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[1. Call to Order]
DO WE NEED TO CALL ATTENDANCE? READY? BEGIN.ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
WHY WE MIGHT WANT TO STREAMLINE SOME OF THE AGENDA CONTENT.
THERE WAS EVEN SOME DISCUSSION AS TO THE APPROPRIATENESS OF SOME OF THE PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS WE MIGHT HAVE ABOUT SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS AND COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC MEETINGS ACTS. WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION LAST NOVEMBER AND CAME TO AN UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE TIME EACH MONTH TO DISCUSS AND EXPLORE IMPORTANT ITEMS OF BUSINESS THAT THE BOARD SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN, BUT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE TIME TO DISCUSS. OFTEN WE WILL HAVE SOME REALLY IMPORTANT REPORTS OF COUNSELORS OR PRINCIPALS, AND WE JUST DON'T SEEM TO HAVE TIME TO GET INTO THE CONTENT OF THINGS, AND WE HAVE TO CUT THEM OFF.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, I OFTEN HAVE MANY QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE THAT I DON'T GET TO ASK, OKAY? SO. SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO GET TO DISCUSS ARE ENGAGING VOLUNTEERS, STUDENT SUCCESS DATA, SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANS, STUDENT CLIMATE.
THERE'S JUST ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE COULD DISCUSS MORE.
TONIGHT'S MEETING IS IN KEEPING WITH THE DESIRE TO FIND MORE TIME FOR THE BOARD TO TALK ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND THE FOCUS OF THIS MEETING IS TO DISCUSS BUDGET CONCERNS IN LIGHT OF THE LEVY FAILURE.
[2. Special Meeting]
WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT IT. AND SUPERINTENDENT WHITTEN AND STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING TO FORMULATE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT MOVES US FORWARD IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING AN APPROPRIATE BUDGET AND, OF COURSE, THOSE PLANS ARE JUST IN THE VERY BEGINNING STAGES.SO IN JUST A MOMENT, SHE WILL BE PREPARING SOME OF THE PRELIMINARY IDEAS THAT SHE'S DEVELOPED.
OUR HOPE IS THAT THE 55 MINUTES WILL ALLOW TIME FOR CITIZEN COMMENTS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. BUT THE PRIORITY IS FOR THE BOARD TO FIND OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS.
SO WITH REGARD TO CITIZEN COMMENTS, IF YOU HAVE ANY, AND THERE'S A SIGN UP SHEET BACK THERE, AND AS TIME ALLOWS, WE WILL HAVE THAT IN THIS TIME.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME OR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SAY.
SO THERE MAY NOT BE ANY CITIZENS COMMENTS AND WE MAY GET A BREAK TO EAT COOKIES, I DON'T KNOW.
WE'LL SEE. SO DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS BEFORE SUPERINTENDENT WHITTEN PRESENTS? SO, SHELLY, YOU GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO JUST KIND OF PRESENT YOUR PRELIMINARY THOUGHTS ABOUT WHERE WE'RE HEADED IN LIGHT OF THE FAILURE, AND GO RIGHT AHEAD AND SHARE WITH US WHAT YOU GOT.
THE ONLY PIECE THAT I'VE PREPARED FOR YOU WAS THE TIMELINE IN YOUR PACKET.
IT REALLY GOES WITH THE EMAIL THAT I SHARED WITH YOU PREVIOUSLY, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE WORK BACKWARDS IN OUR PLANNING FROM THE DEADLINE THAT WE HAVE RELATED TO THE STATUTORY DEADLINE AROUND STAFFING.
MAY 15TH, WE MUST HAVE ANY CERTIFICATED STAFFING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE REDUCED.
SO EVERYTHING FROM NOW UNTIL SPRING BREAK, WILL BE PREPARING THE INFORMATION IN TERMS OF REDUCTIONS OF PROGRAMS AND PEOPLE, ESSENTIALLY. AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, ABOUT 80 IF WE INCLUDE TRANSPORTATION AND FOOD SERVICE, WHICH WE CONTRACT OUT, ABOUT 85% OF OUR COSTS ARE RELATED TO STAFFING AND THE REST ARE RELATED TO OPERATING
[00:05:01]
UTILITIES AND [INAUDIBLE]. ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE THE OPERATING EXPENSES.AND SO OBVIOUSLY, THE CUTS WILL COME THROUGH A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WILL COME THROUGH THE REDUCTION IN CONTINUED REDUCTION IN SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE REDUCED LAST SPRING.
SO WE HAVE A PLAN. WE ARE WORKING ON A SYSTEM TO GATHER INPUT.
WE HAVE TWO LISTENING SESSIONS PLANNED FOR MARCH 4TH AND 11TH.
THE FIRST ONE AT BATTLE GROUND HIGH SCHOOL, THE SECOND ONE AT PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE'RE LOOKING TO ENGAGE MEMBERS OF. ANYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT IS INTERESTED IN COMING, BUT WE WILL CERTAINLY BE REACHING OUT TO GROUPS THAT WE TYPICALLY HAVE REACHED OUT TO, WHETHER THOSE BE BOOSTERS OR SOME OF OUR PTOS, SOME OF THOSE GROUPS, SOME OF OUR CTE PARTNERS.
AND THEN I'LL REACH OUT SPECIFICALLY TO SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH REGULARLY THROUGHOUT THIS FALL AND INVITING THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO ATTEND. I'LL ALSO BE REACHING OUT TO SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT I HAVEN'T NECESSARILY REACHED OUT TO, BUT MIGHT BE CITY OFFICIALS FROM A VARIETY OF AREAS.
AND ALSO SOME OF OUR PASTOR GROUPS. JUST LOOKING FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THEIR EAR TO THE GROUND AND MAY HAVE MORE INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH US BECAUSE OF THEIR REACH.
SO THAT'S OUR INTENT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GO THROUGH THE NORMAL CHANNELS AND THEN LOOK AT OTHER CHANNELS THAT WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT BEFORE AND SEND PERSONAL INVITES TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS AS WELL. SO THE TIMELINE IS SHORT.
THAT'S ONLY A WEEK AND A HALF AWAY. WE HAVE INVITED, ALTHOUGH WE WILL SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DISTRICT OURSELVES, WE INVITED A FACILITATOR WHO IS JUST AGREEING TO DO THIS OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF HIS HEART.
JEFF SNELL, HE IS THE DIRECTOR OF WASA AND HE LIVES LOCALLY IN VANCOUVER, AND HE'S GOING TO HELP US FACILITATE THOSE LISTENING SESSIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S JUST. I'M SORRY, WHO WAS THAT? JEFF SNELL. AND HE'S AGREED TO HELP US BY DOING THAT, WHICH WILL BE WONDERFUL.
HE'S GOT EXPERIENCE IN FACILITATION. SO THAT WILL BE A NICE ADD FOR THOSE EVENINGS.
THOSE ARE EVENING MEETINGS? YES. 5:30 TO 7:30.
WE HAVE STARTED MEETING WITH EMPLOYEE GROUPS.
WE HAVE STARTED MEETING WITH SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND IDENTIFYING REDUCTIONS.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. LOOKING TO GET AROUND $20 MILLION IN CUTS.
I'LL TELL YOU ON OUR PROGRESS SO FAR, WE'RE AT ABOUT 13.
SO WE'VE GOT A WAYS TO GO. SO. YEAH. COULD YOU SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE? I SAID, WE'VE IDENTIFIED ABOUT 13 OF THE 20 MILLION OR SO THAT WE NEED TO FIND.
SO WE'VE GOT A WAYS TO GET. WHAT OTHER QUESTIONS MIGHT YOU HAVE? WILL THERE BE ANY TRANSPORTATION CUTS? I KNOW THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, REQUIRED TO TRANSPORT, BUT IS THERE A WAY TO SAVE ANY TRANSPORTATION COSTS? SO ONE OF THE STRUGGLES OR ONE OF THE THINGS FOR US TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT IS TRANSPORTATION.
WE WE HAVE TO OFFER TRANSPORTATION. AND IT'S NOT A CHOICE TO JUST NOT OFFER TRANSPORTATION.
SO IF YOU CUT TRANSPORTATION SIGNIFICANTLY, SAY YOU CUT 30% OF THE BUS ROUTES, THE YEAR THAT YOU WOULD BRING THOSE BACK, YOU WOULD EAT A WHOLE LOT OF FUNDING. WOW. SO IT DOES NOT BEHOOVE US TO MAKE CUTS TO OUR REGULAR TRANSPORTATION.
THE ONLY REAL PLACE IN TRANSPORTATION THAT MAY MAKE SENSE TO LOOK AT IS SOME OF OUR SPECIAL TRIPS.
WE ONLY DID THE TWO AND THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL COST SAVINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE COULD CONSIDER, BUT REGULAR TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM SCHOOL, IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE 99%, ANYTHING THAT YOU CUT,
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YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THAT ADDITIONAL PERCENTAGE WHEN YOU BRING IT BACK, UNLESS WE INTEND TO NEVER BRING IT BACK.SO YEAH, I DON'T THINK THAT'S IN OUR BEST INTEREST.
SOME OF OUR STUDENTS ALREADY RIDE THE BUS ABOUT AN HOUR, SO.
NECESSARILY ALL DISTRICTS ARE FUNDED THAT WAY.
THEY ARE FUNDED IN DIFFERENT WAYS. SO YOU HEAR A LOT ABOUT VARIANCE AND GAPS.
AND OUR GAP IS REALLY THAT NEXT YEAR, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING THE PRIOR YEAR.
SO IT'S JUST WHATEVER THAT INCREASE IS THE NEXT YEAR.
SO IT'S ALTERNATIVE FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION.
SO THAT'S PRETTY UNIQUE TO JUST THE DISTRICTS THAT CO-OP IN THE STATE.
THANK YOU, MICHELLE. YOU PUT OUT AN EMAIL EARLIER TODAY ADDRESSING THAT SOME CUTS AND THINGS ARE ALREADY BEGINNING? AND I THINK THAT SURPRISED SOME COMMUNITY. NOT YOUR EMAIL, BUT THE CUTS ARE BEGINNING.
I THINK THAT SURPRISED SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE WOULD ALREADY START TO DO THAT.
WOULD YOU ADDRESS THAT A LITTLE BIT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE AUTOMATICALLY KNOW WE DON'T NEED TO NECESSARILY GO OUT AND ASK FOR INPUT WHEN IT COMES TO ADMINISTRATIVE REDUCTIONS. AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS, WE HAVE TOOLS THAT HELP US GENERATE INFORMATION THAT WE KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE TO DO. WHERE WE NEED THE SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND INFORMATION FROM OUR COMMUNITY IS AROUND THE THINGS THAT ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTS TO STUDENTS. ONE OF THE PIECES ABOUT THE EMAIL THAT WE SENT TODAY IS AROUND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.
AND WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT IF YOU MAKE REDUCTIONS THAT YOU NEED TO ALIGN THOSE WITH WHAT PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED AT A BUILDING, WHAT THE ENROLLMENT IS AT A BUILDING, SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
FOR INSTANCE, THE ONLY THING THAT WE KNOW WHEN WE START LOOKING AT ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AT A DISTRICT LEVEL IS THAT THE CUTS TO THE DISTRICT LEVEL ADMINISTRATION ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE PROGRAM CUTS.
SO ONCE PROGRAM CUTS ARE MADE, THEN WE KNOW THAT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO MONITOR THOSE PROGRAMS, THEN THOSE WOULD BE THE CUTS THAT FOLLOW THEM.
SO ADMINISTRATION AT THE BUILDING IS OFTEN ALIGNED WITH ENROLLMENT, NUMBER OF PROGRAMS, FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH, SOME OF THOSE INDICATORS. AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT VERY QUICKLY.
WE ARE ALREADY IN IT. AND SO IF WE HOLD OFF AND WAIT UNTIL WE'VE GOTTEN MORE INPUT THAN THOSE INDIVIDUALS DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WILL NOTICE ON THE TIMELINE IS THAT WE WILL IDENTIFY BY APRIL 3RD, PEOPLE AND PROGRAMS. THAT IS BECAUSE WHILE WE WILL NOT HAVE A RESOLUTION, OFTENTIMES PEOPLE CAN FIGURE OUT BASED ON WHERE THEY ARE ON SENIORITY LISTS, WHETHER THEY WILL LIKELY BE CUT OR NOT.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO US TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO US, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR PEOPLE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT GOOD ORGANIZATIONS DO.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HONOR THAT.
THANK YOU. YEAH. TOBY, IT'S ALL. WE WOULD CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS FROM YOU GUYS, IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS. THIS ISN'T REALLY MY EXPERTISE.
SO, FROM LIKE A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE, I JUST KNOW WE'RE GONNA LOSE A LOT, BUT I'M NOT SURE.
LIKE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT AREAS YOU CAN TAKE MONEY FROM, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE TAKING SO MUCH, I'D JUST ASSUME WE'RE TAKING FROM ALL THE AREAS.
SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO INPUT. IS THAT A CORRECT ASSUMPTION? YES, AND I'LL ACTUALLY ADD THAT THAT'S PART OF THE RATIONALE FOR USING SOMETHING CALLED THE BALANCING ACT, WHICH YOU'VE HEARD-. SHALL I REFER TO IT? IT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER A BALANCED BUDGET.
AND IT TALKS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO, TOBY, IS WHAT TYPES OF FUNDS ARE RESTRICTED,
[00:15:02]
WHAT CAN YOU USE THEM. AND THAT'S THE INPUT THAT WE NEED TO HELP US MAKE THE DECISIONS.IT'S NOT A VOTING PLATFORM. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO BE USED LIKE SO AND SO.
WE HAD FIVE PEOPLE DO THAT. THAT'S NOT IT. IT ACTUALLY ALLOWS YOU TO GO IN THERE AND BALANCE THE BUDGET AND GIVE US SPECIFIC FEEDBACK OR CATEGORICAL FEEDBACK. AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WE OFFER IT TO ALL STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.
THAT'S THE HOPE. SO STUDENTS, FAMILIES, COMMUNITY WORK GROUPS, THAT WOULD BE THE HOPE.
WHEN YOU USE WORDS LIKE BALANCE THE BUDGET, LET'S BE CLEAR, IT'S BALANCING A NEW BUDGET.
CORRECT. BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A BALANCED BUDGET.
IT KIND OF STARTS WITH JUST A BAR AT THE TOP WHERE YOU'RE IN DEFICIT OF $22 MILLION AND YOU GET TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BUDGET AND GIVE THAT FEEDBACK TO THE GROUP IN REAL TIME.
I JUST DIDN'T WANT THERE TO BE THIS PERCEPTION THAT WE HAVE THIS POT OF GOLD.
YEAH, NO. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS INTERESTING AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH IS IT IS ALLOWING US TO, AGAIN, I MEAN, WE HAVE LOOKED AT UNFUNDED MANDATES AND MANDATES THAT ARE REQUIRED OF US, AND IT'S INTERESTING TO PAIR THAT OUT AND PULL THOSE THINGS OUT AND REALIZE THAT THERE ARE THINGS LIKE WE HAVE, FOR INSTANCE, DYSLEXIA LEGISLATION WHERE WE NEED TO WORK TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS WHO HAVE READING DIFFICULTIES AT THE EARLY AGE, AND WE HAVE REQUIREMENTS THAT TELL US WE NEED TO TEACH TOWARDS THE STANDARD, BUT THERE IS NO MANDATE THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO TEACH READING.
LIKE HOW DO THOSE THINGS MAKE SENSE? SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS, SOME ANOMALIES IN WHAT IS MANDATED AND WHAT PEOPLE THINK WE CAN CUT AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY CAN. AND SO I THINK THE BALANCING ACT WILL HELP US BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE AND WHAT THEY AREN'T, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE TO LOCK THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T CUT FROM.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO MAKE CHANGES IN THOSE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO.
SO IT WILL MAKE IT MORE CLEAR, THOSE THINGS THAT CAN BE IMPACTED AND THOSE THINGS THAT CAN'T.
THAT IS OUR HOPE, IS THAT IT WILL HELP PROVIDE SOME OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE AND BRING UP THAT WE BRING FORWARD SOMETIMES. AND I THINK IT HOPEFULLY WILL HELP EMERGE SOME OF THAT.
SOMETHING ELSE? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY WAS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A FOUR DAY WORK WEEK OR THE POSSIBILITY OF, LIKE, I GUESS IT'D BE, LIKE 2012 MONTH SCHOOL, I GUESS IS WAS THE OTHER SUGGESTION. WHERE IT'S. I'M NOT REALLY SURE EXACTLY HOW IT WOULD WORK, BUT IT WAS JUST A SUGGESTION THAT THEY WOULD GET MORE TIME OFF. THERE WOULD BE MORE TIME OFF THAN WHAT THERE IS RIGHT NOW, WHICH WOULD THEN REDUCE SOME OF OUR TEACHER COSTS RIGHT OFF THE TOP BECAUSE OUR BUDGET IS 85% RIGHT PEOPLE, TEACHERS OR PROFESSIONALS. AND SO THAT WAS ANOTHER QUESTION, IF ANY OF THAT WOULD BE A POSSIBILITY OR, YOU KNOW, A WAY TO STILL PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF INSTRUCTION TIME AND EVERYTHING, BUT YET DO IT IN A REDUCED WAY SO THAT IT'S CONSISTENT. SO THERE IS NO WAY TO. WE HAVE TWO THINGS THAT IS REQUIRED IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN MANY STATES. WE HAVE INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES THAT ARE REQUIRED AND DAYS BOTH.
WE HAVE TO HAVE 180 DAYS AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THE INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES AS WELL.
WE CAN GET WAIVERS ON THE DAYS, BUT ONLY TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, A FOUR DAY SCHOOL WEEK IS ONE THING THAT IF YOU ARE OVER A THOUSAND STUDENTS, YOU CAN'T DO. THAT'S ONLY FOR SMALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF LESS THAN A THOUSAND STUDENTS THAT CAN CONSIDER A FOUR DAY WEEK.
THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO HAVE LONGER SCHOOL DAYS TO MEET THE INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES, BUT FOR US, IT'S NOT AN OPTION THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE WE HAVE 13,000.
SO WE AREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THE OTHER IDEA WAS AROUND YEAR ROUND.
IS IT YEAR ROUND? I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S YEAR ROUND OR IT WAS JUST.
IT WAS AN EXAMPLE. THERE WAS AN EXAMPLE OF DIFFERENT DAYS AND IT WAS KIND OF.
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I WASN'T REALLY CLEAR ON IT. I'VE BEEN ASKED ABOUT THAT.I MEAN, I HAVE FOUND NOTHING THAT POINTS TO COST SAVINGS IN YEAR ROUND SCHOOL.
SO WHILE MANY COMMUNITIES CONSIDER YEAR ROUND SCHOOL, I DON'T KNOW THAT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD UNDERTAKE AS A WAY TO CUT COSTS.
CERTAINLY NOT AS COST SAVINGS. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT FURLOUGH DAYS. FURLOUGH DAYS HAVE HAPPENED BEFORE IN OUR DISTRICT.
FURLOUGH DAYS ARE A WAY FOR EMPLOYEE GROUPS TO DECIDE TO BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, SAVE SOME OF THEIR TEAMMATES BY CONSIDERING DAYS OFF. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR BECAUSE IT'S LESS INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS.
BUT YOU CAN THOSE ARE LIKE WAIVER DAYS, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN A FOUR DAY WEEK, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CUT FOUR DAYS OUT OF EVERY WEEK TO GET WAIVER DAYS.
I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY YOU CAN GET. I'D HAVE TO PULL THAT UP.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WITH OUR REPRESENTED GROUPS, WE'D HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THEN WHAT ABOUT SCHOOL CLOSURES? IS THAT ON THE AGENDA AT ALL? AT THIS TIME WE DON'T HAVE THE RUNWAY TO CONSIDER SCHOOL CLOSURES.
SO WE'RE NOT SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SPACE TO REDUCE BY AN ENTIRE SCHOOL.
IF WE DID DO THAT, WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO IS WE'D HAVE TO HAVE 90 DAYS RUNWAY BECAUSE THERE'S A 90 DAY COMMUNITY INPUT PERIOD THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE. SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT BETWEEN NOW AND MAY 15TH.
WE HAVE ONE SCHOOL THAT I CAN SEE WHERE WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO THAT IF WE HAD LOWER ENROLLMENT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS ABOUT THAT AT THIS POINT.
THIS IS GOOD. YOU'RE NOT SENDING ME ANYWHERE I HAVEN'T ALREADY BEEN.
SO, YEAH. PROBABLY NOT. I MEAN, YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS SO LONG.
YEAH. I DIDN'T QUITE FOLLOW, THOUGH, ULTIMATELY WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S ENOUGH TIME BEFORE SCHOOL YEAR 26-27. MAY 15TH. TO ADJUST THE BUILDINGS AND HOW WE'RE USING THEM SO THAT MAYBE WE DON'T USE ONE.
BECAUSE STAFFING NEEDS TO BE DONE BY MAY 15TH, WE DON'T HAVE 90 DAYS BETWEEN NOW AND MAY 15TH FOR THE REQUIRED STATUTORY 90 DAY COMMUNITY INPUT PERIOD. OKAY. SO WHILE WE COULD DO PLANNING, PLANNING, PLANNING, PLANNING, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO REDUCE STAFF AFTER MAY 15TH FOR IT TO TURN INTO A COST SAVINGS, BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE JUST GOING TO GO TO ANOTHER BUILDING, BUT WE WOULD NOT KNOW BEFORE THAT WAS SAID AND DONE, WHETHER MOVING TEACHERS AND KIDS WOULD ACTUALLY CAUSE THOSE REDUCTIONS, AND WE'D BE ABLE TO HAND OUT ACTUAL RIF NOTICES BEFORE THAT 90 DAYS WAS UP.
LET ME SAY THAT BACK TO YOU, MAKE SURE I GOT IT.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I KNOW. SO IF WE WERE TO CLOSE A SCHOOL, THE IDEA WOULD BE, WELL, WE CAN PUT SOME OF THESE KIDS HERE AND SOME OF THESE KIDS HERE. AND THAT MEANS THEN WE MAY NEED LESS. STAFF.
LESS TEACHERS IN THIS GRADE LEVEL, BUT MORE IN THAT GRADE LEVEL.
AND SO SOMEONE WHO'S TEACHING HERE IN THE BUILDING WE CLOSE MIGHT HAVE TO GO TO A WHOLE DIFFERENT ASSIGNMENT, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE THEN THIS WHOLE RIF PROCESS TO BE HANDLED CORRECTLY, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'D BE LOSING THE JOB AS THE THIRD GRADE TEACHER AND MAYBE BECOMING AN EIGHTH GRADE TEACHER OR WHATEVER.
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AND THEN AFTER THAT WINDOW OF TIME, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO ADJUST THE TEACHERS.THE STAFFING. DOING WHATEVER. AND THEY'RE NOT.
WE CAN'T GET THAT ALL DONE IN TIME TO START SCHOOL, AND.
WE CAN'T GET THAT IN TIME FOR THE MAY 15TH TO KNOW WITH ACCURACY, WE COULD EITHER END UP UNDERSTAFFED, WHICH WOULDN'T BE A BIG DEAL BECAUSE YOU COULD PULL PEOPLE OFF THE RIF LIST OR YOU COULD PULL THEM BACK ON.
BUT WHEN YOU DO A RESOLUTION, YOU HAVE TO BE PRETTY CONFIDENT IN YOUR NUMBERS.
YOU'RE NOT JUST PICKING THEM OUT OF THE AIR, YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY ALIGN THEM WITH YOUR BUDGET.
SO WE'D HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE DON'T HAVE, AND WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONFIDENTLY HAVE THAT, KNOWING THAT WE HADN'T GONE THROUGH THE STAFF OR THE COMMUNITY INPUT.
AND SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE EDUCATION THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE RECEIVING, OFTENTIMES THEY TAKE THEIR CHILDREN ELSEWHERE.
WE WOULD NOT HAVE ANY IDEA, BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT WITH ANY SORT OF ACCURACY PRIOR TO THAT MAY 15TH DEADLINE IN ORDER TO MAKE A CHANGE. WOULD THERE BE ANY VALUE OR ABILITY TO GET THE COMMUNITY'S INPUT ON THE POSSIBILITY OF CLOSING A BUILDING WITHOUT ACTUALLY TRYING TO TAKE ACTION IN THE FALL, BUT USE THAT INFORMATION TO ACTUALLY MAKE THE DECISION AT SOME FUTURE DATE? OR DOES THAT COLLECTION OF INFORMATION, LIKE HAVE A SHELF LIFE THAT HAS TO BE USED WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, OR YOU GOT TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN? YEAH, THAT'S HARD FOR ME TO KNOW. I'VE NOT BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AT LEAST IF WE GLEANED THAT INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNITY AND WE COULD MAYBE MAKE USE OF IT, THEN AT SOME FUTURE DATE. YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
I'VE TALKED TO ONE LOCAL SUPERINTENDENT. WELL, LOCAL, A LITTLE WAYS AWAY.
WHO'S DONE THIS BEFORE. BUT IT WASN'T DUE TO BUDGET REDUCTION.
THEY CONSOLIDATED AND PUT THOSE BUILDINGS TOGETHER.
SO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SCENARIO THAN WE'RE IN WHERE IT'S NOT LACK OF STUDENTS IN THOSE BUILDINGS, IT'S THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAVE ON, YOU KNOW, LESS OFFICE STAFF, LESS CUSTODIANS.
SOME OF THOSE KINDS OF PLACES IS PROBABLY WHERE THE BULK OF THE SAVINGS WOULD BE.
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, THOSE TYPES OF PLACES IS WHERE THE SAVINGS WOULD BE.
WE MIGHT SAVE A HANDFUL OF TEACHERS BY DOING THAT, BUT YOU'RE NOT TALKING MAYBE FIVE, SIX.
SO DID YOU JUST SUGGEST THEN THAT IF THIS WAS REQUIRED BECAUSE OF BUDGET LOSSES, OR WAS IT STAFFING? WAS IT. ENROLLMENT. ENROLLMENT. IF THIS WAS A RESULT, THEN OF DROPPED ENROLLMENT, WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH KIDS FOR THESE TWO BUILDINGS.
AND WE CAN'T MAKE THIS WORK. THEN THAT CHANGES THE PREDICATE OF THIS IDEA OF GETTING THE COMMUNITY'S INPUT AND THEN DOING ALL THE RIFS AND ADJUSTMENTS AND STAFF THAT GIVES YOU MORE FLEXIBILITY.
SO EVEN REACHING OUT AND ASKING SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND THE INDIVIDUAL THAT I DID TALK TO, IT WAS NOT THIS KIND OF A SCENARIO. IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THEM TO DO THE COMMUNITY.
THERE WASN'T REALLY A QUESTION IN THE COMMUNITY WHEN YOU ONLY HAD 1 OR 2 CLASSES IN EACH BUILDING AT EACH GRADE LEVEL, IT MADE SENSE TO PUT THOSE TOGETHER THAT NOBODY WAS DOUBTING THE NEED FOR THAT.
THIS IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT SCENARIO BECAUSE THE AMOUNT THAT YOU'RE SAVING IS COMING FROM THESE SMALL POCKETS AND, WELL, I SAY SMALL POCKETS, BUT IT'S NOT SMALL POCKETS WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT 20, 25 STAFF MEMBERS.
WE ASK IT IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT DIRECTION THEN. OKAY, LET'S SUPPOSE THAT THIS FALL WE HAD SOME CATASTROPHIC THING HAPPEN IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE DID LOSE A LOT OF STUDENTS, OKAY? SO HERE WE ARE PLANNING, WE GOT OUR PLAN ALL MOVING FORWARD AND EVERYTHING, AND THEN ENROLLMENT IS WAY DOWN FOR WHATEVER REASON IT IS.
SO THEN YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S NO LAW AGAINST US.
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THERE IS A LAW. OKAY.CUT EVERY CUT BACK. THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH STUDENTS.
SO IF THAT HAPPENED, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THE WHOLE YEAR BEFORE WE COULD ADDRESS THE PROBLEM? CORRECT. WITH THE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES OF MAINTAINING THE TWO BUILDINGS? YEAH, WE COULD PLAN.
IT'S UNDER RCW 28335. AND IT REALLY STARTS WITH LIKE A BOARD RESOLUTION.
AND THEN YOU DO AN ENROLLMENT STUDY TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTING ANY SPECIFIC POPULATION WITHIN OUR DISTRICT, AND THAT THOSE STUDENTS WOULD HAVE AN EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITY AT OTHER SCHOOL SITES.
SO IT'S A LOT OF SURVEYING. IT'S AN ENROLLMENT STUDY.
AND ITS RECOMMENDATION IS A YEAR LONG PROCESS.
BUT WE DO. WE'RE NOT OPERATING IN IN THE SPRINGTIME, IF YOU WERE TALKING LIKE FALL.
INTERESTING. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. OKAY. SOMETHING ELSE? ARE WE IN FEAR OR LOOKING AT RECEIVERSHIP YET? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IF SHE STATE WAS TO COME IN, DO THEY BRING MONEY WITH THEM TO HELP US? I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT. RECEIVERSHIP DOESN'T START RIGHT AWAY.
WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU START TO GO ON A WARNING LIST.
THEY START TO GET SOME OVERSIGHT. MICHELLE SCOTT'S ALREADY REACHED OUT TO ESD 112, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE OBLIGATED TO DO WHEN WE REALIZE THAT WE ARE GETTING IN TROUBLE. AND CERTAINLY HAS SPOKEN TO THEM ABOUT OUR SITUATION.
AND SO WE START TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH ESD.
THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS IF THEY HAVE SOME AND WE CONTINUE TO TRY AND DEVELOP A BUDGET AS CLOSE TO WHAT WE CAN POSSIBLY CREATE AS POSSIBLE. BUT AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY DIPPED INTO OUR RESERVES AND WE'RE KIND OF DOWN IN THE SAVINGS ACCOUNT AREA. WE HAVEN'T FALLEN LOWER THAN OUR BOARD POLICY, BUT WE WILL PROBABLY PLAN TO GET REALLY RIGHT THERE AT THE EDGE OF THE BOARD POLICY THAT BASICALLY SAYS 4 TO 6% IS WHERE WE SHOULD NOT GO BELOW.
SO WE WILL BUDGET THAT AS TIGHTLY AS WE CAN POSSIBLY BUDGET THAT.
AND, MICHELLE, ANYTHING YOU'D WANT TO ADD? OKAY.
YEAH. GOOD QUESTION. YEAH, I HAD A FOLLOW UP.
YOU ANSWERED IT. SOMEONE ELSE? HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE GENERAL COUNSEL ABOUT A CONSTITUTIONAL ATTORNEY SO WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THESE UNFUNDED MANDATES? SO I DID REACH OUT TO HER AGAIN AFTER THE QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD ASKED.
AND SHE SAID, ESSENTIALLY, IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATE'S CONSTITUTION, THE WAY IT READS IS THAT THEY WILL AMPLY FUND BASIC EDUCATION.
AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF UNFUNDED MANDATES.
SHE SAID THE FIRST THING THAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS YOU HAVE TO FIND A CONSTITUTIONAL ATTORNEY.
HER RECOMMENDATION IS TO LOOK FOR A GROUP OR AN INDIVIDUAL THAT'S INTERESTED IN TAKING THAT ON FOR ONE DISTRICT OR A GROUP OF DISTRICTS. SHE SAID THERE ARE INSTITUTES AND AREAS THAT WILL DO THAT.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR POSTER CHILDREN FOR A LAWSUIT ESSENTIALLY.
[00:35:04]
BUT SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ONES.SHE SAID THE FIRST THING THAT THEY WOULD LIKELY DO IS THEY WOULD TRY AND GET A DECLARATORY JUDGMENT.
YEAH. AND SHE SAID, ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THEY WOULD BE LOOKING TO SAY THAT THE STATE IS NOT AMPLY FUNDING EDUCATION BECAUSE OF THE UNFUNDED MANDATES.
HER CONCERN IS THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS THAT COME DOWN FROM THE LEGISLATOR´S LEGISLATION, IN LEGISLATION THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY FULLY FUNDED.
AND FOR THE MOST PART, THEY OFTEN DESCRIBE THOSE THINGS AS TAXES OR TAX INCREASES.
SHE SAID WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS THEY WOULD HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH GETTING A JUDGE TO SAY, NO, THAT ISN'T A TAX. THAT'S A UNFUNDED MANDATE, AND THEREFORE YOU AREN'T AMPLY FUNDING BASIC EDUCATION. OR THEY COULD SAY THIS IS OUTSIDE OF BASIC EDUCATION.
AND SO SINCE IT'S OUTSIDE OF BASIC EDUCATION, WE ONLY HAVE TO AMPLY FUND BASIC EDUCATION.
THE CONCERN THAT WE HAVE FOR THAT IS WHAT WE ALL CONSIDER IN COMMON SENSE IS BASIC EDUCATION AND WHAT FALLS UNDER BASIC EDUCATION IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU SEE IN OUR REPORTS THAT WE HAVE TO GIVE AREN'T NECESSARILY ALIGNED.
LIKE THE EXAMPLE THAT I SAID EARLIER, YOU TAKE READING, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE MANDATORY TESTING IN READING AND WE HAVE A RULE THAT OR A LAW THAT SAYS THAT YOU NEED TO TEACH THE READING STANDARDS.
BUT WE HAVE NOTHING IN MANDATES THAT SAY YOU NEED TO TEACH READING.
SO THERE'S A BIT OF A DISCONNECT ON WHAT THEY MIGHT SAY IS PART OF BASIC EDUCATION AND WHAT WE ALL REALLY KNOW TO BE BASIC EDUCATION. RIGHT. WELL, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WAS KIND OF KICKING AROUND IN MY HEAD, WAS HOW FERGUSON'S MADE IT REAL CLEAR THAT OBVIOUSLY A LEVY IS ONLY FOR ANYTHING ABOVE SPECIAL EDUCATION.
HE BASICALLY SAID THAT IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS, OKAY? SO WE ALL KNOW LEVIES ARE FOR THOSE THINGS ABOVE, YOU KNOW, BASIC EDUCATION BECAUSE WE FULLY FUND BASIC EDUCATION.
ALL RIGHT? WHICH IS NOT HELPFUL AT ALL. OKAY? AS YOU JUST SAID, EVERYBODY'S GOING TO DEBATE WHAT IS BASIC EDUCATION.
OKAY. AND WHAT CHRIS IS BRINGING UP, I THINK HAS A LOT OF MERIT.
I REALLY WAS PERSONALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE IDEA.
AND SO, TRUTHFULLY, I WOULD THINK THEN THAT AS OUR COUNCIL HAS SUGGESTED, SOMEONE WOULD NEED TO GET SOME KIND OF A DECLARATORY JUDGMENT TO DECIDE WHAT IT IS.
AND SO WE SIT AROUND AND WE DISCUSS THESE THINGS.
MAYBE IT'S TIME TO GET A DECLARATORY JUDGMENT ABOUT WHAT IT IS.
WELL, I THINK STEP ONE IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY TO DO THAT.
SORRY TO CUT YOU OFF. WE DON'T HAVE MONEY TO PAY AN ATTORNEY, SO WE NEED AN ATTORNEY.
BUT YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL YOU ASK. RIGHT. SO WE CAN SIT AROUND AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR IT, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO ASK, YOU KNOW. BUT IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE OUR GENERAL COUNSEL SEEMS TO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF THOUGHTS ABOUT ALL OF THIS.
IT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP US MOVE ALONG BY THIS VERY INITIAL ELEMENT OF FIGURING OUT WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE AMPLY FUNDING, YOU KNOW. SO HAS SHE SAID NO, SHE'S NOT AVAILABLE TO WORK ON THIS OR SAID THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD TAKE? SHE SAYS SHE'S NOT A CONSTITUTIONAL ATTORNEY.
SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO DO WHAT WE'RE ASKING.
SO WE NEED TO FIND AN ATTORNEY WITH THAT SKILL SET.
[00:40:03]
AND SHE'S REFERRING US TO LIBERTY INSTITUTE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY ATTORNEY SHE KNOWS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THAT? NO, THAT'S THE ONLY ASSOCIATION THAT MIGHT BE WILLING TO PICK THAT UP WITHOUT COSTS.THAT SOLUTION, THIS ROAD IS A LONG TERM ROAD.
THIS ISN'T A ONE YEAR PROBLEM. THIS IS A. NO.
WAS DONE IN ORDER TO ADDRESS IT. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 15 YEAR PROCESS, WHICH I ABSOLUTELY AGREE.
THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE WE'RE GOING. IN FACT, I AGREE SO MUCH THAT I REACHED OUT TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION ON FRIDAY AND HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HIM ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE SAID IS HE TOO IS WORRIED ABOUT THIS AND THAT OSPI INTENDS TO MAKE NOTICE OF THIS CONCERN. SO HE FEELS LIKE THAT'S A STEP THAT THEY CAN MAKE FROM OSPI.
AND I SHARED WITH HIM WHAT OUR ATTORNEY HAD SAID.
AND HE SAID THAT HE AGREES THAT HE UNDERSTANDS THAT'S THE PROCESS TOO, AS WELL.
WHEN YOU SPOKE WITH HIM, DID HE OFFER A CURE DATE OR A DAY THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO AIM FOR? BECAUSE, I MEAN, A $20 MILLION IN UNFUNDED MANDATES.
WHEN EXACTLY, I'LL CONTINUE TO ASK. I HAD OTHER QUESTIONS FOR HIM THAT HE SAID HE WOULD REACH OUT TO ME, AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE THE DIALOG JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
OKAY, PERFECT. ANYTHING ELSE? ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER? CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE LEVY IN THE LEVY CAMPAIGN IN GENERAL? THE LETTER THAT WENT OUT THAT WAS AGAINST THE LEVY.
IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WENT AGAINST US. AND YET THAT GROUP DOESN'T EVER SEND THOSE KIND OF LETTERS TO THE WASHOUGAL OR THE HAWKINSON OR EVERGREEN OR VANCOUVER.
THEY DON'T ATTACK THEM. WHY US? IS THERE A WAY TO FIND THAT OUT? THEY ONLY SEEM TO DO THAT KIND OF THING FOR BATTLE GROUND.
AND I KNOW YOUR PCO AND SOME OF THOSE MEMBERS ARE PCOS.
IS THERE A WAY WE CAN SPEARHEAD FINDING OUT ABOUT THAT? YOU KNOW, JUST, YOU KNOW, FUTURE NOVEMBER, YOU KNOW, OR WHENEVER WE RERUN.
I KNOW WE HAVEN'T DECIDED NOVEMBER, BUT. YEAH, I DON'T KNOW, TERRY, IF YOU CAN.
MY EXPERIENCE IS, AND I THINK I KIND OF KNOW THE PEOPLE BEHIND THOSE THINGS THAT WENT OUT THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHO'S INVOLVED IN HAWKINSON OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW.
SO THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY TO THAT. YEAH. I DO KNOW THAT MUCH.
YEAH. AND IT´D BE INTERESTING TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND JUST FIND OUT, BECAUSE THE ISSUES ON THAT WERE STATE ISSUES, NOT BATTLE GROUND ISSUES. SO YOU'RE KIND OF SUGGESTING THAT WE TALK TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VOTING AGAINST THE LEVY AND FIND OUT WHY, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? NO. THAT GROUP THAT PUT THAT MAILER OUT, THAT WAS SO ANTI, YOU KNOW, VOTE NO OR AGAINST THE LEVY. SO THAT PARTICULAR GROUP THAT SPEARHEADED THAT.
SO IN TALKING WITH THEM. SO TO SEE IF WE CAN.
I DON'T KNOW. SMOOTH THE WATER. I DON'T KNOW.
[00:45:03]
WELL THERE IS A REPUBLICAN PARTY CLARK COUNTY COMMITTEE AND THEY'RE EASY TO CONTACT.OKAY. IF YOU'D WANT TO CONTACT THEM AND FIND MORE.
WHY ARE THEY VOTING AGAINST THE LEVY? BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE REALLY KNOW PERSONALLY.
WELL A LOT OF. THAT MISINFORMATION. AND YEAH.
YEAH. RIGHT. YEAH, THAT WILL HELP US, I HOPE SO.
I THINK WE NEED TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. THIS IS THE ELECTIONS RESULT PAGE.
WAS THAT FOR THIS MEETING, FOR THE NEXT MEETING? YEAH. NO, I JUST THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANT TO SEE THAT SUMMARY.
WELL, IN 2013, THE LEVY AMOUNT WAS $4.25. IT'S LIKE, HOLY COW, WE ASKED FOR $1.90. YEAH. I MEAN, I DO THINK IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THIS GOES BACK TO 2005 AND, YOU KNOW THAT OUR LAST FAILED LEVY PRIOR TO 2025 WAS IN 2006. SO IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY BACK.
WELL, IT WAS IN 2006, SO IT IMPACTED 2007. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE EP&O LEVY WAS ZERO THAT YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT, I MEAN, WE'VE HAD AUTHORITY TO HAVE AN EP&O LEVY UP TO $4.25. SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT IS KEEPING US FROM, I MEAN, PASSING, BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN INTERESTING FACT BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE JUST EP&O, NOT THE BOND PORTION.
AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE ADDED A CAPITAL LEVY IN 2025.
I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE THAT WE'VE VARIED ANYWHERE FROM $1.50 WHEN THE STATE DECREASED THE AMOUNT YOU COULD TAKE IN 2019. THE LOWEST AFTER THAT WAS $1.64 BACK IN 2006.
AND THEN IT'S BEEN ONE $1.70. $1.65, $1.68 AND THAT'S IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN PRETTY LEAN, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE OUTWARD YEARS IN THE.
YEAH, 2011 THROUGH REALLY 2018 WAS ALL OF THOSE TIMES OVER $3. SO IT'S JUST INTERESTING TO ME. IT IS. THANK YOU.
I THINK IT'S THE OTHER DOCUMENT THAT I DIDN'T GIVE YOU A COPY OF, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GET THE REPORTS ACROSS THE STATE AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF DISTRICTS WHO RAN LEVIES THIS TIME AROUND. LOTS OF THEM, ACTUALLY.
AND THE OTHER THING IS WE'VE BEEN SHARING THE STATISTIC ABOUT HOW MANY DISTRICTS HAVE THEM, YOU KNOW. THIS TIME AROUND, THERE WERE 121 EP&O LEVIES THAT WERE RAN AND FIVE FAILED ACROSS THE STATE. COULD YOU SHARE THAT DOCUMENT WITH US? I DIDN'T.
THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER DISTRICT THAT IS A LARGE SIZE DISTRICT, AND THAT'S PASCO.
THE REST OF THEM ARE TINY DISTRICTS. SO AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'VE BEEN DOING OUR LEVY PRESENTATIONS, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN SHARING IS THAT OFTENTIMES TINY DISTRICTS DON'T RUN THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, OR SOMETIMES THEY'RE ON TRIBAL LANDS, OR SOMETIMES THEY RECEIVE TIMBER DOLLARS.
AND SO SOME OF THE SMALLER DISTRICTS DON'T EVEN RUN THEM.
BUT WE ARE THE TWO LARGE SIZE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE THAT DID NOT PASS OUR LEVY.
DID PASCO PASS? THEY WERE LIKE 50 VOTES OR SOMETHING AND THEY WERE SCRAMBLING TO FIND.
DID YOU SAY CENTRALIA DID BY 16 VOTES? YEAH. YEAH.
PASCO WAS 49.7. SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE NUMBER IS.
I WAS GOING TO REACH OUT TO THEIR SUPERINTENDENT AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HER, BUT.
[00:50:01]
CARLA, DO WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TO US? WE HAVE A CITIZEN WHO SIGNED UP ON BOTH. SO IF IT'S AGREEABLE WITH THEM, WE'LL HAVE THEM DURING REGULAR.WELL, THEN LET ME ASK THIS. SPEAKING OF LEVIES, THEN THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION.
CAN YOU JUST PLEASE CLARIFY YOUR THOUGHTS AS TO WHAT YOU'RE THINKING? AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, TO THE BOARD HERE, LET'S JUST SEE WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH THIS.
YEAH, THERE'S ALWAYS A QUESTION ABOUT WHEN TO RUN LEVIES.
AND I'VE SHARED BEFORE. LEVIES, THE BEST TIME TO RUN THEM IS FEBRUARY, STATISTICALLY.
AND THE SECOND BEST TIME IS NOVEMBER. WE RAN THEM LAST SPRING FOR A SECOND TIME IN HOPES THAT WE COULD GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE IN APRIL AND AVOID CUTS AT ALL. I THINK ONE OF THE TAKEAWAYS OR LEARNINGS THAT WE HAD LAST SPRING IS THAT WE COULDN'T GIVE THE LEVY THE KIND OF EFFORT THAT IT NEEDED FOR US TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEEDS AND GO THROUGH A REDUCTION IN STAFF AND DO BOTH OF THOSE THINGS WELL. AND SINCE THAT TIME, WE'VE CUT STAFF THAT HELPED IN THAT PROCESS AS WELL.
SO I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE'RE IN ANY SORT OF SHAPE TO RERUN IN APRIL.
AND SO MY COMMENT WAS INTENDED TO COMMUNICATE THAT WE WOULD NOT RUN ANOTHER TIME THIS SCHOOL YEAR WOULD NOT BE MY RECOMMENDATION. OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S A BOARD'S DECISION.
BUT IT WOULD NOT BE MY RECOMMENDATION TO DO IT THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU GET TWO OPPORTUNITIES IN A CALENDAR YEAR, AND I THINK WE WOULD BE MISSING OUT ON A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY TO NOT TRY AND RUN IN NOVEMBER TO SEE AFTER WE'VE MADE THE CUTS, IF PEOPLE ARE SATISFIED WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WE WOULD NOW BE OPERATING UNDER. I THINK. DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE NEWSPAPER CLARIFIED THAT POSITION WELL ENOUGH FOR US? IT'S JUST A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T SEE RETRACTIONS AND.
AND I APPRECIATED THE FACT THAT THEY TRIED TO FIX THAT.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT WAS BROADLY UNDERSTOOD THAT.
I'M GOING TO PUT US ALL ON THE SPOT. AGAIN, WE'VE NOT ALL TALKED ABOUT THIS, RIGHT? WE HAVEN'T TALKED. SO, JUST TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, IS THERE ANYBODY FEELING STRONGLY RIGHT NOW THAT WE SHOULD NOT RUN ANOTHER LEVY THIS YEAR AT ALL, PERIOD, IN 2026? ANYBODY FEELING LIKE THAT? I'M NOT, CERTAINLY.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NOW YOU CAN STILL SAY THAT IF YOU WANT LATER.
BUT OKAY. SO WHAT ARE YOU THINKING THAT OUR TARGET MIGHT BE AS FAR AS FROM THE EXPERIENCE YOU'VE HAD? CAN I ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION? SURE. BECAUSE I SAW LAURIE SHAKE HER HEAD.
I SAW YOU SAY NO, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR MARSHALL, DEBBIE OR CHRIS.
THAT WAS MY QUESTION. YEAH. SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO THEN PRESS THEM TO DO THAT, SURE.
GO RIGHT AHEAD. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO LIKE, IT IS OFF THE TABLE.
DON'T DO IT. I WOULD LOVE THAT TO THAT.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR YOU TO SAY, I'M THINKING MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T.
I MEAN, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY, PLEASE DO, YOU KNOW. MY OPINION WOULD BE, FIRST WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HANDLE THE RAMIFICATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THE LEVEE FAILURE.
BUT THERE'S OTHER CONSIDERATIONS TO TAKE INTO PLAY.
I WOULDN'T TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE TO RUN ANOTHER LEVY IN THE FALL, BUT THERE'S POLITICAL ENVIRONMENTS AND SOME JUDGMENTS THAT MIGHT BE COMING DOWN THAT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON THAT. AND I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION AT A LATER TIME.
YEAH, SURE. YEAH, YEAH. MARSHALL, I THINK HE'S DONE THAT.
SO FOR ME, I'D LIKE TO SEE FIRST HOW THAT ALL SHAKES OUT AND WHERE WE LAND.
AND THEN I THINK BY HAVING ALL THE INFORMATION, YOU CAN MAKE A PRETTY SOLID DECISION.
ALSO, I THINK THE LISTENING SESSIONS, I'M HOPING ARE GOING TO REALLY HELP IN KNOWING MORE AND UNDERSTANDING MORE, INVITING COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT MAYBE HAVE SOME IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS.
[00:55:09]
I THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S EVER BEEN DONE.SO I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE SUPER HELPFUL, TOO.
SO I'M KIND OF LEANING TOWARD NO, JUST BECAUSE I'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, LIKE YOU ALREADY ASKED, I TOLD YOU NO. YOU CAME AND ASKED AGAIN, I TOLD YOU NO.
WE TOLD YOU NO, TAKE NO AND MOVE ON. SO I THINK IT'S JUST, YEAH, IT'S GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION, SEEING WHERE IT ALL SHAKES OUT AND THEN MAKING A DECISION BASED ON WHAT YOU KNOW, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE DON'T KNOW.
EVERYTHING'S LIKE ALL UP IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW.
AND LIKE MARSHALL SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT SEE WHAT YOU DO, HOW THINGS CHANGE, OR THEY MIGHT BE SUPER HAPPY WITH THAT AND GO, GREAT JOB, YOU KNOW, AND SAY, YEAH, RUN IT AND WE'LL VOTE YES.
SO WE DON'T KNOW. IT'S AN UNKNOWN. SO THAT WOULD BE.
KIND OF IN THAT UNKNOWN PHASE. THEY KIND OF ALMOST MAKE LIKE, WE GET TO AUGUST AND WE START SCHOOL.
AND THIS IS WHAT A BASIC EDUCATION LOOKS LIKE WITHOUT A LEVY, YOU KNOW.
AND SO THEN WE CAN TALK, YOU KNOW, WELL NOW WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE MISSING? YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY IT TURNS OUT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THING. SO THAT'S ACTUALLY WISE. THE MONTHS WOULD BE AUGUST AND NOVEMBER, IS THAT CORRECT? IF WE WERE TO DO ONE? YES. WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
ANYBODY? SO WE WILL HOLD OFF ON CITIZEN´S COMMENTS THEN.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT AVAILABLE FOR US. I DID HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION, REAL QUICK.
IF IT'S A QUICK ANSWER, BECAUSE IF IT'S A LONG ANSWER, THEN NO. BUT THE TRANSPORTATION, WE STARTED AT THE VERY BEGINNING WITH TRANSPORTATION, OKAY? DOES THE MONEY THAT THEY GIVE US FOR TRANSPORTATION ACTUALLY COVER, YOU KNOW.
LET'S JUST MAKE THIS A YES OR NO SINCE WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
OKAY? SO DOES THE MONEY THAT THEY GIVE US PAY FOR ALL THE TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES OR IN FACT, IS THERE A SIGNIFICANT MARGIN THERE THAT WE HAVE TO DO TRANSPORTATION AND WE CAN'T CUT IT.
IS THAT? I GUESS THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES. WE DO HAVE TO MAKE UP SOME DIFFERENCE.
I THINK WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT. OKAY. WELL, SO NOTHING ELSE.
SO THIS MEETING WILL STAND ADJOURNED AND WE'LL START AGAIN AT 6:00.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.