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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAVER COUNTY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, AND WELCOME TO THE BEAVER COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF JULY 13TH, 2021.
THIS MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED BY A HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCE, AND IT IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAM BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THE CAPACITY IN THE BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL MEDIA CENTER IS LIMITED TO 60 INDIVIDUALS.
AND IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS, INDIVIDUALS MUST STAY AT LEAST THREE FEET APART.
AND SEEDING IS ON A FIRST-COME BASIS.
PARTICIPATION WILL BE ACCEPTED THIS EVENING BETWEEN FIVE AND FIVE 30 BY SENDING AN EMAIL WITH YOUR NAME, PHONE NUMBER AND TOPIC TO ROBIN DOT CUSHING BERRY AT BUFORT DOT K12 DOT S C DOT U S.
YOU'LL RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS WHERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES ON ISSUES WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN.
THE FORUM IS LIMITED TO 30 MINUTES.
IF YOU ARE IN PERSON, YOU MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD ALSO FOR A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES ON ISSUES WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN.
AND EACH SPEAKER IN PERSON MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD, WHICH THEY CAN RE PANE FROM THE BOARD CLERK REQUEST FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED BETWEEN SEVEN AND SEVEN 30 THIS EVENING IN THE SAME MANNER.
THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL TAKE PLACE PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT AND NO LATER THAN 9:00 PM.
THE SECOND FORM IS LIMITED TO 15 MINUTES IN THE EVENT, THE BOARD IS NOT FINISHED ADDRESSING ALL ITEMS LISTED ON THE JULY 13TH, 2021 AGENDA.
THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE TOMORROW NIGHT AT 6:00 PM TO FINISH THE AGENDA ITEMS. WE NOW NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WHOEVER MAKES THE MOTION, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE ITEMS LISTED? THANK YOU, MS. FIDRYCH.
WE ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS WITH CURRICULUM ASSOCIATES, LLC, PURSUANT TO SE CODE ANIMAL SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 78, 2 DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS WITH SCHOLASTIC, INC.
PURSUANT TO SE CODE ANNUM, SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 78 2 EMPLOYMENT MATTER REGARDING PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT AND PERSONNEL MATTER PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 81, ADULT ED HOMESCHOOL REPORT AND RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO A SETTLED CLAIM AND A PENDING CLAIM COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SE SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 78 2.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, DR.
COULD YOU PLEASE CLARIFY FOR ME WHO WILL BE ADVISING THE BOARD ON ANY CONTRACTS BEING DISCUSSED DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION? UH, I'LL DEFER TO DR.
RODRIGUEZ SINCE IT'S HIS STAFF WILL BE, UM, CAN YOU HEAR ME? IT WOULD BE MS. CARTLIDGE AND IT WILL BE, UH, DISTRICT AND A HUNDRED, THREE MINUTES.
YOU SAID HUNTER FREEMAN AS WELL? YES.
UH, ALSO, ALSO, WHO WILL BE ADVISING THE BOARD ON THE EMPLOYMENT ON THE EMPLOYEE AND PERSONNEL MATTERS, MS. CARTLIDGE AND IT WILL BE, UH, DISTRICT STAFF AND I ALSO, WHO WILL BE ADVISING THE BOARD ON THE SETTLEMENT CLAIMS AND PENDING CLAIMS. THAT'LL BE MS. CARTILAGE THERE BEING NO FURTHER.
UM, HANDS UP VOTING IS NOW OPEN.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY NINE.
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SO I NOTICED, UM, TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION NOW,OVER THREE MONTHS OF AGE MUST BE LICENSED.
THIS REQUIRES A RABIES VACCINATION AND A FEE OF $5 FOR ONE YEAR OR $15 FOR THREE YEARS.
AVOID FINES AND PENALTIES, A MESSAGE FROM BUFORD COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER AND CONTROL.
THE SHELTER IS ALWAYS HAPPY TO ACCEPT DONATIONS OF OLD BLANKETS, TOWELS, OR PET TOYS.
GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO THE BEAVER COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF JULY 13TH, 2021.
THE BOARD HAS, IS, HAS COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE ARE NOW IN PUBLIC SESSION.
THE BOARD DID NOT FINISH ALL ITEMS TO BE COVERED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO WE'LL GO BACK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THE END OF THE AGENDA.
SO WE NOW NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
LOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AGENDA FOR JULY 13TH, SECOND.
WISNIEWSKI MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
UH, MS. BOATWRIGHT SECOND, THE MOTION, ANY DISCUSSION, UH, VOTING IS OPEN.
THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA IS UNANIMOUS NINE ZERO.
WE WILL NOW STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
SO NOW I HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
THE MEDIA HAS BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED.
WE ARE NOW ON TO POINTS OF CELEBRATION, DR.
RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU THIS EVENING.
AND, UH, POINTS OF CELEBRATION.
WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR, ALL OF OUR RETIREES THIS EVENING.
AND SO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT'S MISSION IS TO PREPARE GRADUATES WHO COMPETE AND SUCCEED IN AN EVER CHANGING GLOBAL SOCIETY AND CAREER MARKETPLACE.
AND TONIGHT WE HONOR A GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS, BUT DEDICATED YEARS OF PERSONAL SERVICE TO FULFILL THAT MISSION.
AND SO BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, YOU HAVE CAROLYN FLAG, JEFFREY PITT, AND MARTHA SET AT BUFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE HAVE JUDITH BLANKENSHIP, CYNTHIA BROWN, KATHLEEN DEMPSEY, JOANNE
WE HAVE MARCEL, EMILY, DEBRA KID AND LEE MURPHY AT BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE HAVE EVELYN WALKER AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAVE SANDRA BARDOWSKI, JOHN CARRUTHERS, DENNIS VERNON, AND JEAN VANILLA AT BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE HAVE WILLIAM MORE BROAD RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE HAVE MELANIE FRAZIER, PATRICIA FOR CWA,
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KATHY JOHNSON, SUSAN LAUFER, WANDA MCALLISTER AND JILL SCHOONER AT COOS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.WE HAVE LINDA BENNETT, PAMELA KINSEY AT HILTON HEAD EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER.
WE HAVE CAROL BOGAN, HEATHER BURKE, SANDRA FERGUSON, PATRICIA MOSCOWITZ, MARTHA REESE, MARILYN STUART AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND ELEMENTARY.
WE HAVE CONNIE BOSWELL, SMITH, JOVANKA GARRICK, NANCY, OR AN OP WITCH AND JANET YOUNG HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAVE KATHLEEN MARSHALL, PATRICIA PRITCHARD, PATRICIA REED, AND WILLIAM SMITH AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
WE HAVE KATHY CHISM, SUSAN COLTRANE, ED, THE GENOVA, PATRICIA FRIEDA, KATHLEEN LAWRENCE AND CATHERINE
WE HAVE CATHERINE E-WASTE AT LADY'S ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND MARVELL ALMER AT LADY'S ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE HAVE KAREN DALEY, CAROLYN DENNIS, SUSAN FLOYD, AND CHRISTINE WARNER AT MC RILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE HAVE DEAN PHIL KOSKI, FRANCIS POWELL AND KATHLEEN WIPPER AT MOSSY OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE HAVE JONI KATON AT PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE HAVE DEBRA HUGE AT RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY.
WE HAVE BENITO BARNETT, LISA ALLELE, AND AT ROBERT SMALLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY, WE HAD MARTHA BARNES, DONNA MARTIN, CHRISTINA AWARD, AND EVE WEAVER AT JOSEPH S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
YOU LAYLA RICHARDSON AND PHILIP YOUNG THAT ST.
WE HAVE BRENDA HOUSLEY AND JANET ROBIN AT WHALE BRANCH, EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAVE CHLOE GORDON AND DELTA CORALS THAT WILL BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE HAVE EUGENE BRUGER AND KAREN PARKER AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE.
WE HAVE MRS. CARMEN DILLARD FROM INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES, ARNOLD BARNEY, FERGUSON MAINTENANCE, BARBARA GOODWIN FROM TRANSPORTATION FAIR.
WE GO THROUGH FOOD SERVICES, CHERYL HOFF FOOD SERVICES, ANDREA JOHNSON FROM HUMAN SERVICE, HUMAN RESOURCES, UH, VERONICA MOULTRIE, FOOD SERVICES, JEANETTE SEABROOK FROM TRANSPORTATION, DONNA SMITH, FROM HUMAN RESOURCES ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT, OUR COMMUNITY, AND THE MANY LIVES THAT YOU HAVE TOUCHED OVER THE YEARS.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT RETIREES.
AND I CANNOT EXPRESS ENOUGH HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS.
SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW THE COMMENT CARD THAT IS BEING FILLED OUT BY MEMBERS THAT ARE PRESENT.
AND IF YOU'VE COMPLETED THIS CARD, YOU HAVE CONSENTED TO ABIDE BY THE RULES FOR SPEAKING SPEAKERS, SPEAKERS, ADDRESSING THE BOARD MUST CONFINE COMMENTS TO ISSUES WITHIN THE DOMAIN OF THE BOARD, REFRAIN FROM RACIAL COMMENTS, ABSURDITIES, VULGARITIES, AND REFERENCES TO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS BY NAME AND NOT COMMIT.
YOUR COMMENTS DO NOT EXCEED THREE MINUTES AND THERE WILL BE A BIT A TIMER, AND YOU MAY NOT YIELD YOUR TIME TO SOMEONE ELSE.
AND AT THE REQUEST OF THE PRESIDING OFFICER, INDIVIDUALS WHO VIOLATE THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE BOARD DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE ASKED TO SEE SPEAKING AND RETURN TO THEIR SEATS OR LEAVE THE BOARDROOM.
SHOULD THE PARTICIPANT FAIL TO ABIDE BY THE REASONABLE DIRECTIVE OF THE PRESIDING OFFICER? THE BOARD MAY PROHIBIT THE OFFENDING SPEAKER FROM PARTICIPATING IN FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT SESSIONS FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED SIX MONTHS.
SO OUR FIRST COMMENTERS WILL BE THOSE THAT ARE PARTICIPATING BY PHONE.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE.
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OKAY.YOU WANT ME TO SAY ALL RIGHT, SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
I JUST THOUGHT THAT IT WAS GOING TO COME ON RIGHT NOW.
THE THREE QUESTIONS THAT ON MY ASS, THE MONEY THAT ON THE TABLE FOR THE ESL PROGRAM, WELL, GO-LUCKY STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
WELL, SHE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TEACH OUR STUDENTS OR UTILIZE THE PROGRAMS THAT OTHER STUDENTS ARE USING THE ESL PROGRAM.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW AWARE THE BOARD WAS THAT THEY WEREN'T RECEIVING A BIG NEW REPORT FROM 2017.
YOU CAN TELL NOW I ALSO WANT TO KNOW, UM, HOW TRANSPARENT HAS THE FUNDING BEEN AND THE SPENDING, IS THERE ANYBODY DOING CHECKS AND BALANCES? UM, OUT THERE WAS ANOTHER QUESTION THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT I WANTED TO ASK.
SO NOW MY QUESTION TO YOU GUYS ARE I SAW ON THE BOARD THAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE DOING DEBT REFUND OPTIONS.
WHY AND WHERE ARE THESE OPTIONS COMING FROM NOW? WHY WEREN'T THEY ALWAYS UTILIZED? WHERE HAS THE OVERFLOW AND FUNDS BEEN GOING? BECAUSE, UM, IF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN HANDED A BABY OR A REPORT, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU'VE ACTUALLY BEEN SPENDING? SO I GUESS, I GUESS I'M MORE WONDERING WHAT ARE THE CHECKS AND BALANCES WHO'VE BEEN CHECKING WHO IS GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT? UM, YOU GOT EVERYTHING.
I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING I WANTED TO ASK, BUT REALLY IMPORTANTLY, THE DELEGATION THING, I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MY BELLY BG STUDENTS RECEIVE FUNDING AND THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.
THE SOL PROGRAM THAT, UM, THE STATE PUMP HAS SPECIAL FUNDING FOR.
AND I THINK THAT'S ALL MY QUESTION.
NEXT WILL BE OUR SPEAKERS THAT ARE PRESENT.
UM, MARY MOYA WILL BE TALKING ON THE FUTURE SCHOOL SITE LOCATION.
MY NAME IS MARY MOYES AND I RESIDE ON LADY'S ISLAND.
AND, UM, I WAS LOOKING AT SOME ZONING AND I, I SEE ZONING IN OUR AREA AND I STUMBLED ACROSS SOMETHING THAT SAID FUTURE SCHOOL SITE.
NOW ON THE MAP, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS IN BECAUSE IT'S ONLY COLOR CODED AND IT DOESN'T HAVE WHERE IT'S AT IS FUTURE SCHOOL IS SCHOOL SITE IS SO I WANTED TO KNOW WHERE IS THE FUTURE SCHOOL GOING TO BE? AND WAS THERE IF IT'S A LADY'S ISLAND? I WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE WAS A FEASIBILITY STUDY, WHAT KIND OF SCHOOL IS GOING TO BE, IT'S GOING TO BE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WHAT TYPE OF SCHOOL IS IT GOING TO BE? AND A FEASIBILITY STUDY THAT WARRANTS ANOTHER SCHOOL.
IF IT'S POSSIBLE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A COPY OF THAT GOT SEVERITY.
AND WHERE CAN I FIND A MAP THAT SHOWS THE ACTUAL DISTRICT AND NOT A COLOR CODE? BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S
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COLOR CODED IT, DOESN'T SAY WHAT THE, WHAT DISTRICT IT IS.SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE WEBSITE MOST OF THE DAY.
OUR NEXT COMMENTER IS LINDA MOIT HILLS, WHO, WHOSE TOPIC IS MEETING.
AND I'M SORRY, I CAN'T READ THE NEXT WORD THAT YOU HAVE ON THE COMMENT CARD.
WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT MEETING AND WHAT, HI, MY NAME IS
JUST FOR CLARITY AT THE MEETING IN JUNE, THE CHAIR SAID TO THE BOARD, IF THE BOARD DID NOT COMPLETE THE MEETING TONIGHT, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO CARRY THE OVER THE NEXT DAY, DID THE BOARD GET THROUGH THE AGENDA? WAS THERE A CARRY OVER MEETING AND IS THERE AS BAD A NORMAL PRACTICE? THE SECOND IS THERE IS A PLAN AGENDA AND, AND JUST, JUST LISTENING.
I COULDN'T GRASP WHAT YOU ALL WERE SAYING BECAUSE IT WAS GOING LIKE THIS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND ANOTHER THING BEFORE THE BOARD MADE A DECISION ABOUT OUR CHILDREN EDUCATION, IS THERE PUBLIC NOTIFICATION PRIOR TO APPROVING AND PASSING ANY CHANGES? WHY DO YOU, HOW DO YOU CONTACT US? IT APPEARED THAT WE FILED AFTER THINGS ARE WRITTEN IN STONE, ON FARE, AFTER BITING MY ZONE DISTRICT, KNOWING WHERE I'M AT, I GOT IN MY CAR AND I STARTED TRAVELING DOWN A LITTLE CAMPUS ROAD.
AND UPON THAT, I RAN ACROSS THIS SIGN THAT SAYS COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
AND I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS NOT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
AND IT SAYS FOR SALE BY OWNER WW DOT K12, THAT ST THAT IT'S NO ONE.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT SIDE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE PUT YOU IN OFFICE TO SERVE US.
PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
YES, I MIGHT BE A LITTLE LATE, BUT I AM NOT A DUMMY.
I CAN ASSIST YOU, BUT YOU CAN'T DO IT ON YOUR OWN AND WE'D NEED, BECAUSE
SO IF YOU WANT TO COME BACK, DO THE JOB IS PUT OUT.
THANK YOU, MR. CHRISTIAN GRADES, DOES THAT CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.
THE BOARD AT A RECENT MEETING REQUESTED THAT THE, THAT THE CHAIR ASSIGN A STANDING TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE.
SO AFTER SOLICITING INTEREST FROM BOARD MEMBERS, THE COMMITTEE IS AS FOLLOWS DAVID STRINGER CHAIR, INGRID BOATRIGHT, DICK GUYER AND MARK SHOHAN ADMINISTRATIVE LIAISON.
SO MR.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU THAT EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THAT COMMITTEE.
WE'RE NOW TO THE, UM, COMMITTEE REPORTS, AD HOC RESULTS COMMITTEE REPORTING WILL BE, UM, MS. KATHY REAL WELL, THANK YOU.
I REALLY HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT TONIGHT OTHER THAN THE COMMITTEE PLANS TO BRING OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD ON THE FIRST MEETING IN AUGUST.
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORTING BY DARK DICK GEIER.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO BRING BEFORE THE BOARD THIS EVENING, AND I'D LIKE DR.
SHE INITIATED THIS ACTION IF SHE WOULD MAKE THE MOTION, PLEASE.
SO THE MOTION IS THAT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TO THE FULL BOARD, A POLICY AUTHORIZING AN ANNUAL CARRY OVER
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OF DISTRICT OFFICE, STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS NOT EXCEEDING THE AMOUNT OF THE PRIOR YEAR'S RESERVES OR REVENUES.TECHNOLOGY USED FEES SHALL BE USED FOR TECHNOLOGY REPAIRS, STUDENT DEVICES, AND PROTECTIVE.
AND I WILL SECOND THAT MOTION.
WISNIEWSKI AND, AND THE SECOND WAS MADE BY THE GUYER MR. WILLIAM SMITH.
SO CAN YOU, UH, MRS. UH, MY QUESTIONS FOR THAT WITNESS, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT, WHAT'S THE, WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR PROPOSED, UH, WHAT WHAT'S YOUR PROPOSED USE TO, UH, I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT WHAT'S THIS MOTION BASICALLY, UH, REPRESENTS? SURE.
UM, SO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THIS.
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE REVIEWS THE QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORTS, AND WE HAD NOTICED OVER SOME TIME THAT, UM, AN ACCUMULATION WAS OCCURRING IN THE STUDENT ACTIVITIES ACCOUNT AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.
UM, IT WAS REPORTED BY OUR CFO THAT THAT WAS PREDOMINANTLY STEMMING FROM, UM, TECHNOLOGY USE FEES.
AND, UM, IT WAS ALSO RECOMMENDED BY MS. CROSBY, UM, THAT THERE'D BE A POLICY TO KEEP US FROM NOT EXCEEDING THE AMOUNT OF THE PRIOR YEAR AND ALSO FOR US TO, UM, TRY TO SPEND THAT DOWN SO THAT WE DON'T ACCUMULATE THAT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND IT WAS, UM, MY RECOMMENDATION, UM, AND ALSO AGREED UPON A COMMITTEE THAT THOSE TECHNOLOGY USE FEES SHOULD BE PUT TOWARDS FUTURE TECHNOLOGY, REPAIRS, STUDENT DEVICES, AND PROTECTIVE COVERS.
UM, SO THAT DOESN'T, SO IT CAN LOWER THE COST OF THE TECHNOLOGY REFRESHES THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
UH, I THANK YOU ALL ALSO, UH, WHEN YOU SAY, WHEN IT SAID THAT STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS, UH, I WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS AT OUR SCHOOL TOO, OR, OR IS THAT NOT CORRECT? CAN I GET SOME CLAIRE, SOME CLARITY ON THAT? YES.
THIS IS STRICTLY FOR, UM, THE STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE LEVEL, SO THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT, THE VERY TOP LINE ON THE STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS WOULD BE THE DISTRICT OFFICE LEVEL.
AND THEN THERE ALSO IS INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL SITES, UM, LISTED BELOW AND THEIR FUND BALANCES, RIGHT.
AND, AND, AND THERE'S NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM THAT THESE TWO ARE ATTACHED TO EACH OTHER.
NO, THE DISTRICT OFFICE FUND IS SEPARATE FROM THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS.
ALL RIGHT, MR. SMITH, WE'RE GOING TO GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE, MR. MEL CAMPBELL.
OH, SO CLARITY, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT STUDENTS ARE PAYING FOR A USE OF TECHNOLOGY, IT'S MORE THAN WHAT WE ACTUALLY, DURING THE COURSE OF A YEAR OVERALL GOOD EVENING.
UM, IN SOME RESPECTS, YES, SIR.
THE TECHNOLOGY REPAIRS ARE APPROXIMATELY $200,000 ANNUALLY AND THE REVENUES THIS PAST YEAR WERE $400,000.
SO THE REMAINDER WE USE, UH, IN THE TECHNOLOGY CATEGORY, WHETHER IT'S REPLACING DEVICES OR, UH, BUYING PROTECTIVE COVERS, SO IT DOES NOT EXCEED THE NEEDS.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, NEEDS FOR ADDITIONAL DEVICES, UH, AS WE REFRESH THEM FROM YEAR TO YEAR, BUT WE, THIS CAN BE USED AS AN ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCE TO HELP LOWER THE BORROWING THROUGH 8% FUNDS.
SO, AND WE CAN MORE CONSISTENTLY BUDGET IT THIS WAY, UH, BY PREDICTING AN ANNUAL REVENUE OF 400,000 AND AN ANNUAL SPENDING OF 400,000.
SO WE'LL BE CAPTURING ABOUT $250,000 OF THE REFRESH THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY COME TO THE BOARD AND REQUEST, UM, 8% BORROWING WITH WE'LL CAPTURE IN, IN OUR STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS TO MAKE SURE THOSE BALANCES STAY LEVEL AND CONSISTENT, NOT BEGIN TO ACCUMULATE.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHAT'S HAPPENING THESE MONIES, THEY WERE ACCUMULATING IN THE ACCOUNT, UM, AND IN 2020, WE BEGAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE BEING SPENT IN THIS ACCOUNT.
OTHERWISE THEY WERE, THE REPAIRS WERE BEING PRIOR TO THAT OR CODED TO THE GENERAL.
OKAY, MR. GUYER, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE WILL NEED TO LOOK AT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M INTERESTED IN IS A, A REFRESH STRATEGY.
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PRUDENT ON REFRESHING TECHNOLOGY TO HAVE A BIG BUY EVERY THREE YEARS OR SO IS MORE PRUDENT TO, UH, ROTATE YOUR FLEET.IF YOU WILL, BY SPENDING ABOUT ONE THIRD, CHANGING OUT ONE THIRD OF YOUR TECHNOLOGY EVERY YEAR FOR THREE YEARS, THAT WAY THE MONEY IS SPENT ON A MORE CONSISTENT BASIS, AND ALSO GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO STAY AHEAD OF THE TECHNOLOGY CURVE BY HAVING CONSISTENT UPGRADES, RATHER THAN A BIG JUMP AND UPGRADE EVERY THREE YEARS.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE ISSUE THAT WILL BE BROUGHT UP, BUT THIS MOTION HELPS SET A STANDARD THAT WILL HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND REALLY MANAGE OUR FUNDS A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN WE HAVE IN PAST.
WOULD ANY BOARD MEMBER LIKE TO SPEAK THAT IS NOT SPOKEN THUS FAR? UH, MY, MY, MY QUESTION WOULD BE, UH, SHOULD WE POSSIBLY LOWER THE TECHNOLOGY ACTUALLY WASH IT, BUT YET WHAT IS OUR TECHNOLOGY FEE FOR STUDENTS AND ALL SUSAN, THE DISTRICT THAT FEE IS $20.
AND HOW DO WE, AS SOON AS THAT CAN'T AFFORD IT, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE ADDRESS THEM? THERE IS A WAIVER PROCESS THAT GOES THROUGH AN APPLICATION AND APPROVAL AND EVENTUALLY, UM, COMES TO THE DISTRICT LEVEL AND, UM, IS OFFERED TO STUDENTS BASED ON NEED.
I SUPPORT TO RE RESPOND ABOUT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
WE NEED TO FIRST VOTE ON THIS.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY NINE ZERO.
SO THIS MOTION WILL GO TO THE, UM, I THINK IT WOULD GO TO THE, UH, IMMEDIATELY TO THE POLICY COMMITTEE TO WORK THE, UM, WORDING AND THEN GO INTO THE POLICY MANUAL.
AND THEN THE TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE CAN CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE OR, UH, UM, DIS SUBJECT AREA.
NOW, MR. GUY, WE'RE READY FOR PART TWO.
ONE LAST THING WE DISCUSSED THE, UH, OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS AND THE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR THAT.
AND WE, THE COMMITTEE REALLY NEEDS TO KNOW THE WILL OF THE BOARD AS A WHOLE ON HOW YOU WANT TO HANDLE ALL OF THESE EXPECTATIONS ARE THEY'RE APPROVED HOW THEY'RE COORDINATED, AND THIS, THIS COULD BE A VERY DIFFICULT OR A VERY SIMPLE PROCESS.
IT COULD BE VERY DIFFICULT IF THE POLICY COMMITTEE HAD TO REVIEW IT AND THEN GO BACK TO THE BOARD AND, AND THEN HAVE A SERIES OF READINGS AND SO ON, OR IT COULD BE VERY SIMPLE.
AND THE VERY SIMPLE SOLUTION IS WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME SAYING WHAT WE WANTED TO HAVE DONE DR.
RODRIGUEZ AND THE STAFF HAVE GIVEN US THEIR INTERPRETATION, THEIR MEASUREABLES, AND THAT'S FRANKLY, HIS BUSINESS AND HIS STAFF'S BUSINESS.
AND WE DON'T NEED TO REALLY GO IN AND, UH, WORDSMITH IT AND CHECK IT AGAINST POLICY AND SO ON.
BUT IT'S UP TO THE BOARD ON HOW YOU WANT TO HANDLE THEM.
AND THEN I THINK OPERATIONS COMMITTEE HAS SIMILAR CHALLENGES WITH THEIR ALWAYS.
SO WE NEED SOME GUIDANCE FROM THE BOARD, AND MAYBE THIS IS, I'M NOT THINKING WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THIS IN DETAIL TONIGHT, BUT PERHAPS IN A WORK SESSION IS BE ADDRESSED.
PERHAPS SENDING A QUESTIONNAIRE OUT
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BEFORE THE WORK SESSION TO GET WHAT EACH BOARD MEMBER THINKS SHOULD BE DONE MIGHT BE HELPFUL.BUT, UH, THIS IS A CONSTANT ISSUE THAT WE'VE TALKING ABOUT IN COMMITTEE.
IT ACTUALLY WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DISCUSSED AT POLICY COMMITTEE THE OTHER DAY AS WELL.
UM, AND THERE WAS SOME OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT SAT IN AND GAVE THEIR FEEDBACK ON IT.
SO I AGREE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE A CONVERSATION AT THE FULL BOARD LEVEL WHERE WE GET THE WILL OF THE BOARD.
UM, BUT THERE WERE SOME GREAT IDEAS FLOATING AROUND MADAM CHAIR ADDED ONE THAT SEEMED, HAVE A BIT OF SUPPORT.
SO, UM, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE SHOULD DISCUSS IT FURTHER.
I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
WHAT ABOUT THE DEBT REEF? OH, I'M SURE.
BUT BEFORE YOU GO ON, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE SETTING THE AGENDA, UM, FOR OUR, UM, AUGUST BUSINESS MEETINGS AND, UH, AND THE WORK SESSION.
SO, UM, THAT'S THE TOP THAT TOPIC OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE OBESE.
IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD TOPIC TO HAVE ON THE WORK SESSION.
UM, THE DEPTH REFUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, CROSBY.
SO WE HAVE A DOCUMENT IN BOARD DOCS FROM COMPASS MUNICIPAL ADVISORS.
UM, OUR, THIS FINANCIAL ADVISOR, UH, BEGAN WITH THE DISTRICT ON JULY ONE AND BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, JUST TWO SHORT WEEKS, LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AGO.
UH, TWO REFUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, THESE ARE REQUIRED BY BOARD POLICY TO BE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD, INFORMED TO THE BOARD WHENEVER THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE.
UH, IT IS IN THE CONTRACT OF OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR AS WELL.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS 2014 B BONDS.
THESE BONDS, UH, HAVE A, UH, INTEREST RATE, UM, EXCUSE ME, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO BE REFINANCED AS A TAXABLE ADVANCE REFUNDING.
THAT'S A FINANCIAL ADVISORY TURN.
THAT'S VERY TECHNICAL, BUT, UH, THEY ARE DUE TO CALL TO CALL WITH A CALL DATE OF MARCH OF 2024.
UM, THE ATTACHED SUMMARY THAT WAS PROVIDED HAS A NET SAVINGS OF 1,000,050 $2,690 WITH AN ESTIMATED INTEREST RATE OF 1.975, UM, THROUGH, FOR THE 13 YEAR TERM THAT'S REMAINING.
UH, SINCE THEN, UH, THERE HAS BEEN SOME INDICATION.
I THINK THERE WAS AN EMAIL THAT WENT TO BOARD MEMBERS THAT THERE MAY BE A POSSIBILITY OF A LOWER INTEREST RATE.
UH, UH, ANOTHER SPARTANBURG DISTRICT RECEIVE A SIMILAR REFINANCING, UM, AND RECENTLY, AND IT WAS AT A RATE OF 1.5, 8%.
SO AT A 1.5, 8% VERSUS THE ONE IN A 1.9, WE COULD EXPERIENCE AS MUCH AS A MILLION AND A HALF, UH, DOLLARS OF SAVINGS.
UM, SO THAT IS SIGNIFICANT AND IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO BRING FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE BOARD.
UM, ALSO, SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO SELL THE, SELL THOSE BONDS, UH, THIS OCTOBER, UH, AUGUST OF 2021, UH, SERIES 2012, BONDS ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR, UM, FOR REFINANCING.
UH, NET SAVINGS IS ESTIMATED AT 137,000, UH, WITH A ASSUMED FIXED INTEREST RATE OF 1% FOR A TWO YEAR TERM.
THESE ARE MUCH SHORTER TERM BONDS.
SO THE INTEREST RATE WILL BE DIFFERENT AND THEY DO RE UH, FINANCIAL ADVISOR DOES RECOMMEND SELLING THOSE REFUNDING BONDS IN JANUARY OF 2022.
AND OF COURSE BOTH ARE SUBJECT TO ANY INTEREST RATE CHANGES.
SO, UM, I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANY KIND OF MOTION THIS EVENING.
UH, THESE WILL BE, UH, BROUGHT FORWARD WITH, ON RESOLUTIONS ON AUGUST 3RD WITH MORE DISCUSSION AVAILABLE.
UM, AND SO THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR, MR. NORICK WILL BE HERE IN PERSON ON AUGUST 3RD AND AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
YOU CAN REVIEW THE MATERIALS AND THE DATA HERE, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THAT AVAILABLE FOR YOU FOR YOUR DISCUSSION ON AUGUST 3RD.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, ONE LAST THING, UM, MR. NERRICK IS OFFERING SOME, UH, SMALL MINI SESSION ITEMS. I MENTIONED THIS AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR ANY BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE INTERESTED, UH, HE IS GOING TO BE IN TOWN ON AUGUST 2ND, THE DAY BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING AND, UH, IS THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ONE HOUR MINI SESSIONS, EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED ANYWHERE FROM 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM, UH, HE CAN MEET HERE AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE ON HILTON HEAD AND
[00:40:01]
BLUFFTON, UM, ANY OR VIRTUALLY WHICHEVER YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH.IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE CONTACT ROBIN CUSHION BERRY, AND WE WILL SET UP A SCHEDULE AND, UH, THEY WILL JUST KIND OF GET YOU UP TO SPEED.
AND FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND SOME OF THE SIMILAR SAME INFORMATION WILL ALSO BE DISCUSSED AT THE AUGUST 27TH WORK SESSION.
SO WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT THERE AS WELL.
SOMETIMES IT'S NICE TO SEE, UM, HERE AT ONCE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, REITERATE AND, UM, UH, SORT OF SINKS IN A LITTLE BETTER THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME YOU HEAR SOMETHING.
SO ANYWAY, THOSE, UH, THOSE ARE OFFERINGS AND I WANTED TO, UM, BRING FORWARD.
AND, UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS EVENING.
UM, MR. GUYER, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, THIS REFINANCING IS THE SAME THING YOU DO WHEN YOU REFINANCE YOUR HOUSE FOR A LOWER INTEREST RATE, AND WE'RE GOING TO SAVE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS BY, BY DOING SO, UH, THE DETAILS WILL COME DOWN, YOU'LL GET A FULL BRIEFING.
I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THIS IS WHAT A FINANCIAL ADVISOR IS SUPPOSED TO DO AND WHAT WAS NOT DONE BY THE PREVIOUS FINANCIAL ADVISOR, BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, MS. ROBIN.
UM, YES, AND IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO SEE THIS AND THIS REFINANCING.
MY QUESTION WAS JUST, UM, UH, 2014 VEEVA RECOMMENDING THAT WE SELL THEM IN AUGUST IS A BOAT ON AUGUST 3RD, SOON ENOUGH TO ENSURE THAT WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS, OR DO WE NEED TO PUT FORWARD A VOTE TONIGHT? WE'RE RECOMMENDED TO BRING IT FORWARD ON AUGUST 3RD, AND THEN IT WILL TAKE, UM, THREE WEEKS TO SECURE THE INTEREST RATE FOLLOWING THAT.
UM, SO THAT'S THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE MOMENT WE CAN, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
I WANTED IT TO BE READY TO GO.
NOW WE ARE DOWN TO THE SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT.
GUAN SET, THE AGENDA SETTING MEETING.
UM, THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR AN UPDATE ON WHEN SHOOTING DATA WOULD BE AVAILABLE FROM, UH, THE STATE ASSESSMENT IN THE SPRING.
AND SO, UH, ANY, ANY DATA REGARDING, UH, STUDENT PERFORMANCE FROM THE STATE ON STATE ASSESSMENTS OR GRADUATION RATES OR ANY OF THAT WON'T BE AVAILABLE UNTIL SEPTEMBER? UH, ALL OF THAT IS EMBARGO, UH, UP UNTIL SEPTEMBER.
UH, THE NEXT, UH, ITEM ON THE SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT IS THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, UH, MS. CROSBY, UM, MS. CROSBY IS ALSO IN FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
SHE'S GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE MONTHLY TRANSPARENCY REPORT, THE MONTHLY A HUNDRED K REPORT AND THE BOARD'S MONTHLY BUDGET.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THE LAST ITEM IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT IS, UH, THE SR UPDATE THAT WE'LL BE PROVIDING ON THE SECOND MEETING OF EVERY MONTH, BECAUSE JULY ONLY HAS ONE MONTH.
UH, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY DOING IT TONIGHT AND MS. CROSBY WILL WALK US THROUGH THAT.
SO SHE'LL JUST ROLL ONE RIGHT INTO THE OTHER, UH, WHEN SHE'S, WHEN, WHEN YOU ALL ARE FINISHED WITH THEM.
SO, UH, THIS EVENING THERE, WE HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD THE PURCHASES AND OR CONTRACTS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND OVER FOR THE MONTH OF MAY.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE, UH, POLICIES OF THE BOARD TO MONITOR AND PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OVER THE FINANCES OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, THIS IS ONE METHODOLOGY, UH, ONE REPORT THAT WE BRING FORWARD AND WE BRING IT IN BOTH A CONSOLIDATED AND A DETAILED FORMAT.
UM, SO WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU IS I BELIEVE THE DETAILED VERSION ON THE SCREEN.
UM, ONE THING I WANT TO POINT OUT, UH, MOST OF THE TRANSACTIONS ARE PRETTY STANDARD FOR MONTHLY TRANSACTIONS, UTILITIES, UM, BENEFITS, UH, AND SOME OF OUR CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS THAT ARE, UM, UNDERGOING THROUGH REFERENDUM PROJECTS, UH, AS WELL AS FOOD SERVICE CONTRACT.
UM, I DID, UH, SINCE THE BOARD MEETING WAS ABOUT A WEEK EARLIER THAN IT NORMALLY IS THIS MONTH, UH, WE WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THE CONTRACT AMENDMENTS THAT ARE GENERALLY AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE OTHER REPORT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BRING THOSE FORWARD ON THE, SO WE'LL PROVIDE, UM, THE, THE MAY CONTRACT AMENDMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON THE JUNE REPORT NEXT MONTH.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
UM, AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO CAPTURE ALL OF THAT, THAT DOES TAKE SOME COORDINATION WITH THE FACILITIES OFFICE AS WELL.
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UM, WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE REPORTS.THERE BEING NONE, YOU CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT, UM, THEY BOARD MONTHLY BUDGET REPORT.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE JUNE REPORT, UH, REPORTED AS OF JULY 8TH, WE ARE STILL ACCRUING BACK TRANSACTIONS THAT SERVICES OR GOODS OR SERVICES THAT WERE RECEIVED OR PERFORMED BEFORE JUNE 30TH, WE WOULD, AND, AND PAID IN JULY.
WE WOULD, UH, ACCRUE BACK TO THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR SINCE THOSE SERVICES WERE EXPENDED IN PRIOR YEARS.
SO, UH, THIS MONTH WE WILL BRING THIS AS YOUR JUNE REPORT.
SO WE SHOULD BE BEGINNING TO BRING YOUR NEW FISCAL YEAR REPORT NEXT MONTH.
AND A TRANSPARENCY REPORT IS THE FINAL REPORT.
AGAIN, THAT'S A DETAIL OF EVERY TRANSACTION AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, THE ONES YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE WERE A HUNDRED THOUSAND AND ABOVE, UM, THE TRAN TRANSPARENCY REPORT IS ON OUR WEBSITE AND IT IS AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, PUT IT OUT THERE MONTHLY AND IT SHOWS EVERY TRANSACTION PAID BY THE DISTRICT, UH, FROM $0 AND UP, I THINK WE'RE READY FOR THE SR REPORT.
WELL, THIS IS OUR FIRST OFFICIAL ESSER FUNDS REPORT.
I WANT TO GIVE SOME CREDIT TO TERRY BENNETT.
MR. BENNETT IS BEHIND ME AND HAS ATTENDED THIS EVENING.
UM, MR. BENNETT IS THE DIRECTOR OF GRANTS MANAGEMENT AND HAS BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE SR FUNDING, UM, ALLOCATIONS, HELPING TO CONSOLIDATE, UH, COMPILE THE INFORMATION ATTENDING, UH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MEETINGS WITH THE STATE, UH, HAS BEEN QUITE, WE'VE BEEN QUITE BUSY.
I CAN TELL YOU OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR WITH, UH, SO MANY RULES, SO MANY, UM, ALLOCATIONS, UM, SO MANY THINGS TO DO, UH, AND, UH, AND MAKING SURE IT'S IMPLEMENTED ACCURATELY AND, UM, MONITORING THAT.
SO, UH, I DO WANT TO THANK HIM PUBLICLY FOR THAT AND, AND THE TEAM IN THE GRANTS OFFICE.
UH, WE WORK VERY HARD, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE DONE APPROPRIATELY AND, AND BY AND COMPLIANT WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO I'M GOING TO START WITH THE FIRST SLIDE, UH, SUPPLEMENTAL FEDERAL FUNDS.
UM, WE HAVE FOUR MAJOR FUNDING SOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, INDICATED THAT WE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED OR WILL RECEIVE, UM, OVER THE COURSE.
UM, THIS IS ALL COMING IN THE PAST YEAR.
SO, UH, THE CARES ACT FUNDS IN GREEN ARE TECHNICALLY NOT SR FUNDS.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I SHOWED YOU, UH, THE FULL PICTURE OF FEDERAL FUNDING THAT THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED AND THE LEVEL OF SPENDING THAT'S OCCURRED OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
SO, UM, EVEN THOUGH THESE ARE US ARE UPDATES, I'LL JUST ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO KEEP THOSE IN THE FOREFRONT AS WELL.
UH, THE STATE, UM, CARES ACCURATE TECHNICALLY STATE FUNDS, UM, AT THAT ARE PASSED THROUGH THE FEDERAL, UH, THE FEDERAL PASS-THROUGH GRANT.
SO IN ALL, IN ALL, WHAT WE'VE EXPENDED SO FAR IS $8.6 MILLION IN A PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS.
AND THOSE ARE ON A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE DISTRICT.
AND SO IT'S BEEN A PRETTY SIZABLE TASK AS, AS WE, UM, HAVE, UH, BEEN THROUGH IN THE LAST YEAR AND, AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO, UH, IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM OFFERINGS AND SERVICES GOING THROUGH THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE IS A SUMMARY OF THE THREE MAJOR ESSAR FUNDS.
THE FIRST SET OF FUNDS WERE ONE, 4.9 MILLION.
UM, THOSE FUNDS WERE DISTRIBUTED BY THE STATE AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF EXPANDING AND THEY EXPIRE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022.
UH, EVERYTHING'S ON A FEDERAL FUNDING YEAR, WHICH IS IN SEPTEMBER ON SEPTEMBER 30TH AS ARE TWO IS 2 22 0.7 MILLION.
UH, THAT PLAN HAS BEEN SUBMITTED AND RECENTLY APPROVED AS
[00:50:01]
OF MARCH 26TH.AND WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF SPENDING EXPIRATION DATE IS 2023.
AND THEN FINALLY, ESTHER THREE FUNDING, WHICH IS ALSO THE, UH, IS THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.
THAT'S THE MOST RECENT ACT THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED.
UH, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN ACTUAL APPROVAL, BUT WE HAVE RECEIVED AN ALLOCATION AS OF APRIL 30TH.
SO THOSE ARE RELATIVELY NEW TO US.
AND, UH, WE'RE PENDING AN APPLICATION, UH, PREPARING OUR, UH, PREPARING THE APPLICATION FOR THAT.
UM, AS OF TODAY, YOU CAN TELL HOW FREQUENTLY THINGS CHANGE WHEN IT COMES TO THESE FUNDS.
WE HAVE BEEN, UH, RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THAT THERE WAS AN ERROR MADE BY THE STATE, UM, ON ALL OF THE DISTRICTS ALLOCATION AMOUNTS.
AND WE'VE RECEIVED AN EXTRA $36,000 IN THE, IN OUR ALLOCATION AS OF TODAY.
SO THEN MOUNTAIN BEFORE YOU IS ACTUALLY NOW 50 MILLION, 976, 6 22.
SO, UM, THAT SHOWS HOW IT'S JUST EVER-CHANGING AND, AND, UM, BUT WE CAN ADJUST TO THAT AND, AND MOVE FORWARD.
SO AGAIN, TWO THIRDS OF THE ADVANCED FUNDING HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE DISTRICT IN THE FORM OF A GRANT AWARD, NOT IN THE FORM OF CASH.
SO WE, THESE ARE ON AN APPLICATION BASIS.
ALL OF THEM, UH, WE'VE SPENT IN ADVANCE AND THREE MONTHS LATER ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, WE CLAIM THE FUNDS AND THEN GET APPROVAL AND RECEIVE THE REIMBURSEMENT.
SO IT MAY TAKE FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS SOMETIMES FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE QUARTER TO THE END OF THE, UH, TO THE RE REPAYMENT.
UM, MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, THE CARES ACT FUNDS JUST BRIEFLY IS, WAS $3.6 MILLION.
UM, THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT PIECES OF INFORMATION ON THIS SLIDE.
AND YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE THE PIE CHART OF THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, BUT PRIMARILY, UM, THESE WERE THE, THE LARGEST PORTION OF THESE WERE IMMEDIATELY, UM, HEY, USED TO PAY FOR ONE THE LEAP PROGRAM.
UM, THE HOTSPOTS, WE USED IT TO PAY FOR TECHNOLOGY DEVICES IN K THROUGH TWO ACADEMIC RECOVERY CAMPS, WHICH WERE IN THE SUMMER LAST SUMMER AND PPE AND ENHANCED SANITATION.
SO THOSE WERE THE, IT'S BASICALLY A RECOVERY EFFORT ON THESE 95% OF THE FUNDS HAVE BEEN SPENT.
UH, WE HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT REMAINING, AND THOSE ARE DUE TO BE SPENT.
THEY EXPIRED SEPTEMBER OF 2021, WHICH IS JUST IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
AND SO WE'RE ON TRACK TO FULLY EXPEND THOSE WITH NO ISSUE AND LEARNING LOSS.
I WANT TO POINT OUT IN, THIS IS ABOUT IT'S 65% OF THE, OF THE ALLOCATION.
WE HAVE BUDGETED IN AREAS FOR LEARNING LOSS, THAT ACCOUNT AMOUNT TO 65%, UH, ESTHER ONE FUNDS ARE AN ALLOCATION OF 4.9 MILLION.
UH, THESE ARE PRIMARILY IN A LARGE PORTION IN TECHNOLOGY DEVICES.
THEY WERE THE DEVICES APPROVED BACK IN, UM, FEBRUARY BY THE BOARD, UH, FOR K THROUGH TWO, UH, WE HAVE SOME ACADEMIC RECOVERY CAMPS, UH, CONTINUING THOSE CAMPS AND THE EXPENDITURES FOR THOSE, UH, AGAIN, PPE WAS BEGAN TO BE AT A SMALLER AMOUNT.
UH, WE DID RECEIVE SOME MAJOR STATE ALLOCATIONS OF PPE EQUIPMENT FROM THE STATE.
AND, UM, AND SO THEN AS EACH, AS YOU MOVE THROUGH EACH FUNDING SOURCE, YOU'LL SEE A REDUCTION IN THE PPE COSTS.
LEARNING LOSS IS AT A PERCENTAGE OF 64%.
UH, SO BUDGETED OR LEARNING LOSS IS 64% OF BIZ ALLOCATION.
UM, WE HAVE ONE MORE YEAR TO SPEND THESE FUNDS, UM, AND IT'S PRIMARILY ONE OF THE MAIN ONGOING COSTS OF THIS FUND IS SUMMER SCHOOL AND SUMMER READING CAMP.
SO THIS YEAR'S SUMMER READING CAMP IN SUMMER SCHOOL ARE BEING FUNDED IN THIS AS A ONE AS ARE TWO FUNDS, 22.7 MILLION.
THOSE WERE JUST ALLOCATED IN MARCH OF 2026.
WE RECEIVED FINAL APPROVAL OF THE, UM, OF OUR APPLICATION AND LEARNING LOSS MOUNTS TO 57% OF THIS ALLOCATION.
UH, THERE IS A LARGER PORTION, UH, 29% OF THIS IS, UH, ACTUALLY ALLOCATED AS A TRANSFER TO THE, INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO, UM, AS, UH, INDIRECT COST IS A TERMINOLOGY WE USE TO SAY THAT, UH, GRANT FUNDING CAN A PORTION OF OUR GRANT FUNDING CAN BE USED TO TRANSFER IT TO THE GENERAL FUND TO COVER ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF ADMINISTERING THE GRANT.
SO IN THIS FUND, UH, WE WERE ALLOWED THE UNRESTRICTED INDIRECT COST RATE OF 27% WHEN THE PREVIOUS SR FUNDS WERE ONLY ALLOWED A 4%
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ARE RESTRICTED RATE OF 4%.SO THE LATER FUNDS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A LARGER SHARE OF THE GRANT FUNDING TO BE TRANSFERRED, TO SUPPORT OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
AND THAT GENERAL FUND BUDGET HAD A, AND OF COURSE THESE ARE OVER A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS, SO YOU WON'T SEE ALL, ALL, UM, UH, 6.5 MILLION IN ONE YEAR, IT'S OVER A COURSE OF MULTIPLE YEARS, AND IT'S ONLY A PERCENTAGE OF WHAT YOU ACTUALLY SPEND IN THAT FUND.
SO, UH, SO WE DID BUDGET IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR, UH, ACCUMULATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS TRANSFERS DUE TO SR FUNDS, AND THAT DID HELP SUPPORT OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET THIS YEAR.
SO, UM, OUT ALSO THE, THESE FUNDS EXPIRE IN 2023, AND THEY ALSO INCLUDE THE CONTINUATION OF THE SUMMER SCHOOL AND SUMMER READING PROGRAM.
UH, AND SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ESTER THREE, ALSO KNOWN AS AMERICAN RECOVERY PLAN ACT.
UM, THERE WAS ACTUALLY, I THINK THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, IF WE COULD GO BACK ONE, I THINK, YEAH, UH, THE ALLOCATION WAS RECEIVED APRIL 30TH.
AND SO THE DEADLINE FOR THE APPLICATION IS AUGUST 24TH.
UM, THAT APPLICATION STATUS IS IN PROGRESS AND THERE ARE S UH, 15 ELIGIBLE CATEGORIES.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MAJOR, MAJOR AREAS.
UM, THEY ARE THE SAME AS
SO, UH, EXCUSE ME, THEY ARE IN INCLUDE ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE IN
SO THEY ADDRESS LEARNING LOSS.
IT PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
THEY ALLOW FOR THE PURCHASE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, UH, RETURNING FACE-TO-FACE SAFELY PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING SUMMER LEARNING AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, ENHANCING SANITATION EFFORTS AND ADDRESSING INDOOR AIR QUALITY ISSUES TO NAME A FEW.
SO WE DO HAVE THREE FULL SCHOOL YEARS TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THESE FUNDS.
UH, THEY MUST BE, UH, UH, COVID RELATED AND THEY ARE A NONRECURRING FUNDING SOURCE.
SO BEYOND THE THIRD THREE-YEAR PERIOD, UH, IS, ARE UNLESS EXTENDED OR WAIVED IN SOME WAY THEY WILL EXPIRE.
AND THE PHASES OF THE SR GRANTING PROCESS, UH, JUST WANTED TO WALK YOU THROUGH THAT VERY BRIEFLY.
WE CALL IT A GAN GRANT AWARD NOTIFICATION, AND, UH, WE HAVE RECEIVED THAT ON ESSER THREE, ALL OF THE OTHERS, PLUS ESTHER THREE, AGAIN, THE ESTER THREE GRANT AWARD IS ONLY TWO THIRDS OF THE ALLOCATION AT THIS TIME.
SO AT SOME LATER DATE, WE SHOULD RECEIVE THE REMAINING THIRD NOTIFICATION, UM, AND PUBLIC INPUT IS REQUIRED.
SO THERE ARE TWO MAJOR THINGS, UH, MAJOR ELEMENTS OF PUBLIC INPUT THAT ARE REQUIRED OF ESTHER THREE, WHICH IS UNIQUE FROM THE PRIOR ESTHER FUNDS.
AND SO I'LL REVIEW THOSE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT, UH, IN, BEFORE WE GO THERE, PHASE THREE IS THE PLANNING AND PREPARATION.
SO WE USE UTILIZE THE PUBLIC INPUT TO PLAN AND PREPARE OUR, UH, GRANT SUBMISSION.
UH, THEN WE PREPARE THE ACTUAL, UH, GRANT APPLICATION, UH, AND SUBMIT IT BY THE AUGUST 4TH DEADLINE, AUGUST 24TH, EXCUSE ME, AND THEN COMES THE IMPLEMENTATION.
WE BEGAN TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAMS, IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAMS, UH, THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION.
AND THEN FINALLY THE CLAIMS AND MONITORING, UM, PROCESS.
SO TWO MAJOR COMPONENTS OF S3.
TWO MAJOR REQUIREMENTS ARE THE, UH, PUBLIC INPUT OF THE ACTUAL USES OF OUR S3 FUNDS AND PUBLIC INPUT ON THE REOPENING PLAN, WHICH IS REQUIRED OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO, UH, ALTHOUGH THE DISTRICT HAS, HAS REOPENED, THERE ARE CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF HOW YOU WILL REINSURE SCHOOLS IN THE, IN THE 2122 SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE HAD TO IDENTIFY AND, UH, GET INPUT PUBLIC INPUT ON.
AND SO THE, ON THE SR USES WE RECEIVED, UH, DID A SURVEY MONKEY, UH, AND THERE WERE THREE QUESTIONS THAT REQUESTED SOME LEVEL OF PRIORITIZATION, WHICH OF THESE THINGS ARE MORE IMPORTANT TO MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU.
AND THEN THE REMAINDER OF THE QUESTIONS WERE, UH, THEN, UH, THE REMAINDER REMAINING QUESTION WAS AN OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE, UM, OF THINGS THAT THEY WISH TO SEE THE DISTRICT SPEND ON, UM, PROGRAMS, SERVICES, SUPPLIES, ET CETERA.
[01:00:01]
SO THIS SURVEY WAS DEVELOPED.THERE WERE CERTAIN REQUIRED CATEGORIES OF, OF, UM, STAKEHOLDERS THAT WERE INCLUDED AND REQUIRED, BUT WE ENHANCED THAT BY ADDING ON A FEW OF OUR OWN.
SO PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, PARENTS, UH, THE GENERAL PUBLIC, WE INCLUDED DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION.
AND THEN WE SENT OUT SPECIFIC EMAILS WITH LINKS TO THE SURVEY WITH EX ECUMENICAL PARTNERS, UM, FAITH-BASED LEADERS AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS 3,337 SURVEYS WERE RESPONDED TO PARENTS OR SEVENTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE, TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY FOUR STUDENTS 171 COMMUNITY MEMBERS, TEACHERS OF 1,092 AND PRINCIPALS OF 31.
SO DID HAVE, I BELIEVE, I FEEL IT'S A PRETTY HEALTHY RESPONSE, UM, AND DOES GIVE US A WIDE VARIETY OF INFORMATION.
SOME OF THE COMMON THEMES IN THIS, UH, IN THE RESPONSES WERE, UH, SPECIFICALLY LEARNING LOSS TO ADDRESS THE LEARNING LOSS DURING THE PANDEMIC TUTORING, AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, PROVIDING MORE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN A VARIETY OF AREAS, ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF HIGHLY VULNERABLE POPULATIONS OF STUDENTS AND EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY.
THE SECOND SURVEY WE DID, UH, HAD, UH, A SMALLER TURNAROUND TIME OR US, UM, THERE WAS A, THERE WERE 10 OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS ON VARIOUS TOPICS THAT HELPED US BUILD THE REOPENING PLAN FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
IT INVOLVED THE USE OF MASKS, SOCIAL DISTANCING, SANITATION ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, ET CETERA.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF CATEGORIES AND WE COMMUNICATED IT BY, UH, ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE.
THERE WAS A SLIDER ON THE HOMEPAGE THAT WAS, UM, VISIBLE ON THE, IS ON THE VERY FRONT OF THE HOMEPAGE OF THE WEBSITE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, FACEBOOK, OTHER AVENUES EMAILS TO FAMILIES BE A BRIGHT ARROW, WHICH IS OUR MESSENGER SYSTEM TO PARENTS, EMAILS, TO ALL EMPLOYEES AND EMAILS TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AND THESE WERE ALL DONE IN ENGLISH.
AND IN SPANISH, WE RECEIVED THIS AGAIN.
I MENTIONED THIS WAS A TIGHT TURNAROUND WE RECEIVED.
UM, ONCE WE RECEIVED, UH, INFORMATION, WE HAVE TECH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SESSIONS WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND THEY TELL US WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE OF THE GRANTS.
UM, ONCE WE, UH, WERE INFORMED OF THE REQUIREMENTS WE HAD ABOUT A TWO WEEK TURNAROUND TO BE ABLE TO GET THE SURVEYS OUT AND RE AND, UH, UM, PROVIDE THE REOPENING PLAN BY THE DEADLINE OF JUNE 24.
SO THE ESTER THREE REOPENING PLAN WAS REQUIRED TO GO OUT, UH, BY JUNE 20, JUNE 24TH.
AND THAT IS IN THE PROCESS OF APPROVAL AT THIS TIME.
AND, UH, THE REOPENING PLAN IS ON THEIR WEBSITE.
AND I WILL MENTION THAT IN JUST A MOMENT, UH, UNDER A TRANSPARENCY SLIDE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT, UM, WE DID HAVE VERY GOOD RESPONSE.
DESPITE THE SHORT TURNAROUND, WE HAD 1,418, UM, RESPONSES.
UH, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH WERE, WERE PARENTS 913 WERE PARENTS, UM, NOT AS MANY STUDENTS WE ARE IN THE SUMMER.
SO, UH, THERE WAS, IT'S A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR STUDENT POPULATION OVER THE SUMMER.
SO, UM, SOME OF THE COMMON THEMES OF THE RESPONSES WERE VERY MIXED.
SO, UM, SOME WERE VERY IN INTERESTED IN CONTINUING THE ENHANCED SANITATION EFFORTS, MOST ACTUALLY WERE, WERE INTERESTED IN CONTINUING THOSE EFFORTS.
UM, THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT VACCINATIONS, WHETHER THEY BE REQUIRED OR NOT REQUIRED, A LOT OF QUESTIONS CAME OUT OF THAT.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY, AND, AND, UH, WE ACCEPT THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ON THERE THAT WE CAN EITHER HAVE EITHER BEEN ANSWERED THROUGH THE REOPENING PLAN, OR WE CAN DO A SET OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND THEN PROVIDE RESPONSES TO THOSE.
AND WE'LL SHOW YOU IN JUST A MOMENT THAT WHERE WE'LL REALLY OFFER THAT AS WELL.
UH, COVID PROTOCOLS, SOME WERE VERY INTERESTED IN RELAXING PROTOCOLS AND GETTING MORE BACK TO NORMAL.
SOME WERE VERY STILL CONCERNED, UH, OF, OF, UH, AND, AND IN FAVOR OF MASKS OR THE, OR THE ABILITY TO HAVE AN OPTION TO WEAR MASKS.
UH, SMALLER CLASS SIZES WERE OFF, UH, MENTIONED AS, UH, AS AN ALTERNATIVE OR AS A, UM, AS AN OPTION FOR STUDENTS.
UH, SOME WERE VERY INTERESTED IN RETURNING TO EAT IN THE CAFETERIA.
IT'S SOMETHING SO SIMPLE AS, AS, UH, BEING ABLE TO SOCIALIZE A LITTLE BIT.
AND I THINK THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE MISSING
[01:05:01]
THAT SOME, UM, BUT YET THERE'S STILL SOME CONCERNS ABOUT BEING SO CLOSE IN PROXIMITY TO OTHER STUDENTS.SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THOSE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, AND THEN, UH, OFFERING VIRTUAL LEARNING OPTION WAS MENTIONED, UH, AND AS WELL AS PROVIDING MENTAL SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS AND FOR STAFF ON A CONTINUING BASIS AS WE EMERGE FROM THE PANDEMIC.
SO VERY SPLIT RESPONSES DIDN'T WANT TO SWAY YOU TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER TO MAKE YOU BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING WAS, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY MOVING IN ONE DIRECTION.
THERE'S STILL, UM, A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UM, OPINIONS ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH REOPENING IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SO WE HAVE COMMITTED TO DOING MONTHLY PRESENTATIONS LIKE THIS ONE TO THE BOARD AND TO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MET LAST THURSDAY AND ACTUALLY EXPRESSED AN OPINION, EXPRESSED A REQUEST, UH, OR A DESIRE TO HAVE THE PRESENTATION COME FIRST TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THEN TO THE FULL BOARD.
AND SO WE'LL PLAN ON DOING THAT.
UH, USUALLY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, SINCE IT'S THE SECOND THURSDAY OF THE MONTH DOES COME BEFORE THE SECOND BOARD MEETING, SO WE CAN EASILY, UH, BRING IT FORWARD TO BOTH, UH, BOTH MEETINGS.
AND THE MAJOR THING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS THE WEBSITE.
SO THANKS TO CANDACE'S GROUP AND, UH, SUSAN LYNCH AND KRISTIN CASPER.
AND, UM, THEY'VE BEEN A HUGE HELP ON HELPING US GET UP A SECTION OF THE WEBSITE.
SO UNDER DISTRICT OF THE WEBSITE, AND I THINK IT GO, YOU CAN ALSO GO TO THE FINANCE AREA.
THERE IS A FOE FEDERAL PROGRAMS LINK ON THE LEFT SIDE.
UH, WHEN YOU CLICK ON THAT, IT'S GOING TO TAKE YOU TO TWO POTENTIAL LINKS.
ONE IS TITLE ONE AND THE OTHER IS S OR FUNDING.
AND SO YOU CLICK ON S OR FUNDING RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TWO MORE LENGTHS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO ADD A THIRD.
AND ONE IS, UM, STATE, STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
IT'S A LINK TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INSIDE OF THAT.
AND IT OFFERS ALL THE DETAILS OF SRO, UM, ALSO IS RIGHT.
UH, ALSO IS ANOTHER CATEGORY TO LISTS THE ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES OF THE FUNDING SOURCES AND THE THIRD AREA, WHICH IS CURRENTLY NOT VISIBLE, BUT WILL BE, AS SOON AS THIS, UH, PRESENTATION IS COMPLETE THIS EVENING, UH, WE WILL BE POSTING THE MONTHLY PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU JUST SAW THIS EVENING TO THE WEBSITE AND ANY OTHER REPORTING THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE.
UM, MR. BENNETT SAYS THAT HE HAS ALREADY BEEN PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THE FEDERAL PROGRAM SECTION OF THE WEB SITE.
SO WE'LL BE REARRANGING IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT MAKING SURE THAT IT'S ALL OUT THERE.
AND SO THAT'LL BE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, THE RIO.
THE OTHER ONE IS THE REOPENING PLAN.
THE REOPENING PLAN IS IN THAT SECTION AS WELL.
SO FINALLY, THE NEXT STEPS, UM, WE WILL BE UNDERTAKING.
WE'RE GOING TO BE REVIEWING THE FEEDBACK OF ALL THE PUBLIC INPUT, UH, COMPILING THE INFORMATION, PRIORITIZING SOME THINGS, CAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MORE, MORE REQUESTS THAN FUNDING.
AND THEN WE WILL PREPARE THE APPLICATION AND SUBMIT IT BY THE DEADLINE OF AUGUST 24TH.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS OR COMMENT.
UM, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, ONE ARE, MOST OF THEM ARE STEMMING FROM SLIDE SIX.
UM, THE TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND, YOU SAID THAT'S LIKE APPROXIMATELY 27% THAT'S BEING, UM, ALLOCATED ESSENTIALLY AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE COST OF THE GRANT.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IS THAT'S FOR THE TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE 20 21 20 22 SCHOOL YEAR.
ACTUALLY NOTICE THAT IT'S BASED ON THE SPENDING.
IT CAN BE SPINNING FYI 21 AND 22 AND 23.
SO IT'S A PERCENTAGE OF THE SPENDING IN SR FUNDS.
SO IF WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON AFTERSCHOOL OF A MILLION DOLLARS 27, THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE CAN TAKE 27, THEN WE DO A RECORD, AN ENTRY THAT TAKES 27% OF THAT AMOUNT AND TRANSFERS TO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO IT'S THAT 6.5 MILLION IS SPREAD OUT ESSENTIALLY THROUGHOUT OUR THREE YEAR SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, AND THEN ALSO I SEE ON OTHER SIDES FOR LEARNING LOSS THAT KIND OF IS COMBINED WITH DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, ACADEMIC RECOVERY CAMPS, SUMMER SCHOOL AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT ON SLIDE SIX IS JUST 37% LEARNING LOSS.
SO WHAT DOES THAT ENCOMPASS EXACTLY? I MEAN, IT'S, IS THAT ENCOMPASSING SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, UM, ANY ACADEMIC PROGRAMS THAT
[01:10:01]
ARE GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT? YES.SO AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, TUTORING, UM, SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMS. UM, YOU THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE, SPECIFICALLY VIRTUAL SCHOOL AS WELL? I'M JUST THINKING FOR, FOR COMMUNICATION PURPOSES TO THE CONSTITUENTS, I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IF WE HAD THOSE BROKEN OUT OR THE DIFFERENT ALLOCATIONS OF WHERE THEY COULD, WHAT THAT 57% LEARNING LOSS IS BEING USED FOR, BECAUSE IT'S A VERY LARGE CHUNK OF THE MONEY.
UM, AND I THINK MY LAST QUESTION IS WHEN I GO TO THE TIMELINE, UM, OR THE ADDITIONAL STEPS TO BE TAKEN, UM, I KNOW WE'VE DONE SURVEYS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THROUGHOUT THIS IT'S ALL BEEN A VERY FLUID SITUATION, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THE BOARD HAS LOOKED AT ANY OF THE APPLICATIONS PRIOR TO THEM BEING SUBMITTED TO THE STATE.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THOSE PRIOR TO, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN SEE THEM AT THE AUGUST BOARD MEETING.
UM, I, I TRUST YOU ALL KNOW THE BEST USAGE, BUT I THINK AS A BOARD MEMBER, IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO PUT SOME EYES ON IT BEFORE IT GETS SENT THAT.
RODRIGUEZ ON THAT ONE, I'M WONDERING HOW TO, HOW TO KINDA WHAT I'D LIKE IS SOME TIME AFTER THE FACT TO BE IN THERE.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IF THE AUGUST IS THE AUGUST 3RD NEXT BOARD MEETING, AND THEN IT'S DUE BY AUGUST 24TH, THAT GIVES SOME TIME OBVIOUSLY FOR FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD.
THAT'S THE, YEAH, THAT'S THE SOLO.
I JUST WANT US TIME TO HAVE THE TIME TO REACT.
I THINK WE'LL HAVE TIME TO REACT TO THAT.
I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE A VERY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I JUST KIND OF KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT PRIOR.
TO ME, THE MAIN THING FOR ME IS THAT WE HAVE TIME TO REACT FROM WHAT THE BOARD DOES.
SO THE THIRD SEEMS FINE TO ME.
I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE TIMING OF THAT.
THAT WOULD MEAN WE'D HAVE TO FINISH THE WORK IN WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS TO HAVE IT IN DOCUMENTS TO THE BOARD BEFORE THE THIRD.
UM, SO THAT IS PRETTY TIGHT TIMEFRAME FOR US AND I'M NOT CERTAIN OF THAT.
STILL NEED TO MEET AND PRIORITIZE AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, WE'LL TAKE IT BACK AND WE'LL SHOOT.
WE CAN DO FOR THAT, UH, FOR THAT.
THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS SMITH.
SOME OF MY, UM, CONCERN OR CONCERNS ARE MR. SMITH.
WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HEAR YOU WELL, YOU SOUND KIND OF MUFFLED BETTER, BETTER.
UM, S SOME OF MY, UH, WHAT WAS MY FIRST, MY FIRST QUESTION IS, UM, IS HOW WILL THE BOARD, UM, THERE'LL BE TO ACTUALLY TO TELL BACK TO PIGGYBACK ON THE WINESKIN JUST LEFT OFF WHAT WILL BE TO, UH, HOW WILL THE BOARD BE PROVIDING INPUT TO THE SURVEY? AND WHEN I THINK THE QUESTION, CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? YOU'RE STILL VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, THE QUALITY OF YOUR VOICE HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY FROM PREVIOUS COMMENTS THAT YOU MADE.
ARE YOU ON A DIFFERENT SPEAKER? BECAUSE SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY VERY DIFFERENT NOW.
UH, I HAD, UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? OH, THIS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
NOW THAT'S BACK TO WHERE YOU WERE.
I'M HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH MY COMPUTER.
SO, UH, UM, YEAH, I HAVE TO MAKE, DO WITH MY, WITH MY DEVICES, BUT, UM, AND IN THAT, IN THAT SAME PERSPECTIVE, UM, BASICALLY, UH, MY QUESTION IS HOW WILL THE BOARD BE PROVIDED, UH, HOW WILL THE BOARD PROVIDE INPUT TO THE SURVEY? I THINK ONE, ONE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE THE ANSWER TO IT, BUT, UH, DID THE BOARD RECEIVED THE SURVEY? SO THE BOARD RECEIVED THE SURVEY THAT YOU COULD HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THAT SURVEY? MY OTHER QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE, UH, WHEN WILL THE BOARD SEE THE SURVEY? CAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T REMEMBER.
I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING THE SURVEY.
I THINK, I THINK I'VE STAYED AT BEFORE.
IS IT, IS IT POSSIBLE, UH, DR.
BERGER TO RESEND THE SURVEY TO ONE INDIVIDUAL.
SO WE'LL GET THE SURVEY SENT TO YOU AGAIN, AND THEN YOU CAN, YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE IT AND FILL IT OUT.
[01:15:01]
OKAY.AND THEN ALSO, UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND ASK THIS QUESTION.
UM, WHY WAS THE BOARD NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT THAT'S THE SURVEY? THE BOARD DOES HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO INPUT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, IN THE SURVEY AS WELL.
I MEAN, THAT'S ONE, ONE METHOD FOR INPUT.
WELL, I'LL ALSO, UM, AND MRS. CROSBY'S RESPONSE ON YOUR SURVEY RESPONSES.
IT HAS, IT HAS, UH, PARENTS AS STUDENTS, AS COMMUNITY, AS TEACHERS AND AS PRINCIPALS.
UH, AND I JUST NOTICED THAT ON P ON PAGE 11, THEY DON'T HAVE BOARD MEMBERS AND BOARD MEMBERS OUT OF THE TRUSTEE.
UH, WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE THE TRUSTEES AND, AND, AND, AND MONEY, MONEY, ANY TYPE OF MONEY IS ONE OF OUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, A LOT OF MONEY.
I WOULD SUSPECT THAT THE BOARD IS PROBABLY LISTED UNDER COMMUNITY ON THAT, UH, ON THOSE RESPONSES WOULD BE MY GUESS, IF THE BOARD RECEIVED THE SURVEY, YOUR RESPONSES ARE CAPTURED IN, IN THAT NUMBER.
WELL, ALL, ALL DUE RESPECT THAT THEY'RE ALREADY GOT, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT IF WE PUT TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS DOWN THERE AND PARENTS, I THINK THAT BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD, SHOULD, SHOULD HAVE, SHOULD HAVE SOMEWHERE TO, TO WHERE THAT WE, UH, WE DO HAVE SOME TYPE OF STAKE AND SAY IN THIS DISTRICT, I DO THINK THAT THAT, THAT, THAT SHOULD BE, UH, TRANSPARENT AND, AND INDUSTRY IN THIS REPORT.
SO ONCE AGAIN, I JUST WILL ASK THEM, WHEN WERE, WHEN WERE BOARD MEMBERS BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT THAT THE BOARD HAS RECEIVED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT, YOU RECEIVED THE SURVEY THAT WAS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT.
WELL, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE BOARD DIDN'T RECEIVE IT.
SO WE CAN SPECIFICALLY SEND IT TO YOU IF YOU, IF YOU DIDN'T GET IT SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE SAYING YOU DIDN'T GET IT, WE HAPPY TO SEND IT TO YOU AGAIN.
AND, AND, UH, AND THEN WE'LL FOLLOW UP TO MAKE SURE YOU GOT IT.
AND I, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY, THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT.
THIS IS A LOT TO KEEP TRACK OF AND, UH, IT'S, UM, A TOPIC THAT'S REALLY, UM, IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY AND A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
SO EARLIER IN YOUR PRESENTATION, MS. CROSBY, UM, WHEN YOU WERE ON PAGE THREE, YOU SAID IT TAKES FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS TO GET REPAYMENT.
SO JUST A QUESTION ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
SO ARE WE HAVING ANY DIFFICULTY COVERING IT ON THE FRONT END AND THEN WAITING FOR REPAYMENT, OR IS THAT BECOMING A PROBLEM AT ALL? UM, IT'S NOT CURRENTLY A PROBLEM DUE TO THE TIMING OF OUR TAX REVENUE, UM, BUT THERE WILL BE SOME ISSUES IN THE FALL.
UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT.
I'M GOING TO BE BACK AT THE PODIUM IN JUST A FEW MINUTES FOR ANOTHER TOPIC, AND THAT'S THE TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE.
SO IN OUR, IN OUR, UM, PROJECTIONS OF CASH FLOWS, WE INCORPORATED NOT ONLY THE GENERAL FUND SPENDING, BUT THE, WHICH IS JUST THE GENERAL OPERATIONS OF THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS MOSTLY TEACHER SALARIES AND PRINCIPAL SALARIES AND OTHER MATERIALS, BUT ALSO WE INCORPORATED THESE FUNDS AND ANY OTHER MAJOR GRANTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED RECENTLY.
UM, THE MSIP GRANT, UM, ALSO THE MATH SCIENCE, I DON'T REMEMBER THE ACRONYM, BUT THE MSIP GRANT, IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT GRANT THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT RECEIVED AS WELL.
WE MADE SURE TO INCLUDE, INCORPORATE ALL OF THOSE THAT CASHFLOW SPENDING INSIDE OF OUR PROJECTIONS.
AND SO WE, UH, YOU KNOW, EACH ONE OF THOSE IS A THREE MONTH, LIKE YOU'D SPEND IN JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, YOU APPLY BY SAY OCTOBER 15TH AND YOU MIGHT RECEIVE BY NOVEMBER 15TH.
SO THAT PRESENTS A PROBLEM IN THE FALL.
AND SO WE ARE REQUESTING, YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE DESPITE, UM, A YEAR AGO, WE, OUR FUND BALANCE WAS ABLE TO GROW SOME POINT BECAUSE OF BEING CLOSED IN THE SPRING OF, UH, THE PRIOR YEAR.
UM, AND SO DESPITE THE ELEVATED, UM, FUND BALANCE ARE, ARE SPENDING NOW DUE TO THE FEDERAL FUNDING IS SUCH THAT WE ARE KEEPING THE TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE THE SAME OR SIMILAR AMOUNT.
UH, SO WE'RE ANTICIPATING THE NEED FOR $15 MILLION OF SHORT-TERM FUNDING JUST TO HOLD US OVER UNTIL TAX REVENUES COME IN.
SO WE'LL BORROW IN AUGUST AND THEN REPAY, UH, IN THE FEBRUARY, MARCH TIMEFRAME, REPAY THAT BACK AS SOON AS THE TAX REVENUES COME IN, MR. MEL CAMPBELL.
YEAH, THAT'S SOME OF THE SAME SURGEONS, BUT, UH, FIRST OF ALL, LEARNING LOSS, A CHUNK OF MONEY IS THAT THAT'S
[01:20:01]
UNSPENT, UH, LIKE WHEN THEY WENT MILLION DOLLARS IN S OR TWO, I THINK GOT IT OF THE 50 MILLION AND THAT'S FREE, AND THERE'S NOTHING DEFINED IN TERMS OF HOW WE GONNA SPEND THAT MONEY.AND FROM WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAYING, WE HAVE MAYBE A MONTH, A MONTH AND A HALF TO SUBMIT PLANS ON HOW IT'S GOING TO BE SPENT.
AND, UH, ALL OF THE, THE EXPLANATION THAT WE'VE GOTTEN HAS BEEN FROM FINANCE PERSPECTIVE ON, ON HOW IT'S GOING TO BE SPENT AND IF IT'S BEST LEARNING LOSS.
AND, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER ACADEMIC END OF IT, WE HAVEN'T HEARD AN ACADEMIC APPROACH.
SO WHERE WE'RE GOING, ARE WE GOING TO SPEND ON A MICRO, UH, UH, LABELED IT A BOATLOAD OF MONEY? ARE WE GOING TO SPEND A BOATLOAD OF MONEY IN THE ACADEMICS AND COVER SOME OF THE LEARNING LOSS? YOU KNOW, EVEN THE PRESENTATION THAT WE RECEIVED? WELL, TWO OF THE ACADEMICS DID NOT REALLY ADDRESS LEARNING LOSS AND HOW CONCERNED ABOUT LEARNING THOUGHTS.
SO I MIGHT SEE WHAT THAT RACHEL SAYS, WHAT THAT GONNA LOOK LIKE, AND I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT SEEING IT BEFORE YOU SUBMIT IT.
I JUST WANT TO SEE IT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE COVERING THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW, WHICH I'M SURE THEY HAVE OVERSIGHT AT DIFFERENT AREAS.
LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE SUBMITTING IN.
A LEARNING LOSS IS A BIG CONCERN OF MINE AND ALWAYS SPENDING ITS MONEY.
WOULD ANY BOARD MEMBER HAS NOT SPOKEN, LIKE TO SPEAK MR. SMITH? I JUST WANT TO, UH, ALSO SAY, UM, THE SS ACTUALLY, MR. MEL, MR. CAMPBELL, UH, BOUGHT A, MY, UH, NEXT POINT WITHOUT, I, I, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LOT OF, A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON MY CONSTITUENTS MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN ASKING ME EXACTLY WHAT IS THE DISTRICT'S PLAN AND DO WE HAVE IT SOMEWHERE THAT IT CAN BE SPELLED OUT CLEAR AS DAY, HOW WE INTEND TO ATTACK THE, NOT JUST THE SPENDING OF THE MONEY, BUT WHERE, WHERE, WHERE, AND WHAT OUTLETS ARE WE PUTTING THAT MONEY INTO TO RECOUP THE LEARNING LOST AS, AS, AS WELL AS ARE, ARE WE INVOLVING OTHER ENTITIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OR COMMUNITY CENTERS ARE ALL THE ENTITIES TO HELP ASSIST IN THE RECOUPING OF THE LEARNING AND RECOUPING OF THE LEARNING LOSS THAT OUR STUDENTS MAY I'VE HAD.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A VERY, UM, A VERY, A QUESTION THAT IS ASKED, UM, EVERY TIME PEOPLE SEE ME OR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CALL ME THE ACTS AND ACTS THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, SO I MEAN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO SEE A STRATEGIC PLAN EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE GOING AT, HOW WE'RE SPENDING THE MONEY AND HOW WE INTEND TO, TO CLOSE THE GAP IN TERMS OF SPINNING UP OF, OF THIS FATHER'S FUNDING.
UM, UM, AND ALSO, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE AMERICANS ACT MONEY, THERE'S AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, UH, FROM THE, FROM THE PRESIDENT THAT WAS, THAT WAS ON, ON JANUARY 20, 20, 21.
UH, AND IT'S, UH, UNDER 1, 3, 9, 8, 5, UM, EXECUTIVE ORDER.
I THINK EVERYONE ON THE BOARD SHOULD POSSIBLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT EXECUTIVE ORDERS BECAUSE IT SPELLS OUT IT SPELLS OUT A, UH, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS IN IS, I KNOW, I KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT THE, WELL, NOT JUST, NOT JUST, WELL, YEAH, IT TALKS ABOUT THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, BUT IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT PEOPLE IN THE PROPERTY AREA.
HOW ARE WE TARGETING TO SPEND THIS MONEY TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS AND THAT AREA? AND I'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ASKING ME THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THESE ARE ALL THINGS ALSO THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, MOVING FORWARD, UH, AND OUR TRANSPARENCY FOR A MONTH.
UM, AND I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT, LEAVE IT THERE.
AND ALSO, WELL, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST SAY ONE LAST THING, I, YOU KNOW, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE RUNNING A CRUNCH TIME.
WE'RE RUNNING CRUNCH TIME ON THE 30TH, ON THE 30TH TO BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
YOU KNOW, MY QUESTION IS WHY WASN'T THE BOARD, EVEN THOUGH WE WEREN'T SURE OF THE, MAYBE THE DATE, BUT WHY WOULDN'T THE BOARD INVOLVED AS STAKEHOLDERS BEFORE, BEFORE NOW, OR HAVING TO FEEL THAT THEY'RE BEING RUSHED TO GIVE INPUT AND, AND, AND TALK BACK WITH THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN I'M SURE THAT THE STAFF OR THE SUPERINTENDENT KNEW,
[01:25:01]
OR KIND OF AWARE OF A TIMEFRAME THAT, THAT THIS WILL THEN THAT WILL BE COMING UP BECAUSE IT'S VERY HARD TO WORK WITHIN, WITHIN A CRUNCH TIME.I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THE KIND OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE STAKEHOLDERS DO DO, UH, HAVE THE RIGHT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT WHEN IT COMES TO THESE FUNDS.
AND THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFF AND TERRY BENNETT FOR THE PRESENTATION.
MOVE ON TO THE TAX ANTICIPATION NET.
SO THIS EVENING, UM, THERE IS, THERE ARE TWO DOCUMENTS IN BOARD DOCS.
ONE IS, UH, PROJECTED CASH FLOWS.
UM, THE TOP ROW, I KNOW THIS IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ON THE TOP ROW, BUT I'LL JUST KIND OF EXPLAIN WHAT, WHAT THIS IS, IS REVENUE BY MAJOR CATEGORIES FOR EVERY SO ON THE FAR LEFT IT'S EVERY MONTH OF THE FISCAL YEAR FOR THE 2122 SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAVE A BEGINNING BALANCE FUND BALANCE OF 44.7 MILLION.
UM, EACH OF THE COLUMNS REPRESENTS LOCAL STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING.
AND ESSER FUNDING IS THE LAST WHITE COLUMN RIGHT BEFORE THE TOTAL REVENUES ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
SO TOTAL REVENUES AVERAGE, WE REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT MOSTLY JULY THROUGH DECEMBER.
SO THAT'S THE CRITICAL AREA AND TIMEFRAME IN WHICH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UM, EXCEEDS, UM, REVENUE OR EXPENSES EXCEED THE REVENUES AND ALL EXHAUSTS ALL OF THE FUND BALANCE RESERVES.
SO THE REVENUES AND THE JULY THROUGH DECEMBER CATEGORY RANGE FROM FOUR TO 12 MILLION.
SO IF YOU TAKE AN AVERAGE OF THOSE, IT'S ABOUT, UM, SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, JUST FOR SAKE OF OUR, UH, JUST CONVERSATION, UM, THEN THE TABLE BELOW THAT IS OUR SPENDING.
SO AGAIN, BY, FROM JULY THROUGH JUNE, AND IT AGES EVERY MAJOR CATEGORY, OUR SALARIES ARE THE PRIMARY CATEGORY WITH 80, OVER 80% OF OUR BUDGET EXPENDED IN THE AREA OF SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
UM, AND THEN, UH, ESTHER SPENDING IS LISTED AS WELL AND, UH, TOTAL EXPENSES AND OUR CUMULATIVE NET, UM, CASHFLOW.
SO OUR AVERAGE SPENDING PER MONTH IS ABOUT $22 MILLION.
OUR AVERAGE REVENUE PER MONTH IN THAT TIMEFRAME IS SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
SO THERE'S A DEFICIT MONTHLY DEFICIT OF ABOUT $14 MILLION.
SO WE BEGIN JULY ONE WITH A $45 MILLION RESERVE OR FUND BALANCE.
AND YOU BEGIN TO DEPLETE THAT EACH MONTH BY 14 MILLION, 14 MILLION, 14 MILLION, AND IT ONLY LASTS ABOUT THREE MONTHS BEFORE WE START TO GO IN THE RED.
SO THE CUMULATIVE CF IS CUMULATIVE CASHFLOW, AND YOU BEGIN IN OCTOBER TO START TO FEEL THE IMPACT OF, UH, THE, THAT DEFICIT.
AND YOU BEGAN TO FALL INTO THE RED, UH, THEN IN NOVEMBER, THAT FUND BALANCE, UH, FALLS DEEPER WITH THE LOW POINT, UH, ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT $15 MILLION.
AND SO THIS, THAT IS THE REASON FOR THE NEED FOR THAT.
UH, THE TAN, IT'S A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE.
WE ARE ANTICIPATING THE TAX REVENUES COMING IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY.
SO WE HAVE AN INFLOW OF CASH TEMPORARILY.
IT'S KIND OF A CASH LINE AND INSTANT CREDIT LINE, SORT OF, UH, WE BORROWED THIS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, AND, UH, IT IS REPAID, UH, SHORTLY AFTER THE YEAR, UM, THE NEW YEAR AND, UM, TO, IN ORDER AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE OUR INTEREST COSTS.
SO, UH, I HAVE FRANNIE HEIZER ON THE CALL TODAY AS WELL ON ZOOM.
SO, UH, IF I CAN'T ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, SHE'LL BE AVAILABLE AS WELL.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR THIS EVENING FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE BOND RESOLUTION FOR ISSUANCE OF A TAX ANTICIPATION AND THE AMOUNT OF $15 MILLION COLONEL GEIER.
THIS IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT CHART.
I DON'T REALLY NEED TO TELL YOU WHY WE RECENTLY GOT OUR BUDGET APPROVED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL BY A SIX TO FIVE VOTE.
I BELIEVE IT WAS SEVEN, FOUR VOTE, SEVEN FOUR OF US PEOPLE THAT VOTED AGAINST IT
[01:30:01]
SAID THAT IT WAS TOO MUCH BECAUSE WE HAD SUFFICIENT RESERVES DO NOT NEED THAT FULL AMOUNT.WE COULD DRAW DOWN OUR RESERVES, OUR FUND BALANCE.
SO THIS SHOWS YOU WHY OUR FUND BALANCE, IN MY OPINION, IS TOO LOW, NOT TOO HIGH.
WE HAVE TO BORROW MONEY AND PAY INTEREST ON THAT MONEY AND THAT'S MONEY THAT COULD BE BETTER SPENT ON EDUCATION AND STUDENT SERVICES.
THE COUNTY COUNCILMEN, UH, MADE THIS BIGGEST POINT, UH, SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST NO NEED TO HAVE A FUND BALANCE THAT HIGH.
THIS IS A COUNTY COUNCIL WHO HAS A COUNTY FUND BALANCE OF WHAT PERCENTAGE I DON'T HAVE THAT, BUT IT'S, IT'S IT'S NORTH OF 30, 30% IS NOT CORRECT.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE.
I DO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE SUFFICIENT FUND BALANCE TO PAY FOR ALL THEIR EXPENSES DURING BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE SAME KIND OF REVENUE STREAM THAT WE DO, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO BORROW ANY MONEY.
SO THIS, THIS IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND WHY, BECAUSE YOU THINK, WELL, THEY APPROVED THE BUDGET.
THEY HAVEN'T APPROVED THE MILLAGE RATE YET WHAT THE TAX RATE WILL BE TO THE PUBLIC.
THEY SET THAT MILLAGE RATE BASED ON AN ESTIMATE, AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT REVENUES THAT PARTICULAR MILLAGE RATE WILL BRING TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT ESTIMATE HAS MANY VARIABLES.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST VARIABLE IS HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THEIR OWNER STATUS FROM SECOND HOMEOWNER TO PRIMARY HOMEOWNER.
THAT'S YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE.
THEY ALSO MAKE THAT ESTIMATE BASED ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES.
NOW HOMEOWNER VALUES ARE GOING UP AND THAT'S GOOD NEWS FOR OUR DEBT SERVICE, BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT, UH, THE ASSESSED VALUE IS GOING TO BE HIGHER.
SO A MILLAGE RATE THAT STAYS THE SAME IS PROBABLY GOING TO GENERATE PLENTY OF MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR DEBT PROBLEM.
ISSUES, NO PROBLEM, BUT WHAT THEY ALSO DON'T KNOW.
AND OTHER VARIABLE, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE COMPANIES ARE GONNA ARE IN BUSINESS.
NOW, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS STILL DRIVE THROUGH STOREFRONT IN THIS COUNTY AND SEE VACANT STOREFRONTS.
THEY AREN'T GENERATING ANY TAXES.
WE BASE OUR VARIABLE THAT THIS IS WHAT OUR MILLAGE THAT WE RECOMMEND TO THE COUNTY IS BASED ON WHAT THAT MILLAGE RATE BROUGHT US LAST YEAR.
AND THEN WE ADD A PERCENTAGE OF GROWTH IN THERE.
OUR PROJECTED MILLAGE RATE, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD HAS BEEN MUCH MORE ACCURATE THAN WHAT THE COUNTY SAYS THAT THE MILLAGE RATE IS GOING TO BE.
I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT WHEN MILLAGE IS SET, THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, WELL, YOU'VE GOT RESERVES SO WE CAN DROP THE MILLAGE RATE THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT RECOMMENDS TO WHAT WE THINK BASED ON OUR ESTIMATE.
IT'S GOING TO BE NOW IT'S A FLAWED PROCESS AND IT TALKS, IT DOESN'T REALIZE IT.
YOU CAN USE YOUR FUND BALANCE TO RECOVER FOR ANY DIFFERENCES THAT WE MAKE, BUT THAT'S JUST A SELF LICKING ICE CREAM CONE.
SO WHEN THIS COMES UP, I'M GOING TO BE SITTING THERE IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND IF THEY START TO DROP THE MILLAGE BELOW WHAT WE FEEL, WE NEED TO ACHIEVE THE TAX RATE THAT THEY APPROVED.
I'M GOING TO POINT SOME FINGERS AT PEOPLE THAT ARE GIVING THE WRONG INFORMATION
[01:35:02]
ABOUT OUR RESERVE IN OUR, IN OUR, UH, FUND BALANCE.HERE'S ANOTHER THING THAT YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT.
I SAID IN TWO YEARS AGO WITH THE MOODY'S FOLKS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR, OUR CREDIT RATING, WE HAVE A CREDIT RATING OF A ONE, AND THEY WENT DOWN THE ITEMS THAT THEY EVALUATE US ON AND EVERYTHING WAS GOOD.
AND THAT ONE ITEM WAS THE NEED TO BE AT, GET A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE EVERY YEAR.
NOW THAT BEING A PROBLEM NOW WE'VE ALWAYS PAID IT OFF.
SO THERE'S NO, THAT'S NOT A NEGATIVE THING.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TO BORROW MONEY TO MAKE EXPENSES, THAT'S A NEGATIVE.
IF WE COULD NOT HAVE TO DO THAT, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT WE COULD HAVE A TRIPLE, A BOND RATING AND A TRIPLE A BOND RATING MEANS WE GET A BETTER INTEREST RATE.
NOW YOU SAY, WELL, WE GOT A REALLY GOOD INTEREST RATE NOW, BUT INTEREST RATES WILL GO UP.
IT'S A BUSINESS CYCLE CONTINUES TO GO AND BIZ AND INTEREST RATES WILL INCREASE.
AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED A TRIPLE A CREDIT RATING.
THERE'S ONLY ONE SCHOOL OF ONE DISTRICT RATHER THAT HAS A AAA RATING.
THAT'S GREENVILLE, GREENVILLE.
AND IT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALL THESE HUGE COMPANIES THERE THAT PAY A LOT OF TAXES, BUT WE COULD BE THE SECOND, IF WE COULD NOT ADD NEGATIVES ON OUR CREDIT REPORT AND DEBT.
AND THAT IS THEIR BIG NEGATIVE.
THIS CHART IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND AND TO TELL CONSTITUENTS THAT DON'T BUY THE, UH, TOPIC THAT WE HAVE PLENTY OF RESERVES, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE PLENTY OF RESERVES IF WE DID, WE WOULDN'T NEED TO BORROW MONEY EVERY YEAR.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THE BOARD AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF A, NOT EXCEEDING $15 MILLION TAX ANTICIPATION SERIES 2021 TAXABLE OR TAX EXEMPT OF THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT OF BUFORD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, AUTHORIZING THE SALE AND SAID NOTE TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF ITS TAN PROGRAM, PRESCRIBING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE NOTE MAY BE ISSUED PROVIDING FOR THE FORMER THAN GRINDING FOR THE PAYMENT, AUTHORIZING CERTAIN FISHES OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DETERMINE CERTAIN MATTERS RELATING TO THE NOTE AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING THERE TOO.
I SECOND THAT, ALL RIGHT, MR.
SO DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK SOME MORE, DAVID? UM, NOW WE'RE JUST AUTHORIZED TO GET STARTED.
I MEAN, I THINK TANYA SHOWED US WHY WE NEED IT.
MS. BOATWRIGHT, I FEEL KIND OF BAD CAUSE THIS ISN'T DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE MOTION, BUT IT WAS, UM, I AGREE WITH, UH, COLONEL GUY OR A HUNDRED PERCENT.
THE OTHER THING IS, AND I WAS AT A PRESENTATION AT HILTON HEAD TODAY, AND I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THIS.
THEY ARE REDOING THE BUSINESS LICENSE NOW, WHERE IF YOU RENT YOUR HOME A COUPLE MONTHS A YEAR, SO YOU HAVE A PRIMARY HOME ON SAY HILTON HEAD.
AND IN THE SUMMER YOU GO TO MAINE, YOU RENT YOUR HOUSE OUT, YOU'D HAVE TO GET A BUSINESS LICENSE.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS ALL THOSE HOUSES WILL GET RECLASSIFIED AT 6%, EVEN IF THEY'RE OWNER OCCUPIED.
HAVE YOU HEARD THAT OR DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? HAVEN'T HEARD THAT THERE WAS A NEW THING THAT JUST CAME OUT.
RACHEL HAS A THOUGHT THE TREASURER IS GOING TO BE AT, UM, THE AD HOC BLUFFTON COMMITTEE MEETING COMING UP.
AND THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOD QUESTION TO ASK HER ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE CLASSIFIED AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE.
CAUSE I WOULD THINK IF YOU ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A BUSINESS LICENSE FOR YOUR HOME, THAT YOU WOULD THEN BE DISQUALIFIED FROM BEING CONSIDERED 4% ANYWAY, SOMETHING TO FOLLOW UP ON, NOT RELATED TO THE MOTION.
SO IF WE NEED TO STAY ON TOPIC HERE, UM, DR.
UM, I THINK I HAVE JUST TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE IS, UM, IS WHAT'S FEBRUARY 20, 21.
[01:40:01]
WAS THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, UM, WE DID ONE IN FEBRUARY AND THAT WAS THE $80 MILLION TAN DUE TO THE TAX BILL DELAY.UM, AND THEN I WAS JUST LOOKING AT, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BECAUSE THE SR FUNDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS NOW THIS TIME, WHICH IS UNPRECEDENTED.
UM, AND BASED ON MY ROUGH CALCULATIONS, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN 4.5 MILLION EARLIER THAT WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO GO OUT FOR THAT.
AND IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT SO FUN, BUT I JUST WANT IT TO MAKE THAT POINT KNOWN THAT WE WOULD'VE HAD TO ASK THAT EVEN SOONER AND CLOSE IN TIME TO THAT FEBRUARY ONE.
SO MY QUESTION IS ALONG THOSE SAME LINES.
SO AS I RECALL, YEAH, THE 80 MILLION WAS JUST SPRAYING.
AND I THINK LAST, LAST TIME, THIS YEAR, I BELIEVE IT WAS A 14 MILLION, 10, 14 POINTS FOR A YEAR.
AND THEN I THINK THE YEAR PRIOR THOUGH, IT WAS LOWER THAN THAT, LIKE EIGHT, UH, I THINK IT WAS 14.
AND THEN I THINK WE HAD EIGHT A YEAR PRIOR TO THAT.
SO I'M JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARDLY SIMILAR.
IT ALL IS DEPENDENT ON THE AMOUNT OF FUND BALANCE AND THEN THE AMOUNT OF THESE ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
SO HAD WE NOT HAD THE ADDITIONAL, THE SR FUNDS, WE DO HAVE A SLIGHTLY HIGHER FUND BALANCE DUE TO SAVINGS IN THE FIRST PANDEMIC YEAR.
UM, SO WE WOULD HAVE BORROWED LESS, BUT DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THESE WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING MORE SO AS A RESULT.
UH, I DEFINITELY DO AGREE WITH, UH, WHAT, UH, WHAT WAS JUST SAID BETWEEN, UH, THAT IT WOULD ASK YOU IN THAT QUADS, UM, WITH, WITH, WITH, WITH SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, AND, AND IN TERMS OF THIS MOTION, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE DO GO OUT AND DO THIS, HAVING, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I WAS TAUGHT THAT MY MOM TAUGHT ME THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU BUDGET AND WHEN YOU BUDGET, YOU DO INTEND TO SPEND LESS.
I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, I JUST, THERE'S SO MANY TIMES THAT WE KEEP, WE COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND WE ASK THEM TO GET TANS AND, YOU KNOW, FOR ONE, TWO FOR ONCE, I WANT TO SEE THAT WE BUDGET AND WE SHOW WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE AND THEN COME IN AND SAY THAT WE NEED A TAN.
AND ESPECIALLY WITH US GETTING THE EXTRA MONEY, YOU KNOW, I'M, WE'RE, I'M REAL CONCERNED THAT WE, WE, THAT, THAT, THAT THIS IS THAT THE, THIS MAY NOT BE NEEDED AT THIS TIME.
SO, UH, ONCE AGAIN, IT IS, IT IS, IT IS A CONCERN OF MINE.
AND I, AND I, I THINK THAT I ONCE GOT, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US BUDGET, UM, BEFORE COMING AND ASKING FOR MONEY AND, UM, CUTTING A LITTLE BIT OF THE FAT AND, UH, THE MAN VERSUS ONE, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT PLAY OUT FIRST.
I'LL ASK, UH, THANK YOU, DOCTOR WAS ASKING MR. SMITH TO LOWER THEIR HANDS.
YEAH, THE MOTION IS APPROVED FOR THE $15 MILLION TAN, UH, EIGHT ONE, THE ONE NO IS I CAN'T SEE MR. SMITH, MR. WILLIAMS SMITH.
AND ALSO THANK YOU TO FRANNIE.
I SAW YOUR, UH, JOINED US, BUT WE DIDN'T, UH, HAVE YOU HAVE THE NEED TO ASK YOU ANYTHING, BUT THANKS FOR JOINING US.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA ARE FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS.
SO PLEASE RAISE YOUR ELECTRONIC HAND.
I'M JUST GOING TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT.
UM, SOME OF US ATTENDED THE BEEPER CHAMBER EVENT RECENTLY WHERE OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION WAS, AND THERE WAS A, A BRIEF CONVERSATION HAD ABOUT, UM, OPERATING LEVIES.
AND I KNOW THAT FRANK MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF UNDERSTANDING OF THESE AND HOW THEY WORKED IN FLORIDA, BUT IN FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UM, CAN HAVE AN OPERATING LEVY THAT HELPS TO SUPPORT SPECIAL PROGRAMS, TEACHER PAY SAFETY AND SECURITY INITIATIVES.
AND SO THERE WAS A BRIEF CONVERSATION HAD ABOUT SPEAKING WITH OUR DELEGATION ABOUT PURSUING THAT AS AN OPTION IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND IF THEY WOULD SUPPORT THAT, AND THERE WAS SOME POSITIVE INDICATIONS FROM THOSE PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS.
SO I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT FURTHER.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT LOOKS BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE,
[01:45:01]
I BELIEVE SO.AND I WOULD SAY, UH, FISCAL AUTONOMY THAT I SPOKE ABOUT THAT AT THAT SAME CHAMBER MEETING, AND I REALLY THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO PURSUE AND THE TIME IS RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, UM, SO THAT WAS, THAT'S MY INPUT FOR FUTURE AGENDA TOPIC.
UH, THERE BEING NO FURTHER ENDS UP, WE'LL GO ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENT DR.
UH, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED.
I DO HAVE SOMETHING I WANT TO SAY, UH, IN KNOW, LAST WEEK, UH, WE, WE HAD A STORM, A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT STORM THAT CAME THROUGH AND, UM, AND THAT STORM DID IMPACT, UH, CERTAINLY OUR COMMUNITY IN PORT ROYAL, UH, AND IN NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY QUITE A BIT.
UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE DID, WE DID HAVE SOME DAMAGE ON ONE OF OUR FACILITIES AT PORT ROYAL WITH A LOT OF TREES DOWN, SOME PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AND FENCING, ROOFING, YOU KNOW, UH, ISSUES AS A RESULT OF THAT STORM.
BUT I DO WANT TO, UH, TAKE A MOMENT AND RECOGNIZE OUR, UH, MAINTENANCE TEAM WHO WAS ON THE GROUND RIGHT AWAY, UH, WORKING HARD TO, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUILDING WAS SAFE, WAS SECURE, UH, YOU KNOW, TAKING THE DEBRIS OUT.
UH, AND SO SOME OF THAT WORK STILL CONTINUES, BUT, UH, BECAUSE OF THEIR EFFORTS AND BECAUSE OF THEIR WORK, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, TURN AROUND AND BE READY TO READY FOR MONDAY MORNING, UH, FOR OUR KIDS TO COME BACK TO SCHOOL.
SO WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THEIR WORK AND THEIR EFFORTS.
AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THEM, MR. SMITH.
SPEAKING OF FUTURE TOPICS, UM, I DO HAVE A FUJI TOPIC.
I'VE HAD SEVERAL PARENTS THAT ASKED ME HOW WILL IT WORK, MS. SHARE, UH, ABOUT THE STUDENTS BE ABLE TO STILL COME TO COME VIRTUALLY.
AND SO WE CAN HAVE A UPDATE ON THAT.
THAT WOULD BE, UH, IT WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATIVE BECAUSE I'VE HAD SEVERAL PARENTS THAT HAVE CONTACTED ME AND ASKED ME, WILL WE BE OFFERING VIRTUAL, WHETHER THE DISTRICT STAND ON THAT AS OF NEXT YEAR.
SO NOW THE BOARD NEEDS TO GO BACK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO FINISH THE DISCUSSION, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK OUT WITH ANY, UH, ACTION IS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE.
I'M A NATURALIST AND EDUCATOR HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
YOU KNOW, BUFORD COUNTY IS AN AMAZING PLACE TO LIVE.
NOT ONLY IS IT BEAUTIFUL HERE, BUT WE HAVE AN AMAZING DIVERSITY OF LIVING THINGS IN THIS SERIES.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRAVEL TO OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD LIKE AFRICA, ASIA TO SEE NEAT THINGS.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT HABITAT RIGHT HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS THAT MAKE THIS AREA SO SPECIAL.
JOIN ME FOR COASTAL KINGDOM ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
WELCOME TO THE BEAVER COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF JULY 13TH, 2021.
THE BOARD HAS JUST COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE'RE NOW BACK IN PUBLIC SESSION, VICE CHAIR, NOEL CAMPBELL.
DO WE HAVE ANY, UM, AS APPROPRIATE OR NECESSARY COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF ELASTIC LITERACY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS OR STRUCTURING OF STUDENTS THAT GRADE K THROUGH SIX AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
[01:50:01]
OFF WELL, BRANDING AND ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TEACHERS, SCHOOL THEATERS, DISTRICT INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL, AND DESIGNATED SCHOOL PERSONNEL FOR SERVICES COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TOTAL COST $1,830,938 FUNDING A SIX YEAR TERM AND AUTHORIZED DR.RODRIGUEZ TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT.
UM, KATHY ROBOT AND MADE SECOND DEMOTION MADE BY MR. MEL CAMPBELL, ANY DISCUSSION MR. SMITH? UH, YES.
UM, AT THIS TIME THE DATA, THE DATA HAS NOT CONVINCED ME THAT I ALREADY, AS IT IS, AS IT'S CURRENTLY BEING USED, HAS NOT CONVINCED ME THAT THAT, THAT IS THAT IT HAS EFFECT IN OUR DISTRICT, UH, AND ESPECIALLY, UH, WITHIN CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS.
SO MR. SMITH, WE WE'RE DISCUSSING SCHOLASTIC, NOT IREADY.
THE CURRENT MOTION IS
SO THIS IS GLASS PLASTIC, SIR.
WELL THEN WHEN IT COMES TO SILASTIC THE DATA, I'M NOT CONVINCED ALSO THE DAY THE DATA HAS NOT CONVINCED ME NO, HAS THE INFORMATION, THEN THERE'S STILL QUESTIONS OUT THERE THAT NEEDS DATA THAT I NEED ANSWERS.
SO THEREFORE I CAN NOT, I CAN NOT SUPPORT THIS MOTION TODAY.
THERE'D BE NO FURTHER HANDS UP.
THE MOTION IS APPROVED EIGHT ONE, THE ONE.
IS MR. SMITH CONTINUE MR. CAMPBELL.
UH, OUT OF JAIL, I MOVED THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF THE EYE READING SLASH CURRICULUM ASSOCIATES, LLC SITE LICENSED TO PROVIDE READING AND MATH INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE FOR STUDENTS GRADE K THROUGH 12 AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS, SCHOOL LEADERS AND DESIGNATED SCHOOL PERSONNEL OR SERVICES WHILE BEAUTIFUL COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, OR TOTAL COST OF $1,485,332 AND 52 CENTS FROM ASTRO FUNDING OR THREE YEAR TERM AND AUTHORIZED DR.
FRANK RODRIGUEZ EXECUTE A CONTRACT.
SO THE SECOND WAS MADE BY INGRID, RIGHT? MS. FIDRYCH.
I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION AS I DID THE PREVIOUS ONE, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS, UM, THE PRESENTATION BY DR.
STRATA SHOWED US HOW THIS IS PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND A STRATEGIC PLAN TO OVERCOME LEARNING LOSS.
UH, THIS TIME, UM, THE, THE DATA THAT THE DATA HAD, THAT THE DATA HAS NOT CONVINCED ME THAT I ALREADY, AS IT IS CURRENTLY BEING USED ALREADY, CURRENTLY IN OUR DISTRICT, THAT IT HAS, IT HAS BEEN IN AN EFFECTIVE THIS FAR.
UH, SO I, IT BRINGS ME GREAT CONCERNS AND I STILL HAVE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS AND TO MAKE A, A LARGE, UH, COMMITMENT TO THIS, IT BRINGS ME, IT BRINGS ME A GREAT, A GREAT CONCERN.
AND, UH, ALSO, UH, I HAVE A QUESTION.
WHERE'S THE, WHERE ARE THESE FUNDS COMING FROM? IT'S IN THE MOTION, THE SR FUNDS.
I HEARD THE MOTION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO BE CRYSTAL CRYSTAL CLEAR BECAUSE, UH, WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT, MY NEXT POINT, YOU KNOW, UH, UTILIZING THESE FUNDS.
I JUST HOPE THAT WE'RE JUST NOT MAKING QUICK DECISIONS, UM, AS ONE, BUT AS ONE BOARD MEMBER SAID, BUT YEAH, I'VE HAD A LONG READ MY MO THEIR, THEIR, UH, THEIR, THEIR PHONE, UH, PHONE PHONE BUILDING TO MAKE, MAKE DECISIONS ON THESE RIGHT HERE.
[01:55:01]
YOU KNOW, I, I JUST, I JUST BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL HOW WE SPEND THESE AS THESE FUNDS FROM THE DISTRICT.SO FOR THAT, I, I'M NOT I'M, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS.
I'M SURE I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS FOR THE SAME REASON I SUPPORTED THE PREVIOUS ONE, WE WERE GIVEN ARTICULATED MEASURABLE GOALS.
UM, WE EXPECT THESE PRODUCTS TO DELIVER, UM, AND THAT'S, I THINK ALL WE CAN ASK FOR THEM, ASK FOR THOSE SCHOOLS, AND THEN WE'D GO BACK AND EVALUATE IT, UM, NEXT YEAR AND SEE IF THOSE GOALS WERE MET.
SO I THINK THE DISTRICT HAS DONE EVERYTHING WE'VE ASKED OF THEM.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO APPROVE THIS.
I CONCUR ALSO WITH WHAT MS. FEDERICCI AND MR. STRIP, AND YOUR GUEST SAID, I WILL SUPPORT THIS MOTION AS I GET THE LAST ONE.
MR. SMITH ALSO, IS THERE A BUYER REMORSE ESCAPE CLAUSE IN THIS CONTRACT, MR. SMITH? THERE'S NOT A, WHAT YOU SAY? A BUYER REMORSE LIKE A WRITER RESCISSION NOTE IS THERE'S NOT A THREE-DAY WRITER RESCISSION OF HIS CONTRACT.
WELL, CAMPBELL CHAIR, I MOVE, WE APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR EMPLOYMENT LISTED JUNE 1ST, 2021 TO JUNE 30TH, 2021 PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT.
AND MS. BOATWRIGHT, SECOND, THE MOTION, ANY DISCUSSION MR. SMITH? UM, I HAVE A QUESTION.
RODRIGUEZ, HOW MANY, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO DO WE HAVE THAT, UM, THAT RESIGNED THIS YEAR? MS. WALTON, ARE YOU ON? YES, I AM MRS. SMITH.
I DON'T HAVE THAT EXACT NUMBER BEFORE ME RIGHT NOW, BUT I CAN GET THAT TO YOU.
AND ALSO, COULD YOU ALSO ONLY WHEN YOU GET THAT ALSO, CAN I GET A BREAK, A BREAK DOWN VERSUS RETIREES AND SO FORTH, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT WE HAD EIGHT, WE HAD 84 PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT, THE RETORT RETIRED THIS YEAR, BUT, UM, OVERALL, CAN YOU GIVE ME A BREAKDOWN OF THAT LIST WHEN YOU PROVIDE THAT FOR US, PLEASE, YOU WANT TO BREAK DOWN OF THE RETIREES SEPARATE FROM PEOPLE THAT RESIGNED YOU, YOU CAN DO TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS IS JUST A BREAKDOWN OF EVERYONE.
AND AS WELL AS WHAT, AS THE RETIREES.
THANK YOU ABOUT REGAN THAT RODRIGUEZ.
AND THE QUESTION IS CALLED THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY I'M CHAIR.
I MOVE, WE APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION, BUT A MONTHLY EDUCATION, RIGHT? SECOND IT, MS. BOATWRIGHT, SECOND, THE MOTION MADE BY MR. MILK.
CAN YOU PICK UP MR. SMITH, UM, OUT TO NOW WE'LL ACCEPT THE RATIFICATION.
I MEAN, THIS, NOT EVERY REPORT, UH, BUT I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, IN THE FUTURE TO WHEN THE, WHEN THESE REPORTS CAN NOT EXIST OR BE VERY SMALL TO NONE.
AND THAT WE, WE, WE, I, WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE, UH,
[02:00:01]
WELL, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE, UM, LESS, UH, LESS, UH, REPORTS OF THE ONE THAT WE HAD TONIGHT.THE MOTION IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER ACTION IS NECESSARY, APPROPRIATE COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND THERE WERE NO SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED, SO YOU DIDN'T MISS A CONSENT.
WE ARE ADJOURNED AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT ATTENDED TONIGHT.
IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THIS IS LARRY ROLAND, AND THIS IS A BUFORD COUNTY MOMENT.
ONE OF THE EXCITING ASPECTS OF COLOGNE, THE COLONIAL SEA ISLANDS WAS THE ARRIVAL OF NUMEROUS FREEBOOTERS AND PIRATES IN THIS AREA.
THE PIRACY AND THE CARIBBEAN WAS ESSENTIALLY ENDED IN 1713 WITH A TREE BETWEEN SPAIN AND ENGLAND.
BUT THE PIRATES WHO, UH, HAD INFESTED THE SPANISH MAIN FOR A HUNDRED YEARS, MOVED NORTH MANY, MOVED INTO THE BAHAMAS.
MANY MOVED INTO THE SEA ISLANDS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST AND INTO THE OUTER BANKS OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THIS AREA, THE COMMON PIRATE HANGOUT WAS THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA, WHICH WAS LESS POPULATED AND LESS DEFENDED THAN EITHER THE SEA ISLANDS OR THE NORTH COAST OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO IN 17, 19 SOUTH CAROLINA, CENTRAL FLEET, NORTH CAROLINA, WHICH CAPTURED STEVE BONNET AND SANK, HIS VESSEL DROVE BLACK BEARD NORTH INTO BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA, WHERE VIRGINIANS CAPTURED HIS VESSEL AND KILLED BLACK BEARD.
AND HIS VESSEL QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE IS BEING ARCHEOLOGICALLY RECOVERED OFF OF BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA, AS WE SPEAK, UH, SOUTH OF CHARLESTON, THIS PLACE BECAME A VERY ACTIVE CENTER FOR A PRIVATEER WAR IN THE 1730S AND 1740S.
THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY A CONTEST BETWEEN THE SPANISH AND ST.
AUGUSTINE AND THE ENGLISH AND CHARLESTON DURING THE 1740S SPANISH PRIVATEERS INFESTED THIS COAST AND VIRTUALLY STOPPED THE MARITIME TRADE FROM PORT ROYAL, NEAR BUFORD, AND FROM CHARLESTON HARBOR.
THE MOST NOTABLE OF THOSE SPANISH PRIVATEERS WAS FRANCISCO LORENZO.
HE CAPTURED MANY SOUTH CAROLINIANS IN HIS VOYAGES, CAPTURED 56 ENGLISH VESSELS OFF THE COAST OF SOUTH CAROLINA IN THE SINGLE YEAR OF 1741.
BUT ALL OF IT, HIS PRISONERS, HE TREATED WELL WHEN HE FINALLY CAPTURED BY SOUTH CAROLINA NAVAL FORCES IN LATE 1741, HE WAS TAKEN TO CHARLESTON AND THE POPULATION ASSEMBLED AND CHEERED HIM WHEN HE CAME TO SHORE, BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN SUCH AN HONORABLE PIRATE.
IF THERE IS SUCH A THING, OTHER PIRATES, FRENCH AND SPANISH CONTINUED TO INVEST THE COAST FROM 1742 TO 1744.
[02:05:01]
1748 TO 1751, THE LAST SPANISH PIRATE DON JULIAN DE VEGA, UH, WAS HERE AS LATE AS 1760.AND HE WAS CAPTURED BY SPANISH GARDA, KOSTAS, NOT ENGLISH COAST GUARDS.
DURING THAT TIME, THE BEAUTIFUL TONY AND THE CHARLESTONIANS BUILT TO INLAND GALLEYS, ROWED GALLEYS WITH HEAVY GUNS THAT COULD PROTECT THE INLAND WATERS FROM THE SPANISH AND FRENCH FREE BOOTS.
BUT BETWEEN 1739, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR OF JENKINS EAR AND 1763, WHICH WAS THE TREATY OF PARIS THAT ENDED THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.
THIS WAS AN ACTIVE AREA FOR PRIVATEERS AND PIRATES AND THEIR COUNTER FORCES, THE GALLEYS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND JORDAN.
THIS HAS BEEN A BUFORD COUNTY TO SEE MORE BEAVER COUNTY MOMENTS, BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY, HOMEPAGE, AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
WE MAKE SURE THEY GET TO COLLEGE.
FEDERAL STUDENT AID PROVIDES MORE THAN $150 BILLION IN GRANTS, LOANS, AND WORK STUDY FUNDS TO MAKE COLLEGE POSSIBLE FOR ANYONE WITH A MIND TO GET THERE.
BECAUSE IF GIVEN THE CHANCE MINDS WILL DO GREAT THINGS.
FEDERAL STUDENT AID, PROUD SPONSOR OF THE AMERICAN MIND LEARN MORE ABOUT MONEY FOR COLLEGE@STUDENTAID.GOV IT'S CIVILIZATION VERSUS NATURE'S FURY, RAGING BLIZZARDS, BURY CITIES UNDER THOUSANDS OF TONS OF SNOW, HOLLY HURRICANES TEAR APART, COASTAL COMMUNITIES WITH WIND AND RAIN AND FLASH FLOODS, WIPE ENTIRE TOWNS OFF THE FACE OF THE YEAR.
AS THE SKY IS CLEAR, PEOPLE BEGIN TO PICK UP THE PIECES, BUT AFTER THE STORM, INSIDIOUS DAMAGE IS STILL BEING DONE.
OUR MOST VITAL NATURAL RESOURCES UNDER ASSAULT.
OUR NATION'S WATERS
I NEED YOU TO TELL ME WHAT A WATERSHED IS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA, WATERSHED, A WATERSHED WHERE PEOPLE GO TO THE BATHROOM.
SO I THINK, I GUESS SOMETHING TO DO WITH SWEATING, LIKE AFTER YOU RUN, WHEN YOU, YOU BOTH SPIRE.
WE WANTED TO ASK YOU IF YOU KNEW WHAT A WATERSHED WAS.
IS IT KEN? THE LIGHT, THE RAIN.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT A WATERSHED IS? SHED THAT HOLDS WATER.
I WANT TO ASK YOU, SO DO YOU KNOW WHAT A WATERSHED IS? NO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? WHAT DO YOU THINK IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHAT A WATERSHED IS? YEAH, THAT'S JUST A DRAIN POOL, I GUESS YOU'D SAY.
OR THE DRAIN AREA, THE BOARD OF WATER, THE RAINWATER GRAINS INTO THE RIVER.
A WATERSHED IS THAT AREA OF LAND THAT DRAINS TO A BODY OF WATER, BE THAT IF IT'S A RIVER, A STREAM, THE OCEAN AND ESTUARY A BAY, WHEREVER YOU LIVE DRAINS TO SOME WATER BODY AND YOU'D LIVE IN A WATERSHED.
SO EVERYONE LIVES IN A WATERSHED.
AND IN THIS MODERN INDUSTRIAL AGE, OUR WATER SOURCES ARE BECOMING MORE CONTAMINATED WITH EACH PASSING YEAR.
THE BIGGEST WATER QUALITY PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN THE NATION TODAY IS POLLUTED RUNOFF, ALL WATER EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE, DRAINS TO THE ATLANTIC WHILE WATER WEST OF THE DIVIDE FLOWS TO THE PACIFIC.
AND ONE DROP OF RAIN CAN CROSS MANY DIFFERENT WATERSHEDS ALONG THE WAY.
AS RUNOFF FLOWS INTO RIVERS, STREAMS AND STORM DRAINS, THE WATER PICKS UP TRASH, DIRT, BACTERIA, TOXIC CHEMICALS, AND FERTILIZERS, CREATING A SOUP OF POLLUTANTS THAT IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF POLLUTED RUNOFF EXIST WORLDWIDE.
THE UN ESTIMATE IS THAT THERE'S ABOUT A BILLION PEOPLE ON THE PLANET RIGHT NOW WHO DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO FRESH WATER.
97% OF ALL WATER ON EARTH IS SALTY OCEAN WATER OF THE REMAINING 3%.
IT'S FRESH OVER TWO THIRDS IS FROZEN AND
[02:10:01]
GLACIERS AND POLARIZED.THAT LEAVES LESS THAN 1% OF ALL THE PLANETS WATER FOR OUR USE.
I PREDICT IN THE FUTURE THAT SOME OF THE U S WATER NEEDS ARE GOING TO COME THROUGH PIPELINE BECAUSE WE HAVE JUST OVERUSED OUR SUPPLY TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX THREATS FACING US WATER RESOURCES.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RECOMMENDS ADOPTING A WATERSHED APPROACH.
WE'RE TRYING TO RECONNECT SOME OF THE RIVER.
IT'S A METHOD THAT LOOKS AT EACH WATERSHED FOR ITS OWN UNIQUE SET OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS.
IN MANY CASES, PEOPLE MISTAKENLY IDENTIFY LARGE DISCHARGE PIPES IN THE WATER AS THE PROBLEM, BUT THAT MAY NOT BE THE PROBLEM.
IT MAY BE COMING FROM AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF.
IT MAY BE COMING FROM STORMWATER RUNOFF OVER PARKING LOTS AND IMPERVIOUS SURFACES.
EVERY WATERSHED IS DIFFERENT, AND YOU NEED TO LOOK AT EACH WATERSHED IN ITS OWN TERMS, AND THEN THINK SYSTEMATICALLY ABOUT HOW YOU REMEDIATE, HOW YOU CLEAN UP THAT WATERSHED IN CALIFORNIA, THE SANTA MONICA BAY WATERSHED DRAINS A DANGEROUS AMOUNT OF POLLUTED RUNOFF AFTER EACH STORM.
WHEN IT RAINS, LITERALLY THE WHOLE RESIDUE OF URBAN LIVING ENDS UP GETTING WASHED INTO THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM AND ENDS UP GOING STRAIGHT INTO THE BAY ON SANTA MONICA BAY BEACHES WITH NO TREATMENT WHATSOEVER, ACTUALLY LIKE A GIANT TOOL AT FLUSHING BECAUSE ALL OF THE POLLUTION, THE DOG MESS HAS BEEN BUILDING UP AND BUILDING UP AND BUILDING UP WHEN IT RAINS, FLUSHES INTO THE STORM DRAIN AND GOES DIRECTLY INTO THE, UH, THE CER IN 1996, THE SANTA MONICA BAY RESTORATION COMMISSION PROVED THERE WAS A LINK BETWEEN THE CONTAMINATED RUNOFF IN THE SANTA MONICA BAY AND REPORTS OF ILLNESS, AFFLICTING PEOPLE WHO SWIM THERE.
BUT WE DID FIND WAS AT THE OUTLETS OF STORM DRAINS, NO MATTER WHERE THEY WERE UP AND DOWN THE BAY, IF THERE WAS A FLOW OF RUNOFF INTO THE SURF ZONE, THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE SWIMMING IN THOSE AREAS, UH, DEFINITELY EXPERIENCED HIGHER INCIDENCES OF ILLNESSES.
THE POLLUTANTS IN THE WATER AFFECTS SURFERS BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY THE INDICATOR SPECIES WITH ALL THE POLLUTANTS.
UM, WHEN WE ARE IN THE WATERS, WE'RE INGESTING IT THROUGH OUR SKIN AND OUR MOUTH.
EVEN IF PEOPLE DON'T TAKE A SWALLOW OF WATER, IT'S STILL GETTING INTO OUR SYSTEMS, OUR EARS, ANY ORIFICE WHEN YOUR BODY AND IT CAUSES INFECTIONS, IT CAN CAUSE A COLD SORE THROAT.
I WOULDN'T WANT US GOT THOSE DISEASES, JUST FLOATING AROUND, MAKING MORE DISEASES.
I'VE SEEN IT PRETTY MUCH AS BAD AS IT COULD BE.
I'VE SEEN CRAP FLOATING OUT IN THE WATER.
LITERALLY GENERICALLY, WE CALL IT FECAL COLIFORM.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, YOU MIGHT KNOW ALL OF IT AS ECO-LINE SALMONELLA OR ENTEROCOCCUS.
THERE'S TIMES WHEN IT TASTES FUNKY.
EVERY DAY, THE CITY AND COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES PERFORM A BATTERY OF TESTS TO KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED ABOUT WATER QUALITY IN THE SANTA MONICA BAY, CESAR RS ADD-ON BEGINS THE MONITORING PROCESS EACH MORNING BY TAKING A SERIES OF COASTLINE WATER SAMPLES.
THEN IT'S BACK TO THE LAB FOR ANALYSIS, SORT OF A TIER THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE YOU GOING TO EAT.
AND WHEN YOU PUT IT UNDER THE UV LIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A DIFFERENT COUNT COLOR.
IT'S A FLUORESCENT SIGN THAT THERE IS A BACTERIA.
AND THEN ONE IT'S CALLED ECOLAB.
THAT ONE DEFINITELY EATS, UH, FECES FROM ANIMALS, OR IT COULD BE HUMAN SOURCES.
THE RESULTS ARE REPORTED TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND BEACH WARNINGS ARE POSTED AS NECESSARY.
THE NUMBER OF BEACH POSTINGS HAS DECREASED AND 85% OF THE BEACHES THAT HAVE BEEN MONITORED IN CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE RECEIVED EITHER A OR B GRADES.
AND THAT SIGNAL TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN FOUR YEARS AGO.
BUT WHILE PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN CALIFORNIA, THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF POLLUTED RUNOFF ARE A GROWING CONCERN EVERYWHERE.
SO WHAT CAN THE AVERAGE PERSON DO TO HELP REDUCE POLLUTION IN OUR WATERSHEDS? YOU APPLY PESTICIDES ARE NOT IN YOUR GARDEN, HOW YOU WASH YOUR CARS, UH, MAKING SURE THAT YOU DON'T THROW CIGARETTE BUTTS OUT ON IT.
THE STREET DO NOT DUMP THINGS ON THE GROUND, ESPECIALLY OIL.
IS THERE ANY CHEMICAL BALLOONS PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOGS? LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS AND JUST BE A CONSCIENTIOUS CITIZEN AND DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING ON THE GROUND.
I THINK ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND IT NEEDS TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.
IF NOT YOU WHO COMING UP, WE'RE HEADING FOR, WHAT'S KNOWN AS AN ECOSYSTEM COLLAPSE, CAN THE GULF OF MEXICO BE SAVED FROM BLOOMBERG RUNOFF? IT WAS A FLOOD OF APOCALYPTIC SCALE, 26,000 SQUARE MILES OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY INUNDATED BY WATER.
AND 600,000 PEOPLE DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES.
THE FLOOD OF 1927 WAS THE MOST DISASTROUS IN US HISTORY.
AND ITS EFFECTS ARE STILL FELT TODAY.
AFTER THE FLOOD OF 27, MASSIVE LEVIES WERE PUT IN PLACE.
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HELPED PROTECT THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN FROM FLOODING, THE LEVIES AND OTHER HUMAN ACTIVITIES WOULD ULTIMATELY HARM THE WATERSHED IN UNFORESEEN WAYS.THE GULF STATE OF LOUISIANA IS THE TERMINUS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, THE MIGHTY WATERSHED, THE DRAINS 41% OF THE AREA OF THE LOWER 48 STATES INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO.
UH, WE RECEIVE WATER FROM AS FAR AWAY AS MONTANA, MICHIGAN, PENNSYLVANIA, OHIO, IOWA, ALL THE WATERS DRAIN RIGHT HALF THIS AREA RIGHT HERE.
BUT BY THE TIME ALL THAT WATER ENTERS THE GULF, IT IS ACCUMULATED ENOUGH CONTAMINANTS FROM POLLUTED RUNOFF TO CREATE AN ENORMOUS HYPOXIC ZONE, AN AREA OF WATER LACKING IN VITAL OXYGEN.
THE SIZE OF THE LOW AUCTION ZONE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO IS ABOUT 9,000 SQUARE MILES.
THAT'S EQUAL TO THE SIZE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
THE SHORTAGE OF OXYGEN IS KILLING FISH AND OTHER SEA LIFE, AND COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A DEVASTATING EFFECT ON THE REGIONAL ECONOMY.
WE ARE THE LARGEST NAVIGATION PORT IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE ARE THE SECOND LARGEST IN THE WORLD.
WE HAVE THE LARGEST FISHERY IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT WAS CRABBING A LOT OF TIMES, ALL OUR CRABS WE DID.
AND WE CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU THE REASON HYPOXIA SHOULD BE OF CONCERN TO MOST CITIZENS IN THIS NATION IS BECAUSE IT'S A SIGN.
IT'S A SIGN OF THE DEGRADATION OF OUR WATER RESOURCES.
WHAT'S KNOWN AS AN ECOSYSTEM COLLAPSE.
IF YOU'RE GOING HAVE AN ECOLOGICAL DISASTER CAUSED BY THE OFFSHORE HYPOXIC AREAS, THEN THAT ABSOLUTELY TRANSLATES INTO AN ECONOMIC DISASTER.
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS CAUSING THIS DEAD ZONE IN THE GULF HYPOXIA DEVELOPS WHEN AN AREA OF WATER RECEIVES EXCESS POLLUTANTS, PRIMARILY AN OVERABUNDANCE OF NUTRIENTS, WHICH PRODUCE LARGE ALGAE BLOOMS THAT DIE OFF AND LEAD TO LOW OXYGEN.
AND SINCE THE MISSISSIPPI GETS FED BY TRIBUTARIES, THAT FLOW THROUGH 31 STATES, THAT ADDS UP TO A STAGGERING VOLUME OF CONTAMINATED RUNOFF.
YOU HAVE DRAINAGE INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO FROM THE OHIO RIVER, THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND THE MISSOURI RIVER, GET EACH OF THOSE THREE MAJOR RIVER SYSTEMS OR WATERSHEDS IN AND OF THEMSELVES WITH THEIR OWN CHALLENGES AND THEIR OWN PROBLEMS. THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER HAS ALWAYS DELIVERED A LOT OF WATER AND THAT HASN'T CHANGED OVER THE CENTURIES.
WHAT'S CHANGED IS THE AMOUNT OF NUTRIENTS IN THAT WATER.
IN FACT, THE MISSISSIPPI'S NITROGEN LEVELS IN THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER HAVE TRIPLED SINCE THE 1950S AND THE GROWING HYPOXIC ZONE OFF THE LOUISIANA COAST CONTAINS THE DISTURBING EVIDENCE.
IT'S LIKE A RUSTY COLOR STANKY, ROTTEN LOOKING, YOU SEE FISH, JUST SWIMMING, SIDEWAYS, GASPING FOR AIR AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND, UM, YOU PULL UP THE NET, NOT A ONE SHRIMP ALIVE, ALL DEAD ORANGE, THE FISH, THEY ROTTEN LIKE MELTING AWAY AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THE WAY WE TREAT OUR WATER SYSTEMS, BECAUSE WE USE THEM AS OUR GARBAGE DUMPS.
WE USE THEM TO DILUTE OUR POLLUTANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I BELIEVE THE STATISTIC IS THAT IF YOU'RE IN NEW ORLEANS, THE WATER THAT IS GOING BY, YOU HAS PASSED THROUGH HUMAN GUTS.
SOMETHING LIKE THREE OR FOUR TIMES BEFORE IT GETS TO YOU.
YOU INCREDIBLY LOUISIANA BOASTS A NATURAL RESOURCE THAT REMOVES POLLUTANTS FROM THE DRAINING MISSISSIPPI, THE ONES ABUNDANT WETLANDS, PLANTS THAT GROW IN WETLANDS PRODUCE THESE WONDERFUL FILTERS FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS COMING INTO THEM.
THEY TRAP SEDIMENT, A TEMP OF CHEMICALS AND WHAT LEAVES THE WETLANDS IS MUCH, MUCH CLEANER.
WATER WETLANDS ALSO PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT HABITAT FOR BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE.
SADLY, THE LOUISIANA WETLANDS ARE QUICKLY DISAPPEARING.
WELL, LOUISIANA HAS LOST ABOUT 1.2 MILLION ACRES OF WETLANDS IN THE LAST 100 YEARS.
WHEN WE LEAVE IT OFF THE MISSISSIPPI, IT CUT OFF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATER FROM THE MARSHAL.
IN ADDITION TO THE LEVIES, A NETWORK OF MANMADE NAVIGATION CHANNELS IS ALSO COMPROMISING THE WETLANDS BY ALLOWING SALTWATER TO SEEP INTO THE MARSHES.
ONCE THAT SALT WATER TRAVELS UP THESE CHANNELS AND OVERFLOWS THE BANKS OF THESE CHANNELS OUT INTO FRESHWATER SYSTEMS, SUCH AS THE CYPRESS SWAMP, THAT SALTWATER SITS OUT THERE AROUND THE ROOTS OF THESE TREES AND KILLS THEM.
THEY CANNOT SURVIVE SALT, THEIR FRESH WATER PLANTS ELIMINATING THE HYPOXIC ZONE WILL TAKE MORE THAN SAVING OUR WETLANDS.
REDUCING NUTRIENT RUNOFF IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATERSHED IS THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM.
IT'S AN ISSUE INVOLVING OVER HALF THE STATES IN THE NATION AND A VAST ARRAY OF INDUSTRIES, PARTICULARLY FARMING, WHICH USES NITROGEN RICH FERTILIZER TO GROW ITS CROPS.
FERTILIZERS ARE HELPING THE UNITED STATES PRODUCE THE FOOD FOR THE WORLD, BUT THERE IS SUCH A THING AS, AS OVERUSED, THERE ARE SCIENTISTS WHO HAVE DONE THE ANALYSIS AND PREDICT THAT YOU COULD REDUCE FERTILIZERS BY ABOUT 12% WITHOUT
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REDUCING CROP PRODUCTION AND SEE A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF NITROGEN GOING INTO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER EXPERTS SAY THE FIRST KEY TO CHANGING BEHAVIOR IS RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS.WE ALL LIVE DOWNSTREAM OF SOMEBODY AND WE ALL LIVE UPSTREAM OF SOMEBODY.
SO WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE DOES IN THEIR WATERSHED EFFECTS, THE WATER THAT I RECEIVE AND WHAT I DO IN MY WATERSHED AFFECTS THE WATER THAT SOMEBODY ELSE RECEIVES DOWNSTREAM.
IF WE DON'T CLEAN UP OUR ACT, OUR WATER RESOURCES, WHICH WE SIMPLY CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT WILL BE RUINED COMING UP.
CAN THE WATER SUPPLY FOR 9 MILLION NEW YORKERS BE SAVED FROM THE RAVAGES OF POLLUTED RUNOFF IN JANUARY OF 19 96, 1 OF THE MOST DEVASTATING WINTER STORMS IN HISTORY SLAMS THE EAST COAST TWO FEET OF SNOW DUMPS ON NEW YORK AND THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR SCHOOLS, AIRPORTS AND ROADS ARE SHUT DOWN BY THE TIME IT'S OVER THE BLIZZARD AND RESULT IN FLOODING COST $3 BILLION IN LOSSES AND 187 LIVES ARE TAKEN.
AND IN THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS OF UPSTATE NEW YORK, THE SNOW MELT TRIGGERS ANOTHER POTENTIALLY DEVASTATING CRISIS, STORMWATER RUNOFF CONTAMINATED WITH TRASH, DIRT, FERTILIZERS, AND PESTICIDES FROM NEARBY FARMS AND COMMUNITIES THREATENS THE FRESH WATER SUPPLY.
AND THE CATSKILL SYSTEM OF RESERVOIRS IS VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR IT IS THE BIGGEST WATERSHED OF NEW YORK CITY PROVIDING DRINKING WATER TO OVER 9 MILLION PEOPLE.
THE MIRACLE OF THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM IS LARGELY UNKNOWN TO MOST NEW YORKERS.
YOU ASK PEOPLE WHERE DOES THE WATER COME FROM? OFTEN PEOPLE SHRUG THEIR SHOULDERS AND SAY NEW JERSEY.
I FIGURED THAT, UH, WE WERE PROBABLY OUR OWN SEPARATE WATER SYSTEM FOR THEN FROM UPSTATE AND RATHER THAN BE DRINKING WATER FROM UPSTATE AND THE HUDSON RIVER.
I DON'T KNOW THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF HOW LARGE THE PROBLEM IS AND HOW CLOSE TO CRISIS MANY OF OUR WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS ARE TO PRESERVE THE PURITY OF THE RESERVOIRS AND ENFORCED THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PRESENTED THE BIG APPLE WITH TWO OPTIONS, EITHER BUILD AND MAINTAIN A $6 BILLION FACILITY TO FILTER ALL OF THE CITY'S TAP WATER OR FUND A $1 BILLION PROGRAM TO PROTECT THE WATERSHED FROM POLLUTED RUNOFF.
WHEN IT COMES TO OUR INVESTMENT IN CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER, PRESERVING SPACE, FIXING ANTIQUATED SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS, WE CAN'T WAIT.
IT DOESN'T GET ANY LESS EXPENSIVE.
IT GETS MORE EXPENSIVE WITH THE HISTORIC WATERSHED AGREEMENT OF 1997, AN UNPRECEDENTED UPSTATE DOWNSTATE PARTNERSHIP WAS FORGED TO PROTECT THE NEW YORK CITY WATER SUPPLY OR WATERSHED AGREEMENT IS SAVING NEW YORK CITY, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
THE PLAN INCLUDES PURCHASING AND PRESERVING 355,000 ACRES OF UNDEVELOPED WATERSHED LAND, THE UPGRADING OF SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS AND THE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF STREAM PORTERS.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS A MAIN TRIBUTARY OF THE SOFAS CREEK.
WE WERE SEEING A LOT OF SEDIMENT COMING OUT OF THE STREAM.
THE CLAY GETS INTO THE WATER COLUMN AND IT BECOMES VERY TURBID.
AND THEN IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO TREAT AND CLEAN THAT WATER.
SO FROM A WATER QUALITY PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT EROSION.
THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES FUNDING FOR FARMERS THAT IMPLEMENT AGRICULTURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
BUT WE HAVE A VERY EXCITING PROGRAM WITH THE WATERSHED AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL, WHERE WE ARE WORKING WITH LOCAL FARMERS.
WE LOOK AT HOW THEY'RE HANDLING THE ANIMALS BILL, THAT THE RUNOFF ASSOCIATED WITH MANURE FERTILIZER AND THAT, THAT FARM ACTIVITY ISN'T GETTING INTO THE STREAMS AROUND OUR RESERVOIR.
THIS WATER HERE IS BASICALLY THE WATER YOU'RE GOING TO BE DRINKING DOWN IN THE CITY.
AND, UH, I FEEL I'VE GOT A RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY MY BEST TO KEEP IT CLEAN FOR WHEN IT GETS DOWN THERE.
IT USED TO BE WHEN IT RAINED HERE ON THE FARM, THE WATER THAT RAN AWAY FROM THE BACK OF THE BARN HERE WAS FULL OF MUD MANURE, AND IT WOULD JUST RUN BROWN AND RIGHT INTO THE STREAM.
TWO YEARS AGO, WE WOULD SPREAD EVERY DAY.
UH, WE'D HAVE TO TAKE IT OUT, SPREAD IT ON THE FIELDS.
IF THE SNOW IS DEEP, WE SPREAD IT ON THE SNOW.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, IF THE GROUND WAS FROZEN, WHEN THE SNOW MELTED, THE NUTRIENT VALUE OF IT FOR FERTILIZER WAS GONE.
THAT WOUND UP DOWN IN THE RESERVOIR, NEW YORK CITY FUNDING, A SECURE ABOVE GROUND STEEL TANK THAT CAN HOLD 400,000 GALLONS OF MANURE WAS INSTALLED IN THE METTA BROOK FARM.
THAT'S ENOUGH STORAGE FOR SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
NOW WE CAN STORE IT, SPREAD IT ONE, IT'LL DO THE MOST GOOD TO US FOR FERTILIZER.
AND, UH, WE DON'T HAVE TO SPREAD IT EVERY DAY.
I'D WORKED WITH TIM ON THE PLAN TO DEVELOP THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE GOING TO MAKE.
PLAN REALLY BELONGS TO THE FARMER.
UH, AND IT'S A COLLABORATION OF THEIR IDEAS AND WHAT TECHNICAL ADVICE WE CAN BRING TO THE PROGRAM.
BUT THE FARMER MAKES THE DECISION.
IT'S A PROGRAM THAT SEEMS TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
WE'RE WORKING SO HARD TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT CLEAN WATER TO PUT IN OUR COFFEE TO GUARANTEE THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY IS FRESH AT THE TAP.
COMPREHENSIVE TESTS ARE PERFORMED BY THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
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PROTECTION, BOTH IN THE LAB AND AT OVER 1000 SAMPLING STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, NEW YORK CITY, PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST EXTENSIVE WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAMS IN THE NATION.IF NOT THE WORLD WE'RE SAMPLING EVERY DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR.
I'VE BEEN DRINKING THIS WATER FOR 53 YEARS.
THAT'S WATER IN THE WORLD, NEW YORK CITY, STRAIGHT FROM THE TAP.
THE FUTURE OF OUR WATER SUPPLY REMAINS AT RISK, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT IT.
FIND OUT HOW NEXT TO KEEP OUR WATERSHEDS FREE OF POLLUTANTS WILL REQUIRE THE ACTIONS OF EVERY CITIZEN HUMIDITY AND BUSINESS PAVED, CONCRETE SURFACES, ASPHALT PARKING, LOTS SIDEWALKS.
THE QUESTION IS, DO WE NEED TO HAVE AS MANY AS WE DO BECAUSE TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU HAVE TOO MUCH IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, THE WATER IS NOT RETAINED ONSITE.
IT DOESN'T SOAK INTO THE GROUND.
IT RUNS OFF, PICKS UP SPEED, CARRIES POLLUTANTS AND CONTAMINANTS INTO THE WATER BOTTLE.
ONE STRATEGY FOR PREVENTING STORMWATER RUNOFF IS OCCURRING AT THE NEW FORD ROUGE CENTER IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN.
THIS REMODELED TRUCK PLANT IS COVERED BY A GREEN ROOF, THE SIZE OF EIGHT FOOTBALL FIELDS PLANTED WITH A POOREST GROUND COVER.
IT REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF POLLUTED RUNOFF RELEASED INTO THE WATERSHED.
THE THING THAT TENDS TO GET THE MOST ATTENTION IS THE 10 ACRE GREEN ROOF, BUT THAT'S REALLY JUST PART OF A PHILOSOPHY THAT IF AN AREA DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PAID OR BUILT UPON, IT'S GOING TO BE GREEN SPACE AND COMMUNITIES ARE ALSO IMPLEMENTING GREEN SPACE STRATEGIES, SUCH AS RAIN GARDENS.
THEY SLOPED THE LIE IN SUCH A MANNER THAT ALL THE FLOW GOES TOWARDS THIS LANDSCAPING, WHERE BASICALLY THE POLLUTED RUNOFF CAN PERCOLATE INTO THE GROUND AND GET FILTERED, AND THEN GOING STRAIGHT ONTO THE STREET INTO THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM.
AND REALLY A VERY SIMPLE APPROACH TO CLEANING UP OUR RUNOFF IN URBAN AREAS.
BUT PERHAPS THE MOST POWERFUL COURSE OF ACTION IS INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION.
WE'LL NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STATE OF OUR WATERS AND WATER.
CONSERVATION IS ONE AREA WHERE THEY CAN DO THAT AS A COMMITTED CITIZEN, ALL THOSE THINGS.
UH, YOUR MOM TOLD YOU TO TAKE A SHORT SHOWER.
DON'T LET THE WATER TAP RUNWAY.
TAKING YOUR HOUSEHOLD THERE'S WAYS TO A CLEANUP AND RECYCLING DAY.
DON'T WASH YOUR CAR ON THE, ON THE STREETS AND PUT ALL THOSE SUDS DOWN INTO THE DRAIN.
WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR USE MOTOR L YOU DON'T DUMP IT INTO THE STREET.
EVERYBODY'S GOT TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEIR PETS.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A BIG CONCERN, FERTILIZERS, HERBICIDES, PESTICIDES, AND MAKE SURE YOU DON'T USE THEM ANY TIME.
THERE'S ANY CHANCE OF RAIN COMING UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHEN YOU'RE IRRIGATING YOUR LAWN AND YOUR GARDEN, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT OVER SPRAYING AND CAUSING ALL THOSE CHEMICALS TO END UP GETTING INTO THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM.
THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IS IF EVERYBODY DOES THEIR PART, WE ALL LIVE IN A WATERSHED.
WE ALL HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND WE MUST ALL PLAY A ROLE IN THE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF OUR VALUABLE WATER RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED AND TO GET A FREE BROCHURE CALLED AFTER THE STORM.
VISIT EPA.GOV/WEATHER CHANNEL.