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AND THE MEETING OF THE BUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL BE CALLED TO ORDER AS DECEMBER 5TH, 2022 IN CONFERENCE ROOM E.
AND THIS IS A REMOTE HYBRID CONFERENCING MEETING THAT WILL BE LIVE STREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
WE'VE HAD, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS ACCEPTED BETWEEN FOUR AND FOUR 30, AND WE UNDERSTAND WE HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, FOR TODAY, WE'D LIKE TO START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE RISE, AND I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE THROUGH THE FLAG AND REPUBLIC AND UNDERSTAND NATION, NATION UNDER GOD, UNDER GOD IND WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? I, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AGENDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY
HELLO, IS THIS DAVID? UM, I'M GONNA PUT YOU ON SPEAKER.
YOU ARE ON PUBLIC COMMENTS AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
GOOD EVENING, UH, FINANCE COMMITTEE.
I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING ME A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
I, UM, JUST HAD A COUPLE THINGS, UH, THAT I WANTED TO MENTION.
UM, EVERYONE IN THE DISTRICT OBVIOUSLY HAS A JOB TO DO.
GOOD CASE FOR DOING THEIR JOB.
THE QUESTION IS, ARE THE PEOPLE GOING BE CHARGED BACK BY FOR NOT DOING THEIR JOBS IN THE LIBRARY? CURRENTLY, THERE'S A LIST OF 96 BOOKS THAT ARE BEING REVIEWED, AND I'M NOT SURE WHY THE WORK WAS NEVER DONE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THIS IS A GREAT CONCERN TO ME BECAUSE I'M CERTAIN THERE'S GOING TO BE A PATTERN MOVING FORWARD BETWEEN LIBRARY BOOKS AND ACTUAL CURRICULUM MATERIAL.
THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE JUST WEREN'T DOING THEIR JOBS FOR TWO YEARS.
LIBRARIANS HAD ZERO STUDENTS IN THE LIBRARY, BUT NOTHING WAS DONE.
ONE YEAR AGO, A LETTER WAS SENT TO THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT BY THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT EXPLAINING THAT IT WAS A GOOD TIME FOR SCHOOLS TO REVIEW LIBRARY INVENTORY TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS AGENT APPROPRIATE MATERIAL.
SO WILL THOSE PEOPLE BE PUSH BACK BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING THEM TO DO, BUT THEY NEVER DID IT.
MOVING FORWARD, I HOPE THIS IS GIVEN A LOOK.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF, THAT WOULD BE BACK TO THE, AND LASTLY, I LEAVE YOU WITH A SCRIPTURE ADVENT HABIT
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TO THOSE WHOSE HEARTS ARE FRIGHTENED, BE STRONG, FEAR NOT.THAT'S FROM ISAIAH CHAPTER 34 VERSE FOUR.
THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE NOVEMBER 10TH, 2022 COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES.
DO I HEAR MOTION TO APPROVE THE, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE NOVEMBER 10TH COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
WELL, TWO, UH, TWO, FOUR, AND ONE OPTION.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS OE 6.1 DASH 6.8 MONITORING REPORT, FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION AUDIT PRESENTATION BY HOPE PENDERGRASS AND OF MOLIN JENKINS LLC.
UM, HOPE PENDERGRASS IS WITH US ON VIA ZOOM.
UH, HOPE IS THE ENGAGEMENT PARTNER WITH MALDEN AND JENKINS, AND WITH THE LEAD ON OUR AUDIT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR END JUNE 30TH, 2022.
OUR AUDIT WAS DUE TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT, UM, AND ALONG WITH A MULTITUDE OF DOCUMENTS AS WELL, OTHER DOCUMENTS, UH, ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1ST.
AND WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT REQUIREMENT FOR THE STATE.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, HOPE.
UM, AND THEN I WILL WRAP THINGS UP RIGHT AFTER ANY, UM, HER COMMENTS AND ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE FOR HER.
UM, DO I NEED TO TRY TO SHARE MY POWERPOINT OR ARE WE JUST LOADING IT FROM THE AGENDA PACKET? AGENDA PACKET.
SO SHOULD I WAIT TILL IT'S JUST, OKAY.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
I WILL BE BRIEF, BUT I WILL BE HAPPY TO DIVE DEEPER ON ANY COM.
I'M JUST GONNA KIND OF GO OVER BRIEFLY, UM, OUR ENGAGEMENT TEAM, THE OVERALL RESULTS OF THE AUDIT, SOME FINANCIAL TRENDS, UM, UPCOMING GSB PRONOUNCEMENTS, AND THEN I'LL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT THERE ARE.
UM, JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF MON AND JENKINS.
THIS, I BELIEVE IS OUR THIRD YEAR SERVING YOU ALL.
AND WE SERVE ABOUT 75 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE SOUTHEAST ACROSS FIVE STATES AND 13 OFFICES.
AS MS. CROSBY SAID, I'M THE ENGAGEMENT PARTNER AND, UM, I WAS THE LEAD ON PERFORMING THE AUDIT THIS YEAR.
IF YOU'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, THE OVERALL RESULTS OF THE AUDIT WERE EXCELLENT.
UM, ONE THING THAT WE WANNA POINT OUT IS THE FACT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGEMENT, AND IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE AUDITOR TO, UM, PROVIDE AN OPINION ON THOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT WE HAD AN UNMODIFIED OR CLEAN OPINION ON YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, MEANING THAT THEY ARE PRESENTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTING COUNSELING PRINCIPLES.
UM, THE OTHER THING TO POINT OUT IS THAT THERE WERE NO MATERIAL WEAKNESSES OR JUST SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES OR INSTANCES OF NON-COMPLIANCE NOTED.
SO KUDOS TO MANAGEMENT AND THE BOARD AND THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR PROVIDING YOUR LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSE TO THAT AS SOMETHING TO BE COMMENDED.
WE DON'T HAVE VERY MANY AUDITS WHERE WE HAVE NO COMMENTS, NO FINDINGS, NO ANYTHING.
NOT ONLY DO WE UPON ON YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, WE ALSO ARE REQUIRED TO DO A SINGLE AUDIT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE UNIFORM GUIDANCE FOR ANY ENTITY THAT RECEIVES AND SPENDS OVER $750,000, WHICH OF COURSE, Y'ALL SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FEDERAL WARS LAST YEAR.
WE LOOK, WE DON'T LOOK AT EVERY PROGRAM.
WE LOOKED AT FOUR PROGRAMS THIS YEAR, THE MED TECH SEVEN PROGRAM, SR I D E A OR SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND THE NEW PROGRAM THAT IS KIND OF SIMILAR TO ERE THE EMERGENCY CONNECTIVITY FUND.
AND AGAIN, WE, UM, HAD A CLEAN OPINION ON ALL THOSE PROGRAMS AS WELL.
SO IT'S VERY HARD SOMETIMES WITH ALL THE REGULATIONS, ESPECIALLY THE WAY THEY'VE BEEN, RIGHT, THE REGULATIONS AND KIND OF BUILDING THE AIRPLANE WHILE WE'VE BEEN FLYING IT.
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KUDOS TO MANAGEMENT AND THE BOARD FOR ITS LEADERSHIP AND, AND BEING ABLE TO, UM, PASS THROUGH ALL OF THOSE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS.MOVING ON, UM, JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO COMMUNICATE TO THOSE CHARGE WITH GOVERNMENTS.
UM, AS FAR AS YOUR SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES THIS YEAR, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ONE, WE IMPLEMENTED A NEW GASB STANDARD RELATED TO LEASES.
UM, PREVIOUSLY IF YOU HAD A LEASE WHERE YOU WERE JUST ESSENTIALLY RENTING OR SOMEONE WAS RENTING FROM YOU, YOU JUST KIND OF RECORDED THAT AS A PAY YOU GO BASIS.
BUT WITH THIS NEW STANDARD, YOU HAD TO, UM, ACTUALLY SHOW THAT AS A LONG-TERM LIABILITY OR RECEIVABLE, AND THAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN YOUR 2022 AFER.
UM, IF YOU'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, THIS IS JUST A, A CONTINUING REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS, THINGS THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO COMMUNICATE TO THE BOARD.
YOU ALL CAN, UM, READ THAT LATER ON IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, ANOTHER THING I DO WANNA, UM, POINT OUT IS THAT WE HAD NO SIGNIFICANT AUDIT ADJUSTMENTS OR PAST ADJUSTMENTS.
ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE HAD WERE THOSE THAT WERE PROVIDED TO US FROM MANAGEMENT OR RECLASSIFICATION ENTRIES THAT WERE JUST FOR FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION.
THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF THE PLACES THAT WE GO.
SO, AGAIN, JUST WANNA GIVE KUDOS TO YOUR FINANCE TEAM FOR THE GREAT JOB THAT THEY DO.
I DO HAVE ONE COMMENT ON HERE THAT IS IN RELATION TO SOME TESTING THAT WE DID IN REGARD TO YOUR CDL TESTING.
UM, LATE THIS AFTERNOON, I DID RECEIVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT MAY CLEAR UP THIS COMMENT.
I JUST DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THAT PRIOR TO THIS PRESENTATION.
SO IF THAT DOES INDEED CLEAR THAT UP, THEN WE'LL BE TAKING THAT OUT OF OUR FINAL, UM, WRITTEN PUBLISHED DOCUMENT THAT WE SENT TO YOU ALL AFTER THIS IS OVER.
AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND KEEP MOVING ON DOWN.
UM, ONE THING WITH AUDITS, WE ARE REQUIRED TO BE INDEPENDENT, WHICH MEANS WE CAN'T, WE HAVE TO BE TOTALLY INDEPENDENT FROM MANAGEMENT SO THAT WHEN WE'RE GIVEN AN OPINION, YOU KNOW THAT IT'S AN INDEPENDENT OPINION.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET INTO SOME QUICK FINANCIAL TRENDS.
I'D JUST LIKE TO KIND OF SHARE, YOU KNOW, A FIVE YEAR HISTORY.
THIS IS YOUR FIVE YEAR HISTORY OF YOUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES VERSUS EXPENDITURES.
AND THIS DOES INCLUDE TRANSFERS IN AND OUT.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, YOUR REVENUES HAVE BEEN OUTPACING YOUR EXPENDITURES, ADDING TO YOUR FUND BALANCE JUST SLIGHTLY.
SO, UM, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC AND POST PANDEMIC, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE WHAT YOUR EXPENDITURES ARE GONNA BE AND KEEP UP WITH THE BUDGET AND WHAT'S THE STATE GONNA DO AS FAR AS FUNDING AND WHAT THE FED'S GONNA DO AS FAR AS MONEY.
SO, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THAT, THAT GAP THERE, BUT STILL SMALL IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I COULD TELL Y'ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB OF BEING STEWARDS OF, OF MONEY.
UM, THIS IS JUST KIND OF HISTORY OF YOUR CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE.
OF COURSE, YOU SAW A DIP A FEW YEARS AGO AND THEN COMING ON NOW YOU, UM, YOU HAD ABOUT SIX POINT, ALMOST 6.6 MILLION FOR YOUR NET CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.
SO SOMETIMES IT'S KIND OF NEAT TO SEE THE TRENDS.
UM, THIS LAST SLIDE, TALKING ABOUT LEVERAGE, THIS JUST KIND OF SHOWS YOU YOUR TOTAL FUND BALANCE AS A PERCENTAGE OF YOUR EXPENDITURES.
SO RIGHT NOW YOU'RE HOVERING ABOUT 20% AND YOU SAY, WOW, THAT KIND OF SOUNDS LIKE A LOT.
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MEASURING THIS AS OF JUNE 30TH, WHICH IS KIND OF LIKE YOUR LEAN TIME OF YEAR BEFORE PROPERTY TAXES KIND OF COME IN.
SO, UM, YOU WANNA THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU'RE IN A, YOU WANNA BE STRONG AT THAT POINT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE CONTINUING EXPENDITURES.
YOUR EXPENDITURES ARE NOT FLAT ALL YEAR LONG.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE GOOD RESERVES AS YOU MOVE INTO THAT KINDA LEAN TIME OF THE YEAR BEFORE TAXES START ROLLING IN IN THE FALL.
UM, AS FAR AS FUTURE PRONOUNCEMENTS, AGAIN, WE IMPLEMENTED 87 THIS YEAR.
THE ONE THAT I THINK IS VERY SIGNIFICANT FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS IS GONNA BE NUMBER 96.
THAT HAS TO DO WITH SUBSCRIPTION BASED IT ARRANGEMENTS OR S THIS IS GONNA REQUIRE YOU TO CAPITALIZE ESSENTIALLY AND RECORD ON YOUR BOOKS ANY LONG TERM ARRANGEMENTS YOU HAVE AS FAR AS LICENSING.
AND THE REASON I FEEL LIKE THAT IMPACTS SCHOOL DISTRICTS SIGNIFICANTLY IS I THINK ABOUT ALL THE LICENSES THAT YOU HAVE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY.
AND SO IT'S GONNA REQUIRE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN YOUR IT AND INSTRUCTIONAL TEAM, AS WELL AS YOUR FINANCE TEAM TO KIND OF GET YOUR ARMS AROUND ALL THE DIFFERENT ARRANGEMENTS THAT YOU HAVE SO THAT YOU CAN PROPERLY REPORT THEM.
IN THE PAST, YOU WERE JUST ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, WE'RE SIGNING A THREE YEAR DEAL.
WE'RE GONNA PAY THIS AS WE GO.
UM, GSB HAS SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY PROVIDE, YOU'RE REALLY OBLIGATING YOURSELF LONG TERM.
SO THEY WANT YOU TO REFLECT THAT IN YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
UM, I DON'T THINK THESE NEXT TWO WILL IMPACT YOU ALL SIGNIFICANTLY, BUT I DID WANNA MENTION THEM OR AT LEAST INCLUDE THEM IN THE PRESENTATION.
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UM, COMPENSATED ABSENCES, DEPENDING ON HOW Y'ALL DO SOME OF YOUR, UM, SICK LEAVE, THIS ONE MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO YOU ALL.WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO POTENTIALLY PICK UP SOME OF YOUR LEAD THAT MAYBE IN THE PAST DIDN'T CONSIDER TO BE VESTED, BUT, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON IN YEARS FORWARD.
CUZ WE HAVE TILL 2025, BUT JUST THAT'S A NEW ONE THAT JUST CAME OUT.
SO WE DID WANT TO LIKE, PUT IT ON YOUR RADAR FOR THE FUTURE.
AND THESE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT GABY'S WORKING ON TO JUST, UM, BRING US ALL KIND OF LOVE AND JOY IN THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON.
THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT OR IMPACT YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT MIGHT CHANGE THE PRESENTATION.
SO WE JUST KINDA LIKE TO PUT THESE IN HERE, LET YOU KNOW THESE COULD BE SOME THINGS THAT COULD BE CHANGING IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THE LAST THING I'LL MENTION QUICKLY IS ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF MANAGING, CUZ AS WE DO OFFER FREE CONTINUING, UM, EDUCATION, WE DO THAT ONCE A QUARTER ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS.
SOMETIMES THOSE ARE TECHNICAL DEBIT AND CREDIT TYPE TOPICS AND SOMETIMES IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING LIKE CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS OR HUMAN RESOURCE TYPE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER.
SO I THINK MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE FOR THOSE IN THE PAST.
AND WE INVITE ANYONE ELSE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING.
THERE'S SOME CONTACT INFORMATION THERE ON THIS SLIDE IF YOU SHOULD FEEL THE NEED TO BE, UM, OR YOU WANNA BE INVOLVED IN THESE IN THE FUTURE.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE LAST SLIDE THAT I HAVE.
AGAIN, I JUST WANNA CONGRATULATE MANAGEMENT AND THE BOARD ON, UM, HAVING A GREAT AUDIT.
I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY.
YOU WANNA ADD THE GROSS? UM, I HAVE A FEW POINTS ON O OPERATIONAL EXPECTATION IF I MIGHT GO THROUGH THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS END, WE CAN OPEN IT UP.
UM, JUST IN, IN, UH, RESPONSE TO THE BOARD'S OPERATIONAL EXPECTATION.
I DO SPLIT OE SIX INTO TWO PARTS.
HAS REALLY THE FIRST EIGHT, UH, EXPECTATIONS ARE THE AUDIT AND THE LAST HALF IS BUDGET.
SO I REALLY, I SORT OF SPLIT THAT IN HALF FOR AND REPORT ON THE BUDGET IN THE SPRING.
UH, ACTUALLY IT'S THE DEBT ADMINISTRATION, I'M SORRY.
UM, AND THAT IS REPORTED OUT IN MARCH.
SO, UH, AGAIN, UM, THE, WE'VE GOT, I'M VERY EXCITED, UH, AND I WANNA CONGRATULATE THE TEAM.
THERE ARE A LOT OF EFFORT, THERE'S A LOT OF EFFORT PUT INTO THIS AUDIT.
HUNDREDS OF, UM, POINTS OF INFORMATION THAT ARE PROVIDED TO THE AUDITORS AND THEN FOLLOW UPS, SAMPLES OF SAMPLE SIZES WITHIN THOSE.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT THIS YEAR.
UM, AND IT IS OUR 21ST CONSECUTIVE YEAR WITH NO AUDIT FINDINGS.
UH, WE ARE, WE FINISHED OUR LAST YEAR WITH OUR 32ND CONSECUTIVE YEAR WITH THE G F O A CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE AWARD.
SO, UH, WE'RE PLAN ON, UM, IT, UH, IT APPLYING FOR THAT AGAIN, THIS THIS COMING YEAR WITH THIS REPORT.
UM, AGAIN, SHE, UM, HOPE WENT OVER THE, THE FUND BALANCE CHANGES, UM, ATTRIBUTED MOSTLY TO THE REVENUES.
UM, WE DID COME A LITTLE UNDER BUDGET ABOUT $400,000 ON EXPENDITURE SIDE, BUT WE DID SEE EXPERIENCE, UM, ADDITIONAL REVENUES IN LOCAL TAXES.
AND SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR PRIMARILY THE INCREASE IN FUND BALANCE.
UM, AND THIS, UH, OPERATIONAL EXPECTATION REQUIRES US TO PROCURE, UM, TO, UH, ADHERE TO THE PROCUREMENT CODE BY MONITORING, UM, UH, THE MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, WHICH WE PROVIDED TO YOU TWICE A YEAR AS REQUIRED.
AND THEN THE QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORTS FOUR TIMES DURING THE YEAR AS WELL.
AND ALSO, UH, VARIOUS TRANSPARENCY REPORTS INCLUDING, UM, THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS REPORT, THE QUARTERLY FINANCIAL AND BUDGET PRESENTATIONS.
AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE OUT ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT NOTE.
AND, UH, THAT WE ARE, UM, WE HAVE PROVIDED THIS EVIDENCE AS COMPLIANCE WITH OE 61 8.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBER MR. CAMPBELL? UH, NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY.
W DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, SIR.
UM, FIRSTLY, I WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO TANYA AND HER TEAM.
UM, THIS IS A GREAT REPORT AND YOU GUYS CONSISTENTLY, UM, HAVE GREAT REVIEWS AND AUDITS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE Y'ALL.
I KNOW IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER.
UM, MY MAIN QUESTION, UH, OR MY MAIN QUESTION IS IN REGARD TO THAT, I THINK IT'S CALLED GABY STATEMENT NUMBER 96 AND A FEW
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OF THE OTHERS.UM, IS THAT GOING TO CHANGE WHAT OUR BUDGET PRESENTATIONS KIND OF LOOK LIKE? AND MY APOLOGIES IF THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED BEFORE, UM, BUT I KNOW THAT TO, TO THE POINT MADE EARLIER, A LOT OF OUR SUBSCRIPTION BASED, UM, INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS HAVE, YOU KNOW, THREE YEAR OR MORE, UM, CONTRACTS.
SO IS THAT GONNA CHANGE KIND OF HOW WE WE LOOK AT THINGS OR HOW WE HAVE OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS? DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT? WELL, I'LL, I'LL START AND THEN SEE IF HOPE WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT.
BUT, UM, THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT WE WILL PROBABLY LOOK CLOSER AT THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTIONS AT A TIME, UM, TO AVOID THE HAVING TO, UH, ACCRUE A LIABILITY FOR, UH, LONG TERM SUBSCRIPTIONS OF THIS NATURE.
SO WE WILL BE LOOKING AT, UM, POSSIBLY DOING THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY TO REDUCE THE WORKLOAD OF THE CALCULATIONS THAT ARE GONNA BE NEEDED FOR THIS.
UM, UM, SO THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
AS FAR AS THE IMPACT ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, I THINK IT'S, UH, I'M, I'M NOT SURE CERTAIN AT THIS TIME EXACTLY WHAT THAT WILL REQUIRE, BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT THERE WOULD BE, UH, A LIABILITY INVOLVED, UM, INVOLVED.
SO WE WOULD HAVE SOME, UM, RECLASSIFICATION ENTRIES THAT YEAR END BASED ON A LARGE CALCULATION OF ALL OF THE SOFTWARE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO UNDERGO, UH, A PROCESS WHERE WE CAPTURE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND IT'S GOING TO CREATE SOME OR CAUSE SOME EFFORT ON OUR PART, UM, REQUIRES AN EFFORT ON OUR PART TO BE ABLE TO COMPILE ALL OF THAT.
UM, HOPE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? UM, TANYA'S RIGHT, YOU CAN STRUCTURE YOUR AGREEMENTS ON A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS THAT, THAT, I HATE TO USE THE VERB VOID, BUT, UM, IT, IT, IT ALLOWS YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE IN HOW YOU REPORT THIS INFORMATION.
UM, ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER IS DEPENDING ON, IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU BUDGET THIS INFORMATION.
MAYBE YOU BUDGETED OTHER INSTRUCTION OR SUPPORT SERVICES, BUT FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING PURPOSES, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE TO, UM, REPORT SIMILAR TO YOU DO AS YOU DO ON YOUR DEBT AS A, IT WOULD BE A DEBT SERVICE TO REDUCE THAT LONG TERM LIABILITY.
UM, AND THEN THAT WOULD JUST DEPEND ON IF YOU PRESENTED THAT AS A, UM, FINANCIAL STATEMENT ONLY PRESENTATION, OR IF YOU ACTUALLY DID IT AS PART OF YOUR BUDGET PROCESS.
SO THAT WOULD BE AN INTERNAL DISCUSSION DECISION.
IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE SOMETHING THAT, UM, WOULD, WOULD BE SOMETHING FOR THAT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
AND SORRY, JUST AS A FOLLOW UP TO, TO THAT CONVERSATION, UM, TANYA, WHENEVER YOU GUYS DO START TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND YOU START TO HAVE SOME TANGIBLE STUFF, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE CAN PUT SOME EYES ON IT AND THEN JOIN IN THAT CONVERSATION JUST SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND.
CAUSE I, I DO THINK THAT IT'S RELATIVELY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DOLLARS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE, THAT TECHNOLOGY.
UM, AND THEN I JUST HAD ONE MORE SMALL QUESTION IF I CAN.
COLONEL GEIER, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
UM, THERE WAS A, JUST A DESCRIPTION AREA IN THE REPORT THAT TALKED ABOUT STUDENT POPULATION.
UM, IT'S NOT ON THIS SLIDESHOW, BUT IT'S IN THE ACTUAL AUDIT DOCUMENT, THE LONGER ONE.
UM, AND IT SAID THAT THE STUDENT POPULATION HAD NOT REACHED PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS.
AND I HAD THOUGHT, AND SOME OTHER CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'D HAD WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WE WERE TOLD THAT IT, IT HAD, UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO GET CLARIFICATION FOR MY OWN KNOWLEDGE, SO I'M NOT GOING AROUND TELLING PEOPLE THE WRONG THING.
UM, DID ANYBODY ELSE NOTICE THAT? UM, I DID REVIEW, I THINK YOU PROBABLY ARE REFERRING TO THE MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS IN THE FRONT PAGES OF THE, UM, FINANCIAL REPORT.
AND OUR STAFF ON IN FINANCE, UM, PROVIDES THAT NARRATIVE AND CREATES THAT NARRATIVE.
UH, WE HAVE NOT, UH, WE LOST ABOUT 1200 STUDENTS, UM, INITIALLY DURING THE FIRST YEAR, FIRST FULL YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND WE HAVE NOT RECOVERED THAT AMOUNT.
IN FACT, UM, IT MAY HAVE RECOVERED A COUPLE OF HUNDRED STUDENTS, I WANNA SAY MAYBE 45, THE NET FIRST YEAR, MAYBE 90 THE NEXT.
AND I'M NOT CERTAIN, UH, OF WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY.
BUT I WOULD SAY, UM, WE HAVE NOT FULLY RECOVERED THAT, UM, BASED, I HAVE SEEN, WE HAVE NOT RECOVERED THE 1200 STUDENTS.
THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN JUST BEEN MY MISUNDERSTANDING.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION.
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THANK, THANK YOU.BRAZ, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT QUESTION? UH, YES.
JUST TO, UH, THANK YOU, UH, CHAIRMAN GEIER, A FEW COMMENTS.
WNS SAID, CONGRATULATIONS TO, I WOULD SAY DR.
UH, TONYA CROSBY, THE FINANCE STAFF, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, IS ANOTHER GREAT REPORT.
UM, AND WE DEFINITELY NEED THIS, UH, AS A PRESS RELEASE.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, SOME PEOPLE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE, ARE NOT AWARE OF, OF THESE CON, YOU KNOW, 21 CONSECUTIVE NO FINDING AUDITS THAT IS, IS, UH, UH, FABULOUS.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE AND I DON'T KNOW WHICH NUMBER IT WAS THAT HAD THE, THE GRAPH THAT SHOWED THE DIP DOWN IN 2019? I THINK IT WAS THE, MAYBE JUST BEFORE THAT ONE.
SO THE CHANGE IN THE FUND BALANCE AND, UM, COLONEL GEIER, I, I BELIEVE YOU KNOW, OUR HERE, THE, UM, THE FUND BALANCE WAS LOW IN 2019 BECAUSE THAT WAS ONCE AGAIN A CORRECT A YEAR OF REASSESSMENT.
AND SO REVENUE, UH, WAS NOWHERE NEAR WHAT, UH, WAS PREDICTED.
I THINK IT WAS, YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, 9 MILLION LESS OR WHATEVER IT IS.
AND THEN, UM, IN 2020, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BIG JUMP IN, IN THE FUND BALANCE BECAUSE THERE WAS HUGE COST SAVINGS TO HAVING, UH, REMOTE LEARNING, UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE PAN, THE FIRST, UH, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE PANDEMIC, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN THE SPRING OF 2020.
SO I JUST THOUGHT THOSE COMMENTS ARE, ARE, UH, TO ADD THOSE COMMENTS FOR THE, FOR THE PUBLIC.
IT WAS NOT JUST A PANDEMIC THING.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT, DICK? YEAH, THE REASSESSMENT YEAR, UH, THEY, THEY UNDERESTIMATED THE REVENUES, UH, BASED ON THE MILLAGE, UH, REDUCTION THAT THEY ANTICIPATED, UH, AS A RESULT OF REASSESSMENT.
THEY, THEY OBVIOUSLY THOUGHT THAT THE REASSESSED VALUE, THE VALUE OF THE MILL WAS GOING TO BE HIGHER THAN IT ACTUALLY WAS.
AND, UH, UNFORTUNATELY THEY DID NOT TAKE OUR RECOMMENDATION WHAT THE VALUE OF THE MILL SHOULD BE.
UH, BUT THEY TOOK THE AUDITOR'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE WILDLY INCORRECT.
UM, THANK, THANK YOU FOR, UH, THAT, UH, FURTHER INFORMATION AND CLARIFICATION AND, AND HOPE.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR, UH, AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I HAVE JUST ONE COMMENT AND, AND THAT IS TO ASK MS. CROSBY, HAVE WE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE FREE, UH, CLIENT CPE OFFERED BY THE FIRM? CAN YOU GIMME AN IDEA OF, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE LAST YEAR, HOW MUCH SO WE HAVE USED THAT? UM, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, UM, MR. MURPHY, IT DOES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT AND I TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT WHEN MY SCHEDULE ALLOWS.
UM, UH, LORI LOCK BEHIND ME, SHE TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THAT AS WELL.
WE, WE, I WANNA MAKE SURE, AND IT'S OFFERED A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR.
SO WE, WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IS OFFERED, IS OFTEN AS OUR SCHEDULE WILL ALLOW A STUDENT.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH HOPE AND, UH, PLEASURE DOING BUSINESS WITH YOU.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, NEXT YEAR.
ANYTHING ELSE NEED A, A MOTION TO RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD APPROVE OE 6.1 THROUGH OE 6.8 FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION? DO I HEAR A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, THE BOARD OE SIX SIX EIGHTING REPORT.
ARE WE PLACING IT ON CONSENT AGENDA? NO, IT HAS, HAS TO GO ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE THEY'LL NEED TO, I EXPECT THAT THIS BRIEFING WILL BE GIVEN.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE MONTHLY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUDGET.
UM, WE HAVE THE PRESENTED BUDGET, UH, AS OF DECEMBER 1ST, 2022.
[00:30:04]
NOT, UM, MUCH TO NOTE, UM, EVERYTHING AS I EXPECTED, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, UM, RELATIVELY HIGH LEVEL SENDING IN THE AUDITED SERVICES AND WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TO COME IN THE SPRING WORK AND ANY FINAL BILLS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH.UM, AND THIS JUST REPRESENTS ABOUT FIVE MONTHS OF, UH, BUT THOSE, SOME OF THOSE SUCH AS LEGAL BILLS DO FLAG BEHIND.
WELL, I SAW NOTHING IN THERE THAT WAS OUT OF TOLERANCE THERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE BOARD BUDGET? NO, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
SO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, THE, THE SER UPDATE.
UH, SO THIS EVENING WE ARE PRESENTING, UH, THE ER EXPENDITURES, UH, AND THE PRODUCTS THROUGH NOVEMBER 22ND, 2022.
I HAVE DENISE MATSON HERE, UH, WITH US IN THE ROOM, AND IF I GET HARD QUESTIONS, I'LL BE REFERRING HER
SO WE ARE ABOUT 50% THROUGH OUR TOTAL ESER EXPENDITURES AT THIS POINT.
UM, SR ONE AS A REMINDER IS A HUNDRED PERCENT EXPENDED.
UM, THE SR TWO GRANT IS NOW AT 53% EXPENDED.
UM, BY THE END OF THE WEEK, WE WILL BE AT CLOSER TO, I THINK 80% EXPENDED BECAUSE OF THE $2,000 RETENTION AND RECRUITING BONUS THAT WILL BE PAID OUT THIS FRIDAY.
UM, SO AND SO THAT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE THIS REPORT.
SO THREE GRANT, UM, AND, AND SR TWO BY THE WAY, UH, IS, UH, EXPIRES ON, UH, SEPTEMBER, 2023.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT 12 MONTHS REMAINING THERE, OR NINE MONTHS REMAINING.
UH, AND THEN SR THREE IS 44% EXPENDED WITH A LITTLE UNDER 24 MONTHS EX, UH, REMAINING IN THAT GRANT AS WELL.
SO WE'RE ON TRACK WITH THE PROJECTIONS THAT WE'RE SEEING DO HAVE, UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THAT REMAINING BALANCE DECLINING, AND WE'RE WATCHING THAT VERY CLOSELY.
UM, AND THEN WE PROVIDED THE MAJOR EXPENDITURES IN CATEGORIES, UM, WITH LEARNING LOSS BEING THE PRIMARY CATEGORY OF 32 MILLION BUDGET, UM, UM, WITH ABOUT HALF 50% EXPENDED IN THERE WITH REMAINING FUNDS AVAILABLE TO, UH, CONTINUE OUR ONGOING PROGRAMS SUCH AS AFTER SCHOOL AND TUTORING AND SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND SUMMER INSTITUTE AS WELL.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
I WAS JUST WONDERING, UM, I KNOW I'M, I HAD ASKED, UH, EARLIER AT I THINK THE LAST S OR UPDATE, IS THERE ANY WAY TO GET, UM, SOME TYPE OF ABBREVIATED VERSION OF WHAT THE LEARNING LOSS ACTIVITY TYPE INCLUDES JUST SINCE THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE LARGEST AREA OF ALLOCATED DOLLARS AND EXPENDITURES.
UM, IS THERE LIKE A, A CATCH ALL OR A ONE SLIDE? CAUSE I DID POST THIS, UM, THE FIRST PAGE OF THE PRESENTATION, UM, ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA JUST SO PEOPLE COULD SEE IT AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING IT OUT THERE AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF I COULD ADD THAT TO THE STUFF THAT I'M PUTTING OUT OR IF THERE WAS A WAY TO GET, GET A LIST OF THAT.
YES, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT AND, UM, WE CAN SEND SOMETHING OUT VIA EMAIL TO THE COMMITTEE AND, UM, PROVIDE SOMETHING THAT GIVES A LITTLE BREAKDOWN THAT A SUMMARY BREAKDOWN AND BY BUDGETED CATEGORIES.
I UNDERSTAND THE POST COURIER WANTED, WANTED SOME INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, HOW WE WERE ABLE TO SPEND THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
DID YOU LIKE YES, THAT A LITTLE BIT.
I MENTION MEANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
LAST MEETING, UM, MS. MATSON AND I WERE BOTH INTERVIEWED BY A REPORTER WITH A POST IN COURIER, UM, BECAUSE SHE HAD DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT BEAUFORT WAS SPENDING MORE ON THE LEARNING LOSS CATEGORY, UH, AS A PERCENTAGE, UH, OF THEIR TOTAL, UM, THEIR TOTAL ALLOCATION THAN OTHER DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE.
[00:35:01]
SHE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING DIFFERENTLY.SO THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE POINTED OUT.
UM, AND I'M NOT SURE IF I REMEMBER ALL THREE.
I THINK THERE WERE THREE OF THEM.
UH, ONE OF THEM WAS CHILD FIND.
SO WE EXPANDED OUR CHILD FIND TEAM, WHICH IS A, A TEAM OF PTS, OT, PSYCHOLOGISTS, SPECIAL ED TEACHERS, AND OTHER, UM, OTHER TEACHERS THAT, UM, SCREEN, UH, VERY YOUNG STUDENTS, UH, I WOULD SAY 3, 4, 3 YEARS OLD.
THOSE THAT WOULD BE POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS, A 4K PROGRAM IN OUR DISTRICT.
AND SO WE TYPICALLY HAVE ONE TEAM.
WE EXPANDED THAT TO A SECOND TEAM.
SO THAT'S A GROUP OF INDIVIDUAL HIGHLY, UM, SKILLED INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD IDENTIFY ANY, UM, ITEMS THAT WOULD, ANY, UM, TRAITS THAT WOULD BE, UH, PUT THE STUDENT AT A HIGHER RISK THAN A NORMAL STUDENT, UM, THAN A THAN ANOTHER STUDENT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE A PRESCHOOL BUS THAT WAS ABLE TO, WE WERE ABLE TO FUND, UH, A PART-TIME STAFF MEMBER THAT WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE BUS OUT IN THE COMMUNITIES MORE FREQUENTLY THAN WE HAVE TYPICALLY DONE.
SO THAT IS SORT OF ONE AREA THAT IS, UM, THAT WE'RE EXPANDING.
THE SECOND IS OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WITH AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, WAS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN OTHERS PLACES ACROSS THE STATE.
UH, WE'RE SEEING GREAT BENEFITS AND, AND THEN IN MULTI MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
SOME OF THEM ARE CHURCHES, UH, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS AND, AND A WHOLE ARRAY OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
AND IS THERE A THIRD, OR, OR THE FIRST TWO REALLY, I THINK THE PRESCHOOL BUS AND THE, UH, CHILD FINE TEAM WERE THE WERE TWO AND THE ACER SCHOOL WAS THE THIRD.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING.
UM, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SUMMER INSTITUTE, THE BIG PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WE DO IN THE SUMMER, THAT'S REALLY KEY AS WELL.
I'M NOT CERTAIN HOW, UH, OTHER DISTRICTS DO THAT, UM, DO A MASS, UM, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR STAFF MEMBERS DURING THE SUMMER.
BUT THAT IS A, SOMETHING THAT WE, WE'VE DONE YEARS AGO AND THEN WE, UM, REVITALIZED IT AND, AND WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE THESE FUNDS TO DO THAT.
AGAIN, THIS PAST SUMMER, AT LAST, UH, WEEK, WE HAD A ECUMENICAL LUNCHEON.
AND AT THAT LUNCHEON, UH, IT WAS BRIEFED TO US BY I S D THE TESTING RESULTS OF THOSE CHILDREN THAT WERE PARTICIPATING IN THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM.
AND THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT AND TESTING RESULTS.
NOW WE HAVE METRICS TO SHOW HOW EFFECTIVE THOSE PROGRAMS ARE IN READING AND WRITING.
AND BIG DIFFERENCE IS THAT NOW WE ARE ABLE TO GO TO THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE A, UH, A TEACHER, A CERTIFIED TEACHER TO COME IN AND GET A, A PAYCHECK.
IF NOT, IT'S NOT, UH, VOLUNTEER WORK.
IT'S A PAYCHECK TO COME IN AND TEACH THESE CHILDREN.
AND HAVING VISITED TWO OF THOSE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, IT'S ABSOLUTELY DOING A WONDERFUL JOB.
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN EXPAND IT EVEN MORE AND CONTINUE IT AFTER ESSER FUNDS DRY UP, BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY ARE SEEING PROGRESS AS A RESULT OF THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS ON THE SER FUNDING? HEARING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
OE, WE DO NEED A, UH, WE DON'T NEED A, ANYTHING FOR THIS.
MOVING ON TO THE, UH, OE 18 MONITORING REPORT, UH, SCHOOL FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES INVITE, JOE, GUYS WHITE, UM, AND CAITLIN, WHICH ARE BOTH TO COME UP AND, UM, HELP US OUT WITH THIS PRESENTATION.
SO JOE IS, WELL I NOT CLEAR OF YOUR TITLE.
UH, I'LL LET THEM INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO START BY GIVING A PRESENTATION OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF FOOD, FOOD AND NUTRITION.
AND THEN I WILL, AS WE DID WITH THE AUDIT, COME BEHIND THEM AND FINISH, UM, KIND OF SUMMARIZE SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS BOARD AND, UM, AND THEN WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
[00:40:01]
TURN IT OVER TO JOE.UM, SO LIKE YOU SAID, MY NAME IS JOE GE WHITE.
I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR, UH, THE NUTRITION GROUP IN THE SCHOOL DIVISION IN THE SOUTH.
I AM HERE IN BEAUFORT AS THE GENERAL MANAGER, AND I'LL BE HERE FOR THE REST OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR IN THAT ROLE, OR HOWEVER LONG AS NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UP AND RUNNING AND, AND THINGS ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
CAITLYN WHITE IS HERE ASSISTING ME, AND I'M GONNA LET HER, UH, GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE THE REST OF THE TEAM BRIEFLY AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON.
UM, I'M ONE OF THE OPERATION MANAGERS, UM, WITH NUTRITION GROUP.
I'VE BEEN WITH NUTRITION GROUP FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW.
SO, UM, I'LL START OFF WITH THE TWO LADIES THAT WE RETAINED WHO WERE HERE, UM, IN YEARS PREVIOUS.
UM, ROBERTA EDWARDS, SHE'S ONE OF OUR OPERATIONS MANAGERS.
UM, PATRICIA WELLS, SHE'S OUR, ONE OF OUR OPERATION MANAGERS AS WELL.
UM, OUR FOURTH OPERATION MANAGER IS KATE PETROSKI.
UM, SHE HAS WORKED FOR NUTRITION GROUP FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS NOW, AND SHE, UM, CAME DOWN HERE FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
UM, WE ALSO JUST INCREASED OUR OPERATIONS TEAM BY THREE.
WE HIRED THREE MORE, UM, OPERATION MANAGERS TO JOIN OUR TEAM.
UM, HER NAME'S OUR ANDREA, CHRIS AND WALTER.
UM, IT WAS VERY RECENT, WHICH IS WHY THEIR PICTURES AREN'T UP THERE, BUT I'M SURE YOU'LL SEE THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE HAYDEN, YEAH, HAYDEN GUY WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR OF HR AND TANYA, WHO'S OUR DISTRICT DIETICIAN.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED JULY ONE AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH THE, THE PREVIOUS STAFF AND, AND WITH BEAUFORD COUNTY.
THE LADIES HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL.
UM, NOT JUST THE HOURLY STAFF, BUT ALL THE BUILDINGS.
UM, WE'RE HAVING A GREAT TIME WORKING WITH THE STAFF AND, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
SO, SO PART OF WHAT WE BECAME TO THE DISTRICT AND TALKED ABOUT IT IN OUR PRESENTATION WAS A VARIETY OF FOOD OPTIONS CHANGES.
UM, ANYTIME, WHENEVER YOU, YOU START A NEW VENTURE, UH, YOU JUST CAN'T CHANGE THE WORLD OVERNIGHT.
AND IT'S BEEN A PROCESS AND WE'RE SLOWLY GETTING THERE.
AND THAT WAS THE INCREASE IN THE MANAGEMENT TEAM NOW IS TO, TO REALLY HONE THAT FOCUS IN ON MORE, UH, UH, A GREATER FOCUS ON, ON FEWER BUILDINGS FOR EACH OF THE MANAGERS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, THE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN OFFERING, UM, WITH A FOCUS ON, ON WELLNESS, UM, OFFERING MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO THE STUDENTS.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A PROCESS.
WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO WAVE THAT MAGIC WAND AND BEEN ABLE TO, TO MAKE IT HAPPEN IN ALL THE BUILDINGS, BUT, UH, BE THERE BY THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT EVENTS, UM, WITH THE STUDENTS AND JUST INTERACTING WITH, WITH, UH, WITH ALL THE STUDENTS FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL TO THE ELEMENTARY GRADES.
THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S WHAT DREW ME TO THE NUTRITION GROUP AND THE SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE.
AND WHY I'VE BEEN IN IT FOR OVER 20 SOME YEARS NOW, IS JUST THAT REACTION AND BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE KIDS AND, AND HAVE SOME GRATIFICATION KNOWING THAT, THAT WE'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
AND, AND SOME OF THESE STUDENTS MIGHT BE THE ONLY MEAL THAT THEY RECEIVE, UH, FOR THE DAY AND, AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT A GOOD, UH, ENVIRONMENT AND A HEALTHY, HEALTHY MEAL FOR THEM.
WE HA HAVE HAD A FOCUS ON TRAINING WITH THESE ARE, THIS IS A TRAINING, UH, FOR THE HOURLY KITCHEN MANAGERS WHERE WE HAD OUR CORPORATE CHEFS COME DOWN FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
IT WAS AN ALL DAY TRAINING, UM, REALLY WORKED WITH THEM FROM A LITTLE BIT OF CLASSROOM, THEY HANDS ON.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WISH WE COULD HAVE DONE THIS EARLIER.
UH, THE, THE REACTION THAT WE GOT FROM ALL THE HOURLY STAFF WAS, WAS PRICELESS AND, AND ABLE TO SEE THE RESULTS OF, OF THAT TRAINING EVEN FURTHER.
I'M GONNA LET YOU TAKE THIS SLIDE.
I'M GONNA TALK, UM, BRIEFLY ABOUT OUR SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER WITH NUTRITION GROUP.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE ONES THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, ONE OF THE ONES YOU'LL SEE MOST POPULAR IS WELLNESS WEDNESDAY, WHICH GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, KITCHENS MAKE LIKE A NICE SALAD, ONE OF OUR WELLNESS, UM, WELLNESS, WELLNESS WEDNESDAY RECIPES, UM, AND SAMPLE IT TO THE KIDS.
THEY CAN COME UP AND TRY JUST A LITTLE SAMPLE OF THE SALAD AND THEN THEY'LL SEE IT, UM, ON THE SERVING LINE LATER ON DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.
THEY GET A STICKER, THEY GET VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
SO, UM, IT'S JUST A GOOD WAY FOR US TO INTERACT WITH THE KIDS.
UM, ANOTHER ONE, AS YOU SEE IN THE MIDDLE, IS FOOD FUSION.
UM, THAT ONE, OUR CORPORATE CHEFS
[00:45:01]
ACTUALLY CAME DOWN IN OCTOBER, WAS IT OCTOBER, UM, AND DID THIS AS AN ACTION STATION FOR ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.SO THEY GOT TO SEE, UM, THE PROCESS OF THE SANDWICHES BEING MADE.
THEY WERE COOKED OUT IN THE CAFETERIA AND THE KIDS GOT TO TRY SOMETHING NEW.
SO FOOD FUSION IS, UM, A WAY TO BRING TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF FOODS TOGETHER.
SO THIS ONE'S SPAGHETTI BOWL AND GRILLED CHEESE MIXED TOGETHER.
SO IT WAS SPAGHETTI ESE, GRILLED CHEESE.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO OFFER A COUPLE MORE OF THOSE OPTIONS THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S GOOD.
UM, AND THEN GOING FORWARD, WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHER ONES.
SO WE HAVE, UM, A PROGRAM CALLED TASTY BITES WHERE WE GET TO TRY SOMETHING FUN THAT'S SOMETHING, UM, THAT STUDENTS CAN PURCHASE, UM, DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AT LUNCH.
AND IT'S STUFF LIKE A SPRINGTIME SANDWICH COOKIE OR, UM, A, UM, RICE CRISPY TREAT.
SO JUST FUN THINGS FOR THE KIDS TO GET DURING SCHOOL.
SO AS FAR AS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND, AND I DON'T EVEN WANNA LOOK AT 'EM AS CHALLENGES, THEY'RE JUST, UH, OBSTACLES THAT WE'RE GONNA MAKE THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR TRANSITION PLAN, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH TANYA AND WITH SHEILA BURTZ ON THAT.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE NOW WITH INCREASING THE MANAGEMENT TEAM.
WE'RE, WE'RE ROLLING RIGHT ALONG, UH, STAFFING.
UM, I HATE THAT THAT'S EVEN UP THERE BECAUSE I, I THINK OUT OF ALL THE STAFFING THAT WAS HERE PRIOR, WE HAD, WE RETAINED 105 SODEXO OLD SEDEXO EMPLOYEES SINCE JULY ONE, WE'VE HAD 155 INTERVIEWS AND WE'VE HIRED 102.
WE CURRENTLY ARE RUNNING RIGHT AROUND A 70.37% RETENTION RATE.
SO WE'RE ROUGHLY ABOUT 18 POSITIONS UNDERSTAFFED.
WE HAVE INCREASED THE STARTING WAGES, WE HAVE INCREASED THE TIME FOR THE STAFF, AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THOSE, UH, BENEFITS PAYOFFS.
UM, AS FAR AS THE REINTRODUCING, THE N S L P, THE GUIDELINES, UM, ALL THE WAIVERS FROM COVID ARE GONE.
WE'RE NO LONGER SERVING COVID MENTALS.
UM, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND IT, IT PUTS YOU AT A LITTLE BIT OF A DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A FEW YEARS OF ALL THE STUDENTS EATING FREE AND, AND YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT.
HOWEVER, THE, THE GUIDANCE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ISN'T THERE.
SO WE'RE BACK TO PAID FREE AND REDUCED STATUS.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING CONSTANTLY WITH THE STUDENTS AND TRYING TO GET COMMUNICATION OUT TO THE PARENTS.
THEY UNDERSTAND, UH, THAT WE ARE BACK TO PAID FREE.
AND AS FAR AS SUPPLY CHAIN, I'D LOVE TO SAY THAT THAT IS NOT AN ISSUE EITHER.
BUT WE ARE, I THINK, DOING VERY WELL WITH WORKING WITH WHAT WE HAVE AND WE'RE ABLE TO STILL GET PRODUCTS IN AND STILL BE ABLE TO SERVE THE STUDENTS.
UM, MENUS HAVE CHANGED SOMETIMES BECAUSE OF IT, BUT WE, WE TRY TO LET THAT.
OKAY, ROBIN, YOU CAN JUST HOLD IT RIGHT THERE.
AND I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT AND THEN COME ASK YOU TO SCROLL TO THE NEXT SLIDE WHEN I GET TO THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT SECTION.
SO, IN RESPONSE TO THE OPERATIONAL EXPECTATION, UM, JUST WANTED, AND I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE LET IN WITH THIS, BUT, UM, AFTER 22 YEARS WITH OUR PREVIOUS VENDOR, WE TRANSITIONED.
SO IT WAS A PRETTY SCARY TIME FOR US IN, IN THE, AND, UM, AND REALLY BECAUSE OF THE UNKNOWN, NONE OF US HAD EXPERIENCED A TRANSITION OF THIS MAGNITUDE, UH, IN, IN THE FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, THE FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT ACCOUNTING AND BUREAUCRATIC, UH, REPORTING, UH, FUND OF ANY OF THE OTHER FUNDS THAT WE HAVE.
IT MAY NOT BE AS LARGE AS A GENERAL FUND, BUT IT HAS 10 TIMES MORE REQUIREMENTS, UM, AND, AND RULES AND CONSTANT TRAINING THAT'S NEEDED FROM AN ACCOUNTING PERSPECTIVE, NOT, NOT, NOT, UM, NOT ONLY THE OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF THINGS.
SO IT IS A COMPLICATED THING AND, UM, BUT WE, I THINK WE DO A GREAT JOB MANAGING THAT.
UM, SO WE ARE REQUIRED IS ONE OF THE ONLY RFPS, UH, I THINK THE ONLY RFP THAT I AM AWARE OF THAT WE MUST, UH, GO OUT BID EVERY FIVE YEARS.
UM, AND, AND SO THAT WAS THE PROCESS.
WE DID GET A COUPLE OF COVID WAIVERS, UH, FOR A FEW YEARS AND, UM, BUT WE BEGAN IN JULY 1ST, 2022.
AND I'M HAVE TO SAY THAT I'M VERY, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A DIFFICULT, UM, TO, TO MAKE THAT CHANGE BECAUSE OF THE UNKNOWN, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE COMPANY THAT WE'VE GONE WITH.
[00:50:01]
VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT I'VE SEEN AND THE TRANSITION AND THE WORK THAT TG AND THEIR GROUP HAVE DONE AND THE DECISIONS THEY MADE AND, AND VERY PLEASED ABOUT THAT.UM, SO WE DID REMAIN WITH 11 CCEP P SCHOOLS, THE COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY SCHOOLS, WHERE ALL STUDENTS AT THOSE SCHOOLS EAT FREE REGARDLESS OF MEAL STATUS.
AND WE DID RAISE OUR, UH, FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH COUNT THIS PAST YEAR IN 2022 WAS 56%, AND IT WAS UP FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR OF 51.6%.
UM, SO IT'S IMPORTANT EVERY YEAR THAT THE BOARD IS AWARE OF WHETHER THERE'S A, WE RECOMMEND A MEAL PRICE CHANGE WE HAVE, UH, OTHER THAN RETURNING TO, WE RETURN TO FULL AND, AND REDUCED PAY STATUS, UM, FOR STUDENTS ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM.
UM, SO WE RETURNED TO PRE COVID, UM, MEAL PRICES.
THE LAST TIME WE HAD A MEAL PRICE INCREASE WAS 20 17 20 18.
SO ANY OF THOSE INCREASES WOULD HAVE TO COME TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL IF FOR ANY REASON WE NEEDED TO INCREASE THAT PRICING, UH, FORWARD.
SO WE WOULD DO THAT IF THAT WAS REQUIRED.
UM, THE MENUS ARE, UH, REPORTED ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WEBSITE.
WE'RE VERY IN TUNE WITH MAKING SURE THEY'RE THERE AVAILABLE FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO MAKE DECISIONS.
AND ALSO, UM, THE, UH, THE NUTRITION GROUP HAS A GREAT APP CALLED NUTRI SLICE, WHICH WE'VE BEEN HEAVILY PRO PROMOTING.
I HAVE DOWNLOADED ON MY PHONE JUST, I HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, BUT I CAN ANYTIME GO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE MEALS FOR THAT DAY AT ANY SCHOOL THAT I SELECT.
UH, AND, AND ANY STUDENT COULD DO, DOWNLOAD THAT ON THEIR PHONES AS WELL, AND BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEING FED, UH, SERVED IN THEIR CAFETERIAS EACH DAY.
UM, SO, AND NUTRITION, IT DOES HAVE NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION, UM, THAT IS SOMETIMES VERY, UM, IMPORTANT FOR THOSE THAT MAY HAVE ALLERGY FOOD ALLERGIES AS WELL.
UM, SO WE HAVE SOME HIGHLIGHTS AS FAR AS THE REVENUES.
WE HAVE SEEN A DRASTIC INCREASE IN REVENUE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS DURING THE COVID PERIOD, WE WERE PAID UNDER, NOT THE NATIONAL LUNCH PROGRAM.
WE WERE PAID UNDER THE SEAMLESS SUMMER FEEDING PROGRAM.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, IT'S HARD TO KEEP UP, BUT THAT ONE PAID AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE THAN THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM WOULD PAY.
AND SO WE EXPERIENCED MUCH HIGHER REVENUES, UM, AND THE EXPENDITURES STAYED BASICALLY THE SAME.
UM, SO THAT AS A RESULT OF THAT, YOU'RE GONNA SEE INCREASES IN OUR FUND BALANCE AND THOSE BY STATE LAW MUST BE REINVESTED BACK IN INTO THE FOOD PROGRAM FOR THE BENEFIT OF STUDENTS.
SO WE HAD A 2 MILLION, UH, AND CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM, UH, WHERE WE INVEST HAD A SERIES OF ITEMS WHICH WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON, UH, SOME OF WHICH BECAUSE OF, UM, UH, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, BUT OTHERS, IF, IF, UH, WE, I BROUGHT A COUPLE OF SLIDES TODAY TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE RESULTS BEFORE WE GO INTO THAT CAPITAL INVESTMENT.
LET'S SEE IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS ON, ON THE ACTUAL MEALS AND SO ON.
NOW, MR. CAMPBELL, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? NO, UM, THE ONLY THING I WILL TO SAY, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY COMPLAINTS.
SO FROM THE STUDENTS OR THE PARENTS, I THINK THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.
WIKI, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UM, I HAVE A QUESTION AND A COMMENT.
SO MY, MY COMMENT THAT Y'ALL WILL PROBABLY GET A KICK OUTTA IS I HAVE THREE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND, UM, THEY BE ME NOT TO THEIR LUNCHES, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, IT'S JUST BECAUSE THEY PREFER TO BUY THE SCHOOL.
UM, JUST THAT I'D ADD THAT LITTLE ANECDOTAL PIECE.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, UM, IN REGARD TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BEING DONE, UM, TANYA, I DUNNO IF YOU HAVE OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL SITES THAT HAVE OUTDOOR EATING SPACES THAT ARE COVERED.
I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ADDED SOME SHADE STRUCTURES TO THE OUTDOOR EATING SPACES.
I WAS JUST WONDERING, DO ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE IT AND OR AT LEAST ARE THEY IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THEM? UH, I DUNNO THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT, UH, I HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH FREDDIE LAWTON IN THE FACILITIES OFFICE AND INDICATED THAT I WANTED, UH, EACH SCHOOL TO HAVE AN OUTDOOR DINING SPACE.
UH, AND SO WE HAVE ADDED ABOUT 5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 THIS PAST YEAR AND FUNDED, UH, I BELIEVE THERE'S A SEVENTH ONE IN THE WORKS.
[00:55:01]
AND, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF EVERY SCHOOL HAS AN A SPACE THAT'S, UM, ELIGIBLE FOR THAT, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY PARTNER BACK WITH THEM.I CAN CIRCLE BACK WITH, UM, MR. LAWTON AND SEE WHAT THE STATUS OF THE REMAINING SCHOOLS IS.
I KNOW THAT SOME SCHOOLS WERE ALREADY HAD SHADE STRUCTURES, UM, THAT WERE FUNDED THROUGH OUTSIDE DONATIONS OR INTERNAL FUNDRAISING, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
SO, UM, THERE ARE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THEM BESIDES THE ONES WE'VE ADDED.
UM, SOME OF THEM ARE, SOME SHADE STRUCTURES ARE FOR PLAYGROUNDS, SO THEY WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE DINING AREAS, BUT IT IS OUR MISSION TO ADD AS MANY OF THOSE AS WE CAN AFFORD WITH DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, AND NOW THAT WE HAVE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, UM, THIS, THIS PAST YEAR WE, WE INCREASED ANOTHER, UH, A LITTLE OVER 3 MILLION THIS YEAR.
SO WE HAVE YET TO BUILD THE, UH, PLAN FOR THAT EXCESS OPERATING BALANCE, BUT WE WILL CERTAINLY INCORPORATE FOR THE SCHOOLS INTO THAT BUDGET.
I JUST, I THINK IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO REINVEST THAT MONEY AND I KNOW THAT WE'LL EVENTUALLY BE HEARING FROM SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE IT.
YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T WE, SO JUST WANTED TO SEE WHERE WE WERE AND I APPRECIATE, UM, EVERYBODY'S HARD WORK IN THE FOOD SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
DR, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? NO.
UM, I HAD, UH, LUNCH WITH BROAD RIVER ELEMENTARY, HAN ELEMENTARY, EVERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL AND ROBERT SMALLS.
AND I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND ROBERT SMALLS WERE SERVING EXACTLY WHAT HITS THAT AGE ONE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S GREAT.
UH, AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, THE ONLY COMPLAINT I'VE GOTTEN IS A PORTION SIZE.
AND WHEN I DRILLED DOWN INTO IT A LITTLE BIT, UH, WAS PIZZA.
AND THEY SAID, WE ONLY GET TWO SLICES OF PIZZA AND WE'RE GROWING MEN AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND I SAID, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE SALAD BAR? OH, WELL SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE OTHER OPTIONS IF YOU'RE HUNGRY, EACH SALAD'S PROBABLY BETTER FOR YOU ANYWAY.
BUT THERE'S ONE ITEM THAT I ASK ABOUT THAT I'D LIKE YOU TO LOOK INTO.
UH, I AT BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, I SAID, HAVE YOU HAD ANY CONTACT WITH THE CHEF AND THE CULINARY ARTS THERE AT BATTERY CREEK? WE, WE HAVE A CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM, BATTERY CREEK, AND AT HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, AND I KNOW WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T PLAY AROUND WITH MONEY AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND IT HAS TO BE SEPARATE, BUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW LARGE SCALE MEAL PROGRAM SHOULD NOT BE LOST.
YOU AND THE CHEF, YOUR CHEF AND THE CHEF AT THE, UH, CULINARY ARTS AT BOTH OF THOSE SCHOOLS DO TALK AND SEE WHERE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, SOME EXPERIENTIAL WORK.
NOW COULD YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE? YES.
I'LL END IT ON BISCUITS EVEN BETTER NOTE, UM, A COP.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS A PICTURE OF JUST THREE.
I COULDN'T FIT MORE THAN THAT ON THE SLIDE, BUT WE HAVE, WELL, BRANCH MIDDLE, BEAUFORT MIDDLE AND MAY HIGH SCHOOL.
WELL, BRANCH MIDDLE HAD ALREADY HAD A PAID AREA.
IT WAS A RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE CAFETERIA.
UM, SO WE HAD, THAT WAS THE FIRST INSTALLATION THAT WE HAD.
UM, AND THEN MAYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL HAS SUCH, UH, OVERCROWDING IN THEIR SCHOOL THAT THEY REALLY NEEDED AN ADDITIONAL SPACE TO HAVE STUDENTS BE, UM, GIVE THEM MORE ROOM TO SPREAD OUT IN, IN THEIR DINING EXPERIENCE.
WE MADE SURE TO POSITION IT IN AN AREA THAT WOULD NOT, IF THERE WAS AN EXPANSION OF THE CAFETERIA EVER OR ANY OTHER PART OF THE BUILDING, IT WOULD NOT AFFECT THAT.
SO WE MADE PUT IT THERE VERY STRATEGICALLY, UM, OUT IN THE COURTYARD OR OR BEYOND THE END OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE CAFETERIA IS.
AND THEN BEAUFORT MIDDLE HAS A COURTYARD WITH A GREAT SPACE.
UM, AND SO I TASKED MR. LAWTON WITH, UH, FINDING THE, THE BEST PLACES THAT ALREADY HAVE A PERFECT SPOT AND WOULD REQUIRE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO GET THE MOST DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEY HAVE TO BE DINING, HAVE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR DINING, AND THEY HAVE TO BE SOMEWHAT CLOSE TO THE CAFETERIA.
SO THESE ARE BEAUTIFUL SHADE STRUCTURES.
THEY'VE GOT SCHOOL COLORS AND INCORPORATED IN
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THEM.UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO THESE AND ABOUT, UM, TWO OTHERS, WE DID SOME ADDITIONAL UMBRELLAS AT PORT ROYAL IN ADDITION TO THE, THE ONES THEY ALREADY HAD IN THEIR LITTLE COURTYARD THERE OFF THE CAFETERIA.
AND SO WE'RE CONTINUOUSLY ADDING ONTO THOSE.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SITE TO SEE, UH, AND COLORFUL AND THINK THE KIDS, UM, ENJOY IT.
SO, UM, SO THAT IS, UH, SOMETHING WE ARE WORKING ON.
THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, I DIDN'T GET ALL THE PICTURES I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR, BUT I DID WANNA MENTION THE WELLNESS AWARD.
UH, THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN M U SSC BOEING AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THEY GIVE EVERY SCHOOL THAT CHECKS OFF A LIST OF CERTAIN, UM, WELLNESS ACTIVITIES THAT THEY PERFORM A THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH YEAR, THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND THE SCHOOL, UM, THAT IS DOING SOMETHING UNIQUE THAT OTHERS AREN'T QUITE DOING, UM, AND IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A, A GRAND PRIZE OF $2,000.
AND FORT ROYAL WON THAT AWARD THIS YEAR.
AND WHEN I ATTENDED THAT MEETING, WE HAD STUDENTS OUTSIDE UNDER THE UMBRELLAS THAT WE PURCHASED EATING THE FRUIT TESTING, UM, TASTE TESTING, FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THAT WERE PURCHASED THROUGH THE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLE GRANT THAT'S ALSO IN THE FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM.
SO WE INCORPORATED IT ALL TOGETHER.
IT WAS NURSES, PE TEACHERS THERE IN THE PICTURE THAT ARE HEAD, UH, SPEARHEADING THAT, AS WELL AS THE PRINCIPAL AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND OUR M U USC AND BOEING, UM, PARTNERS AS WELL.
SO, UH, SO THAT WAS, I PUT THAT ON INVESTMENTS CUZ IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN, IT'S NOT ONLY STAFF WELLNESS, BUT IT'S STUDENT WELLNESS AS WELL.
UM, THEN WE PURCHASED WRAPS FOR ALL OF OUR FOOD SERVICE VANS AND THE MAIN PURPOSE WAS TO ADVERTISE HIRING OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THESE ARE BRIGHT, COLORFUL VANS, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S COMING, YOU KNOW WHO IT BELONGS TO AND THEY STICK OUT.
UM, SO THEY, THEY'RE MOVING BILLBOARDS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND THEY'RE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR HIRING OPPORTUNITIES FOR US.
UM, AND JUST RECENTLY, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WE HAD DELIVERED A REFRIGERATED BOX TRUCK.
THIS IS A VERY LARGE VEHICLE, IT IS REFRIGERATION.
IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET HERE BECAUSE OF THE REFRIGERATION.
UH, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE ON BACK ORDER LIKE H VCS WE'RE HAVING.
WE WERE HAVING, WE HAVE A MUCH SMALLER BOX TRUCK THAT IS IN THE SHOP MORE THAN IT IS OUT OF THE SHOP.
SO IT IS VERY, IT WAS NECESSARY THAT WE BUY SOMETHING THAT WAS, UH, ABLE TO SAFELY TRANSPORT COLD, UH, FOOD, UM, ACROSS THE COUNTY.
IF A FREEZER GOES DOWN OR A COOLER GOES DOWN, WE NEED TO MOVE THAT OR ANY OTHER PURPOSE, UH, THAT'S NEEDED AS WELL.
SO THOSE WERE SOME INVESTMENTS THAT WE MADE WITH THE FUNDS.
THERE'S, UH, LOTS OF KITCHEN EQUIPMENT THAT'S BEING UPDATED AND MAYBE WE CAN BRING THAT BACK TO YOU NEXT TIME AS WE CONTINUE WITH THE PROGRAM OF, OF, UH, REFRESHING ALL, UH, DOING REALLY THREE YEARS IN ONE IS WHAT WE'RE WORKING TO GET STRIVING TO DO.
AND I THINK THE BULK OF THAT WILL BE IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER OF THIS KIND OF YEAR BE ABLE TO, UM, BIG EXTEND THOSE FUNDS.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENCE PRESENTATION, A APPROVAL OF SCHOOL AND NUTRITION SERVICES.
DO I HEAR MOTION CHAIRMAN? I'LL SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF OE 18 SCHOOL FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AND THIS, THIS BRIEFING WILL BE PRESENTED AT OUR NEXT, UM, BOARD MEETING.
IS THAT NOT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SIR, I PROVIDED THE FINANCIAL SERVICES ALONG WITH, UM, AS REQUESTED BY MR. SMITH.
HE WANTED TO SEE SOME DETAIL ABOUT THE FOOD SERVICE AREA AND THE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AREA THAT ALSO FALL UNDER ME.
UM, SO I PROVIDED THOSE TWO IN THE FAR RIGHT HAND SIDE.
UM, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THOSE, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT IT THIS EVENING.
AND THE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES IS GOING TO COME UNDER ITS OWN DIRECTOR, IS THAT NOT CORRECT? UM, I THINK THAT IS, UH, AT DR.
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NOT CERTAIN OF WHAT THOSE FINAL DECISIONS ARE AT THIS POINT.UM, MR. SHAHAN IS ACTIVELY ATTENDING, REGULARLY ATTENDING OUR SENIOR STAFF MEETING QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
THE ONLY THING YOU KNOW, THIS WAS MENTIONED DURING THE, UH, AUDIT REPORT.
WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF THE GASBY THINGS COMING UP, I I THINK THAT THERE'S GONNA PROBABLY HAVE TO BE ANOTHER POSITION IF WE HAVE TO TRY TO, UH, ESPECIALLY ON THE LONG TERM LEASES.
IF WE CAN'T DO YEARLY CONTRACTS, THAT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF WORK.
ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE TOPICS? I JUST HAD THE, THE THING THAT I MENTIONED, UM, FROM THE AUDIT ABOUT THE, UM, INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES, CONTRACTS, SUBSCRIPTION BASED THING.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS CALLED, BUT TANYA COULD PROBABLY PUT IN BETTER WORDS THAN I CAN.
I LOOK UP THE GSB, I THINK IT'S GSB 96, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UM, REPORTING FOR SOFTWARE LEASES.
I'LL, I'LL WORK WITH ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
ANY OTHER? NOPE, I DON'T HAVE ANY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS IF YOU'D WANT TO BRING IN FUTURE, UM, PARENTS WHO REPORTED THE MONTHLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS REPORT? WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET TO THE TIME CONSTRAINT THIS TIME, BUT WE WILL CERTAINLY BRING THAT BACK, UM, NEXT MONTH AND REPORT BOTH.
UM, ALSO THE TEACHERS SALARIES YOU MENTIONED.
UH, WE HAVE THAT PARTIALLY READY, SO WE'LL BRING THAT BACK TO OUR NEXT MEETING, UM, PROCESS FOR PURCHASING BOOKS AND FURNISHINGS FROM AMAZON.
UH, THESE ARE ALL IN EMAIL I SENT ROBIN.
I HAVE NO ES OR SCHEDULED REPORTS OTHER THAN THOSE, AND OUR NEXT, UH, FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE WHEN? JANUARY SOMETHING, SHOULD BE THE SECOND THURSDAY IN JANUARY.
BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GONNA BE IF NEW COMMITTEES ARE SET AND ELECTIONS IS THE FIRST, UM, TUESDAY.
SO NORMALLY YOU ALL WOULD NOT NECESSARILY MEET BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE NEW COMMITTEES AND ALL OF THAT.
SO THAT'S THE, IS THERE, I DON'T, DO YOU NEED TO MEET IN JANUARY? I MEAN, YOU COULD PROBABLY MEET IN JANUARY, BUT I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE THE SECOND THURSDAY IN JANUARY.
YEAH, I, I THINK, UH, THERE'S NO OBJECTION.
I THINK WE'LL GO AHEAD AND SCHEDULE IT FOR THE SECOND THURSDAY IN FEBRUARY, THE NEXT MEETING.
ANY OBJECTION? NO, NO, NO, SIR.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? GO MOVE.