[00:00:11]
UM, ROBIN, CAN YOU PULL UP THE AGENDA FOR ME? I WAS GETTING MY BOARD DOCS GOING TO WHENEVER YOU DID SHE, YOU READY? YES.
SO THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
CAN EVERYONE PLEASE STAND 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.
ITEM B ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 25TH, 2021.
THIS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AGENDA.
DID YOU SECOND? YES, I DID WONDERFUL.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA SEEING NONE CALL FOR THE VOTE.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY? NO, MA'AM AWESOME.
SO MOVING ALONG THEN TO ITEM D IS THE APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY 25TH COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES.
UM, CAN I GET A MOTION ON THOSE MINUTES? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE FEBRUARY 25TH, 2021 COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES.
GEIER MADE THE MOTION MS. MIDDLETON SECOND.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THOSE MINUTES SEEING NONE CALL FOR THE VOTE? AYE.
SO MOVING ON TO ITEM E IS AN UPDATE ON THE REALTOR EMAILS.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM FIRST THAT THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS SAW THE SERIES OF EMAILS THAT I SENT OUT.
UM, BASICALLY SAME THING TO EVERYBODY, UM, TO DIFFERENT REALTOR AGENCIES IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.
AND THANK YOU FOR SENDING THOSE OUT.
UM, I DID HEAR BACK AND, UH, JUST SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE AGENCIES IN THE AREA.
UM, THEY SAID THEY HAVE ABOUT 70 REALTORS, BUT THOSE COVER VARIOUS DIFFERENT AREAS.
SO THEY WERE GOING TO BE SENDING OUT, SORRY, I'VE GOT KIDS, SORRY.
UM, SO, UH, THEY ARE GOING TO BE SENDING THAT SURVEY LINK TO THEIR BLUFFTON REALTORS AND WE'LL LEAVE THAT OPEN FOR A FEW WEEKS.
UM, I'M GOING TO REACH OUT TO THEM OR MY PLAN WAS TO REACH OUT TO THEM, UM, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND KEEP TRACK OF WHAT KIND OF ACTIVITY WE'RE SEEING THERE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF FOLLOWUP WE NEED TO SEND.
UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, THAT AGENCY SAID THAT THEY WOULD, AS LONG AS SCHEDULES PERMIT, THEY'D BE WILLING TO COME AND SPEAK TO US AS WELL.
SO, UM, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT, OR COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, THE REALTOR EMAILS? NOPE.
SO THEN, UH, I BELIEVE THAT AT THAT AND WAIT TO SEE WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE WE GET FROM THOSE SURVEYS BEING SENT OUT TO THAT AGENCY.
AND, UM, SEE IF WE HEAR BACK FROM ANY OTHERS.
UM, I CERTAINLY CAN SEND A FOLLOW UP TO THE OTHERS THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM AND JUST SEE IF THEY GOT MY CORRESPONDENCE.
UM, IF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE ME TO FOLLOW UP WITH THEM, IT DOESN'T HURT.
AND THEN, UM, ITEM F IS AN UPDATE ON SCHEDULING A MEETING WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON OFFICIALS.
UM, I DID REACH OUT TO THE MAYOR AND, UH, SHE ASKED ME TO CONTACT, UH, THEIR ADMINISTRATOR TO SCHEDULE SOMETHING.
AND SHE DID NOTE AND MAKE COMMENT THAT IF THERE IS MORE THAN THREE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL THAT WERE GOING TO PARTICIPATE, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE PUBLICLY NOTICED.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S FINE.
SO, UM, I PLAN ON CONTACTING THE ADMINISTRATOR AND SEEING IF WE CAN GET THEM TO PERHAPS COME TO OUR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING, IF THAT IS OKAY WITH YOU ALL.
WELL, THAT WAS QUICK, THOSE TWO ITEMS. UM, SO THE NEXT
[00:05:01]
ITEM IS ITEM G AND THAT'S DISCUSSION ON BLUFFTON EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS.AND I KNOW THAT WE HAD SPOKEN ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME DIFFERENT DATA POINTS THAT WE WERE PERHAPS LOOKING TOWARDS IN THE KINDERGARTEN RANGE.
UH, WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE MS. ASHLEY HUTCHINSON JOINING US TODAY TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS.
UM, AND COLONEL GEIER, I BELIEVE YOU ALSO HAD SOME QUESTIONS, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
UH, WE HAD A DISCUSSION AT THE, UH, WORK DAY SESSION OUT EARLY CHILDHOOD, UM, THE RESULTS OF OUR PRE-KINDERGARTEN TESTS, WHICH WERE QUITE ALARMING AND, UM, THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE, HAVING THE ABILITY TO, UH, PERHAPS USE SOME OF THE UNUSED CAPACITY NORTH OF THE BROAD, UH, USE OF CLASSROOMS OR PRE-K INSTRUCTION.
AND I SAID, THAT'S SOUNDS REALLY GOOD.
WE HAVE THIS SPACE AND WE CAN DO THAT.
AND WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A NEED TO DO THAT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF CAPACITY IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.
AND SO IT CAME TO MY MIND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR'S TALKING ABOUT THIS, ABOUT FUNDING, THIS, UH, WE KNOW NOW WE HAVE A BIG PROBLEM AND THAT WE REALLY NEED A PRE-K THAT KIND OF INSTRUCTION.
AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THEN WE'RE GOING TO NEED, PROBABLY PUT THAT IN THE NEXT REFERENDUM TO BUILD.
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS HEAR FROM YOU AND THEN PERHAPS, UH, SOME OF OUR 8% MONEY COULD BE USED TO DO THE DESIGN WORK, UH, NOT ONLY FOR THE LOCATION, BUT ALSO FOR THE PERMITTING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO IF, WHEN WE DO NOW, IF WE DO, WHEN WE DO ANOTHER REFERENDUM, WE WILL HAVE SHOVEL-READY, UH, CHILDCARE CENTERS.
SO WE CAN START CONSTRUCTING THEM RIGHT AWAY.
I DON'T SEE ANY WAY WE CAN DO IT, UH, BEFORE WE HAVE ANOTHER REFERENDUM, BUT WE SURE CAN'T WASTE ANY TIME AND WE NEED TO GET AHEAD OF IT.
AND THAT'S A REALLY GOOD USE, I BELIEVE OF 8% MONEY, UH, TO DO THE DESIGN WORK FOR THAT.
SO I WANTED TO SEE WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND NOT ONLY ABOUT HOW MANY WE MIGHT NEED, BUT ALSO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
DO WE, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE HAVE SOME ROOM AT SOME OF THE, UH, SOUTH OF THE BROAD LOCATIONS, WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHERE AND HOW MANY, UH, WE ARE GOING TO NEED AND WHAT KIND OF CAPACITY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE.
AND IT'S NOT TOO EARLY TO START THAT, BUT THAT'S WHY I ASK A DOCTOR, WAS ASKING TO BRING THAT UP ON TODAY'S, UH, MEETING.
SO THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THIS.
UM, AND THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT SCENARIOS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, MOVE TO SEE HOW WE WANT TO DESIGN THIS OR HOW WE WANT IT TO LOOK AND WHAT CAPACITY AND CONFIGURATION WE WANT IT TO LOOK TO BE.
SO A COUPLE OF THINGS TO KIND OF FACTOR IN, UM, IN THE BLUFFTON AREA, THERE IS CURRENTLY NO HEADSTART PROGRAMS OR EARLY HEADSTART PROGRAMS, SO THAT BECAUSE THERE IS NO INTERVENTION FOR OUR MOST AT-RISK POPULATION OF CHILDREN IN THE BLUFFTON AREA THAT IS CAUSING MORE CHILDREN TO QUALIFY FOR PRE-KINDERGARTEN IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.
UM, SO THERE'S TWO WAYS TO LOOK AT THIS.
UM, I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO, IF, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT BUILDING A EARLY LEARNING CENTER OR AN, OR TO EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS, UM, WE NEED TO THINK VERY HARD ABOUT INCLUDING HEADSTART IN THAT DESIGN AND IN THAT, IN THAT CAPACITY.
SO THAT IS ONE THING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS HOW ARE WE LOOKING AT MOVING FORWARD PRE-KINDERGARTEN FOR ALL? UM, OR ARE WE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, RAISING THAT ELIGIBILITY PIECE WHERE WE'RE NO LONGER LOOKING AT JUST THE CHILDREN WHO FALL IN THE 50TH PERCENTILE AND BELOW WE'RE MAYBE LOOKING AT THE 70TH PERCENTILE AND BELOW, WHICH OF COURSE WOULD ADD NUMBER OF STUDENTS TO THAT AS WELL.
UM, WE ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER IS IF THIS IS AN EXPANSION OR IS THIS ADDING MORE ROOMS INTO OUR, UM, OUR EXISTING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT TAKING PRE-K OUT OF OUR EXISTING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND MOVING THEM INTO THESE NEW BUILDINGS TO FREE UP SPACE FOR GROWTH IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, OR ARE WE LOOKING AT THESE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS AS TRUE EXPANSION AND ARE THESE FOR CHILDREN THAT WE ARE,
[00:10:01]
ARE THESE NEW CLASSROOMS FOR CHILDREN WHO WE'RE GOING TO BRING IN TO THE DISTRICT? SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS AS A BOARD, WE'VE GOT TO ANSWER BEFORE WE START BEGINNING TO DESIGN THESE, THESE BUILDINGS AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU.IT IS, UM, IT'S DEFINITELY NEEDED CONVERSATION AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
UM, AS WE GOT TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS, UM, THOSE TWO BIG PIECES ARE, IS AN EXPANSION OR ARE WE ADDING TO EXISTING, BUT WE ALREADY HAVE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, INCLUDING HEADSTART IN THAT CONVERSATION EFFICIENT AS WELL, IT SEEMS THAT INCLUDING HEADSTART IN A CONVERSATION, WE MAY BE ABLE TO USE SOME FUNDING, UH, FROM THE HEADSTART FOLKS THAT THAT MIGHT MAKE, UH, THE AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE TO GO INTO A REFERENDUM A LITTLE LESS, IF WE CAN CONVINCE HEADSTART TO DO A JOINT PROJECT WITH US, BUT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME.
AND PROBABLY THERE'S NOT, IT'S NOT TOO EARLY TO START THAT PROCESS.
UM, AND ROBERT AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH HEADSTART ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS, UM, WHEN THEY WANT, WHEN HEADSTART NEEDS TO SECURE FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL SPOTS OR ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS, THEY DO REQUIRE A LONG-TERM LEASE.
SO THAT'S DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE TO START NOW.
AND I, ROBERT YOU CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT BUILDING A BUILDING WITH THE INTENTION OF A LONG-TERM LEASE OR ALREADY PUTTING A LONG-TERM LEASE ON A BUILDING THAT WE DON'T HAVE IT BUILT YET.
HOW DOES THAT WORK? I MEAN, JUST TO ANSWER, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
WE MAYBE I KNOW WE'RE MEETING WITH HEADSTART TOMORROW'S MAYBE WE CAN ASK THEM THAT QUESTION.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THAT, LIKE HAVE A LEASE ON A FUTURE BUILDING.
I'M NOT SURE LET'S SAY ROBERT, JUST STICK AGAIN.
UH, DURING THE LAST REFERENDUM, I WAS CALLED TO A MEETING OVER AND FROM FRIENDS FROM, UH, ISLANDS OF BUFORD AND TALK TO A GENTLEMAN THERE WHO LIVES OUT ON SPANISH WELLS ROAD.
AND, UH, I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S IN BUFORD AND HE WAS SAYING THAT, WHY ARE WE BUILDING STUFF WHEN WE COULD BE LEASING IT? AND I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, THE REFERENDUM WAS ALREADY BY THAT TIME ALREADY SET.
AND IT DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT A LEASE IS USING A LEASE DISTRICT, AN OPTION.
WHAT THIS, WHAT THIS GUY TOLD ME.
I BUILD LEASE, UH, PROPERTIES FOR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ALL OVER SOUTH CAROLINA.
WHY CAN'T I BUILD A LEASED PROPERTY FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? I CAN DO IT FASTER.
I CAN DO IT CHEAPER, YOU KNOW, SAME, I CAN DO IT FASTER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE OR NOT, BUT, UH, IS THAT EVEN AN OPTION? DO YOU, HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THAT BEING DONE? SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THAT BEING DONE IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL.
I'M FAMILIAR WITH THAT BEING DONE IN CHARTER SCHOOLS.
I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS DONE THAT.
SO BECAUSE YOU GET IN, WE CAN ASK LIKE ONE OF OUR ISSUES, I GUESS, WOULD BE THAT WE CAN ASK FOR REFERENDUM FUNDS TO BUILD A STRUCTURE FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, BUT AT LEAST WOULD BE OPERATIONAL FUNDS.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE MORE OF A LEGAL QUESTION.
I'M NOT SURE WE COULD USE REFERENDUM FUNDS TO PAY A LEASE.
YOU WOULD THEN BE USING YOUR OPERATION FUNDS, WHICH WOULD CAUSE A RISE IN THE MILLAGE BECAUSE YOU'RE INCREASING OPERATIONS.
I EXPLAINED THAT ALL TO HIM, BUT I THOUGHT MAYBE SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE FOUND A WAY TO DO IT.
TAKING OUT OPERATIONS FUNDS IS A NON-STARTER BECAUSE THAT'S A COMMITMENT LONG-TERM COMMITMENT OR A LEASE.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S WISE MOVE FOR THE DISTRICT TO HAVE THAT KIND OF A COMMITMENT OUT OF OPERATIONS.
I WILL ADD THE WAY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WAY THAT WE DO PRE-K RIGHT NOW IN BLUFFTON, BECAUSE WE LOOK AT IT MORE AS, AS A CLUSTER BASED APPROACH VERSUS YOUR HOMESCHOOL.
NOW, OF COURSE, WE TRY TO GET ALL OF THE CHILDREN IN THEIR HOMESCHOOL, UM, STARTING OFF ONCE THOSE WAITING LISTS.
AND I, AND I, AND I USED WAITING LISTS VERY LOOSELY BECAUSE WE ESSENTIALLY HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE WAITING LISTS AND BUFORD BECAUSE WE'RE OFFERING SPOTS FOR EVERY SINGLE CHILD WHO'S ELIGIBLE.
UM, BUT ONCE THOSE SPOTS IN THEIR HOMESCHOOL UP, WE THEN START, HAVE TO START LOOKING OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOMESCHOOL.
AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO OUT OF WHAT WE CALL OUT OF ZONE CLASSROOMS, UM,
[00:15:01]
AT MICHAEL C. RILEY AND ONE AT RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.SO THE CHILDREN WHO, UH, DO NOT HAVE A SPOT AT THEIR HOME SCHOOL AND THAT MOSTLY AFFECTS, UH, RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY AND PRICHARD VILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UH, WE DO EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, HAVE SOME FROM OCA T THAT NEED TO GO.
AND THEN A FEW RECENTLY FROM BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OR EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, UM, THAT ARE NOW HAVING TO GO OVER TO THOSE TWO OUTER ZONE CLASSROOMS. UM, THEY DO ARE, THEY ARE OFFERED A SPOT AT THOSE AT THOSE TWO SCHOOLS.
SO WE ARE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEED, BUT AS YOU KNOW, THE NUMBERS THAT I SHOWED YOU LAST WEEK AT THE BOARD MEETING, THOSE NUMBERS ARE GROWING RAPIDLY AND, AND, UM, IN, IN QUICKER NUMBERS THAN I THOUGHT THEY WOULD.
UM, IF NO ONE ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF MAKE A COMMENT, I THINK, AND PERHAPS A QUESTION FOR ASHLEY.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE KIND OF NEED, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU MENTIONED CHANGING THOSE METRICS BY WHICH WE JUDGE QUALIFICATIONS FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE ECC.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ALMOST NEED TWO SCENARIOS OR TWO PLANS IF YOU WILL.
UM, AND I THINK PERSONALLY THAT BOTH OF THEM SHOULD INCLUDE HEADSTART.
UM, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW IF WE LOOK AT, IF WE CHANGE THE METRICS, HOW MANY CHILDREN COULD THAT POTENTIALLY CAPTURE, UH, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN TELL IN WHAT AREAS OF LOCKTON AND GET THAT, YOU KNOW, GRANULAR IN, IN THE SEARCH.
UM, AND, AND THEN ALSO ANOTHER ONE, IF WE KEPT IT THE SAME ABOUT HOW MANY DO WE ANTICIPATE THE GROWTH TO BE, UM, IN THE COMING YEARS, JUST SO THAT WE GET AN IDEA.
SO I DO HAVE THOSE NUMBERS WITH ME.
I HAVE, I DON'T HAVE THEM ADD IT UP AS A WHOLE, AS A WHOLE, UM, SOUTH OF THE BROAD CLUSTER, BUT I HAVE THEM NOW BROKEN OUT BY SCHOOLS.
SO WE COULD, WE COULD EASILY ADD AS I'M READING THIS OFF TO YOU.
UM, SO IF WE START LOOKING AT TAKING, UM, LET'S SAY LET'S JUST START AT THE 70TH PERCENTILE AND BELOW.
UM, NOW GRANT, THESE ARE BASED OFF OF 2018, 19 SCHOOL YEAR NUMBERS, BUT LIKE AT BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WE WOULD NEED 10 ADDITIONAL SPOTS AND THAT WOULD BE AN ENTIRE CLASSROOM.
SO REMEMBER THE RATIO IN PRE-KINDERGARTEN IS 20 STUDENTS TO TWO TEACHERS.
UM, AT HILTON HEAD MICHAEL C. RILEY, WE WOULD NEED SIX ADDITIONAL SPOTS, OLGA TEAM.
WE WOULD NEED FOUR ADDITIONAL SPOTS, PRICHARD ADVIL, 13 ADDITIONAL SPOTS, BUT KEEP IN MIND AT PRICHARD VILLE, I ALREADY HAVE A WAITING LIST OF ABOUT 20 TO 25 STUDENTS ON A GIVEN YEAR THAT WE'RE SENDING OR GIVING OPPORTUNITIES IN ANOTHER SCHOOL.
SO THEY CURRENTLY HAVE TWO PRE-KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOMS. THEY COULD ACTUALLY USE AN ADDITIONAL THREE CLASSROOMS TO ACCOMMODATE THE WAITING LIST AND THEN ACCOMMODATE IF WE MOVED THE PERCENTILE UP.
BUT WITH PRICHARD ADVIL, I, WE CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH IN PRE-K THAT WAITING LIST GETS LONGER AND LONGER.
EACH EACH YEAR WE SCREEN AND THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WE SCREEN CONTINUES TO GROW, TO GO UP, UM, AT RED CEDAR, THE EIGHT ADDITIONAL SEATS, UM, RIVER RIDGE IS THE SAME AS PROCTORVILLE.
THEY WOULD NEED 11 ADDITIONAL SEATS, BUT AGAIN, THEY HAVE A WAITING LIST ON A GIVEN YEAR BETWEEN 10 AND 15 CHILDREN THAT WE OFFER TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
I'M IN RIVER RIDGE WITH MY LAST SCHOOL.
NOW KEEP IN MIND WITH THESE NUMBERS.
IT, IT IS KNOWN IN, IN BUFORD, HOW YOU AND BLUFFTON, HOW YOU QUALIFY FOR PRE-K.
SO IF WE SAY, OKAY, NOW WE'RE TAKING A GREATER, UH, THE CHANGING THAT METRICS AND LOOKING AT PRE-K A DIFFERENT WAY.
JUST LIKE WHEN WE CONVERTED HILTON HEAD EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER TO A FULL DAY PROGRAM, WE HAD CHILDREN BEING SCREENED THAT WE NEVER EXPECTED TO BE SCREENED BECAUSE NOW IT'S A FULL DAY PROGRAM.
SO WHEN THAT WORD GETS OUT, THAT YOU CHANGE THE METRICS, THE WORD WILL GET OUT AS, OH, I NEED TO GO GET MY CHILD SCREEN.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE SCREENED.
SO THERE W THERE'LL BE NEED TO BE PLANNED FOR A LITTLE BIT OF GROWTH THERE.
BASICALLY WE WOULD NEED TO BUILD BUILDINGS IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO REQUEST IN THE REFERENDUM SO WE CAN BUILD SOMETHING BECAUSE OF WE'RE GOING TO BE PULLING YOU STATED BEFORE ABOUT POLLING, UM, SOME OF THESE KIDS OUT, BUT IN A BUILDING OR EXPANDING AN EXISTING BUILDING, DO WE HAVE THE SPACE IN SCHOOLS EXPAND
[00:20:01]
TO ADD TWO OR THREE MORE CLASSROOMS? IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE THAT ROBERT THAT'S? I MEAN, I COULD PRINT ADVIL.I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
SO I KIND OF, I MEAN, I COULD GO THROUGH THESE, YOU KNOW, BLUFFED ANELLE, WE'D PRETTY MUCH, I'D SAY MAXED OUT.
IT'S ALREADY, UM, AS BIG AS ITS CORE CAPACITY AND, AND, UH, CAROL JUMP IN HERE, IF YOU WISH IN ANY WAY, UH, MC RILEY IS ONE THAT THE ACTUAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUILDING IS ONE WHERE WE COULD ADD A COUPLE OF CLASSROOMS. IT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO HAVE A COUPLE EXTRA
SO OT, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO EXPAND THE EXISTING BUILDING, BUT YOU COULD EITHER ADD ON A WHOLE NOTHER WING OR A WHOLE NOTHER BUILDING IN T UH, PRINCEVILLE.
THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO EXPAND PRICHARD MILL.
UM, NOT, NOT THAT I'M IN FAVOR OF HOW ABOUT THAT RED CEDAR.
THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO EXPAND RED CEDAR AT ALL RIVER RIDGE.
OF COURSE, WE'VE MAXED OUT RIVER RIDGE NOW.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF DONE WITH RIVER RIDGE.
AND I WOULD SAY AS FAR AS THE LAND GOES, OUR TWO LOCATIONS WITH LAND RIGHT NOW.
CAUSE SO I THINK THIS WILL STIR IN A WHOLE NOTHER CONVERSATION.
OUR HOLY PLACES, WE HAVE LAND RIGHT NOW, OUR MAIN RIVER AND, UH, OAK THAT WE CAN BUILD ANOTHER BUILDING.
AND OF COURSE THOSE ARE AT THE OUTER EDGES OF, UH, THE BLUFFTON AREA.
IT MAY RIVER ABOUT HOW MANY BUILDINGS WE PUT ON THERE.
UH, WE HAVE THE HIGH SCHOOL NOW WE PLAN TO PUT EITHER AN ELEMENTARY OR PRE-K OR MIDDLE, AND THEN YOU COULD, WE DO HAVE A SMALL SPACE FOR ANOTHER SMALLER BUILDING, UH, KIND OF ON THAT SITE.
BUT AGAIN, THOSE ARE ON THE OUTER EDGES OF THE BOSTON AREA, CAROL.
ANY THAT MISS ANYTHING? I THINK YOU COVERED IT.
WELL, I THINK IT DOES FOR ON THAT BIGGER CONVERSATION, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE GETTING THAT LONG-TERM PLANNING LIKE COLONEL GUY OR SAD.
ROBERT ARE MOBILES APPROPRIATE FOR USE FOR PRE-K? I THINK THEY CAN BE, YES.
I MEAN, MAYBE THAT'S A BETTER QUESTION FOR ASHLEY.
THEY, THEY, UM, THEY CAN BE USED FOR THAT.
IS THAT A, DO WE HAVE, WILL WE FREE UP ENOUGH MOBILES? THIS MIGHT BE A QUICK FIX.
WELL, LET ME, ASHLEY, DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? LET ME BEFORE.
UM, I, I'M HESITANT A LITTLE HESITANT ABOUT MOBILES, UM, AND THE REASON, AND I KNOW THEY DO HAVE RESTROOMS IN THEM AND I KNOW THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE WATER AND, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHEN PRINTER PUT THE MOBILES IN AT PRITCHARD VILLE, IF IT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR PRE-KINDERGARTEN TO GO OUT BECAUSE OF THE YOUNG AGE OF THE STUDENTS, UM, AND THE, THE ACCESS THEY NEED TO THERAPIES.
AND SOME OF THEM ARE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION WHERE THEY, YOU KNOW, THEIR THERAPISTS WOULD BE IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM AND THE WALKING DISTANCE FROM THE CAFETERIA TO THE MOBILES.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS BEST TO DO THAT WITH THE LITTLE, WITH THE LITTLE PEOPLE.
UM, IT'S MUCH EASIER TO PUT THEM IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING AND PUT A OLDER GRADE LEVEL WHERE THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE INDEPENDENT, UM, OUTSIDE IN A MOBILE UNIT.
THE OTHER THING WOULD BE MOBILES ARE USUALLY A LOT SMALLER SQUARE FOOTAGE AND JUST THE WAY PRE-K DOES INSTRUCTION, YOU PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SERVE AS MANY STUDENTS IN THOSE BUILDINGS IN THOSE ROOMS EITHER.
SO YOU WOULD NEED EVEN MORE MOBILES TO SERVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, IN A REGULAR CLASSROOM.
SO YOU MIGHT NEED ONE AND A HALF MOBILES, LET'S JUST SAY TO SERVE THE SAME NUMBER OF STUDENTS, SQUARE FOOTAGE REQUIREMENT.
PRE K AND K ARE OUR BIGGEST CLASSROOMS. YOU'RE ABOUT USUALLY A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET WHERE MOBILES ARE USUALLY IN THE SEVEN 50 TO 800 SQUARE FOOT RANGE.
IF I HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION.
IS, WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE ANY POLITICAL PUSHBACK FROM PRESENT OWNERS OF DAYCARE AND PRESCHOOL? IF WE EXPAND OUR OWN DISTRICT PROGRAM, I DO BELIEVE WE WILL GET SOME POLITICAL PUSHBACK.
[00:25:01]
UM, KEEPING IN MIND, THESE ARE OUR CHILDCARE PROVIDERS, OUR PRIVATE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS ARE ALSO BUSINESSES.SO, UM, UH, PAY ESSENTIALLY THAT FOUR-YEAR-OLD AND THAT FAMILY IS A PAYING CUSTOMER AT THEIR, AT THEIR BUSINESS.
UM, AND SO YES, THERE WILL BE SOME POLITICAL PUSHBACK.
UM, BUT AS WE CONTINUE, IF WE, IF OUR PLAN IS PRE-K FOR ALL, UH, THEN THE NICE THING THAT WE ARE DOING IT IN PHASES.
SO IT'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOSING ALL OF YOUR CUSTOMER BASE.
I DO FEEL THAT THERE ARE SOME FAMILIES IN BUFORD, AS WELL AS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THAT WILL STILL WANT THEIR PRIVATE CHILDCARE PROVIDER.
UM, AND THAT'S ABSOLUTELY A CHOICE THAT THEY HAVE.
SO, UM, ASHLEY, AND PERHAPS ROBERT, LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION, HOW MANY AVERAGE CLASSROOMS ARE IN AN ECC BUILDING? SO ACTUALLY I LAUGH BECAUSE ROBERT AND I JUST HAD THIS CONVERSATION YESTERDAY.
UM, WE USUALLY, UH, THERE ARE ABOUT 18 CLASSROOMS IN ANY C S E C C FOR EARLY LEARNING CENTERS, NORTH OF ABROAD.
THEY'RE CALLED EARLY LEARNING CENTERS, SOUTH OF ABROAD.
THEY'RE CALLED EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS.
DON'T ASK ME WHY, BUT, UM, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE CALLED THEM.
SO THERE IS A REASON BEHIND THAT, BUT, UM, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS AND I, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE FIGURED WE NEEDED ABOUT 15 TO 16 CLASSROOMS AND THAT INCLUDES A HEADSTART, UM, COMPONENT AS WELL.
UM, BUT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT MOVING UP THAT PERCENTILE OR THAT MATRIX, UM, THAT'S WHEN ROBERT AND I TALKED ABOUT POSSIBLY NEEDING TWO BUILDINGS, RIGHT.
IT SEEMS TO ME, BASED ON THE NUMBERS YOU GAVE ME FOR THE 70% THAT WAS ON MY ROUGH CALCULATION, IT'S LIKE, LIKE YOU SAID, 15 TO 16 CLASSROOMS AND THEN BUILDING IN FOR THAT ADDITIONAL HEADSTART AND THEN, WELL, FOR, CAUSE THOSE ARE 1819 NUMBERS THAT EASILY SURPASSES 18.
AND, AND THAT WAS NOT LOOKING AT CHANGING THAT MATRIX.
SO IT WOULD HAVE STAYED THE SAME AT THE 50TH PERCENTILE.
UM, AND THIS WAS ALSO PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO WITH, WE DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY.
UM, THE OTHER PIECE TO THAT IS, AND THAT'S WHERE I GO BACK TO MY FIRST PIECE OF THIS WHEN I STARTED TALKING, IS, ARE WE LOOKING AT REMOVING THE PRE-CASE FROM THE EXISTING BUILDINGS? AND NOW THEY'RE ALL IN EARLY, YOU KNOW, IN A CLUSTER BASED APPROACH, EARLY LEARNING CENTER OR EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, OR ARE THEY STAYING? AND THESE ARE ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS THAT WE'RE ADDING TO SERVE ADDITIONAL CHILDREN.
AND THEN I THINK MY, THE OTHER CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD IS OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU BUILD A, A NEW BUILDING YOU'RE GOING TO NEED STAFF AND NEW BUILDING IS GOING TO BE AN ADDITIONAL COST TO THE DISTRICT.
SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE A CONVERSATION IS WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE IMPACT GOING TO BE ON OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET? WHAT, WHAT KIND OF FUNDING DO WE GET, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THESE FACILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT? UM, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU GUYS HAVE RUN ANY PRELIMINARY NUMBERS ON THAT.
I TALKED TO TANYA TODAY ABOUT THAT EXACT SAME SUBJECT.
AND, UH, OF COURSE SHE'S VERY CONCERNED ABOUT GROWTH IN OPERATIONAL, UH, REVENUE REQUIREMENTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY DEPENDS A BLOND A LOT, WHAT THE GOVERNOR DECIDES, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR HAS COME OUT SAYING HE WANTS TO DO THIS, BUT I DON'T RECALL SEEING MUCH IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.
NOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT UP MONEY FROM THE, UH, NOT THE KIND YOU PUT ON FRENCH FRIES, BUT CATCH, CATCH UP, UH, MONEY FROM THE FEDS FOR COVID LEARNING LOSS.
AND THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE USED FOR THE STAFFING PIECE, BUT THAT'S ONLY THE TIME PIECE.
AND THAT GIVES US A RECURRING OPERATIONAL COST.
SO NO, BUT IT MIGHT BE WORTH THAT IN THE INITIAL, IF WE CAN FIND THE SPACE IN THE INITIAL PROGRAM TO, TO BE ABLE TO SHOW A BETTER PERFORMANCE OUT OF KINDERGARTEN BECAUSE OF THE RESULTS OF HAVING THE PRE-K, UH, EXPERIMENT DONE.
AND WE COULD, WE COULD SEE WHAT KIND OF GROWTH WE GET.
WE MAY BE ABLE TO JUSTIFY THAT WITH SOME METRICS THAT SAY, THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FROM PK INSTRUCTION.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'D HAVE TO DO TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A RECURRING PROGRAM.
UH, MR. AUDITING, YOUR HAND IS RAISED, JUST GOING TO SAY
[00:30:01]
THE ONE GOOD THING ABOUT THESE PRE-K THAT WE'RE ADDING ARE THESE ARE ALL STUDENTS THAT AREN'T CURRENTLY IN THE DISTRICT.I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT CURRENTLY BEING SERVED AT THAT GRADE SO WAYS WE ADD THEM OF COURSE, COMES WITH THEM, ADDITIONAL REVENUE ON TOP OF THAT.
THAT'S UM, THAT'S A GOOD POINT TOO.
AND WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, COLONEL GUY, OR KID YOUR POINT ON, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR BEING ON HIS PRIORITY LIST.
UM, I THINK THAT PERHAPS WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO OUR DELEGATION, TO OUR LOBBYIST AND SEE WHAT ARE THEY HEARING IN THE HALLS, UM, IN COLUMBIA.
AND ARE THEY SEEING THAT THERE IS AN APPETITE FOR THAT, UM, THIS YEAR, PERHAPS NEXT YEAR.
SO WE HAVE A BETTER INCLINATION OF WHERE THAT MIGHT GO.
UM, JUST, I ONLY KNOW THAT THE THINGS THAT I'VE READ IN, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEWSPAPER AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, WE CERTAINLY COULD REACH OUT TO THEM IF THAT'S, CAUSE I THINK THAT THAT, THAT GOES ON FOR THE CONVERSATION.
WE WOULD KNOW WE WOULD HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED TO GO WITH LIKE A PLAN, A, A MORE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH IN THE KEEPING OUR METRIC THE SAME, OR DO WE NEED TO OPEN THINGS UP, UH, TO THE 70%.
SO THAT ALSO THAT GOES LONG-TERM TO THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP, SO, YEP.
UM, DO YOU THINK THAT WE, I SHOULD JUST INCLUDE THAT IN MY REPORT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM TO THE FULL BOARD? I THINK SO.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE IN REGARD TO THIS AGENDA ITEM, OR DID ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD TO THAT? CAUSE I'M GONNA KIND OF, UH, LEAD US INTO ANOTHER CONVERSATION FOR FUTURE TOPICS IS, UM, WHERE IF WE DO BUILD THE NEXT BUILDING, WHERE IS THE BEST LOCATION I WANT TO ASK ASHLEY THAT, UM, WHERE WOULD YOU SAY THE BEST LOCATION IS, IS, IS MAY RIVER A SUITABLE LOCATION? UM, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT BLUFFTON IS MORE OF A CLUSTER BASED APPROACH TO PRE-KINDERGARTEN OF COURSE, SERVING THEM AT THEIR HOME SCHOOLS FIRST.
UM, THIS, THIS NEW SCHOOL MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE ITS OWN ATTENDANCE ZONE.
WE CAN NOT HAVE FOUR YEAR OLDS ON BUSES FOR LONGER THAN, UH, YOU KNOW, IN MY MORE THAN 30 MINUTES.
UM, I KNOW THAT'S NOT ALWAYS PRACTICAL, BUT IF YOU, WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING A FOUR-YEAR-OLD ON A BUS FOR LONGER THAN 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR, YOU ARE ASKING FOR, UM, LITTLE ONES TO FALL ASLEEP, LITTLE ONES WHO NEED POTTY BREAKS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND IT JUST, IT JUST MAKES IT WAY TOO LONG OF A RIDE FOR THEM.
AND, AND, AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHEN WE TRIED, UM, TRANSPORTATION AT THESE TWO OUTER ZONE CLASSROOMS AND A CLUSTER BASED APPROACH, UM, AND I WAS VERY FORTHCOMING WITH PARENTS AT VERY EARLY ON SAYING THAT YOUR CHILD MAY BE ON A BUS FOR LONGER THAN 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR.
THEY TYPICALLY CHOSE NO I'LL TAKE THEM, I'LL TAKE THEM MYSELF.
UM, THAT WAS AN IF, IF THEY DID TRY THE BUS AND IT WAS LONGER THAN AN HOUR, THEY USUALLY STOP TAKING THE BUS BECAUSE IT'S JUST TOO LONG FOR A LITTLE PART.
I MEAN, SOME OF THESE CHILDREN COMING IN ARE, ARE THREE YEARS OLD.
UM, AND IT'S JUST TOO LONG OF A BUS RIDE.
SO MAY RIVER, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT IT, A CUSTOMER BASED APPROACH, THE ANSWER I THINK WOULD BE TOO FAR, IT'S TOO FAR OUT.
UM, IF WE LOOKED AT MORE OF A CENTRALIZED LOCATION, LIKE A, UM, A RIVER RIDGE OR SOMEWHERE CLOSER TO MICHAEL C. RILEY OR SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE, THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE BEST LOCATION WOULD BE FOR A CLUSTER BASED APPROACH.
AND I'LL JUST ADD, SO THE BOARD CAN KEEP THIS IN THEIR MIND FOR AN ECC.
WE ACTUALLY NEED PROBABLY ABOUT THE LI WE NEED ABOUT THE LEAST AMOUNT OF LAND OF ANY OF OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS, OBVIOUSLY.
SO YOU COULD BE 10 ACRES OR LESS AND HAVE AN ECC.
UM, HOW MANY ACRES ARE AT THAT OKAPI SITE? UH, NINE OR 12 IT'S RIGHT.
SO I'M NOT SURE I HAD WRITTEN IN MY, OUR SLIDES THAT WOULD FIT IN ECC, LIKE ANYTHING BIGGER THAN THAT.
WE CAN LOOK THAT UP REAL QUICK WHILE WE'RE TALKING.
ACTUALLY, IF WE WERE LOOKING AT TWO BUILDINGS, UM, TWO EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS, THEN THEY COULD BE A LITTLE BIT SPREAD OUT.
YOU'D MAYBE HAVE ONE CENTRALLY LOCATED AND THEN ONE MORE SPREAD OUT.
UM, YOU COULD EASILY DO THAT, BUT WITH ONLY WITH ONLY ONE, YOU WOULD DEFINITELY
[00:35:01]
NEED IT TO BE A CENTRALIZED LOCATION.I CAN JUST REMIND YOU THAT THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD A LITTLE BIT, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE PROPERTY NOT FAR FROM RIVER RIDGE IN THE PAST.
WHERE IS THAT LOCATED MANAGER? I'M SORRY, I INTERJECT THERE.
WHERE IS THAT LOCATED? RIGHT NEXT TO RIVER RIDGE.
I'M VISUALIZING RIVER RIDGE ON, ON, UM, BLUFFTON PARKWAY.
UM, YOU, YOU, I MEAN, DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE SCHOOL IS LOCATED? YES.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S STILL FOR SALE, TO BE HONEST.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO TALK TO WHEN WE TALKED TO THE CITY OF BLUFFTON, BECAUSE THIS IS A SELLING POINT FOR THESE CONTRACTORS AND DEVELOPERS ARE COMING IN AND WE COULD SURE USE SOME DONATIONS OF SOME LAND.
AND YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT BEFORE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE 82% NUMBER SHOCKING, BECAUSE WE, I ALWAYS KIND OF THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS SINGLE PARENT POVERTY, BUT WITH 82%, THAT'S MORE THAN SINGLE PARENT POVERTY.
THAT'S TWO WORKING PARENTS THAT JUST REALLY DON'T HAVE THE TIME AND ENERGY TO SPEND MUCH TIME WITH THEIR KIDS ON READING AND WRITING AND LANGUAGE AND VOCABULARY.
SO THIS IS A BIGGER ISSUE THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS WHEN WE WERE FIRST DISCUSSING THIS, BUT I SAW THOSE TEST SCORES.
I WAS SHOCKED, BUT I SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN BASED ON THE WAY IT IS NOW WITH THE PARENTS HAVE BOTH PARENTS HAVING TO WORK.
AND SO THAT BLUFFTON POPULATION IS, YOU KNOW, YOUNG WORKING PARENTS.
UM, SO IT MAKES SENSE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER ECC TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE STUDENTS.
UM, AND SO BEYOND THE LAND DONATION, BUT ALSO AS WE TALK ABOUT HEADSTART THERE, I DON'T KNOW, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON MAY HAVE, UM, BUILDINGS OR FACILITIES OR PLACES FOR, FOR HEADSTART TO BE ACCOMMODATED AS WELL FOR A LONG-TERM LEASE.
SO THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE COULD LOOK AT AS WELL.
CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO THAT? UM, HAD THE EARLY, THE BUFORD COUNTY, EARLY CHILDHOOD COALITION HAS ALSO BEEN ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE OF CHILDCARE IN BLUFFTON.
SO, UM, KNOWING THAT THE NEED FOR A HEADSTART PROGRAM IN ADDITIONAL PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS, WE'VE DONE A LITTLE RESEARCH ON IN BLUFFTON.
THERE'S ALSO NO SLIDING SCALE FEE BASED CHILDCARE.
AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT SLIDING SCALE, I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU TAKE A PARENT'S INCOME AND THAT'S THE FEE THAT THEY PAY FOR THEIR CHILD AND CHILDCARE.
UM, SINCE THE CHILDREN'S CENTER IS NO LONGER IN BLUFFTON AND THAT'S BEEN SEVERAL, SEVERAL YEARS NOW, UM, THAT WAS THE LAST SLIDING SCALE FACILITY THAT I WAS AWARE OF.
WE'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHERS AT THIS TIME.
UM, WE'RE ALSO, UH, RESEARCH HAS SHOWED THAT THE WAITING LIST IN BLUFFTON FOR CHILDCARE WHEN YOU ARE STARTING TO HAVE TO GET ON THOSE LISTS PRENATALLY.
SO AS YOU BECOME, SO WHEN YOU'RE PREGNANT, YOU NOW GET ON A CHILDCARE WAITING LIST IN THE BLOCK AREA.
UM, YEAH, IT IT'S, IT IS A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN WE THOUGHT.
AND THAT'S WHY THE COALITION TOOK THE, TOOK THE CHALLENGE ON AS WELL, HEADSTART WAS IN BLUFFTON, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CHILDREN'S CENTER, BUT THEN WHEN THE CHILDREN'S CENTER HAD TO CLOSE, THEN HAD STARTED TO NOTE, DID NOT HAVE A SPACE AS WELL.
THEY HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR SPACE IN THE BLUFFTON AREA AS WELL.
UH, THEY'RE IN THE SAME POSITION AND I, OF COURSE, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH IN THE SAME POSITION WE ARE, THAT THEY ARE GOING TO NEED TO BUILD SOMETHING IN ORDER TO HAVE, UM, PROGRAMS OVER THERE.
AND THANK YOU, MR.
THOSE ARE GOOD POINTS BECAUSE WHEN I WAS PREGNANT WITH MY FIRST DAUGHTER WHO JUST TURNED 10 YESTERDAY, I WAS TOLD YOU NEED TO GET ON A WAITING LIST NOW.
[00:40:01]
TO GET CHILDCARE AND TO GET ON THOSE LISTS.NOW WE'VE GOT MORE OPTIONS NOW THAN WE USED TO 10 YEARS AGO, BUT STILL I'VE HEARD THE SAME.
UM, OKAY, WELL, THAT'S REALLY GOOD INFORMATION FOR US THEN.
UM, MOVING FORWARD AS WE DISCUSS THIS, UM, IS THERE FOR A FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS I HAVE TRYING TO SEE IF THAT OUR NEXT MEETING DATE WORKS FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, THE REALTORS THAT MAY BE LOOKING TO ATTEND THAT MEETING AS WELL.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE OR ANY FOLLOW UP TO ANY OF THESE ITEMS? NO.
WELL, THERE WAS A TOPIC WE WANTED TO KIND OF ADDRESS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEST TO HAVE THAT AT THE SAME TIME THE REALTORS ARE THERE, BUT THAT WOULD BE A LAND.
IT IT'D BE GOOD TO HAVE WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, BUT MAYBE NOT THE BEST PATH WITH THE REALTORS.
SO, WELL, LET ME FIRST, I HAVE TO FIND OUT IF THAT WORKS.
IF THE DATE WORKS FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, OUR NEXT MEETING DATE.
SO, UM, I WILL GET BACK TO EVERYBODY ON WHAT I HEAR BACK ON THAT DATE.
OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR WHAT ROBIN SENIOR.
UM, OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL THE, THE FOURTH TUESDAY.
NOW THEY'RE FIVE TUESDAYS IN APRIL.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE 29TH.
WE HAVE, WE'RE PROPOSING THAT AT SIX.
UM, THAT WOULD START AT SIX 30.
ACTUALLY, LET ME TAKE THAT BACK ON THE LAND.
YOU COULD HAVE THE REALTORS THERE, CAUSE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE VERY EARLY INTO THAT DISCUSSION.
WE'RE JUST WANTING TO KNOW WHAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE THAT COULD EVEN FIT A SCHOOL.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A SELECT FEW PIECES OF PROPERTY, BUT, UM, YEAH, WELL, I WILL SEE, UM, WHO ALL CAN BE IN ATTENDANCE AT THAT APRIL 22ND MEETING.
THAT'S AT 5:00 PM, CORRECT? ROBIN AT FIVE O'CLOCK YES.
SO I WILL GET BACK TO EVERYBODY IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES ON EITHER OF THOSE, BECAUSE OF COURSE THAT WILL CHANGE THE AGENDA.
IF THEY BOTH CAN'T BE THERE OR IF WE NEED TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING.
UM, SO I WILL GET BACK TO YOU ALL, ROB, AND THAT WILL BE A ZOOM MEETING, CORRECT? YES MA'AM.
DID ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? NO, THANK YOU ALL.
CAN'T GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN.