[1. Meeting Opening]
          [00:00:04]
          CALL THIS PUBLIC HEARING TO ORDER. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE. 
          I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. 
          ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. 
          [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. 
          FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT, IF YOU COME UP, YOU WOULD STATE YOUR NAME AND THEN YOU HAVE THREE
MINUTES TO 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. 
          AND SO THAT FORMULA IS RAN. AND THEN ULTIMATELY WHAT COMES OUT IS THE NEW HIRE NUMBER FOR
THOSE INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBERS. 
          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. 
          NO CHANGE. AS A REMINDER, THE DISTRICT PAYS ESSENTIALLY ALL THE COST OF A SINGLE PLAN FOR
OUR TEACHERS. 
          IT'S A QUARTER ANNUALLY, AND THEN THE DISTRICT PAYS 80% OF A DENTAL OR VISION FAMILY PLAN
FOR TEACHERS AS WELL. 
          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. 
          AND SO THAT THAT MAINTAINED AS WELL. UNDER THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT,
THESE RATES WILL HOLD BASED ON THE PREVIOUS OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. 
          AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT PAGE,
WE WILL THEN HOLD A PENDING APPROVAL OF THE AGREEMENT NEXT WEEK. 
          WE WILL THEN HOLD A SECOND OPEN ENROLLMENT WHERE ANY TEACHER CAN ELECT TO SWITCH PLANS OR
OPEN AN HSA IF THEY HAVE NOT DONE SO. 
          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. 
          OF NOTE UNDER THE CONTRIBUTION AMOUNTS WHEN YOU GET TO PLAN TWO THE DISTRICT COVERS
ANYWHERE FROM 85 TO 90% OF THE COST OF THE PLAN. 
          AND THEN IN PLAN THREE, THE DISTRICT COVERS 88 TO 89% OF THE COST OF THE PLAN AS WELL. 
          THERE CERTAINLY HAS BEEN AN EMPHASIS IN MOVEMENT ON PLAN TWO,
AND PLAN THREE ARE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLANS. 
          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. 
          AND SO ON MARCH 15TH, A ONE TIME CONTRIBUTION IN ADDITION TO THE FULL CONTRIBUTION,
WILL BE MADE TO ANYBODY THAT IS ON PLAN TWO OR PLAN THREE AND HAS AN ACTIVE HSA. 
          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. 
          SO IF I DON'T USE ALL MY PERSONAL DAYS, OR I DON'T USE ALL MY SICK DAYS,
THEY ROLL INTO A PERSONAL BANK FOR MYSELF. 
          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. 
          THAT IS THEIR THEIR MONEY TO TAKE IN THEIR 457 ACCOUNT,
AND IT IS NOT PAID BACK THROUGH THE VESTING PROCESS. 
          PERSONAL LEAVE STAYED THE SAME, BUT JUST SOME ADDITIONAL CLARITY LANGUAGE TO HELP OUR
BUILDINGS AND PREPARE IN PREPARATION FOR OBTAINING SUBS. 
          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. 
          THERE'S THERE'S FLEXIBILITY WITH THAT. AND THEN AT NO POINT CAN MORE THAN FIVE DAYS BE
TAKEN IN A ROW OF THE SEVEN THAT ARE AVAILABLE. 
          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. 
          THE KEY HERE IS ALL OF THESE MUST BE PREAPPROVED BY THE BUILDING PRINCIPAL,
SO THAT EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE BEFORE THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED. 
          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. 
          SO WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH A PRETTY LONG PROCESS HERE. OUR NEXT STEP AFTER THE HEARING
TONIGHT IS TO COME BACK IN A WEEK 730 IN THE MORNING AND ASK FOR BOARD APPROVAL OF THIS 
          [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. 
          AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, THROUGH A SUCCESSFUL REVENUE STREAMS COMING IN,
WE CAN MAKE CERTAIN TO HAVE SALARY INCREASES AND THEN LOOK AT THIS AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. 
          OKAY. AND THIS IS JUST FOR THIS YEAR. SO ALL THIS BARGAINING,
WHICH IS I KNOW IT'S GONE UP AND DOWN ON BOTH SIDES. 
          IT'S, IT'S A IT'S A STRESSFUL TIME AND I GET THAT AND I THINK AND I RESPECT THE
ASSOCIATION I RESPECT ADMINISTRATION THAT THIS WE ARE IN A BUDGET DEFICIT. 
          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. 
          BUT THE ADMINISTRATION WILL BE WORKING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO
SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS WITH OTHER WAYS AS WELL. 
          CORRECT? NOT JUST THIS CONTRACT IS JUST ONE YEAR. 
          THIS CONTRACT RUNS THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF 26 UNTIL A SUCCESSOR AGREEMENT IS BROUGHT DURING
THE 2627 SCHOOL 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. 
          IT'S ONLINE SHOWING THAT OUR OUR PAY SCALE, IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE NEW HIRE AND BE THE TOP
OF THE DISTRICT. 
          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. 
          IF WE HAVE A POSITION IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT BECOMES OPEN AND WE ARE NOT TAKING A NEW
PERSON OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT, 
          [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. 
          WE DEFINITELY HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVE TO PLAN THREE,
WHICH THEN THEY HAD A STATUS QUO WHICH WAS A ZERO COST. 
          BUT TO YOUR QUESTION, YES, THE NEW RATES KICKED IN. 
          IT WAS OUR GOAL, OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE FIRST TENTATIVE AGREEMENT TO AVOID THAT WHOLE
SCENARIO HAPPENING SO THAT EVERYBODY'S RATES KICKED IN LIKE THEY SHOULD ON DECEMBER 15TH. 
          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. 
          SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS CHANGE TO THE PAYMENTS,
THE THAT COMPENSATION SCHEDULE, WAS THIS IN PLACE OR IN CONVERSATION PRIOR TO MEDIATION? 
          [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. 
          AND YOU AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR CAREER THAT GOT THE SAME MASTER'S THAT I DID THAT GOT A
$2,400 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. 
          WHEN I SPECIFICALLY ASKED SEVERAL TIMES FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS IN CLARITY
WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING. 
          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. 
          AND I'M APPRECIATIVE OF IT. I KNOW WE'VE GOT A GREAT BENEFITS PACKAGE,
AND I KNOW WE CAN'T CONTROL CHANGES IN THE WORLD. 
          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. 
          YES, THE PERMUTATIONS OF HOW THINGS EVOLVE IN THIS PROCESS AND PROTECTING THE PROCESS FOR
BOTH GROUPS. 
          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. 
          I RESPECT THAT IT'S A VERY HARD PROCESS, AND I RESPECT THAT BOTH TEAMS HAD TO COME TO THE
TABLE AND WORK DILIGENTLY. 
          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'RE NOT MAKING A DECISION IN THIS DISTRICT,
WHETHER IT'S OPERATIONS, FACILITIES, WHATEVER, FOR JUST ONE THING. 
          WE HAVE TO HAVE A BIRD'S EYE VIEW, A VISION OF A WHOLE DISTRICT AND HOW IT WILL PERFORM. 
          SO OUR BREAD AND BUTTER ARE OUR CORE, IS OUR TEACHERS ASSOCIATION IS OUR TEACHERS,
NOT THE ASSOCIATION. 
          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. 
          I'M JUST SAYING, SITTING HERE TODAY, I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED AT COMING HERE AND NOT KNOWING
MORE OF THOSE DETAILS. 
          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 IF YOU COMPARE IT TO US, TO ANY OTHER DISTRICT,
WHATEVER THEIR PAY SCALE IS, OURS IS 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. 
          THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE PART OF THE BENEFIT PACKAGE IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT,
FROM INSURANCE TO 403 B TO HSAS. 
          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. 
          IT'S NOT NECESSARILY AN ELEMENTARY ENGLISH TEACHER BECAUSE THAT WOULD NOT BE A HARD TO
FILL POSITION. 
          IT DEPENDS ON WHAT POSITION IT IS AND HOW MANY APPLICANTS WE GET AND HOW COMPETITIVE IT IS
IN THE MARKET. 
          [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. 
          OKAY. AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION IS THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED DOING DEDUCTIONS FOR THE THE
INSURANCE FOR NEXT YEAR. 
          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. 
          THE FOLKS ON THREE WOULD ACTUALLY OWE MONEY BACK TO THE DISTRICT BECAUSE IT IS A QUOTE
UNQUOTE FREE PLAN. 
          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. 
          YEAR OVER YEAR, FISHERS, INDIANA IS RATED THE NUMBER ONE CITY TO LIVE IN IN THE US,
AND THE HSC SCHOOL SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY. 
          A FORMER CLIENT TOLD ME THAT HE MOVED FROM PALO ALTO,
CALIFORNIA TO FISHERS, INDIANA BECAUSE OF THIS REPUTATION. 
          THAT'S REMARKABLE, ISN'T IT? TODAY, THE BOARD IS FINALIZING A TEACHING CONTRACT THAT WILL
STAIN THAT NATIONAL REPUTATION. 
          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. 
          YOUR REFUSAL TO COVER THE COST OF HEALTH CARE FOR YOUR TEACHERS MAKES VERY CLEAR THAT YOU
DO NOT VALUE THEM. 
          THAT IS NOT THE MOVE OF A NUMBER ONE CITY. IF YOU VALUE YOUR TEACHERS,
YOU WOULD NOT FORCE 80% OF THEM TO TAKE A PAY CUT. 
          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. 
          THANK YOU. 
          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. 
          I HAVE THE DAY OFF IN A HUGE TO DO LIST, AND THE LAST THING I WANTED TO DO JUST BEFORE
CHRISTMAS WAS GET UP EARLY AND GO TO A MEETING. 
          [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. 
          THIS IS THE FIRST CONTRACT IN THE HISTORY OF HSC WHERE TEACHERS WILL NOT GET RAISES,
AND MANY WILL TAKE HOME LESS PAY. 
          WHEN OUR CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT WAS HIRED IN FEBRUARY 2024,
THE BOARD AGREED TO 20% HIGHER BASE PAY THAN THE PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT. 
          RETIREMENT BENEFITS WEREN'T UP 5%. THEY WERE UP 239% FROM THE PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT,
AND ALL IN TOTAL. 
          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. 
          I ALSO KNOW THAT ALL OF THE DISTRICTS AROUND US ARE HAVING THE SAME FINANCIAL ISSUES,
AND YET THEY CAME UP WITH A PLAN. 
          OUR TEACHERS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSETS. AS OTHERS HAVE SAID AT HSC,
THEY ARE THE ONES WHO SHAPE OUR KIDS. 
          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. 
          WE VALUE ALL OUR EMPLOYEES IN OUR DISTRICT. IT IS OUR ALSO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE
THAT WE HAVE A SUSTAINABLE DISTRICT FINANCIALLY. 
          AND AS MUCH AS WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE RAINY DAY FUND,
THERE'S ALSO INCREASING COSTS 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. 
          AS RICH AS HAMILTON COUNTY IS, AND AS PROSPEROUS AS FISHERS IS,
AND AS HIGHLY BLESSED WE ARE AS A CITY TO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT THAT WE DO. 
          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. 
          WE DON'T MAKE WIDGETS. WE CAN'T SELL THINGS. THERE'S NOT A SALES MODEL THAT WE CAN
GENERATE BEYOND WHAT THE STATE AND THE TAXPAYERS GIVE US. 
          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. 
          IT'S A VERY COMPLEX DISCUSSION THAT'S BEING HAD BEHIND,
BEHIND THE SCENES, AMONGST THE BOARD AND AMONGST ADMINISTRATION. 
          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. 
          I TOO AGREE WITH MOST OF WHAT SHE DID SAY. THIS IS SUCH A DIFFICULT JOB AND I TRY TO POINT
IT OUT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER. 
          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. 
          I WANT TO SAY SORRY TO OUR TEACHERS BECAUSE I WISH I WISH WE COULD DO MORE,
BUT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. 
          WE ALL WISH WE COULD DO MORE. AND I KNOW OUR SUPERINTENDENT WISHES WE COULD DO MORE,
BUT THIS IS UNFORTUNATELY HIT BY THE TWO BIG THINGS THAT MISS LANG WAS SAYING. 
          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 IF WE AND I KNOW THAT WE MADE SOME VERY HARD DECISIONS,
BUT IT IS TO SUPPORT THE WHOLE OPERATION OF THE OF THE WHOLE ENTIRE DISTRICT. 
          AND THAT IS WHY HOPEFULLY STARTING IN JANUARY,
WE WORK ON A CLEAR PLAN GOING FORWARD. 
          AND AS MR. BROWN HAS SAID MANY, MANY TIMES, ALONG WITH THE FINANCIAL TEAM,
IT'S GOING TO GO DOWN BEFORE IT GOES UP. 
          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. 
          THE BOARD WILL MEET NEXT TUESDAY AT 730 AND A FORMAL BOARD MEETING TO VOTE ON THE
TENTATIVE AGREEMENT THAT ENDS PUBLIC HEARING. 
          [00:45:02]
MEETING ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.