how are you are doing the auditor process for hiring as think I thought I had as well but more paper than I points that's on page going 15 to that's that's East for Lauderdale I think it's like 10 to 15 in West if you live in you know reasonable I don't want to say that too long if you live in a nicer place you pay more good today I'm going to ask e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e to good morning this special school board meeting of the school board of brow County Florida is now called to order please identify the exit doors that are cly marked for emergency exiting while in the boardroom refrain from obstructing the exit doors once the boardroom has reached the seaing capacity attendees will be directed to a designated overflow area in the building upon activation of the fire alarm system exit from the room in an orderly fashion and continue to exit the building and remain outside until the authority that has jurisdiction has deemed this building safe to return we ask that all attendees to maintain a respectful and professional demeanor during this meeting disruptive behavior including but not limited to yelling interrupting speakers or engaging in personal attacks will not be tolerated if you engage in disruptive behavior interfering with the orderly process of the meeting I'll wish you a verbal warning to seize the disruption immediately and failure to comply with the warning will result in your removal from the board meeting by law enforcement removal from the meeting by law enforcement will be for the duration of all meetings held on this day our primary focus is to create a safe and productive environment for all of our participants all please rise for the pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America I pledge alance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for it stands under God indivisible withy andice for all in order for the meeting to operate with an appropriate professional environment at this time we respectively request that all cell phones and other electronic devices be either turned off or put into the silence mode step outside the boardroom if you need to answer your cell phone or make a call public comments will be accepted on all agenda items in accordance with policy 1100a any person may present live comments by attending the meeting at the key AC right Administrative Building members of the public who registered online via the voice of the stakeholder web page or submitted a public comment request card located in the lobby outside the boardroom will be recognized to provide their inperson comments to the board when the respective agenda item is on the floor for consideration only those individuals that have registered will be called by the chair to speak all published written agenda items related today's agenda have been shared with all school board members and placed on the district website for a public view anonymous comments or comments that do not pertain to the scheduled agenda items will not be accepted therefore each written comment must include the person's name City and zip code as we prepare to begin our regular school board meeting we reminded our vision is 100% proficiency for all of our students aspiring to become an a school district our purpose say and every day is to achieve this goal in achieving this goal we are committed to ensuring everyone counts our culture will be students centered teacher supported and principal Leed the purpose of this meeting is for the School Board of bar County Florida to conduct official business of the district and any other items the board deems necessary today the board is considering the following business one agreement between sbbc and the btu EP two memorandum of understanding between sbbc and the btu EP Dr Lata are there any changes to the agenda yes do yes Dr W would you please read it into the record guys microphone for agenda item number one Amendment between sbbc and the BT additional information agenda item two memorandum of understanding between sbbc and the BT additional information the changes to the agenda chair Mr Alon thank you madam chair before you uh close the agenda I have a question um and actually I like to uh actually testing is I'm speaking I don't know if I can well test there we go I can turn it up um Madame counsel so let me just start with you before I proceed to kind of what I'm thinking um is this meeting properly uh noticed Miss Batista yes madame shair the the meeting was properly noticed and are there items normally during this portion uh in a properly noticed meeting um are there any issues uh you know bringing forth items if the meeting has been properly noticed in a public for under the Sunshine Law there are no um issues with bringing um additional items as you know and we have discussed before uh the the it is up to the shair to accept a new item for Good Cost great all right so thank you for that Council and Madam chair I'm not proposing a new item uh the item that I am uh going to offer is an item that the board has already uh taken some action on um and I'd like to put on the table uh a motion to resend prior board action on14 program manager owners rep uh from the prior board meeting that's the motion I like on the floor uh for consideration second second it's been moved by Austin second by holness Madam shair Miss Batista um if I recall correctly o4 was the uh aom um item is that correct yes okay um so that um that item is a contract change um with with another entity MH um so that is a is an item that cannot be rescinded or reconsidered um because it has while it it can be while it can be hello yeah microphone want to sit my seat you want to sit my seat no I'm back okay so while an item the board always has the option to reconsider or resend um any items uh pursuant to Robert's Rules th those uh rules are are subservient to the legal statutory requirements and the St the requirements of a contract so um because the item that was adopted by the board was was a contractual um item that changed the contract um it cannot be uh rescinded it would have to be there would have to be other actions taken like some sort of a um you know termination of uh of a contract or or or that kind of thing if that's what the board would want to do and then there are Provisions under the contract to be able to take those actions Madam chair Mr Alon thank you for that Council um and I appreciate your response but I think I have a difference of opinion because this board has uh reconsidered or rescinded uh or taken action on various contracts before um so that actually is counter to kind of your uh guidance to the board uh right now uh I did not make the motion to reconsider there's a difference of reconsidering and resending the action uh resending is to pull the prior action from the board uh reconsider is putting that item back on the table table as you know you can only do that in the same meeting uh so I did not make a motion to reconsider uh the motion is to resend and I think it's properly second uh if I could through the superintendent M I'm sorry through the chair to the superintendent uh has a contract been signed uh since the last board meeting between the district and aom Dr l i don't believe it has been through the approved minutes okay Dr wanza correct last minute last meeting's minutes have not been uh confirmed and approved by the board that is correct right so actually actually was a different question but I'm with you well I was going there you must be reading my notes and I don't have anyer so meeting minutes to your point Mr superintendent is when a board actually approves prior action uh that was taken and this board has not approved its minutes uh from the prior meeting so that's when you ratify all actions uh of a body which is a true statement I think any organization uh that we have been a part of uh you anyone knows that is the purpose of meeting minutes which is why this one board member uh Madam chair as you know looks at meeting minutes all the time and makes Corrections so that has not been done but separately the reason I asked a question around a contract to the I'm going to try to meet the council somewhat halfway if the district had indeed uh executed a contract that would we would be in different territory a contract has not been executed number one number two this board has taken action on prior contracts and agreements with with people and entities so with that uh I respect our Council but I don't believe the council's opinion on this uh item uh is the correct opinion uh and Madame chair I'd like to proceed with a motion on the floor uh which is to resend the prior board action uh on14 um and at the appropriate time whether it's in this meeting or a future meeting the board can take some additional action Miss Batista the item that uh that Mr Alston is referring to was in fact signed by the chair and even though the minutes have not been approved by the board the item was voted upon and adopted and it is a uh final contract with um aom the item has been um executed by the chair and the other side so the so the contract is fully executed correct okay the superintendent just say something separate so which is the correct statement well I'm looking at it right now with a signature so I'm only talking to both of you Dr L I can't talk across the B I know that the agenda item for approval of the minutes has not crossed but in seeing that contract being signed so my statement being that the approval of the minutes is accurate I was not aware of whether that was signed or not I was just answering about the am minutes approval which has not been brought forward on an agenda item that's as far as I can ascertain at this Junction okay and is there any uh now that that contract has been signed and I'll go back and look at it because I do have it here as well um now that it's been an executed contract that's a different question uh what are the provisions in the contract uh to uh now that we have a fully executed contract I'm assuming from both parties uh what are the remedies that the district has uh to go in a different direction M Batista so first of all um when you bring an item for recision without prior notice you need to thirs vote to um to pass that item that's just wanted to make mention of that number two when you have an a fully executed contract uh depending on what it is that you need to um change within the contract uh you I would have to look at the at the full contract and and tell you because I cannot off the top of my head tell you what every provision on that contract says or for example what the termination Provisions are Etc I know there are some and sometimes in some contracts you um have to give you know 30 days to allow the other side to correct a problem if that's what you're looking for or if it's a full termination then you also have to give notice to the other side all right so let me give my full intent and I think I was clear at the last meeting uh my full intent uh which the board will decide on its own I think kind of decided but maybe didn't fully decide um my intent now that there's a fully executed agreement is for the district to get out of that fully executed agreement so I defer to council to look at the contract to advise me on uh the proper step I need to take now that we have a fully executed agreement because i' like for this action to come back to the board which will save the district a good chunk of money that's where I'm at so I will be happy to look at the contract and and and um allow the board or give the board uh feedback on how to proceed um I mean I cannot do that this second okay so then what I like to do Madam chair if you're okay um I want to add a third item that we will put this back on the agenda maybe as an item number three because by that point Council would have had time to review um and would have gone to all nine board members to give us guidance so we can come back to the item at the close of the special meeting that's adding an item to the yeah yeah so ahead please I'm sorry respectively I do not feel this item should be added to the agenda at this time I don't think it's fair to the community this was not on the agenda it was not properly advertised and um I think it's very difficult and challenging for to put Miss Batista in this position and then also respectively to my colleagues to to be able to process everything within these quick moments of time where we have an agenda before us to approve item number one so what's the purpose of Madam chair respectfully what's the purpose of Robert's Rules what's the purpose of having an item on the agenda this that we call close agenda where there's a discussion between you and the board about adding items which you've added before um you've added good cause items before if I recall or maybe the vice chair I think was sitting and serving as chair um what's the purpose of having this on the agenda number one number two if we have publicly noticed this meeting which the general Council told us that this was a publicly noticed meeting then what's the point so um if you would like the board to overr me as the chair then we can go call for a vote let's call for a vote if I may um Qui in the audience so the the decision as to whether the item is allowed or not is for good cost and that is uh to the discretion of the chair only okay um that's number one number two I just wanted to remind the board of um its rule 1100a uh which says that for school board items that the board members bring these items inclusive of attachments shall be brought at least 7 days in advance for the purposes of notice um and um that's that's one of the rules that the board has adopted for itself under rule 1100a all right so to that point let me ask a question when was the last document that we received on agenda items 1 and two when did they come to the board were they within the the past seven days since that's the board's policy Dr let's talk about it right now I'm sorry please Dr Dr on the items were delivered um initially I think about 14 days ago or 7 at at minimum 7 and then there was additional information that was delivered Friday once the um all parties involved so the once the union finished the ratification process that was then delivered on Friday got so now that we put on the record that the that you believe that this body should only consider items seven days that we received it my specific question is when did we receive the this this full agreement let me turn it around for staff when did this full agreement come to the board did we get this seven did we have this for seven days that was delivered on Friday sir got it so now are we in violation of board policy since you want to follow board policy let's talk about it if I may Madam shair the the rule that I read was for board member items oh only board items okay so I'm ruling that there's not good cause to bring your item forward that's your right no problem all right so may back to um the meeting the changes to the the agenda proposed by the superintendent or accepted by the chair after being determined that good cause has been established for said changes may have a motion and second to close the agenda so moved second been moved by Zan second by Hixon all in favor of closing the agenda let it be known by saying I I I those oppos say no no nay Altin no no no rer roll call roll call on the motion to close the agenda Mrs alhf yes Mr Austin no Mrs fam no Mr fogan holy no Mrs Hixon yes Dr holess no Mrs Leonardi yes Mrs rert no Dr Zan yes okay the motion fails 54 I recess the meeting for 2 minutes e e e e e e e e e e the agenda is not closed as we begin to take public comments for today's special school board meeting the public will have the opportunity to speak on the items I'm reminding the public that the speakers are advised to refrain from OB seene or vulgar conduct Slanders marks or statements that tend to incite viols or breach the pece in addition speakers are to demonstrate proper deorum and model the district's eight character traits cooperation responsibility citizenship kindness respect honesty self-control and tolerance speakers are REM to watch the clocks on both sides of the day as as yellow light will come on to indicate 15 seconds remaining and use these 15 seconds to wrap up your comments at 5 seconds after 3 minutes expire the microphone will be set for the next speaker the item of business on the agenda is item one a motion to adopt the amendments to the collective bargaining agreement between the school board of Brower County Florida and the btu education Professionals for the 2023 2024 school year may I have a motion and second on item number one to move moved by Zan second by Hixon it's been moved and second to adopt item one public comment Madam chair we have two registered speakers uh Mr Chris Nelson can proceed to Podium a and Dr Natalie Lynch wasal May proceed to Podium B good morning board Chris Nelson Fort Lauderdale taxpayer good morning everybody how are you doing today hope well and uh I thought Tori you brought up a very good point right theree stick to the item okay comments on the item oh man only five seconds in all right so um this is between the this is for the collective bargaining agreement between the teachers union and uh and the school board and I just want to say I hope that the union is maintaining by law at least 60% participation by teachers because if they don't they could face decertification by new Florida law so I hope the board looks at that on a regular basis to see that 60% of the teachers are still part of the Union I I think it's probably getting close um want to thank Governor Ronda santis for his two 252 plus million increase for teacher salaries um standing at more than a billion dollars for school year 2023 through 24 our teachers are very important and it's sad that people have to find more than one job because I mean I mean G wiiz condo bills are like way through the roof now because these new condo laws if you're a teacher and you want to live in a condo oh my goodness your um your uh special assessments and everything is going to be more than your mortgage so I mean I know I have to have a couple of jobs so uh it would be great if we got to the point though where teachers could just have one job so they could uh focus on their students and their their uh their main job um so uh it would also be nice if we could also get um raises to security staff principls cafeteria workers administrators because they do a great job too and they have a hard job too so I hope that uh money can also be found for them as well thanks for letting me speak thank you next speaker good morning Dr Natalie Lynch Walsh Plantation Florida uh do I support raises for teachers sure yes so now I'm going to put on my audit committee chair hat the audit committee has been tracking the general fund balance which has been dancing dangerously lower than our neighbor to the South into the North and was about 20 million away from dancing close to I think the state minimum of 3% cuz we were at 4.17 so the financial impact of these Provisions it says it's 36 m575 577 and the source is General funds including tsia and grants where's the specificity how much is coming from each bucket why is that not presented here in the backup because these are the questions we'll be asking on Thursday at the audit committee meeting and I hope there will be answers that you got today because of course you would all ask um could you please be more specific as to where the money is coming from and what is the impact on the general fund balance now not next year but for today when this gets approved where's the money coming from and what is the impact today to the general fund balance and then because this is only one bargaining unit what happens when you get to the table to the next approval for the next bargaining unit what is the impact to the general fund balance then do we get to 3% or only to three and a half I don't know because there's no specificity this is all about dollars and numbers and yet it doesn't give you any details and back when I did financial reporting if you took something like this to the board without supporting exhibits schedules showing exactly where the money was coming from you would not be doing financial reporting very long but apparent L that this passes here so I hope it doesn't pass today in the sense that this is not enough for you to be making this decision because you can't possibly make an informed decision about how much money you have left in the general fund balance thank you madam chair we also have um Miss Terry Lopez Pro and she may proceed to the podium closest to her and miss lilana Liliana ruo is um donating her time to uh president Anna Fusco Terry Lopez BR I'm donating my time to president Anna Fusco okay so only one person can donate time so miss P can NE speak but miss Ru though donated her time six minutes good morning Anna Fusco bar T Union president chair board um it was a a long stretch out for negotiations we actually started last uh school year speaking about um what what we felt was a a modest ask to help move teacher salaries and to have them to be able to afford to continue to stay wherever they are living at this present time whether it would be in Broward or our brother and sister counties of Palm Beach or Dade um it it took a few times to come to the table with the same offer um Brower teachers union always sat down at the table with good faith bargaining we we realized of hearing what the fund balances we do pay attention to the audit committee we we listen to the board meetings I'm here at the board meetings most of the time um but if I'm not we are we are listening to the meetings uh we know that there's restructuring happening with repurposing schools or um worst case scenario which may make it for the record I don't agree with closing any school just for the record our teachers union has that position you guys have your rationale which are for Community meetings with two questions asked to the community it's going to lay out the input of what you're going to do at our schools so there is some type of plan happening that would possibly increase the fund balance for the future we know there's a position here where we've gotten a uh ratification from over 11,000 of our 13,000 teachers that took the opportunity to vote for whatever reason why they may have been absent um chose not to uh it's it's a a ballot that they get on their own they um choose the vote Yes or no and it gets counted so it was uh an overwhelming of 83% to 16 17% 83 to 17 so it it showed that people are in favor of the offer of the 4% pot which brought highly effective to a 4.56 and our um pay for performance and then our pay for performance of effective of 3.2 per the state statute that is um unfortunate that it's a separation and a pit against teachers but that is what our statutes have been since 2011 then our what we call our grandfather teachers of a 3.56 that would be the salary increase percentages per uh those individuals on their base salaries so that is just a um a start that we can move towards where we hear some conversations of whether whether it's um a full package of $100,000 compensation or moving salaries to that part we think that there's some Kinks that need to be worked out more conversation we're never going to say no to increasing any piece of our um salaries and benefits uh we have great health insurance of our County Public Schools we have a benefit that every single teacher and every other employee um not only deserves but is a need so again with the 13,000 teachers that are here in Brer County Public Schools which is the largest group in the county of employees we know that they can't we can't do it without our other groups so we're always respectively um in favor of every single employee having the afforded opportunity to earn a raise per their negotiation strategies or um ask but we are asking you to approve the ratification which it came from your house of the offer of finally getting it into a 4% reoccurring it was a long haul a long ask I think you needed to hear from various teachers in different positions whether they spoke at our board meetings whether they wrote you individual emails whether they text you called you I don't know how they reached out to you but we know that um people um reached out on their own accord to give you whatever their story was of why they needed to have an increase um of course we felt that we deserve more um we're asking you for moving into the next school year that you look wholeheartedly in the budget first always first of making sure that your most precious commodity which is the employee has a place in the budget for a livable raise that can really move their salary that helps them for living and also for the value what they bring into our school system our district is moving in a positive direction every single day Brower teachers union we were we we're in schools and we see the greatness I was just yesterday at a ribbon cutting ceremony at um Central Park Elementary with the big Everglades initiative that because of this start of this 5-year program from that school has brought it out to possibly 16 other schools that have reached out that they want to be a part of this initiative to bring um community and uh awareness through understanding of the greatness of our Everglades and preserving all of our environment so it just saw uh I saw 35 students that were ambassadors that glowed and cleaned of how well-kept their school is the beautiful mural that happened and things like that that are happening every day should be the screaming of what happens at Brower County public schools because of our teachers and every employee that gives back to make sure that our students are well taken care of we know it starts with the bus driver to the cafeteria worker to the custodian to the clerical and then reaches into our classrooms to the teachers and the teacher assistants and the behavior techs and counselors and everybody that fits into those pieces so we ask you to approve this ratification thank you thank you so much Madam chair we also have I'm not sure if he still wishes to speak we have Mr Kenny menu and Miss ruo donated her time to president Fusco so miss Terry Pro if she still wants to speak hello Terry Lopez Pro I've been a member of this community for over 30 years in the business field and also in the education field and I'd like to thank all of you for everything that you do on a regular basis for Broward County schools I also want to thank you for listening when we were in negotiations to have you come back and rethink and I know that some of you were having uh family struggles physical struggles that kept everyone from being in the decisionmaking moment we thank you for coming together and making the decisions to help our teachers get to the point where they can keep a roof over their head and keep their own children's mouths filled with food that they need it is very diff difficult for teachers to go in every day and take care of the needs of their students when they themselves are having struggles financially and as you know Broward County has gone into being one of the most expensive places in the country while we still pay teachers on a very low level so um I want to thank you for helping and some of you don't know but for the first three years of President Fusco and my um having gotten elected I came here every single Le Tuesday and I saw money coming and going and coming and going and every year I wondered the same thing why don't they budget for teachers first and so I really appreciate that you're going to start doing that because our teachers deserve it and with insurance cost and wind storms happening and things happening here the instability of you know us being able to keep our homes is very difficult so we have to know that you the school board of Broward County County are paying attention to what we are going through not only us the teachers but all of the employees and I want to think those of you who are actually looking at me I thank you for that it makes a difference it makes me feel like there's a reason that I got up here to say what I said and um I know that our teachers have worked so hard to teach students in the best way that they can and we have so many talented teachers here who give their lives they could go to another nearby County but they stay here because they are browed people as are all of us with the Broward teachers union so um I expect that you know when you offer something that you will be able to fund it and I know and I trust you that you will be able to continue to fund it and um I trust that so I know that you will vote Yes and I know that our teachers will be able to get recompensed and I thank you those of you who decided to take a quick little look at me while I was standing here I appreciate it and those of you who didn't I forgive you thank you next speaker no okay thank you board debate see none miss m fam thank you Ma Madam chair um Carrie I want to thank you for your comments um and you're right if we're offering something we as a board need to know how that's being funded and to make sure that those funds are available so um some of the questions that we need answered before we vote on this is uh questions about specificity um to be perfectly candid there's a a lack of specific specifically I'm sorry I can't say it where the money is coming from it just says Grant funds we need to know what Grant funds are they renewable Grant funds is this just something that's uh annual or onetime deal um we also need to know um how that's going to impact on the general fund and where we're going to be floating we need to know where exactly we're going to be positioned not just for today but for the next uh 12 months before we go into another busing in addition um we need to know in this package that came Friday night more than 20 34 Pages the mirror description that we received attached is additional information regarding 5533 that's it what is the additional information we don't know where the additional information is here are we supposed to siphon through this and use our six cense and figure out what's been added there's nothing here um we don't know what's been amended here there's no notations we don't know what's been deleted it's impossible for us to discern what has happened what's being proposed what's being changed and what's being added is just as important as what's being deleted some things need to be there so the fact that this was delivered less than 7 days and without an adequate description of what the alleged additions changes amendments deletions are makes this insufficient for me to make an objective assessment the critical facts are important as a board we can't go blindly into a contract any contract and I believe more than um anyone sitting out there I'm going to these teachers need a raise and they have and I've actually uh approached Ed our Chief Financial Officer about putting together a trust fund where monies for teachers can be put away where we cannot invade that trust fund and it's an ins sparent trust fund and that way we can't redirect funds they're there and they're sitting there and they can't be touched but I was told that's not allowable so I'm very much interested in what we're going to be doing now with this budget to make sure not only do we have the funds but that they're safe so because of the aforementioned reasons and because this document is keeping us in the dark by being insufficiently described as as what additions changes eltion have been made I I can't support this as much as I want the teachers to have a raise and I do want them to have a raise but it has to be done the right way because I don't want to get in the position like this board has in the past where they overcommit they don't follow through promises are broken and I'm not going to go down that road if I'm going to give my word on something I want to be able to believe in it wholeheartedly I know that we have the funds sitting there for those teachers and no one can redirect those funds to any other account they will sit there and even if we don't need them they will sit there for those teachers until we do need them for them thank you Mr Alon thank you wow Miss fam um thank you again Madam chair uh let let me just say that um today is a great day that we can have a discussion in the sunshine on this agreement that we've reached between the btu leadership and the school district when you see something you say something and this morning I will do so first I have a few budget questions for the superintendent Mr superintendent in the approved budget voted on back in September which I voted against how much was listed in the 2324 negotiated salary increases and I do have the document here but I know you know the answer just for the public Miss Marte do the chair thank you Dr Lata I believe I saw you um board member hold up a budget Workshop so as it relates to that document there was no amount shown for raises it was blank the adopted budget included the amount provided by the state for the teacher salary increase that was uh approximately $17 million that was listed on a separate page in that document and not listed as specifically for races no I have it I have it highlighted here thank you for that uh Miss Marte so the item as Miss fam uh prudently uh referenced uh lists 36 million coming from the general fund including tsia and Grant dollars what is the breakdown of those categories because the item does not list it and I think Miss fam and I think all nine of us hopefully were prudent enough to see that Mr superintendent Dr L Miss Marte thank you Dr Lata Madam chair um the amount is of the item is $36.6 million and I'm using round numbers 17 million of that amount is the T TSA allocation the remaining 19.6 will be funded um as the board was uh previously told in in their um closed door from the American Rescue plan the amount of $19.6 million got it so because we're now in a public session we're no longer in closed door and I appreciate your comment I can ask public questions about this public process that I'm going to talk about so 17 million tsia 19.6 general fund so let's talk about the general fund excuse me sir I'm sorry ARP I can't read my own handwriting and and AR is not general f c correct you are correct so which category now let's go back to the District budget summary that also we receive here um also back in September uh the funds I think and you just stated will be coming from ARP um how do we designate that on the budget summary that the board uh saw back in September which I voted against by the way but I just want to understand uh where would what would this be this is on page 6-8 The District budget summary that shows revenues and expenses goes all the way down to show the 5.6 billion dollar uh District budget so just just outline for the public where those funds would be listed on that document I I I need to look at the document to be specific I don't have that page memorized in my head sir but given that the total is the comprehensive budget at the bottom that you've given me they are on that page somewhere I would just have to look at the page and then I'd be happy to answer the question got it so the 19.6 million coming from ARP I understand that is clearly impacting this fiscal year will we have AR funds next fiscal year Dr Lata Miss Marte thank you Dr Lata Madam chair the scheduled sunsetting of AR funds is September 30th of 2024 the administration does not plan to build any AR funds into the budget next year as the expectation is that they will be substantially expended uh prior to the the end of June 30th there will be some dollars for summer school but they'll be dominous thank you for that so which actually going to lead into kind of my next Point um in my understanding and a is a portion of these raises now that we're in a public session I've heard are now fully recurring rather than a portion of the raises being nonone recurring so I'm going to ask a different question so you just referenced ARP sunsetting September of 2024 sounds like in a couple months so what is the fiscal impact that this board only on this topic only on this item we'll see in its next budget that we're talking about right now only as it relates to uh compensation and raises Dr Lata Miss Marte I believe you have that number handy yes sir um the impact to next year's budget because this is recurring in the grant funds of sun setting is 19.6 it's a$1 19.6 million cost known cost increase as we develop next year's budget so I'm going to repeat what you just said is it 19.6 whole that we're starting in that we have to find funds for next year or is there a portion of the 19.6 only on this topic on this topic 19.6 is the total cost we must identify resources to fund next year thank you so I've also been told that a condition of passing this item an agreement by the negotiators uh was to move early release days on the next item then the district would provide some additional feedback on this recurring Cliff that our CFO just I'm sorry that our Deputy superintendent my apology uh just clearly stated um on the record as if this board is dealing with Monopoly rather than taxpayer money so Mr superintendent since the board can't take any action on land sales until June which I disagreed with when will the board see suggestions for Budget reductions and cuts for the 2425 budget Dr Lata uh I appreciate that question um any type of land sale that we go through or anything property would have to go directly to Capital so it wouldn't impact our operational side however as we move through the next few months for uh redesigning and repurposing as well as significant administrative costs in this building and and our other Regional Offices to offset a lot of our expenditures we would look to see that in the next 3 months as we look through this repurposing effort uh that we must do anything let me restate the question Mr superintendent so on this one known projected I'm not going to call it a liability uh I'm going to refer to it as a known cost that we have not planed to incur in the next budget cycle which is 19.6 million I haven't even gotten to talking about everything else on this list because I'm going to do that momentarily I just want to understand uh will there be uh some additional uh feedback and direction that you will provide to the board uh on this one particular budget Gap clearly I recognize all the additional gaps yes okay as well as the others absolutely okay and what about the other bargaining groups so miss fam actually asked uh also a very prudent question question are there funds in the general fund to treat everyone the same meaning 3.69% Mr superintendent Dr Lata M morte thank you Dr L the um board was made aware that all funds for compensation increases for the current fiscal year aside from tsia would come from ARP that was was very clear to the board um when we had discussions in closed door so the um can I pause you respectfully I want to ask a very specific question again Mr superintendent so this may be a question for you I think I wrote down 3.69% recurring based on the general fund today there is one item before us that only deals with one segment of our employees can we as a board afford to do 3.69% for all of our employees today than referring back to miss Marte because I want to make sure that we're going to treat everybody the same so I want to start right there 3.69% for every employee group can we do that today based on our general fund So based on our general fund the money for all salary increases this year the board was told very clearly that it would all come from ARP that the general fund aside from tsia given the fund balance did not have the resources so so let's put a pause right there based on what you just said we have one item before this board to do with one group and as a board member I represent teachers custodians bus drivers security personnel and administrators you mean to tell me that we can't afford to treat everyone the same Mr superintendent I want to clarify that point I'm going to ask it a third time just so everyone is crystal clear clear was before this board I will refer that to miss Marte as well because I believe she was extracting the answer through her statements the cost to treat all employees the same way that our teachers are being treated is $23.9 million the int the intent of the board to my understanding not my intent not this board member keep going when I speak to the board I I speak to the the director Ser that the board in general gave the administration to my understanding the cost is 23.9 that would be absorbed by ARP this year and and we would have this the exact same treatment as the funding for our teachers with the exception of tsia which as we all know is uh from the state budget the other option because of the unique funding that our teachers receive receive from the state would be for the board to do the same difference to everybody else at a cost of 13.6 million got it thank you so much M Marte I'm don't mean to uh but I just want to kind of keep this point going because you have just raised or emphasized a point you and the superintendent through your Deputy superintendent that this board has a vote before it that we're only considering teachers but we don't have the funds to consider funds for any other group that's disgusting let's move to the process Madame General councel and understand the board's role in closed negotiation sessions council is there a Florida law that outlines the role of closed sessions for negotiations and what information is permitted to be discussed or shared would you share with the board please miss Batista there is a um there is a there are several laws that apply to closed door sessions uh for negotiation is under chapter 447 um and you are permitted the superintendent is permitted and his team to share information with the board related to negotiation um of all the uh bargaining units great and Madame council do you recall uh how many memos did you send to the board during this negotiation process uh between the btu leadership uh and the district M Batista I don't recall the exact amount um did you send only one or more than one I sent more than one okay so to that point Council why did you only why did you choose to send more than one memo out to the board related to this topic were you trying to create some emphasis did you have some inkling did you have some additional information why would you do that this Batista um for the most part the the memos were sent the first memo was sent as a reminder to the board of what the obligations of the board are Visa the confidentiality of the closed door sessions uh the remainder of the memos were um as a request from the chair to continue to remind the board of those obligations if a board member is found to have violated their fiduciary responsibility to the district and to the district taxpayers could they be held personally liable M Batista there are penalties uh there are potential penalties um under the ethics law and some criminal laws that could um yes that could hold the the board members uh personally um liable or guilty depending on what the law is that that they they could be charged under thank you for that Council so here is my observation to the board as I talk about what has become very clear to me during this process pay to play a corrupt culture and Broward County Public Schools questionable actions by so many in this District here's observation and fact number one this negotiation process revealed and I have a strong suspicion that's why I'm going to say something and see something that school board members were talking to the president of the btu potentially about items discussed in closed sessions I think a third party needs to examine the communication that occurred between board members staff and the btu president that's false observation and fact number two quiet in the audience this is your warnings our warning yes he gets to make thank you please sit down observation and fact number two each time the board met in closed sessions details of our discussions dollar offers percentages and decisions somehow ended up online on X formerly known as Twitter in Facebook groups text messages and emails to board members if discussion and closed sessions were only with a select handful of board members and staff then someone or many people were talking to folks on the outside these facts require a deep examination immediately observation these are my observations and fact number three the negotiation process and I have a strong suspicion that District staff were talking to the president of the btu and Leadership outside of information that should have been shared within District closed negotiation discussions I also believe and I could be wrong the superintendent might have taken some actions in this regard which may prove some of my initial suspicion correct observation and fact number four during during this negotiation process the btu leadership endorsed several candidates sitting on this day is running in 2024 that's a fact and congratulations to those individuals one member up here posted in a Facebook group to thousands in the Broward County Community these are all facts and discoverable this is the biggest example of pay to play that I've seen probably in this state between a union and Schoolboard members I know the union has gone to Schoolboard members telling them specifically they must vote for the highest raises regardless of our bank account and I have this Vivid reminder that I bring every meeting and I will continue to do so for all the time that I'm going to be sitting on this day I don't think we have a time limit because we never passed that policy it's not policy it's Robert's Rules order regardless of the millions of liabilities that the district is exposed regardless of the information all nine of us have on this day is if you don't support it we're going to pull your endorsement to the public yes I support compensation for all employees many of you I talk to every day some of you I saw this weekend at Urban Air or Sky Zone with my little ones you know I have your back 100% but I will not support this culture that still exists today in brow County Public Schools today I am calling for an outside investigation by the state's Inspector General to look into all of these observations they're clear facts don't take my word for it let's bring in a third party let's examine how all of these actions connect to how we got here today there's even a press conference set up next door already forecasting I believe what the result may be I've seen this same dance before I also believe that any board member of Staff who participated in any of these actions that I have shared I hope you join me in calling out this blatant corruption that still exists today with new faces and old faces if you have information step up speak up and speak out because I've been doing it for a very long time with these observations and clear facts that have tainted this entire process Madam chair vote against this corrupt culture today Ved officials putting their own personal interest ahead of the district's known liabilities I will vote against this item which does not take into account Mr superintendent all employees of the brow County public school system because what's good for one should be good for all I think I've heard that at least from nine of us on this board so we're going to see if that actually plays out in just a little bit it's wrong it's shameful and I believe this item should be tabled I started off the meeting saying that we got 200 pages just a couple days ago think about this for those who are listening but the threshold for a board member to bring an item is seven days but when you're going to vote on something that's millions of dollars you can bring it the night before if you support it if you don't support it you have a problem with it I will continue to call out inconsistency I will continue to call out a very clear blatant culture that I'm trying to crack and I've been trying to crack it since August of 2022 and I'm going to keep at it thank you madam chair and I hope that the state's Inspector General or Department of Education Inspector General or the right third party gets in here immediately because I'll be formalizing many of these comments that I've made that are observations that are facts and I welcome a third party to look into it thank you m rert like to call the question call the question all in favor of calling the question say I I those oppos say no no no two two notes no three roll call roll call call the question question on the item Mr Austin the qu I'm sorry the the item is to call the question I'm a no because I've been consistent all board members should have the opportunity to speak okay Mrs fam all board members should have the opportunity to speak no Mr fogan holy no Mrs Hixon yes Dr holes yes Mrs Leonardi no Mrs rert yes I'm sorry no okay no no one second I'm sorry yes I want to call the question okay Dr Zan yes Mrs Zeda yes motion passes 54 well actually no we need six I'm sorry six I'm sorry it did not pass so we continue the conversation Dr Zan thank you so much chair um uh I wanted to speak on the item is that okay for now thank you so much wait a minute you just voted no you just voted yes Dr what bis does the other school board speaker address this body no I'm I think I have the floor Mrs thank you very much I don't want PR County School Board to uh snatch Victory excuse me snatch defeat out of the jaws of Victory today uh this is an item to compensate our largest employee group in Broward County it is a group that in closed door we have uh gone into tremendous detail chair I don't want to um thank the superintendent and their staff for uh answering what seems to be an infinite number of questions that we asked in closed door multiple times meeting to uh try and balance our fiduciary responsibilities with the need to pay uh one of our most valued resources in barard County our school teachers and in closed door a majority maity of this board voted for 3.96% raise balancing our available resources with the need to pay these teachers more and we did that in fact uh when you add the referendum money point a clarification what is your point um Mr Zan is disclosing confidential information as far as what happened during a closed session I I don't know that that's permissible he's actually stating numbers and percentage of who voted for what that is confidential I thought Miss Batista the amount of the amount that was just revealed is the same amount that is on the table today so that's not a my my question I'm sorry you misunderstood me I'm not asking about the amount I'm asking about he's talking about how people voted now that is confidential he's actually disclosing I didn't hear them the amount of people that voted a certain way isn't that kept confidential or we can we discuss that outside of here the answer is the the information is confidential I I I'm sorry I did not hear um any violation um because I didn't hear that that there was a um uh uh names named of anybody who voted for anything so we can I just want to clarify because when I leave a confidential setting room so I can disclose what happened in there without disclosing the names of the people the numbers how people are voted or how they're swayed as long as I don't mention names I just want to make sure because I don't want to violate any confidentiality Clauses in the future so we need to be clear and consistent which is it Miss Batista the information within a confidential uh closed door is confidentially remains confidential that's the answer to that question has a violation just been committed I did not hear I I did not hear a violation being committed I did not hear I mean obviously there has to have been a majority of people that voted for what's on the table today can we reback the record specifically what was stated because like I said I didn't think we were allowed to even disclose um if there was a majority because that's disclosing where the board has positioned itself quiet in the audience is your warning okay Mrs famam Miss pz that answered your question Dr Zan you have the floor thank you so much chair uh as has been revealed in multiple public meetings a majority of this board supported the offer that we made to the Broward teachers union what I disclosed is self-evident by what was shared publicly and as always uh the result of negotiations as we step by step the Brower County School Board must vote a majority in favor of any offer that we put so there's been no violation of closed door rules which are sacred uh to disclose uh anything else would be a violation but thank you for proving my point you know we can sometimes as a board snatch defeat out of the jaws of Victory we did it last week when disabled children and their teachers were here we spent an inordinate amount of time talking about anything but the kids it was not our best moment in fact it was maybe our worst moment this week we should be here celebrating a difficult intense negotiation with a school board who cares passionately about our teachers but has to find the money to pay them not just this year but next year and every year thereafter we should be celebrating that the total compensation of teachers is $92,900 in Broward County the total pay average $72,400 numbers that the public loves us to to present to them because we work very hard to save money in the past two years from other things to make sure that we can make a bet on teachers a bet on administrators and a bet on Educators in Broward County they are the people that deliver for the community and this cour has this board has consistently voted to take money out of programs out of software out of travel out of clerical and administrative purposes and put it into the pockets of Educators in Broward County this should be a moment of Pride for Broward County and chair I want to be very clear about our staff they spent a lot of time answering questions in closed door they went into Infinite detail for where the money was coming from to this board we knew where it was coming from we've been told we voted for 3.96% raise on top of the referendum on top of the supplemental pays that that we provide on top of the increases in retirement on top of the increases in healthare costs this board found in addition to that 3.96% of the money some of which came from the state and some of which we had to go find in other programs that was the difficult work that happened it took 12 months of work to get to today and as one board member I'm very proud of brard County school board for finding this money for paying Educators better uh and for celebrating uh that Victory after the vote today so thank you very much chair thank you any other board member comments seeing none the question is on the approval of item one those in favor are approving item number one say I I I those opposed say no no alustin is a no because what's good for one is good for all of our employees Austin fam and fogan H are no item passes the item of business on the agenda is item number number two a motion to adopt the provisions of the memorandum of understanding between the school board of bar County Florida and the btu education professionals regarding early release dayses for the 2024 2025 school year may have a motion second on item number moved by roer second by Zan is moved in second to approve item number two is there any public comment no no public comment no public comment board debate public comment Miss Fusco I have six I get six please come to Miss po I will happily donate three minutes to president Anna Fusco six minutes for Miss Fusco so thank you Anna Fusco teacher Union president okay how about that so uh about the early release um lots of Miss understanding about the need the want how we got it let me make this clear there's no pay to play on anything it's called bargaining negotiating the rights on the 447 you have a staff in Broward County that provides the information to the superintendent the board that's between you guys all of our negotiations have been public open to the public view to the public video to the public the early release was brought to the attendance not attendance to um calendar Committee of an understanding of meeting the needs of students in middle school and high school to have the amount of minutes to able to continue to finish high school coursework if you're in middle school and to graduate we have a contract we have a board board member up there that wanted to violate the contract one sentence we're right discussing yes a contract which I heard at the beginning of this meeting that they wanted to bring a contract up so we want to honor someone else's contract but you want to violate Brower Teachers Union contract out of the mouths of one of our board members we need what's good for all I wholeheartedly agree that's your job as the board board to direct the suit to talk to the I know Deputy suit of Finance who's been around the while to find the money in the budget it's called the budget there's a budget it all can be discussed it all can be understood we don't get in the weeds of it we have access to the budget to see and view it but that's the job of everybody else the the early release days was understandable that we want to meet the needs of our students Brower teachers young never wanted to stand in the way it was never PID to play we'll give the days if we get never we just wanted to have it done right the opportunity that you bring it to the table and properly negotiate called bargaining that's what happened the understanding of when you take away the early release days of why they were there was for teachers to work on grades elementary school teachers have six subjects times 25 students to grade and input middle and high school have about 180 to 200 students to grade and input grades those two hours that they got on those early release days that was the intent now we fast forward there was situation with minutes there needs to be understanding take away early release put it as a whole day kids get more instruction get the minutes we move on that negotiation piece for the next day which is considered a planning professional development day to allow the teacher to be able to grade student work and input the grade to have the report card done in a timely manner there's a schedule grades in report cards done report cards given to the student that was the understanding and the understanding was when the following day was six hours to be taken up to principal's discretion and call meetings and data chats and so forth we know there's always a need for that but we're asking for 4 days to have as much possible to be able to grade papers by the way teachers are so unbelievably understanding when a student needs to turn it in at the last minute to be able to grade and input grades so you give a little you get a little it's called bargaining negotiating which is proper which is correct which is what I'm sure you're going to do when you talk on the next agenda item with the contract which you got coming up for Acom and any other group that comes in here that wants to do business with Broward schools so we ask you to approve the agreement that was made between the two groups which was done when it finally got to the table correctly and ethically no pay to play it's insulting degrading and just blankly wrong I'm not going to sit here and banter or combat I'm just going to make a statement we did it right I can't talk about what happened in the Brower County Public School groups but the Brower teachers union came with offers countered offers sat down at the table every single one of our meetings was open and viewed so the early release days were understandably needed for the student getting the message to understand the teachers why to give them up but to understand that they will have time to get their work done during work hours because nobody should be working after hours but yet they still do we appreciate you approving the raise we know that you will figure it out with the budget it was done right it was done ethically and we're asking you to approve this early release time thank you thank you any other public speaker yes Chris Nelson Fort Lauderdale taxpayer can I also have 6 minutes on the clock oh you can really tell who's running this room I I mean oh my goodness but uh you know I'm all for audience participation I don't even mind you know the yelling out I know that the chair doesn't like that you know if I had just behave the way that the Brower teachers union president did I would be kicked right out please keep your comments to the chair for the board as a whole thank you say what she wants that's your warning but I fully support this investigation um you know if there's nothing to hide then why not get the Inspector General involved on the item to look into this she spoke on whatever she wanted on on the whole thing she didn't stay to the item it's clear that most of these t uh of the um people up here are here because of Brower teachers unions endorsement even though one of you won without the endorsement um and and but you've got um a lot of people up here that owe that to the BR teachers un so um if they're threatening to pull their endorsement so you do what they want the time hold on thank you the request the action to remind you is to approve theou which eliminates five early release days for the 2024 2025 school year please speak to the requested action thank you okay but chair she spoke exactly to what she wanted to she was completely off topic and that's part of the problem the teachers union gets to basically they talk the way they want and say what they want and and what I'm saying is I think that if there was stuff going around that was not supposed to be discussed that was being brought up in Facebook groups or things like that I I I just say I fully support this investigation and uh if there was any type of pay forplay thing maybe there wasn't but if there was if there was then nobody should be afraid of an investigation th this is why there is a culture of mistrust of this school board okay I'm just telling you right here it seems like you're able to get money um for for certain things but other times oh you don't have any money but it's like is there like a money tree somewhere and that and that tree is like only available for certain things and and then when when other things come up that that they need money for all of a sudden there's poverty you know and that's why the community and the taxpayers don't trust you guys because this inconsistency here um and then I hear you know the Broward teachers union going the school board at the school board well most of the guys up here were um five or uh five out of nine or whatever six out of nine were endorsed by them so it's like why are they fighting against the people that they help put up here it's just kind of ironic when I see that so I think that full disclosure and by the way I the the the carrying on from the audience it actually doesn't bother me just allow it to be if the teachers union is going to carry on from the audience also allow other people to to Carry On from the audience okay and uh I just hope that that there will be an investigation and if there's nothing to hide then there's nothing to worry about and I like seeing this vigorous debate but in the end um thanks to Governor Dan santis the teachers are getting their biggest pay raise that they've ever gotten a billion dollars thank you any other public speaker can I keep M Dr wanza so Mrs Miss P you gave your time to president Fusco and I and I would like to be mine to Terry that that is not consistent with the policy but Mrs R can speak well first of all good morning and um I'm here listening to comments that have no base no place the disrespect the allegations that have no basis and also beside people talking about items that they have no clue um we are here trying to stand up for the teachers to pass the salary raise to pass the um the the calendar as well which is the early release days but yet we still having conversations going around in an item that has nothing to do with what we are here for today so and that goes specifically when um somebody who sits up there on the board making allegations with no basis and yes the bra teachers union always follow protocol and does the right thing and the way we did it we did it very clear out to the public and everyone saw every one of our negotiations so get your fo clear board debate board debate M Mr Alon thank you madam chair uh and I appreciate uh this conversation I'm actually uh very glad to see this back um because I recall the first discussion and I'm going to keep my guiding Star right to the next of me because this board should make sure that we increase instructional time for all of our students number one clearly remove early release days does exactly just that and I think this board member proferred it I think it was the Zan Austin or the auson Zan tag team however you want to call it and then the board actually went along with that concept so uh this actually is a good thing um just one question for the superintendent uh to the appropriate staff I'm assuming it's probably teaching and learning Deputy superintendent or the chief academic officer just to confirm in our current school year can you confirm that number of uh early release days we have now versus what this will do going forward just for the public Dr L uh Dr heurn you want to defer that to miss hensworth Deputy superintendent Howard heurn um defer to actually to Dr wano thank you good morning so currently we have six in the approved calendar for this year we have six so we're going from 6 to 5 I'm sorry we're going from six we're going to have one day which is February 14th correct I just want to make thank you yes um so to that point and I uh because I absolutely understand compromise I absolutely uh understand consensus and I 100% understand good governance and I think that was the recommendation from the vice chair at the time who wanted to make sure and the chair um who wanted to make sure that that was included so I'm excited to support uh this item uh I'm hopeful that this will be one of many solutions that will lead to increasing uh the 125,000 students that need resources but then the other 125,000 students who are excelling Mr superintendent making sure that we also uh provide the right acceleration for those students as well so happy to support this item uh it is the right step in the right direction and I hope that as a district uh next year we can even push the limits a little further with more academic and instruction time for our students because that's why we're here thank you thank you Dr holness thank you madam chair so um I just like for the superintendent to reiterate um as we if we should eliminate these uh five early release days um to reiterate to especially our teachers um how um we will en ensure that they have adequate planning time time without working after hours Dr Lata yes I'll refer that to U our Dr wanza and Mr please thank you so the um the time that is now being converted to full to in full instructional time the teachers will receive that time on the planning day which is the next day thank you any other board debate seeing none the question is on the approval item number two to approve theou which eliminates five early release dates for the 2024 2025 school year those in favor approving item number two say I I highly in favor of those opposed say no the eyes have it and the item two is approved pass unanimously Madam chair I'm on the M leonardy yeah I just wanted it on the record that I was on the phone for the vote Miss Leonard voted yes the scheduled order of business for the special school board meeting of the school board of Brower County Florida has been completed seeing no obligation I now adjourn the meeting e e e e all e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e 5 four three the workshop the school board of Brier County FL is now called to order please identify the exit doors or clear Mark for emergency Xing while in the boardroom board member Zan would you like to introduce your school to lead us in the pledge allegiance to the flag Dr Zan I am so proud microphone to turn on my microphone first and uh second to introduce uh bethon Elementary School what an amazing Place uh before I introduce them though I just want to remind everybody of Dr bethon and the amazing contribution uh during Black History Month of an amazing African-American leader uh that founded a university she had a $150 in her pocket chair and five students when she got started with what became bethon cookman University it just tells us all that great ideas don't take a lot of money and a lot of people but great ideas in the end uh turn out in the end I want to uh thank uh bethon Elementary School for the uh pledge today and I look forward to us all standing for the pledge we are please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge alance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God visible for all thank you Dr Zan board member fam will now introduce her school for a special presentation in honor of Black History Month Mrs Fam thank you very much shair um today um a few special announcements one is please speak into your microphone I'm sorry um I just wanted to thank the chaperon from seol middle school um they were honored this week by the mayor of Sunrise and um they went on a bus trip up to Orlando to SeaWorld and on the way back um they had pulled over because another bus and these are charter buses the weren't on our school buses experienced a flat tire and someone noticed some Sparks and um one of the chaperons quickly evacuated the bus right before it burst into flames so thank God no one was injured and everyone escaped safely they were uh safely escorted to a um place on the turnpike you know the little traffic stops with the gas stations where they waited a rest area so I want to just uh give a huge shout out to the chaperons that were so alert and so uh quickly responded to a potential emergency that really could have turned bad and just recognize them for receiving a proclamation declaring February 2st 2024 as chaperon Appreciation Day in Sunrise my much princial uh much gratitude to principal Gonzalez for keeping parents surprised of this very frightening situation and the parents um said that she communicated and because of her communication they were much more at ease with what was happening um receiving messages in real time so Mr fog did you have a correction just I think it's city of Plantation just uh correct make sure oh yes I'm sorry I said yes and that would be mayor Nick sordo so thank you last week in South Plantation High School they competed in the Southeast Regional Environ which is an academic competition with schools from Miami Dade Broward and Palm Beach counties and this was the very first time in a long time um that the Fielding team for this competition was announced that they were the bright minds and took first place for Broward County so the Broward County students were representing the county at the state's competition in April upcoming competition I'd like you to join me in giving kudos to those students listed below who work very very hard and spent a lot of time preparing for this competition and that would be Captain Charlotte row Sophia Bush Jord Pagan Valentina rido Isabella radan Katrina Miranda vages Dan Lin and thank you principal hensa for sharing this very exciting news and congratulations to all here and lastly um in honor of black history months students from Eagle Point element El are taking its stage to perform lift every voice and sing often referred to as a black national anthem these talented performers are none other than the Eagle Point Elementary violin or orchestra which has approximately 70 students and they are fabulous if you have never seen them they're worth watching so um the orchestra represents a diverse range of musical abilities and ages from kindergarten going up to the fifth grade so what makes them truly Stand Out is their commitment to music and the growth beond on the classroom not only did it perform for other schools and community events but they also welcome former Eagle Point students now at Testa midal school middle school who return for a daily zero hour class at 7:30 a.m. before making their way to the Middle School these are really committed students under this um expert guidance of their musical teacher Dr Felix bangler shout out to Dr Spangler he's fabulous these young musicians flourish honing their skills and showcasing their passion for the music so we all want to thank principal Christy desas and the team at ealo elementary for this video presentation thank you so [Music] [Applause] [Music] much [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] la [Music] [Music] than thank you so much in order for the meeting to operate with an appropriate professional environment at this time we respectfully request that all cell phones be turned off public comments will be accepted on all agenda items in accordance with policy 1100a all written agenda comments released today's agenda or share with all school board members as we prepare to begin with our school board Workshop we remind that vision is 100% proficiency for all of our students aspiring to become an a school district our purpose saying every day is to achieve this goal and achieving the go we're committed to ensuring everyone counts coal will be student centered teacher supported and principal Le the following topics are scheduled for board discussion at this Workshop fiscal year 2024 2025 budget Workshop 2 facilities Upstate Human Resources guidelines compensation closed door Chief order selection process update as we begin to take public comments for today's school board Workshop public will have the opportunity to speak on the items I'm reminding the public that speakers refi re advis to refrain from OB seen or vocal conduct SL this remarks or statements intend to incite violence or breach of the piece and to speak on the item first item up is fiscal year 2024 2025 budget Workshop number two I will now turn over to Dr Lata for staff for presentation Dr LC well good morning again um thank you for that rendition it sounded great to see those young men and women with those strings instruments I want to make sure before we introduce this budget Workshop that we're early in this but as you saw today and what we uh move forward with and how we have to move forward the budget is very um scary we know we have a lot of work to do we know we have a lot of experience and a lot of quality folks in that staff we also know that many of our uh regions as well as our Deputy superintendent has spent a lot of time working down what we don't need any longer and that includes getting rid of a lot of Technology uh or programs and software we're going to have to continue that as stated many times we don't have any money we're not broke but we don't have any money and we have to continue that we have to continue to put where our money is most important and a vast majority of our budget goes to people a very high percentage so as we move through this and as we move through repurposing which is part of this presentation that's in there as well we have to really consider the impact of spending money on things we don't need or too much that we have and it's going to be difficult we're going to make tough choices we have to make tough choices to to be fiscally responsible but most importantly I believe we could get some opportunities out of this process some significant opportunities so as I complete that opening I want to turn it over to um Miss Marte and her staff as we begin some of the toughest conversations that we must have regarding the operations of this school district thank you superintendent Lata good morning board members um this morning's discussion is geared around the conversation that the board had for Budget Workshop number one the board um asked to get more detail Let's Get Closer to the mic yeah I'm I'm rarely asked to speak louder Mrs alidev um can you hear me now much better thanks thank you so today's presentation is geared around what the board asked during budget Workshop number one the board we we heard staff heard and and the group in front of you takes copious notes and we um get together later today and go through exactly what the next mission is the board wanted to know more detail about what is in the current budget they wanted to have a discussion about Title One and Dr heurn is going to do a little bit on Title One we're going to give you an update on where we are with legislative session and it is very fluid things changed significantly last night um so we'll talk a little bit about it but we don't have it reflected in the slides and today we look for um not only to inform the board about where our money is currently spent and get the board's utter questions as we move into budget Workshop number three but also um to share with the board where we are currently with some of the topics that the board has deemed to be the highest priorities and the priority topics that that the board has shared with us Jeff let's go to page four redifining our schools as the superintendent said being the priority of salary increases being built into the budget up front support for fragile schools Safety and Security and the financial health of the district I have shared with this board and and with my superintendent that I continue to worry about fund balance I don't think that that is anything that people are unaware of it is lower than both of our neighboring districts but it is also lower than it has been for the last several years under my leadership in finance so we have some work to do the superintendent has a plan for that um I see him first thing every morning he is my first hello he is in my office every day we continue to talk about his vision of how we're going to rebalance the budget and rep priori PRI ize what we need to do and we'll get into a little bit more detail on that um as well so the results of session page five you have seen it is very likely that the conference report will be somewhere between the Senate and the house although last night's offer was actually higher than both of them which was a little bit exciting for us but again it's not done yet and we'll talk about that during budget Workshop number three at that point we will have exactly what Revenue we have here in browed and we will have a better handle on some of our projected cost increases as well as what our known cost increases are and I'll make sure I separate those page six and page page six you have already seen page seven you have already seen and again I want to reiterate last night's offer and and I got it from John and his team Sometime Late Late last last night um looks like our per pupil could be $895 um so that is a bit better than uh what we expected Translating that into dollars if that is to be the final offer we would get about $13 million more than I've been led to believe thus far so that would be great news the next group of slides is going to break down the budget and staff and I uh under arum's Direction led by Becky and Dean in the budget office spent quite a bit of time trying to get granula with what the budget is composed of Miss Marte I'd like to interrupt you because I I want to make sure we re reiterate what you said because you and I talked about it earlier this morning there's a proposal for us to get an additional 13 million that we did not count on it's a proposal we do not have that money we hope we do but we can't articulate that out and thinking the public thinks we're getting 13 million more it still has to be determined by Tallahassee but it would help us but again we're not never to use the term extra money in this building at this I hope I didn't say no you didn't no you didn't but I want make sure that the public understands that 13 million isn't guaranteed to us it has to be voted on and and we'll let everyone know when it is we'd love to see it happen but we it's not here yet that's absolutely correct sir and as long as we're finishing that discussion the big item that's still outstanding in Tallahassee is the cost of living adjustment for retirees I don't I don't want to aine on what I think is going to happen because my opinion is not important but if that cost of living adjustment is to revert back to the 3% the cost of brow schools would be $70 million next year so to be continued and to your point sir if we have a $70 million cost increase for retirement um Houston we have a problem so so we need to deal with that accordingly so the next group of slides are going to break down the funds slide eight breaks down the current adopted District budget of $5.3 million and it shows you the major funds general fund special Revenue Food Service special Revenue other which is Grants Debt Service capital projects and internal Services we're going to start here but I'm going to really focus in on general fund because the other funds have very restricted uses page nine and the board can read it they don't need me to is the capital fund it tells you the sources of those revenues and the allowable uses page 10 does the same for special Revenue page 11 does the same for Food Service Debt Service and internal service I'm going through these very quickly but it is important the allowable uses are non-negotiable they are statuto driven they are what the board must do to have a successful annual audit page 12 gets into general fund so of the $5.3 billion budget this board is charged with uh fiduciary responsibility for approximately 3.1 billion is general fund general fund is your most flexible source of funding although there are pieces of general fund that are restricted because they are State categoricals page 13 so so let's let's walk walk slowly we're going to go from 3.1 billion and I'm going to break it down for you 3.1 billion of that amount 1.7 billion is very restricted 433 million is Charter Schools we have no say about that money the referendum 252 million is what the taxpayers of this County voted to use that money for we've got to abide by that vote currently $167 million go to the FES scholarship program so the the revenue comes in and the revenue goes out we have no control over those dollars fringe benefits currently cost this District $487 million that is f FRS that is health insurance that is social security Medicare workers cop unemployment Transportation costs for our students $81 million utilities 87.4 that's based on our current footprint and the number of schools we currently have opened and built into the current B budget is a $200 million fund balance in four categories restricted committed assigned and unassigned the measure of fiscal stability is based on assigned and unassigned fund balance as of last board meeting we were at 4.16% I have shared with the audit committee who had questions about fund balance and I believe we shared with the board data around our neighboring districts if we haven't we'll be sure to get that out to you we are about half the fund balance of both neighboring districts when you look at general fund at 3.1 billion you take off the 1.7 billion that leaves us 1.4 billion that I'm going to go into further on the next page approximately 12% of the general fund budget is designated as I said for State categoricals these amounts are earmarked for specific purposes and the amounts are represented here in so if you look at the detail on the slide I'm not going to read all the numbers to you but the total categoricals are 380 I'm sorry $368 million so again you take the 1.4 million we started the slide I'm sorry 1.4 billion we started the slide with you take off 368 million leaves us with $1 billion and again I'm rounding all these numbers the next slide breaks down that 1 billion so all of the salaries for employees that are not included in a categorical and included in in the previous slide equal $780 million that's all employees salaries not included in the categoricals and this is net of fringes which are included in previous slides we have 172 million of purchase Services which I will break down because I know your initial reaction is going to be that's a lot of money we have 60 million of supplies 24 million of equipment and 3 million of others to a account for and break down our entire budget what is in purchase Services of 162 172 million included in that amount is nearly $50 million for maintenance of our buildings those are supplies and materials that maintain our buildings and the staff to do that insurance property insurance is $29 billion I'm sorry $29 million of that number technology related expenses and Dr Lata told you Dr heer and Dr Lata are looking closely at technology expenses those are $31 million equipment rental the majority of that is copy machines in the schools and in office locations yes Madam chair $3.5 million substitute and security costs net of the safe School allocation are $37 million that breaks down the majority of those purchased Services there are contracts in that as well and the superintendent has asked uh Dr heer and Dr wanza and I to detail what those contracts are but their contracts for all types of services referees band coaches there's many many things in contracted Services that's $23 million the next several slides show how we use our money and in a nutshell the majority of the funds in this District are allocated out to schools I often hear about teachers assigned downtown make no mistake there are teachers assigned down town Dr heon and I are going through those lists and I will tell you that when you look at and I'm going to use air quotes which I normally don't do hundreds of teachers assigned downtown most of our social workers are assigned to a downtown location because some of them are splitting responsibilities at schools they never work downtown many of our ESC professionals occupational physical uh and Simone can help me with with that many of those individuals are assigned downtown because they are shared between schools so we will break that out for you I I I'm not going to be um less than for you know forthcoming there are teachers assigned downtown and we will tell you what those teachers are as well but it is important that the narrative be truthful and many many many of our teachers if not most of our teachers that are assigned downtown actually never set foot in this building so this chart shows you how small our administrative overhead is Dr l has made it very clear to his deputies it will be significantly smaller again next year we've cut $8 million out of positions downtown this year we will continue to and that was adopted in the budget that you are working with now all of the leadership downtown has been um has met with the superintendent the board directed us to use use zerob based budgeting for next year the memos have gone out Miss marala has prepared the memo it's been signed by the superintendent it has been disseminated every single Department starts with zero and they have been instructed by the deputies under the leadership of Dr Lata that if they cannot justify it they will not get it so coming to your budget conference and saying I need $10,000 for office supplies he not to going to cut it they're going to have to tell us why they need that amount they're going to have to justify it they can't tell us I need contracted Services of $4 million they have to tell us exactly what those contracts are and provide Dr heurn and Dr Lata with the data that justifies continuing that expenditure we have zerob based budgeting central office the school allocations are formula driven and Dr Lata and Dr heurn and I are going through the 87 formulas that are in your budget book to look at Legacy programs that we can potentially uh discontinue to realign the money to meet the board's commitment to their priorities I'm going to stop you there miss Marte and I had a discussion the other day about the multiple redundancies in departments or newly created departments that that um we're we're we're able to work through that it's been over the years where they've been added over the past however many years and I believe that the you'll see a significant reduction in redundancies over the next few months uh we have a large number of vacancies that we're looking at right now that if we're operating this well and I believe we're operating pretty well right now we can always be better that we uh sorry that we continue to emphasize success by making sure we're as lean as we can be and I I do talk about redundancies often uh so when we move forward we're going to we're going to try and eradicate them as well um but thank you for teeing that up because we do have to get rid of some of these departments that do the same job and that that doesn't make sense and if I may sir I want to be very very clear and I've had this conversation with the the principles budget guidelines committee as recently as last week we need to look at everything we have Legacy allocations out in our schools that have been in place 20 years and we've added and added and added but we have not assessed if some of the Legacy allocations out there make sense and it's going to be uh critical in order to build the funds that the board has directed the superintendent to build for salary increases for staff to stop doing something we can decimate central office and there will not be enough money you have to do payroll there are things that must happen in this district downtown so we we need to balance both and again I've met with the principles already they understand the mission and that work is Ong going we need to make sure that we align our resources to to hit the goal post M Marte before um we partnered July 11th 2023 what where were we related to the rest of the districts in the state for administrative costs the the public needs to hear this so historically this district is has done well but the last several years that's gone by the wayside I actually told the superintendent don't say that it's not accurate anymore of the seven largest districts in the state we are now second highest administrative overhead the charge is to get us to the lowest or aligned with Miami dat who is one of the lower ones we we have already cut into that we don't have that number now but we with the the solution of at least 60 positions here in the district uh we're working towards that that's not something I want to be at the top of the list I'd rather be at the bottom of the list on this so we are going to continue to cut that um and that is going to be our Focus Focus because we do not want to be near the top on that it just does does not make sense thank you superintendent Lata the next section of the document is capital budget we have talked a little a little bit about this as um items have come to the board as we sit here today and after last week's board meeting our unallocated reserve for capital is 56.1 I'm sorry board members were on page 18 part of budget presentation three is going to be a walk through the history of fund balance for Capital fund balance for capital is not subject to a minimum with the state and I know we've got um some discussion on the board about the appropriate level of fund balance for Capital it's important to know that the State of Florida does not allow deficit uh budgeting and we are in one of the most hurricane prone areas in the state so what staff will tell you staff who's done this work for a very long time is that it's important to have some rainy day funding Capital that will get us through what could be a catastrophic storm hopefully it doesn't happen but we all know and you all know better than me because you've lived here longer than me it does happen I arrived shortly before Wilma and I remember Wilma but there are many people in this room who remember Andrew so um it is important I am um not going to go through all these slides they are very similar to the slides that you saw at the last budget hearing we've had uh di Minimus changes in what we expect Revenue to be These funds are all generated locally from the 1.5 Mills these are not um the millage is not State money local sources impact fees um there is State money in EO and there is State money in some categories but the majority of the money comes from local um funds page 19 has some important information that I'd like to share available funds for new Appropriations and capital reserves so if you look going forward that is the additional money that we expect year-over-year so that schedule starts with 56.1 million adds new revenue for 2025 subtracts what the Appropriations are that we anticipate the board to approve would leave us with 12 24.6 million but as the board adds projects or tells the district to do more things that fund balance is going to go down um you get a reserve memo that's a practice that I implemented when I became your CFO back in 2017 because the board did not have a good handle on what their reserves were it might have been one of my smarter moves because the board reads it and I know you're following it it is very very important that the board continues to recognize that the adopted budget that you all adopt at the beginning of the year the fund balances in any of your funds are never what you end up with that you continue to spend down all during the year and and we need to if if that culture is going to continue we need to be prepared to do that I have made it clear to my colleagues that if their budget is not done correctly at the beginning of the year they are going to have a very very difficult time getting additional funds not only does it have to come to the board they have to get through Dr Lata as to why they missed the mark when they did their budget I will tell you in my last assignment in my previous School District it was rare that a department asked for money during the year because it was vitally important that you got your budget right to begin with so that's the charge and um Dr he and Dr wanza will agree with me it was very clear in discussions as recently is yesterday page 20 and 21 are a long version of what I just said it is important to realize that we need to have money for unforeseen emergencies and things that happen um in the case of and I'm going to switch back to operating funds for a minute during the year the the state recalibrates our budget because of changes in FTE and in this district and in budget Workshop 3 we're going to talk an awful lot about FTE this District expects to lose 4,000 more students next year and anyone who's does done budgets as long as I have this is my 38th year will tell you there is nothing more difficult than budgeting during declining enrollment because 4,000 children is $36 million so we get these increases from the state of Revenue much needed and and wonderful increases but when you have decreases of students you are taking an infrastructure that you've already built and you can't fund that anymore so the offsetting costs aren't equal um it's difficult certainly not impossible we've certainly done it before and we will give you a balanced budget superintendent Lata will present you a balanced budget uh at the appropriate time um but we've got some challenges that other districts aren't facing Miami Dade has um loss of students to the FAS scholarship program but nowhere near the numbers we do they're expected change in or loss in FTE next year is a thousand that's really a big difference Palm Beach is still growing other major school districts across the state are growing or stable for whatever reason brow seems to have more loss the birth rate change um the state expects F Scholarships in Broward next year to increase by 11,500 in our model the state even told us you can't change that number we're not negotiating that number that's what we expect so it was fixed in our model when we presented our FTE to the state I'm going to stop talking now I'm going to ask my esteemed colleague and partner in this work Dr Hein to give you some information about title one and then Madam chair We Stand ready to answer questions before you start DR heurn um board Dr heurn and I have been working together we have had several spreadsheets that we've beat up consistently about how we used our Title One money is it most effective are we putting it in places that's going to make a difference for children especially our underserved children and we know the zip codes we know those are the children that need even more attention to get sure to make sure that they graduate and have opportunities ahead of them so we're going to look at it a little bit differently I don't know if he's going to bust it all out today but we do know that um we have to be very keen with this budget it's not something that you just rush and spend money to at the end of the year I don't doesn't happen here but I've seen where schools have just raced out and bought whatever so they have the same all that money spent and it has really little impact on students at times not here so we're going to make sure we're avoiding that we're make sure that we are looking at what the title fund one money is being spent on with a plan and a process rather than waiting till the end of the year to figure out how they can can spend it so Dr heern I think I teed it up for you yep um good morning uh Deputy superintendent teaching and learning Howard heurn uh if I could draw your attention to slide 23 uh which is actually reviewing our current state of how we actually allocate Title One funds to our schools if you see the top upper left and right hand of of the top of the page where our schools are budgeted based on having a 50% or higher uh free and reduced uh lunch or C um currently no High School receives Title One funds um District operated high schools uh we do share this pocket of money this bucket of money with Charter Schools it's a finite bucket of money that has to be distributed uh with District operated schools and also charter schools so just to just to clarify that um as you see the threshold for 50% to 74.9 99% um received 632 $2 per student and then for uh 75% to 100% receive $642 per student um and you can see the graph on the left is the number of Stu number of schools actually receive Title One funds that that and you see the chart of schools on the on the far right of the green uh bar graph and you also see the number of schools currently this is current years's model that do not receive um tital One funds because they don't meet that 50% or more Thresh control now uh like Dr Lata said we're not going to bust it all open right now uh but just if I can draw your attention to page 25 because we've we've heard some of the requests about uh figuring a way out to uh get our high schools um to receive some Title One allocations um also uh uh I would be remissed if I didn't mention the sunsetting of Esser funds um at the end of this school year which would drastically impact our elementary school's Dem most uh we have a lot of small mid uh elementary schools and when you do walk those schools for the most part those principles are spinning their money wisely and they're spending them on positions to support um student learning or support building capacity for for teachers often times what I'm seeing they're they're utilizing those positions to support their their students with the highest needs um at those schools so we want to make sure that we kind of dampen that that uh that impact um because it's it's going to have a drastic effect on our elementary schools so with this proposed um 2425 Title One allocation we've we've we're proposing a tiered approach um if I can draw your attention to the upper leftand corner with the per pupil allocation with elementary schools uh getting a larger uh uh per pupil allocation because they will be impacted the most um and so 50% or to 74.99 per would receive 8 $800 per pup allocation um 75 to 100% would receive $850 U per pup allocation um with middle schools or combination schools up to Middle um receiving $600 for 50% to 7 to 74.99 and 75% and above receiving $650 I'm then the high schools and combination schools up to High School uh receiving $100 52774 99% in $150. 75 to um 100 uh% receiving $150 I'm going to STP you there for a second for for the frame of reference for the board um our high schools have never been receiving title one to my knowledge maybe it was many years ago as he knows many of our high schools have the ability to generate significant income internally through testing Ace AP IB industry certifications and they've offset so many of the costs are able to offer so much more at their campus Because of these funds often you'll see that title one schools don't have the ability at the high school level to generate that kind of money but they still have students that need the services and when you look at the philosophy of that you have to look and say do these high school students need the title one money not the school that the students need it and when you look at it that way it's an easy answer that these high schools are trying to supply additional resources for these children but aren't able to do it because of lack of funds so when we look at this approach think about that student in the school and not the school itself because it's important we know that these these schools don't have all the resources that some other Su so we have to make up the difference for that uh and to me that's called Equity also in in addition to that we wanted to make sure that we had the least amount of schools losing their their Title One designation so with this tiered approach uh we only have four schools that currently receiv receiving that are are uh losing in this model versus in other models that we tried to U review you had dozens of schools Lo losing their Title One designation predominantly elementary schools but with this current model um only four schools are losing their title one uh designation at currently have it it's one charter school um two elementary schools and one Middle School and the three District operated schools that are losing are a schools um also um we wanted to ensure that the high schools that are are receiving the money um that they have the ability to like Dr Lata said to really address some of their High need students um it does provide enough money for high schools to one if they wanted to purchase an additional support or resource position or possibly spit split position with their general fund or in in many instances purchase additional resources that they can leverage at their school campus um but we want definitely want to ensure that with the sunsetting of uh Esser or art money this year that the elementary schools don't totally absorb an impact that's going to be reflected in our classrooms uh because as I go around and and walk buildings you can see that they're spending their money wisely to make sure they're addressing the needs of students in uh in their building and that's it for uh the title one aspect thank you Dr heurn hello yeah and the final slide is the uh timeline for Budget workshops uh and it has not changed from the uh start of this process at this time board members um Dr Lata and his team stand ready to answer any any questions you might have M I'm sorry Public public comment Madame chair we have one registered speaker th far Dr Natalie Lynch you can go to Podium a m Walsh Dr Walsh oh still morning good morning Dr Natalie Lynch Walsh Plantation Florida um okay I have a few stickies so a former superintendent once said that if you have truth and transparency you'll have trust unfortunately the culture around here it's hard to get truth certainly hard to get transparency I just had to do my last uh public records request and this is why you don't have trust since we're talking about budget I'm curious about what was given up in the ARP funding in order to pay the salary increases cuz we didn't have that as backup maybe you guys have it in closed door but this since this is not a closed door item it should be a public record the public doesn't have it and I'm the chair of two committees that deal with dollars the facilities task force and the audit committee I don't have it to give to my people so where is it because now that we've confirmed this coming out of ARP it's very relevant what was given up was it facilities are you working at cross purposes with yourself we once pulled 8 million out of unallocated reserves that was going to haax are we making the schools worse in order to pay salaries in the short term I don't know because I don't have the backup some of the items in here mention redefining our schools uh the aeom contract I'm not so sure I can follow some of these pie slices but I'll have to have my follow-up questions for when we discuss it at the audit committee and others um so I've mentioned ARP School Services um I do find it maybe ironic much as I love solivan that Communications and legislative is your biggest um executive line item given Communications is something we struggle with um on slide 19 cops debt I'm I'm just saying cops Debt Service luckily we only go up to 2029 but you guys may recall the 250 million in cops that was used to supplement the budget overrun of the smart program that will come due in our lifetime I believe 20 3132 most of us will be gone but the district hopefully will still be here um and then on slide 20 we have uh Pro the pmo so I did pull the contract after last week and I don't know that July 2024 is feasible to not have a pmor but you certainly should be asking for a transition plan because aeom can hardly be said to be running the program at this point any other public speaker Madam chair Mr rer thank you I had a um a thought about the fragile schools uh that are dnf um and I've mentioned this before shared it with uh Dr heurn um district 7 are some of the best principles that we've you know we have in the district so often they have maintained a c or a B in really tough times and they get rewarded and I'm absolutely in no way saying that this shouldn't happen the principls get offered um the opportunity to go to a more struggling school we'll call it and then um with a little bit more money rightly so um I'm talking about the back end so when we have a definition for fragile schools that are dnf I personally have seen because I've worked my butt off to help bring my schools up that were D's and Fs impossibly and those principles in that Community still working their faces off um but a few of my schools most notably in Deerfield um have fallen because we took two great principles and moved into another District so I think the fragile School definition or uh you know I'm kind of throwing it out to the board to say listen yes absolutely these are fragile schools but so are the ones that we take the leadership from and we have to have a back end of that plan so that's really all I wanted to say on that topic I know I've shared it with the superintendent Dr L thank you um thank you for that um I've experienced that I see it I've been part of it in leading principles for the last I don't know 15 20 years I met with Miss Maxwell from our principal group and I've asked her to come up with an idea I already have one but I want them to get it from their side on how we reward principles who take on challenging every school's challenging but the more challenging schools that are constantly understate watch always having transient um teachers which I also want to work with and I've spoken to the Union as well we need to award and reward our principles that are doing those things in the schools through a complexity I know that was not done well here previously but we have my experience is some of the best principles who love their schools eventually burn out or get enticed to go somewhere else right and you know who suffers the children and we know usually what the children look like and they don't look like me so I have asked the principal Association to come up with their plan I have my own plan already to where we we award and reward our principles who are in these challenging schools that are constantly fighting so hard to get that that CNB because one slip and they're down to the D so I appreciate that I I will be bringing something forward to that because it's uh and I know you've been talk you talked to me the first night I've ever met you you said the same thing so we are going to continue that work on that direction uh because that the value is making sure that we we cover our schools the right way right thank you thank you for that um 15 just give me a St no I'm a sequential person here okay uh thank you Miss Marte I was actually taking the notes when you were breaking down the those categories so some of my questions were um what is it what exactly does it look at look like so thank you for already answering that um so we can flip over that one um on page 16 we had that discussion of um where do we as a district fall admin administratively you know first last six and state um I've been here um a little while and we were told repeatedly repeatedly and repeatedly as a school board um by a previous previous previous superintendent that we were we were the lowest we were the lowest um at administrative costs in the entire state so my my question is um how does that happen uh what happened and was it actually reality Dr l so I I I've done a little bit of research and I've sat with Miss Marte and I you know we can talk about the past and and and learn from it yes but we can't change it I know we can only change this way that's why the rearview mirror is this big and the windshield is that big um there were a lot of changes to the orc chart over the years where where there was no reductions there were just additions in in some aspects creation of new departments or or a need for this or need for that uh when um I don't know the philosophy behind it I don't know the leadership value behind it and I and I can't speculate but I do know that U we are going to be reducing redundancies we we we can't we just can't do this and uh we're not filling positions right now and we're going to continue that until we we know for sure that we are going to meet the challenging of the budget but we will be back at the leader as the least overhead right and I I appreciate that but I'm going to push back a little bit um my question was were we actually ever one of the lowest when was that time and what has happened since then which is not not a you question no that's because you you inherited all these things but like you said it's impossible to sustain this so we have to make sure we understand and not do the same thing Miss Marte I'm going to refer to you you um I know you have historical perspective from 2018 if I'm not mistaken correct 17 but close enough okay 1718 um the data that I refer to when I talk about the lowest overhead is State data so we we the every District using the the district cost report which is very prescriptive it says you got to report this category and this line and every District reports the same so it's Apples to Apples wow I am never told to bring the mic closer we got to get something done with these mics um so so the data is Apples to Apples to other districts it is correct that there was a significant period of time even up till recently where you were either the lowest or second to lowest and um arum's going to have her first takeaway from this meeting we're going to give you a chart to show you the change in that but it changed significantly in 20201 won the year that I uh left the district for a period of time now I'm not taking credit for keeping it low but that was the time in history where it changed okay so 2021 2022 2023 it went significantly higher um and now it's going back down again and as Dr Lata said will continue to be looked at um most of my colleagues won't have lunch with me anymore they don't talk to me um I am probably the least popular person in the building but I don't come here to be popular I come here to do a job for the taxpayers and for this board and to do right by our schools so we will continue that pressure and I do have some Partners to the left of me and probably to the right of me who who are going to do the work along with me but it will get done okay um so we'll have that in a written form or a data form so we can definitely look at it with the organizational chart because I I mean I don't know I think I probably had my mask on but going to say my mouth dropped when that conversation uh was what you said because I know we were told um multiple multiple multiple times right and as a board we thought we were and it was even in the org charts that we were saving millions of dollars so I I you know I I'll leave that I'll leave that where it is right now um but it is it is um a big question for me and then the the latter part of the page is the regional associate superintendent with one like with a t and no um s at 3.1% don't we have three of them or four or three Dr L we we currently have four okay well okay I'm not getting rid of anybody I'm just trying to think is that include because you only said Regional associate superintendent it just made it sound like there was one person unless I'm being too much of an English teacher and no no no no I just want it's a question about percent is 3.1 one person or four people that's an easier way to break it up so the answer I guess would be four yes it is four and should have an s on the end of it or be considered a category then numer with a four and that number okay either way not a one thank you so much for that um and these are pretty quick I think the thing's going to start moving again 16 18 to go back for one second I think there was one on the top nope I did that one okay so page 18 um referring to the vehicle leases are um I'm not the speaking to the bus part but the White Fleet part and uh this is just one of those aha moments for me which is when is the last time have we done an audit on our White Fleet and like being who how many we have who were they assigned to and uh do we know where they all are I can answer that uh we started about three months ago uh with uh facilities as well as Miss Marte we sat in executive cabinet realized we need to do redo that in essence to make sure that we have accountability for the vehicles because some folks with certain titles had it and some didn't and it was very um I don't want to say capricious but arbitrary so miss Marte are we are we progressing through that I know that we are uh almost to the end of that understanding where our White Fleet is and it is aging but where we are with it so thank you Dr Lata we know where the fleet is and we have inventory and all of that stuff is is handled the policy around White Fleet is coming back to the board in in in one of the the months to review that uh the majority of our White Fleet is is assigned to PO right by far the majority of our White Fleet is assigned to PO and it is aging it has been very difficult because the state contract for this type of vehicle um has expired so there's been an issue um but yes we definitely we know where our assets are is I don't want that question to linger out there no no no so so I'm understand I'm mean to cut you off I'm sorry um that that our chief auditor is doing an audit for this no we are doing it ourselves internally with uh our departments and Reporting we have an inventory of numbers we're asking who's driving it what their title is what year the make is and do we need it or do we need to reallocate it right um well I can tell you as one board member who doesn't like to fly and this is the reason I swear to you I had to go an airplane um is I always borrowed a White Fleet and the White Fleet that I would borrow from Transportation I believe it was man that thing way better than any car I've had in the last 20 years and it had less than 30,000 miles I got to tell you and it was a beauty um and I do appreciate the fact that um we're able to have those white fleets and um that that you guys know exactly where they are where they are how much um you know depreciation has happened and that you have been refreshing which is probably one of the ones I got was a refresher you were and one of the things that um we have to talk about is uh I was encouraged get a new vehicle for me we don't have one it's a 10 almost 10 years old it's got 100,000 Mi on it it's fine for my few trips we have to think like that a little bit more it runs runs well we don't need to buy something like that there's 100 Grand we don't need to spend it I'm with you on that um okay and then on page 19 that I was the technology refresh my question was simply this um are we keeping up with attrition Dr L can you um I'm sorry maybe maybe can you be a little more specific on that are they breaking down more than usual are we you know are we losing more cuz this is the refresh so over the years as we've had a certain company there was a lot of uh stuff so do we I I guess that's more of a um Dr Joe question and I can take it as a follow-up is totally fine yeah we would be we actually I think everyone would be interested in hearing that the that answer so that's not not an issue um on page 20 I just had a a a question about Deerfield Beach a middle I think you mean Deerfield Beach Elementary so right okay I apologize I have I have the correction I have the correction and I didn't say it in my talking points I apologize no no no I actually got excited because I was like yes I have three schools now that we're going to be moving about but um thank thank you for that um I think the last one was page 26 NOP and I just wanted to make sure that the final final hearing is uh September 10th 2024 set in stone yes yes okay that's it that's all my questions thank you madam chair Mrs fam yes thank you madam chair um I guess this would be directed to Dr Lata um with our White Fleet it's my understanding that there's um multiple people that have cars that have elected not to live in Broward County they live in other counties and use those cars either to commute when they do come in or they use them randomly uh where they reside is there any kind of controls that you're thinking about implementing as far as restricting the cars used to business use and to those people that actually reside in the county or the school district is located I I don't believe that we have any internal policy or controls on that I don't believe it's extensive in that matter but go ahead Miss Marte so any thank you superintendent Lata all all staff and there are only a few who are assigned a white fleet vehicle only use it for business uses they must keep a log of of their travel and we follow and comply with IRS policy they are charged for uh a proportion of that that could be considered commuting so they actually have a charge on their their W2 but you didn't answer my question if you wouldn't mind clarifying we have a number of people that don't even reside in Broward County in fact we actually had someone that requested travel fees reimbursed for getting in a hotel because they don't live in Broward County but they work for the school district so what kind of checks and balances or guard rails as you would call them do we have from people taking advantage I did we switch are we talking about hotels because I know I no we're still talking about cars there's u a number of employees that use our White Fleet that do not reside in Broward County they work for the brow County School District MH okay but they have cars that they use for commuting in from another County in other words you were just forced to move down here superintendent lot I openly agreed and loved moving here this weekend next weekend but that was part of your contract yeah yes so if we have people that want to be using our cars shouldn't they at least be residing in Broward County I mean why should they get the option to put all this mileage on one of our White Fleet when they choose not to use their own vehicle cuz they're using their own vehicle where they live you're saying it's only for business use rest so um I understand the question now my experience with White Fleet is even though when I lived in the previous County and I had White Fleet I still had to pay for my mileage and deduct it and count it as income or therefore with IRS according to their codes uh of any time it was used in that manner um but m Mar you want you had something more to add to that okay but we will be happy to look internally on that to see see what those costs are uh what those numbers are thank thank you but my when my question wasn't about income it was about the cost and expense that we occur we have to maintain that insurance on that vehicle we have to maintain the the maintenance on that vehicle so there's a lot of other additional hidden costs that we're absorbing because someone chooses not to reside in the district where they're working we will bring that to task I don't know if there is a policy out there or procedure but we'll look at it and and look at it very closely student adviser Eva thank you thank you I wanted to touch on the allocation of funds for Title One schools so I come from a title one school myself and I've seen the disparity between the types of schools in Broward from a student perspective as well as a student advisor perspective and as a student I've seen that there's a rushed Independence for Title One students to apply for Grants and to get external support for clubs and opportunities that they want to take upon and so the repetition of achievement from particular schools is vivid while Title One school students are still struggling to have those opportunities and then from a student advisor perspective I've been able to see how students feel likewise hearing comments such as like sometimes schools can see seem as if they're from a different world with the quantity of resources available and so I wanted to ensure that we prioritize any additional funding available that goes to Title One schools as students and staff are consistently trying to break barriers in educational Equity thank you thank you Dr Lata you want to speak to it first of all I want to speak to an amazing student that we talked a lot about um and she has some great news would you like to share all your acceptances okay um okay so right now I have three acceptances um from University of Miami University of Florida and recently Emer University as well so thank you yeah I know one of those was my letter and only my letter the other two was you uh but that was you know you you from a student perspective a very mature uh student that we we feel that has a grasp of what goes on in our district you you hit on something that is important about following the student and making sure the resources because it is it isn't equal sometimes and it isn't um the same and it's our job us to make sure that we make it make every opportunity for every child not just one so every everyone counts and I appreciate those words and we are looking at that so thank you have you made decision yet no I'm still waiting lots of decisions okay Mrs Hixon thank you I just have a couple of questions and I guess a statement I'll just say that high schools used to be title one when I taught at South Broward uh and actually when I taught at Elie we were Title One schools in the high school um but I do understand what you're saying that high schools have the opportunity through the CTE funds which I don't know were available early on when I was teaching to balance it out so it's um important that we look at where they need more funds and make sure when we're looking at Equity that it doesn't necessarily mean equal it means Equitable so appreciate that on page 16 I had a question because um it was confusing um so it says the superintendent and general counsel are 0.9% of the budget and then the chief auditor alone is 0.9 so why is it that one department is the same as two departments it was a little why is the chief auditor so high Dr L Miss Marte thank you Dr lado the Chief auditor has a much larger staff than the superintendent and the general counsel okay and and we can break that down Mrs Hixon if that if you so desire but they have significantly more people on their team okay I mean I figured that just wondering um why that is true um okay the next question I had was on page 20 oh well I'll make a statement when we're working on here so I think it's important that when we look at our budget and we I guess I'll equate it to Page 15 for salaries our the budget shouldn't be the school board against the employees right it's a partnership the whole point of us doing a budget is to make sure we're providing our students with what they need and making sure our employees are able to provide our students with what they need so I think it's important that we keep that in mind as we go through this process and I've asked for it since I've been here and you know I think it's important that when we look at our budget it is centered around employees not necessarily just teachers but all employees because they're what make our district work um and then we figure out all of those those other pieces but I will again mention that I don't want to see a budget come back with us that says employ salary zero and I think it was really clear last year at the very least we know we're getting money from the state and that should be allocated in there and I understand that we want to be able to negotiate and that you know you feel as if if we put money in there that it locks Us in but I I think it's disingenuous for us to put zero because we keep ending up at the same place and it is the struggles that we just had trying to get to where we were today and being able to settle a contract with the teachers and I think all of us would like to see that done prior to the school year so that we can start the school year in a good place knowing what everybody's going to be making and then we don't have the drama that we continue to have so I will just reiterate that that's what I would like to see moving forward I have one more question on page 20 and I'll just start off with saying that it might not be appropriate and if it's not um you can just let me know but I am very intrigued with something that my colleague said Mr Austin and and on page 20 it talks about the pmo so is now appropriate time to maybe ask him what it was he had in mind so that we could put it in in context and then it could come to us at the next school board meeting if that is appropriate to ask yeah madam we're in a workshop go ahead thank you I can now talk on this item well I was hoping uh that's why I stepped off with the general counsel um because five board members uh Miss Hixon if you recall left the agenda open because I had thought that we were going to have this conversation a part of our school board special meeting I now have learned that the chair adjourned the meeting uh so I can no longer talk about it in a special meeting because I was ready to make action today so I guess now I have to wait to another uh meeting of the board to do so so let me repeat what I thought I said last week I'll repeat it again the intent my intent because I can't share with eight other people was for the district to have a conversation around a25 FTE that this board supported weeks ago a part of the budget process because I asked that question so whatever that dollar amount is my recommendation was for the district to absorb that oversight that that one point I'm sorry that that .25 FTE was handling not about removing a come not about all the other things I think I heard subsequently it was only about the 0.25 because we've talked about the Zan item and that's kind of in my head the October of 25 where we are transitioning to that goal well this may be an opportunity for the district as one of several transition efforts to start that process that was the intent so I guess now I have to do my own agenda item on a different meeting because I was ready to do it today uh but I now came back to realize the meeting was adjourned although the majority of the board said to do something different so yes my intent is for um that is my intent let me just answer the question okay can I ask more questions so can can you I guess have a couple of questions cuz I'm still confused um what what does the 0.25 right FTE what is that dollar amount equal to well I defer to the superintendent and staff so let me talk about the role I'm referring to the role so both clearly there's a fiscal impact but I'm also talking about the role having that role performed by the superintendent he will designate if it's the chief facilities officer that's what I would ass whomever right that's whoever right so whoever that District role is that would oversee so so instead of there being a program director there is now a District staff and clearly there are still embedded staff under that uh uh position that used to report up to an outside consultant does that make sense yes it does so I'd still like to know the dollar amount but my question to the superintendent to miss Marte is does that fall under General funds whatever we're working out here is or is that going to roll over into capital where would those funds go capital okay that's what I wanted to know but I'd still like to know the dollar amount thank you Dr L you can tell me later I don't need I think she answered it for for Capital um the question so I didn't need toll no what was the dollar amount dollar amount I'm sorry I thought oh miss Marte said she didn't have that right now so it can be I think it's okay to be a followup I just wanted to be clear regardless of what it is that would not be available in general funds for some of these other things that we're talking about it's specifically for Capital I I just wanted to clarify that so thank you Dr Zan thank you chair it's uh $150,000 within 10% Debbie just so that you know uh given the hourly rate of that position it's an expensive position um uh just largely because the market doesn't have very many people that can do that job so so it's expensive but that would that would uh put another 150k back in the capital budget I'm fascinated by um School matter School Board member Rupert's comment about um an issue that I've been trying to encourage the staff and the and this board to think much deeper about uh which is incentives for people to do the hardest jobs uh we ask principles to take over incredibly different difficult parts of our community the job is inherently more complex the support is inherently smaller and we continue to make it harder for them to succeed then easier to succeed I'll tell the story again about a principal trying to hire for five open teacher slots going to a job fair and nobody will talk to them because they're not just title one they're 100% free and reduced La C in a very difficult part of Broward County uh and you know under our old Antiquated non-e Equitable based budget system they got per FTE funding so 500 kids you got this much money in West Fort Lauderdale and 500 kids in East Fort Lauderdale you got the same amount of money with totally different needs I mean drar dramatically different needs and so I hope that we think uh chair more about incentives for paying people to do the harder uh jobs for greater complexity um so that we can get to real equity-based uh uh budgeting uh not not window dressing about Equitable funding and I'll challenge all of us to think about what that really means uh if we're going to provide this right amount of money for the most challenging parts of our County it's not going to be 150 bucks it's going to be substantially more I'll also point out to miss Rupert's point that it is up to this board to decide how funds are returned to schools right now if a student passes an AP exam around $1,500 goes to the school they're in but often those schools don't have the the greatest need and so we need to think about all of the flow of funds maybe they need a thousand and some of that money goes back maybe when wealthy schools raise money we create a practice where they give some of that money to a partner school that is in a fragile state I saw that last year at a book fair where a PTA president walked in with 40 Grand that they raised at one book fair one book fair at a wealthy School raised 40,000 bucks this principal by the way who has now moved to our staff uh looked at the president of PTA and said how much are we going to give to that other school on the other side of the city and the PTA president said you tell me she said half and $20,000 went to the other school but that's not the practice of Broward County it is not the practice that's a great exception and this board continues to do FTE balanced resourcing and that is not Equitable resourcing we know there's greater needs in other places one way to fix this quickly is incentives for people to take the hardest jobs the most complex jobs teaching um and principal so I look forward to uh Miss Rupert's point being uh dragged through the staff process just a little bit more there's an implicit question chair in this presentation about whether we should budget for inflation I'd love it if you would take that you know kind of consensus view of it but I'd ask you to extend that as well um every time I've worked with budgets before we we used assumptions about growth of cost or growth of enrollment and all that but I think it would make sense for the community if we um adopted a common basis for those assumptions and I like a 5-year trend line so if uh if if we're talking about enrollment that's 2400 fewer per year if we're talking about tsia funding it's an extra 3% per year whatever the five-year trend is I would assume that I would propose that the board weigh in whether or not uh that kind of assumption would make sense I think it's great to to budget for inflation that you can expect we do that on utilities we do it on other things we ought to do on everything for which there's expected cost growth but we also should um try and get whole with our community and be clear about what our assumptions are um and put them out uh for the public to understand the budgets going forward I also want to tell you my budget goal um this is just one member but I want to find $90 million of new money and I want to allocate that funds to teacher pay and the reason I want to do that is that's the money that we need to find to make sure that average compensation for teachers in Broward County which would be the first County in the southeast United States to compensate teachers at $100,000 I've written about it I've talked about it I give speeches about it I believe in it I think it's the right philosophy um and we're Wicked close $90 million to some people maybe even my friend uh may be impossible but I'm going to keep working um uh and we're going to propose ideas to get it done I'm excited about the education compensation part of our budget I don't think it uh is negotiating against ourselves it's just a pot of funds and that pot of funds May dry up or it may get added to depending on uh things as we get closer and closer to negotiations with all of our unions but it is a pot that we can start from and I think that that's a wise uh thing to to do as we are this year I'm also going to propose chair that and I don't know if you want to leave this just as a recommendation to the superintendent and staff but if we have social workers assigned to a couple schools or three schools or school psychology assigned to you know six schools uh I would propose we pick one as their their principal uh uh school that they work at and so that the budget reflects them being School support not District support those folks are working for schools uh pick one uh uh would be my proposal so that we don't get information that has to be detangled up here at the at the the board level just for clarification chair uh we have $ 56.1 million of unallocated Capital funds what happens to those funds if we do not allocate them before June 30th the end of our school and fiscal year Dr L Miss Marte thank you Dr Lata if I'm balance they roll forward to next year uh I'm sorry that these are capital funds unallocated Capital if we don't spend them they roll forward to the next year I'm more used to talking about fund balance on the operating side not the capital side but they basically get added to the unallocated reserve for the following year yes thank you very much um a comment also that didn't come up enough but our board I think needs to think a little bit about it um because it's a real challenge to our staff and maybe to are thinking as well um zerob based budgeting is the process that's being used today we go to a school we go to um any department and we say you know start from zero build up it's a very useful and difficult thing for people to do um but it can expose more requirements or it could expose some things that we don't want to spend uh funds on before I think as a board we need to think a little bit about it because people are going to come to us with new ideas and new ways to spend money but they're also going to come to us with new requirements and um and we have to be prepared to kind of have different conversations I think as opposed to Marginal budgeting where you take last year and you do pluses and minus uh zero based budgeting I think requires our us as board members to to also think with greater agility speaking of the unallocated Reserve uh we've talked about this a lot but maybe not gotten to resolution if we have $ 56.1 million left in unallocated Reserves at some point I hope that this board makes a decision de ision about we're going to look at the menu of all the things we want to spend that on let's use some criteria that we have data for right now and let's make some decisions or make the decision that we want to spend some of that now and put the rest in the next year's budget um I just don't like money as I don't like telling people in the community we have money that we haven't allocated even though we know we have Way North of$ billion worth of facility needs uh and other Capital needs that we can spend it on uh this is the end of February or most of the way or majority of the way through the year uh I think it's time to fish or cut bait on unallocated reserve for my own for you but I hope that we get to a decision and if it's decision to postpone that money and push it to next year I get it uh but I would love to see the menu of facility needs that there are uh criteria for how we're going to make those decisions and then my preference would be to to allocate it but we keep kind of kicking the ball on that um and that part I'm not comfortable with um lastly I have two comments on Title One why do some chair why do some schools fall out of Title One designation just because you're going to give some money to some new schools it seems like the criteria if you're being a title one is 50% or greater of free reduced L your CP so why would that change if you decide to give money to high schools instead of not giving them money Dr L uh it's been my experience and and I'll let Dr he as well as Miss Marta answer this if I don't cover it it's a set number I've never seen it varied from level to level we do know that high schools have always run in a different level simply in years past because it was based on free and reduced lunch and high school children are less apt to fill that out I'm talking 10 years ago now we have a different calculation formula I don't know if it makes it easier or harder but it's a stagnant number that we've always used I I've never seen it used differently and I don't know if there's actual statute that says it's got to be one specific number for the certain grade level and that was brought up as well we had talked about it a little bit Dr heer and I because I would never that was the first thing we both looked at immediately we saw those schools that dropped and we both said the same thing how do we keep them in there how do we keep them in there so Dr he you have more for that Miss Mar you have more for that yes I'm going to uh ask Miss Wright who's here she could provide way more detail um in that title budgeting process good good morning lwanda Wright director of tital one uh thank you so much Mr superintendent and Dr heurn for giving uh clarification but to be more specific the four schools that Dr hurn alluded to in the presentation fell below the 50% threshold they were generally on the cusp ranging from 51 or 52% and at this point time in time looking at our preliminary data they are in the range of 44% in terms of that therefore they will not be eligible for the title one designation thank you so chair just to be clear it has nothing to do with whether we provide Title One funds to high schools it's really just that um the student the percentage students who are on free and reduced lunch has fallen Bel the threshold for next year from that side yes if you drop fall below the threshold yes from that perspective if you raise the if you raise the number obviously some fall out as well so but we also have to look at is is it a trend of blowing and and that's right you you know this far better than I do you know that does the trend show under the new accounting standards rather than going off the free and reduced forms has that shown a trend to lower every school simply based on that because I know there's various means for reporting it so if you could expound on that please you are correct Mr superintendent there is a trend where some schools because we have the partial C criteria where there is no application submitted there is a trend where we see now many parents are not completing the application process so that is having an impact on our schools that are customarily nonce designated and they are working diligently to have the communication out but there has been a trend in seeing parents declining completing the application so thank you and we are encouraging through different marketing techniques to make sure parents are aware that the their application entails so many resources for the school and for the student correct that is correct as the student uh representative student advisor alluded to there are very there are many perks with regards to having the free or reduced lunch designation that's why we encourage our parents to complete the application because there are so many uh expounded upon opportunities at the elementary middle and most importantly at the high school level so thank you thanks so much chair um I still uh have not found the value in extending Title One funds to high schools uh I believe that spending that money on the same children if you look at them as as high school students they were K through 8 up before they got to high school and it seems to me the evidence is pretty strong that spending that money on those same kids before they get to high school has a greater effect um and I'm reminded that um kids need to learn how to read so they can read to learn and so investing that money K through3 investing at K through 8 is still a wise investment and I'm looking forward to seeing some more research on that in case things uh change and I still think we're missing the 800 lb Guerilla which is what's what how far do we need to turn the dial on an equity basis to make sure that we can make sure that we're fulfilling the dream of public education which is to give everyone the chance to achieve to their greatest potential I think that that's going to get us toward all of our strategic goals and I think it's a critical piece that we haven't had in this presentation and hopefully can have in the next one which is if we're going to do Equity based budgeting we have to have our hand on the dial and we got to figure out how far we want to turn it toward those people that have the greatest challenges in life thank you very much chair Mr Alon thank you madam chair um actually some easy questions uh for this round um so miss Rupert I'll start with uh just a a light-hearted point you made the observation which is true um around the district overhead uh which started back in 21 um that's why you vote no against orc charts and budgets and I know you have um but in doubt vote no um I'll also stay on you miss rert which you've been uh uh consistently a tough questioner um for kind of District staff and getting to the peeling the onion back uh so I think I've tried to follow the rert 2024 model since I've been here I just want you to know that uh along with a few other uh board members who served up here um Lis Wexler Bob Parks many others who would actually do just that um so I just want you to know that and I'm saying that publicly um Mr superintendent before you go if you don't mind 30 seconds so I think you referenced early and I'm trying to remember and I forget the comment that you made uh regarding uh Staffing right so remember during the budget conversation a year ago you'll recall I think I pointed out the additional number of Staff in this budget that we're currently in right now and now we're talking about it okay now let's fast forward do we have a hiring freeze cuz I think you made a comment that said hey we're not touching right is there a formal hiring freeze for Brower schools yes or no Miss Marte you can explain that at length if needed thank you superintendent there is a the answer hiring no the the answer is there is a hiring Frost there are positions Frost I like that well Spirits Frost look at that so so there are some positions that we can't go without no I get it no no I got it so those positions so outside of so here's what I'm asking outside of the essental critical positions and I'm not pushing you I'm pushing you right we know we have a money problem right so are you going to push the gas and give a formal directive that to the district that says we have a hiring freeze well you just told me Frost because I want to answer the the question accurately we need bus drivers security staff right teachers esps there are positions that are reviewed and we review all of those okay there are positions we're not filling okay uh the the clerical message that the board gave the superintendent uh has been heard I'm good you're going to hear from principles so I'm good I'm good easy so 56.1 million I think I'm going to talk about this in the next presentation um or maybe not because it looks like all the dollar values are zero Dr Zan um although on the slide where references all the ongoing facilities projects that I also asked three times and I think the first conversation didn't go well with certain people then the second time I think it validated the same questions I asked at that meeting and then now we're on the third round so let's see how it goes today all right um and thank you Miss ruper for clarifying uh the school so my assumption is before I get to the question which I support the inflate support the line item in the budget so let me just answer that okay um my assumption is and I hate to I'm I don't want to jump to the next presentation this says we are gathering the needs and costs for review and consideration at Future workshops so under the ongoing facilities projects is this connected to the next presentation so it is so we're going to talk about these three things that have a Zer amount at the next presentation yeah we we're going to bring some of that forward on what the costs of that what we would need to do well it says zero I don't want to jump ahead okay got it so let me pause let me pause so we're going to talk about about only these three ongoing facilities projects which I agree with it's Zan again because the same comment I made three meetings ago that folks seem to did not understand and listen these aren't the only schools that are on the menu of needs so are we going to have that conversation also at the next because I'm only talking about this one slide on page 22 or 20 or 22 whichever number are we talking about that at the next Workshop or no yes all facilities yes yes we are and we will frame that across all districts countywide yes yes and we will frame that so it because I don't see that in the PowerPoint that's already been sent out so I know you're saying yes but that's not what I have okay so go ahead and get ready if we're going to have a countywide discussion on facilities needs because I don't see that all right so you've answered that question yes and we will frame that so it makes some really good sense so there's going to be some additional material before this conversation no I will I will Tee It Up for our wonderful chief of facilities as we move for all right I'll wait for it so no one asked the important question is who are the four schools I was waiting for that question to be answered so I got the is it the remind me the one charter two K5 is it one K12 school no K8 can you remind me no Dr what was the fourth the third category it's a middle school okay well who are the four schools and what districts are they in just so we know or at least I know no one answered that question Miss Wright I believe you have that correct I know Dr hurn was waiting to step in for me that's the most important we're talk we're saying no to fun Dr he's here right there we go there we go the question oh my my AP good it's now afternoon good afternoon so the questions on when you referenc the four schools losing title one who are those four schools I haven't written down or someone oh oh I forgot Miss Wright's over there she has them too no problem Lando Wright director of title one good to see you it's good to see you too Mr Austin uh the four schools as Dr heurn alluded to one is a charter school the three remaining traditional schools are Fox Trail Elementary Fox Trail y pem pem Park pimbrook Lakes Elementary and Glades Middle Glades Middle got it I see why no one wanted to tell me Glades Middle and what's the third I'm sorry the fourth the fourth is a charter school we don't have the name of the charter school at this time but we can get it to you got it so that's important for me because or really important for the board because there are four schools and students losing funds here so that's important for me as the district 2 board member and really for any board member so if we could before we leave Dr CU I'm pretty sure we don't have to we don't have to adjourn we can this information is easy I like to know the four schools um and if we are removing funds based on this new formula which I guess the board has giving direction on which I don't support um how are we what are we putting in place Mr Deputy superintendent sitting as superintendent to support these four schools right so they're losing something what are we putting back in place for these four schools so I like to know that uh so I just want Mr R if you can um expound just to clarify are those four schools in any model that starts with 50% threshold would they still be excluded that is correct M because theyve dropped under the 50% threshold correct so yes since they have I'm with you so since they are no since they are being dropped from the threshold I want to understand and we're going to tell me who the fourth school is these four schools what are we doing to support those students clearly who were losing some some funds I want to know that so as as with all of the schools because the these four schools will be in the same bucket of all of the schools that are uh increasing in um in wealth and and decreasing in in the frl status so they would be dropped regardless anyway in any of our models increasing in wealth but also not so what about the need isn't this also right so with the needs um working with Miss Marte we are uh bud differently looking at looking at Equity based budget and for some schools it's going to be very specific for the group of kids within that school that meets that that frl status Zan I'm trying to squeeze I'm I'm I'm responding to I'm I'm trying right so this this isn't working right and this is not you right so there are four schools and I can kind of guess the population of one two three I don't know number four cuz somebody hopefully will tell number four oh there we go if you don't mind through the chair yes go ahead Mr uh the fourth location is 5022 which is Bridge Prep Academy K to8 Charter School got it yep okay final question so this is a clear observation four schools are losing funds correct correct that will start in the 24 25 school year correct correct I want to understand how do we ensure that the needs of these students don't do this because of the funds that are also doing this that's a very clear give you I'm going give you a clear answer because these four schools are in the same situation as all of the other schools that are have that are below the 50% threshold I get it so as we budget one thing that we want to clarify is that there's a strong focus on the lowest 25% of those schools because usually the lowest 25% are makeup or their makeup is usually free and reduced lunch status and and below and so as we work on the budgeting process we're working on Equitable uh budgeting to ensure that schools have what they need to address those High needs population of kids so we're continuously working through that process right now so to give you a specific answer of how that look that looks currently I can't answer that specific question but I can tell you that we're working through the process of doing Equitable budgeting to ensure that the lowest 25% of those students are targeted at those specific schools that are under that 50% % threshold I appreciate your answer thank you I want to direct if there is no objection on this um from the board that clearly there are schools at least there are four schools um who today have funds or support there also are needs and I'm focused on the needs category I want to make sure the needs of these schools and really all schools don't do this so I'd like for the superintendent to to come back with that part of this because that's not a part of this so I am not so to be clear I don't support the recommendation from you from staff on the allocation plan and I clearly don't support the needs of these kids which clearly I don't want to go down so I just want to be very clear about that so is that any objection through the chair if the superintendent can Circle back with me on these schools and any other schools where uh the funds are doing this but I also want to understand the needs but also make sure those kids again what they need okay so I just want to clarify um bring back um a plan or information based on the schools that were currently receiving Title One allocations that are being dropped um as a result of recent reduction in um in their frl status well based on the proposed title and allocation that staff is proposing so but here's but this is what I want yes I'm with you the answer is yes okay I got the answer is yes I'm with you yes so we'll Circle back on all those schools thank you thank you Dr holness thank you madam chair so a couple of things um I did notice the high priority items that are listed and I just want to also mention um that while I appreciate these high priority items that we're looking at as far as the budget um I would be remissed if I did not mention that what I consider to also be high priority is the mental health of our students and staff and I think that's an area that that often times uh get uh neglected I think it's important that we emphasize that area because it's important that we develop the holistic well-being of a child and that we ensure that our staff are also emotionally uh sound as well in addition to that what I also consider high priority would be our how we support our ESC students um I think that's an extremely high priority area and as we look at the budget it's important that we uh look at ways in which we can improve our ESC uh support and I've always mentioned that as we go forward that we look at how we provide um um incentive or or actually how we accommodate our students at the classroom level rather and whatever is involved in doing so I think um going forward into the upcoming year and I've spoken to um Dr hebr about that before um that we see how we can monitor uh compliance in the benefit of our students by looking at it at a classroom level um for ESC students so I would love to also um for us to look at these two areas as high priorities which would be our ESC support as well as mental health of our students and staff in addition to that um uh board member Hixon revived a prior conversation that board member Alston brought up and board member Alston reiterated his intent of what his item meant and as we're talking about budget um I would like to direct the superintendent to explore or research cost savings budget impact and provide to the board um well let me rephrase I would like to direct the superintendent to explore or research and provide to the board cost savings budget impact to bring Capital program management inhouse that will include but not NE necessarily limited to program director program control and planning director as soon as practical and no later than our next upcoming regular school board meeting on March 12th okay leari we'll have everyone Circle back just really quickly um I know Mr Austin asked for the superintendent to Circle back with him regarding those schools I would just ask that that information be shared with the entire board thank you of course okay my question on page eight the uh Food Services funding 192 million can that be used for anything else because it says special Revenue Food Service 192 million can it be used for anything else or just food service Dr heurn M Marte thank you Dr heurn Food Service funding is some of the most restricted funding that the district has it can be used to provide children access to food and a healthy diet so when it says special revenue is that special Revenue still out in the Food Services that's still in the bucket of food service yes okay yes and they have their own audit by the Bureau of nutrition and it's very prescriptive the the money can only be used to pay for staff and commodities that feed our children at limited amount of equipment but anytime we buy equipment even lunch tables we have to get permission from the state office anytime we want to charge any type of um maintenance and all that it all has to be approved okay great uh my next question on page 16 the percentages for me it would have been helpful to see that in the do like dollar amount is a like another category so what is 1% equal to oh there's a chart um so Madam chair the superintendent and general council's office is close to 1% in dollar that is 3.4 million 3.4 million perfect and then each of these categories is there another breakdown like board for example is 4% is there a breakdown somewhere of what is what makes up that 4% yes where is it so I have some of the detail with me so so in the board set in the board uh line item they're at 19 positions and there'll be a dollar amount for that and then there's objects that tell me how much might be supplies and material um most of that is in your general budget book but we can get you that breakdown yeah that would be helpful for me I'd like to see the the breakdown of each of these percentages and what goes into it okay um so for me I was thinking that when this we have these workshops and discussions that there would be a stronger conversation of from the superintendent as far as suggestions of what we should potentially reduce and and then in the workshop that's when we we have the conversations of to say well that's a good idea or that's not a good idea so I know we have a a list of dates coming up um but I would like a stronger movement of action of of where the board can actually weigh in on each of these uh if the superintendent feels that something should be reduced in a category and to for you to bring it to us so we can weigh in on it Dr L I agree uh with that that's how you make progress but with that comes um orc chart also changes and people sitting out there that see that their positions and such will be cut I'm okay with doing that uh but it does require some um damage control because there's no way we can do that without cutting there's no way we're going to get where we need to without cutting but when we do that publicly and start reducing the or chart and looking at boxes and start cutting them out um there are people that see this and view this um so that's that's a that's the difficult part of it unfortunately it's the natural part of it and it it becomes hard uh but remember when you have a super valuable employee a staff member you you somehow always find a way to keep them and we want to make sure we do that so I I will absolutely do that we always try and be careful with that but miss Marte uh duly noted our executive cabinet will now turn to the boxes instead of the numbers as we move through that um because I think we're at that place anyway so and I know it's a sensitive conversation but it's an very important for us to take action and and to move forward and not just talking positions whether it's anything else whether it's a program or a technology or or whatever that other bucket is we need to start having these tough conversations and and moving forward so we can get to our our goals um as far as Dr Zeman's um suggestion to budget for inflation I'm supportive of and Mr Austin's suggestion to as the soup to bring back a plan for the schools for schools I'm also supportive of and I'm also supportive of Dr hess's T to uh direct the superintendent to bring back cost Savings in our Capital program to bring it in house some support if you bring that conversation forward to to the board to a board meeting hey chair p andoor i I think we might be able to conflate two of the items that you brought up I talked about Equity based B budgeting you know turn that dial and Mr olon talked about um the schools that have just Fallen below 50% free and reduced lunch with your permission I think what we want is that one one issue which is how are we what are the options on Equity based funding how do we turn in that dial so that more money goes to places where there's greater need and I think that that's more than just four schools though and I just want to make sure you're okay with that I'm good with that but I also want to point out a very clear observation these four schools fall geographically South County just an observation I think you'll find that uh all the schools with greater needs have a geographic Central centrality and not just south But Central and East is anybody not in agreement with uh the items that I just spoke of I just have one correction too ma'am I I also said that U yes on inflation but that also the budget ought to carry a common Assumption of a five-year trend for anything that it's looking at so it's it's those two things yes is anybody not in agreement with uh the Zan Austin wholeness ideas looks like everybody's in agreement good Dr Lata I I I had stepped out um staff are we clear on what was asked of us do we need it to be repeated or confirmed all right we're clear and we can watch the video of course but I just want to make sure that we have the opportunity to question if we're not sure thank you Mr rer do you have anything to add microphone it's on for my end let's just say that um the the plan that Dr heurn will be bringing back um for the schools that that we take our leaders from there needs to be a plan for that they we have to have that conversation because it we'll have a dollar amount attached to it as well so thank you if my colleagues agree or not yeah okay so staff has your direct the direction great all right moving forward to the next item the facilities update Dr L well it's good afternoon now um so along with the connection between what we just talked about and where we're going we have this thing that's out there right now this thing I can I give it 30 seconds M so we have this thing thing called repurposing and redefining going on so that to me Bridges these two and it it makes it it I think it makes it more complex but in the end may make it a lot more simpler as we move through it simply because we could be more targeted today we're you know we give these uh weekly updates on on the what's going on with our facilities I think that's more comprehensive than it's ever been given and it's it's it's there it's for everyone to see not just the board member of that area but now it's time to we got a few items that as we move through Miss Chow's presentation we got some things we have to get off or get on and I can't use what my dad would say because it's is public uh but reality is is there's a lot of leftovers from years and we have to figure out and we going to continue to promise them keep them on the books and do it or we just going to you know cut it there are some things we just can't do and anything we do moving forward and you'll see in the next presentation there's a zero factor of it not costing us anything that hasn't been allocated already or there's an additional cost factor that would come from the money we talked about earlier that 56 which was which can decrease quickly if we continue to do including the items we may be bringing forward as well so it's really difficult now to go ahead and pay for everything we have to do with what we have left there are some items that I adopted when I got here about that needed to be done and have been done for years and years and years so we're looking sort of for directions and and you'll see the numbers there but you also know that where a lot of these schools exist and where where they are so as we go through this Mr chubowski has a uh a very good opening but I think we Bridge the previous conversation to the next one and then what was brought up about the long uh range facility plan which does not by the way for clarification did not give me a date certain but in my mind a date certain is after we decide in June what the facilities longrange plan will be SE solidified we can bring something as a draft but as I spoke to several board members when we bring that plan forward it's going to have schools 1 2 3 4 5 6 7even whatever it be but once we make decisions on our repurposing we will have to extract out those schools if they're not being utilized or not being changed or potentially closed so it's a complex there's a lot of moving parts to this as we move along and we have to constantly be in uh concert with the budget process long-term facilities our capital budget as well as our redefining so there's a lot of complexity there but I think it'll get very clear in a few months when we look at these things especially with the items that were asked as we move forward on those on those pieces so miss chowski um would you please uh move forward I I don't think you have a lot there but if you would mind going through and and we will be happy to serve Mr Al before just a question through the chair first and then I then I just asked a general question before are we going to go through in these slides all yes is that how you want to proce the will the board if you want we can go right to questions little bit little bit okay all right so then I will you do this okay all right so then I will pause i' like to I'll wait Mr fog if you want to wait now or I'll be on the list um I actually want to do now because I do want to make comments on those statements that were made by the superintendent that's okay I don't know if you still have other questions Aon I'm sorry I would like I'm going to reserve my time to after the chief speaks to go backwards in time a couple months thank you got it okay so um and I'll ask my questions really quick and superintendent I think that this might be the right time because you just had said that from all our conversation earlier of having budget questions and the budget conversations very clear that we're in a tight spot I think all of us can agree and we've talked about it we talk about four or five schools at a minimum right at least four or five we've had this discussion multiple times um but I think everybody on this board everybody on staff people in the community are very clear that we're about 40 schools oversized so 50 can you speak to that right because I think if we're we're it's very clear on on that that side of budget that we're in a tight spot we know that that's the step we need to take but the question really is are we slow ripping the Band-Aid off or are we ready just to go all in and do what's best for our community best for our budgets best for our staff everybody right but we continue to have this conversation and sort of just walk- on eggshells here and I think we're really hurting our community we're really hurting our kids by not having that real conversation so want to speak on that a little bit I know that this probably going to come in the future but i' really rather have it now if possible no I I can't say thank you enough for for asking me to speak on that um we we depending on who you talk to or who you speak with um we have a lot of schools that probably need to be repurposed closed so forth and so on I don't want to die a thousand deaths um I have spoken with several superintendents that have done this successfully actually I spent an hour and a half on the phone with superintendent who did it successfully back in 2018 in a district that looks a lot like us it's actually just the same size as us and they did 20 schools in one year and I asked him that very question and this is a very wellknown and I'm not going to use his name simply because he didn't I didn't get permission to use his name but and he's not Consulting with us he just did this on his own time because he lived nearby he said the best decision the hardest decision he was was to make that grand one shot let's let's let's rip that Band-Aid off that was the hardest and he felt at days he was just was beat up and he couldn't sleep but as it matriculated it was the best process in which he said made it successful to do because we know that it's going to impact the entire County you've been to the meetings people think it's not going to impact their school well certainly it may not impact that one little school it's going to impact everyone's Community that's right and I don't think it's fair for us and and to start making those hard things until we talk to the community and we made that very clear we're we're building that trust we're building that we heard a lot of things that we didn't hear uh Miss Saunders and I have to speak every morning but I believe in my heart as the leader that if we were to peac meal this we would be Our Own Worst Enemy and we would not be transparent is my perception I don't make the final decisions on this and we will bring it forward this way but I think we can't just nickel and dime and and again I'm not going to use what my father would say it's not appropriate but it makes all the good sense we got to either do something or don't and and I appreciate you asking me that because I I don't think it's appropriate for me to bring it out until I'm asked about it I don't want to flavor anything but all my research with San Antonio with Houston all the other districts that have uh reduced they've did it one shot one shot deal and it's worked out much better in the long run it's hard at first you're taking a beating but it's it's the it was the right thing for them and I believe in my heart of hearts after listening to so many superintendents who have done it it's the right thing for us right and and I appreciate that and I think that as board members right you do as we direct um I think we have a responsibility to get out to our community I want to give a shout out right to Commissioner James we had this conversation but we have our town halls and those are great but it's our responsibility to get out to our communities it's my responsibility to get to Dania Beach to Hollywood to have those real conversations to be very transparent so I'm doing that going to do that it's going to be more conversations they may be smaller groups but I need to have the community be clear to understand to be able to ask questions to have a Q&A session to be more in tune so I can understand what how they feel how so you can understand how they feel so I understand that that feeling but I I just don't think it's going far enough we're not doing enough and I don't think the community is going to be fighting against something if they're clear on it the community needs to be clear to understand what the issue is and we need to find the solution together they will find it I know they will but we have to understand we need to know our history we need to understand where our communities are coming from how they feel they have been run over the trust is gone so I really do want to have those conversations but as board members we do have a responsibility so I know for one I'm going to be taking that on having those conversations you're going to see those Town Halls coming up in very soon back to back um but we're going to be out here so I believe that I I for one as one board member want to see the big change I don't want to Pro long hurting our kids and hurting our community if we're going to be a board of change we have to change for the good we have to change for the better and do it now we know what the issue is but we're constantly talking about this we're going to come through the same problem next year I know you guys have heard me say a time and time again we're going to have the same problem next year why didn't we talk about budget earlier why didn't we talk about raises the money is not there so you're going to keep taking it from places that we shouldn't be taking it from to find raises to find money but enough of finding money let's make the right decision now let's fix our district I look up at this logo and see everybody talking and I'm just like man it was the same issues when I was in school the same thing dysfunction no trust so I really just want to see us to make good change May cost me things in the future but hey let's go for it let's do what's right right now so so I really challenge superintendent come to us if it is going to be more if it's going to be the right thing to do let's rip the bandaid off and let's just do what's right thank you Dr l thank you um it is our plan on the 20th as we've been beating up back and forth there's a there's a there's a it's it's linear and there's a plane of just presenting some ideas or getting a lot more granular and be very very specific in there is the criteria that we have to work with and you could put six or seven boxes of criteria and then when you pull up that school it's in five of the six or five of the seven boxes that criteria it gives you a database a decision it gives you an opportunity to see is it low enrollment is it a facil need is there a birth rate shrinking in that neighborhood is there competition that we can't compete with is it leadership is it the programmatic piece of that these are the going to be and I'm I'm just running out a bunch of them there on my head and then start looking at schools and saying this one fits in every box why is it going to be open this one only has one or two boxes but we've vasculated on that but we're we're leaning more towards giving some hard hard information where we're not just know L fair about the approach on the 20th it's going to be pretty solid uh our principles are ready they've been told um we're going to look at this thing and we're going to look at it big we're not going to peac mail and there's going to be a large number of ideas schools criteria properties such because we you're right if you guys are going to go to your community and talk about it we have to make sure that you're equipped to talk to your communities and say well this is what's going on um and we will Workshop it one to one before this comes forward so we get all of your ideas individually and be able to uh have you have as much knowledge as we do as we move forward so when your constituency is is you know calling your phone all the time you have the knowledge up to date with it so this next Workshop is going to be unique for us because it's going to be a lot of input from each one of you individually to make sure that we we've captured what you think we need to uh but this is that first Workshop is going to be where it gets real hard very very very hard Dr Zan thanks so much chair um I think there's a difference between Having the courage to do what's right and having the information you need to figure out what right looks like and and to uh Mr poogan holy and others who believe that we ought to move big I don't have enough information yet about whether that's the right answer in my own view I'm really looking forward to getting into the data I'm looking forward to understanding the criteria that we're going to use um I'm really interested in learning like tangible practical uh outcomes how long does it take to re boundry a school um how long does it take to sell something you know how long till we get the money what are the implications legally for leasing it out if we want to do Civil Service housing and things like that so there's information I don't have and if I don't have it the public probably doesn't have it and as that information comes out uh I am 100% willing to take the courageous step and close as many schools as make great sense for brow County uh at the pace that I believe that it makes sense uh doing but uh the only reason I'm not out yelling about 40 which is kind of a rough number that we've come up with that um is expensive but may not be necessary is I'm waiting for the rest of that information to come in and and we'll get that information out I don't want to be disingenuous with the public and and say that there's a number we've said as a board at least five and so that is I think a clear expectation in the community if we go beyond that it'll be really based on the information that comes in and more that we learn about the processes and things like that I think the board I think the board expectation from the community is that we're thoughtful we're intentional and we make decisions that are best for the whole community and um and you know I'll continue to advocate for that uh and I'll do it as broadly as I can Mr fogan holy to the community it's uh it's a it's the right thing to do I just don't know what the message is yet until I get all the information thank you Mr thank you very much uh chair and Dr Zan I I we can't have it both ways because I've done Community meetings with you that you told the community that we're 40 schools oversized you can't do it two ways we know that the data that I know is that an elementary school that may be under enrolled we're spending half a million dollar a year to keep it open and spending Millions to keep it up and running that's the data we can start with right there so I just want to make sure it's clear don't make it look like the bad guy here that's the data we know that's what you said we set it together we know what we're dealing with here so I just want to make sure it's clear that just not just fogan only in the corner yelling us out we know what the issue is let's stand on it it's going to be I've been consistent on this I'm consistent now and what I say here I'll say in the public I'm not going to change up when it comes here so thank you very much here thank you so I appreciate your passion Mr fogan hly and I'd like to also thank this board and our superintendent for Having the courage to even move forward with this conversation because in the six years that I've been a board member now this is the first superintendent to realize that we have a problem and proactively work work to trying to fix this problem so I commend you for for doing that and and the board for supporting the superintendent in this process but I think it's important that we make sure that we are following a a process we're following policy and we're following a criteria that we vote on as a board and we agree to use moving forward within this process because we can't go off on our own little silos and and do our own thing that that is not is not going to work it's going to get very messy very quick and we will lose the the confidence in our constituents when we move forward in this process so I I want would love for our board members you know I think it's great energy have conversations with your community but we need to make sure that we're working through the superintendent to to have those convers ations and and make sure we're following the policy process and criteria M rer thank you just on this point uh I'll wait my turn later for for the comments on the on the um PowerPoint um do we have 40 schools that that we could actually do this to I am looking forward to see all those numbers but I've also had meetings uh with the superintendent with some of my um constituents where we flat out said it's not going to be happening in my certain couple areas so when it goes down to trust I trust my superintendent to tell the truth at all times and that's what he's done I'm only as a good a person as if my word stays that way as my word and if I go and tell Commissioners and other people that are very very busy working for our kids that this is not going to be happening at this point this the enrollment is almost exactly we're a little bit under um I don't want to back go backwards but now it's like I am not prepared to close 60 schools or 40 schools I can tell you that not in a hot minute and and having gone through the boundary process having gone through um teen things that take forever to get there then let's put everything under certain criterias like the superintendent just said let it all roll out that way but ultimately it's the board's decision a and as one board member I'm going tell you from right now I'm not closing 40 or 60 schools because schools are the the heartbeat of every community and some of the worst hit facility problems are some of my schools that actually their enrollment is up or they've maintained it excuse me like morgate Middle with their flooding and everything great principles great principles fabulous teachers so I'm I'm with you Danny to get all the information excuse me Mr fogan holy but I still call you Danny um I'm with you for all that but I just want to tell you where I am and and what I've said and what our superintendent has said because I don't want anybody to say you lied to me miss rert you lied to the community Dr Lata you lied to worry Mr Allon I don't want that so before it gets ugly real fast I think we're all talking about what's going to happen on the 20th there has to be a preview of what's going to happen and quite frankly I don't think a week or two weeks before we we get our information is enough because I'm still getting phone calls now telling me the schools are still going to closing in my area and the principles have been told that is not true from my perspective so we need to cut this and be honest which is what Mr fogan holy started with right so I need an honest answer during this PowerPoint and that's all I and I think every board member wants the same thing we represent our constituents I've represented mine since 2010 I've never lied to them knowingly I hope never anyway but I just don't do that I just I'm real 100% all the time and this is what you're going to get and when I get the information it goes right out because I don't filter it unless it's protected by the attorney in law just for seriousness there so that's part of the conversation that needs to go on here today when would we get that information it is uh too soon if it's only two weeks ahead of time and if principles are getting the heads up there's a leak somewhere because the community is still calling me so that's my angst today and I just had to be honest with you for that because I need to be able to help each one of you maintain your integrity just like I want to maintain mine and the superintendent and our staff so we got to be on the same page is it 40 60 schools is it even possible to go through boundary processes registration we've already had open houses magnet programs so it needs all those ideas and parameters have to be uh figured into all this so I guess I'm I'm a little V let's just say that all right Mrs fam okay thank you um it is a really difficult position to be put in but it can't be ignored and it's not going to go away on its own it's not going to fix itself um one of the things that I learned as an attorney is that um things can be front-end loaded and what I mean by front-end loaded it means where all the work is done up front and all the pain and suffering and the sweat is up front so really this is a situation what we're looking at now we can either attack um this is a problem in its entirety or we can do it peace meal and feel the pain for a longer period of time I think the community themselves they want to get on they want stability they don't want to have to worry each year is my school going to be one of the next ones on the list so I I think looking at the entire problem instead of trying to fix here and there a little little bit there and is um it's going to drive more and more students and parents out of the district in addition one of the things um someone just text me and um they U they said the schools are the heartbeat maybe but the community isn't sending the children anymore and this is obvious so we as a school district have to look at where are we failing there's something going on here are these people um they're not just up and pulling their their children out because they're relocating but they're choosing other schools and yet we're glossing over that and when it's not being addressed and until that time that it is addressed there is no need to increase schools and we'll probably keep dwindling from the phone calls I get from parents because they're getting more and more angry and upset and feel lack of the the lack of respect and they they don't want to stay so until we change our image and how we respect parents their entitlement to information how we treat them um when there's an emergency allowing them to know what's going on so they that information is communicated they're not going to they're not going to stay so what I recommend and and I believe Dr Lata the the approach is is to take it head on take the bull by the horns and let's be transparent up front that's not make these people bleed longer than they would they have to and say this is what we're looking at and take a firm fair and consistent approach it's got to be that way we can't discriminate we can't uh be arbitrary we have to say this is what we're doing this is what we've done across the board and and this is how this has to be addressed so I thank you Mr Austin thank you madam chair so let me try to bring this backwards because I think U I'm want to add another piece of humor here uh I think I was told at the start of this meeting if something is not on the agenda we can't talk about it but we've been talking about repurposing for the last 30 minutes uh but no one stopped me no no no I'm not talking no I got it right no one stopped me right uh the two people to my left uh didn't stop the conversation so I'm assuming this is okay because both a workshop and a special meeting are both public meetings um so I appreciate this conversation on repurposing um but let me just actually just make kind of two observations and Miss Rupert again I'm calling your name again you just highlighted uh really the point that no one wants to talk about it takes five votes and it's a political decision that this board is going to have to make right um so you are 100% correct and I think everyone knows um that you know that is the case it will take five votes uh to pass whatever it is um next Point um Mr superintendent another kind of Fair Point as we're talking strategy here um let me let me let me preface by saying I agreed with your comment in the newspaper okay your comment in the newspaper I think was high schools should be off the list you made that statement regarding repurposing okay I got it well this my word I'm I'm rephrasing the strategy I read in the newspaper okay we should be talking about it right here I shouldn't have to hear that or read that in the newspaper that's kind of the other point I want to make because to your point or different points I have not other than just like Dr Zeman yes I have a thought on what I believe the number should be we're all waiting on the data but I think we're trying to wait because I've been asking the strategy the criteria all the same things we're talking about so what I don't want to do is you're sharing a strategy that really nine people haven't said yes or no to okay right so whether I may personally agree that yes high school should be off the table by you saying that you now have put nine people in a position that either has to say yes yes or no but I thought we were told that's going to happen in June right no I don't I'm just right so that's just an observation let me bring it back home Madam chair because I thought we were talking about facilities and repurposing why are we allocating funds today this is where I want to start the conversation because that's what this now that I can talk about this PowerPoint I think I can talk about it now right why are we allocating funds today when we just spent 30 minutes and I disagree with this approach as well uh where you have said and the board has said hey don't touch property until June now you're saying well we can allocate you know several schools but we're still repurposing right if the intent is pause everything right just stop dropping pause that's essentially what it sounds like we're saying right if we're going to stop dropping pause then let's do that but we have not said that and that's what that is not what this PowerPoint is presented as this PowerPoint is saying here are the here are the areas or schools that we're going to allocate today and we want the board to provide Direction I get it I've already we've already read the PowerPoint okay but that is counter to what this board just said at the last meeting right we want to pause we want to have a comprehensive conversation and debate about the way forward this is not comprehensive this is not the way forward because we said we want to talk about repurposing okay so that's how wanted to start the conversation 30 minutes ago when I was on a different PowerPoint that I just alluded to so if we're going to talk repurposing then we need to just go ahead and table this conversation I'm Sorry Miss Rupert I'm sorry madam chair right because there are only certain schools that are listed in here that I think may have a dollar impact I asked the same question at our December Workshop right I think we went through Madam CFO there was numbers and then superintendent thought we all heard something different you we went everyone responded differently there was a yes this amount is in no this amount is out yes a city will do it no a city won't Whatever it is there's some money that we're being asked to do today so if we're repurposing and this District's position is stop drop and we're going to repurpose from now to June let's table this conversation Madam chair we don't have to start the conversation now if you're telling me the district's position has changed in seven days let's say it right now because 7even days ago the position of this district and board was to pause no land CES because we're waiting on redistricting no procurements no Services we're waiting on repurposing so Madame chair I love for the superintendent to provide his perspective on if we are pausing all things in Broward schools to wait on repurposing to come from on high that's what I understood last last week Dr L thank you sir um these are the items and we I don't I don't know if the wording is exactly right um that pause on all items I I didn't ascertain that but maybe it was uh but these are the items that are just lingering and these are the items that we either have to do something with or not some of them are zeros some of them are already allocated monies and do we want to put more into it but this is I need direction on this and if we are we are but if I'm going to go forward with it I'm going to go forward with it uh with with direction from the nine nine Folks up here that's why this is here and it's not about asking uh you know for money it's about asking do we do it that's really what I think it's two different perspectives uh if if we're asking to do it this is what it's going to cost to do it asking for money is different I think in in my eyes maybe maybe I'm wrong but there's a couple items on here that are more of updates what's going on with it there a couple items that uh we know that have been lingering for you know four or five years easy that we we have to figure out what we're going to do with it and there's an item on here that's really um intriguing that I can't talk too much about but I think it was uh brought to me to continue to work on uh and then there's an item at the end that has been lingering for three to four years about the DEA and hard of hearing so this is more or less to put this to rest do we make a decision to go forward with it because it's going to cost this much money or we go forward with it what the number is at it as it was and was it as it was designated long before here so there are some really good updates here but there are some questions do I go forward with it or do I go forward with more money uh those or just don't do anything at all so that's really where we stand uh this has been lingering again for many years but I do there are some really good updates as well uh so that's really where we're coming from and and all right and that and that pretty much uh and it shouldn't be long but I know it does set itself up for what's the future and how we move forward so I appreciate your your your frame because you framed it nicely and wide so I appreciate that it was framed that way for me last week in a vote by this board so Madam chair what I'd like to propose is that we have no conversations about allocating uh additional funds um because I thought we said that we don't know if Coral Glades deerf Beach Elementary markm Elementary or any other school may be a part of the repurposing plan so it will be counter right since we don't we don't know schools I'm making a point the point is we know no schools that's a part of repurposing that's coming March 12th why would this board today on February whatever today is allocate millions of dollars to come back to the board when we haven't made a decision so in that spirit in that vein I think we need to pause allocating any resources to any school until that conversation starts secondly this is not a countywide comprehensive what we need for all of our schools the same as I said at the December 12th Workshop I know it vividly repeated it again weeks later in January when folks I think heard me then I'm repeating it again now that we're in February this is not a comprehensive plan so my also recommendation is again for the third month in a row that there should be a very clear strategy PowerPoint booklet you figure out the tactics on let's identify all schools across this County what are the needs and where should we as a board allocate those pending available resources I thought we were very clear about that weeks ago that's where I'm at I don't even need to start the presentation here anything about allocation of resources we can talk updates I support that but we're going to do exactly counter to what we just say we were not going to do so let's see Dr Zan I I I I I would um what like to say it back to you in a slightly different this presentation then would be received for information only not for decisions we could hear what the update is and then we could just move on to the next agenda item so I I love the idea of taking a brief that's just for information only I also believe that at Workshop we ought not to be making decisions about the budget that should be at a Schoolboard meeting in an item um and so if we could take this for information only and hear the staff's work on this so that the public and all of us are up to date on these five uh I think that make great sense and it would allow us to get to the next item mam chair I agree but in defense and I don't share this view of the two board members in their schools right I'm sure they will their perspective and I don't speak for them is this has been on our Workshop this is now how many workshops have we had just in months just with these same three schools on it many I'm tired of seeing these I love all your schools we love all schools you like you guys love workshops this is the third or fourth workshop with three schools that we're talking about again come on right whatever okay so we've all read the PowerPoint presentation if this is for information only um what I would suggest to the superintendent if there is any action that needs to be taken on any of these schools that you need to bring into a board meeting so the can vote on it everyone good yep all right let's move forward to the next item Human Resources guidelines public comment ah sorry sorry okay public comment yes Madam chair we have um three individuals signed up for this item we have Dr Natalie Lynch Walsh Mrs Kimberly Burke mohorn and Mr vente thrower I'm yelling my time over good afternoon uh you want to clarify who you're giving it to I'm I'm still at 3 minutes microphone 6 minutes 6 minutes okay someone gave her time yes six minutes minutes all right thank you Dr Natalie Lynch Walsh Plantation Florida okay um just to review so 10 years ago we had a bond that got put on the ballot too fast and that's the whole reason for today's painful discussions because no analysis was done nothing subsid of and the ask was for probably a third of what it should have been so all of the comprehensive discussions which there is no way two new PE three new people including a superintendent are going to bring you a comprehensive plan by March or even June there's too many moving parts it ain't happening these are all things that the facili task force you can go back and check but we've been jumping up and down about all of this stuff for 10 years and some schools uh more recently so on today and I actually agree with Mr alon's logic because there are items on here but it's not comprehensive I can't see any reason you would close Markham but remember the thing with Markham is that the removed board did approve a new building but didn't fund a new building then some Shenanigans went on on the mutually separated superintendent where the classroom sizes were shrunk to lower than sref but now we've got the oig breathing down our neck so so suddenly we're amenable to making the classroom sizes uh the right size so that we can say that we are following srf and state statutes and the culture is changing but I have emails that show that the plan under this superintendent was still to give Markham itty bitty classrooms and then the way that this is phrased to tell you it'll be up to a year delay well yeah because everybody's been I I you know what I don't have a civil word to use but um has been messing around with the sizes of Markham classrooms for about almost 2 years is when they first started to shrink you've got Deerfield Beach Elementary that poor building building one used to have a budget but they sat on it for probably 10 years Coral Glades finally getting an auditorium there's a a cost increase there Markham Stranahan cafeteria don't get me started you're not going to close Rick record you're giving them a new building not going to close Northeast they got a new building so the 56 million in capital reserves if you peace meal I mean there are projects that absolutely should be moving forward you can't approve them at a workshop you can at a meeting um and there used to be a capital unallocated capital reserve of about 50 million 10 years ago for rainy day so if you get rid of the 56 million and we get hit with a catastrophic hurricane good luck [Music] um let's see long range facility master plan steering committee which we think is meeting on the 19th right before the board Workshop there's a list of things that have been asked for for the better part of a year demographics enrollment by Taz enrollment by municipality enrollment and capacity data including those who are residing and and and attending the students that live in Bound but not attending reassignments by School magnet programs enrollment and costs Innovative programs Transportation School leadership and uh operating costs by school so that we have a complete clear picture of where things stand something that didn't happen 10 years ago and I am not at all confident that it'll happen this time around at least not the way I would Envision it administrative space before you talk repurposing we are over by at least 250,000 in administrative space so you the state there's a ratio that's supposed to happen there you need to be reducing administrative space brow Estates Northfork the smart programs are on hold Plantation I don't get Plantation very riled up every now and again but I heard a rumor that they're going to try to reduce the seats at Plantation High by putting in administrative space ah ah ah because then you leave half of Plantation who isn't attending middle and high with nowhere to go but to continue you doing reassignments do people want to do that no but you'd have to ask the people implantation that let's see and Central Park Elementary one of the biggest elementary schools is now at half of what it used to be um and now getting to related since none of these projects are running themselves the contract with aeom getting rid of the program director would mean you have to amend the contract because there are two Provisions that were built after the last coup where the program director was kicked to the curve behind closed doors now you can't do that but article 6.2.1 and 6.2 I mean 6.3.4 speak to the program director and Leadership so while there should be a transition plan for the last year and bringing it in house was absolutely the goal I don't know how you do that by July without amending the contract but admittedly if you have 0.25 of a program director the subs cannot legally be running the program much as they might like to but they didn't go through the competitive NE uh selection process so that you cannot have a contract with the subs I don't care how many checks they write so you need to look at who's actually running the program and then decide if to save the money you're going to amend the contract because I don't know legally how else you do that but um I agree as much as I want to see Markham done this needs to be done right and maybe the answer is a whole new school thank you so much any other public speakers good afternoon Kimberly Berg mohorn um Margate um just just listening to um everyone speak on the dice I would just wanted to um talk about the process and how we have been waiting for at least 12 years to get a Markham and then to have this conversation about repurposing I think that the conversation needs to be had beforehand because there's going to it's going to take money for Markham and looking at the increases on on the um the presentation 42 million why not build a new school why not build a a new school um Pomo is growing pompo is not one of the ones that are you know decreasing as far as birth rates it's it's not you know it's not one of the ones that should be but we know that um we're always a Target um blanch elely should not and I don't know who actually made up the list blanch elely should not be on the list um you need to make sure that you go in those classrooms to see if they need to be repurposed because we've done Renovations and they're no longer classrooms but they're still on the list as classrooms so these are the things that need to be done um also to make sure that you're making the the right decisions when it comes to these schools back to mark them we need to make sure that those children are not in portables for four years four to five years um their whole Elementary um experience should not be an aort aable so when you're making these decisions and the decision makers make sure that you are actually um not um taken away from the fact that the experience of the children are important and that we need to make decisions and make them um quickly and I what I mean by quickly meaning don't don't hold to the last minute and then all of a sudden you want to make all these different decisions at one time I think you should break it down to areas in we have a big County you can't do it all at once so let's start with the South and the central the north whatever you need to do but make sure that there's a strategic plan to make sure that these children do not have to suffer um for a long period of time thank you thank you m seon thank you I just had a couple couple of points um you know I've been going around the county and everyone seems to think that there's a list of 67 schools that are going to be closed and it's I think it's important we reiterate that list was just a list of schools that meet criteria for being under enrolled at this time you know as I go around I try to to tell people we as a board gave direction to the superintendent to do at least five and and he's going to bring us the list of of what he his suggestions are and we as a board are going to vote on that but I don't think it's incom it's not right for us as individual board members to go to cities and tell them we know what schools are going to be closed because that's not true and there's an issue with that because there's all that's part of the mistrust so as a board member I would like to ask my colleagues to just have the same message that at least five it may be more but at least five coming to us and we're going to vote on that together as a board that there is no list because it's very confusing to people and it also adds to that mistrust because I then they think I just don't know what I'm talking about which could be true because I'm on the C team but um I you know I uh I don't know that it is true I don't think that there is truly a list yet and I think it's important that we have the same message as we go out talking to um our constituents because it's confusing them and you are all districted board members two of us are countywide and we should have the same message and I don't think that that message is coming across to them very clear and I would you know on the items that we have in front of us we have some things that have already started in construction so I don't think that we can say we're we're pausing on them because they're already in construction and I believe last week we were just saying it doesn't make sense to to look at land sales when we're not looking at a bigger picture I personally wasn't under the impression that we weren't going to move forward with things that we had already approved but there's also confusion on long range facilities planning and where redefining the district Falls in that and we started a long range facilities planning a little while ago we had a big meeting well whether it was great or not doesn't matter but and we spent money with aeom trying to make a framework for that so you think redefining false within that and there's I there's just a lot of pieces I we have to as a district do a better job of putting those pieces together where they make sense because right now they are lots of different pieces and it seems like they're different things but they're not it's a long-term facilities plan that has redefining within it and we have to be cognizant of what we've already approved and not make those communities think that we're going to rig on what we've promised them because we have promised it and we need to make sure we move forward so I agree none of this should be voted on it goes forward but there's nothing in this presentation that we as a board have not already approved except for if there's additions but we've everything on this PowerPoint were things we've already whether it was this board or a prior board have already we're moving forward with so that's my remind I mean that's what I remember so um I appreciate that we are not voting on anything today but I don't want anyone to leave or get the impression in the public that anything on here was something we didn't already agree on because we did so thank you thank you and just do your appointment six as far as uh board members saying if a school they don't you don't have the power as one board member to say whether even if a school was closing or not closing that's a conversation that this board is going to be voting on Mr Aus I just have a question just so at least I'm clear let me be clear about my comment the board has had multiple workshops on three schools in the past several weeks in the past several months where we started to understand the cost if we did just those three schools that's where the conversation started in December there has been no board action or Mr superintendent Deputy superintendent CFO correct me if I'm wrong where this board to your point Madam Vice chair has agreed to anything since December we've in been in a workshop setting just having conversation including right now that was my point six Madam chair if you can speak to that because if I'm not mistaken we did take board action on Stranahan there's a cafeteria being built and this is a construction update Rickers we agreed to the new building and that building is in construction this is an update Markham we agreed on a new building I don't I see there's like increases there so that's not something to discuss today I think you were just updating us on what is moving forward Deerfield Beach Elementary money was definitely put in there but we're not sure where that has landed because then the money got pulled out Coral Glades be approved in the dfp in the Deen heart of hearings of project that's been moving forward so as far as I understand everything in here we have had board action on Madam chair do I still have the floor I know you're responding to me are you done Mr if if the superintendent could address is that is that a true statement because maybe I misunder go ahead Dr L yes uh all those on there are items many of them are very old and yes they are all items that were taken on board action um most of it that was was an update but I worked towards the pleasure of the board okay wait wait I'm sorry madam chair Charleston so let's delineate I agree with half of your statement Madam Vice chair the other half I don't agree with the board took no action on Coral Glades in a board meeting the board took no action on Deerfield in a board meeting the board took no action on Markham in a board meeting we've had several workshops where numbers have come up we started with one number ended with a number everyone forgot about the number right so that's what I'm referring to on these three ongoing facility project schools we have not taken any board action on those three schools and Dr latus that speak to that yeah I I I and maybe we're getting lost in semantics on it but this maybe I'm getting lost in it um I don't know if this board took action on all of those I know a board but I know staff has some response to that with some historical perspective on on these items okay so before respectfully because I want to make sure we're going to start from the same place the capital reserve so if I need to get out my pencil again I'll do it I thought we said the capital reserve number back in December was 56 something million back in December no am I wrong I'm wrong okay I'll pause tell me I'm wrong Miss morte thank you superintendent in December the capital reserve was 57 okay Y and as of last board meeting on the 21st it is 56 understood so my I'm going to get I need a Sharpie so I can take 700,000 off of this okay understood I also understood in December when we went school by school I asked the question to go school by school to understand what the impact was and I think we ended up at 7.5 million if we did all three schools then in that same conversation the superintendent said well well well we're not going to touch one school there is one specific City or partnership that will handle the one school we had that conversation in a public Workshop I don't recall any budget amendment coming back I don't recall the board taking action on that because we've had now the third conversation on three schools I'm not talking about rickets I'm not talking about strand ofan these are the three schools I'm referring to so now that we're on the same page if the board has taken action Madam CFO when did those amendments come to the board for board action on Coral Glades Deerfield and Markham that's just a question to the superintendent Dr L Miss Marte thank you Dr Lata the short answer um sir is that the additional funding for Coral Glades and Markham has has not been acted on by the board nor has funding for Deerfield Beach Elementary now that we're on the same page so if the board has taken no action Mr superintendent Vice chair want to make sure we're on the same page here because this was your comment the original starting place of my comment was we need to have a full conversation about all schools and Facilities I said that in December one of the board members said the same thing that's Point number one the second point there were several board members and we debated on the dollar amounts I think if we utilize all the staff projected expenses or cost for these three schools I think we landed at 7.5 million if I recall somewhere in there we went from 7.5 to 8.5 wherever I got it whatever the number is it's less okay oh less okay well well more Monopoly money so that's where we started so if we're going to have the conversation today Madam chair let's be clear you want to give direction if you want to give directions five people up here I guess in a public Workshop or you want a poll do it but we have not given Direction on three schools that's how the December conversation started because I came to the aid of another board member and got chastized for doing it in a very public place not true so I just want to be clear now no one remembers Dr Zan thanks so much uh um I think a couple minutes ago we talked about going through this for 5 minutes just for informational purposes to let the staff uh talk to us about these things um it's clear that the board at some point approved these projects to get started uh and this is just more information about these these projects which I think us and the public uh deserves to know uh and I accept uh that you've said that this is for informational purposes only and I look forward to hearing from the Pres presenters thank you so I would just say again Dr Lata if there's any action that this Board needs to take to move the coral Glades High School auditorium Markham and Deerfield forward then please I said Markham yeah to bring it forward to a board meeting so this board can vote on them thank you okay moving forward we have the human resources guidelines compensation conversation Dr L my team is moving forward um I'd rather if if possible Mr Aero could your team come to the front it gets a little awkward from up here to dodge some faces and such Madam chair point of clarification we lost our court reporter where where's our person take a minutes Dr L we have Miss Dr wanza we have never taken official minutes at Workshop that's been a standard practice for there are summaries of Act of you know summaries of the workshops but there there's never been official minutes of workshops taken okay thank you been Dr wo when they're set please introduce the team good afternoon Schoolboard members again um to our uh P constituents and the public who are watching before us today are our chief people officer Mr azero and from the human resources and Equity division we have Miss Debbie Anne Scott who's the director of compensation and hris we we have Miss Susan rockan who's executive director I forget your new titler but she's now an executive director and we have Mr Eric Chisum who is the director of talent acquisition and operations non-instructional and they'll walk us through um the brief presentation and Madam shair just for the record we do have public uh speakers who signed up Mr azero thank you Dr wanza are we doing public speakers first for presentation all right board members good afternoon David azero Chief people officer uh happy today to come and talk to you about our compensation guidelines we spoke back in December we talked to you guys oneon-one to kind of get a consensus of what you would like to have us discuss uh the overall consensus was how do we determine a salary when we make a hire whether we hire from outside or promoting from within how is that salary determined and so we put our information together a quick presentation um you guys have seen the slides for a little bit and then we'll have some question and answers so on slide three just to touch really quick on that bottom bullet so besides the teach except for the teachers and school-based administrators that are assigned to the pay for performance pay schedule the district does not differentiate pay based on performance contributions so that's only on the teachers and the school-based administrator that are on the pay for performance salary schedule slide four just going to talk about those bottom three bullets really quick how is pay determined so for our groups that are on a collective bargaining agreement so the pay recommendations for those employees are determined in accordance with that documented approved negotiated language that's outlined in those agreements so as employees are hired what is determined already what is laid out into the uh the agreement that's how we determine what their initial salary is going to be for the Mee and confers which is our bpaa which is our principles and assistant principles esmad which is all of our directors managers executive directors uh and Copa which is our confidential office employees uh that's based on the market analysis internal position comparison qualifications and experience under certain circumstances the superintendent May recommend an exception to the contract or policy and request approval for higher salary or step placement when warranted by individual skills or supported by business needs so the next slides 5 six all the way up through I believe 10 just breaks those down by each slide 5 through n just breaks down each group by their bargaining agreement language or what's in our handbook on our esab bpaa and Copa employees so that's kind of specific for each group so going to slide 10 I'm gonna hand it off to miss Scott thank you thank you good afternoon Debbie and Scott director of compensation and HR Support Services um I just want to start off by saying that the primary objective of this presentation is to provide the mythology behind determined salary place ments the compensation department operates on principles of full transparency and fairness to both internal and external employees the process ensures that employees are treated fairly and as an organization we strive to provide our employees with competitive pay programs in order to recruit attract retain and reward them acknowledging challenges such as disparities and laging increases um is a big problem in fostering in a comprehensive comprehensive understanding of the salary determination process and our ongoing efforts to address these issues so if we look at slide 10 I went ahead and prepared a five-year pay increase comparison um with our neighboring district and the federal government and as you can see we are kind of lagging a little bit um Over The Last 5 Years um with our neighbor and districts um in 2019 we gave about a 2 % increase whereas Miami day did a 3% increase the federal government um was about a 1.4 and Palm Beach was a 3% so this kind of gives an overview that operationally what has led to some PID disparities is the lack of increases over the years the increases that the district provided in recent years were not enough to Brak the pay gaps that we are seeing and that leads into slide 11 all right thank you so we asked there was um a couple of you guys asked about specific position so we wanted to find one that we could use as a comparison as an example so with what we did is looking at slide 11 this is a an example so budget analyst five position and so what we did is we looked at current employe in there and let's say there was a vacancy and we were hiring somebody from the outside what would be that offer so you can see it's kind of in the middle of the page the market the company average is 87.1 th000 the market value the market salary for that position we're about 24,000 below the market most many let me say many of our positions within education are below what the market offers this position however is $24,000 kind of below the market um so if somebody was coming in and up there in the wording it talks about somebody with the same amount of experience um if they had an average of 24 years experience the salary recommendation for this person coming in would be between 84,000 and 87,000 to maintain internal Equity however because of that previous slide where we have not necessarily maintained what the Market's doing the person may be asking for 95 100,000 things of that you know as high as 100,000 and that might be what the Market's going for so in this example it may be necessary to offer above the recommendation of 84 to 87 to make sure we're we're acquiring the best and brightest that are out there another this position may be open for a year we haven't found anybody they may have made decisions to try to hire somebody and made an offer of 84 and the person turned it down so there's a lot of factors that go into it to where we get to some of our hires compensation may be has their recommendation but there are some instances where we do need to go a little bit higher to make sure we're acquiring that person so just a little example of what the market does what we use to um determine what our salaries and sometimes that we do need to go above that and that is it for us thank you public comment yes Madam chair we have um Teresa Coleman Raquel Bell they probably come is someone yielding time with Teresa Coleman okay so Rael Bell you're yielding your time please speak to them in the microphone thank you chair good after Mrs Bell you're yielding please say it into the microphone your name and my name is Rael Bell and you're giving your time and I'm giving my time over to Teresa thank you thank you six minutes thank you madam chair good afternoon my name is Teresa Coleman for the record even though I'm wearing my badge I have taken time off to be here today I have been employed with the district for a little over 24 years and 20 of those have been in the risk management department for those of you who know me you know I am usually never at a loss for words however to stay on track here today I have prepared a speech for more than a year I have been voicing concerns over the disparity and inequity in pay and improper job descriptions for not only myself but for others in my department and throughout throughout the district we have submitted requests for salary reviews job studies Etc through the compensation Department we were informed any changes would require funding where would we get that funding our budgets have been reduced drastically over the last few years and as was just discussed in the previous presentation we are low on funds in our department alone we have staff with 20 plus years in the district that make considerably less than those that have been in the district for less than 10 years they have the same job titles same basic job descriptions and duties and yet those with more years of experience are making less I'm sure this is an issue in other departments and areas as well we frequently hear if you leave and come back you can make more be thankful you have a job or there is no funding I truly enjoy my job and don't feel I should have to look for another position to be compensated fairly longevity employees are important to the function of the district we have historical knowledge and have withstood all the bumps turns and obstacles and are dedicated to lose longevity employees because we cannot ensure Fair compensation would surely cause repercussions we always hear about the teachers and how they cannot make ends meet and they are struggling to survive what makes you think any of us are any different don't get me wrong teachers are definitely important but what about custodians Food Service bus drivers admin support and countless others without those staff members the district would cease to run and would never achieve an a rating staff members feel undervalued underappreciated and undercompensated the morale at this point in time is truly horrible everything is on the rise except for our pay gas home insurance property taxes and groceries have all skyrocketed in October 2023 the Consumer Price Index was up 18.7% compared to February of 2020 and groceries have risen by 23% however we have received minimal increases over the last several years granted if you make 100,000 a year and you receive a 2% increase that's $2,000 probably would cover your gas to get to and from work however if you make 50,000 a year that's only a th wouldn't cover my gas the District tried doing a percentage increase based on seniority to bridge the gap in some of the pay inequity for Copa members it is appreciated but it's too little too late as the Gap was much wider than a percent or two I was told the committee has been formed to review the inequity and disparity throughout the district however the committee as I've been told consists of Chiefs and a director don't you think other staff members below those positions could provide valuable feedback I encourage you to take a look at the monthly employee report that is produced as a public record it can be sorted by job title years in the district and salary it's quite eye openening please feel free to do a public records request I look forward to something changing in the very near future and I thank you for your time thank you any other public comment yes Madam chair we have Mr Peter tingum Dr Natalie Lynch Walsh and then when a Podium becomes available Miss Dorothy Davis thank you for this opportunity to speak to this issue chair Schoolboard members Dr L I am been long-term employee who retired a few years ago and my first job at pompo beach junior high school with a master's degree in two years experience was $7,150 yearly pay at that same time I also had a student he wasn't in my class but Mr vnova was a was a student at pompo at that time most of you know him I'm sure this selary inity compensation is a difficult issue to stand I appreciate the comments by Miss Fusco and Mr Alon about all employees being valuable the perception and I think in fact that a person who leaves the district and comes back in or an employee who comes from the outside gets more compensation than a person that has been loyal to the district I can cite several examples of people who have been here a long time working under class that should be paid more money the other thing I'd like to talk about is that esmap employees and I I forgot to mention that I'm the executive director of esab the administrative employees have not had opportunity to have any referendum dollars until this second time this is the first year and we're only in a one-year contract with that we would hope that you be consider that for the next 3 years for us that was the first significant raise that smap employees have received in a very long time if you go through that chart with that flat line on the bottom that's exactly where we have been over time with very little increase in celery and nothing really to the celery schedule itself I'd also like to point out that sometimes they change a job title and a person might receive a cut as as much as $4,000 yet that person is still doing the exact same job they're doing before the job title was changed I have met with Mr rero and he said we're going to review the celery handbook we also have people that have been promoted to a position and have received no additional compensation even though they were promoted to a position from another and as was mentioned earlier very eloquently by my PR preceding um speaker there are departments here where the same job title and yet in one Department they're paid about6 to $10,000 more than the other department Mr azero has tried to address that with some supplements to the other department but still the inequity exists and I guess the last thing I'd like to say is we need to retain our our employees who have institutional knowledge and I respectfully thank you thank you good afternoon microphone good afternoon Dr Natalie Lynch Walsh Plantation Florida um as someone who a frequent flyer of the public records request process I'm going to absolutely speak in favor of making sure any committee that's looking at job descriptions in that area because remember this is public records requests and I'm pretty sure that their titles do not include the words public records request coordinator Specialist or anything like that and I have heard complaints over the years um job studies that take forever to get done um people who are performing functions that are way outside of their job description but they're never put into a position with a job description that reflects and the pay the compensation that reflects that so hopefully um and that this will be the start of that being fixed but just to remind you the board this board approved doing an audit of all things HR so the vision from the audit committee uh because they seem to be along for the ride is that we're going to have the Koso model and step one in terms of your internal controls and your framework and your system is recruiting highly qualified people and it's not just about compensation and it certainly isn't just about experience um in here the example they use with a budget analyst you have to look at the job descriptions that this District uses because we have mult a mult multitude of problems with job descriptions one is you have people doing things that are outside and then you have people that are maybe doing one thing in their job description and that would be fine if you pay them like say 1 12th of their pay but there are people that are doing half of their job description that get full pay that's not a very good use of taxpayer funds so the budget analysts I bring up because often these job descriptions have such vague education or experience requirements that literally you could have a degree in underwater basket weaving and end up auditing um internal funds or something that needs to be fixed we cannot have these vague job descriptions on P and that's the stuff that was on page 11 so please look at whether when you're saying that the budget analyst has paid less here are the job descriptions and other in the market are they more rigorous in terms of Ed education and experience requirements because it's not just about the number of years you could have been doing something for a number of years and not been doing it well I did find it interesting on page four there are two bullets uh about what pay recommendations are based on qualification experience in the last bullet under certain circumstances the superintendent May recommend an exception or a contract or policy based on things like individual skills or supported by business needs that's an interesting one cuz I've never seen that apply thank you thank you any other board uh public comment no misson thank you we still have Miss Davis sorry sorry good afternoon to the superintendent and board members uh thank you for this opportunity to speak I repres Dy Davis I represent the Copa uh group of employees and uh we are so happy that the board is taking a look at the compensation practices of the district as it relates to um groups that are not covered by bargaining units and Copa is one of those groups and we have been having some conversation with the HR department about our concerns uh as it relates to salary placements I think the district does a wonderful job of recruiting uh from the outside and it has been said that it is better to come from the outside um and we do struggle with employees feeling appreciated internally when they are they are being um promoted to positions uh there's a lot lot of distrust in the process as it relates to how their salaries are placed one of the big problems with Copa is that the salary schedule in in and of itself is not easy to um recognize when you are making movement on it with the quartiles that um the salary schedule is composed of the majority of the employees that are Copa stay in the first quartel for the duration of of their uh employment with the district so that in and of itself whether you are getting the annual increases or being promoted when you stay in the same area for the majority of your career it it it is hard on morale and it is it is difficult uh to see movement or appreciation for the work that the employees are doing one of the uh things that we've been meeting with HR about and uh we have progressively been going forward is the the criteria in which you use to make determinations about salary placements and I'm talking specifically about those that are being promoted within one of the big problems that we have uh seen is how how we count experience and I think Miss W uh made some references to the fact that the district historically have used placing people in job descriptions with no intentions of changing what they do for work assignments it's more of a um uh gratuity for putting you into a different position that mean I need to stop continue okay yes keep going if you need to I'm sorry okay so uh with that in mind when we use experience um in in to determine the salary a lot of the time we're finding that the experience that's being counted is not relevant to the job that you're being placed in point of of example if you have worked in the district for 20 years and I'm just going to stay in the clerical RAM and you have been a general clerk for 10 of those and you get promoted to a confidential position which I represent and you're going to become let's say a clerk Spec 3 which a reason which is a reasonably higher level job we have found in counting experience the person that's coming in the new person coming in being promoted the district is using the whole 10 years that they only did General clerk work and by doing so it sometimes places employees that have been doing the job very well for a long period of time at a disadvantage because you bring that person in over and above the salary of the person that has done the work grown in the district and is currently doing a a good job so these are the discussions that we are currently having right now with HR and um we want to get to a place where we have a salary schedule that employees can first understand and appreciate movement when the district is giving employees movement and we want to be at a place where when we are asked about the fairness of how the district implements salaries we're able to stand on that and say with confidence it is right it is correct and we are not at that point at this time so we while we appreciate meeting with the district and we continue we plan to continue to do so um it is very comforting for us today to know that the board also has concerns about the morale and the treatment of employees and I thank you for this time thank you any other public comment Dr wanza No Madam chair Mrs Hixon thank you and thank you um Mr azero and superintendent Lata for bringing this forward I'm pretty sure I've been bugging you about it for a little while um especially when we see the H items come forward forward because often we're seeing that people that are coming into the position are making more than people who are doing the job and it never made sense to me um and you know I appreciate the market analysis there but I also would point out that we are a nonprofit governmental entity and you can't really look at what the market pay is for a job and expect that you're going to make that same money in an educational um institution because we just don't have those same kind of funds but what happens is new people coming in because you want new blood that's what they're looking for and somehow that's what they end up making and you know we we had that issue upstairs when we had a new person come in they came in making more than someone had been there for 20 years and that was why I asked for us to be able to do this so I agree with all of the the public speakers that came thank you so much for coming to share what you um you know what you're experiencing because we're seeing that as well job descriptions that don't necessarily fit maybe were made so that someone could slide into somewhere else and we have I think a a long long history of that so I hope this is the beginning of us pulling that apart and making sure that we are paying our value employees what they're worth what we can afford in an equitable way so that there's not that animosity in in the building because that's what's happening is someone new comes in and you're causing this this whole animosity in that department and it makes it very hard for them to work in in a way I'm not saying you're not doing your job but you know in a way that makes it cohesive for us to be able to be moving forward and we do need not just teachers but the bus drivers and the risk management people that let us go on field trips thank you Teresa um and you know all of those different things to make sure that we are are providing our students with what they need so I I realize this is a first step but I really also want us to continue looking at this and seeing how it is that we maybe get rid of some of those job descriptions because we don't really have someone doing those jobs now um and cleaning all of it up and looking at how we do this pay equitably on budget of a government institution so thank you Miss rert thank you um kind of funny now that I just water on this but uh for for the employees who spoke up I'm going to read you what I had written across this last night which was this how about a hiring policy that you cannot hire anybody in that is paid more than that doing the same job that sits next to you I would like to see that policy because you know what when Mr fog and holy became a board member and I sat next to him at some point we kept switching around we make the same amount of money we work as hard as each other our job description is the same if that's what we have to do I think we need to do it this happens every single Department every single one it's truthful it it happens in clerical it happens at the warehouse it happens all the time and how would you feel as an employee sitting here and know I'm not on the timeout P table for people who keep asking me no just trying not to get Co anymore um so I'm sitting here doing my job here 12 years 14 whatever it is okay and then someone else comes next to me and they're paid $110,000 more than me and I went to college for mine I checked off every single part of the job description everything got your degree did this this and this so I'm meeting all these obligations Susie comes in from out of town Susie uh has a college degree but she's only worked for two years but somehow gets put on the H thing as an agenda and gets passed because of that item that I Believe Miss Walsh says the the one at the end where say ah it's up that evaluation I'm sorry but it's up to the superintendent to see if the job responsibilities and knowledge required to perform the job so there's always like an if right but we need to take a better look at that what I would love to see is I would rather have seen a chart showing not people's specifics I don't want names job categories and the percentage of people that came in from out of the district outside of even education and what they came in as how many years and what did they have in common with the people next to in them which guess by the way these people next to the new person have to basically take part of their time and help the the new person acclimate and that person still gets more money so I I have an issue with that I've had an issue with that since day one and I I don't believe we're showing our employees any sort of empathy compassion kindness It's been a tough tough tough I I I want to say decade but especially for this District it's been a tough last five six years and to have our people with their morale as low and I'm going to say this this is as low as I've ever seen morale and I say it and then I'm always stunned when you get the emails and you get the phone calls and you get people taking off from their job so they can come and speak at a school board meeting to talk with us so this board has heard you that's why we're having this conversation and that's how it started and I thank you for coming for saying for speaking up because there's so many people that will call and they they I say well can you give me a better example can I say that you can know they're too afraid of that so we have to be the bigger adults in the room and figuring out how to change this we need to change this we wouldn't have an employment problem definitely wouldn't have a a budget problem because people would stay and that's that's important historical knowledge is important but also family is important and if we're not showing that we're brard County SCH board with a heart then we're not doing our job so I thank you again employees I appreciate you we hear you and we're going to fix this okay thank you thank you Mr rert any other board member comments Dr fness thank you madam chair so I am in total agreement with board member Rupert um it's it's really disappointing to hear that um from the comments from the public that new employees coming in doing the same job as someone who's been here a long time getting a much higher pay I think that's just not right so um I I think this impacts internal cohesion among employees it impacts morale and it does impact um one one's perception of how we value employees so um I concur um with board member Rupert and I would love to see that we place a greater value on our long-term employees in terms of benefits and compensation and to make this Equitable to our new employees not sure what um measures to be taken if uh we need to look at job descriptions and if the if the pay for these existing employees is no longer at that rate then we need to either move those employees up or we need to reconsider how we pay our new employees coming in because um that does create a disparity in pay that will result in decreasing employee morale as well as impact the cohesion among employees in different departments thank you thank you Dr Seaman thanks so much chair on slide 10 uh there's a slide that seems to indicate that we gave a 0% raise to non-instructional staff this year um I'm curious if that's uh zero because we haven't settled with all of the non-instructional collective bargaining units that's correct Dr L sorry yes that is correct um okay I just don't want the public to think we gave a zero raise so this chart um possibly could have been uh constructed in a slightly different way that just said hey we're missing data from this year because we haven't settled yet but what it seems to show is that we gave a 0% raise now it looks two years before I joined the board was in fact the case that there are two years where non-instructional staff got a 0% raise um so can I just confirm that chair is that true staff yes that's correct B uh bonuses were given out not salary increases for non-instructional yeah terrific um uh thank you I just want to make sure that the Public's aware of that that we just haven't settled yet with non-instructional staff have we made a a public um offer to our non-instructional staff chair Dr Lan Mr EO yes the offer to FY are non-instructional was the 2% uh non-recurring bonus we have uh we're meeting with ESP and tsp which are part of BTU tomorrow and we've met with PBA as well and so with PBA was a 2% non recurring bonus thank you very much chair Fam thank you um it's it's true we hear this over and over and over again how inequitable our own system is at payment of our loyal employees it's really it's a sad State of Affairs and I'm going to address this question um I guess to the superintendent Lata and it can go from there but I want to know who is the individual that's responsible and oversees this in what departments and I want to know if we can have an act an action plan put into place where they have to come back to us within um the next Schoolboard meeting or two school board meetings with their proposed Solutions because it's we have to stop kicking the can as this board like s to use the term down the road nothing is changed nothing is happening so whose head is going to roll if this doesn't get implemented and changes get put into place Dr so the persons that responsible for this that have been actually very attentive to it and brought it to me immediately is uh Mr azero uh we both come from places that this is hard hard to understand so we uh have talked about it frequently uh Mr Aero has now been uh been reporting as part of the executive cabinet because what he does in this Arena as well as negotiations it's vital that he's there and this is one of the areas because we are not consistent and I don't I haven't heard anything wrong yet that has been said uh but this this will take time it also obviously take money but to analyze experience and what level of experience is the experience relevant the idea of bringing people in from the outside is very difficult too because if we're not matching Market standards we don't always get the positions filled either it's a complex problem but um I'm very confident because Mr azero has educated me a little bit on this as we go through and his team is Awesome by the way Mr azero do you want to see about talk about what uh Miss fam said and requested if I don't know if it's the full board that's requesting it but um what what she indicated to us yes sir thank you so the first thing is we're we're talking about very few positions we we hire thousands of teachers thousands of non instructional employees each year and the vast majority are hired within a range there aren't any issues a lot of it's dictated by bargaining agreements so we're really talking about a select few positions that sometimes somebody coming from outside may get more than the average of what somebody internally is making so I really want everybody to know that these guys look at everything they look at all the experience of a person they come up with the range and there are some sometimes s when for instance if we did put a policy I'm sorry M fam a second but I just wanted to answer miss m rert putting in like a handcuff about saying okay you can't come in if you don't make what everybody else makes then we may not be able to hire anybody for that position so sometimes there has to be you know you may have to go bit higher now the answer to that may be going back and looking at a salary review of everybody in that position and does the board want to talk about you know increasing that so there's ways to around it but again we're talking about a few positions um to look at most of our of our esma positions in our Copa um our bpaa our principles and and assistant principles are also uh dictated by the the meet and confer handbook but there's not really issues there because most of those are internal hires um but with esmap and Copa yes we we do need to take a look at of it we do want to have a a study uh a market study I do like Miss Rupert's idea of putting together a chart that we can work on it will take a little bit longer than one or two next meetings as we're we're getting ready right now to get into uh crazy hiring time and reappoint and a lot of other things but I can do a board followup with a timeline on when I can get back to you if that's okay with the board if I may respond um I've encountered it already several times and I haven't been with the school board that long the lady in the back is nodding no that's not true they see this all the time so we need to clarify I think so the record is clear is this happening on an ongoing basis or is this less than a handful because I think I can name a handful just on my hand more than a handful but it's less than I don't want to give a percent but it's a very small percent that we're talking about actually we'll do that and look at it and look at those positions because a lot of them we've already talked about as well as uh Mr jabo's positions as well everyone's been bringing these to try and level the field so um yes we can bring that back and show exactly how many it's it's not thousands but it's not five so it's somewhere in between there I will say so we're going to we're going to grab that and get that data uh it' be hard to figure it out right here in front of everyone but we'll get it for you can I do you mind if I ask what progress you've made since you've been here I mean you said this came to your attention immediately upon you coming what progress has been made there has been some uh recommendations over the last few months to go ahead and balance the salary of certain positions that were here uh but I was given uh sort of directionally uh sent to make sure we're not spending more money than than we're than we're taking away so everything that's been brought forward through this uh operations budget has been to decrease before we increase so we have not increased any we've been decreasing along the way so it's a give and take to in order to increase I have to decrease more than that because we're bringing everything budget neutral or budget negative so forth so far correct M Marte yes but we we've done a few of them just to keep solid super strong employees and we got to continue to do it too because folks that spoke are great people they really are good people allness thank you madam chair so with regards to the comments made by Mr azero um in regarding there might be a um a few um employees that this would relate to um so then um would it be possible that if we have an incoming employee since this is not um as you mentioned Mr AO a lot of people uh if we have an incoming employee getting um a higher pay than existing employees with the same job description doing the same work can this board um be provided with that knowledge and um with so therefore we can look at the option of increasing the the salary of the existing employees to match the incoming in person Dr so I just want to add to that um Dr Hixon um I mean um Hess I'm sorry um whenever we do get a a recommendation from Tao there's a full detailed rationale for every recommendation um the items that do come to you at the board sometime that's beyond our recommendation you might not see that you might not have knowledge of it but that's an agreement that was made outside by maybe the superintendent you know or or other management because of a hard to fill positions so you know when you see items come to the board it's not just compensation that's arbitrarily like given these you know salaries that's sometime it's beyond our control and whenever we do see that we do make a notation in the rationale that the department needs to review and do an audit for those employees so we do do the due diligence you know to get that information um to the department I understand but here's my concern the concern that was voiced by members of the audience is that the inequity in terms of pay for incoming employees as opposed to those doing the exact same job having the exact same job description is concerning to the public so as a board is it difficult to if you're presenting such employee to us to approve uh to also present information to say well this is above the pay for employees existing employees that we have doing the same job with the exact same job description so as a board having that information when we're voting on that item we can decide if we're going to also consider elevating the salary to match the incoming person madam chair thank you thank you for the question Dr hodess Eric Chisum director of town acquisition operations non-instructional we brought a great level of information to you this this afternoon so the apples and oranges uh the first part is some of what was discussed today was Mee and confer Copa employees no salary is presented to the school board for those clerical employees that specific information we calculate the years of experience and like for if they're in a department secretary we're just l in the years of experience and that person's name is just presented to the school board and is voted as a support position the administrative positions are the positions that are presented and it specifies the salary associated with it but we do do analysis on both of those employees Copa analysis will say what the internal people are making the people they are sitting next to uh we look at the years of experience Associated also years of experience as well as the number of years of experience they have with the district that's not how the salary is just determined specifically but it does come into play when compensation is looking at all of that but to really uh zoom in on your question you won't see specifically the Copa employees because a name is just presented to the school board but we do have the analysis okay we can provide the the analysis moving forward okay okay okay great uh so my comments is in uh regards to a job study I think that we should do a job study specifically for the public records employment uh the people that came I don't know if I'm saying their job title correctly but um I think it's important to add a respect for them the years of service that they've given this District to do the job study and then presented to the board and in time allow this board to do right by them so that's my my colleagues could weigh in on that if there Yes No Maybe So Miss tixon I agree with that I I have one more question and I don't know if it ties into this because it's the same question I have often I'll wait till they're paying attention um so every single board meeting School Board real regular school board meeting we get a list of people that are getting a pay increase of $88,000 $5,000 $112,000 in some instances and every time people tell me it's just a few people but it's a few people every meeting and that's in perpet perpetuity because whatever increase they're getting and when you have teachers who don't get because it's a job study or it's a whatever in the contract which I I know that you've tried to explain it to me but maybe it's just that I have a wall up I don't know but can whenever this comes back to us explain that I know it's in the contract because that's what you keep telling me so what what do we do about that because it's concerning to people who don't have it in their contract that you just automatically get this huge raise I've never seen any of them less than a couple of thousand a year and it's it's just frustrating to me and I'm not saying those people aren't valuable enough to get that but we have lots of other people who are just as valuable that never have that opportunity so when we're looking at Equity across the board that's really what what prompted me to ask you about this conversation and I don't see that in the discussion that we're having today so if we're going to have an additional discussion on this I would also like to bring that forward in is is that I'm guessing it's BTU so you know where is it in that contract and why is it only for a sprinkling of people and all these other people don't have those opportun I know we could not afford to do that for everyone so I I mean I'm not asking that per se but it's just it seems like there's a select View and sometimes it's like oh well we needed to bump them up because we want to keep them well $112,000 is a lot of bump so you know I um I still have the concern on that piece which was what initially prompted me to ask you for all of this than feel uh staff Mr rockan did you have something that you felt needed to respond or Miss Scot or Mr Chisum thank you Dr L thank you board um you saw us having low sign conversations and we were discussing sometimes um when we are offering salaries our hands are tied if you want to say by the collective bargaining group agreement and some of the collective bargaining agreements specifically you have a tsp one that handles some of the administrators it is very specific to what amounts are allowed to be given to external people as well as internal people so many times that is the group you may be hearing from too is that they're coming in um making more or less and that is because we are specifically tied to following the collective bargaining agreement in some of those situations so and then the other thing is exasperated as when we don't give raises it keeps our people at that same income so unless you get another job to be looked at again you're always going to just continually make the same salary that you started with five years ago 10 years whatever it depends on I would my my question would be then is I mean we we negotiate every year is it something that we can why are we not having the discussion on the whole contract and how we make that more Equitable it it's I know it's a big ask but I think it would be important moving forward to have a really solid discussion just on that piece in part of the negotiations so with that particular contract tsp Mr chisman just saying we've been working with them for four years on trying to change that language so it's two-sided thank you okay Miss rert thank you um I although I agree with you about bringing forward the um the public records employees um I really have to to talk for the other people that aren't available to sit in our audience today so I would personally like to to see it for the all the non-instructional their warehouse people wherever it would go because it is um it's in every corner of this building and of this wonderful big family that we are I hope and if I keep calling us a family I hope we'll be feeling and acting more like one and um protect ing our people as much as possible but um I would definitely and I don't want it to be longer I don't want this to be we're going to talk about it today we're very interested and then all of a sudden we're into the summer and then we're back and the school starts and it's just crazy busy so um I'm just one board member saying yes I agree with the non-instructional for the um public records but also for the other people and and tell me how many people that is I mean if it's like 7500 people that might be hard for you if it's 100 people less less hard uh or maybe it's 10 people it's hundreds of people thousands of people Dr wanza Mr Aero it's okay go ahead go ahead Miss Scott yeah it's it's it's going to be a lot of a lot of people and um my recommendation to um Miss as a reader I worked in the private sector and each year they were a benchmark survey for all employees right so they went through through all positions just to make sure they're in market with the industry and if they're not then there is an equity adjustment made to those employees that will cost the district um so if you know the recommendation could be that we can start out with the Copa group or you know and then each year we kind of chisle away at you know um the disparity um with with the different groups so was just a thought um I think that's really more of a superintendent and you know a direction from the board to the superintendent but to see how much staff can can handle but um I I'm thinking let give me a second about um well there has to be a database of let's just say it's thousands of people and what are their job titles what are their uh classifications how long they've been here and what are they paid and then I bet there's probably a database with uh Mr Chisum and he could tell us 45 people can and I'm making this number up people so don't don't don't quote me 45 people came into the warehouse I'm just using the warehouse and from outside to do the same position as these people and they they started at $10,000 more and I'm not saying that happened but that's the kind of information we're looking for because then it would have validity as to what the employees are feeling and bring scope and uh understanding for why we really need to tackle this and this is something that honestly we've talked about for years and uh it is time to take it off the talking about and uh put the feet in motion already because otherwise our employees are going to put their feet in motion and I don't want to see that happen so thank you thank you okay if we can just go around Dr holess you can weigh [Music] in on doing the job study with public records request sta positions and then in time continue to down the line as she so eloquently talks spoke yes okay Dr Zan Miss fam yes I stay in your microphone in your microphone please yeah I don't have any additional questions okay thank you no we're weighing we're weighing in on what we're talking about frankly I I want to see action before I weigh in I want to see what happens this has been a a long term issue and I want to see that this is about this is about taking to tell them to do a job study for Equity maybe an external job study but not from from internal because I don't see this is getting resolved I know no one no one has done anything it's so frustrating for the employees so um I know we do a lot of studies and if it's just going to be doing a study and dropping the ball then that's not Mak waste our money so I I want some kind of commitment backing up that action study that you know what I mean we're going to hire someone and we're going to do something about it not just look at it and say well that's nice you yeah at the end of the day it's us that have to take the action so they're going to do a job study bring us back to the board and the board makes the decision so I say yes I would like the data so that we can take action as soon as possible Mr vogol yes chair all across the board I think um like we have talked about it every position in this building you know we talked about the morale and it's like mxon said it's it's up to us so yes thank you Dr lot and staff repeat back their takeaways Dr lado will repeat back their takeaways uh Dr wanson I know you were in transition do they have the answers or do you have that answer so I'm sure staff has some we have some down here as well but there are a couple things um the there's the one that obviously the board just um weighed in on and that's around doing the um job study for not only the individuals in um the risk management office who came today but actually doing an equity study across um positions in the organization and then um as Miss Scott talked about looking at once we bring that data to the board then the board can make a determination on which jobs will be um done incrementally over the years to kind of correct the entire situation that's one um the second one there was conversation around um in the presentation itself the slide that speaks to um at least making it known that the zero for this year year is because we are still in conversation around um potential pay increases for the remaining labor groups and then Mr azero I think there may be one or two more that you all have down there so looking at the yes so the contract language with t with TSP we're going back to the table with them so looking at how we can address that language so it allows for more fairness in salaries and that is it I believe correct Miss Scott I think we are all we got them all covered correct okay board are we good with this good okay so because we're behind schedule I'd like to go to the our last item which is the Chief order selection process and then the board will have closed door Mr jaban are you ready to present Chief auditor selection that would be Mr yes I'm sorry it's fine sorry Mr exactly we almost there thank you Miss Scott just interesting data comes up just ran the auditor how many hits on our so Madam chair we have Mr azero um Miss rockan and Mr Chism here to um facilitate this conversation as all right thank you good afternoon Again David AO Chief people officer of M rocklan and Mr Chisum with me to discuss the chief auditor selection process so on slide three if they put it up you guys have it so just a quick updated timeline not much to update just that we we extended it the job advertisement it was going to be February 11th we had we moved it to February 18th so a total of 16 business days um we are now at thank you um just down by 227 so just just updating you on where we're at so with the job advertisement it ran from January 26 through February 18th and I'm going to ask Mr Chism to talk about the different sites that we advertised our different methods our reach out and um and take it from there absolutely Eric Chisum uh director of talent acquisition operations non-instructional I do want to share some exciting news that just came in we we received over 25,000 people that actually when we put this out now that says something good those were people who actually saw the advertisement not necessarily people who actually applied to the job so that's just letting you know the reach is definitely out there in addition to that uh we work closely with Mr Jabo to really look at uh Outlets that would really give us a great bang um the Florida government Officers Association information system audit National Association of construction Institute of internal Auditors of course the goun Council of great City Schools LinkedIn glass store American Institute of CPAs our reach was extended to all those organiz ation so that we can get the job out uh we worked very aggressively when we were here the last time to move it forward so we just wanted you to know that we were really aggressively working so when you think about some of the takeaway there was Investments and this work to move us forward to get a great pool of people but unfortunately at this point we have not seen that pool in addition to that we did some coold calls uh we actually pulled people who actually possess CPAs and directly sent the notification out to those individuals who had the Flor certification so that meant that they saw our advertisement we sent the link directly to them and then in addition to that we receiv received phone calls uh where people were who were out of state we clarified the need there specifically that they would need the Florida uh CPA uh one of the last things I wanted to point out around that in one of the conversations and Communications there were people who were looking and wanted to better understand the makeup the reporting relationship of who Chief auditor reported to that was pretty seamless to share with them they reported to the uh nine school board members and just give them a full appreciation of what the job really looked like this was definitely a collective effort uh and working with uh rockan who pushed out a lot of this 25,000 if you will uh getting that information out to the stakeholders and communities as well as uh working with the other agencies that we spoke on and they've continued to reach back out at to us to let us know hey do you want to extend your advertisement we have not extended the advertisement because we wanted to be uh before you today and with that unless someone else want to add something else I think that's what we have no I appreciate it so as he said so at this moment after the advertisement closed we had six candidates applied uh five candidates were not qualified they don't have a Florida CPA uh one candidate had the Florida CPA uh and technically qualified for the position so overall not a strong group of applicants um so we're here today to ask for some more Direction uh you have received some stuff from the committee that discusses Poss looking at the job description uh Outsourcing the uh the search Outsourcing the auditing function Al together so just wanted to kind of see what the board members what their take was I do want to say one thing though we one of the things that's been brought up is the screening of applicants and and honestly and I'll probably get torched on Thursday by the audit committee for this I do not agree with the audit committee screening resumés I I believe that's our ahr function myself and and these two next to me are highly capable of looking at résumés comparing it to a job description and determining who and who does not qualify for the position of Chief auditor once we've selected those and we've sent those to the board for this for for your discussion for your um you know looking it over how the audit committee is is included is is fine with me how you guys determine that there is a slide I'm sorry there is another slide on Sample interview so to say so once we've determined who is going to be the finalist if the board would like to have the audit committee do one-on-one inter you know sit with them and do one-on-one interviews have a panel as we did for the superintendent search um have the public interviews in front of the public like we did with the superintendent search wide open for all of that discussion okay thank you public comment yes Madam chair we have Dr Natalie Lynch good afternoon Dr Natalie Lynch Walsh audit committee chair um I appreciate that Mr azero um already knows what might be problematic but actually for the most part it does seem as though he's trying to avoid getting lit on fire by the audit committee because I see that under possible next steps the first thing revising the job description there's just no moving forward until that happens which then brings us to a task assignment that would probably be necessary because you can't get this done um before the chief auditor actually leaves and that was something that really should have been addressed at the front end so the audit committee recommendations were to stop the current process that's because of the job description we respectfully disagree that HR possesses the qualifications necessary it's not just about looking at a job description you have to know what all of those things mean and sometimes people put things on paper that sound good but don't necessarily mean anything um however I don't think the audit committee would be opposed once we provided input into the job description with an external firm that specializes in executive level um audit and accounting professionals doing the screening I'm sure that would be a compromise um but they were not willing to compromise on not being involved at the front end because if you don't have buyin at the front end if you don't revise the job description then what is the point of us interviewing people because we're going to be interviewing people that we disagree with how they got there so um please use that as a takeaway so one of the things was hiring a temporary external Chief auditor with extensive K to2 experience and big four other large accounting firm background that um government would also be uh relevant but just to look at the job description for Broward County minimum qualifications currently and earn bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in my favorite degree underwater basket weaving um a minimum of seven years of progressively more responsible experience and or training in the field related to the title good Lord you know what a door that opens when you say in the field related to the title of the position and by the way when we say an well this one does say an accredited institution not all of them say that a Florida certificate in public accounting given the Florida requirement that you have to have 150 hours I think that's still the rule it's hard to not have um a bachelor's and some Master's credits and have a Florida certificate but the audit committee disagreed that this was the hill to die over that's not a deal breaker because you can give someone from out of state who might have a wealth of experience they just haven't lived in Florida give them time to obtain the certification there was an overemphasis on construction if you look under preferred qualifications for this job currently and by the way it says Advanced degree again in in what food service anything random or maybe an accounting audit business a lot of accountants would get an MBA because having a master's and an undergrad graduate degree in accounting tends to be redundant um experience in one or more of the following facilities engineering architecture construction what is this position it's for the chief auditor so in contrast we looked at the job descriptions or we'll be looking at the job descriptions from Miami Dade Palm Beach is a little different because they have an inspector General so it's even more intense than the one from Miami Dade uh the one from Miami Dade let's see unless I closed it specifies an undergraduate degree in accounting and gets into very specific responsibilities that are consistent with the title um minimum qualifications they did want a CPA in the State of Florida again given where we are you might want to give them time minimum of 10 years progress IV ly responsible supervisory experience after obtaining degree in public accounting internal auditing or Finance with at least four years of senior level management experience after obtaining degree in financial auditing areas so they're more precise than our job description so that's step one and then step two is the job description needs to be revised the screening is important and um then I think that the interview process will fix itself thank you any other public comment no Madam chair for member comment Dr Zan yeah thanks very much I it seems like we've run into a a situation you know we we wanted to move very fast and because we wanted to move fast we used the existing job description without running it uh through us so it seems like that's obviously something we would like to do um the challenge is what are we going to do in the meantime right I mean no matter what if we uh decide to redo the job description that has to go to a school board meeting uh obviously then repost go back through the interview process if you don't mind chair do you know whether the other five applicants failed uh because of the CPA only or was that the only thing that limited them from being qualified Mr oero through the chair I can't get 100% on that once I saw that they did have the floorida CPA I didn't really go back through all of it okay terrific um but I it's okay I'm fine I think that the critical thing is to figure out kind of what does the plan B look like I love the idea of uh redoing this job description uh I believe that this job is about leadership more than about accounting this is about leading a staff of 30 plus people delegating staff assignments supervising their work uh supervising the work of contracted uh Auditors as well as the chief auditor will attest this is not an an internal auditing organization anyway often times we have this Peak load problem and we bring in CRI or other firms to um to to do the the work that they do so uh I would love to redo the job description that's something we could just uh say do that and then uh obviously repost uh I'm not in favor of uh advisory committees participating in our uh interview process for our three people that work for this board if we are not duly elected or appointed and qualified to pick someone to work directly for us then um then the system isn't kind of designed in the right way but since we're accountable to the public and to the voters for who we hire and the work that they do we have the the obligation I would say to hire those three people and to do it uh to the best of our ability I will invite experts in the field to join me uh to think a little bit about who the final candidates are so that we can make sure that we get the best choice but I I would love to redo the uh uh the job description and then uh repost and I think the rest of this we can decide at a later date Miss Hixon thank you um I agree that we need to look at the job description but I would also suggest we had a process for um hiring the superintendent and if we have three hires I think the process should look the same or similar very similar for the other two direct not that we're getting a new general counsel just in general whatever that process is we have three direct um reports so all of them should have a similar process um and if I'm not mistaken one of the process pieces of the process was to have um a community panel so um I would agree that we should continue to do that and that you know we I believe we picked the people that were on that panel so we want to pick the people that are on the the audit committee that would be that would make sense you Mr rert hold on Mr R Mr jabon you want to weigh in thank you very much Chair George jabon the current chief auditor um I I would recommend to the board to to uh as you update the job description to uh look into dropping the certified public accountant requirement or not make it a Florida certified public accountant requirement uh because it's the same test across the country it's just that the different states have certifications for them uh there are also certifications that you may want to have as optional such as a certified internal auditor uh could be something that uh they're very capable individuals that have those designations that you may want to have uh as far as the certifications are concerned thank you chair thank you Miss rert um thank you um Madam chair uh or through the superintendent when is the chief Auditor's last day remind me again Mr AO or Mr D um thank you chair um um the last day would be April 11th um I I do have um unused a vacation that I would need to take that would cause me to leave um at the end of March okay March 31st okay how how many board meetings do we have between now and uh end of March one but of course the one scheduled on um March 12th okay but as usual we could always do a special tag on with the workshops Etc um I agree with my colleagues that spoke already about red redoing the job description um I personally like the idea of um every stakeholder having an opportunity to speak um and give us their recommendations the audit committee has been around forever and that is the committee so having them screen the uh the applications I don't find that out of uh you know out of the norm for me but I I would ask the question as to um if they screen everybody out are we still given access to the resumés etc etc because just like we didn't like for our superintendent and our general counsel to only get from the head hunters the five people um you know what we picked sometimes somebody you know may not have clicked with the committee but all of a sudden we're like yes okay let's invite this person in let's have them come into person and speak to the public so they're I like the variety and as it goes back to kind of nodding with Dr Zan that we are the elected um people point two people elected people and we make the final decision so I don't know if that has the same capability right now or or or what maybe you can tell me how that works when it comes to the auditing committee because I think you said you don't have access to the the resumees or did we do oh okay no we're we we own the screening process for every position we you know we work with if it's a principal screening for a teacher or if it's a a director hiring a manager the the screening process all the resumes are coming through us that go out to the hiring manager overall so if somebody is screened out that should not have been it's on us it's not on the committee oh no no no I just wanted to know the process because you were saying you don't agree with the audit committee having a say so I was trying to figure out what was your what was your some either with screening just a screening process once we've said okay these are the 15 people that qualify that goes to you guys perfect okay so they can't screen anybody out no okay I I I guess your comment where you said you don't agree with the currently Mrs rer So currently Mrs Rupert right now currently the resumes come in through HR and Mr azero Miss rockan and Mr Chisum are the ones who are screening based on the current job board approved job description Mr aero's comment was right now that is where the screening ends it's not being sent out to the audit committee for secondary screening or things of that nature okay so he was saying that his in his professional opinion he wanted to keep it as it he want right but then but then we did provide a slide where the audit committee yes similar to what Mrs Hixon said is a part of the selection process to give feedback and it's a hybrid if you between the superintendent selection and the principal selection process so it's a hybrid of those two where the audit committee would definitely be involved once the board determines that these are the individuals that we're going to interview just like now when a ad is run for principal and it's screened as to who then the district has an interview and then they send you know individuals out to me with a stakeholder panel so if you use that process as the um analogy the audit committee would be the stakeholder panel to give the board feedback on the candidates under consideration okay I agree with that okay thank you and oh one more um and I'll I'll give you guys the name in a little bit but uh the National School Board Association we're not a part of them anymore so it's kosa I don't know if you knew that but it that is what took over and I think that would be a point that thank you kosa so I I I don't know if we've reached out to that or not but that would be obviously another um you know besides the Council of great City schools because I know before we used to send it to nsba can you say that again COA COA yeah okay okay I'm trying to look it up on fsba I'll tell you miss fam I thank you madam chair um I agree with Miss Hixon I really like the the community panel where we involved the community last time when we made the selection for the superintendent I disagree with Mr Zeman that um audit committee members that are appointed should be excluded from that function or or from participating in any way because I rely on my uh audit Committee Member to uh provide information and updates and to keep me enlightened um some of the things that I'd like to see in here is under the preferred qualifications and experience I would like to see forensic accounting experience if possible so um I I think it's invaluable I happen to be friends with someone that does forensic accounting for school districts unfortunately he's not interested but they are out there and they are experienced and they would be wonderful um in addition to that um the Florida certification we discussed whether or not you need that I would suggest a hybrid of the suggestions that were just made where I would say um a Florida certificate in public accounting or a commitment to obtain one within a year something like that because you don't know Florida law May differ from another State's law but if we have someone that's highly qualified and ready to Comm in give them that opportunity and and let them get that license within that year um in addition here you have computer skills are required I think um we should inquire to specific apps that we're using in programs so the adjustment would be much easier so if we can ascertain which equ which uh Computer Applications they've been working with and programs if um they're already experienced in that that would be a A plus for me if they're not experienced in that then I would want to know which one they had been using are they up to date are they current or are they more advanced it might be something we want to consider um also um Miss F you agree that we need to revise the job description oh gosh yeah just we're not doing that today I'm just making well actually we are we're making suggestions that's what we were talking about today we're supposed to brainstorm and put things out there this way they don't have to come back at the board meeting and we make it because you don't like no they do it's a process so can I finish or or are you cutting me off keep go okay okay thank you um I would also like to see and hear anything about any conflict of interest because I know in the fast we've had that where people have had involvement or U they're related um in some way so I think we need to bring that to the Forefront about a conflict of interest because if that's there you know that's a red mark and it's a big red mark it's a big red flag so um really there they're my strong points I have others but [Music] um I would also consider that you have the lack of specificity in the degree requirement I think you should have to have an accounting degree you need to put that not just a degree a business degree doesn't cut it that's not what we're looking for um I like the part that uh Miss uh Dr Lynch recommended in reference to uh overemphasis in and background in construction I think that's really relevant this is when where we've had the majority of our issues impacting millions and millions of dollars so that's something I would bring to the Forefront and emphasize and get that in there and um I'll let you do the rest but I think I hit some high notes that that will really help tailor this to our needs thank you thank you any other board member Dr Hess thank you mad chair so I do agree with um revising the job description um and also as was suggested I believe earlier to look at um different major districts maybe to north and south and others to see what their job description looks like I also uh appreciate recommendation of the current auditor uh in terms of the CPA being in any state as opposed to just being Florida specific um uh but I do believe that looking at the job description and revising it and comparing our job description to other major districts would be important so I have a couple of questions um considering that we have six applicants and only one seem to qualify um I guess um we have to give direction in terms of where we go from here but um the concern that I have is how will this impact us as a school district should we not have a hired applicant by the departure April end of March not April anymore uh by Mr jawin we're going to need to TK assign someone okay so I understand so is there anyone internally um within the the audit Department that could serve as this uh temper role um and I guess I would appreciate the input of the current auditor I would ask uh Mr azero to work with Mr jaban to decide who would be the most qualified to be tasked assigned and then present that to the board in a school board meeting okay and lastly Madam chair I fully support the involvement of the audit Committee in the um interview process when we do move forward perfect any other board member comments on this okay so I have um two comments or just thoughts want board to weigh in on one is uh would we want to to hire a a firm or I should say Mr fogan holy brought this up in one of our meetings with having firms kind of compete to produce applicants like in competitive way to this board and then we're paying them if they bring someone forward that that gets the position you know we've we've done we've tried right and now you know maybe we have to try something different and look at this differently um so one I want to see what the cost would be to do that and if the board would be open to that competing of firms to make a to bring someone competitively forward for us so that's that's my question or comment Dr Hess okay so um thank you for that Madam chair the question that I would have is do we have and I appreciate the prior suggestion when we were searching for a superintendent that uh board member fogan Hoy came up with although we didn't go in that direction but um the question that I have is um uh is there are there companies out there specifically uh just like we had before that that were geared toward finding a superintendent are there companies out there specifically geared toward finding Auditors for school district yes correct Mr ozero okay yes that's correct correct yes Dr Zan thanks so much chair Could you um uh tell me whether or not any member of the board or you have asked the current chief auditor his recommendations for moving forward no um would it be okay if we do that now sure Mr Jabo and how would you suggest that we proceed to find the world's greatest candidate to come behind you uh thank you through the chair uh thank you Dr Zan um I I would um I recommend that the board ensure that it is clear to the uncoming chief auditor as far as that that person reports to the board the the challenges in the position is is the different polls that that potential person who watches our um our meetings would feel coming into that um that person is getting hired for their judgment and the board I imagine would evaluate that person person on their judgment in in analyzing all the sources of information including the committee and uh and the public as well terrific and would it be advantageous to hire a search firm do you think for this particular job or or or our candidates not really swayed by that kind of approach I I don't think a search firm is is needed um so after college this is my fifth job and the industry through we are aware of the different openings around the country um and so it's really um I don't think a search firm will do much for you except that they can call people that have jobs already correct and then seek certain things out of them to get them to move out of their jobs to be able to to to make a job change that's mostly what the firms will do that they have their collection of inventory of people who they've worked with over the years they they'll call person a and said I have an opportunity here would you consider leaving your job for this one and so forth thank you very much CH okay we need to the weigh in and come to like you know or I mean can we do both can we are you know Mr arero you guys keep doing what you're doing and we get you know throw it out there it's the search firms uh Mr fog H thank you very much chair and I appreciate the uh suggestion of bringing that up again and my question to Mr azero through the chair is um what extent do we recruit do do we do those do do we like make those calls um simple LinkedIn messages right I know Mr Chisum is very active on LinkedIn Hey listen how are you love your job how all it takes is somebody's bad day to make the leap right somebody going on Google and Googling Hollywood Beach which is beautiful to say wait a minute might be brighter over there on the east side or down south so that's what recruiters do right that's that's what it is it's building relationships these guys add every single especially if somebody specializes in Auditors or School District jobs it's just building those relationships I have it positions all day on my LinkedIn because I've built those relationships right wishing birthdays every year but until it takes that one time that they'll reach out to a recruiter and say I'm not happy I didn't get that promotion hey they're mistreating me here I'm looking for a new opportunity so for me I would like to have that I would like to have it open um because it's an opportunity me personally I would love to see if we can find somebody local a boutique uh recruiting firm somewhere because I know we're looking at big and Nationwide that's not always the better bigger doesn't always mean better um if we can find somebody really hungry local in Broward to really go hunting for for that person um like I said just having those conversations but I really want to know I'm going go back to the first question of how how much do we do that Mr AZ Mr chis spoke about a little bit earlier but I'll let him what was the question recruiting that we do absolutely uh definitely this was more tailored specific because of the type of recruitment it is when we're when we're looking at regular recruitments uh a lot of time we get a lot of Engagement we get a lot of applicants where say for example a director position or manager or a supervisor and we go through them this type of job did require uh more work um and that's why we made I shouldn't even say just more work a different type of workst stream where we were having to utilize specialized uh companies or uh recruitment Outlets that actually specialize where they're there they not they did some notifications um along the memberships because they it goes on those job boards so we made our job more visible uh through those outlets and while we didn't play pay for glass store specifically our ad ended up on glass store because they shop and they scoop up those type of jobs and they put them out there and also we were working with a very aggressive timeline and some of the things I was sharing earlier we looked at the um individuals that either were in our database uh that had either applied for jobs before we even went as far back when Mr Jabo initially applied for the job we still had that data although those individuals did not get the job those are still candidates that at this Point could be at a different place in their career and we're very much interested that we reached out to them uh we not necessarily have been seen that engagement yet because we have closed down the ad because we didn't see a whole lot of Engagement and we needed some additional direction from the board today so really what we're looking at is even what you said we call those cold calls um I think we all know as they will be working for this board and we never make promises to anyone one candidate said to me basically before I move from my job you need I don't want to waste my time doing the application I basically want to know that I'm getting the job because you're reaching out I can't assure that candidate that I have to assure that candidate that this is a vacancy and you would have to go before uh there are nine supervisors for like a better words that would be interested in seeing your skills and your qualities so it really comes down to not one thing uh multiple things that we need to do and continue to do yeah it and I and I appreciate that and I think that right you discussed one thing visibility of a job visibility of the position right getting it out there um I I believe that the person we're looking for is not looking right they're not looking on job boards they're not looking on LinkedIn or glass door for an opportunity I'm talking about somebody that is in the position somewhere else it's having that conversation and finding the person and saying hey this is the opportunity this is the time most people it's about getting a door that's open right most people don't know the door is there until we talk to them that that's the thing so so it's having that conversation like you said of course somebody wants an assurance but just the hope or the belief of that happening wait a second this could be an opportunity that I am qualified for but somebody just gets that thought in their head but it starts with the conversation so again the question was how how much are we doing that how much are we messaging the person that's not looking they don't have a banner on LinkedIn saying I'm looking for a job not that person I'm looking for the person that's solid looks happy in whatever School District whatever company whatever it is messaging saying hey how are you I'm with the Brower County School Board how are you doing I'm doing good so I have a have a question one to 10 what is the what's the chances that you would look for another opportunity feels perfect you'd have the nine greatest bosses on earth right what what would it take for you to to look into this and you'd have opportunity to be on TV all the time what you'd be a celebrity no but but I'm saying there's other opportunities how often are we doing that Mr Chism are we doing that at all I'm saying outreaching to people that aren't looking through the shair at this point that's limited uh I think where we're really going and having this conversation is we need to do that yes we can do more of that and that really entails going to LinkedIn and you're really hounding people's page uh most of us know we get notified by uh recruiters all the time they're inboxes all the time from recruiters that go in your box and say hey Mr Chism are you looking for this type of employment opportunity we can we can do that uh we also can engage LinkedIn as well as working with some additional firms that are also getting some of those leads for us where we're then making the uh phone call and the conversation I think it's a combination we can do additional things but I also believe we would want some help I uh personally one person here believe that a firm would really help us um at this point because we did make a large investment in all of these outlets and we just got a small return maybe because of the short turnaround we don't know or also it may be some of the job uh job description requirements where people are out of state and I know you talked about local but we want a multitude of candidates to be applying and looking at the job so you're just not selecting from one person you're actually selecting for maybe multiple people and your decision is more sound around the different talent that they bring so I think it's a combination we can continue to we can stretch our reach if you will and start tapping into those candidates and then I think we should consider a firm to assist us with that sure and I I think going back to that chair and I'm going to end with this I just think when we say those firms there are people that work independently as a recruiter one person at home independent contractors that have their own business that really do this right it could be retail it could be it it could be school based like I said when I say local there are many people that if they heard this right now they would come knocking on the door and say I'm ready to go and don't you don't even need a contract I'll bring the person and once I bring the person I'll come for my money that's that's what it is it's just a fair shot so when I say it's open give the open opportunity like I said I belong to a boutique it firm and that's what it was just give me the opportunity and I will fight the big one because I have a better relationship than they do I can build relationships better than they do so for me it's just I would love to see us do it better I know it takes a lot of time it takes a lot of effort it takes a lot of Staff but also just looking at local Boutique firms that we could do for a fraction of the price of getting those big boy recruiters is that we're just one of many I want to find those people that are going to be passionate about our position find that build the relationships and get us the Rockstar that we need thank you chair Miss Leonardi um yeah I'm in favor an unre of an unretained search um you know opening it up and whoever brings us the the candidate that we hire paying them um I agree with a community panel um consistent with what we did with the superintendent um and I agree with looking at the job study Miss Hixon thank you um I just want to add something too I think it's apparent that we need to extend the the ad we didn't really talk about that but if we only have one applicant I think we need to to open that ad back up again especially we're talking about a firm not a firm but we didn't really give direction that we want the ad back open um I'll just remind remind all of us that every time we've used a search firm everybody has complained about the search firm that we wasted a lot of money they didn't we could have done it ourselves so I'm a little leery about a search firm um the Head Hunter idea I mean I guess that's the technical term right um probably maybe makes more sense because then you know what you're you're paying for because they've brought you um applicants but I don't know how that works in terms of paying them and what the cost is and all of that so would be interested in knowing more information but the idea to pay a big firm we've done that a couple of times now and every time have not been really satisfied so no I don't mean it like that he knows I don't mean like that the former Vice I don't me who we ended up with I mean the the process of the firm is really what I'm talking about not who we ended up with um so he knows that anyway I just would you know plus we're looking at a very short timeline so I would like to to look into what does it mean to use for lack of a better term Head Hunters to do this that are local um with the addition of our HR team just amping it up a little bit it sounds like you were already on that path you just need a little um maybe more personal pieces to that but I also want to talk about extending the ad deadline thank you chair can I jump the line yeah I'm voting exactly like Miss leonardy okay [Music] um okay thank you Miss fam I thought I I thought I already spoke okay yeah how I'm voting Dr Hess um obviously what we've done before in terms of having um our department look for someone was futile so I am now in favor of the search firm to proceed okay so I think uh we need to work on the job description go through the process as quickly as I as we can if we need to do uh special school board meeting to get the job description through then then we do that we can put it on on for the 12th okay March 12th March 12th and then we have to Mr ozero you have to work with Mr jaban as far as the task assigned person going to need to to move that along and then we are I would think we would need to bring an uh an agenda item to the board meeting for the board to vote on the the search firm because there's going to be a cost the apprciate it with that M Miss Marte thank you madam chair for acknowledging me and if the cost is over $50,000 this is a procurement item that has to come to the board first okay Mr R do you have any idea what the cost is it would normally head hunters and search firms are 20 to 25% of first year salary so if we're looking at a roughly $200,000 salary then 25% would be 50 ,000 okay so what is the process then miss Marte you'd have to go out for an invitation to bid um and I don't know the format I'll have to get back to you but it would be a board item that would have to come forward to to award so we'd have to put out a scope of work Miss andreo and her team would do an evaluation and then a recommendation would be made to the board as to the firm that we would use okay so is that what the board wants to takes yes or keep it under 50,000 that's that's what I was going to recommend if we were to put it out if we were to bid it out and simply say what our criteria is and put it under 50 would not reach over and the firm would not get more than $499 then the people that don't want to get involved won't get involved but I'm sure there'll be some search firms that will get involved under that this way you don't have to go through the procurement process it's what's that I'm just telling you how to navigate it if that's the direction you go I'm not telling you what to do but it's what that's a way you can navigate it to S keep it without doing the procurement which gives you the opportunity okay the one thing I'm I'm afraid of opening it up the um job again like now before we revise the job description I'm concerned then we're we're we're we're working off job description and not what we want to change into so we should probably just pause and then once this is done we can move forward with opening it up okay so do you have your direction yes Madam chair through Mr superintendent may I uh the only thing I want that if anyone is listening Bri schools is recruiting for a chief auditor the advertisement is down at this time but we will be back up we're making some changes and we're definitely looking looking for you as you can see school board has not made a decision those that are listening we are looking for you so make sure you reach out to barer schools thank you okay perfect any other board member have anything on this topic Dr olness No not on this topic for for closing okay does any of my colleagues have anything to bring to the board item still I'm so sorry oh on the item Mr fog and just asking because I know we had one applicant that came forward how about that one are we ever going to take a look at that person at all just throwing it out there what if that person is the Rockstar M um through the chair and traditionally what we would do is that applicant that meet these qualifications traditionally if we relaunch this advertisement we will one do a few things we're going to re-engage everyone that initially applied and someone that previously applied and they fully qualify again we send them the link to just uh attach them to the job again so we will keep that applicant under consideration understood and I think that time is important right what if like I said what if it is that person just throwing it out there lose time you know what I'm fine you lost that applicant I I think that is there any opportunity that we can discuss it or take a look at that resume and say hey this can it's going to be the one person I I'm just curious I what if that's the Rockstar to the chair Mr superintendent I is the request we can send that one applicant to the school board members I I mean sure I would like to see that I mean it's nothing preventing us from doing that is that the will of the board sounds good okay okay all right so does at this time any of my colleagues have anything to bring to the board or student successes to share Dr Hess thank you madam chair so um Bard Anderson uh hockey rink I had the privilege of witnessing a historic moment for bro County Public Schools Bard Anderson High School is set to become the first school in bro County Florida with a synthetic ice hockey rink thanks to the efforts of Anthony duclair Foundation the National Hockey League NHL players and Mr Anthony declair himself Mr duclair's vision for diversity and inclusion will provide students with a unique opportunity to learn and engage in a new sport thank you thank you Miss txon thank you I just want to say congratulations to the two students that are heading to the state science fair from Apollo Middle School this is the first time in their history that they have had students make it to the state competition for science fair so congratulations Miss leonardy yeah um I had a question for our general counsel before the meeting was over today um you know there were some very serious allegations made by some of my colleagues and I'd just like to know for clarity did any item that we voted on today violate the law Miss Batista I'm sorry so when you say did any item um that you voted on during the board meeting um no not not to my knowledge okay and then did any vote that took place during that special board meeting today violate the law Miss Batista um no okay thank you oh chair Mr B hand up too I got wins in district one as well jeez uh gez uh no to Dr hess's Point uh Florida Panthers if you're listening we want do clear back just wanted to throw it out there and then want to say shout out to South Broward which is going their soccer team is going to the state um semi-final and we're going to be in Dand so it's going to yeah and I'm looking to make that 4our drive look forward to that one um they're going to be do that and I also want to give two shout outs also but one of the players which is Chris um he knows who he is talk to him all the time but he's actually playing for the national team in Haiti in high school right now so he's actually playing for the national team got his first win the other day and also Lucas that plays for Miami as well so I just want to say congratulations to those guys and the team good luck congratulations to West Glades Middle School speech and debate team who took home 28 awards at the mass 6 tournament all right the scheduled order of business for this school board Workshop of the school board of BR County Florida has been completed seeing no obligation I now join the workshop okay we're going to go into closed door in five minutes what I [Music] I [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Music]