CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THAT KIND OF APPLIES OR DOESN'T APPLY RIGHT NOW?
[00:00:06]
YEAH. I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO YOU HAVE TO BUILD A BUDGET, EVEN THOUGH YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME UNCERTAINTIES.AS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR COST IS PERSONNEL.
AND SO WE PUT IN AN ASSUMPTION OF KIND OF AN OVERALL 5% ESCALATOR INTO THIS BUDGET.
SO WHEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS BUDGET, YOU WOULD ASSUME THAT OUR PERSONNEL COSTS WOULD GO UP ROUGHLY ABOUT 5% AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THE IMPACT OF THAT LEAVES US IN A DEFICIT POSITION.
BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE PLANNING TO USE FUND BALANCE TO FILL THAT GAP.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH. THANK YOU.
SO BUDGET CUTS. SO OUR GOAL WAS TO DO 5% REDUCTION IN OUR EXPENDITURE.
CAN YOU TELL YET WHERE WE LANDED ON THAT? LIKE DID WE COME IN AT 5%? DID WE WHERE? YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, I THINK, AMIDST THAT.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE IF WE REALLY ENDED UP NECESSARILY RIGHT ON 5%.
AND WHEN WE'RE DOING THAT, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF THEORETICAL SAVINGS.
YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW THE INDIVIDUAL POSITIONS IMPACTED, IF YOU WILL.
AND SO I THINK WE WERE A LITTLE SHY OF THAT ULTIMATELY, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT EXISTING STAFF THAT THEN ARE PAID MORE THROUGH LIKE STEP ROLES AND IN OTHER YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
SO BUT WILL WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE CLOSE OUT THIS LAST YEAR'S BUDGET? YEAH. YEAH.
SO LOOKING AT KIND OF THE OVERALL 23, 24 BUDGET, THE REVENUES ON THE LEFT, EXPENDITURES ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THIS YOU CAN SEE THIS REPRESENTS A DEFICIT POSITION.
AGAIN, OUR PLANNED USE OF FUND BALANCE.
AND SO THIS WOULD BE THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW THAT WE WOULD HAVE USED FUND BALANCE.
SO LAST YEAR IN 2021, 22, WE USED ABOUT $420,000 IN FUND BALANCE.
THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO END THE YEAR AT ABOUT $3 MILLION DEFICIT.
THIS REPRESENTS ANOTHER DEFICIT YEAR OF ABOUT, I WANT TO SAY 2.8, 2.7, EXCUSE ME.
SO THAT'S THREE YEARS. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR THIRD YEAR OF A DEFICIT BUDGET THEN.
AND IF IT WASN'T FOR THE CUTS THAT WE MADE, IT WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE EVEN MORE.
YES. CORRECT. AND THAT WAS PLANNED.
I MEAN, WE HAD AN OPEN DISCUSSION AROUND USING FUND BALANCE IN ORDER TO FILL THAT GAP.
SO IT WAS NOT, YOU KNOW, AN ACCIDENTAL DEFICIT, IF YOU WILL.
WE HAD PLANNED FOR THAT AND FELT AS THOUGH WE HAD THE FUND BALANCE CAPACITY TO MAKE THAT MOVE AS A DISTRICT TO BUFFER SOME OF THE BUDGET REDUCTIONS THAT WE HAD TO DO.
AND WE DIDN'T EXACTLY COME OUT ON TOP, IF YOU WILL.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR REVENUES ARE REALLY GOING UP COMPARED TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO END THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHY WE SAY 2.7% HIGHER.
RIGHT. SO THAT'S PRETTY SMALL.
AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH A LOSS OF REGIONALIZATION AND SOME OTHER FUNDING ADJUSTMENTS UP AND DOWN. SO ULTIMATELY, IT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT KIND OF THE INFLATION FACTOR THAT'S APPLIED ACROSS THE BOARD, IPD IT IS ACTUALLY 3.7.
WE DIDN'T EVEN GET TO THE INFLATION FACTOR.
SO THAT'S WHY WE KIND OF HAVE TO BE CAREFUL IN OUR ASSUMPTIONS ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE WENT WITH THE 5% ESCALATOR THERE.
SORRY, JUST TO CONFIRM, WHEN YOU SAY 5% ESCALATOR, THAT MEANS YOU PUT INTO THE BUDGET THAT OUR EXPENSES WOULD RISE BY 5% AND BUILT THAT INTO THIS NEXT BUDGET REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH WHAT IT MIGHT, WE WILL HAVE TO AMEND THAT EVENTUALLY IF IT THAT'S JUST WHAT YOU USE FOR BUDGETING. YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
YEAH. ONCE CONTRACTS ARE SETTLED, THEN YOU ESTABLISH SALARY SCHEDULES AND YOU HAVE TO INPUT THOSE.
AND WE PAY UPON WHATEVER THOSE BARGAIN SCHEDULES MIGHT BE.
SO WE LOOK AT CHANGES FROM JUNE.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S PRETTY MINIMAL.
THE BIG ONE IS THE ADDED CAPACITY.
[00:05:01]
WE DID THIS ON BOTH SIDES, 2 MILLION TO THE REVENUES, 2 MILLION TO EXPENDITURES.WE WANT TO KEEP THE BOTTOM LINE PRETTY CLOSE.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT 120 MILLION, YOU'VE GOT 200,000 HERE AND THERE.
SO, BUT THE BIG CHANGE IS, IS THE ADDED CAPACITY.
SO WHAT WE ARE FORECASTING IS STILL.
WE HIT THE TARGET THIS LAST YEAR.
AND WE'RE TARGETING SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT HIGHER FOR THIS COMING YEAR.
SO MEANING WE'RE STILL NOT BACK TO PRE-COVID LEVELS, BUT WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS AND THAT'S GOOD.
HEY, JASON, I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK YOU.
WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT ENROLLMENT.
WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT HEADCOUNT, RIGHT? WE'RE LOOKING AT FTE, WHICH ARE STUDENTS THAT WE GET FUNDED BY THE STATE FOR OUR REVENUE, NOT ENROLLMENT. SO THESE ARE NOT OUR HEADCOUNT ENROLLMENT NUMBERS.
WHAT WE GET FUNDED FOR, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND WHAT ERIKA IS SPEAKING TO IS THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEADCOUNT AND FULL TIME EQUIVALENT STUDENT OR FTE GENERALLY IS OUR RUNNING START STUDENTS. AND SO WE'VE BEEN RUNNING AT ABOUT 155 RUNNING START FTE.
SO ON THE REVENUE FORECAST, LIKE I MENTIONED, ENROLLMENT IS KEY.
AGAIN, REGIONALIZATION, WE LOST 3% IN PART OF THE FUNDING FORMULA, A PERCENT AND A HALF.
THIS WAS A PRETTY BIG HIT TO GET 3% LOSS IN ONE YEAR AND ONE AND A HALF.
WE DID SEE SOME SOME REVENUE GAINS IN SPED SPECIAL ED.
AND WE DID SEE SOME REVENUE GAINS ON GETTING AN EXPERIENCE FACTOR.
UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF THAT WAS OVERSHADOWED BY THE LOSS OF REGIONALIZATION, REALLY.
THAT'S WHY WHEN YOU LOOK AT KIND OF OUR NET REVENUE GAIN, IT'S 2.7%.
SO NOW WE'RE DOWN TO 6%, IS THAT CORRECT? AND THAT'S WHERE WE THINK IT'S GOING TO STAY AT OR WE'RE NOT SURE BECAUSE WE WE STARTED AT 12, I BELIEVE.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS I THINK IT'S EVERY FIVE YEARS THE LEGISLATURE IS TO REVISIT THE REGIONALIZATION APPLIED ACROSS THE STATE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS ADJUSTMENT IS.
THIS IS BASICALLY YEAR FIVE POST.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS, YES, WE'RE GOING TO SIT AT SIX, WHICH WOULD MAKE SENSE.
BASICALLY THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, I BELIEVE IN THIS LAST ONE LAST REALM OF CHANGES WAS TO RIGHT SIZE, ALL REGIONALIZATION FACTORS BY COUNTY.
AND SO THIS PUTS US ON PAR WITH ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE ALSO AT 6% REGIONALIZATION.
SO INSTEAD OF THEM RAISING UP TO WHERE WE WERE, THEY LOWERED US TO WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE WAS.
WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT INCORPORATED INTO THIS IS THE LOSS OF LEA FUNDING.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THOSE HAVE INCREASED DRAMATICALLY AS A RESULT OF THE THE NATURE OF THAT FORMULA BASICALLY RELIEVED THE STATE'S OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE THIS FUNDING.
WE USED TO GET ABOUT 1.8, 1.9 EVERY YEAR.
IT WENT DOWN A LITTLE AND THEN IT REALLY JUST CAME OFF THE TABLE.
[00:10:02]
LAST YEAR'S ASSESSED VALUES JUST WERE, YOU KNOW, 30% INCREASE.AND THEN WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT ONE TIME FUNDING IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.
AND THIS IS ONE LAST LITTLE PIECE.
LAST PIECE OF THE 11 AND I DON'T KNOW, 11.5, 11.6 MILLION.
WE'VE ALSO GOT A CHART ON THAT IN THE APPENDIX.
BUT ONE LAST LITTLE BIT OF THAT COVID STIMULUS MONIES AND WE'RE DOWN TO THE LAST 400,000.
SO THAT'S INCORPORATED. OH, YEAH, 11.6 RIGHT THERE.
ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE OF THE HOUSE KIND OF THE ASSUMPTIONS THERE.
AGAIN, USING FUND BALANCE AT 2.7 MILLION, THAT'S BASICALLY YEAR TWO OF OUR THREE YEAR PLAN TO SPEND DOWN FUND BALANCE BY 8.5 MILLION.
AND BASICALLY ONCE WE ACHIEVE THAT, THAT GETS US TO A FUND BALANCE OF 7.9%.
BUDGET CUTS, AS I MENTIONED, 5% TARGET AND THEN A LINE PERSONNEL COSTS WITH IPD, MEANING WE DON'T WANT TO VARY TOO MUCH FROM IPD BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING OUR FUNDING.
RIGHT? THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE.
I THINK SOME FOLKS GET A LITTLE CONFUSED ON THIS AND THE TERM CPI MIGHT GET THROWN AROUND.
THAT DOESN'T THAT DOES NOT DRIVE STATE FUNDING.
OTHER OBJECTIVES THAT WE TARGETED.
AS I MENTIONED, LIMIT BUDGET CUTS BY USING FUND BALANCE.
RIGHT. AND THEN BALANCE THAT BUDGET IN THREE YEARS.
AND SO ON THE REVENUE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, AGAIN, THE BIG GREEN IS THIS IS STATE APPORTIONMENT.
WE ALSO GET SOME STATE SPECIAL PURPOSE FUNDING.
FEDERAL RUNS ROUGHLY THE SAME WAY.
IT'S ALL FOR AN INTENDED PURPOSE.
AND BUT THAT'S A PRETTY SMALL SLIVER.
LOCAL TAXES BASICALLY OUR LOCAL LEVY THAT'S A SIZABLE CHUNK, RIGHT AROUND 15 TO 17% ROUGHLY.
IT'S PROBABLY THE LARGEST PER CAPITA IN THE LAND.
I MEAN, IT'S REALLY BIG FOR OUR SIZE OF DISTRICT, REALLY.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER THINGS LIKE SCHOOL LUNCH RECEIPTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THAT'S PART OF THAT RED SLIVER.
SO ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE.
SO WE'RE GOT REVENUES OF ABOUT 16,400.
SO WE'RE SPENDING MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE RECEIVING PER STUDENT.
AS I MENTIONED, THE INVESTMENT IN TEACHING ACTIVITIES IN THE CLASSROOM, THAT'S PARAMOUNT, RIGHT? THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE.
AND THEN CENTRAL ADMIN GENERALLY IS BASICALLY THE FOLKS HERE AT ZAC.
LOCALLY FUNDED PROGRAMS. I WANT TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME ON THIS BECAUSE THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL THAT.
WE HAVE A REPLACEMENT LEVY THAT'S ON THE BALLOT HERE COMING UP.
AND SO I WANT TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME OF WHAT THAT MEANS TO OUR BUDGET.
SO ALL OF OUR LOCAL RESOURCES, OVER 26 MILLION.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT KIND OF THAT LOCAL NON TAX, THIS IS WHAT I MENTIONED.
MOST OF IT IS IS MARY'S COMMUNITY ED PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, THAT THE COMMUNITY REALLY APPRECIATES.
WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT THE LEVY AND FUND BALANCE UTILIZATION, THIS IS VERY STUDENT FOCUSED.
AGAIN, OUR PRIORITIES HAVEN'T CHANGED.
STUDENT SERVICES, NUMBER ONE, YOU'VE GOT DIRECT SUPPORT AND INDIRECT SUPPORT.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE FOCUSING ON CERTIFICATED POSITIONS AND SUPPORTS IN THE CLASSROOM.
SPECIAL ED IS NUMBER TWO ON THE LIST, WHERE WE'RE USING ROUGHLY 12% OF OUR BUDGET TO FUND THOSE PROGRAMS. KEEP IN MIND, WHILE IT'S NOT IT'S ONLY 9% OF LOCAL FUNDING, IT'S 100% THAT FUNDS OUR ATHLETICS,
[00:15:11]
OUR CLUBS. YOU KNOW, THOSE EXTRACURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES WHICH ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR KIDS IN CAMAS.SO KEEP IN MIND THAT IT'S NOT THE MOST NOT THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OF LOCAL RESOURCES, IF YOU WILL.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM A PERCENTAGE STANDPOINT BUT IT'S 100% OF OF THAT FUNDING.
OF THE REST OF THIS REALLY IS SUPPLEMENTING EXISTING PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
YOU START TO KIND OF LOOK AT IT DIFFERENTLY.
WE'RE PRIORITIZING CLASSROOM AND STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? OKAY. JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE THAT WE'RE REMEMBERING THAT THOSE EXTRACURRICULARS ARE 100% FUNDED BY OUR LEVY.
YEAH. IS ALL THAT'S STANDARD FOR ALL DISTRICTS.
WE CAN'T USE STATE APPORTIONMENT DOLLARS TO FUND EXTRACURRICULAR.
AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE IN YEAR TWO OF THREE IN USING FUND BALANCE.
THAT'S THE BIG TAKEAWAY ON THIS SLIDE, REALLY? AND WILL THIS CHANGE? IT ALWAYS DOES. YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE GOING OUT FOUR YEARS.
WE FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT THE BUDGET THAT WE PUT TOGETHER.
AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, ITS ACCURACY AS BEST WE COULD.
YOU KNOW, 88% OF OUR COSTS ARE KIND OF STILL YET TO BE DETERMINED THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S ASSUMING A 5% CORRECT.
THE 5% ESCALATOR ON THE ENTIRE BUDGET.
YEAH. WELL, IF 5% ON SALARIES AND BENNIES ACROSS THE BOARD.
YES. SO AGAIN, THIS KIND OF GIVES A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY BECAUSE FUND BALANCE IS NOT STATIC FOR US.
IT DOES GO UP. IT DOES GO DOWN DEPENDING UPON THE FACTORS OF THE TIME.
IF YOU WENT BACK EVEN FURTHER, YOU WOULD BE IN KIND OF THAT LAST RECESSION TIME PERIOD, THAT 2008.
YOU KNOW, I WASN'T HERE BACK THEN, BUT IT LOOKED PRETTY SLIM BACK THEN.
SO BASICALLY WHEN YOU SEE A FUND BALANCE OF 15 SOME ODD PERCENT HERE, IT'S BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS CALLED OUR FUNDS BACK THEN OR FEDERAL MONIES THAT CAME IN TO HELP SCHOOLS THROUGH THAT TOUGH PERIOD OF TIME.
SO IT DID CAUSE A SPIKE IN THE FUND BALANCE.
AND THEN WE STEADILY HAD USED ABOUT A PERCENT A YEAR.
AND THIS CHANGE HERE FROM TEN UP TO IS THIS IS THE MCLEARY AND THEN THE COVID YEARS WHEN WE GOT ALL THAT ONE TIME COVID MONEY AT THE END OF THE YEAR. AND THEN WE'VE JUST STARTED TO SPEND IT DOWN.
SO THIS 13, ROUGHLY 2 TO 10 THREE THAT REPRESENTS THIS BUDGET YEAR THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO THE TRAJECTORY IS GOING DOWN? YES, GOING DOWN.
IT LOOKS LIKE TWO LEVELS THAT WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO IN TWO DECADES.
THAT'S FAIR. ONE MIGHT ASK, WHY WOULDN'T YOU USE IT ALL AND GET IT DOWN TO A CERTAIN LEVEL IN ONE YEAR.
SO KEEP IN MIND WHAT THIS REPRESENTS IS ALL FUND BALANCE.
SO THEY'RE WITHIN ALL FUND BALANCE.
YOU HAVE A RESTRICTED COMPONENT AND THEN A COMPONENT THAT'S AVAILABLE TO COVER FUTURE EXPENSES.
SO IN ANY GIVEN YEAR THE RESTRICTED COMPONENT WOULD BE, SAY, 800 TO $1 MILLION DOLLARS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR VOLATILITY IN CASH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT'S ANOTHER 5 TO 6 MILLION THAT WE NEED JUST TO COVER THAT VOLATILITY.
[00:20:03]
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, YOU THINK OF ALL THE STATE FUNDING THAT WE GET THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE GET ALMOST A QUARTER OF IT IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.THAT MEANS WE'RE RUNNING SHY ON SEVERAL PRIOR MONTHS.
YOU KNOW, IN THOSE TEN MONTHS PRIOR.
ALSO, WHAT CAUSES SOME OF OUR VOLATILITY IS THE NATURE OF PROPERTY TAXES.
THEY'RE BILLED TWICE A YEAR IN THAT SPRING AND IN THE FALL.
AND SO THOSE COLLECTION POINTS CREATE SPIKES IN APRIL AND IN OCTOBER.
AND THEN NO ONE IS PAYING TAXES IN THOSE MONTHS IN BETWEEN FOR THE MOST PART.
SO THAT CREATES THIS KIND OF A SINE WAVE EFFECT, IF YOU WILL, OF OF REVENUES.
SO YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT JUST TO RIDE THE HIGHS AND LOWS.
BUT BRINGING IT DOWN TO 7.9 THIS IS VERY LOW.
THAT LEAVES VERY LITTLE ROOM FOR MARGIN, FOR ERROR.
YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE OFF JUST A LITTLE ON AN EXPENDITURE PROJECTION OR A LITTLE SHY ON REVENUES OR WE DON'T SEE THE KIDS THAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD IN THE FALL.
IT HAS A MAJOR IMPACT WHEN YOU BRING IT TO THIS THIS LEVEL.
I KNOW THE BUDGET COMMITTEE WORKED LONG AND HARD ON THIS.
WHEN WE'RE PUTTING OUT THE THREE AND FOUR YEAR AND PLAYING WITH THAT THOSE NUMBERS OF WHEN YOU PUT WHEN YOU GO DOWN TO THIS FUND BALANCE THIS YEAR THE IMPACT THAT THAT HAS IN FUTURE YEARS LIKE HOW QUICKLY WE GET DOWN TO ZERO AND SO THERE'S THAT MONTHLY VOLATILITY AS WELL AS EVERYTHING WE DO THIS YEAR HAS A COMPOUNDING EFFECT TO FUTURE YEARS.
YEAH, IT DOES. AND SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE WHEN I TALK ABOUT BALANCING THE BUDGET AND KIND OF, IF YOU WILL, A GLIDE SLOPE BASICALLY WHERE YOU WANT EXPENDITURES HERE THAT ARE EXCEEDING REVENUES, EXCEEDING REVENUES COMING IN LINE.
SO IMAGINE TWO LINES, RIGHT? WE'RE EXPENDITURES ARE HIGHER THAN REVENUES.
THIS IS A HUGE AND THERE IS A RISK WHEN YOU SPEND FUND BALANCE IN LARGE CHUNKS IN ONE YEAR.
SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO THE NEXT YEAR? BECAUSE THAT EXPENSE IS THERE, BUT THE FUND BALANCE ISN'T RIGHT.
YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL HOW WE THREAD THE NEEDLE HERE IN MEETING A LOT OF COMPETING OBJECTIVES, RIGHT? WE WANT THE BEST PROGRAMS FOR OUR KIDS.
WE WANT THE BEST STAFF THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY EMPLOY.
AND. WE ALSO DON'T WANT TO HOLD ON TO MONEY JUST TO HOLD ON TO MONEY.
THAT'S WHY WE'VE PLANNED THE SPEND DOWN.
BUT YOU COULDN'T JUST TAKE $8 MILLION IN ONE YEAR.
IT'S NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE WHAT DO YOU DO THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
THAT MAKES SENSE? SOMETIMES IT'S KIND OF TOUGH TO TO SEE THAT, RIGHT? MSOC REPORTING.
WE HAVE TO DO THIS EVERY SINGLE BUDGET.
BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING OR DECLARING IS THAT WE GET ABOUT 9.9 MILLION IN MSOC FUNDING.
SO WHAT THAT IS, IS NON-PERSONNEL COSTS FOR THE FUEL, THE LIGHTS, THE COPY PAPER, ALL THAT STUFF.
AND WE'RE BUDGETING ABOUT 9.4, 5 MILLION.
THAT DIFFERENTIAL OF 400,000 THAT'S GOING TOWARDS PERSONNEL.
WE'RE AND BASICALLY WE'RE INVESTING IN INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF WITH THAT MONEY.
WE'VE DONE THIS FOR MANY YEARS.
WE JUST, WE PRIORITIZE STAFF OVER NON PERSONNEL.
OKAY. GOING THROUGH THESE NEXT ONES PRETTY FAST.
THIS IS WHERE BASICALLY ANY SORT OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, CAPITAL MAINTENANCE GOES THROUGH.
THE BIG THINGS HERE ARE LIKE OUR TECHNOLOGY LEVY AND OUR CAPITAL LEVY.
SO WE'VE GOT WE'RE GOING TO BE REROOFING CAMAS HIGH THIS YEAR WITH OUR CAPITAL LEVY.
[00:25:05]
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE BUILT INTO THIS, RIGHT? WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE THE 1 TO 1 DEVICES AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY THINGS THAT WE OFFER OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.THAT'S WHAT FLOWS THROUGH HERE AS WELL.
YOU'LL SEE A CHUNK OF IMPACT FEES AND EXPENDITURES.
BASICALLY, I'M ADDING SUFFICIENT BUDGET CAPACITY THAT IF A POTENTIAL LAND ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED ITSELF IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS THAT WE COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
SO KEEP IN MIND, IMPACT FEES HAVE TO BE USED FOR GROWTH, NOT LIKE WE CAN USE THIS MONEY FOR OPERATIONS OR WE CAN'T EVEN DO MAINTENANCE WITH IT HAS TO ADD TO STUDENT CAPACITY IN THE FUTURE.
WE'VE USED IT FOR IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS PORTABLES THAT ADD CLASSROOMS LAND TO PLACE FUTURE EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS.
JASON I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THERE WITH ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT FUNDS THAT WE HAVE THE GENERAL FUND, THE CAPITAL PROJECT DEBT SERVICE, ALL THE ONES YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO. THESE ARE ALL SEPARATE POTS OF MONEY AND THERE ISN'T REALLY CROSSOVER BETWEEN THESE.
CORRECT. YEAH. YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
IT'S NOT US DECIDING THAT IT'S BY LAW.
SO. I DON'T POSSESS SUCH POWER.
[LAUGHTER] ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL NOTE THAT IS KIND OF ODD YOU'LL SEE THIS GASB LEASES.
KEEP IN MIND THERE'S KIND OF A CORRESPONDING ON EACH SIDE OF THE LEDGER REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
THIS IS JUST AN ACCOUNTING REQUIREMENT, IF YOU WILL.
IT'S A NEW STANDARD THAT CAME IN TO EFFECT.
THEY'VE CHANGED THE MANNER IN WHICH WE HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR THEM.
SO IN EFFECT, THE NET EFFECT IS ZERO IN ACTUAL DOLLARS.
SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING THAT WE DO.
IS OUR STUDENT TECHNOLOGY INCLUDED IN THAT? YES. LEASES THAT WE HAVE FOR CHROMEBOOKS AND [INAUDIBLE].
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST REFLECTS THE DEBT THAT WE'VE TAKEN OUT.
BASICALLY, THERE'S A PAYBACK PERIOD FOR BONDS.
AND THIS JUST MEETS OUR DEBT SERVICE OBLIGATIONS.
AGAIN, MOST OF THIS YOU'LL SEE IS HIGH SCHOOL.
OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A COMPONENT.
A REALLY SMALL SLIVER IS ELEMENTARY.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, ASB IS DOMINATED BY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
AS YOU CAN SEE, ATHLETICS AND CLUBS DOMINATE THE EXPENDITURE SIDE.
THERE'S GENERAL ASB, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A PRETTY SIZABLE CHUNK FOR SCHOOLS BUT YOU KNOW, THAT GIVES THAT STUDENT BODY FLEXIBILITY TO USE FOR ANY NUMBER OF THINGS. AND THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR DISTRICT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT STUDENT EXPERIENCES THAT COME OUT OF THIS FUND.
GO AHEAD. AS I DO EVERY SINGLE YEAR WHEN I SEE THAT WE'VE GOT A LIKE MILLION DOLLAR SORT OF BALANCE THAT GOES FROM YEAR TO YEAR. THEY'LL PUT MONEY IN AND THEY'LL SPEND IT AND THEN THEN THEY HAVE $1 MILLION LEFT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AS WELL.
THIS HAPPENS TO BE THE STUDENT'S MONEY.
SO. TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE FUND.
THIS IS WHERE WE PURCHASE BASICALLY NEW BUSSES FOR OUR FLEET.
[00:30:04]
IT IS REMARKABLE HOW MUCH WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE THESE DAYS.AND I'M HAPPY THAT WE FULFILLED OUR LAST ORDER OF AUGUST 2021.
IT TOOK TWO YEARS TO GET ALL OF THOSE BUSSES.
SO NOW I FEEL LIKE, OKAY, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ORDER ANOTHER ROUND.
BUT WE HAVE TO KIND OF KEEP UP OTHERWISE OUR FLEET WILL START TO GET TOO FAR DEPRECIATED AND WE'LL HAVE TO PLAY CATCH UP DOWN THE ROAD.
SO. WE'LL STILL KEEP THE FUND SOLVENT, BUT IT IS A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE PER BUS.
WAS THERE ANY HELP WITH THAT FROM THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THIS YEAR? NO, NOTHING.
YEAH. AND THAT'S IT FOR THIS EVENING.
ANY QUESTIONS? SO BASICALLY AT THIS POINT, WE WOULD OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AS ASSOCIATED WITH FOR THE BUDGET HEARING.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE WHO SIGNED UP.
THAT'S CORRECT. AND SO THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO MOVE TOWARDS THE RESOLUTION, I THINK 23 -ZERO.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION BEFORE WE MOVE ON.
SO THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE APPROVING TONIGHT, WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON, WHAT'S THE LIKELIHOOD THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO LIKE A BUDGET AMENDMENT DOWN THE LINE, DO YOU THINK? ARE WE ARE YOU THINKING IT'S LIKELY? I DON'T KNOW. YOU DON'T KNOW? I THINK IT'S TOO EARLY TO TELL COREY.
YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO SEE, FIRST OFF, HOW MANY KIDS ARE WE GOING TO BE TEACHING, YOU KNOW, INSTRUCTING THIS YEAR? THAT'S NUMBER ONE, AS WELL AS NOT ONLY OUR CONTRACTS, OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU MENTIONED, BUT IT'S STUDENTS.
AND THEN WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT GET FURTHER INTO THE YEAR JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR REVENUE AND OR EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS ARE ACCURATE AND YOU TEND TO HONE THOSE IN AS YOU PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO PROBABLY REVISIT THAT PROBABLY AROUND JANUARY WOULD BE MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT WE'D HAVE ENOUGH MONTHS UNDER OUR BELT TO FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT THE DIRECTION WE'RE HEADING.
DEFINITELY KNOW THE NUMBER OF KIDS AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE THE CONTRACT.
SO CONTRACT SETTLED BY THEN, ALL CONTRACTS SETTLED.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, SO SINCE THAT'S IT, RIGHT? YOU'RE GOOD. THANK YOU.
[E. Board Resolution 23-01 - 2023/2024 Budget Adoption]
OF THE 2023-2024 BUDGET.UNLESS ANYONE HAS ANY FURTHER COMMENTS, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND A SECOND.
COMMENTS I WOULD MOVE FOR ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 23-01, THE ADOPTION OF THE 23-24 BUDGET.
OKAY. SO IT WAS MOVED BY CONNIE, SECONDED BY TRACEY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED. ALL RIGHT.
MOTION CARRIES. THE BUDGET IS ADOPTED.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND RESUME OUR REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
THAT BRINGS US DOWN TO ITEM 5 BOARD COMMUNICATION.
[A. Board Communication]
ERIKA, I THINK YOU WANTED TO SAY.I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE CAMAS COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE SADDENED BY THE CURRENT SITUATION WITH THE INABILITY TO COME TO A SUSTAINABLE AND FAIR CONTRACT FOR OUR TEACHERS.
WE'VE HEARD FROM SO MANY OF OUR CAMAS FAMILIES WHO ARE EXCITED FOR THEIR STUDENTS TO START THEIR SCHOOL YEAR, AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT BOTH ENTITIES WILL CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BACKPACKS READY AND WANT TO BE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. WE'VE RECEIVED A HIGH VOLUME OF EMAILS FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND WE'RE READING EACH ONE AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK.
HOWEVER, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO RESPOND TO EVERY EMAIL, SO WE ALSO WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT DISTRICT STAFF ARE READING ALL THE COMMENTS POSTED ON PARENT SQUARE AND ARE SHARING WITH BOARD MEMBERS.
AGAIN, WE WANT TO REITERATE THAT WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT AN AGREEMENT IS REACHED THAT SUPPORTS STUDENTS, HONORS OUR INCREDIBLE TEACHING STAFF AND IS FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE.
[00:35:02]
THAT'S GOING TO MOVE US ON TO ITEM SIX ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.[6. PUBLIC COMMENTS - 30 minutes]
I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT WE DID HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WAS SUBMITTED WRITTEN.SO THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA FOR THE RECORD.
THE BOARD VALUES PUBLIC INPUT.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BOARD IS TO ACTIVELY LISTEN AND REFLECT ON PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THE BOARD MAY ONLY DISCUSS AND ACT UPON ITEMS INCLUDED IN THE WRITTEN AGENDA, AND FOR THAT REASON, BOARD MEMBERS CANNOT RESPOND TO ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT CAN ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT TO FOLLOW UP ON ISSUES RAISED DURING PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC INPUT EMPHASIZE THE RESPECT AND CONSIDERATION OF OTHERS.
THE BOARD REQUESTS THAT ANYONE WHO HAS SUBMITTED WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS REFRAIN FROM READING THESE COMMENTS DURING THIS PORTION OF OUR MEETING TO GIVE OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR COMMENTS.
ONCE CALLED UPON, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM, FACE THE BOARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
A BELL WILL RING WHEN YOUR ALLOTTED TIME HAS ENDED.
SO I'M GOING TO GO IN THE ORDER THAT THEY WERE SIGNED UP.
AND I APOLOGIZE IF I CAN'T READ SOME HANDWRITING HERE.
I THINK THE FIRST ONE IS JEFF LINTON.
AND THE PODIUM IS RIGHT OVER THERE.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JEFF LINTON.
I'M MARRIED TO ERIN LINTON, WHO IS CURRENTLY THE LIBRARIAN AT GRASS VALLEY ELEMENTARY.
TONIGHT I HEARD THE WORD RISK USED WITH RELATION TO OUR BUDGET AND WITH RELATION TO OUR KIDS.
I WAS RAISED IN VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON, GRADUATED FROM MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL IN 95, AND EVERY NOW AND AGAIN YOU RUN INTO AN INDIVIDUAL THAT MAKES AN IMPRESSION IN YOUR LIFE, WHETHER THAT'S IN YOUR FAITH OR IN YOUR COMMUNITY OR AT SCHOOL.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE COACHED BY FRED LARSON FROM MOUNT VIEW HIGH SCHOOL IN CROSS COUNTRY.
NOW, THAT MAN AT THE END OF MY CROSS-COUNTRY YEAR, MY SENIOR YEAR, GAVE US ALL A BOOK.
OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO BY DR.
SEUSS. NOW, I HOPE TONIGHT WE GO IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND THAT'S TO GAMBLE ON OUR CHILDREN.
PUT THAT MONEY WHERE IT BELONGS.
IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT RISK, I WOULD RISK OUR ENTIRE BUDGET ON OUR CHILDREN, ON OUR FACULTY.
WE HAVE MEMBERS IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT ARE OF A HIGH CALIBER, AND I HOPE WE KEEP THE ATTRACTION TO CAMAS USING THOSE FUNDS THAT WE CONTINUE TO EMPLOY THESE INDIVIDUALS.
I IMPLORE YOU GUYS TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
I WOULD RISK OUR ENTIRE BUDGET ON THESE INDIVIDUALS, ON OUR KIDS.
MY TWINS MEAN EVERYTHING TO ME.
IF I LOST EVERYTHING I HAVE, MY KIDS MATTER THE MOST.
THREE YEARS AGO, I LOST MY SON, CAMDEN TO CANCER.
HE DIDN'T GET THAT OPPORTUNITY.
I WISH HE WOULD HAVE MET SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM.
WE WERE SUPPORTED BY THIS COMMUNITY 100% AS WE LOST OUR SON.
AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT MATTER THE MOST TO ME.
I IMPLORE YOU GUYS AGAIN TO SPEND THE MONEY.
FOR OUR KIDS. FOR OUR TEACHERS.
YOU'RE IMPORTANT. YOU MATTER TO US AND TO OUR KIDS.
DO THE RIGHT THING, SPEND THAT MONEY.
GAMBLE. THAT RISK IS WHAT MATTERS.
[00:40:01]
THAT GAMBLE IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT.THE YOUTH OF THIS NATION MATTER.
I IMPLORE YOU TO SPEND THAT MONEY.
IF YOU GAMBLE, YOU WILL FIND SUCCESS IN THAT GAMBLE.
OUR KIDS MATTER. OUR TEACHERS MATTER.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT IS ERIN ANDREASEN.
OKAY. MY DAUGHTER DID NOT WANT ME TO WEAR THE READERS, BUT I'M GOING TO WEAR THEM.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ERIN ANDREASEN.
I'M THE PARENT OF A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT AND A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.
AND I'VE BEEN A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER IN THE DISTRICT FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
ON AUGUST 23RD, A MESSAGE WAS SENT BY THE DISTRICT TO THE COMMUNITY.
IT STATED, OUR PRIORITY REMAINS FOCUSED ON DELIVERING THE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION THAT YOU HAVE COME TO EXPECT FROM US. WHILE ENSURING THAT OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE FAIRLY COMPENSATED AND SUPPORTED.
IT'S BEEN ONLY FIVE DAYS SINCE THAT MESSAGE WAS SENT.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THOSE PAST FIVE DAYS, BUT YOUR NEW PRIORITY SEEMS TO BE PAINTING THE TEACHERS AS GREEDY AND LAZY WHILE ALSO PROMOTING THE DISTRICT AS FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION INVOLVES MANDATORY TEACHER PLANNING TIME AND SMALLER CLASS SIZES.
IT DOES NOT INVOLVE TELLING THE COMMUNITY THAT THE TEACHERS SUDDENLY DEMAND A NEW 9% RAISE.
RESOURCES LIKE LIBRARY BOOKS, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, SPORTS EQUIPMENT AND HEALTH MATERIALS.
IS IT THE STUDENTS WHO ARE ON THE RECEIVING END OF THE DECISIONS MADE BY YOU? NO. IS IT THE TEACHERS WHO ARE CREATING THE EDUCATIONAL CLIMATE THAT THIS DISTRICT LOVES TO PROMOTE? NO. IS IT THE PARENTS WHO WANT THE BEST TEACHING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT THE DISTRICT CAN PROVIDE? NO. LAST NIGHT, THE DISTRICT SENT A MESSAGE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT STATED, OUR DISTRICT'S BARGAINING TEAM IS DISAPPOINTED THAT CEA IS REGRESSING.
AFTER REVIEWING BOTH PROPOSALS AND THE INFORMATION YOU ARE PROVIDING TO THE COMMUNITY I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE DISAPPOINTMENT LANDS WITH YOU AND YOUR LACK OF FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.
AND TO CLOSE, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REITERATE WHAT THE DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS SERVICES SAID.
IT IS NICE TO SEE OUR MONEY IN USE.
[APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'M SORRY, I CAN'T READ THIS. IT SAYS CHRISTIE B, I'M GOING TO GO WITH.
HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CHRISTY BOLLIER.
I AM THE MOTHER OF FIVE CAMAS STUDENTS OR CURRENT AND FORMER.
WE MOVED TO CAMAS ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO, PRIMARILY FOR THE SCHOOL, SO WE MOVED FROM THE EAST COAST.
[00:45:04]
WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A PLACE, AS MY HUSBAND SAID, THAT WE WOULD ALL BE HAPPY WITH THE SCHOOLS, DID TONS OF RESEARCH.AND I LANDED IN CAMAS BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOLS.
AND ON THE WHOLE, I'VE BEEN WE'VE BEEN VERY, VERY HAPPY WITH IT AND I'VE TRUSTED AND I TRUSTED UP UNTIL LAST NIGHT, FRANKLY, THAT THESE TWO GROUPS WERE GOING TO FIND CONSENSUS. THANK YOU.
IT WAS REALLY UNFORTUNATE AND DISAPPOINTING TO GET THAT LETTER LAST NIGHT.
AND I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH ERIN IN TERMS OF THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS USED WAS REALLY HARSH.
AND THE KIDS WERE ALL TALKING ABOUT IT.
HOW UPSETTING IT WAS TO HEAR OUR BELOVED STAFF AND TEACHERS BEING SPOKEN ABOUT THAT WAY.
I UNDERSTAND NEGOTIATIONS ARE DIFFICULT.
I'VE BEEN IN THEM. I'M A BUSINESS WOMAN.
I UNDERSTAND BUDGETS, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU, I IMPLORE YOU GUYS TO FIND TO COME BACK TO THE BARGAINING TABLE FIRST AND FIRST AND FOREMOST, AND TO FIND COMMON GROUND AND TO MAKE IT WORK FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT EVERYBODY HAS STATED IN THIS ROOM.
THERE WAS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ASKED IF I WOULD SPEAK.
SO. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT IS IAN BOLLIER.
WHAT? DID I GET THAT WRONG? I'M SORRY.
MY NAME IS TY BOLLIER. I AM THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON ATTENDEE AND THE CAMAS GRADUATE OF 2022.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT I WAS PART OF A CAMAS COMMUNITY AND I WAS PART OF MANY PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE CAMAS HIGH SCHOOL BAND, WHICH I AM CURRENTLY WEARING THE SHIRT FOR RIGHT NOW, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER CLUBS AND AS WELL AS MANY AP CLASSES AND MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT THE TEACHERS GAVE ME ONE OF THE GREATEST EDUCATIONS THAT I COULD ASK FOR AND THROUGH SOME VERY CHALLENGING TIMES, INCLUDING COVID AND OTHER TIMES THAT ARE VERY CHALLENGING FOR BOTH EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS ALIKE, THEY CARRIED THROUGH IN TRULY ADMIRABLE FASHION.
AND I FIND IT FRANKLY APPALLING, WHAT I'VE SEEN FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD OVER THESE PAST FEW DAYS, THE NOT JUST THE EMAIL WHICH THE LANGUAGE WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT, I BELIEVE FALSELY PORTRAYING TEACHERS AS GREEDY AND NON FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, BUT ALSO THE SCHOOL BOARD'S LACK OF COMING TO THE TABLE TODAY, I BELIEVE, WAS JUST UNCALLED FOR.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A NEGOTIATION AND AS MY MOTHER SAID, I AM I'M NOT TOO YOUNG AND NAÏVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT NEGOTIATIONS ARE VERY DIFFICULT FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED, INCLUDING THE SCHOOL BOARD. BUT WE CANNOT SAY THAT THEY'RE SO DIFFICULT THAT WE CANNOT COME BACK TO THE TABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE STATE HAS PROVIDED FUNDING FOR GREATER RAISES FOR TEACHERS THAN THE SCHOOL BOARD IS CURRENTLY OFFERING.
SO I YOU KNOW, AS A STUDENT, AS SOMEBODY WHO'S BENEFITED GREATLY, I DON'T HAVE MUCH ELSE TO SAY ASIDE FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN THE CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS EXCELLENT AND THESE TEACHERS DESERVE NOTHING BUT THE VERY MOST THAT THE SCHOOL CAN GIVE THEM AND THAT THE STATE HAS PROVIDED FOR THEM.
AND WE SHOULD AND WE AS A COMMUNITY SHOULD ACCEPT NOTHING LESS.
[APPLAUSE] NEXT IS JENNIFER LAWFREY.
HELLO, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DR.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE OF TEACHERS, INDIRECTLY OR DIRECTLY.
WE ARE ALL HERE BECAUSE OF TEACHERS.
WE ALL HAVE HAD TEACHERS AND OUR KIDS HAVE ALL OR DO HAVE TEACHERS.
TEACHERS HELP SHAPE WHO WE ARE AND WHO WE BECOME.
THEY ARE A VERY BIG PART OF THE NURTURE PART OF OUR DEVELOPMENT.
THESE DAYS THEY ARE MORE THEY ARE FIRST RESPONDERS IN AN EVER CHANGING ENVIRONMENT; LANGUAGE, VOCABULARY, TEACHING METHODS, CURRICULUM FORMATS, HIGH CAP VERSUS UNIVERSAL DESIGN, MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH, SAFETY AND MATH.
WE HAVE THE THIRD LARGEST RESERVE OUT OF 30 OTHER COMPARABLE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
JULY IT WAS QUOTED AT 113 MILLION.
BUT WAIT, OUR ENROLLMENTS HAVE GONE UP.
SO I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE HIGHER ENROLLMENTS MEAN MORE MONEY.
[00:50:05]
SO I LEARNED SOME MORE FROM TONIGHT, BUT IT'S STILL PRETTY CONFUSING TALKING IN PERCENTAGES AND THEN TALKING IN DOLLAR AMOUNTS, IT'S VERY UNCLEAR. SO DOES THE STATE'S RECENT KICK DOWN TO PAY FOR COLA EXPENSES.8% OF 113 MILLION IS 9.04 MILLION.
8% OF 116 MILLION IS 9.28 MILLION.
8% OF 120 MILLION IS 9.6 MILLION.
IT WASN'T SAID THAT IT WOULD TAKE THREE YEARS TO GET THERE.
SO IS THERE A BUDGET FOR EVERY YEAR OR BUDGET FOR THREE YEARS? 10% OF 113 MILLION IS 11.3 MILLION.
10% OF 120 MILLION IS 12 MILLION.
15% OF 113 MILLION IS 16.95 MILLION.
15% OF 116 MILLION IS 17.4 MILLION.
15% OF 120 MILLION IS 18 MILLION.
IN OTHER SETTINGS THIS IS CALLED GASLIGHTING OR A SHELL GAME.
AT BEST THIS IS COLORFUL ACCOUNTING OR POLITICAL FALLOUT.
IT IS DEFINITELY NOT TRANSPARENT WHEN THE NUMBERS ARE CONSTANTLY FLUCTUATING.
[APPLAUSE] NEXT UP IS GREG GILBERTSON.
GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD.
GOOD EVENING TO THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM AND THE FOLKS OUT CHEERING OUTSIDE.
I DON'T HAVE ANY PREPARED COMMENTS TONIGHT.
MY WIFE'S A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR AT THE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE SCIENCE DEPARTMENT, AND I AM A 30 YEAR NAVY VETERAN DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN IN 2012 2013.
IN AFGHANISTAN BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT.
WE KNEW WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO, AND THERE WAS NO HIDDEN AGENDAS GOING ON.
I IMPLORE BOTH SIDES TO GET TOGETHER.
WE KNOW IT. WE NEED TO GET IT DONE RIGHT FOR OUR EDUCATORS, FOR OUR STUDENTS.
I FAILED TO SAY IN THE BEGINNING I HAVE A GRADUATE IN 2016 AND 2020.
SUPER PROUD OF THEM, SUPER PROUD OF THEIR EDUCATION THAT THEY RECEIVED FROM CAMAS.
SUPER PROUD OF THEM AS YOUNG ADULTS NOW.
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT, NO HIDDEN AGENDAS.
[APPLAUSE] NEXT. NEXT IS SIDNEY MILLER.
I'M SYDNEY MILLER, AN AUTISTIC STUDENT AT DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL.
AND RIGHT NOW I SHOULD BE DISCUSSING MY FIRST DAY OF SENIOR YEAR OVER FAMILY DINNER.
TO START OUT, I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF AND MY PERSPECTIVE.
I DO NOT SPEAK FOR THE TEACHERS HERE TODAY.
I HAVE BEEN IN CAMAS AND IT'S SCHOOL DISTRICT ALL MY LIFE.
I NOTICE WHEN OUR EDUCATORS ARE UNDER STRESS.
WHEN A CLASSROOM IS OVERCROWDED, MY LEARNING CAN BE NEGLECTED BY NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.
IT'S ESPECIALLY EASY FOR ME TO SEE THIS BECAUSE I AM OFTEN THE FIRST TO SUFFER WHEN THIS HAPPENS.
WHEN A TEACHER'S ATTENTION IS TOO DIVIDED, MY UNIQUE LEARNING STYLE FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS.
AGAIN, I GIVE NO BLAME TO OUR EDUCATORS.
PASSIONATE STAFF WHO DON'T JUST WANT ME IN A CLASSROOM.
LIVING WAGES IN SMALLER CLASS SIZES, LIVING WAGES AND PERFORMING ARTS ARE THE BOTTOM LINE.
THESE ARE NOT IRRATIONAL DEMANDS.
CARING FOR THEM IS CARING FOR STUDENTS.
THEY ARE NOT HERE JUST FOR THEMSELVES.
[00:55:02]
SO MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ALL NEED YOU TO LISTEN, REALLY LISTEN TO OUR EDUCATORS BECAUSE THE WORDS YOU MISS WILL BE THE FUTURE YOU IGNORE.TODAY, THESE TEACHERS WILL PREACH THE RESULTS OF AN UNFAIR ENVIRONMENT.
[APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT IS GEORGE MCCOY.
NOW, BEFORE I START, I'M GOING TO ASK IF MR. MCEATHRON COULD BOTHER TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS RATHER THAN PLAY ON HIS PHONE OR LAPTOP FOR THE NEXT THREE MINUTES THAT'D BE REALLY HELPFUL.
I WANT TO OFFER A PERSPECTIVE THAT I THINK IS LOST ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.
IT'S LOST ON OUR BUDGET SUPERVISOR WHO'S STILL PLAYING ON HIS LAPTOP RATHER THAN LOOKING AT THE PERSON THAT'S GIVING PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT THE SITUATION, WE CAN 15 SECONDS, 20S.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE.
I'M A PRODUCT OF THE CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
MR. MCENRY IS IN FACT A GOOD CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
TODAY NOT SO MUCH. BUT HE KNOWS MY PERSONALITY.
SO HE GETS WHY I SAY IT. I HAD A LOT OF GREAT TEACHERS.
MISS FORTIER, MR. RAINEY, MR. LUPE.
MACK, BRONC WILLIAMS, WHO I JUST SAW OUTSIDE, WHO STILL TEACHES HERE.
THIS GAVE ME THE PLATFORM TO GO TO WSU TO GET MY BACHELOR'S IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS, TO GET MY LAW DEGREE, TO GROW A LAW PRACTICE, AND TO COME HERE BACK TO CAMAS TO RAISE MY FAMILY.
THE SUBDIVISIONS AND GIANT HOUSES YOU SEE ON THE LAKE THAT WASN'T WHAT BUILT THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WHEN THERE WAS 5000 PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN AND IT WAS A MILL TOWN.
EVERYBODY KNEW THE TEACHERS HERE COULD BE COUNTED ON.
THEY BUILT THE FOUNDATION FOR THOSE HOUSES TO BE BUILT, FOR THOSE TAXES TO BE RAISED.
YOU WERE GIFTED A GREAT GIFT, DOCTOR.
AND NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO IN THE NEXT COMING WEEKS WITH THESE NEGOTIATIONS, YOU HAVE FAILED.
YOU HAVE FAILED US AS A COMMUNITY.
YOU HAVE FAILED THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
DR. SNELL WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THIS DONE.
MR. [INAUDIBLE] WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THIS DONE.
TRUTH IS WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AS PARENTS IS PROPAGANDA FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER THE LAST WEEK.
THESE TEACHERS ARE NOT GREEDY.
THEY DON'T HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
BUT WHEN THE COST OF LIVING IS SO HIGH THAT A GALLON OF MILK, A LOAF OF BREAD AND A DOZEN EGGS CAN'T BE BOUGHT FOR $10, YOU'RE TELLING THESE TEACHERS TO EFFECTIVELY COME IN AND TEACH OUR KIDS, BUT YOU CAN'T EVEN LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN CAMAS.
DO BETTER MR. LAPTOP. [APPLAUSE] OUR FINAL PUBLIC COMMENT IS JO BOSWELL.
HELLO, MY NAME IS JO BOSWELL AND I KNOW YOU ALL GOT AN EMAIL FROM ME THIS AFTERNOON.
OR IF YOU'VE HAD ME AS A SUB IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, YOU MIGHT KNOW ME AS BOS, AS IN THE WIZARD OF BUT WITH A, B AND NOT A BOSS. I'M BAS.
I AM WEARING MY BACKPACK BECAUSE I'M READY TO GO BACK AND SUB IN THESE CLASSROOMS UNTIL THERE'S A DRAMA POSITION OPEN AT DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL WHERE I NEED TO BE. I AM A HOMEOWNER.
RECENTLY IT'S BEEN A REAL STRUGGLE.
[01:00:03]
I'M 41.MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE FIVE JOBS, AND WE'RE MAKING IT.
AND I HAVE THREE KIDS, TWO IN ELEMENTARY AND ONE HEADED OVER TO ODYSSEY MIDDLE SCHOOL THIS YEAR.
AND I SAID, I'M SORRY, STAY HOME.
I WENT ON A RAGE WALK THIS MORNING WHILE MY KIDS WERE CRYING AND YELLING BECAUSE I GAVE I DIDN'T GIVE THEM THE NEWS THIS MIGHT HAPPEN UNTIL I GOT THE EMAIL OVER DINNER BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO BE ANXIOUS FOR TOO LONG.
I HAVE THREE NEURODIVERGENT CHILDREN, SO IT'S BEEN A LOT IN OUR HOUSE.
AND AS I PASSED, THERE WAS A CAR WITH TWO PARENTS GETTING THEIR KINDERGARTNER OUT.
THEY GOT THE MESSAGE, BUT IT DIDN'T REALLY REGISTER.
AND WHEN I HEARTBROKENLY STOPPED THEM AND SAID THERE'S NO SCHOOL.
THE MOTHER SAID TO ME, I THOUGHT CAMAS WAS A SCHOOL DISTRICT KNOWN FOR VALUING ITS TEACHERS.
I DIDN'T PUT ANY WORDS IN THEIR MOUTH.
I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE.
I JUST SAID, THERE'S A STRIKE.
THERE'S NO SCHOOL. THAT WAS THE REACTION.
THIS IS A LEGACY RIGHT NOW AND AN UNFORTUNATE ONE.
THIS IS THE FIRST STRIKE CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EVER HAD.
THAT'S A LEGACY AND IT'S NOT A GOOD ONE.
PLEASE MEET WITH THE BARGAINING TEAM.
PLEASE FUND MUSIC AND LIBRARY AND PE.
MAYBE SOME OF THEM CAN, BUT THAT'S NOT MY CASE.
LOWER THE CLASS SIZES AS A SUB IT'S SO HARD.
I'M GOING TO END BY SAYING, AS ANNA SAYS IN FROZEN TWO DO THE NEXT RIGHT THING.
[APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[8. CONSENT AGENDA]
BOARD, YOU HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA IN FRONT OF YOU.I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND A SECOND.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MOVE BY TRACEY, SECONDED BY BAMINI.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.
ALL RIGHT. THAT BRINGS US DOWN TO OUR MONTHLY REPORTS.
[A. Superintendent's Report]
9A FIRST THE SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT.SO AS AS I LISTENED TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT, OBVIOUSLY AS A DAD FIRST ABSOLUTELY SADDENS ME THAT MY OWN CHILDREN WEREN'T IN SCHOOL TODAY OR TOMORROW.
THEY WERE JUST AS EXCITED AS ANYBODY ELSE.
THEY HAD A WONDERFUL YEAR HERE LAST YEAR IN SECOND GRADE AND SIXTH GRADE.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIRD GRADE AND SEVENTH GRADE THIS YEAR.
THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE DEALING WITH A VERY, VERY DIFFERENT YEAR THIS YEAR.
I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN FOR A LACK OF TRYING.
I WAS WITH THEM ALL WEEKEND LONG.
OUR SATURDAYS OUR SUNDAYS? AND WE WILL BE AT IT TONIGHT AND WE'LL GET IT DONE UNTIL WE GET IT DONE.
KEEP TALKING. I CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
WE WERE NOT. WE WERE NOT APPROACHED TO MEET TODAY.
WE'RE MEETING WE WILL BE MEETING TONIGHT AFTER THE BOARD MEETING.
THERE WAS NO REASON FOR US TO NOT MEET TODAY AT ALL.
AND SO WE'RE MEETING WHEN BOTH PARTIES CAN MUTUALLY MEET.
AND THAT'S TONIGHT AT 7:30, IF NOT SOONER, WHENEVER THE BOARD MEETING ENDS.
THERE'S NO REASON FOR ME TO BE NOT TO BE FULLY TRANSPARENT WITH YOU.
I WANT TO GET THIS DONE AS WELL.
AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE FUTURE, I AS A SUPERINTENDENT, ALONG WITH THIS BOARD, WE
[01:05:10]
ABSOLUTELY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO VALUE AND TAKE CARE OF OUR TEACHERS.MY WIFE IS AN SLP IN THIS DISTRICT.
IT'S PERSONAL FOR ALL OF US ON THIS BOARD.
THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY HEARTBREAKING TO DO.
SO AS A SUPERINTENDENT, IT'S A TOUGH BALANCE.
AND THOSE OF YOU WHO DO OWN BUSINESSES, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN IN THIS BOAT BEFORE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M DEALING WITH AS A SUPERINTENDENT, YOU KNOW WHAT THIS BOARD IS DEALING WITH. AND YOU KNOW WHAT BOTH BARGAINING TEAMS ARE DEALING WITH BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LOOK AT FOUR CONTRACTS, NOT JUST ONE.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET OVER TIME, NOT JUST TODAY.
WE WILL GET THESE KIDS BACK INTO SCHOOL AND WE WILL GET OUR TEACHERS BACK WHERE THEY BELONG.
AND IT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE LONGER THAN WE WANT IT TO.
THAT'S A PROMISE TO YOU SO YOU CAN FEEL HOW YOU WANT TO FEEL.
YOU CAN SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY.
WE WILL GET THE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM AND WE'LL GET THE STUDENTS WHERE THEY BELONG.
JUST WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
THANK YOU. OUR NEXT REPORT IS THE MONTHLY BUDGET REPORT.
[A. Board Resolution 23-02 - Strike Resolution]
LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS BOARD RESOLUTION 23-02, WHICH IS A FORMAL RESOLUTION AROUND THE STRIKE.I JUST WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT HERE THAT I HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
I MOVE TO APPROVE BOARD RESOLUTION 23-02 STRIKE RESOLUTION AS SUBMITTED.
I SECOND. SO IT WAS MOVED BY ERIKA, SECONDED BY CONNIE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.
ALL RIGHT. THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR MEETING.
WE WILL BE HOLDING A CLOSED SESSION FOR NEGOTIATIONS.
[12. CLOSED MEETING - Negotiations - RCW 42.30.140 (4)(a)]
AT THE CONCLUSION, WE ARE ADJOURNED.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.