY FLEXIBILITY THAT WE'RE GIVEN THERE, IF WE WERE ABLE TO COLLAPSE THE CLASS, THAT WOULD SAVE 125,000 OR MORE.
FIRST GRADE. YOU SEE SOME OF THE CLASS SIZES HERE.
16 TO 1 IS THE RATIO. BUT AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH AND AND WORKING ON OUR ALLOCATIONS THIS YEAR, THERE WERE SOME, SOME SCHOOLS THAT WERE RIGHT ON THE CUTOFF.
SO ONE STUDENT OVER MAKES US CREATE AN ADDITIONAL CLASS.
WE WENT AHEAD AND CREATED A CLASS.
IT'S BETTER TO DO IT NOW THAN TO WAIT UNTIL THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL AND HAD TO BREAK UP CLASSES AND AND FIGURE OUT SPACE IN A IN A SCHOOL SETTING.
I WILL ADD, THE BOARD HAS GIVEN US FLEXIBILITY AFTER THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL TO USE OUR BEST JUDGMENT.
SO WE HAVE THAT HARD CAP IN PLACE THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT CLASS SIZE NUMBERS.
AND IF THERE'S ONE STUDENT OVER, WE'VE BEEN ADDING A CLASS.
BUT BEYOND THAT YOU MAY HAVE YOUR CLASSES SET.
YOU MAY BE RIGHT ON THAT NUMBER.
AND JANUARY MAY COME AROUND AND YOU MAY HAVE 3 OR 4 MORE STUDENTS COME INTO A SCHOOL.
AND WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THE DISCRETION NOT TO ADD CLASSES.
THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL TO OUR STUDENTS.
SECOND GRADE CLASS SIZES ON AVERAGE WITH A 23 TO 1 RATIO.
SO SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH ARE 23 TO 1.
IS OUR THIRD GRADE. WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE AVERAGING IN THE 17.
WE HAVE ONE THAT ARE TWO THAT ARE IN THAT 16 RANGE.
OKAY. YES. I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND.
THEIR, THEIR THE AVERAGE CLASS SIZE.
SO IF WE HAD IS BASED ON OUR ALLOCATION FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR AND THE NUMBER OF PROJECTED STUDENTS. SO IF WE WERE, IF WE WERE AT IF I COULD USE MAYBE A FIRST GRADE EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY THAT WE WERE AT 48 STUDENTS, WE WOULD HAVE THREE CLASSES 16 TO 1.
NOW, IF WE GET A 49TH STUDENT IN THE PAST, WHENEVER WE HAVE FLEXIBILITY, WE WOULD SAY, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE ONE STUDENT OVER.
WE'RE AVERAGING 16.33 STUDENTS OVER THESE THREE CLASSES, AND THAT'S CLOSE ENOUGH.
BUT WITH A HARD CAP. YES I'M SORRY.
THAT'S THAT'S THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE'RE PROJECTING PER CLASS.
WAS IT'S GOING TO IT'S GOING TO VARY BY SCHOOL.
YES, SIR. NUMBER. RIGHT NOW I KNOW WHAT I DID.
YES, IT'S RIGHT NOW. THIS IS BASED ON THE PROJECTED NUMBER OF TEACHERS.
THEY DID NOT WANT YOU TO TELL THEM.
YES, SIR. YES, SIR. AND IT'S NOT A STRAIGHT ROLL UP.
DOCTOR MINOLFO ALSO RUNS THOSE PROJECTIONS EVERY YEAR, AND WE WORK WITH OUR WITH OUR PRINCIPALS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
YES. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I KNEW. YES, SIR.
BUT AND AND IT'S REAL DIFFICULT AT OUR SMALL SCHOOLS A LOT OF TIMES BECAUSE YOU SEE A DRASTIC SWING. ONE STUDENT, YOU MAY BE ONE STUDENT OVER AND THEN IT MODIFIED THAT AFTER THE AFTER THE FIRST TWO WEEKS.
YES, SIR. BUT IT IT GETS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO I MEAN, JUST IT KIND OF TIES OUR HANDS A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN SITUATIONS NOW WHERE YOU MAY BE ONE STUDENT OVER AND, AND IT'S, IT'S HARD THAT SO THAT EXAMPLE THAT THAT I WAS GIVEN A MOMENT AGO.
IF WE HAVE IN FIRST GRADE THREE CLASSROOMS 16.0 AVERAGE WE'RE GOOD.
WE'VE MET THE CAP. WE'RE NOT EXCEEDING IT.
BUT IF ON DAY SIX WE GET STUDENT NUMBER 49 COMING IN, WE'RE CREATING CLASS NUMBER FOUR AND IT DROPS US FROM 16.33 ON AVERAGE TO WHAT, 12.25 ON AVERAGE, I GUESS.
IS THAT RIGHT? SO YOU CAN SEE A SWING THERE AND THAT ONE STUDENT WHERE WE'RE WITHIN STATE
[01:10:05]
GUIDELINES AND WHAT THE SIZES ARE.IF WE HAD FLEXIBILITY ON ONE STUDENT LIKE THAT, THAT'S THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN SPENDING AN ADDITIONAL 80,000 OR NOT SPENDING AN ADDITIONAL 75,000, AND PERHAPS EVEN CREATING A CLASS THAT'S GOING TO BE RUN FOR SOME TIME BY A SUB OR LONG TERM SUB UNTIL WE COULD HOPEFULLY FIND SOMEBODY SOONER OR LATER, OR SHIFTING SOMEONE FROM AN INTERVENTIONIST POSITION BECAUSE WE CAN'T FIND A TEACHER.
SO YOU'VE NOW MOVED SOMEBODY FROM AN INTERVENTIONIST POSITION TO A CLASSROOM POSITION, BECAUSE WE HAD TO GET THOSE FIELDS FIRST SO THAT.
IT COULD. YES. THERE IS THERE ARE GOING UP THERE. THERE WOULD BE SOME JUDGMENT CALLS.
AND IF YOU HAD TWO STUDENTS AT A SCHOOL THAT IN SECOND GRADE, AT A SCHOOL THAT HAS 7 OR 8 TEACHERS AND THEY'RE OVER THE CAP AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE A RELATIVELY LOW AVERAGE.
BUT SOME OF THOSE SMALL SCHOOLS KIND OF FORCE OUR HANDS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
WE DO HAVE SOME SCHOOLS THAT HISTORICALLY COME JANUARY, THEY'RE GOING TO GET A NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT THAT COME IN TO THOSE AND KIND OF THROW OUR AVERAGES OUT OF WHACK COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
17 ON UP TO TO CLOSE TO THAT CUTOFF.
SO AGAIN, IT'S IT'S TOUGH TO SAY WHAT THE HOW MANY CLASSROOMS IF THERE WAS SOME FLEXIBILITY WITH THE CAP. WE WE MAY NOT HAVE BUT FOR THE SAKE OF ESTIMATING COST THERE IF IT WAS TEN CLASSES, MAYBE 750,000 THERE.
UTILIZE FUND BALANCE. IN THE PAST WE UTILIZED IT LAST YEAR LAST YEAR A SIGNIFICANT CHUNK OF IT WAS USED FOR NON-RECURRING TYPE EXPENSES.
TEACHERS AND TEACHER LIGHT POSITIONS LAST YEAR RECEIVED AN INCREASE.
THE THE BOARD APPROVED A ONE TIME NON-RECURRING RETENTION TYPE BONUS IN LIEU OF A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR NON TEACHERS.
JUST TO JUST TO PROVIDE SOMETHING.
THIS YEAR, SINCE THERE WAS NO COST OF LIVING THAT FOLKS GET THAT ONE YEAR BENEFIT, BUT IT'S IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL BE BUILT ON.
SO IT'S JUST THAT ONE YEAR BENEFITS FROM RECURRING INTERSESSION WAS FUNDED OUT OF FUND BALANCE IN 2425. OR WE INTENDED TO.
NOW, HELENE TOOK CARE OF THE FALL INTERSESSION.
BUT WE PAID FOR IT. PLANNED TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF FUND BALANCE WITH A VIEW OF OF EVALUATING WEIGHTING THINGS AND DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD CONTINUE THAT.
THAT'S WHY INTERCESSION RIGHT NOW IS LISTED AMONG THOSE HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS AND NOT AUTOMATICALLY INTO THE BUDGET.
WE DID USE A LITTLE BIT OF IT FOR NONRECURRING FOR THOSE ATHLETIC TRAINER COSTS. IT WAS ABOUT 295,000, BUT WE TRIED TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE TO USE IT FOR NONRECURRING. IT HAS HELPED US ADDRESS SOME ONE TIME TYPE ITEMS, FURNITURE, BAND TYPE ITEMS. IN THE PAST, WE'VE WE'VE SET ASIDE SOME OF OUR GROWTH IN FUND BALANCE OVER THE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TO HELP US WITH A 1 TO 1 LAPTOP REPLACEMENT.
ESSER HAS BOUGHT A BOATLOAD OF LAPTOPS, HAD BOUGHT A BOATLOAD OF LAPTOPS UP THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 24. IT'S NO LONGER AROUND, SO AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A 20 MILLION PRICE TAG ON LAPTOP REPLACEMENTS.
AND SO WE'VE ALREADY VOTED TO APPROVE THAT OVER SEVERAL WEEKS.
WE PUT WE PUT 7 MILLION ASIDE, BUT AT SOME POINT, YES, WE'LL CONTINUE DOING THAT.
AND, AND THEY'RE SHOWING AS A COMPONENT OF FUND BALANCE, JUST SET ASIDE UNTIL WE NEED IT IN 2029 OR WHENEVER IT MAY BE.
IT'S IT'S BETTER TO START PLANNING FOR THAT NOW THAN TO WAIT FOR YEAR FIVE OR WHATEVER
[01:15:05]
YEAR. WE DID IN THIS PAST YEAR.WE DID TWO YEARS AGO. BUT WHENEVER THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF, I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE OF US TO GO AHEAD AND SET THAT ASIDE.
THE OUR BOARD POLICY, THE BOARD HAS A POLICY ON FUND BALANCE, OUR DESIRES TO HAVE ABOUT THREE MONTHS WORTH OF RESERVES.
WE STATE LAW YOU MAYBE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE.
BUT REALLY, A ONE MONTH RESERVE IS THE ABSOLUTE BASE.
AND IF YOU AREN'T, IF YOU'RE A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS LESS THAN ONE MONTH'S RESERVES, YOU'RE ON A FISCAL WATCH.
YOU MAY BE IN FISCAL EMERGENCY STATUS, WHERE YOU HAVE EXTRA HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
OUR OUR BASE LEVEL THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS ABOUT TWO MONTHS RESERVES, BUT AGAIN, THREE MONTHS RESERVES IS WHAT OUR WHAT OUR GOAL IS.
AND WE'RE JUST SHORT OF THAT RIGHT NOW.
THREE MONTHS RESERVES ON AT $286 MILLION BUDGET.
IF THAT'S WHERE IT FELL, WOULD BE ABOUT 71.5 MILLION.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 66.1, OR THAT'S WHERE WE WERE BASED ON LAST YEAR'S AUDIT. SO JUST SHORT OF THREE MONTHS RESERVES THERE.
WE DON'T ANTICIPATE A WHOLE LOT OF CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE THIS YEAR.
WE IT'LL PROBABLY BE CLOSER TO BREAKING EVEN.
BUT STILL, WE'RE IN THAT SAFE ZONE THERE.
FUND BALANCE AS A REMINDER THAT THAT PROVIDES CASH FLOWS TO US, THAT PROVIDES EMERGENCY FUNDS.
IT ALLOWS US TO ADDRESS THINGS WITH ONE TIME MONIES.
WE'VE GOT THE THE WEAPONS DETECTORS BACK THERE THAT WERE FUNDED IN LARGE PART BY SOME ONE TIME SECURITY FUNDS THAT THE BOARD APPROVED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
AGAIN, 1 TO 1 REPLACEMENTS AND THEN IT OUR BOND RATINGS TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION TOO. AND THEY LOOK AT OUR STABILITY.
AND HOW ARE WE UTILIZING FUND BALANCE.
ARE WE USING IT TO PLUG A HOLE OR ARE WE COVERING RECURRING TYPES OF EXPENDITURES WHEN THIS IS A NON-RECURRING TYPE OF OF SOURCE? NEXT STEPS. SO WE'RE WE'VE GOT THE FIRST READING OF THE ANOTHER BUDGET NEXT WEEK.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE A HAVE A DEFICIT OF FIVE ISH MILLION.
THAT THAT WILL, WILL WORK ON HOPEFULLY WITH SOME GUIDANCE FROM THE BOARD.
BUT WE'LL, WE'LL BRING A BALANCED BUDGET TO YOU NEXT WEEK.
THERE ARE ANY SCENARIOS THAT YOU ASK FOR NEXT WEEK.
I'LL, I'LL DO MY BEST TO, TO PULL THAT TOGETHER.
WE CONTINUE TO TRACK THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS.
WE SAW PROOF TODAY OF HOW QUICKLY SOME THINGS COULD CHANGE.
WE'LL EXPLORE ANY PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES, OTHER CHANGES TO SEE WHERE WE MAY BE ABLE TO REDUCE EXPENDITURES. BUT THAT'S THAT'S A CONSTANT PROCESS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING TO SCRUB SOME THINGS. IF WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE THOSE BUDGET CHANGES OF SIGNIFICANCE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A BUDGET ADVERTISEMENT IN THE NEWSPAPER.
SO AFTER THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET GOES TO THE BOARD NEXT WEEK AND YOU MAKE YOUR APPROVALS, I'LL IMMEDIATELY FINALIZE THE BUDGET.
ADVERTISEMENT. IT HAS TO BE ADVERTISED 15 DAYS IN ADVANCE OF THE BUDGET HEARING.
SO THAT HAVE BEEN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER.
WE'LL HAVE THE BUDGET HEARING THAT NIGHT. AND THEN TWO WEEKS LATER, HOPEFULLY THE SECOND FINAL READING OF THE BUDGET.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THIS QUESTION TIME, BUT I COULD ALWAYS FLIP BACK TO ANY OF THESE SLIDES.
MR. LINDELL WHAT WAS OUR FUND BALANCE? I MEAN, OUR RESERVE FUND BALANCE LAST YEAR, THIS TIME? WELL, WE FINISHED JUNE 30TH OF 24.
IT WAS 66 MILLION. AND IT'S REAL DIFFICULT DURING THE YEAR TO TO SAY WHAT IT IS, FOLKS. MAY LOOK AT OUR FUND BALANCE IN JANUARY, FOR INSTANCE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN IT WAS IN JULY BECAUSE DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GETTING AN INFLUX OF PROPERTY TAX MONEY IN A LARGE PORTION OF OUR PROPERTY TAX VERSUS THE REST OF THE YEAR, POSSIBLY ON AVERAGE, REALLY DOES VARY.
LIKE THIS PAST YEAR IT WAS DOWN SLIGHTLY.
BUT WE'VE HAD YEARS WHERE IT'S IT'S GROWN A DECENT AMOUNT SOME YEARS WHERE IT'S BEEN RELATIVELY LEVEL FROM, IF I MIGHT ADD ONE THING,
[01:20:04]
I. MOST FOLKS IN THIS ROOM MAY NOT REMEMBER, BUT DOCTOR BRADLEY PROBABLY DOES.AROUND OH NINE OR SO, WE HAD DRASTIC STATE BUDGET CUTS AND WE HAD ALMOST NO RESERVES WHATSOEVER.
NOW, THE STATE DIDN'T HAVE THAT FISCAL WATCH FISCAL EMERGENCIES GUIDELINES IN PLACE.
AT THAT POINT. WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON IT HAD THEY BEEN WE HAD LESS THAN A MONTH'S RESERVES AND THEN OUR STATE BUDGET CUTS THAT WERE DRASTIC.
BACK THEN WE HAD OUR EDUCATION FINANCE ACT ALLOCATION OVER A TWO YEAR STRETCH.
IT DROPPED FROM 56 MILLION TO 38 MILLION.
AND WE WERE CUTTING EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE FUND BALANCE TO TO BAIL US OUT IN ANY WAY.
WE WERE LIMITED SUPPLIES, TRAVEL BRADLEY KNOWS WE INCREASED CLASS SIZES. WE NEGOTIATED SALARIES FOR REHIRED RETIREES INSTEAD OF TEACHERS WHO WERE WERE RETIREES AND CAME BACK TO TEACH IN THE CLASSROOM INSTEAD OF PAYING THEM AT THEIR AT THEIR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
I THINK WE SAID, WE'LL WE'LL PAY YOU AT AT YEAR 11, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WE HAD TO TAKE SOME DRASTIC MEASURES, SO IT WAS. LUCKILY WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN THAT BOAT FOR A WHILE.
HOW MUCH ARE WE SPENDING ON SESSIONS EACH YEAR RIGHT NOW? YEAH, WE WE BUDGETED YEAH, WE WE HAD ESSER THAT FUNDED US THE INITIAL YEAR THIS YEAR IS PROBABLY NOT A GOOD EXAMPLE BECAUSE WE LOST THE FALL.
BUT YEAH, WE'RE AND WE'RE STILL GATHERING, I THINK SOME OF THAT PAPERWORK BECAUSE IT WAS JUST WE HAVEN'T PAID FOLKS OUT FOR IT YET BECAUSE IT WAS JUST THE WEEK BEFORE LAST.
SO ABOUT 1.1 MILLION, RIGHT? YES, SIR. THAT'S WHAT WE BUDGETED.
YEAH. SO FIRST, FIRST YEAR COST WAS 1.1.
AND ARE WE EVEN. MAYBE IT'S TOO EARLY, BUT ARE WE EVEN SEEING THE BENEFIT OF THE ONE WEEK OR TWO WEEK INTERSESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR? THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO. WE'RE STILL IN THE EVALUATION STAGE.
AGAIN, WE'VE ONLY HAD INTERCESSION THREE TIMES SINCE.
AND THAT BASICALLY MAKES WHAT 12 DAYS.
KEEP IN MIND THAT WHETHER WE HAVE INTERCESSION OR NOT, WE WILL HAVE TO REMEDIATE THESE STUDENTS SO THAT IT'S NOT A DIRECT SAVINGS SO WE CAN GET RID OF INTERCESSION. WE WILL NOT SAVE $1.1 MILLION.
THAT JUST MEANS MORE SUMMER SCHOOL AND SOME OTHER FORM OF REMEDIATION THAT WE'LL HAVE TO PAY FOR. SO IT COULD DEFINITELY COST MORE.
SO WHILE THE MONEY IS ALLOCATED TO INTERCESSION, YOU COULD JUST CALL THAT REMEDIATION.
AND THE MONEY WE WILL REMEDIATE THE KIDS THAT ARE NOT DOING WELL.
ONE QUICK QUESTION, MR. TRAXLER, BEFORE WE GO BACK TO MR. LINDELL. YOU DON'T NEED TO PULL UP THE SLIDE, BUT BACK ON EXPENDITURES IN THE CURRENT BUDGET AND IN THE PROPOSAL IN THE NEXT BUDGET UNDER UTILITIES OR ENERGY YOU HAD IT SLATED FOR NO CHANGE.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WASN'T A TYPO.
THE THE BECAUSE THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT OTHER THAN SALARIES.
THAT'S ABOUT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT COST WE HAVE. THE CURRENT BUDGET I THINK IS 5.6 MILLION. AND WE BUMPED IT SIGNIFICANTLY BASED ON THE PRIOR YEAR'S BUDGET.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT APPEARS LIKE WE'RE ON TRACK TO COME IN A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN THAT.
NOW, OUR WATER SEWER BUDGET I'VE ADDED 100,000 TO IT.
IT'S JUST WE'VE HAD WE CONTINUE TO SEE THOSE THOSE NUMBERS INCREASE.
SO. OKAY. MR. LINDELL IF WE DO NOTHING, NO SALARY INCREASE.
ARE WE DOING A BUDGET SHORTFALL? SO WHEN YOU SAY NO SALARY INCREASE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SALARY STUDY IMPLEMENTATION.
WELL THAT'S THAT'S 12.2 MILLION.
SO NO, THE SHORTFALL RIGHT NOW DEPENDING ON DEPENDING ON WHAT OTHER THINGS MAY COME INTO THE BUDGET BASED ON TONIGHT'S DISCUSSIONS AT 5.3.
SO SALARY STUDIES COST IS 12.2 AT 12.2 IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE $5.3 MILLION DEFICIT.
DOCTOR BRADLEY, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION. YES. WELL I HAVE A YEAH.
AT SOME POINT I'D LIKE YOU TO TELL US EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
A TAX INCREASE, PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL TAX.
WHAT WOULD WE GET TOWARD THAT?
[01:25:02]
I KNOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE A DEFICIT WIPE OUT THE DEFICIT.IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT IS THE JUSTIFICATION GOING FOR THAT? WELL, I KNOW YOU CAN'T SAY IT'S THOSE KINDS OF.
BUT WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE TRYING TO GET PAST? AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN EDITORIAL COMMENT.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS DISTRICT PRETTY MUCH SINCE 1969, AND WE'VE ALL BEEN AT THE BOTTOM OF TAXATION.
JUST ABOUT EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE THAT HAD A HIGHER RATE OF TAXATION THAN THEY DID AT ONE POINT. AIKEN COUNTY IS THE WEALTHIEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE, AND WE HAVE THE LOWEST PER PUPIL EXPENDITURES OF ANY EXPERIENCE.
I HESITATE TO SAY A FAIR SHARE, BUT WE'VE NEVER PAID TAXES ON THE RATE COMPARABLE TO THE REST OF THE STUDY.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
PLEASE BE GENTLE. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM.
WE'RE COMING WAY, WAY, WAY BEHIND THE REST OF THE STATE TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP NOW AND PUT US ON PAR.
WE SAW FROM OUR REPORT CARDS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN NEEDS THAT ARE NOT BEING MET BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE NEED THE FUNDING IN ORDER TO HIRE THEM.
THE STATEMENT, I THINK ADEQUATE STAFF TO DO THE JOB.
I MEAN, HERE I AM, I SOUND LIKE A TAX INCREASE, BUT I WILL IF THERE'S SOME JUSTIFICATION FOR IT.
AND I THINK I KNOW THE JUSTIFICATION, BUT I WANT TO SEE IT FROM YOU GUYS.
WHAT EXACTLY DO WE NEED? GIVE US SOME THOUGHTS ON WHY WE NEED IT.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO CUT THE BUDGET? $5 MILLION IN ORDER TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET.
ARE WE GOING TO BE TRYING TO GO FROM WHAT DO WE NEED AND WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO TAKE THAT NEED? YES. YES. WELL, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S 90% OF OUR BUDGETS IN SALARY AND FRINGE.
SO THAT'S IT'S TOUGH TO DO ANYTHING WITH SALARIES AND FRINGE AT ALL WITHOUT CREATING A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO ADDRESS.
I MEAN, ADD MORE PEOPLE TO THAT POT.
THEY SAY THAT'S THE BAD NEWS IS THAT IF YOU START COMING INTO PEOPLE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RECURRING COST THAT INFLATES EACH YEAR.
YES. SO, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT, I MEAN, IF YOU IF YOU CAN SCRAPE TOGETHER TO GET IT NEXT YEAR, THE FOLLOWING YEAR, YOU MIGHT BE CUTTING AGAIN BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SCRAPE TOGETHER A IT'S A NEVER ENDING PROCESS WHICH FOUGHT THIS BATTLE.
BUT I CAME TO THIS DISTRICT IN 1969 AND I WAS UNEMPLOYED OR ON THE SCHOOL BOARD ALL BUT 11 YEARS SINCE THEN. AND IT'S BEEN THE SAME STORY EVERY YEAR, AND IT'S GETTING TIGHTER.
YOU SEE ALL THIS? THIS WAS DARK AT SOME POINT.
BUT ONE THING I DID WANT TO SHARE.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS LINE, THAT'S A STATE FUNDED THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THAT'S THEIR PRIMARY SOURCE FOR FUNDING TEACHER SALARIES IN THE CLASSROOM INCREASES.
SO THIS YEAR THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'RE GETTING A $900,000 INCREASE IN THAT LINE ITEM FROM THE STATE.
NOW AGAIN THIS I MENTIONED THAT ALL THESE WAS A NET OF 4.1 MILLION.
ONE AND A HALF OF THAT IS IS FROM THAT 388 ALLOCATION.
BUT THAT STATE AID TO CLASSROOM.
WE'RE LOOKING AT 900,000 THERE.
THE INCREASE IN TEACHER SALARIES BASED ON 1500.
IF WE USE THAT, THAT'S 3.4 MILLION.
SO WE'RE ALREADY MAKING UP 2.5 MILLION.
SO IT'S REALLY THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
WE'VE WE'VE ADDED A SECOND ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.
IT'S BEEN MENTIONED IN THE PAST, BUT THAT WAS A NEED THAT GOT PREAPPROVAL FROM THE BOARD. IT'S BUILT INTO THE BUDGET.
I MEAN, WE HAVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WITH 700 STUDENTS THAT HAVE THE SAME ALLOCATION OF ONE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT HAS 350 OR 400 STUDENTS.
AND THEN MIDDLE SCHOOL, ALL OF THAT IS IS ALL COMING TOGETHER IN THIS SAME POT. BUT YES, WE WE DO HAVE TO HAVE FOLKS SUPPORT IT.
[01:30:02]
WE WE'VE TALKED A LOT OF TIMES ABOUT MAINTENANCE.AND NEED TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS, AGING SCHOOLS, ALL THE EVERYTHING ELSE WE HAVE TO DO AND OUR NEWER SCHOOLS MAINTAINING THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY DON'T TURN OLD QUICKER THAN THEY SHOULD.
WHAT I'M ASKING FOR I'D LIKE TO SEE A BUDGET THAT INCLUDES.
OUR. THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE HAD OUR ONGOING DIALOG ABOUT DOING A PATCHWORK, ADDRESSING SITUATIONS THAT RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT SAYING WE CAN'T DEAL WITH BECAUSE IF WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THAT, BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO PAY ANY SUBSTANTIAL GAIN ON THAT. YOU KNOW, I KEEP HARPING ON.
OUR OKAY. THE FIRST THREE ELEVATORS GET DRAWN.
ONE, TWO. AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ADDING ONE CHILD AND HAVING A HIGHER TEACHER BECAUSE YOU GIVE ONE ADDITIONAL CHILD.
THAT SOUNDS TERRIBLE. BUT I'VE SEEN THIS THING SLIP OVER THE YEARS AND IT'S AND IT REALLY THE BOTTOM FELL OUT OF IT IN IN 2009.
WE WORKED HARD FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS AND STEADILY CUT THE PUPIL TEACHER RATIO DOWN TO A REAL WORLD PROBLEM, AND IT WENT BACK PAST WHERE WE STARTED SEVERAL YEARS. I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 6 OR 8 YEARS REGRESSION TO WHERE THE PUPIL TEACHER RATIO WAS AFTER THAT DISASTROUS 2008 YEAR.
BUT ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, I JUST LIKE TO SEE ALL MY NEEDS CONSIDERED.
FINANCIALLY PUT IT ALL TOGETHER SO HE COULD GET A COMPLETE PICTURE OF WHAT IS IT WE NEED IDEALLY. AND THEN WE CAN TAKE A LOOK.
YES, SIR. AND I THINK, WHAT IF THERE'S TOO MUCH MONEY? WHAT CAN WE GIVE UP RATHER THAN TRYING TO GO THE OTHER WAY? EXCUSE ME. GO AHEAD. YES, SIR.
I THINK THE WELL, HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD THAT COVERS A LOT OF IT.
YOU DID MENTION MAINTENANCE SALARIES SPECIFICALLY.
AND I THINK THE SALARY STUDY, IF IMPLEMENTED IN FULL, WILL GO A LONG WAY TO MAKING THINGS MORE COMPETITIVE.
MR. SILAS MR. TRAXLER A COUPLE OF RANDOM QUESTIONS, I GUESS. YOU GAVE US A SLIDE WITH THE 19 OR SO SELECTED SCHOOL DISTRICTS, RIGHT? WITH THE AVERAGE MILL? YES. FROM YOUR RESEARCH, DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHAT THE STATE AVERAGE IS ACROSS ALL 72? AT ONE POINT, IT WAS IN THAT 215 RANGE, I THINK. BUT THAT WAS ALSO BASED ON INFORMATION THAT WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS OLD, AT LEAST A COUPLE OF YEARS OLD.
SO I, I DIDN'T HAVE ALL 72 IN 1 SPOT THAT I COULD GO TO AND PULL IT AND DO IT EASILY.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIND.
THE SLIDE I CAN'T FIND IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS. WHAT OF THE 19 OR 20? THESE IS 225 POINT. OKAY.
SO THE WHOLE STATE AVERAGE IS NOT FAR FROM THERE.
RIGHT. SO THAT'S ABOUT MAYBE SLIGHTLY LESS.
YES. OKAY. THERE WAS ANOTHER SLIDE WHERE YOU.
I FELT LIKE YOU WERE TELLING US SOMETHING FOR A REASON, BUT I'M SURE YOU'RE GOING TO SAY YOU WERE JUST.
JUST MAKING US AWARE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO MEET THE $1,500.
YES. JUST MAKING YOU. BUT THEN LATER, OR I BELIEVE YOU'VE INCLUDED TO GO BEYOND THAT. SO I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED.
AND MAYBE THE REASON YOU'RE DOING THAT, OTHER THAN TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE.
THAT'S. WHAT DO YOU THINK? FOR SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY, WE WE WANT THE BOARD. WE WANT OTHERS TO KNOW WHAT WHAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO.
AND THEN WE WE LOOKED AT GOING BEYOND THAT TOO, BECAUSE COMPETITIVENESS IF YOU LOOK AT LOOK BACK AT THAT SCALE, WE LOST SOME COMPETITIVENESS AND A LOT OF THOSE SALES COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO.
I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU THAT IF THE MINIMUM TEACHER SCALE IS GOING UP 1500.
EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF DISTRICTS ARE PAYING ABOVE THAT STATE MINIMUM, THEY'RE STILL GOING TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, WELL, THEY MENTIONED 1500.
[01:35:01]
WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE 1500.GOING A STEP BEYOND THAT AND DOING 2000 PERHAPS MAY IMPROVE OUR COMPETITIVENESS WITH SOME OF OUR COUNTERPARTS.
AT ONE POINT. AIKEN THE CHART THAT I SHOWED AIKEN STEP ZERO, REGARDLESS OF DEGREE, WAS NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE AT ONE POINT.
AND IT'S PROBABLY WITHIN THE LAST 8 OR 9 YEARS, MAYBE LESS THAN THAT. I THOUGHT MAYBE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD. MAYBE.
YES. A COUPLE OF MORE QUICK ONES.
SO JUST REMIND ME WHERE YOU COVERED IT.
THE CURRENT BUDGET SHORTFALL, I THINK OF 5 MILLION.
DOES THAT. I THINK YOU SAID IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS. CURRENTLY, THE ONLY ONES THAT IT INCLUDES ARE THE COST NEUTRAL TECHNOLOGY ONES AND THE SALARY STUDY AND THE TEACHER SCHOLAR IN THERE.
BUT ALL THAT OTHER LIST OF 12 OR 13 ITEMS THAT I THAT I COVERED OVER THAT THREE PAGE LISTING, THOSE ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE NOT REFLECTED IN THAT DEFICIT.
SO THEY WOULD SO IT WOULD BE 5.3 MILLION PLUS THE COST OF THE HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS, 3.9 MILLION. WE'RE LOOKING AT NINE POINT.
SO INCLUDES THE COST NEUTRAL, THE SALARY CAP AND THE TWO ITEMS THAT WE SORT OF PRE-APPROVED THE ADDITIONAL APPS.
YES, SIR. BOTH OF THOSE ARE IN THERE.
THE EXTENDED LEARNING MIDDLE SCHOOL SALARY STUDY 1500 FOR TEACHERS.
ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT MUCH CONTROL OVER.
OKAY. ALL THOSE THAT FOLLOW FROM PAGE 20 AND NOT IN THE BUDGET.
OKAY. AND JUST A PASSING COMMENT FROM ME IN TERMS OF OPTIONS.
I KIND OF LEAN IN FAVOR OF OF GIVING THE DISTRICT THE CAP WITH SOME GUARDRAILS.
RIGHT? MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE DOCTOR BRADLEY SAID, OKAY, HOLD IT FIRM FOR GRADES ONE AND TWO, BUT HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY FOR HIRE OR FOR ME, YOU KNOW, A CAP WITH SOME FIRM GUARDRAILS ALL THE WAY THROUGH K THROUGH FIVE.
BUT JUST WANTED TO PASS ALONG MY THOUGHTS THERE.
BUT BUT I THINK THAT MIGHT JUST FROM MY STANDPOINT.
THAT'S IT. MR.. BROOME, ARE WE ON THE SALARY STUDY? AND I DON'T THINK THIS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT.
DID WE INCLUDE SUPPLEMENTS IN THAT STUDY? AND I'M GOING I'M PARTICULARLY SPEAKING OF COACH SUPPLEMENTS AT THIS POINT.
THEY LOOKED AT IT SOME, BUT I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO REVISIT THAT PROBABLY. I DON'T THINK IT'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE ARE GROSSLY UNDERPAYING OUR COACHES SUPPLEMENTS IN A NUMBER OF SPORTS COMPARED TO OUR COMPETITORS.
AND I JUST WAS HOPING YOU WAS GOING TO SAY, YEAH, THAT THAT WAS ROLLED IN THAT NUMBER BECAUSE IT'S YOU KNOW, THESE TYPE OF POSITIONS GET OVERLOOKED.
I FEEL LIKE A LOT WHAT THEY'RE ASKED TO DO.
AND QUITE HONESTLY, OUR DISTRICT DOES A POOR JOB OF SUPPORTING SOME OF THESE SPORTS.
I CAN SAY THAT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ALL OVER AND WATCHED HOW SPORTS ARE RUN.
AND WHAT WE ASK THESE COACHES TO DO, THEY.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY THEY FALL IN THESE KIDS LIVES A LOT MORE THAN COACHING.
BUT I SAY THAT THE MORE TO SAY THAT WHAT WE ASK THEM TO DO WITH THE SUPPORT THAT IS NOT THERE FOR THEM, SOMETIMES IT'S DISHEARTENING TO THEM.
AND AND THEY ARE KIND OF LIKE A TRUCK DRIVER IS TO A COMPANY.
A LOT OF TIMES, AS THE FACE OF THE COMPANY, WHEN THEY'RE DEALING WITH A SET AMOUNT OF, THEY HAVE A LOT OF INTERFACE WITH OUR CONSTITUENCY AND WE NEED THEM TO BE CONDUCTIVE. WE NEED TO HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE THAT WITH THE RIGHT MINDSET THAT ARE CONDUCTED TO PROMOTING OUR DISTRICT.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF NEGATIVITY THAT'S PORTRAYED ACROSS OUR DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF SUPPORT AND THE LACK OF WHAT THEY'RE GETTING PAID, BECAUSE, I MEAN, THEY'RE GETTING PAID VERY LITTLE IN CASES.
SO I THINK THAT AS WE PROMOTE OUR DISTRICT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO NEED TO DO, NEED TO CONSIDER. YES, SIR.
AND WE WE DID TAKE SOME STEPS.
I THINK TWO YEARS AGO WE, WE INCREASED MAYBE THREE INCREASED ATHLETIC
[01:40:01]
SUPPLEMENTS. I WANT TO SAY 40%, MAYBE 40 OR 50%.AND THEN THIS I MENTIONED IT HISTORICALLY.
WHAT WE HAD DONE WAS INCREASE THEM BY THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, KIND OF IN LINE WITH THAT.
SO I DID 3% BASED ON THAT 1500 INCREASE COMPARED TO A BACHELOR.
ZERO. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SAY ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, I'LL BE HIT WITH WHAT WE'RE BUILDING WITH TURF AND FIELDS.
WE'RE DOING THIS, WE'RE DOING THAT.
THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF THINGS THAT'S BIG MONEY THINGS, BUT THAT'S NOT A THING. THAT'S NOT THE GLUE THAT KEEPS THE PROGRAM TOGETHER.
IT'S NICE TO HAVE THEM THINGS, AND QUITE HONESTLY, I THINK THERE'S THINGS WITH A LOT LESS COST THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE TO HAVE DONE WITH SOME OF THAT MONEY. BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION. BUT I SEE IT.
I'M INVOLVED IN THIS STUFF A LOT AND I SEE WHAT GOES ON.
WE'RE GROSSLY UNDER-SUPPORTED AND UNDERSTAFFED AT THESE FIELDS.
AND, AND THE SUPERVISION THAT HANDLES THAT IS NOT ABLE TO.
JUST NOT ABLE TO HANDLE IT PROPERLY.
I SEE REC PROGRAMS RUN MUCH MORE EFFICIENT THAN WHAT WE'RE RUNNING HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S THAT'S VERY SAD.
VERY SAD. AND MY NEXT QUESTION IS Y'ALL TOLD ME SOMETHING THE OTHER DAY AND I'M SIMPLE MINDED. THIS REALLY CONFUSED ME WHEN I LOOKED AT SALARY STEPS ON TEACHERS FROM LIKE E OR SAY 02345, MAYBE DOWN TO SIX, WHERE HERE.
WE RUN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK. MAYBE A LITTLE BETTER, BUT WE'RE NOT. WHEN WE GET ON DOWN, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IN THE TOP 20%, PROBABLY IN THE STATE.
CRANE AND I ASKED THE QUESTION, WELL, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE OUT RECRUITING TEACHERS AND WE'RE BRINGING TEACHERS IN FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND WE I KNOW YOU ALL DO THAT, AND I KNOW YOU DO A GOOD JOB WITH SELLING AIKEN COUNTY. WE HAVE A LOT TO OFFER HERE.
BUT I WAS OF THE MINDSET THAT IF WE WERE BETTER ON THE FRONT END, ESPECIALLY BASED WHERE WE'RE AT GOING MIDDLE DOWN, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES YOU GET SOMEBODY INTO AN AREA, THEY ENJOY THE AREA, THEY YOU GET THEM PAYING GOOD, YOU GET THEM HERE, AND THEN THEY MEET SOMEBODY.
THEY START A FAMILY HERE, WHATEVER.
THEY'RE LESS PRONE TO LEAVE, BUT YOU GOT TO GET THEM HERE.
AND FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT WE WOULD WANT TO BE EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE GETTING THEM HERE BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY COMPETITIVE, KEEPING THEM. BUT WE GOT TO GET THEM HERE.
AND YOU'RE TALKING YOU'RE LOOKING A FEW YEARS TO GET THEM.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM, OTHER PLACES. THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITY MONEY WISE IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT SHORT CIRCUIT OF IT. SO I SAID, WELL, WHAT ABOUT IF WE INCREASE THESE STEPS? AND Y'ALL TOLD ME THAT IF YOU DID THAT, IT SCRUNCHED UP THE NUMBERS.
BUT I GUESS WHAT'S CONFUSING TO ME IS EVERYBODY EVERYBODY'S NUMBER WOULD HAVE TO BE SCRUNCHED UP, WOULDN'T THEY, IF WE'RE RANKING THIS HIGH COMING DOWN.
I MEAN, I DON'T I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND.
WELL, NOT NECESSARILY IN SCHOOLS.
THEY'VE HAD SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE HAD THE DISCRETION TO INCREASE WHATEVER.
AND YOU HAVE SOME THAT ARE INCREASING LARGE AMOUNTS.
AGAIN, THIS PAY BAN REALLY MESSES US UP IN MY OPINION.
AT SOME POINT, I THINK IT SERVED A PURPOSE.
I DON'T THINK IT BENEFITS US ANYMORE.
I'D LOVE TO SEE IT BROKEN OUT, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S MY OPINION.
WHAT YOU MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO, IT IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE WERE AT THE TOP IN THE VERY RECENT PAST. WE WERE AT THE TOP, AND WE WERE VERY HIGH IN THOSE EARLY STEPS AS WELL. AND PROBABLY THROUGHOUT MOST OF THIS WE WERE IN SOME SOME SINGLE DIGITS THERE.
BUT THOSE YEARS WHERE THERE'S A $3,000 INCREASE OR SOMETHING PER SALE, YOU MAY HAVE SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT SAY, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO WE'LL DO 4000, OR WE MAY DO 3500 OR I MEAN, THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF COMBINATIONS THAT THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS MAY BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THAT IT PLAYED INTO THAT.
WE WE'VE LOST SOME GROUND IN RECENT YEARS AND I'M SURE THAT AFFECTS PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE STARTING OUT AND YOU A THOUSAND A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS IS A LOT OF MONEY. I MEAN, REALLY IT IS.
AND I GUESS THAT I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE TO ME THAT WE WOULD WANT TO FOCUS ON BEING COMPETITIVE, GETTING THEM HERE, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB.
ONCE WE GET THEM HERE OF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE US IF WE GIVE THEM A GOOD JOB,
[01:45:03]
THEY'RE SATISFIED HERE WITH WITH WHERE WE'RE PLAYING IN THE STATE, WE'RE PRETTY GOOD OPTION.AND AND THAT GOES IN LINE WITH OUR NEW HIGH PRIORITY ITEM TO GO BEYOND THE 1500 AND DO 2000. WE THINK THAT THAT THAT RIGHT THERE IS GOING TO IMPROVE THE RANKING.
SOME DOCTOR MURPHY AND I WERE LOOKING AT IT YESTERDAY AND TRULY SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS THERE WE WERE WHAT, 100 BUCKS, 200 BUCKS WITHIN IM PROBABLY 1010 SPOTS IN THAT RANKING. SO 500 BUCKS MAY MEAN A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.
GET US CLOSER TO THE TO THE TEENS IN SOME OF THESE CASES, OR EVEN BETTER. THERE ARE SOME DISTRICTS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE HAVE SOME FAIRLY, FAIRLY LARGE INCREASES THERE.
AND STRANGELY, SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THE LITTLE THINGS, THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
BUT AND IT AND IT MAKES SENSE.
YOU SAY, ALL RIGHT, WELL IF, IF OR IF SOMEONE WERE TO SAY LET'S, LET'S PUT SOME MORE MONEY IN THOSE BEGINNING STEPS.
BUT IT EITHER COLLAPSES THAT GAP IN THERE OR IT CREATES A DOMINO EFFECT WHERE YOU'RE ADDING IT TO EVERY SINGLE.
IT'S JUST A LITTLE CONFUSING, BECAUSE WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THE STATE MINIMUMS AND THE SALARIES, THEY ARE SCRUNCHED.
I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING $500 BETWEEN A LOT OF STEPS, YOU KNOW, SO IT JUST AND I THINK SOMETHING LIKE THAT JUST GRADUALLY DOING THAT WITH THE PAY BAND COULD HELP US AT 250, WHATEVER IT ENDS UP BEING EVENTUALLY.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS THE YEAR TO TRY AND BREAK THAT UP.
WHY? A LOT OF BUSINESSES INCREASE THE SALARY OF THEIR STAFF 1 TO 3% EVERY YEAR.
WHY CAN'T WE DO THAT FOR OUR SUPPORT STAFF? OUR OUR GOAL HAS BEEN TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY. OUR BOARD HISTORIAN HERE PROBABLY REMEMBERS SOME OF IT.
WE HAD A STRETCH OF 6 OR 7 YEARS WHERE WE DIDN'T PROVIDE A STEP INCREASE TO NON TEACHERS. IT WASN'T BECAUSE THERE WASN'T THE DESIRE TO DO SO.
IT WAS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SO.
THE SO. THE FUNDING WASN'T THERE AND WE DIDN'T HAVE LARGE TAX INCREASES AND THERE WAS USE IT OR LOSE IT. SO THE FUNDING HAS TO BE THERE.
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO.
TEACHERS HAVE TO HAVE TO GIVE A STEP INCREASE.
WE HAVE TO GIVE BUS DRIVER INCREASES, HAVE TO DEAL WITH RETIREMENT, WHICH WHENEVER I FIRST CAME HERE WAS 11 OR 12%.
IT'S 24.91 NOW. OUR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.
SO IT'S LOOK AT THOSE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
AND I PERHAPS I'M SURE A LOT OF THOSE YEARS HAD THERE HAD IT BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH A TAX INCREASE, WE MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
THERE WERE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE WITH IT. AND I'M SURE THAT PAY INCREASES FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
NOW SINCE PROBABLY 2014, I THINK 2015 BOARD.
EVERY SINGLE YEAR, NINE TEACHERS HAVE GOTTEN A STEP INCREASE.
THERE HASN'T BEEN AN ADDITIONAL COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT EVERY SINGLE YEAR OR SOME YEARS. IT WAS RELATIVELY SMALL, MAYBE 1%.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S IT'S WHAT WE HAD THE ABILITY TO DO.
BUT IT WASN'T LACK OF DESIRE TO DO IT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.
I GOT ONE MORE. SURE. MR. LINDELL. COULD WE SEE A BUDGET THAT HAS NO SALARY STUDY IN IT AND NO PRIORITIES IN IT? NEXT TIME WE MEET AND MAYBE HAVE THAT OPTION IN THE OPTIONS TONIGHT.
YES, SIR. I PROBABLY DO IT IN MY HEAD REAL QUICK, BUT YES, WE'LL WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING.
I CAN BRING THAT. SO ONE THING WE DON'T NEED TO PULL THIS SLIDE BACK UP.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE SLIDE WITH THE DATES ON IT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, THAT IS PRETTY FLUID. EVEN, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER SOME YEARS, FRANKLY, WE DON'T WE DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF FUNDING WE'RE GOING TO GET UNTIL JUNE. RIGHT.
SO IT'S NOT OVER TILL IT'S OVER.
BUT IF YOU PULL BACK UP THOSE THE SLIDE WITH THE DATES ON IT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET, WHICH IS NOT A FINAL. RIGHT.
NEXT WEEK THEN WE'LL ADVERTISE THAT FIRST READING AND THEN AT SOME POINT IN MAY HAVE A
[01:50:01]
SECOND READING IN THE BUDGET.AND WE CAN MAKE AMENDMENTS TO THAT BUDGET AND SO FORTH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
BUT THAT'S OUR BUDGET, RIGHT? AND BEFORE THAT, THERE'S A BUDGET HEARING.
PUBLIC GETS TO SPEAK AS LONG AS THEY WANT AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
SO THE ONE THING I'M COMING, IF THERE'S ANYBODY WE CAN HAVE LOTS OF DISCUSSION, WHICH IS AT THE FIRST READING NEXT WEEK.
BUT THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE TONIGHT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION TO, FOR INSTANCE, MAYBE CLOSE THE GAP.
YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO. IN ORDER TO GIVE THE ADMINISTRATION SOME DIRECTION FOR NEXT WEEK. MR. BROOME. I'D LIKE TO RELOOK AT THE CHART THAT WE DID AT THE BUDGET SUMMIT, BECAUSE WE PRIORITIZED MOST OF THESE THINGS FROM ON THE IMPORTANCE TO THE BOARD.
AND I THINK US RELOOKING AT THAT WOULD WOULD BE A BIG HELP TO REFRESHING OUR MEMORIES ON WHERE WE WERE AT, BECAUSE WE HAD SOME EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS THAT SOME OF THE STUFF IS STILL THROWN INTO THIS, THESE PROPOSALS.
AND I THINK THAT WE HAD SOME PRETTY STRONG OPINIONS ON SOME OF THIS, AND I JUST THINK WE SHOULD REFRESH OUR MEMORY ON WHERE WE WERE AT.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL GOING FORWARD.
SURE. WE STILL HAVE THAT SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? WE COULD SEND BACK OUT AGAIN. YES.
I THINK THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN NOT AT THE RETREAT, BUT MAYBE. NO, THE FEBRUARY, THE WORK STUDY IN FEBRUARY.
I GUESS WE'LL WE'LL FIND THAT.
YES. SO MAYBE A TRY AMEND WHAT I SAID EARLIER.
IF WE COULD POSSIBLY SEE MAYBE THREE SAMPLE BUDGETS, ONE WITH THE SALARY STUDY, THE TOP TWO PRIORITIES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
AND THEN ONE WITHOUT THE SALARY STUDY.
BUT TALK TO YOUR PRIORITIES AND THEN ONE WITHOUT THE PRIORITIES AND THE SALARY STUDY.
ALL RIGHT. COULD YOU I'D LIKE TO SEE POSSIBLY THREE DIFFERENT BUDGETS, ONE WITH A SALARY STUDY AND OUR TOP TWO PRIORITIES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND THE 90 MINUTE BLOCK GOES TO THOSE TWO ITEMS, WHICH. YES, SIR. AND AT THIS POINT THAT'S I THINK HAS RECEIVED APPROVAL.
SO WE'RE WE'RE ADVERTISING THAT IT'S.
YES, SIR. WE'RE WORKING TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS NOW AND THEN A BUDGET WITHOUT THE SALARY STUDY WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND THEN MAYBE WORST CASE SCENARIO, WHAT A BUDGET WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE DIDN'T DO THE SALARY STUDY AND ANY OF THE PRIORITIES.
WELL, RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY PRIORITIES THAT ARE IN HERE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TECHNOLOGY WHERE WE'VE ADDED SOME POSITIONS, BUT AS AN OFFSET, WE'VE REDUCED THEIR THEIR PURCHASE SERVICES, THEIR CONTRACTED SERVICES BUDGET.
SO IT'S A ZERO NET. THEY'RE NO IMPACT.
SO IF IF WE WENT BACK AND TOOK THAT OUT YOU WOULDN'T SEE ANY CHANGE IN THE BUDGET.
ONLY TWO HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS RIGHT NOW ARE THE SECOND AP AT ELEMENTARY AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, ADDITIONAL TEACHER SAYS.
AND THAT'S RECEIVED PRELIMINARY APPROVAL THERE.
AGAIN, THE THE COST OF THE SALARY STUDY FULL IMPLEMENTATION IS 12.2 MILLION.
AND THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THE 5.3 MILLION DEFICIT.
SO I'M BRAIN FRIED AT THE MOMENT.
BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S SIX, 6.9 MILLION.
THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION IF SALARY STUDY WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF THERE.
SO THE, THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE ADVERTISING FOR POSITIONS FOR THE 90 MINUTE BLOCK SINCE THE BUDGET, THAT PART WAS ALREADY APPROVED.
WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON A MILLAGE INCREASE FOR THAT. RIGHT. WELL, WE WE'VE STILL GOT TO MAKE A BALANCED BUDGET SOMEHOW.
RIGHT. SO NEXT WEEK I WILL BRING FORWARD A BALANCED BUDGET SOMEHOW.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE FLOOR TO DOCTOR MURPHY FOR A COMMENT. FOR RESPONSE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I JUST WANTED TO TRY TO HELP CLARIFY JUST A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE CURRENTLY WHERE WE ARE, WE'RE AT A BUDGET SHORTFALL.
IT IS IS RIGHT AT 4.8 5,000,005.3 AFTER THAT NEW HEALTH INSURANCE INFO.
SO WE'RE AT $5.3 MILLION NEGATIVE.
HE JUST BASICALLY STATED THAT IF WE DO THE SALARY STUDY, WHEN WE ADD THAT IN, THAT'S $12 MILLION TO TO IMPLEMENT THAT FULL SALARY STUDY.
SO YOU CAN REMOVE THAT $12 MILLION.
AND THAT WOULD KIND OF BE THAT BUDGET YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET IN THAT ASPECT.
[01:55:01]
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.AND SO THERE ARE INFINITE VARIATIONS OF THIS BUDGET THAT WE COULD PRODUCE FOR YOU ALL.
THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT YOU WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE OUR BEST THINKING ON IT, AND KIND OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE.
BUT OF COURSE, YOU ALL, WHEN YOU APPROVE IT, YOU'LL STILL HAVE THAT THAT LINE ITEM OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, HEY, I LIKE THIS. I DON'T LIKE THIS.
OKAY, LET'S GO WITH THIS ROUTE. LET'S GO THAT ROUTE AND WE WILL GLADLY SEND YOU ALL THE FEEDBACK YOU ALL GAVE US AND EVERYTHING.
BUT THIS WOULD BE PER SE, OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THIS BOARD AS TO THE DIRECTION THAT WE FEEL THE DISTRICT SHOULD GO.
THANK YOU. BASICALLY, I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE A BUDGET THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE A TAX INCREASE.
WE'RE NOT. ANY OF THE REMAINING OPTIONS? NOT WITHOUT SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
I DON'T SEE A WAY TO. I DON'T SEE A WAY TO MAKE IT BALANCED.
RIGHT. AND ADDING ANY OF THESE REMAINING HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS WOULD INCREASE THE BUDGET ACCORDINGLY. SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS IF WE'RE GOING TO ADD ANY OF THESE, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE FROM THE FLOOR NEXT TIME WE CONSIDER THE BUDGET AND WITH SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW TO FUND.
RIGHT. SO WHEN WE SHOWED YOU THE THE MILLAGE INCREASE AT 20 MILLS, THAT INCLUDED EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE PUT INTO THIS PACKAGE.
EVERYTHING. SO THE 20 MILLS COVERS EVERYTHING.
YES. ALL THIS REMAINING HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS. YES, SIR. WELL VERY CLOSE, VERY CLOSE.
WE HAD AT ONE POINT INSURANCE.
YEAH, WE PROBABLY WE AT 1.1 WITH THE TEACHER RAISE AND WE PROBABLY 500,000 WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE. SO THE 20 MILLS COVERS IT.
WHAT WE WOULD DO BETWEEN NOW AND THEN IS STILL ASSUMING WE SHOW YOU A BALANCED 20 MILL INCREASE BUDGET, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WOULD INCLUDE PICKING AWAY AT RANDOM EACH HIGH SCHOOL, HAVING A SOCIAL WORKER. WORK. ABSOLUTELY. WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT YOU A BALANCED 20 MIL INCREASE BUDGET.
YOU ARE GOING TO PRESENT US THAT THAT ONE WITH THE 20 MIL TAX INCREASE.
WHAT IF WE VOTED TO MAKE THE TAX INCREASE? THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD DO WITH THE MONEY. YES, SIR. AND THEN OF COURSE, WHATEVER OTHER VARIATIONS YOU ALL RECOMMEND.
SO COULD WE SEE A MILLAGE, A BUDGET WITH A MILLAGE THAT HAS ONE EXTRA AP IN THE 90 MINUTE BLOCK? JUST THOSE TOP TWO ITEMS. I'LL LET THE SUPERINTENDENT RESPOND.
YES. I MEAN, WE COULD DO THAT.
LIKE I SAID, WE THE BUDGET WITH THE THE THE SALARY STUDY IS 7.5 MIL INCREASE.
AND SO THE BUDGET, ONCE WE LOOK AT THE THE WE TEASE OUT JUST THE TWO HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS. WE CAN LOOK AT THAT. THEN, OF COURSE, WE'D HAVE TO TAKE OUT THE SALARY STUDY, AND THEN WE'D PUT JUST THE TWO HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS IN AND SEE WHERE THAT FELL.
BUT AGAIN, WE WOULD HAVE WE COULD DO MYRIAD.
WE COULD DO EVERY BUDGET PERMUTATION.
WE COULD DO IT. BUT WHAT WE NEED TO STAY ON OUR BUDGET TIMELINE THAT MR. TRAXLER HAS SHOWN US IN ORDER TO MAKE THESE CHANGES HAPPEN BEFORE JULY 1ST, OR ON OR ABOUT JULY 1ST.
MR. BROOME ALL RIGHT, I'M CONFUSED.
NOW, THIS IS AN OFFICIAL VOTE.
MAYBE. BUT OUR CONSENSUS WAS THREE THINGS WE WERE GOING TO ADD APPS.
WE WERE GONNA DO AND IMPLEMENT THE SALARY STUDY, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING OUR TAILS KICKED THE WAY WE'RE TRYING TO OPERATE WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PAY PEOPLE.
AND I THOUGHT THESE THESE THINGS WERE ALREADY AGREED UPON, AND YOU WERE TO PUT THEM IN THE BUDGET.
AND WE SAID THAT THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED TO DO.
YEAH. AND I'M GOING TO RESPOND TO THAT. MR. TRAXLER, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, MR. BROOME. THE TWO ITEMS ARE PRE-APPROVED IN ORDER TO GET THE LEAD.
TIME TO HIRE PEOPLE. THE EXTRA AP IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND THEN THE TEACHERS NECESSARY FOR THE 90 MINUTE BLOCK FOR ELA AND MATH IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH ARE ALL THOSE THINGS, ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND TO HELP OUR STATE REPORT CARDS AND OUR STUDENTS THAT THAT'S DONE UNLESS WE BACKTRACK IN SOME WAY.
AND AS FAR AS THE SALARY STUDY, WE DID VOTE TO GIVE DIRECTION FOR THEM TO WORK ON, INCLUDING IT IN THE BUDGET, WHICH WAS THEY HAVE PRESENTED. OTHERWISE THEY WOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT. BUT WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE TO SAY THAT'S A GOOD IDEA AND WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
BUT THEY DID DO THE WORK AND SHOWED US WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO INCLUDE THE RECOMMENDATIONS
[02:00:03]
FROM THE SALARY STUDY.AND NOW WE HAVE. AND I THINK YOUR COMMENT, MR..
BROOME, ABOUT LET'S MAKE SURE WE REFRESH EVERYBODY WHAT OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSION IN FEBRUARY WAS. THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION BECAUSE A LOT OF IT WAS AROUND GIVING FEEDBACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT THESE OTHER THINGS THAT THEY HAVE NOT CONCLUDED, LIKE, LIKE OUR A LA CARTE MENU OF THINGS THAT IF WE THINK WE COULD AFFORD, WHAT WOULD WE DO NOW? AND JUST TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE, I WOULD SAY SO FAR THAT'S HOW I WOULD DESCRIBE WHERE WE'RE AT, AND I'M SEEING SOME HEAD NODDING.
SO AS WE GO INTO NEXT WEEK UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES DIRECTION RIGHT NOW AS WE GO INTO NEXT WEEK EVEN WITH JUST THAT, WE'VE GOT TO CLOSE A GAP.
IT'S TO ME, IT'S NOT AN INSURMOUNTABLE GAP, BUT IT'S WE'VE GOT TO CLOSE THE GAP.
AND THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF OUR DISCUSSION WILL BE ABOUT NEXT WEEK, UNLESS WE SOMEHOW SOLVE IT TONIGHT. JUST FOR THAT, I DO HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT QUESTION.
KIND OF NEW TO THIS POLITICS STUFF.
TAX INCREASES ARE NOT POPULAR.
OF COURSE, I'M ALREADY GETTING FEEDBACK.
YOU'RE PUTTING TURF ON FIELDS AND NOW YOU WANT MONEY.
WE KNOW THE TWO ARE NOT RELATED.
THERE'S DIFFERENT POCKETS AND HOW THEY'RE BEING DONE. I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE NOT COSTING SOMEBODY'S HOUSE TAXES TO GO UP, BUT PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE MOST NOISE DON'T REALLY FOLLOW.
A LOT OF THEM DON'T FOLLOW THAT STUFF THAT CLOSE, AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. I SAY THIS TO SAY GOING 3 OR 4 YEARS STRAIGHT WITH TAX INCREASES TO ME MIGHT I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC A LITTLE BIT. SO IF I'M HEARING IF WE DID A 20 MILL, ARE WE SAYING WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO DO THE FIVE MILLS TO SUSTAIN IT OR.
SO SO WHAT WOULD WE HAVE TO DO IF WE DID A 7.5 MILL? THAT'S WHERE I'M CONFUSED.
WELL, THE THE 20 MILL IN THIS CASE COULD HELP US FILL THAT DEFICIT, BUT ALSO ADDRESS THOSE HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS IN THE BUDGET SO THAT THAT'S WHERE THE 20 MILLS COME IN, HELP US FILL THAT HOLE THE CURRENT DEFICIT AND ADDRESS HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS. SEVEN AND A HALF PLUS FIVE, FIVE, FIVE IS ALL ABOUT SUSTAINING STARTING AND SUSTAINING THAT THAT SALARY STUDY.
WE'RE ACTUALLY IN A, IN A REAL BENEFICIAL POSITION BECAUSE MY CONCERN A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WHENEVER WE FIRST APPROVED, WHENEVER THE BOARD FIRST APPROVED, THE FUNDING FOR THE SALARY STUDY WAS, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SALARY STUDY.
I I IMAGINE THERE'S GOING TO BE A MASSIVE PRICE TAG ON IT.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO FUND THIS THING? AND AND WE WERE ABLE TO WITHIN STATE GUIDELINES, CARRY OVER SOME MONIES.
AND THIS IS HELPING US JUMPSTART THINGS.
WITHOUT THAT, WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE JUST SHARED THE RESULTS OF THE SALARY STUDY AND DONE A REGULAR OLD INCREASE, WHATEVER THAT IS.
WELL, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, YOUR EMPLOYEES MAKE YOUR BUSINESS AND YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS. YOU CAN BUILD THE NICEST BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE QUALITY, YOU'RE NOT.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO. YOUR REPORT CARDS ARE GOING.
THAT'S WHY REPORT CARDS ARE LIKE THAT.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS THAT WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO BE COMPETITIVE, OR THE BRIGHTEST WILL NOT STAY WITH US.
SO I THINK THAT THERE'S NO WAY YOU DO.
BUT IF WE DID A 20. THIS IS WHAT I'M ASKING.
AND MAYBE WE DIDN'T DO ALL THE HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS NOW AND MAYBE GIVE US A LITTLE.
IS THERE SUCH THING AS WIGGLE ROOM FOR LATER WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK EVERY YEAR AND AND MAYBE YOU CAN, DEPENDING ON THE ECONOMY AND HOW AIKEN COUNTY GROW. I UNDERSTAND ALL THESE THINGS AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO WHAT THEY REQUIRE US ON RETIREMENT, OR CAN WE GO TO ANY ALTERNATE RETIREMENTS LIKE WE MAYBE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF? IS THERE A POSSIBILITY TO TO DO SOMETHING WHERE YOU SAY THERE'S AT LEAST A FIGHTING CHANCE YOU CAN GO 3 OR 4 YEARS WITHOUT HAVING TO DO ANOTHER TAX INCREASE? AND BE COMPETITIVE AND STAY COMPETITIVE.
IT'S TOUGH TO SAY RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS THE SALARY STUDY SUSTAINING IT.
I RUN THE NUMBERS AND RUN VARIOUS SCENARIOS WEIGHT IN A YEAR, OR INCREASING A LARGER AMOUNT IN YEAR ONE AND NOT DOING SOMETHING FOR YEAR TWO.
HOW WHERE WHERE DO WE GO BACK INTO THE HOLE AND WHAT WE END UP DOING IS YOU SEE LARGE INCREASE AND IT'S LIKE THIS.
OR YOU DELAY IT A YEAR AND YOU START WAY UP HERE IN YOUR INCREASE AND THEN YOU COULD DROP
[02:05:06]
IT DOWN EVENTUALLY YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT INFLUX OF FUNDS.SO AIKEN IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD A TAX INCREASE IN TEN YEARS.
BUT WE'RE ALSO BEING TRANSPARENT.
WE'VE SHARED THIS IS A LARGE PRICE TAG ITEM.
AND GETTING IT STARTED AND SUSTAINING IT IS KEY.
AND I'VE SAID FROM THE START, IF IF THERE IS NO DESIRE TO SUSTAIN IT IN FUTURE YEARS AND WE MIGHT AS WELL TAKE THAT CARRYOVER AND USE IT, HOWEVER WE JUST, WE DO SOME CROSS BOARD AND THEN WE GRADUALLY DRAIN THAT CARRYOVER EVERY YEAR. WELL, LOOK, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO YOU GOT TO SUSTAIN IT.
YES. I MEAN, TO BE COMPETITIVE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOUR CONSTITUENCIES GOT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST JOB WE CAN DO TO CONTROL COSTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER.
AND I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS IT'S KIND OF LIKE A WE WAS ASKED EARLIER ABOUT A COST OF LIVING INCREASE. YOU KNOW, THAT'S IN ANY INDUSTRY VARIES FROM YEAR TO YEAR. AND IT'S BASED ON THE NATIONAL AND THE LOCAL ECONOMICS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SOME YEARS YOU GET VERY LITTLE COST OF LIVING INCREASE BECAUSE YOUR COST OF LIVING INCREASES VERY LITTLE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT WAY BEHIND BECAUSE OF THE INFLATION.
SO NOW WE'RE PLAYING CATCH UP AGAIN.
AND WITHOUT I MEAN COULD WE BE FLUID BY JUST LOOKING AT OUR NEEDS AND AND YOU KNOW, AND NOT JUST SITTING NUMBERS.
WELL, EVERY YEAR IS A NEW BUDGET AND WE'RE GOING TO BE REEVALUATING THIS.
I'M GOING TO BE REEVALUATING NEXT YEAR.
EVEN THE FIVE MEALS AND STUFF.
IT'S THE VALUE OF THE MEAL GROWS.
EVEN IF THERE ISN'T A TAX INCREASE THERE.
IT MAY GIVE US SOME MORE OPPORTUNITIES.
BUT IT'S IT'S WE CAN PLAN OUT.
WE THINK AHEAD WHENEVER I LOOK AT THE SALARY STUDY PART AND THE FIVE MEALS, I'M KIND OF THINKING CONSERVATIVELY, WHAT'S THE WORST CASE? AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT THAT COULD BE ON THE DOCKET AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THINGS.
NOW, THERE ARE SOME DISTRICTS OUT THERE EVERY SINGLE YEAR THEY HAVE AN INCREASE IN.
THEIR JUSTIFICATION IS THAT THE INCREASE IN MILLAGE IS TIED TO THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, WHICH IS TIED TO INFLATION AND RISING COST AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND WE'RE GOING UP ON TAXES TO STAY STAY IN PACE WITH THINGS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BALANCE THINGS ON OUR END FOR TEN YEARS NOW.
11 YEARS NOW WITHOUT THAT TAX INCREASE.
BUT IT'S THESE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE.
HAVE PROVEN HARDER AND HARDER TO DO THAT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO GET EASIER.
I'LL SAY THIS AND I'LL SHUT UP.
WE. SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD, WE'VE HAD YEARS WHERE WE DIDN'T DO A COST OF LIVING INCREASE, WHICH I THINK IS UNFORTUNATE, REALLY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT IN THE LONG TERM, I THINK YOU HAVE TO STAY WITH YOUR COMPETITORS, WITH COST OF LIVING.
AND THEN AND THEN I THINK YOU ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING. I KNOW WE BORROWED FROM THE RESERVE I THINK LAST YEAR.
DIDN'T WE TAKE SOME MONEY OUT OF RESERVE TO FUND SOME STUFF? YES. AND SO TO KEEP FROM HAVING TO DO A TAX INCREASE, I THINK YOU HAVE TO, TO, TO LOOK AT THAT LIKE YOU, YOU DO IT ALL THE TIME, HELPING US GUIDE US TO DO IT.
BUT I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW THAT WHEN COSTS ARE GOING UP, WHICH EVERYBODY KNOWS THEY'RE GOING UP AND WE HAVEN'T.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T SUSTAIN THAT AND HAVE EMPLOYEES IN IN YOUR EXAMPLE, IF WE WERE USING A MILLAGE INCREASE TO FUND SOME NONRECURRING ITEMS, IT'D BE A DIFFERENT STORY.
BUT SALARIES ARE RECURRING, SAYS MR. SILAS. NO, SIR. MR. TRAXLER ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP WHAT I WANTED TO BRING OUT, AND THAT'S THE FACT THAT THERE ARE MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT THAT CONDITION, THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEIR THEIR STRATEGY IS TO GO UP A SMALL AMOUNT EVERY YEAR TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH, AS YOU SAID, CPI INCREASES.
AND I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP.
THANK YOU. DID YOU HAVE A POINT, DOCTOR BRADLEY? YEAH. ONE THING WE GOT TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT. MONEY COMES IN IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND CAN BE USED FOR DIFFERENT THINGS. AND ONE OF THE THE THINGS THAT I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO CONFRONT WHEN I TALK ABOUT SCHOOL FINANCE TO, TO MY FRIENDS AND CONSTITUENTS IS, HOW DO YOU ALL HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO SPEND A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS AT THREE SCHOOLS
[02:10:01]
FOR ASTROTURF? THE PUBLIC DOESN'T SEE THAT AS A MAJOR NEED, BUT YET WE'RE SPENDING THAT MONEY, AND NOW WE'RE TURNING AROUND AND TALKING ABOUT RAISING TAXES. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE POPULAR BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THAT MONEY WAS COMING FROM THE $0.01 SALES TAX, AND WE HAVE TO SPEND THAT MONEY ON THOSE PARTICULAR SCHOOLS.SO YEAH, WE COULD ACT LIKE WE'RE RICH GUYS ON THOSE PARTICULAR SCHOOLS BECAUSE WE GOT MORE MONEY THAN WE ANTICIPATED, BECAUSE THE SALES TAX BROUGHT IN MORE MONEY THAN WE ANTICIPATED. BUT THE MAJORITY OF OUR BUDGET DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.
YOU KNOW, WE GOT THIS GREAT BIG POT OF MONEY THAT COMES FROM THE STATE AND LOCAL TAXES AND SO FORTH. AND THAT'S WHERE THE PINCH IS.
IT'S ALWAYS IN WHAT WE CALL THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THAT'S ONE REASON WHY WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN A BIG FUND BALANCE IS BECAUSE IF WE TAKE A HIT, IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE THINGS THAT THAT FUND BALANCE IS THERE TO PROTECT.
AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IF WE RAISE TAXES, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND IT ON ASTROTURF.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO SPEND IT ON CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND THINGS THAT IMPACT THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM, WHICH I THINK IS OUR PRIMARY MISSION.
BUT JUST BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT WITH LOCAL TAX MONEY DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULD DISCOUNT OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THINGS WITH THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WE GOT, BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT CAME IN UNDER THE $0.01 SALES TAX UNDER THE LEGISLATIVE. OF PROVISO OR WHATEVER IT WAS THAT WE PASSED, THE TAXPAYERS PASSED BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL AND SILVER BLUFF AND THOSE SCHOOLS GENERATED MORE MONEY. AND THIS WAS A NEED BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS FROM, YOU KNOW, A SPORTS PEOPLE WHO LOOK AT HEALTH BENEFIT AND INJURY IMPACTS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. IT'S THE REASON WE'RE DOING THAT.
BUT ONE DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE OTHER, AND THAT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, BUT IT'S JUST THE WAY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WORKS. YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT PLENTY OF MONEY TO DO THIS WITH, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO THIS WITH.
SO I THINK THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT INTELLIGENTLY. IF WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO ADDRESSING TAX INCREASES AND WHY NOT AND WHY DO IT AND WHY NOT TO DO IT AND ALL THAT TIME YOU KNOW IT, IF YOU IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT YOUR INCOME TAX RETURN FROM 20 YEARS AGO, IF THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE OLD ENOUGH TO DO THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT YOUR INCOME WAS AND HOW MUCH YOU PAID IN TAXES.
AND LOOK NOW AT THIS YEAR'S AND YOU NOBODY GOT LESS UNLESS YOU GOT IN TROUBLE SOMEHOW.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING HAS GONE UP, UP, UP, UP.
THE COST OF DOING JUST ABOUT ANYTHING IS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TODAY THAN IT WAS TEN, 15 YEARS AGO. LAST TIME WE RAISED TAXES.
WE WE JUST NEED TO BE PREPARED TO BE CONVERSANT AMONG OURSELVES AND ABOUT THE PUBLIC AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S HOW THIS BUDGET IS PUT TOGETHER AND HOW IT WORKS.
MISS MOORE, I'M SORRY. WERE YOU FINISHED? MISS MORRIS? DOCTOR BRADLEY TOUCHED ON THE POINT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE. THAT IT IS INCUMBENT UPON US AS BOARD MEMBERS TO EDUCATE OUR CONSTITUENTS ABOUT HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS.
AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON THIS BOARD OR EVEN IN THE DISTRICT, DOES NOT WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES.
AND IT HAPPENS THROUGH, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, THESE RAISES AND WE'RE LOOKING AT TEN YEARS WHERE NONE OF THAT HAPPENED.
AND IT'S IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S THE TIME NOW.
AND JUST THINKING ABOUT, AGAIN, OUR ROLE IS TO EDUCATE OUR CONSTITUENTS ABOUT WHY THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING AND THE IMPACT THAT IT WILL MAKE ON OUR STUDENTS AND ALSO OUR STAFF.
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING, MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON? I DID, THANK YOU. AS A TAXPAYER I AM ALL FOR INCREASING TAXES IF IF IT IS GOING TO HELP US KEEP HIGHLY QUALIFIED EDUCATORS IN OUR DISTRICT.
I AM ALSO IN FAVOR OF MY TAXES BEING RAISED IN ORDER FOR US TO MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE. OUR CHILDREN DESERVE THAT.
TALKING ABOUT TAXES AND RAISING IT IS A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE THING FOR EVERYBODY.
IT JUST IS. BUT THE REALITY IS, AIKEN COUNTY HAS NOT PAID TAXES OR, I'M SORRY, HAS NOT INCREASED TAXES IN A NUMBER OF YEARS.
IT'S TIME NOW. AND IN ORDER FOR US TO KEEP OUR QUALIFIED STAFF, WE NEED TO REALLY CONSIDER IT. AND WE ALSO, LIKE MISS MORRIS,
[02:15:01]
SAYS WE DO NEED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON IT BECAUSE THEY ARE CONFUSED.DOCTOR BRADLEY ABOUT THE TURF AND WHY WE CAN'T DO THIS AND WHY WE CAN'T DO THAT.
NOT SEEING ANY OTHER HANDS FOR FOLKS TO BE RECOGNIZED.
I THINK WE'LL CONSIDER THAT TOPIC DONE FOR THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISTER MR. TRAXLER, FOR. WELL, AND THANK YOU FOR SHOWING A PROPOSED BUDGET BASED ON THE PREVIOUS INPUT THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED. WE DO HAVE AND AS WE'VE SAID SEVERAL TIMES, WE WILL MEET AGAIN NEXT WEEK FOR THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET AND HAVE LOTS OF DISCUSSION TO GET TO THE RIGHT SPOT.
WE ARE IN NEED OF AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO WE WILL NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS IN SUCH ORDER AS THE BOARD DEEMS APPROPRIATE. UNDER STUDENT MATTERS, WE HAVE ONE ITEM A STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA ONE. IN FOLLOWING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE IN REGULAR SESSION TO ANNOUNCE THE MATTERS CONSIDERED AND TAKE ANY ACTIONS THAT MAY BE NECESSARY.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THIS PURPOSE? MR. LINDELL MADE THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? SECONDED BY MISS MORRIS.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION.
HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S UNANIMOUS.
THE MOTION CARRIES. WE WILL BEGIN EXECUTIVE SESSION IN APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES.
[02:34:44]
LAST WEEK YOU TOLD ME GRANT GIBSON.[02:34:53]
HE IS.[02:36:49]
OH, OKAY. WE HAVE CONCLUDED EXECUTIVE SESSION.[02:36:55]
WE ARE IN NEED OF A MOTION TO EXIT EXECUTIVE SESSION AND REENTER REGULAR SESSION.SO MOVED. MOTION BY MR. LINDELL. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? SECOND BY MISS MORRIS.
THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO REENTER REGULAR SESSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S UNANIMOUS.
MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE NOW BACK IN REGULAR SESSION.
WHILE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, AS STATED PREVIOUSLY, THERE WAS ONLY ONE MATTER CONSIDERED, AND THAT WAS A STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA ONE.
IS THERE A MOTION IN REGARDS TO THAT STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA ONE, MR. LINDELL? MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE TO EXPEL THE STUDENT WITH SERVICES.
SO MR. LINDELL HAS MADE A MOTION, SECONDED BY MISS MORRIS TO EXPEL THE STUDENT WITH SERVICES. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S ONE AGAINST THE MOTION. CARRIES 6 TO 1.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SO MOVED. MOTION MADE BY DOCTOR BRADLEY.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? SECONDED BY MISS MORRIS.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO ADJOURN? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S SEVEN IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES.
WE STAND ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.