[1. Meeting Opening]
[00:00:04]
CALL THIS PUBLIC HEARING TO ORDER. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[2. Tentative Bargaining Agreement]
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN SCHOOLS AND HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. WE'LL PRESENT THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.AND AT THIS TIME, MR. BROWN WILL COVER THE AGREEMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAPES. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. GOOD MORNING. HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE.
I'M GOING TO TAKE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES OR SO DIVING INTO THE ADJUSTMENTS FROM OUR PREVIOUS AGREEMENT TO THE CURRENT TENTATIVE AGREEMENT THAT IS AVAILABLE AND OUT THERE TO THE PUBLIC. SO, JEFF, YOU WANT TO DRIVE OR YOU WANT ME TO DRIVE? OKAY. PERFECT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE PRETTY QUICK ITEMS, SOME I'LL SPEND JUST A DAB MORE TIME ON THIS MORNING.
STARTING AGAIN WITH THE SALARY INCREASES DUE TO THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS THAT ARE INVOLVED, THERE ARE NO BASE SALARY INCREASES FOR THE 2526 SCHOOL YEAR.
ONE CHANGE IN THE SCHEDULE THAT DOES HAVE A FINANCIAL COMPONENT IS THE SOCCER COACHES DID MOVE UP AN INDEX THAT'S BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS SOCCER COACHES AT EACH HIGH SCHOOL, SO A TOTAL OF FOUR POSITIONS MOVED UP AN INDEX, SO THEIR STIPEND INCREASES BY $400 UNDER THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT GUIDING COALITION POSITIONS. AS WE'VE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, THEY'RE BEING ADDED AT A INDEX OF TWO AT $800 EACH NOT BEING PAID IN THE 2526 SCHOOL YEAR, BUT BEING PAID IN THE 2627 SCHOOL YEAR OR ANTICIPATED TO BE PAID.
HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT CHAIRS WILL BE EXPIRING AT THE END OF THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR.
AND AGAIN, THAT GUIDING COALITION GOES ALONGSIDE OF THAT THAT PROCESS.
NEW HIRE PROVISIONS. THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGER CHANGES IN THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST OF 2026, WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE BOARD OF THE AGREEMENT, THE NEW HIRING PROCESS WILL FOLLOW A FORMULA INSTEAD OF A SCHEDULE.
THE FORMULA, AS YOU SEE, IS $48,500 FOR AB0 TEACHER, AND THEN ANY SUCCESSFUL YEAR OF EXPERIENCE THAT IS OUTLINED IN THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT IS $1,000, AND THEN A FLAT $4,000 IF YOU COME IN WITH A MASTER'S.
REALLY KEY HERE. THIS IS A NEW HIRE FORMULA ONLY.
THIS DOES NOT IMPACT ANYBODY THAT'S CURRENTLY EMPLOYED IN THE DISTRICT.
THE OTHER PIECE THAT'S IMPORTANT HERE IS THE SUPERINTENDENT DOES GAIN DISCRETION TO PAY TEACHERS NEW TO THE DISTRICT ABOVE THE FORMULA UP TO THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF OUR MASTER'S DEGREE PAY AT THIS POINT, WHICH IS 93,201 FOR THOSE DIFFICULT AND HARD TO FILL POSITIONS.
THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT OF THOSE OUT THERE THAT ARE ONE OFFS THAT MAYBE THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE QUALIFIED TO TEACH THAT POSITION, AND THE FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO HIRE IS REAL KEY HERE. MOVING ON TO DENTAL AND VISION.
SO NO CHANGES TO THAT. MOVING OVER TO MORE THE HEALTH SIDE AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN NAUSEAM HERE, THERE ARE SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASES TO THE PREMIUMS TO HEALTH INSURANCE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE GROWING COST OF HEALTH CARE, REALLY ACROSS ALL ENTITIES.
SO WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING HERE IS, BY RULE, BECAUSE WE HAD NOT HAD A SETTLED CONTRACT IN TIME, DISTRICT CONTRIBUTION RATES HAD TO STAY STATUS QUO WHEN OPEN ENROLLMENT TOOK PLACE IN NOVEMBER.
AND SO THOSE CONTRIBUTION AMOUNTS THAT YOU SEE IN THE DISTRICT ANNUAL COLUMN THEM THERE.
THOSE STAYED EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHAT THEY WERE IN THE PREVIOUS TENTATIVE AGREEMENT MINUS PLAN THREE, WHICH WAS WRITTEN TO SAY THE ENTIRE COST OF THE PLAN WOULD BE COVERED.
JUST A QUICK QUALIFIER. I KNOW THIS IS ENTIRELY FOCUSED ON THE TEACHING AGREEMENT.
OPEN ENROLLMENT WOULD NOT BE OPEN FOR OTHER EMPLOYEE GROUPS.
IT WOULD BE TEACHERS ONLY. IT WOULD BE OPEN FROM THE JANUARY 20TH TO THE 27TH.
ANYBODY WANTING TO MAKE A CHANGE WOULD NEED TO MEET IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY WITH A REP FROM AMERICAN FIDELITY, AND THEN THEY COULD MAKE THAT CHANGE. SO THEN BELOW YOU SEE THE RATES THAT WOULD TAKE EFFECT ON MARCH 1ST FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CALENDAR YEAR 2026.
AND SO THESE CONTRIBUTION AMOUNTS CHANGE AND THEY VARY WITH EACH OF OUR THREE PLANS.
[00:05:01]
ACROSS EMPLOYEE ONLY EMPLOYEE SPOUSE, EMPLOYEE CHILD AND AND FAMILY.AND THEN IN PLAN THREE, THE DISTRICT COVERS 88 TO 89% OF THE COST OF THE PLAN AS WELL.
STAYING WITH CALENDAR YEAR 26, THE DISTRICT CONTRIBUTIONS FOR HSAS DO REMAIN THE SAME AT 1000 102,000, BUT DUE TO THE ELECTION CHANGES OF DURING THE OPEN ENROLLMENT TIME, SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS BECAME AVAILABLE FROM OUR ORIGINAL OFFER.
AND SO WE PUT THOSE FUNDS TOWARD A ONE TIME HSA ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION.
SO YOU SEE THOSE ONE TIME AMOUNTS THAT VARY ANYWHERE FROM 400 TO $700 DEPENDING ON THE PLAN.
IN ADDITION TO THAT ANY ADDITIONAL SAVINGS THAT ARE CAPTURED AFTER THE OPEN ENROLLMENT? OBVIOUSLY, ANY TIME YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HEALTH SELECTION, IT DOES VARY.
AND SO BASED ON WHAT FOLKS SELECT AFTER OPEN ENROLLMENT, IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL SAVINGS THAT WILL BE ADDED TO THE ONE TIME HSA CONTRIBUTION PROPORTIONATE IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE HAVE DONE FOR EMPLOYEE ONLY EMPLOYEE SPOUSE, EMPLOYEE CHILD AND FAMILY.
SO THAT WILL BE CALCULATED AFTER THAT. OPEN ENROLLMENT CONCLUDES ON JANUARY 27TH.
MOVING INTO THE LANGUAGE NOW JUST SOME QUICK HIGHLIGHTS HERE.
SICK LEAVE DAYS ARE NOW BEING CAPPED AT 120, WHICH THERE WAS A PREVIOUS NO CAP TO THOSE DAYS.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THOSE ARE THOSE ACCUMULATED DAYS THAT CARRY OVER YEAR TO YEAR.
CAPPING THOSE AT 120 IS A PART OF THE NEW LANGUAGE.
WE ALSO HAVE A SICK LEAVE BANK IN PLACE THAT ALLOWS FOR MEMBERS TO REACH OUT IN A MORE, MAYBE CATASTROPHIC, SITUATION THAN NEEDS NEED HELP WITH PAY DAYS THAT PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED ADMINISTRATORS AND AS A PART OF THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT, ADMINISTRATORS ARE NO LONGER INCLUDED. SICK LEAVE CONVERSION AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, ANYBODY THAT HAS OVER 70 DAYS CAN NOW SELL BACK UP TO 20 DAYS TO THEIR 457 ACCOUNT, AND THEY WOULD GET AN ALLOCATION OF $60 PER DAY THAT THEY WOULD SELL. PREVIOUSLY THERE WAS SOME VESTING REQUIREMENTS AND THERE WERE VARIOUS TIERS ON WHEN YOU WERE EMPLOYED WITH THE DISTRICT.
THIS CLEANS THAT UP. SO IT'S JUST A FLAT $60 AND THERE ARE NO VESTING REQUIREMENTS INVOLVED.
SO SOMEONE WOULD CASH THOSE IN AND LEAVE THE NEXT DAY.
SO ANY CONSECUTIVE ABSENCES OVER THREE DAYS NEED TO BE SUBMITTED AT LEAST A WEEK IN ADVANCE.
AND OF COURSE, THESE ARE THOSE PLANNED ABSENCES. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT EMERGENCY SITUATIONS HERE.
AND AGAIN, IN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES, WE UNDERSTAND THAT ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY MAY BE NEEDED WHEN IT COMES TO TAKING A ABSENCE DAY BEFORE OR AFTER A HOLIDAY OR BREAK. THIS POLICY HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR QUITE SOME TIME HERE.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE'VE MOVED THIS SIGN UP DAY TO THE LAST TEACHER WORK DAY.
MEANING THAT THAT WILL BECOME AVAILABLE SO FOLKS CAN SELECT THE DAYS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO USE BEFORE AND AFTER HOLIDAYS, BECAUSE THERE IS A LIMIT IN THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT.
AND THEN IF SOMEONE DOES ELECT AN ABSENCE DAY AND THEN DOESN'T CANCEL IT UNLESS THERE'S AN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCE 48 HOURS OF THE ABSENCE, THEY WILL STILL BE CHARGED FOR THAT DAY. AND THEN FINALLY, SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE.
WE ADDED SOME CLARITY ON INDIRECT AND DIRECT ANCILLARY SERVICES.
THIS WAS A GOOD JUST SOME SOME GOOD UPDATING LANGUAGE THAT IF DIRECT SERVICES ARE BEING PROVIDED TO STUDENT DIRECT INSTRUCTION, THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE HOURLY RATE FOR A TEACHER. AND THEN IF IT'S INDIRECT, THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A FLAT $30.
ONE OF THE HOLDOVERS FROM THE PREVIOUS TENTATIVE AGREEMENT IS SUMMER SCHOOL PAY. SO ANY NON LITERACY COURSES I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT IN OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS, WILL BE PAID AT UP TO $64 PER HOUR OR THE TEACHER'S HOURLY RATE.
IF IT IS A LITERACY COURSE, IT WOULD STILL BE MAINTAINED AT THE TEACHER'S HOURLY RATE.
AND THEN ONE OTHER ITEM, A NEW DEPENDENT LEAVE, MUST BE USED WITHIN NINE MONTHS OF A CHILD'S BIRTH, FOSTER OR ADOPTION PLACEMENT. PREVIOUSLY THAT WAS 12 MONTHS.
[00:10:06]
AGREEMENT. IF IT IS APPROVED AT THAT POINT, THEN THE AGREEMENT WILL BE IN PLACE FOR THE TILL JUNE 30TH OF 2025.QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD. 26 2026. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ANY BOARD MEMBER QUESTIONS? YES. SO DO WE GET TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS TO THE BARGAINING TEAMS ON BOTH SIDES TO OR JUST WILL WE GET TO HEAR FROM THE ASSOCIATION? YEAH, WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT INVITING AND THEY SAID THEY JUST KIND OF STAY UP HERE.
SO THAT'LL BE UP TO TO MR. MAPES BUT PUBLIC HEARING IS JUST ON THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT.
SO WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED IS WHAT WE'RE TAKING COMMENT ON.
CORRECT. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. DO THEY GET TO SPEAK AT ALL REGARDING WHAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED? NO, THAT'S NOT THE PUBLIC HEARING IS JUST FOR THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED.
WE DON'T QUESTION BOTH SIDES ABOUT THE PROCESS.
IT'S THIS IS WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE ARRIVED.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED? OKAY. AND SO WOULD THAT HAPPEN? WOULD QUESTIONS BE ABLE TO BE DISCUSSED WITH BOTH SIDES AT THE NEXT MEETING? NO, THAT'S NOT THE PROCESS. NO, THAT'S NOT THE PROCESS.
OKAY. SO THEN WALK ME THROUGH THEN JUST A MINUTE TO EITHER MR. MAPES YOURSELF, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE NEW HIRE PROVISION HERE AT 48,000? PLUS 1000. IF I'M A TEACHER THAT'S NEW TO THE DISTRICT, I DON'T CARE WHAT CLASS I'M TEACHING.
AND IT STARTS AT 48,000, AND I HAVE TEN YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH WHAT IS PROPOSED HERE.
IT'S BEING SAID THAT YOU'D GET 48 PLUS 10,000 BECAUSE IT'S TEN YEARS EXPERIENCE, BUT YET THERE'S ANOTHER PROVISION ALSO THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT, IF SO, FITS THAT PERSON'S EXTRA QUALIFIED OR SOMETHING ELSE THEY CAN UP THAT ALSO.
IS THAT CORRECT? I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS EXACTLY CORRECT.
YES. OKAY. SO IT'S NOT A LOCKED IN ON THAT. WE HAVE THE PROFESSIONAL.
OUR LEADER SUPERINTENDENT CAN MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE STUCK AT THAT LOW PLACE.
CORRECT, CORRECT. AND THE WHOLE THOUGHT HERE WAS WITHOUT A SALARY INCREASE, THE CONCERN WAS NEW EMPLOYEES LEAPFROGGING OVER OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES AND MAKING MORE. AND SO THE FORMULA KEEPS THAT FROM HAPPENING.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. IF WE CAN GIVE EVERYBODY THE MOON, WE'D GIVE EVERYONE THE MOON, RIGHT. SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS IS JUST A ONE TIME NEGOTIATING ONE YEAR CONTRACT THAT IF THINGS NEEDED TO BE CHANGED, ADJUSTED OR REVISED, WE CAN DO. WE'RE DOING THIS ALL AGAIN STARTING IN THE FALL.
CORRECT? NOT JUST THIS CONTRACT IS JUST ONE YEAR.
OKAY. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DID ADJUST THE THE THE ACTUAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE FOR THE UP THE LEVELS THAT GO HIGHER, NOT JUST NEW HIRES.
CAN THAT ALSO BE ADJUSTED IF NEED BE BY YOU, THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR HIRE, FOR EXAMPLE? I KNOW THAT WE WERE PRESENTED AND IT'S ON PUBLIC LINE.
I LOVE THAT FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WE'RE NEW HIRES AND WE'RE AT THE TOP.
BUT WHEN THEY ARE A TEACHER WHO IS FIVE YEARS, EIGHT YEARS, TEN YEARS, I THINK IT LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS. I'M SAYING YOU STILL HAVE THAT AUTHORITY AS THE SUPERINTENDENT TO JUST BECAUSE IT MIGHT SAY, HERE'S WHERE YOUR PAY IS. IF YOU FEEL THAT THAT TEACHER DESERVES MORE, YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM AS A SUPERINTENDENT TO PAY MORE.
CORRECT. I CAN OFFER A POSITION BETWEEN 45 AND 201.
THAT'S OUR SALARY RANGE THAT IS REPORTED EACH YEAR TO IRB.
CORRECT. AND I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S FOR OUR EXISTING TEACHERS AS WELL.
IF. NO THAT'S JUST NEW HIRES. OKAY. SO LET ME REPHRASE THE QUESTION.
[00:15:05]
AND IT'S A TEACHER WITHIN OUR DISTRICT MOVING INTO THAT POSITION, DO YOU HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OR THE FREEDOM, WHICH I'M HOPING YOU DO, THAT YOU CAN PAY THEM MORE IF YOU SO FIT.THEY DESERVE THAT IN THAT RANGE WITHIN SOMEONE NEW BRAND NEW POSITION POSTED THAT THEY WOULD MAKE APPLICATION FOR AND THEY'RE SELECTED. YES, WE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE THEIR THEIR RATE AT THAT TIME FOR THAT POSITION.
BUT IF IT WAS IF IT'S STILL LIKE AN ELEMENTARY TEACHER GOING INTO A DIFFERENT ELEMENTARY BUILDING THAT THERE'S A VACANCY, I WOULD NOT BECAUSE THAT'S A TRANSFER. OH, IT'S GOT TO BE A HARD TO FILL.
SO YOU CAN'T JUST BECAUSE YOU THINK IT'S DESERVING OR OR EXPERIENCE OR SOMETHING.
CORRECT. IT NEEDS TO BE SPECIAL EDUCATION STEM L THINGS THAT ARE SCARCE OUT THERE AS FAR AS APPLICANTS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO BE ABLE TO GO WITHIN THE RANGE. I THINK ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT IS THIS IS JUST THE GET IN THE DOOR NUMBER.
OBVIOUSLY, DEPENDING ON FUTURE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, WE HOPE WE CAN EXCEED ANYTHING THAT IS THAT IS HAPPENING WITHIN THE NEW HIRE SCHEDULE, BUT ONLY TIME WILL TELL. DOLLARS WILL TELL. ENROLLMENT WILL TELL ALL THE CRITICAL FACTORS.
ONCE THEY'RE IN THE DOOR, EVERYBODY BECOMES ON THEIR OWN PATH AT THAT POINT, MEANING THERE'S NO THERE'S NO COMPARISON TO THE NEW HIRE FORMULA ONCE YOU ARE AN EMPLOYEE IN THE DISTRICT. OKAY. LET ME SEE. AND THAT'S THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT BECAUSE AS THE STATE HAS COME IN AND DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD GIVE DOLLARS TOWARDS LITERACY ENDORSEMENTS AT THIS POINT IN TIME, STEM ENDORSEMENTS WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE PLACE WHO MAY HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE PROFESSION, BUT WILL MAKE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS BASED ON WHAT THEY'VE QUALIFIED FOR THROUGH THE PROCESSES.
OKAY. I RESERVE TO ASK A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO MISS SARAH.
SO, AS SUZANNE NOTED, I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS THAT THE NEW HIRE SCHEDULE, WHILE IT BRINGS IN TEACHERS WITH NO EXPERIENCE ABOVE MOST OF THE SURROUNDING DISTRICTS, EXCEPT FOR LAWRENCE WITH EXPERIENCE, IT DOESN'T BRING THEM IN ABOVE.
SO I'M CURIOUS WHO WHO DEVELOPED THE NEW HIRE SCHEDULE, WHERE IT CAME FROM.
I DEVELOPED THE NEW HIRE SCHEDULE. OKAY. AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS SO THIS PAST PAYCHECK IN DECEMBER, EDUCATORS RECEIVED LIKE IT WAS THE NEW INSURANCE RATES WERE ALREADY ON IT. SO IT'S FAIR TO SAY THEY RECEIVED LESS ON THEIR PAYCHECK.
THE DEPENDING ON THEIR INSURANCE PLAN SELECTION.
BUT TO YOUR QUESTION, YES, THE NEW RATES KICKED IN.
UNFORTUNATELY, THINGS JUST DIDN'T LAND THAT WAY.
AND SO THE DECEMBER PREMIUMS AND THE JANUARY PREMIUMS, WHICH PAY FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, WILL REFLECT THAT STATUS QUO NUMBER THAT WAS PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO IF THEY SELECTED PLAN TWO THEIR PAYCHECK WAS IF THEY STAYED ON THE SAME PLAN.
PLAN ONE OR PLAN TWO. THE AMOUNT OF THE INSURANCE COST DID GO UP.
MANY OF US LIVE THAT SPACE. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS WITH PRETAX DOLLARS THAT IT DEFINITELY DROPS, BUT BUT NOT TO THE DEGREE OF MAYBE JUST A FLAT SUBTRACTION COMPARING THE TWO NUMBERS.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES. OKAY. I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT MAYBE THEY COULD HAVE SEEN THE RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT RATIFYING THIS CONTRACT IF THEY WANTED TO KEEP THEIR PLAN TO AND AND PERHAPS UNDERSTOOD. MAYBE NEEDING TO SHIFT GEARS. I WILL SAY IT WAS CRYSTAL CLEAR WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE DIDN'T RATIFY THE CONTRACT IN TERMS OF STAYING STATUS QUO. WE DEFINITELY HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT.
GOOD OR BAD. BUT THERE WAS NO LACK OF CLARITY FROM ANYBODY IN THE ROOM.
WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, RIGHT? I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE THE POINT THAT MAYBE THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE CONTRACT, BUT MAYBE THEY GOT THEIR PAYCHECK AND SAW THAT IT'S NOT A GOOD DEAL.
EITHER WAY, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.
[00:20:07]
THE STAGE OF MEDIATION. YEAH. WE I DON'T BELIEVE WE PRESENTED THIS HIRING SCHEDULE PRIOR TO MEDIATION.IT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME OUT OF THAT CONVERSATION. OKAY.
AND CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH WHERE IT CAME FROM? WAS THAT IN THE BEGINNING, IN THE MIDDLE, OR WHO BROUGHT THAT UP? HOW DID THAT COME INTO PLAY? YEAH. SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE CONSTANT COMMENTS THAT WE HEARD.
AND, AND ONE OF THOSE MR. MAPES ALREADY ALLUDED ON WHICH WAS NOT TO HAVE NEW HIRES JUMP.
CURRENT EMPLOYEES. WE ALL UNDERSTAND AND AGREE WITH THAT.
THE OTHER THING THAT HAS BEEN A PASSION THIS ENTIRE TIME, FROM WHAT WE'VE HEARD, IS SUPPORTING A MASTER'S DEGREE AND AND THAT AND THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, A PROPOSAL THAT WAS THROWN OUT AND ULTIMATELY NOT ACCEPTED IN THE PROCESS.
THIS SCALE ALLOWS FOR A MORE SHALL WE SAY, A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO PAY FOR MASTERS IN THE FUTURE.
ONE OF THE WEIRD PARTS OF OUR HIRING SCHEDULE IS IF YOU WOULD GET YOUR MASTERS AT SORT OF THE B0 LEVEL, SO YOU COME IN WITH A BACHELOR'S AND YOU GET YOU'RE ON THE ZERO SCHEDULE AND YOU MOVE OVER TO THE MASTER SIDE.
UNDER THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT, YOU WOULD GET A BUMP OF ABOUT $2,400.
IF YOU WERE ON YEAR 20 AND GOT YOUR MASTER'S DEGREE, YOUR BUMP WAS WAS A LITTLE OVER $14,000.
WELL, A MASTER'S IS A MASTER'S, RIGHT? DOES IT DOES IT MEAN MAYBE YOU SHOULD MAKE MORE.
AND WE COULD HAVE A PHILOSOPHICAL CONVERSATION HERE, BUT SHOULD IT BE $14,000 IF YOU'RE IN YEAR 20, OR SHOULD IT BE $2,000 IF YOU'RE IN YEAR ONE.
WELL, THE PROCESS AND THE COST AND ALL THE THINGS ARE CONSISTENT.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS HIRING SCHEDULE IS TO MAKE THE MASTER'S NUMBER A FLAT $4,000, SO THAT HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE, WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT THOSE PEOPLE THAT GO AND EARN THEIR MASTER'S DEGREE.
AND THERE'S NOT A DISPARITY OF ME 20 YEARS INTO MY CAREER THAT GETS AN INSTANT $14,000 BUMP.
QUITE A DISPARITY THERE. AND SO THIS NEW HIRING SCHEDULE IS AN ATTEMPT TO ALIGN THAT AND THEN ULTIMATELY AN OPPORTUNITY TO HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT IN THE FUTURE WITH OUR OUR UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL AGREEMENT. SO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE WORKS THERE.
SO LOOKING FORWARD IN THE PLANNING PROCESS. I KNOW THIS, AND MAYBE I'M NOT GETTING ARTICULATING THE WORDS CORRECTLY.
WE AS A BOARD ARE NOT INVOLVED IN ALL OF THIS, RIGHT? IT'S THE BARGAINING TEAM. WE JUST COME UP IN THE BEGINNING.
WE TALK ABOUT TERMS IN THE BEGINNING. AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION BARGAINING TEAM THAT WORKS WITH THEIR BARGAINING TEAM. RIGHT. LOOKING AHEAD FOR THAT PROCESS.
SO WE DON'T COME TO THIS HEARING AND I'M ASKING QUESTIONS OF UNCERTAINTY.
I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE ON THE RECORD THAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE WHEN I REQUEST FOR AN EXECUTIVE MEETING TO HAVE BREAKDOWNS OF DETAILS THAT WE HAVE THAT IN PLACE AND NOT A 20 MINUTE MEETING RIGHT BEFORE A BOARD MEETING. SO WE CAN'T GO OVER THE CLARITY OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED TO OUR TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
I SUPPORT 100% MY ADMINISTRATION AND MY SUPERINTENDENT, AND FOR WORKING VERY HARD TO COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT SUPPORTS OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND HELP US IN THIS VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION. BUT I DON'T LIKE SURPRISES.
COMING TO A BOARD ROOM TODAY AND SEEING IN THE MEETING THAT THESE THINGS WERE IN, WHEN THEY COULD HAVE BEEN EXPLAINED IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO THE WHOLE BOARD OF SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WERE HAPPENING WITH OUR ASSOCIATION. AND I ALSO THINK THAT'D BE MORE FAIR FOR OUR ASSOCIATIONS.
SO WHEN THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS WHERE WE COULD HAVE POSSIBLY RATIFIED IN THE VERY BEGINNING, WE DIDN'T WE KNOW MEDIATION KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TIGHTENS THAT BELT, THAT NOBODY WANTS TO GO TO THE NEXT STAGE.
SO IT'S VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR ME RIGHT NOW TO SEE SOME OF THESE CHANGES.
AND I NEVER HEARD THIS INFORMATION. I ONLY HEARD THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THE BENEFITS PART.
AND I WAS VERY, VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT HAPPENING.
EVERYONE'S GAS PRICES GO UP, INSURANCE, ETC. SO THIS IS HARD ON EVERYBODY.
AND I KNOW EVERYONE'S DONE A LOT OF HARD WORK ON IT.
I'M RESPECTFULLY SAYING THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M DISAPPOINTED IN, THAT I THAT.
I DIDN'T GET ALL THESE DETAILS IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION PRIOR.
KNOWING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE HAPPENING. THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK.
I'LL ADD JUST ONE MINOR COMMENT IN THIS IN THIS PROCESS.
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE DISCUSSED AND ADJUSTED AND TWEAKED.
IT'S JUST THE NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE DISCUSSED AND TALKED ABOUT TO LEAD UP TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY,
[00:25:02]
CHANGED FREQUENTLY IN COMMUNICATION. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.BUT I'M SUPPOSED TO SIT HERE NEXT WEEK AND APPROVE SOMETHING THAT I'M JUST NOW FINDING OUT ABOUT, AND IT'S ALREADY DONE. AND SO THE TEACHERS ARE THIS ARE THEY HAPPY? AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT? THEY ARE, BUT THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY RATIFIED IT.
SO ON PAPER IT SAYS THEY'RE HAPPY WITH IT. BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW.
HEARD FROM. I WANTED TO HEAR FROM THEM AND HOPEFULLY WE SURVEY THEM SOMEHOW.
SO THIS PROCESS GOING FORWARD GETS CLEANED UP A LITTLE BIT.
THAT'S ALL I'M REQUESTING. TO MY POINT, WE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE HAPPY WITH IT.
WE JUST KNOW THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE BECAUSE THEIR PAYCHECK ALREADY WAS GOING TO BE LOWER.
SO NO, THERE'S A CHOICE. THEY HAVE A CHOICE. THAT'S THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE TO SAY THAT IF THERE IS NO CHOICE, WE'D BE BEING SUED RIGHT NOW. THERE'S A CHOICE.
I I'M JUST GOING TO CLARIFY AND WRAP UP AGAIN.
I, I COMMEND THE HARD WORK OF OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND YOUR TEAM TO MAKE SURE.
BECAUSE JUST WITH EVERYTHING WE DO, WE'RE NOT MAKING A DECISION FOR ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A BIRD'S EYE VIEW, A VISION OF A WHOLE DISTRICT AND HOW IT WILL PERFORM.
NO OFFENSE, BUT IT'S NOT THE ASSOCIATION. IT'S OUR TEACHERS IN THE DISTRICT.
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS.
SO WE, IN MY OPINION, AS BOARD MEMBERS, NEED TO PROVIDE THAT OVERSIGHT BECAUSE I KNOW MR. 100% FEELS STUDENTS FIRST SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS, SUPPORT OUR DISTRICT.
BUT HE'S GOT THE VERY DIFFICULT JOB OF CONTROLLING AND ORGANIZING A WHOLE OPERATIONAL SITUATION.
SO HE HAS TO MAKE THOSE TOUGH CHOICES. WE PUT HIM IN THAT PLACE TO MAKE THOSE TOUGH CHOICES.
SO, MR. MAPES, I WANT YOU TO HEAR FROM ME. I RESPECT YOU, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SO I SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND I WISH THEM THE VERY BEST.
AND A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PRESENTING ALL THIS AND THE HARD WORK OF BOTH TEAMS, I'M ASKING WE IRON OUT SOME OF THESE WRINKLES FOR NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S ALL I'M REQUESTING. AND WHEN WE CALL FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, BECAUSE WE WANT MORE DETAILS THAT THE BOARD SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH MORE DETAILS. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY ONE MORE TIME THAT THE ON THE NEW HIRE SCHEDULE, THERE IS THE OPTION OF HARD TO FILL POSITIONS THAT IS NOT DEFINED.
BEYOND THAT, WE JUST HAVE A RANGE OF ROUGHLY GET THE NUMBER WRONG.
BUT 48,000 593,200 I THINK. YEAH. SO COMPARING US TO ANY OTHER DISTRICT, YOU SAY A SEVEN YEAR TEACHER COULD MAKE THIS AT CARMEL OR COULD MAKE THIS AT LAWRENCE? A NEW TEACHER HERE CAN MAKE UP TO $93,200.
YES. SO A FILL ANY POSITION COULD BE HARD TO FILL.
IT COULD BE AN ELEMENTARY ENGLISH TEACHER. IT COULD BE A FIFTH GRADE PE TEACHER.
IF IT'S HARD TO FILL, THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS THE AUTHORITY TO PAY THEM UP TO $93,200.
SO I'D SAY WE WOULD MAX OUT WELL BEYOND IF IT'S HARD TO FILL.
THAT IS CORRECT. I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALSO CONSIDER THE WHOLE PACKAGE.
WE STILL LEAD THE PACK IN MANY OF THOSE THINGS IN THE COUNTY.
AND SO IT ANYTIME WE ISOLATE SPECIFIC THINGS YOU GOT, YOU RUN SOME RISK IN COMPARISON, RIGHT.
IMMEDIATELY ADD 5% TO EVERYTHING BECAUSE WE DO A 5% MATCH.
SO EVERY WHATEVER ANYBODY MAKES, YOU'RE GETTING ANOTHER 5%.
IF YOU MATCH THAT, WHICH I THINK OUR PARTICIPATION IS 97, 98%.
SO MAYBE NOT QUITE THAT HIGH, BUT IN THE 90S VERY HIGH.
YEAH. YEAH. IN THE 90S. YEAH. YOU'RE GETTING YOUR BENEFITS, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
BUT MY POINT IS WE NO LONGER HAVE JUST A FLAT PAY SCALE.
SO SAYING SOMETHING LIKE COMPARING A FIFTH YEAR TEACHER HERE, A TEACHER HERE TO OUR FIFTH YEAR TEACHER, WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO PAY UP TO $93,200 PLUS ALL THE BENEFITS.
YES. OKAY. I HAVE TWO CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS.
ONE, WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HARD TO FILL POSITIONS, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY BY MR. MASON, YOU THAT WE MEAN THINGS LIKE STEM SPECIAL EDUCATION.
[00:30:05]
IT'S HARD TO SAY RIGHT NOW. MY INITIAL THOUGHT WOULD BE JUST WHAT YOU SAID.SPECIAL EDUCATION, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, STEM, YOU KNOW, CHEMISTRY, HIGH LEVEL MATHEMATICS.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE REPEATEDLY ACROSS THE STATE BEEN HARD TO FILL.
AND NOW THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE. ARE WE GOING TO DO ANYTHING AS FAR AS REFUNDING OR ARE THEY JUST STUCK WITH OVERPAYING? YEAH, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN PATH.
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT GO FROM 2 TO 3, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT GO 3 TO 2.
AND THEN IT MOVES TO A COST. IF YOU REMEMBER THE CALCULATION ABOUT ADDITIONAL SAVINGS AND OPEN ENROLLMENT, AND THEN THAT MONEY WOULD BE PUT BACK IN ONE TIME.
HSAS ABOVE AND BEYOND. IF THERE IS AND THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THERE'S NOT.
BUT IF THERE IS, THAT'S WHERE IT WOULD COME IN.
ONE OF THOSE CALCULATIONS WILL BE THE ADDITIONAL COST.
EVERYBODY PAID FOR THOSE TWO MONTHS OF HIGHER PREMIUMS UNDER THE STATUS QUO.
SO THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CALCULATED IN. WOULD IT BE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.
IT WILL NOT BE. BUT IT WILL BE ON A COLLECTIVE BASIS TO SAY X NUMBER OF DOLLARS.
NEW OPEN ENROLLMENT X NUMBER OF DOLLARS. NOW THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR ONE TIME.
HSAS ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT'S ALREADY IN THE IN THE AGREEMENT.
SO IT WILL BE FACTORED IN. THANK YOU TIM. AND THEN JUST A QUICK STATEMENT.
NOW THAT WE HAVE TIME, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR BOARD AND ADMINS TO LOOK AT DOING INTEREST BASED BARGAINING AND LOOKING AT A BETTER AND A KINDER WAY TO GET THIS DONE, BECAUSE THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED THE WAY THAT IT DID THIS YEAR.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU TIM. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
[3. Public Comment]
IF YOU'D COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE, STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO COMMENT ON THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT.GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JULIE ROBERTS, AND I'VE LIVED IN FISHERS FOR 20 YEARS.
MY TWO KIDS GRADUATED FROM FISHERS HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M A FORMER TEACHER MYSELF.
BOTH OF THESE THINGS MAKE ME KEENLY INTERESTED IN WHAT I SEE AS THIS HARMFUL TEACHER'S CONTRACT.
HERE IS THE PART THAT I CANNOT GET MY HEAD AROUND.
BUT WORSE, STAIN YOURS. THE NUMBER ONE CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO LIVE IN WITH A SURPLUS OF $13.6 MILLION, WHICH IS A 15% CASH BALANCE. SAFETY NET WENT 8 TO 12% IS CONSIDERED SAFE BY NATIONAL STANDARDS.
REFUSES TO TAKE CARE OF ITS OWN TEACHERS WHEN THE MONEY IS THERE.
IF YOU VALUED YOUR TEACHERS, YOU WOULD NOT REWARD SUPERINTENDENT MAPES WITH A $20,000 BONUS ALLOWANCE AND PAY HIS HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS 100%. IF YOU VALUE YOUR TEACHERS, SUPERINTENDENT MAPES WOULD NOT CALL TEACHERS IDIOTS TO A ROOM FULL OF PRINCIPALS. YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WITH THIS NEW CONTRACT, AND I RESPECT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.
AND I RESPECT THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING YOUR ASSETS.
BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR ESSENTIAL MISTAKE IS? YOU'RE PROTECTING THE WRONG ASSETS. YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSETS ARE YOUR TEACHERS.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MICHELLE. I'M A PARENT OF THREE HSC GRADUATES.
A FORMER TEACHER IN THE DISTRICT AND A FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
[00:35:07]
YET HERE I AM. I AM HERE FOR THE MANY HSC TEACHERS WHO ARE THERE FOR MY THREE CHILDREN, AND FOR THE THOUSANDS OF CURRENT AND PAST STUDENTS WHO THEY WERE THERE FOR.I AM HERE FOR THEM BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, TEACHERS FEEL DISRESPECTED, VOICELESS AND DEFEATED, YET STILL SHOW UP FOR OUR TEACHERS, FOR OUR STUDENTS.
OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE FOUND A WAY TO GIVE THEIR TEACHERS A RAISE OR AT THE VERY LEAST, A STEP INCREASE, WHILE ALSO DEALING WITH THE SAME ISSUES WITH STATE FUNDING.
COMPENSATION WAS 41% HIGHER THAN THE SUPERINTENDENT.
YOU LET GO. ARE WE GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH? BOARD PRESIDENT ALBRIGHT SAID WHEN HE WAS HIRED THAT HE HAD STRONG LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND ALSO POSSESSED ENTHUSIASM FOR DEVELOPING STRONG CONNECTIONS WITH HIS STAFF, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. YET HERE WE ARE. TEACHER MORALE HAS NEVER BEEN LOWER IN MY 35 YEAR HISTORY WITH HSC.
I CAN RECALL TWICE WHEN HSC WAS FACING LOWER THAN EXPECTED INCOME.
BOTH TIMES, THE SUPERINTENDENT DRAFTED A COMMITTEE TO FIND WAYS TO CUT COSTS, PRIORITIZING TEACHERS AND CLASSROOMS. 1.7 MILLION WAS ALL THAT WAS NEEDED TO MAKE TEACHERS WHOLE THIS TIME, NOT TO GIVE RAISES.
THAT'S ONE HALF OF 1% OF ANNUAL BUDGET. THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, THE ONLY THING THAT I HEARD OF TO BALANCE THE BUDGET WAS CUTS TO TEACHER SALARIES AND BENEFITS. ALIENATING THE STAFF WHO ARE MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR STUDENT SUCCESS IS NOT A SIGN OF GOOD LEADERSHIP, IN MY OPINION. MANY CURRENT TEACHERS ARE LOOKING FOR JOBS IN DISTRICTS WHERE THEY FEEL RESPECTED, AND THEIR COMPENSATION AND WELL-BEING ARE PRIORITIZED.
DURING THE PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, MANY BOARD MEMBERS TREKKED TO THE STATE HOUSE TO TESTIFY FOR MAKING PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS POLITICAL, YET REMAINS SILENT ON THE BILL THAT CAUSED THIS DECREASE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO PRIORITIZE YOUR ROLE AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND NOT YOUR NEXT POLITICAL CAMPAIGN, I HOPE YOU'RE WILLING TO FIGHT FOR HSC AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR TESTIMONY.
EXCUSE ME AT THE INDIANA STATE HOUSE FOR BETTER FUNDING DURING THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.
WITH THIS CONTRACT, IT WAS IT HAS TAKEN THE NEW BOARD THREE YEARS AND A NEW SUPERINTENDENT LESS THAN TWO TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE OUR DISTRICT FROM WHERE EDUCATORS WERE LINING UP TO WANT TO WORK IN HSC TO ONE WHERE THEY LOOK ELSEWHERE.
FIRST, THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING TEACHERS. I HOPE THEY CAN FIND PEACE WITH THIS CONTRACT, AND I HOPE THE NEW YEAR BRINGS CHANGES THAT WILL TRULY RESTORE HSC TO THE DISTRICT THAT ATTRACTED AND RETAINED EXCELLENT TEACHERS AND TO USE THE VERNACULAR OF OUR TIME.
IT IS TIME TO MAKE HSC GREAT AGAIN. ANYONE ELSE? MY NAME IS LORI LYNN PRICE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO ONE OF THE BOARD MEETINGS BEFORE.
I ALSO DID NOT WANT TO GET UP AND BE HERE, BUT I AM BECAUSE I SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS.
I DO NOT HAVE ANY KIDS IN HSC SCHOOLS, BUT I KNOW PLENTY OF KIDS WHO ARE IN HSC SCHOOLS.
THEY ARE THE ONES WHO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS GREAT, AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO MAKE PEOPLE LIKE ME WANT TO MOVE HERE, EVEN WITH NO KIDS BECAUSE OF THE PROPERTY VALUES, AS OUR TEACHERS LEAVE, AS THEY WELL MIGHT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT HAPPY, I KNOW THAT. AND TO ANSWER SOMEBODY'S QUESTION, THEY ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THIS.
AND AS MANY OF THEM MAY LEAVE TO FIND BETTER PLACES ELSEWHERE.
IT WILL HURT US. IT WILL HURT MOST IMPORTANTLY OUR KIDS.
IT WILL ALSO HURT OUR PROPERTY VALUES. SO I SEE THAT THIS AGREEMENT EXPIRES AT THE END OF JUNE, AND I REALLY ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO MAKE OUR TEACHERS THE TOP PRIORITY AFTER IN THE NEW AGREEMENT AFTER JUNE.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT. I WANT TO MAKE IT PUBLICLY CLEAR THAT WE VALUE THE TEACHERS IN THIS DISTRICT.
[00:40:01]
THINGS THAT ARE BEYOND OUR CONTROL. AS EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN THIS CITY AND THE STATE AND THE NATION IS FEELING, INCREASED ELECTRIC COSTS, INCREASE IN FOOD COSTS, ALL OF THAT TRANSLATES AND TRANSFERS OVER TO OUR DISTRICT AS WELL.WE ARE NOT IMMUNE FROM THOSE COST INCREASES, AND THAT RAINY DAY FUND HELPS US COVER THOSE COSTS, AS WELL AS BUILDING COSTS IN THOSE FIXED COSTS THAT REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN ANY BUILDING THAT WE HAVE, WE STILL HAVE TO PAY THOSE COSTS. SO EVERY REVENUE GENERATING STREAM THAT COMES INTO OUR DISTRICT IS THROUGH HOW MANY STUDENTS WE HAVE IN THE SEATS AND THE FUNDING MODEL THAT WE GET FROM THE STATE, WHICH WE ARE THE THIRD LOWEST IN THE STATE OF INDIANA.
AND I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 31 YEARS. WE HAVE THE THIRD LOWEST FUNDING MODEL IN THE STATE.
WE CAN ONLY WORK WITH THE FUNDING AND IN THE MONEY AND THE MONEY THAT WE RECEIVE AS A DISTRICT.
AND WITH THAT, WE ALSO HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE TAXPAYERS IN THIS DISTRICT THAT VOTE NOT ONLY US ON THE BOARD, BUT ALSO VOTE UP OR DOWN THE THE FINANCIAL MODELS WHEN WE HAVE REFERENDUMS. SO WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT AS WELL. AND AS MUCH AS WE VALUE OUR STUDENTS AND WE VALUE OUR TEACHERS AND WE VALUE OUR ADMINISTRATION, WE ALSO VALUE THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY, THAT HELP PAY FOR THESE JOBS AND PAY FOR THESE SCHOOLS AS WELL.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE ALL OF THIS INTO CONSIDERATION WITH ALL OF THESE STAKEHOLDERS.
IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB, TRUST ME. AND AS MUCH AS WE ALL ADVOCATE FOR EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, EVERYONE IN THIS BUILDING, EVERYONE IN THIS DISTRICT, WE ALSO ADVOCATE FOR THE FOR THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS CITY AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT IS THE ROLE THAT WE HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO BE IN.
AND MICHELLE, YOU KNOW FULL WELL IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB.
AND AS MUCH AS WE WE TRY, WE DO OUR BEST EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND THAT ALSO INCLUDES HIRING THE THE LEADER OF THIS DISTRICT AND THE CHALLENGES AGAINST HIS SALARY.
IF YOU LOOK AT HIS TENURE, THERE'S REASONS WHY HE WAS OFFERED WHAT HE WAS OFFERED.
HE DOES NOT HAVE A $20,000 PAY INCREASE. HE WAS HELD TIGHT AT THE PAY LEVEL.
HE WAS HIRED INTO. AND THAT'S ONLY IF WE CHOOSE, IF WE CHOOSE AS A BOARD TO INCREASE HIS SALARY.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS VERY CLEAR, CLEAR CLARITY AROUND ALL OF THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE. BUT WE STAND VERY FIRM AND VERY STRONG ON THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THIS CITY AND TO THIS DISTRICT, BECAUSE IF WE FAIL FINANCIALLY, WE REALLY HAVE MASSIVE CUTS TO MAKE, AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DO THAT.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A ONE SIDED CONVERSATION.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR. THANK YOU.
I WOULD I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE EXTRA THING. I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT MISS LANG HAS SAID.
IT'S NOT JUST ONE AREA. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT A WHOLE DISTRICT.
AND I DEFINITELY WANT TO COMMEND OUR CFO WHO HAS WORKED.
TIME AFTER TIME AFTER TIME, TRYING TO GO THROUGH THE NUMBERS TO BE VERY DILIGENT WITH HIS TEAM AND.
TO PRESENT TO MR. MAPES. AND SO I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE HARD WORK OF OUR ADMINISTRATION AND I.
WE ARE THREE, WE HAVE SB ONE, WE HAVE BUTTS AND SEATS AND WE HAVE TAX SITUATIONS.
AND SO ALL ALL THAT THAT IS HAPPENING PUTS US IN A CONSTRAINT.
AND SO I KNOW FROM MY FAMILY, I'M SURE OTHERS DO YOU TRY TO KEEP MONEY IN THE BANK TO MAKE SURE YOU, YOU HAVE THOSE FIXED COSTS THAT YOU CAN PAY, YOU CAN DO THINGS HAPPEN.
AND THAT IS WHY HOPEFULLY STARTING IN JANUARY, WE WORK ON A CLEAR PLAN GOING FORWARD.
AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE CONTROL OVER. IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED WITH OUR FINANCIALS.
SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHERE WE ARE, THEN YOU HAVE TO GET DOWN AND TALK TO YOUR LEGISLATORS, AS WELL AS PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO HELPING PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND WE HAVE TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AS, AS A DISTRICT, MAKING SURE WE CAN MAKE CUTS IN OTHER AREAS, NOT JUST IN SALARIES BUT IN OTHER AREAS, SO WE CAN BE RUNNING EFFICIENTLY AND NOT HAVE TO BE IN A PLACE LIKE THIS NEXT YEAR.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT'S PARTICIPATED.
AND AGAIN, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
[00:45:02]
MEETING ADJOURNED.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.