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ALRIGHT, LET'S CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
THIS IS THE ORDER OF, UH, MEETING OF THE BUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION FINANCE COMMITTEE ON OCTOBER 18TH, 2024 AT 1:30 PM THIS MEETING IS CONDUCTED IN THE DISTRICT EDUCATION SERVICES CENTER, CONFERENCE ROOM E AS WELL AS, UH, ON ZOOM.
AND THE MEETING WILL BE LIVE STREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY, WE COULD TELL YOU HOW TO GET THERE, BUT IT'S ALREADY TOO LATE.
UM, DID WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO, SIR.
SO WE'LL GO RIGHT INTO THE AGENDA.
AND IT'S FIRST WITH A BUDGET OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLAY ALLEGIANCE TO THE PLANET OF THE UNITED STATES AND THREE OF REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER UNDERGONE INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
NEXT ITEM IS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
YOU HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? NOT HERE.
SO ELIZABETH HAS TO BE THE ONE.
MS. MS. HAY, WOULD YOU, UH, MAKE A MOTION? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM.
CAN YOU HEAR US OKAY? SO, YES, I HAD SAID SO MOVED.
ALL, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
MS. HAY, HOW WOULD YOU VOTE? A IYE? OKAY.
UM, MR. CAMPBELL JUST STEPPED OUT.
UM, NEXT ITEM IS A, A APPROVAL OF THE SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2024 COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES.
AND, UH, NO, WE, WE ALREADY COVERED.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS, SO WE'LL GO WITH THE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2024 COMMITTEE MEETING.
ANY DISCUSSION? YOU HEARING? NONE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
SO LET'S GO RIGHT INTO THE BOARD EDU BUDGET AND THE BOARD BUDGET, WE'LL PUT IT UP ON THE SCREEN.
EXPECT TO BE AT 25% EXPENDED IN OUR SALARIES.
ADMINISTRATIONS WE'RE AT 22%, SO WE'RE UNDER BUDGET, UH, NOT HAVING, UH, RACHEL KY, UH, ON SERVING IT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE A LITTLE BELOW BUDGET.
THE ALL THE OTHER ITEMS, UH, WE ARE AT 5% FOR LOCAL TRAVEL, 13% FOR STATE TRAVEL, 20% FOR OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL.
AND 8.4% FOR, UH, MEETING STIPENDS TOTAL, WE ARE AT 21.56%, SO WE SEEM TO BE WELL UNDER BUDGET.
IS THERE ANY COMMENTS, MS. HAY? NO, NONE FROM ME.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE TRANSPARENCY REPORTS FOR JUNE AND AUGUST.
AND I'VE REALLY APPRECIATE GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO TWO MONTHS
UM, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN JUST DO ONE MONTH AT A TIME.
UH, THE JUNE TRANSPARENCY REPORT, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL, I'LL START OFF, UH, AND THEN ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS.
IS THAT OKAY, MS. HAY? YES, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
UH, PAGE EIGHT TO TRANSPARENCY REPORT ITEM 4 35.
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AND THE QUESTION IS HENRY SCHEIN, S-C-H-E-I-N INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPLIES HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS. AND IT'S A BILL, UH, FOR $2,404 AND 20 CENTS OF THE GENERAL FUND.AND NOW I'VE BEEN DOING THIS NOW FOR MANY YEARS.
I HAVEN'T SEEN MR. SHINE'S NAME BEFORE.
UH, WHO THE HECK IS HE AND WHAT, WHAT IS HE SELLING? ANYBODY KNOW? HENRY SHEEN IS A, UH, STATE VENDOR, STATE CONTRACT VENDOR.
UH, WE PURCHASED VARIOUS ITEMS FROM, UH, SCIENCE, HEALTH, HEALTH SCIENCES.
NEXT, NEXT ITEM IS ON PAGE 10 AND 11.
AND IT'S SO SOLAND, S-O-L-I-A-N-T HEALTHCARE.
AND IT'S FOR ORTHOPEDIC, THE HANDICAPPED HEARING, HANDICAPPED, EMOTIONALLY HANDICAPPED LEARNING DISABILITY, SPED, AUTISM, ALL OF THIS WITH THIS GENTLEMAN HERE.
AND MY QUESTION IS, I UNDER, I'M NOT QUESTIONING THE NEED FOR IT.
MY QUESTION IS THE BIDDING IS A BIDDING PROCESS FOR THAT.
IS THAT BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE A SINGLE VENDOR SEEMS TO DOMINATE OUR, UM, SPED SUPPORT PROGRAM AND I'M WONDERING IF WE HAVE A COMPETITIVE BID OR IF HE'S THE ONLY BIDDER OR, AND WHEN, IF WE HAVE A SINGLE SOURCE, IS IT BEEN, UH, PROPERLY TAKEN CARE OF? DO YOU KNOW? WE HAVE STATE VENDORS THAT WE USE WITH FEDERAL FUNDING, WHICH HAS THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENT FOR COMPETITIVE BIDDING.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE EXEMPTIONS, BUT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENT SERVICES ARE EXEMPT UNDER OUR PROCUREMENT CODE.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE COMPETITIVELY BID.
AND
WE'VE NEEDED DEFENSIVE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED.
UH, I'VE SEEN 'EM BEFORE, BUT I, I REALLY SAW ALL THE DIFFERENT ENTRIES AND I WAS STRUCK BY IT AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK ABOUT IT.
NEXT ITEM IS PAGE 17, ENABLE MY CHILD LTD CONTRACT SERVICES FOR SPED STAFF.
ANOTHER NAME OF SPED SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
ENABLE MY CHILD IS THE HELLO HERO PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE.
AH, THAT IS THEIR DBA THAT THEY GO UNDER THAT'S OFFICIALLY THEIR SYSTEM.
I NOW, NOW I, NOW I RECOGNIZE I DIDN'T YES.
UH, IS THAT A ANNUAL CONTRACT? THE, UH, THE SPED CONTRACT IS, IS WE HAVE A SEPARATE CONTRACT FOR SPED SERVICES AND ANOTHER CONTRACT THAT WAS COMPETITIVELY BID FOR RFP FOR STAFF AND STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
ONE IS, UH, EXEMPTED FOR STUDENT SERVICES UNDER OUR GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN THE OTHER WAS COMPETITIVELY BID BECAUSE WE USE FEDERAL FOR THAT.
UM, NEXT ITEM, I THINK IT'S ON THE SAME ITEM HERE.
I THINK IT'S ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, AND MY QUESTION TO, TO MS. CROSBY IS FURNITURE, YOU KNOW, WE USE CAPITAL FUNDS FOR THAT, BUT YET I SEE FURNITURE EVERY NOW AND THEN BEING PURCHASED.
WHAT KIND OF GUIDANCE, UH, DOES THE DIS HAVE YOU GIVEN TO THE DISTRICT ABOUT USING OPERATIONAL FUNDS OR I'D CALL IT DURABLE GOOD PURCHASE? MM-HMM.
UM, SO IF, IF FUNDING HASN'T BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR, SAY THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WE MIGHT BUDGET SOME A LITTLE BIT, ANY, OUR BUDGET ANNUALLY FOR A REFRESH OF A NEW, WHATEVER THE NEEDS ARE.
AND WE USE GO DIRECTLY TO NEW IDEA FOR THOSE SERVICES.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE, AND WE DO SOMETHING SIMILAR.
WE HAVE CERTAIN STANDARD VENDORS THAT WE WILL ALLOW, UM, FOR PURCHASES THAT ARE OFF OF THE NORMAL CYCLE.
AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE, WE REFER THEM SPECIFIC VENDOR
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AND, UM, THAT THEY MAY USE.AND THEY'RE TYPICALLY ON STATE CONTRACTS.
I, I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED IN DURABLE GOODS VERSUS EXPENDABLE GOODS.
WE BUY PAPER AND WE USE PAPER.
SO I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE MIX AND MATCH THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IT WILLFULLY.
AND SOMETIMES YOU, SOMEBODY'S CHAIR BREAKS, YOU GOTTA GET UP WITH A CHAIR.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT POINT UP.
AND WE KIND OF GO ON THE, UM, CONSUMABLE GOODS TYPE THING.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN 8% OUR REFERENDUM FUNDS RIGHT.
WE DON'T BUY CONSUMABLE GOODS.
ANYTHING THAT HAS A VALUE, A LIFE OF LESS THAN A YEAR MM-HMM.
UM, WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE IN SORT OF IN A GENERAL FUND, GENERAL OPERATING FUND.
UM, BUT FURNITURE DOES TYPICALLY FALL IN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THREE TO FIVE YEARS OR SOMETHING TO THAT.
AND, UH, RONALD KEITH KAISER AUTO MAINTENANCE, I, I'VE BEEN USED TO SEEING, UH, MAINTENANCE BE DONE BY DEALERS AND, AND OTHERS.
AND I WAS WONDERING IF, IF HE HAS, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE HE'S NOT A BROTHER-IN-LAW.
THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE I BELIEVE IF MY MEMORY IS BLA I'M GONNA VERIFY FOR YOU RIGHT HERE.
UM, AND I HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK AND PULL IT UP.
UH, HE WAS A SPECIALIST TO WORK ON SOME OF OUR BIGGER BODY VEHICLES THAT WE NEEDED AND CAME TO THE SITE FOR ITEMS THAT COULD NOT BE REMOVED OR THE TOWING EXPENSE WAS TOO MUCH AND KEPT HIM UNDER CONTRACT FOR THAT.
BUT I WILL VERIFY THE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW FOR THAT.
I'M JUST, JUST, LIKE I SAY, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL IN THAT WE DON'T, UH, GET INTO THE BROTHER-IN-LAW KIND OF THINGS WE, WE THINK BE CAUSES TROUBLE FOR US.
PAGE 46 6 AND ASSOCIATES PROFESSIONAL, THAT'S, UH, ITEM 27 50 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
UH, I'VE GOT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS IN DISTRICT OFFICE TOTAL OF ABOUT 14 OVER 15,000, UH, FOR THIS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND QUESTION IS, WHO IS THIS GUY? ACTUALLY, IT'S A COMPANY, UM, THAT CAME OUT AND PROVIDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OKAY.
FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION THAT WAS PAID FOR OUR A TSI.
IT'S PART OF THE PLAN, UM, OF TRYING TO IMPROVE.
AND CAN YOU TELL ME WHO, WHO IT WAS, WHAT, UH, PART OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE THAT ASKED FOR ANY SPECIAL SPECIAL ED? MM-HMM.
PAGE 53 ITEMS NUMBER 3 31 14 TO 31 33 CHARGING CARTS.
AM I GLAD TO SEE YOU HERE? YES, SIR.
CHARGING CARTS POWER TECHNOLOGIES.
I WAS WONDER, IS THAT A GOLF CART OR WHAT DO WE DO? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
THAT IS FOR THE REFRESH OF OUR K THROUGH ONE IPADS.
UM, SINCE THE IPADS STAY IN THE CLASSROOM FOR OUR YOUNGEST KIDS, WE PUT A CART FOR LOCKABLE CART IN THERE THAT CHARGES CART OVERNIGHT AND IT KEEPS IT SAFE.
I, I WAS WONDERING WHAT THAT WAS.
UH, BUT I SEE IT'S SOME STUDENT ACTIVITY.
IS IT BECAUSE IT'S FUNDED STUDENT ACTIVITY? IS THAT THE MONEY THAT OR PROTECT FEE MONEY? YES.
THAT'S A BUNCH OF REPAIR TICKETS
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AND MOST OF THEM ARE $416 AND 23 CENTS.WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION BEFORE AND MS. INGRID, UH, BOATRIGHT BRINGS IT UP.
UM, IT DOES SEE THAT, I UNDERSTAND THESE ARE REPLACING THE SCREENS, IS THAT YES, THEY'RE USUALLY REPLACING SCREENS.
UM, AND THOSE ARE THE SECOND SCREEN REPLACEMENTS.
SO THESE ARE HARDENED DEVICES NOW.
THEY'RE NOT LIKE A TOUGH BOOK.
AND YOU WOULD SEE A POLICE OFFICER CARRY YEAH.
BECAUSE THAT WOULD ALMOST DOUBLE THE PRICE OF THE DEVICE.
UM, SO WE GET AS MUCH SECURITY AS WE CAN AND DURABILITY OUT OF OUR PRODUCTS AND STILL TRYING TO MAINTAIN A BUDGET WITH, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, HAVE YOU DONE A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS? YOU SHOW THAT BY NOT HAVING TO SPEND $416 ON IT EVERY YEAR, THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAVE MONEY BY PAYING FOR A MORE EXPENSIVE HARDENED DEVICE.
HAVE YOU DONE THAT ON THAT KIND OF ANALYSIS? NO, SIR.
THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING THING TO DO BECAUSE KIDS ARE HARD AND HARD ON THEM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
ESPECIALLY OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS.
AND JUST A NOTE, PROBABLY JUST IN THE MONTH OF JUNE, WHICH IS A BIG MONTH, THIRTY SEVEN HUNDRED AND NINETY ONE INVOICES, NO DISPUTED CHARGES, NO INCIDENT OF THROTTLE.
I, I MET WITH, UH, MR. MICHAEL MOORE AND WHO COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, I GAVE HIM A COPY AND I SAID, IF YOU WANNA GET TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY SO YOU CAN PASS REFERENDUMS, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GO OVER THESE AT THIS LEVEL.
AND SAID, OUR DISTRICT SPENDS MORE THAN TWICE OF WHAT COUNTY COUNCIL SPENDS MUCH MORE THAN TWICE.
THIS IS A WAY OF SOMEBODY LOOKING AT IT TO ENSURE WE DON'T BUY 300 WEIGHTED BLANKETS OR AN $800 PLAYGROUND WITHOUT SOMEBODY KNOWING ABOUT IT.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S GONNA PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO THAT, BUT I, I SAY I GAVE HIM THIS.
NOW WHO DOES THIS? RATHER THAN ME DOING THIS EVERY MONTH AND GOING THROUGH THIS, DO YOU DO THIS EVERY MONTH? I PREPARE THE REPORT AND THEN I SEND IT TO OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS FOR REVIEW, WHO THEN SENDS IT TO TANYA, WHO THEN ENDS UP HERE.
AND PREVIOUSLY BEFORE THAT JENNIFER REVIEWED IT WENT THROUGH, BUT THEN WHEN WE HAD SOME RESTRUCTURING, SO YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF EYES ON THIS.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO THIS, YOU TAKE AWAY TEMPTATION.
I CAN, I CAN CHEAT A LITTLE BIT, BUY THIS.
YOU KNOW, NO ONE'S GONNA KNOW BECAUSE THERE'S 3,700 INVOICES AND NO ONE'S GOING TO CHECK.
BUT IF THEY KNOW SOMEONE'S GOING TO CHECK TEMPATION FALLS LOW.
WE ACTUALLY, UH, A YEAR AGO OR SO IMPLEMENTED A NEW PROCESS WHERE, UM, THE PROCUREMENT FOLKS, JENNIFER LEADING THAT AT THE TIME AND THEN SHIFTED TO KAYLEE, IMPLEMENTED A NEW PROCESS WHERE WE NOT ONLY ARE DO RE DOING REQUISITIONS FOR INVOICES, BUT NOW WE'RE DOING THEM FOR EVERY SINGLE PCARD TRANSACTION.
SO EVERY ONE OF THOSE TRANSACTIONS GOES THROUGH AN ELECTRONIC PROCESS PROCESSING UNITS AND HAS A LIST OF APPROVALS BASED ON THE FUNDING CODE, THE DEPARTMENT IT COMES FROM, AND WHAT THEY'RE BUYING.
AND SO IT'S REALLY SEEN AT LEAST TWICE.
AND THEN THE GROUP THAT SHE JUST MENTIONED LOOKS AT IT AGAIN FROM THIS REPORT PERSPECTIVE.
SO EVERY TRANSACTION IS LOOKED AT MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE PURCHASE AND, AND THEN IN THE MON MONITORING OF THE BUDGET AS WELL.
UH, LET'S, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, QUICK.
I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK HERE.
I'M SURE OVER YOU HOW YOU, HOW YOU, HOW YOU DOING? UM, I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE, IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY,
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UH, FROM A TECHNOLOGY PERSPECTIVE, UH, WE WENT OVER THE, THE SCREENS AND, UH, SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS WE DID ASK AND WHAT WE, WHAT WE CAME UP WITH WAS THAT SOME OF, SOME OF THESE WERE MAYBE TWICE, UH, THE KIDS BROKE THEIR SCREENS, UH, TWICE.BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT 'EM FROM, IN THE TERM OF A PIE, IT MAY HAVE SEEMED LIKE AS THOUGH IT'S A LARGE AMOUNT, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT IT FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF PIES IN A WHOLE DISTRICT, IT IS, IT WAS NOT, IT WAS, WAS NOT AS MUCH AS IT SEEMED TO BE.
UH, IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT, LOOKING AT IT THIS WAY VERSUS, I GUESS, I GUESS YOU SAID LOOKING AT IT FROM A SMALL, UH, STETHOSCOPE VERSUS A, A, A LARGE, A, A LARGE, A LARGER PIE, UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT I'VE SAID.
UH, SO I JUST WANNA PUT IT OUT THERE.
IT MAY SEEM AS THOUGH THERE'S A LARGE AMOUNT, BUT WHAT, WHAT WE'VE CAME UP WITH THAT WE BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD GAIN MORE, MORE BANG FOR OUR, FOR OUR BUCK AND THAT WE COULD APPRECIATE MR. UM, EXCUSE ME.
UH, UH, WE, WE CAN APPRECIATE THAT, THAT, THAT HIS, UH, ON HIS SKILLFULNESS AND, UH, BA BASICALLY, UH, IN TERMS OF HOW HE WAS PROTECTING THE DISTRICT'S MONEY IN TERMS OF WELL, WHAT PRODUCT HE WAS BRINGING.
SO I DID, I DIDN'T WANNA, I DO WANNA BRING THAT OUT 'CAUSE WE DID GRILL YOU A LOT
I WAS SAYING WE DID QUESTION A LOT AND, AND THAT, AND AS ROGER WHAT MRS. RIGHT.
SO I JUST WANTED PUT THAT OUT THERE.
SO, UH, IF PEOPLE COULD JUST TAKE A SECOND TO ALSO LOOK AT SOME A, A PILOT POINT OF VIEW AS WELL.
AND I WILL SAY ONE REASON WHY IT DOES LOOK SO LARGE IS THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THE KIDS, ONCE THEY GET THEIR FIRST FREE BREAKAGE, THEY HIDE THEIR BROKEN SCREENS UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN THEY TURN IT IN AT THE END OF MAY.
SO WE GET INUNDATED WITH A HUMONGOUS, UH, PILE OF DAMAGE DEVICES ALL AT ONCE.
UM, SO
TO GET 'EM READY FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
BUT WE THEN DO BILL THOSE PARENTS FOR THAT SECOND DAMAGE.
UH, UM, I, I THINK BOTH POINTS ARE VALID.
UH, COLONEL, YOU DID SOMETHING WHEN YOU WERE HEAD OF OPERATIONS WHERE YOU STARTED QUESTIONING THE CLOSEOUTS, WHICH WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON AND, AND SO YOU ARE QUESTIONING AND, AND THEN HAVING THE REST OF US SEE HOW YOU QUESTION IS INSTRUCTED.
AND AS THAT CASCADES DOWN THE, UH, HIERARCHY AS MRS. UH, CFO PRO BEEN OTHERS ARE DOING, AND THEN WHAT MR. SMITHS IS SAYING, IT COMES, COMES TOGETHER.
BUT WE DO NEED THAT TYPE OF QUESTIONING TO MAKE SURE GOD AND EVERYBODY KNOWS WE ARE LOOKING AND AND SO FORTH.
MR. CAMPBELL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING COMMENTS TO SAY ON THE, UH, JUNE TRANSPARENCY REPORT? UM, NO.
I HAVE A QUESTION AND I'LL SAY THAT FULL ON MY OPERATOR COMMITTEE.
UH, MS. HAY, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION OR COMMENTS ON THE JUNE TRANSPARENCY REPORT? NO, I DO NOT.
UH, MR. CARR OR DR. CARR? WELCOME.
A NEW COMPUTER AND NEW SYSTEM, SO IT TOOK ME A FEW MINUTES TO GET ALL SET UP, BUT GLAD TO BE WITH YOU.
UM, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO AUGUST.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 5 95, PAGE SEVEN.
THAT IS ACTIVITY, ACTIVITY 5 95 ACTIVITY BOOKS.
UH, AMPLIFY EDUCATION, PRIMARY CALLING, CALLING TON HEAD ISLAND.
AND, UH, AND LET, LET US JUST LET US KNOW, AGAIN, I'M NOT SAYING FRAUDULENT OR BAD OR ANYTHING.
I, I JUST, IT, IT CAUSES A LITTLE NOT CONCERNED, BUT QUESTION.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES IS ALL BEHIND IT AND WELL, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE AS WELL.
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JUST KIND OF UNUSUAL THAT WE HAVE, HAVE THAT.UH, NEXT ONE IS NUMBER 6 0 5 ARBITER PAY TRUST ACCOUNT.
WHAT IS THAT? YES,
I CAN PAY IS THE, UH, VENDOR THAT WE USE TO PAY ALL OF OUR, UH, REFER REFEREES YES.
AND SO, UH, THAT'S HOW WE HAVE TO PAY THEM THROUGH THE ARBITER PAY AND THEY BOOK THEIR, UM, GAIN FROM IT AND THEN ARE APPROVED BY THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND THEN THEY CAN RECEIVE PAYMENT THROUGH THAT SYSTEM.
UH, NEXT ONE IS, UH, ITEM 7 31.
THIS WAS, THIS WAS A GREAT THING TO ME.
UM, BEAUFORT, JASPER WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I GO THROUGH THESE, I LOOK AT THE TITLE, I LOOK AT, UH, WHAT IT'S BASED ON, AND THEN I, I LOOK AT THE, THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
AND WHEN I LOOKED AT IT, I SAW THAT THE DISTRICT OFFICE IN AUGUST HAD A BILL FROM, UH, BUFORD WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY FOR $825 81 CENTS, WHICH WAS WAY OUT THERE COMPARED TO OTHERS.
AND I JUST THOUGHT IT MIGHT, UH, REINFORCE SOME BELIEF BY OTHERS IN THE DISTRICT THAT THERE'S A LOT OF SEWAGE HERE.
BUT IT DOES, YOU KNOW, WHEN I, WHEN I SEE THAT, WHEN I GET, I GET THOSE BILLS TOO.
AND IT'S ALSO NOT BASED ON NUMBER OF TIMES YOU, UH, PROVIDE SEWAGE TREATMENT OPPORTUNITIES, BUT IT'S ALSO YOUR WATERING AND SO ON.
AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF GROUNDS HERE.
THERE IS NO SPRINKLER SYSTEM HERE.
THERE'S NO SPRINKLER SYSTEM HERE.
AND YET WHEN I LOOK AT THE BILLS COMPARED TO OTHER SMALLER OR NOT AS BIG FACILITIES, I'VE SEEN WHAT'S GOING ON.
DO WE GOT A WATER LEAK SOMEPLACE? SO THIS MIGHT NEED TO GO TO OPERATIONS TO ASK YOU.
THE BUDGET THERE, THERE WAS, THERE WAS, THERE WAS A, A BIG A FLOOD IN HR IN THE HALLWAY.
AND ROSS MAJOR, MR. ING'S OFFICE HAD A FLOOD RECENTLY AS WELL.
WAS BIG, BIG PIPE BY THE, WAS BY WATER.
THAT WAS IN AUGUST AND THAT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS THAT WAS IN AUGUST.
I WAS STANDING WATER ON THE FLOOR.
WELL, I JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT SOMEONE'S LOOKING AT IT.
OPERATIONAL RESPONDER VERY QUICKLY.
UH, MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL IS FOUR TIMES APPROXIMATELY THE WATER AND SEWAGE USE IN BEAUFORT HIGH OR BATTERY BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I KNOW BAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL IS A BIGGER HIGH SCHOOL, BUT IT'S NOT FOUR TIMES BIGGER.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING MAYBE OPERATIONS CAN TAKE A LOOK AT TOO, IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S KINDA WATER USE.
AND IT'S ITEM NUMBER 2141 MCDOUGALL LAW FIRM.
THIS IS BOARD OF EDUCATION AND IT'S $10,000.
I DON'T REMEMBER MCDOUGALL LAW FIRM.
DO YOU, DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE, WHAT THE BOARD PAID A, THE MCDOUGAL LAW FIRM.
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HAVE TO ASK BEEN A SETTLEMENT.I THINK IT'S A SETTLEMENT THERE.
SO IT'S A SETTLEMENT LITIGATION SETTLEMENT.
I SHOULD HAVE GONE TO THE, UH, YOU PERSONNEL MATTER.
NOTABLE INCORPORATED, NOT, NOT NOTABLE.
CAMI SWITCH LICENSE RENEWAL SOCIAL SOFTWARE, CANDY SOFTWARE.
IT'S BASICALLY A INTERACTIVE CLASSROOM SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO INTERACT IN A QUIZ BASED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
UM, IT, YEAH, I, WE'D HAVE TO TALK TO ISP ON OKAY.
WE SEND THAT THROUGH ACADEMICS.
YEAH, WE, WE SHOULD, I THINK THAT, SO THAT'S GOTTA BE LOOKED AT AT ACADEMICS.
UM, SO ON THE MONTH OF AUGUST, WE HAD 3,856 INVOICES, BUT WE HAD SIX FRAUDULENT DISPUTED CHARGES AS WELL.
COULD YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT ON THOSE SET OF DISPUTED CHARGES, PLEASE? THE DISPUTED CHARGES AT THE BOTTOM WERE, UM, WELL, THE CENGAGE LEARNING AND THE FRAUD DISPUTE IN THE C-R-O-C-A BUILDING.
UM, THEY WERE BOTH UNAUTHORIZED CHARGES AND BANK OF AMERICA SWIFTLY CAME IN AND WAS ABLE TO, UM, GIVE US REFUNDS FOR THOSE TRANSACTIONS.
AND THE CARDS WERE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY.
ANYTIME WE HAVE TRANSACTIONS, JUST AS SOMEBODY, UH, HACK INTO OUR, OUR ACCOUNT, YES, IT'S AN UN UNAUTHORIZED TRANSACTIONS FROM AN OUTSIDE ENTITY.
UM, BELIEVE NO INTERNAL FRAUD.
AND TELL ME ABOUT OUR SECURITY MEASURES TO TRY TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES REQUIRE THAT CAMPUS FINANCE SPECIALISTS CHECK THEIR AUTHORIZATION LOG IN BANK OF AMERICA EVERY MORNING WHEN THEY COME IN.
THAT ALLOWS THEM TO SEE THE ACTIVITY, UM, FOR THE PAST THREE DAYS ON THE CARD DOWN TO THE EXACT TIME THAT THE CARDS WAS USED.
UM, AND OVER THE WEEKENDS AS WELL.
WE HAVE A GLOBAL CARD ACCESS PROGRAM, UH, WHERE PRINCIPALS, UH, RECEIVE NOTIFICATIONS EVERY TIME THE CARD IS SWIPED AS WELL.
SO FROM THEIR PHONE, HAVE CONVENIENCE TO SAY WHETHER IT IS VALID OR IF IT'S INVALID, IF THEY DON'T RECOGNIZE, BECAUSE THE APPROVAL SHOULD HAVE CAME THROUGH THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UM, THE THIRD TIER IS THAT BANK OF AMERICA, THEY RECOGNIZE ANY ACTIVITY THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE IN LINE WITH OUR PURCHASING TREND THAT WE DO.
THEY, UM, EMAIL US, MYSELF AND ANOTHER PCARD ADMINISTRATOR TO LET US KNOW TO REPORT FRAUD, OR THEY'LL BLOCK, CONVENIENTLY BLOCK THE CARD.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO CALL BANK OF AMERICA RUN THROUGH A SECURITY PROCESS TO UNLOCK THE CARD OF REPORT WHETHER OR NOT ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS ARE PROPERLY.
I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT THE CARD IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE HELD OVERNIGHT OR TAKEN OVERNIGHT, HAS TO STAY IN SCHOOL AND IT IS KEPT BEHIND TWO LOCKED DOORS.
SO IT'S A LOCKED VAULT AND A LOCKED DOOR TO THE OFFICE, AND THEN MAYBE THE, IN THE LOCKED BUILDING AS WELL.
SO, UH, WE DO HAVE THAT SAFE BAR ELSE.
UM, WELL AGAIN, THANKS FOR THE PROBING.
ONE OF THE THINGS MAYBE THAT OPERATIONS CAN DO IS WE CAN SIT DOWN AND REVIEW ANYTHING THAT'S OPERATION TRIGGER MM-HMM,
SO WE'LL TRY TO HELP THAT AS GOOD.
SO THANK THANKS FOR HIGHLIGHTING.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS MR. CAMPBELL? ON THE AUGUST? NO.
MS. HAY, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AUGUST TRANSPARENCY REPORT? NO, SIR.
WELL, THE CONSOLIDATED REPORTS, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE THE OTHERS.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THOSE UNLESS YOU MANY PEOPLE, UH, HAVE, OR OTHER GUESTS HERE HAVE A QUESTION ON THE CONSOLIDATED REPORT.
BUT I, I REVIEWED THEM AND THEY ALL, THEY ALL LOOKED, UH, LIKE THEY COVERED EVERYTHING VERY WELL.
YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE SPENT A HUNDRED PERCENT, WE'VE ACTUALLY SUBMITTED CLAIMS THIS WEEK FOR FOLLOWING REIMBURSEMENT AND SUBMITTED OUR REPORTS AS WELL.
WE WILL HAVE ONE MORE REPORT BASED ON LAST YEAR'S EXPENDITURES AND STUDENT PROBABLY ACCESS CODING, BUT WE REALLY ARE CLOSED.
[00:35:01]
ON ON DOING THAT.WE DID NOT ADD ANY NEW ACTIVITIES.
WE JUST USED THE SAME ACTIVITIES.
ONE OF THOSE THINGS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SUMMARY YEAH.
HERE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU, WE TALKED ABOUT FURNITURE, RIGHT? SOME OF THOSE FURNITURE COSTS WERE APPROVED AND THERE WERE QUITE A BIT OF FUNDS IN THIS FOR, UM, FURNITURE.
AND FREDDIE LOUGHTON, UM, ACTUALLY HELPED LED THAT AND DID AN AMAZING JOB WHEN WE HAD SOME LEFTOVER, UM, TO EXPEND THAT.
UH, WELL, AND SO THOSE ARE THE AREAS FOR THE LAST MONTH OF SEPTEMBER AND THEY'RE FULLY EXPANDED.
AND ANY, WHAT PERSONNEL ACTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN? UM, PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN POSITIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FILLED NOW THAT THE, THE FUNDING IS OVER TO TOGETHER.
SO DECISIONS, THERE WERE 47 POSITIONS ORIGINALLY FULL-TIME POSITION IN THE ESSER FUNDS AND BACK THROUGH THE MONTHS OF DECEMBER OR JANUARY.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY A DECISION WAS MADE IN FEBRUARY BY A SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM, UH, OF WHAT TO, HOW TO SHIFT SUNSET, OR CONTINUE THOSE POSITIONS.
AND SO WE MADE DECISIONS ABOUT ALL OF 'EM.
I BELIEVE IT WAS A SEVEN OF THOSE WERE ADDED TO THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, OTHERS WERE ABSORBED INTO OTHER ROLES OF THE DISTRICT AND SOME POSITIONS WERE ELIMINATED AND THEY HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO MOVE INTO OTHER POSITIONS WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
SO NO ONE LOST A JOB, NO ONE LOST A JOB, NO ONE LOST A JOB.
UM, POSITIONS WERE SHIFTED HOWEVER, AND 47, WE WERE ABLE TO ABSORB AND, UH, MANAGE THAT WITHIN VACANCIES THAT WE HAD.
OTHER ROLES THAT WERE O BECAME OPEN AND THEN SOME, UH, THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND, UM, JUST IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WE'VE ADDED ONE ADDITIONAL POSITION DURING ESER.
AND WE HAPPENED TO HAVE A RETIREMENT RIGHT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, A FEW MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS ENDING.
AND SHE RECORDING IN PROGRESS MADE BEFORE, UH, RIGHT BEFORE MARCH 1ST.
AND SO THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IN, UH, FOR ANOTHER POSITION IF THERE'S WAS SUNSET.
MR. CAMPBELL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? NO, I DON'T.
MS. HAY, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I DO NOT.
ANY BOARD MEMBERS? ANY ISSUES? I'M SIR.
UH, SHE, SHE ANSWERED MY, MY MAIN COURT.
UM, AND, AND IN, IN TERMS OF FURNITURE, UM, HOW ARE WE, HOW ARE WE MARKETING THAT, THAT THE, THE BASKET THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT WE RECEIVE.
HOW, HOW, HOW, HOW DID WE MARKET THAT? WHAT WAS THE FORMULA IN DOING THAT? DO YOU KNOW? UM, I, I DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS THAT MR. WALTON WENT TO DO THAT.
I JUST KNOW THEY HAD FURNITURE NEEDS AND THESE WERE FUNDS THAT THEY USED UTILIZED FIRST, AND THEN THEY MOVED TO THE REST OF THEIR FUNDS.
AND YOU SAID FREDDY AND YOU SAID FREDDY WAS INVOLVED.
SO WE, WE WE'LL BRING THAT UP IN OPERATIONS.
HE CAN, COMING INTO THE DOOR IS THERE ANYMORE.
THERE'S JUST SOME NEEDS THERE.
SO, UH, FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO DO A LITTLE EXTRA AT THE END FOR, FOR THEM.
SO I, I WANNA GIVE YOU MY SINCERE THANKS IN ADMIRATION.
THIS, YOU, YOU HANDLED $73 MILLION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT YOU, YOU GUIDED US THROUGH THAT AND, UH, TO DO THAT AND CLOSE IT OUT THAT THE ZERO BALANCE IS A SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT AND YOU ARE TO BEGRUDGED FROM I WISH THE ACCOUNTANT WAS HERE THAT ACTUALLY MOVES EVERYTHING IN THE SYSTEM.
I WAS GONNA BRING HER BECAUSE WELL, PLEASE PASS HER.
WELL, WHAT'S THE GREEN, IS HER NAME
NEXT ITEM ON HERE IS ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION OS 22 PARENTAL PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS, BOOSTER CLUBS.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT? I WILL TAKE THIS ONE.
SO RECENTLY, UM, IN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, A LAW WAS PASSED, UH, REQUIRING THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UM, HAVE THEIR PARENT SUPPORT GROUP, UH, VOLUNTEER
[00:40:01]
ORGANIZATIONS REGISTER WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.SO WE TOOK THAT ON AS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, AND SO, UM, AND THAT REQUIRES THEM TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR, UH, STATUS HAVING, UM, REGISTERED WITH THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AND ACTIVELY FILING THEIR FORM NINE 90 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION TAX FORMS EVERY YEAR.
THERE'S SECRETARY OF STATE PUBLIC CHARITIES FORMS EVERY YEAR AND BEING REGISTERED, ACTIVE AND REGISTERED ANNUALLY WITH THEM.
AND THEN HAVING, UH, JUST SET OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, WHICH ARE BYLAWS IN THEIR CASE TO, UH, FORMALIZE PROCEDURES WITHIN THEIR ORGANIZATION.
SO, UH, IT IS, THEY ARE DUE AUGUST 1ST.
UH, WE HAD VERY LITTLE TIME TO, UM, TO PUT INFORMATION OUT, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, GET A REPORT OUT TO A LETTER OUT TO ALL OF OUR SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH OUR PRINCIPALS AND REQUEST THAT INFORMATION COME BACK.
UH, AND I BELIEVE THAT SEPTEMBER 30TH WAS THE DEADLINE THAT WE GAVE.
SO THIS ADMINISTRATIVE RULE HAS BEEN WRITTEN AND, UM, AND REVIEWED BY MS. CARTILAGE.
UM, TO THE LANGUAGE OF, AND SO IT REFERENCES THAT, UH, THE BOARD HAS AUTHORITY TO DO CERTAIN THINGS, ONE OF WHICH WOULD BE A BACKGROUND CHECK ON SOMEONE THAT, UH, THAT IS AN OFFICER OF A SUPPORT ORGANIZATION THAT HAS A FELONY CHARGE OR OTHER FINANCIAL CRIME, A CRIMINAL CHARGE.
UM, AND SO THAT COULD, UH, POTENTIALLY REMOVE THAT INDIVIDUAL FROM AN OFFICER, HAVE 'EM REMOVED AS AN OFFICER.
BUT JUST UNDERSTAND THAT PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS, THE DISTRICT DOES NOT HAVE, UH, TRUE AUTHORITY OVER THEM.
THEY ARE, UM, THEIR AUTHORITY IS THE, UM, ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE OF THE STATE AND THE STATE SECRETARY OF STATE PUBLIC CHARITIES ORGANIZATION.
UM, SO OTHER THAN THAT, OR, OR LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, WE CANNOT DEMAND AN AUDIT.
WE CANNOT DEMAND THAT THEY REMOVE AN OFFICER.
WE CANNOT DEMAND THAT THEY ADD SOMEONE, ADD SOMEONE.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE VERY FEW AUTHORITIES OTHER THAN THE PRIV.
WE, WE CONTROL THE PRIVILEGE OF THEM USING OUR FACILITIES, UH, AND OUR LIKENESS, UH, OUR NAME, LOGO, AND SO ON.
SO, UH, THIS IS AN ATTEMPT STATEWIDE TO GAIN SOME CONTROL OVER THAT.
MAKE SURE THAT OUR FOLKS, OUR GROUPS ARE REGISTERED AND ARE PROPERLY FILING THEIR TAX RETURNS AND REGISTERING AND STAYING ACTIVE.
IF THEY ARE NOT ACTIVE WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE, THEY BECOME AND HAVE IT FILED WITH THEM FOR THE IRS FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
THEY CAN HAVE THEIR NONPROFIT STATUS REVOKED AND THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED AT THAT TIME TO FUNDRAISE.
SO THAT IS THE, UH, INITIAL, UM, PENALTY THAT THEY WOULD RECEIVE FROM THE STATE.
UM, AND THEN THEY WOULDN'T BE AUTHORIZED TO FUNDRAISE ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BEHALF OR THE SCHOOL'S BEHALF.
SO, UM, THIS IS AN EFFORT TO JUST GET A HANDLE ON THINGS, CLEAN IT UP, GET, BECOME AWARE OF, UM, OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT EXIST, HOW MANY ARE OUT THERE, AND WHAT, UH, PRACTICES THEY HAVE IN PLACE.
AND IF THEY DO NOT HAVE ONE OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE ARE MAKING AN ATTEMPT TO HELP THEM AND ASSIST THEM, CONNECT THEM WITH THE RIGHT ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN ASSIST THEM.
UM, WE HAVE, WE HAD PLANNED, ACTUALLY IT WAS ALREADY BOOKED A, UM, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE.
NO PUBLIC CHARITIES DIVISION WAS BOOKED TO COME, UM, SPEAK TO THREE SEPARATE GROUPS, UH, A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND HURRICANE HELENE, UH, CANCELED THAT DAY.
SO, UM, I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE RIGHT, A FEW DIFFERENT HURRICANES IN THERE.
SO, UM, WE CANCELED, BUT WE ARE GOING TO RESCHEDULE HER.
UH, IT'LL LIKELY BE IN JANUARY.
AND WE WERE GOING, OUR PLAN WAS TO MEET FIRST WITH THE, UH, PRINCIPALS.
'CAUSE THEY HAD AN EARLY MORNING PRINCIPALS MEETING, MIDDAY WITH ATHLETIC DIRECTORS AND BOOKKEEPERS AND EVENING WITH PARENT SUPPORT GROUP MEMBERS.
SO, UH, SO THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO COME AFTER WORK HOURS.
UM, SO WE WERE, WE'RE, OUR GOAL IS TO GET A HANDLE ON THIS, GET IT ACTIVE, GET FOLKS THAT NEED HELP, THE HELP THEY NEED, GET TRAINING, AND THEN WE ARE ON A PATH TO, UM, GETTING, BEING
[00:45:01]
IN A BETTER POSITION, UM, AND INFORMING FOLKS WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, UH, AND BETTER THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST.SO IT'S JUST A, IT'S ABOUT CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVING THIS AREA.
AND SO, UH, THIS AR JUST FORMALIZES STATE LAW AND THE CHANGES IN HERE ARE ALL ABOUT ALMOST VERBATIM FROM THE STATE LAW.
SO, SO BASICALLY THE REQUIREMENTS TO REPORT BY AUGUST 1ST, UM, THE BOARD MAY, UH, REQUEST CRIMINAL RECORDS IN JUDGE OF CERTAIN MEMBERS IF THEY SUSPECT THEY HAVE CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS.
UM, SO THAT'S THE, BASICALLY THE SUMMARY OF THE CHANGES IN THIS ADMINISTRATIVE.
MR. CAMPBELL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MS. HAY, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NOT AT THIS TIME.
UH, OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? UH, ANY QUESTIONS? NONE YOU SIR.
UH, DR. CARR, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I'M JUST FOLLOWING ALONG.
UM, THIS IS, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE, UH, EASIEST ISSUES THAT YOU CAN HAVE, UM, FINANCIAL PROBLEMS WITH.
AND I'VE LOOKED AT, AS YOU HAVE BIG CONTROVERSIES OR SCANDALS, IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO COME FROM BOOSTER CLUBS.
THIS IS NOT JUST IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND IN UNIVERSITIES AND EVERY PLACE ELSE, WHAT I WORKED AT.
AND SO I, I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THE STATE COME UP WITH SOMETHING.
AND MY QUESTION NOW IS, WELL, DO WE HAVE ANY ACTION THAT WE HAVE TO DO AT THE BOARD LEVEL? NO, BECAUSE THIS IS A, THIS IS AN, SO IT, THIS INFORMATION ONLY, I JUST NEED TO, BUT I I, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO MENTION THIS AT THE FULL BOARD MEETING ON, UM, THE, UH, COMMITTEE REPORT SO THAT THE REST OF THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC KNOWS THAT IT'S NOT, UH, BUSINESS AS USUAL MM-HMM.
THAT THERE, THERE ARE STEPS THAT HAVE TO BE TAKEN.
UM, I, I ALSO, UH, I ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE HAVE PUT THIS OUT TO ALL THE GROUPS SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED.
UM, SO I HAD, I DON'T THINK, I DON'T BELIEVE I HAVE PROVIDED THIS YET TO, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE HAD A PRINCIPALS MEETING.
BUT, UM, I'LL LOOK BACK AND IF I HAD NOT UPDATED, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT, UH, I BELIEVE WE HAVE THEIR NEXT MEETING IN NOVEMBER.
AND SO I'LL MAKE SURE TO, IF I HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE THAT, I HAVE THEM A, THEY, THEY NEED SHORT TERM, THEY NEED TO MEMORY LOSS ON THIS TOPIC RIGHT NOW, BUT I CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVEN'T OKAY.
MET ALL THE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS AND TABLE.
NO, I DID MEET WITH THEM BECAUSE I HAD SENT THEM THE EMAIL WITH THE LETTER SAYING, THIS IS THE LETTER I NEED YOU TO FORWARD.
AND IN THE MEETING PRINCIPAL'S MEETING, I SAID, I HAD JUST SENT YOU A LETTER AND THIS IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT, AND I NEED YOU FORWARD THIS TO YOUR ORGANIZATION.
SO I DID PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON LEADERSHIP CLUB, INFORCE IT.
MAKE SURE, LET EVERYBODY KNOW.
AND WHAT IT, WHAT I COULD DO IS A REMINDER FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT COMPLIED AND SENT SOMETHING IN TO FOLLOW UP WITH THEM AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ALL, UM, ALL THEIR ORGANIZATIONS OR COMPLIANCE.
ALSO, I, I KNOW THIS IS, UH, THIS WITHIN THAT WHEELHOUSE MAKES ME WONDER, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF THE STATE THOUGHT IT WAS THAT SERIOUS TO DO THIS.
THEN THAT BRINGS ME TO THE QUESTION OF, OF, UH, MAYBE EVEN THE FUTURE TOPIC IN THIS, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT DO WE HAVE IN PLACE OF MECHANISMS, IN TERMS OF SICS AND PTOS? HOW, WHAT, WHAT ARE THEIR, WHAT ARE THEIR PROCESSES ALIGNED IN TERMS OF, OF, OF, OF THE, OF THESE AS AS, AS WELL? BECAUSE I I, I'VE EVEN HAD QUESTIONS TO ASK ME, UM, KIND OF WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN BETWEEN SOME OF THEM AND THE PTO AND SIC I'VE LEARNED, I KNOW THAT NOW, BUT ALSO IN, IN THE PROCESS OF WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCH PTO AND, AND THE, UH, THE, UM, THE BOOSTER.
THE BOOSTER BOOSTER CLUB, BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH JOB, THEIR JOB IS TO BASICALLY, UH, RAISE FUNDS FOR THE SCHOOL.
AND I SAID, WELL, ONE IS MORE TOWARDS SPORTS, BUT FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THAT PTO HAS GIVEN SPORTS MONEY AS, AS WELL.
[00:50:01]
THE QUESTION AGAIN, IS THAT, SO, UH, I JUST WANT TO CLEARLY GET A MORE CLEAR UNDERSTANDING WHAT THOSE PROCESSES ARE AND HOW THEY, UH, HOW THEY, HOW THEY ALIGN WITH EACH OTHER IN TERMS OF, UH, THE DUALS AND THOSE, AND WHAT'S THAT PROCESS.MAYBE, UH, EVERY ANOTHER TIME, MAYBE NOT TODAY, BUT YEAH.
IN RESPONSE TO THAT, UM, FIRST OF ALL, SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COUNCILS DON'T HANDLE MONIES.
SO THEY WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED COMPLIANT WITH THIS, WITH THIS LAW.
UM, BECAUSE IT, THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE FUNDING AND REGISTRATION OF THEIR ANNUAL NONPROFIT TAX REPORTS.
SO, UM, AS FAR AS PTOS AND BOOSTER CLUBS, YOU ARE CORRECT.
I HAVE SEEN PTOS THAT BOTH HAVE A MISSION OF ACADEMIC SUPPORT AS WELL AS ATHLETIC SUPPORT.
AND THEN YOU HAVE OTHER ANCILLARY BOOSTER CLUBS THAT MAY BE MORE ACADEMIC, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU VIEW THEM.
LIKE ROTC OR, UH, FINE ARTS OR, UM, BAND.
THAT'S BANDS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF.
SO, UM, YOU HAVE A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THEM, AND THERE ARE NO DO'S AND DON'TS FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE THESE ARE OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT PART OF OURS.
WE CANNOT DICTATE WHAT THEY DO OR DON'T, BUT THEY DO HAVE REGULATORY AGENCIES.
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT REGULATORY THAT WAY.
UM, GUIDING AGENCIES AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, THEY HAVE NATIONAL PTOA AND PTO ASSOCIATIONS, NATIONAL BOOSTER CLUB ASSOCIATIONS THAT, UM, GUIDE THEIR WORK.
THEY CAN, YOU GET COPIES OF BYLAWS, GET PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES FROM THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
BUT IF YOU'RE ASKING US TO PREPARE A A OF WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH IT, WE DON'T HAVE A, A GUIDELINE OF, FOR BOOSTER CLAUSES AND ORGANIZATIONS, WE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THEY FORM, HOW THEY MAY OPERATE AND CAN LINK THEM TO RESOURCES THAT WOULD HELP THEM AND ASSIST THEM IN THEIR WORK, UM, AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, BUILDING THEIR BYLAWS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT I'M NOT SURE I WOULD HAVE ANYTHING TO RESPONSE, UM, TO WHAT YOU'RE REQUESTING.
SO FOR, FOR INSTANCE, LET, LET'S SAY FOR INSTANCE, UH, WE HAVE A, UH, FOR THE P-T-O-P-P-T-O IS WITHIN THE SCHOOLS.
SO ARE THERE ACCOUNTS OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL YES.
OR ARE THEY OUTSIDE CO TOTALLY SEPARATE.
AND OUR STAFF ARE PROHIBITED FROM INTERACTING AND COMMINGLING THOSE FUNDS.
WE CANNOT, WE WILL NOT ALLOW A DISTRICT EMPLOYEE TO BE AN OFFICER OR A MEMBER OF THAT ORGANIZATION, UH, OR AN OFFICER OF THE ORGANIZATION, PARTICULARLY IN THE FINANCIAL AREA, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THOSE FUNDS BROUGHT IN TO GET HANDED TO THE BOOKKEEPER AND DEPOSITING OUR FUNDS.
WE DON'T ALLOW THEM TO MANY FUNDS.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A, A TOTAL, UH, GRAY AREA.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT SOME PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.
AND THEN, AND THEN FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT I, I, I'M, I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME HOW REGULAR DO Y'ALL MONITOR THESE PTO ACCOUNTS? HOW REGULAR, AND I TELL OFF, OFF TOP, I KNOW FOR, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT, I KNOW FOR SURE THAT WE DO.
WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO BOOST BOOSTER CLUB ACCOUNTS, BUT I SAY PTO, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT PROCESS IS, IS LIKE I WOULD'VE TO GIVE BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
BUT, SO NOW THAT, THAT ALSO TELLS ME AS A BOARD MEMBER THAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.
I THINK THAT THAT IS GOOD FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND IT, BUT IT'S GOOD FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE PUTTING OUT THERE, LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT, THAT THAT'S, THAT, THAT IF YOU GIVING MONEY TO THEM, DON'T THINK THAT YOU GIVING TO THE SCHOOL AND US IN DIRECTLY, BECAUSE THAT'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO THAT CAN BE MISLEADING AND MISINFORMED.
OUR JOB IS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND TO TEACH THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO THEREFORE, I THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO ALONG AS EDUCATING ALL THESE OTHER, OTHER ISSUES THAT WE EDUCATE THEM ON, ON THIS FINANCIAL ISSUE.
SOME OF THOSE POINTS ARE IN THIS ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE ABOUT THE OFFICER, NOT THE DISTRICT EMPLOYEE, NOT BEING AN OFFICER OF THE ORGANIZATION.
SO I CAN HIT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT OUR REGULATION IS, AND THEN I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THAT.
BUT, UM, YOU, UM, WE, AND EVEN WITH LEGAL COUNSEL, RECENT LEGAL COUNSEL, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO MONITOR THEM OR AUTHORIZE TO AUDIT THEM IN ANY WAY.
WE, WE MAY SUGGEST THAT, UM, THAT THEY SEEK AUDIT, UM, OR, UM, OR IF LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED OR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.
THOSE ARE THE, THE GOVERNING BODIES OVER THOSE NON-PROPERTY ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, AND, AND THEN, AND THEN MY, UH, LAST, LAST TWO, LAST, LAST THINGS, UH, UH, ALSO IS THAT, EXCUSE ME, IS, UM, SO FOR INSTANCE, IF AN SI, SO IF, IF AN SIC MEETING HAVE, IF AN IC MEETING HAVE A MEETING AND THEY WENT TO SERVE DRINKS AND DRINKS AND SNACKS,
[00:55:01]
THEN THAT MONEY WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM THE SCHOOL OR, OR, OR WOULD, WHERE WOULD THAT COME FROM? PTO WOULD HAVE TO PAY WITH THAT.SEE, SEE, THAT'S, THAT'S MY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT PTE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT PTO, IT'S SIC.
SO THAT, MY, MY POINT IS, OH, YOU SAID SIC, NOT S-I-C-I-S-I-C.
SO LIKE, LIKE HOW WE HAVE, LIKE, WE HAVE A, A JOINT BOARD SIC MEETING WITH THAT'S DIFFERENT DNCE IT JUST FROM ITS OWN ENTITY, ITS DIFFERENT.
THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL MAY BE, THEY MAY HAVE REFRESHMENTS BY THE SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY FUNDING AVAIL AVAILABLE TO THEM.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT NO, NO, I'M TALKING, TALKING ABOUT SIC BECAUSE MM-HMM.
SO, SO, SO THAT OT RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT YES.
FOR THE PTO COULD DONATE FUNDING FOR IT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AS WELL.
AND THAT LIKELY TO BE STUDENT ACTIVITIES, RIGHT.
AND, AND, AND THEN THIS, I JUST THINK, UH, ALSO I THINK THAT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE, UH, IT WOULD BE, UH, VERY, AND NOT IN THE DISTRICT'S BEST INTEREST TO FIGURE OUT TO WHAT DEGREE WITH US NOT REALLY HAVING DIRECT, UH, AUTHORITY OVER THEM.
HOW THEY USE OUR, OUR BRANDS AND OUR LOGOS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY DO.
BECAUSE REGARDLESS TO WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, WE STILL OWN THAT.
AND IF THEY GO OUT AND DO SOMETHING THAT IS UNETHICAL OR SOMETHING THAT COULD BE, UH, THAT COULD, THAT COULD, THAT COULD, THEY COULD, THEY COULD GET SU SUED FOR THEN WITH THEM USING US ALLO AND, AND WE'VE KNOWN AND WILLINGLY, THEN THAT PUTS US AS A LIES OF LIABILITY AS WELL.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A FORWARD CONVERSATION THAT DOES NEED TO TAKE PLACE AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
BECAUSE THAT IS, I MEAN, AND, AND REALLY IT SHOULD, THE STATE MAY REDID THIS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED TOO.
AND, AND THEY'RE ASKING US TO DO THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT, UH, IN MY, IN MY MIND, THAT IS A CONCERN BECAUSE THAT WE HAVE TO BE FORWARD THINKING, NOT WE WANNA RESPOND WHEN THAT SITUATION OCCUR, HAVE THE MECHANISMS IN PLACE ABOUT WHAT THAT SHOULD LOOK LIKE AND, AND, AND HOW, AND HOW THAT LOOKS.
SO I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE IN TERMS OF ABOUT THAT CONVERSATION.
MOST, UM, PTO, WHEN THEY DO RAISE MONEY, WHATEVER THEY RAISING FOR THAT MONEY GOES TO THAT.
THEM, PETER, THEY DON'T HAVE A BUDGET.
YOU DON'T HAVE, YOU DON'T HAVE NO ACCOUNT GONE.
IF THEY RAISE A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR SOMETHING FOR STUDENTS, AND IT'S GIVEN TO THE, THAT'S, THAT'S SANDY.
BUT JUST IN TERMS OF, OF BOOSTERS, ANYTHING IN TERMS OF THEM HAVING, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOME BOOSTER CLUBS WHO HAVE LARGE, LARGE, LARGE POCKETS OF MONEY AND THAT PEOPLE HAVE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT.
AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE CAN DISCUSS AT ANOTHER TIME.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE MINORITY AND WOMEN'S ENTERPRISE REPORT.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MS. SENIOR.
SHE HAS SOME GOOD NEWS FOR YOU,
UH, FOR THE SECOND HALF OF FY 24, UH, JANUARY 1ST THROUGH JUNE 30TH, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO MEET OUR MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE NON-CERTIFIED GOAL.
ACTUALLY MORE THAN 10% WAS OUR GOAL, AND WE ACHIEVED 17.7% OF PARTICIPATION.
UH, PLEASE DO REMEMBER, AS, AS I AM VERY EXCITED, THAT IS NON-CERTIFIED AND CERTIFIED TOGETHER.
UM, BUT YES, SO OUR SIX MONTH FIGURE TO UM, EXPEND WAS 95 MILLION AND WE TOTALLY EXTENDED 16.9 MILLION.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S BEST AS I'VE BEEN, YEAH.
EVEN, EVEN ON THIS BEAUTIFUL GRAPH ON THE BACK, I THINK JULY THROUGH DECEMBER OF 2020 WAS THE LAST TIME THAT WE WERE THAT CLOSE.
SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THE FACILITIES OPERATIONS, THE COMMUNITY, UM, REALLY DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO, TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE FOR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, WHAT WE'RE SEEKING ADVERTISING, UM, AND ALSO WORKING WITH OUR BIG CONTRACTORS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE SUBCONTRACTING OUT WITH QUALITY SUBCONTRACTORS WHO ALSO, UH, ARE MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS.
WE, WE NEED TO PUT THAT ON THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND MAKE YOU TO RETEST TO FULL BOARD SOMETHING, BECAUSE THAT'S AS LONG AS I TALK ABOUT GOOD NEWS.
ANY QUESTIONS, MS. CAMPBELL? MS. HAY, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MS. HAY, COULD YOU HEAR ME? YES.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MA'AM, YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW? NO, I DO NOT.
UH, UM, MS. ER, COULD YOU, I'M ASSUMING WHAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE NON-CERTIFIED, ARE THERE ANY GOVERNMENTAL REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF OUR PERCENTAGE? SO OUR,
[01:00:01]
OUR GOAL IS 10% TO HAVE CERTIFIED MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.UM, AND NON-CERTIFIED ARE THOSE WHO ARE NOT CERTIFIED THROUGH THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA OR S-C-D-O-T.
UM, WHICH WE ACTUALLY EXTENDED THOSE REGULATIONS OF WHO THINK QUALIFY AS A CERTIFIED MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.
SO WE WORK WITH THOSE THAT ARE NON-CERTIFIED AS WELL, AND THEY NEED CERTIFIED IN OTHER STATES OR ANYTHING ELSE.
AND THOSE FALL INTO THE CATEGORY OF NON-CERTIFIED.
SO WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CAPTURING A BIG PICTURE, NOT JUST THIS SMALL POCKET TO SHOW HOW FAR OUR EFFORTS ARE ARE REACHING.
SO, SO IF I MAY JUST A FOLLOW UP.
UM, THE PERCENTAGE FOR CERTIFIED IS 10%.
NO, THE REASON I'M ASKING THE QUESTION IS IF THERE THINGS YOU BELIEVE WE CAN DO INDIVIDUALLY AS A BOARD OPERATIONS AND PLEA WITH ALL EARS.
AND, AND WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS AS WELL FROM, UM, PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST.
UM, WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS EXTENSIVELY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF BUFORD, UM, WHERE YOU HAVE COLUMBIA, CHARLESTON, AND SAVANNAH, WHICH ARE HEAVILY SATURATED AREAS WITH, UH, MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS AND CERTIFIED ATTACKS, SAVANNAH DOESN'T COUNT AND THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH WORK HERE OKAY.
TO PULL THOSE RESOURCES DOWN FROM CHARLESTON AND FROM COLUMBIA.
AND I THINK THE LAST ANALYSIS WE DID THERE WAS LESS THAN 20 CERTIFIED IN BEAUFORT, JASPER, AND HAMPTON COUNTY THAT WOULD EVEN PERTAIN TO ANY OF THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE.
SO WE WENT THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE ANALYSIS, I THINK IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO.
UM, AND, AND IT DOES, AND WE KEEP THAT INFORMATION HANDY, BUT WE'RE STILL ALWAYS WILLING TO, IT DEFINITELY EXPAND OUR OUTREACH.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
SO I'D LIKE TO ADD, IF I MAY, UM, UH, KAYLEE MET WITH MARILYN, UM, YEAH, MS. MARILYN FROM HARRIS, MS. MARILYN HARRIS FROM THE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
SO SHE HAD A LUNCH WITH HER ONE DAY OR A MEETING WITH HER.
UM, AND THEY HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION.
I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MEGAN MORRIS OF THE BEAUFORT CHAMBER, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THEIR NEED TO GET, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, GET OUT THERE TO, UM, FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN RAQUEL FROM E FOR ALL AS WELL, ANOTHER, YEAH, THEY ARE RECEIVING DIRECT COMMUNICATION FROM ME.
EACH TIME THAT WE, UH, PUBLISH A SOLICITATION OR REQUEST FOR QUOTES NOW, UM, IT IS SENT DIRECTLY TO THEIR INBOXES OR THEIR, THEIR PROFESSIONAL INBOXES THAT THEY HAVE SO THAT THEY WERE AWARE TO SHARE IT AMONGST THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL TRYING
AND SO IF WE HAVE SOME SPANISH SPEAKING COLLEAGUES, MAYBE THEY CAN HELP US PENETRATE THAT COMMUNITY.
UH, BECAUSE ON ED AND OTHER PLACES, WHEN YOU GO DOWN CERTAIN STREETS, LIKE EVERY THIRD HOME HAS A TRUCK AND A CARGO TRAIL WHERE THEY STARTED A BUSINESS.
AND SO THAT MAY BE A WAY FOR US TO BUTTRESS TO 0.45, I THINK.
WELL, I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE CUSING IT THAT ALMOST 20% OF WHAT OUR, UH, CONTROLLABLE BUDGET OR THAT SIX MONTH FIGURE, UM, OF, OF EXPANDING IT WITH THE NON-CERTIFIED MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.
AND I BELIEVE, AGAIN, ONE OF THE, THE EXAMPLES THAT CAME OUT OF OUR LAST ANALYSIS THAT WE DID WAS IT'S REALLY HARD FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES AROUND HERE TO OPEN UP THEIR BOOKS AND TO GET THAT CERTIFICATION.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A BARRIER THERE.
DISTRUST WITH, UM, GOVERNMENT AND, AND FUNDING AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S THERE TO GET THAT.
AND ALSO, SOUTH CAROLINA DOESN'T OFFER ANY KIND OF, UM, REWARD OR INCENTIVE FOR BECOMING CERTIFIED.
ALL IT DOES IS IT, IT ADDS TO OUR NUMBERS ON A REPORT, BUT IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING FOR THEM.
AND THEN THERE'S A WHOLE SEPARATE FEDERAL, UM, CERTIFICATION THAT THEY HAVE TO GET TO WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO, UM, PAYING CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCE YES.
AND, AND THIS AND THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO WORK ON THAT LEVEL.
UM, REALLY IT'S, IT'S NOT FINANCIAL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BUSINESS TO EVEN HAVE THOSE LEVEL OF INSURANCE FOR SOME OF THOSE JOBS.
IF I CAN FOLLOW UP, ONE OF THE THINGS I, THAT PARTICULAR SATURDAY IS THAT THE HISPANIC BUSINESS ASSOCIATION IS ACTUALLY HELPING THE HISPANIC BUSINESSES MM-HMM.
AND THEY WERE, THEY WERE STARTED BY A HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM CREATED FROM UA IN MEXICO.
AND SO THEY HAD TO STRUGGLE AND THEY'RE VERY SENSITIVE TO
[01:05:01]
THEIR COMPATRIOTS WHO ARE COMING NOW NEEDING THE HELP.I HAVEN'T HEARD OF THEM BEFORE EITHER, SO I'LL ABSOLUTELY DO SOME RESEARCH.
OUR QUESTIONS ARE NOT NEGATIVE, THEY'RE JUST TRYING.
IF YOU HAVE ANY CONTACT INFORMATION, I WELCOME THAT.
WE CAN, CAN, UH, ALEX AND, UM, VICTORIA, NEVADA AND I'LL, I'LL GIVE, I'LL SPEAK.
SO I'M GONNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, KAYLEE, WITH A QUESTION.
BOY, IF WE WERE TO FIND SOME CERTIFIED OR UNIFY MEMBERS, A A FEMALE WOULD QUALIFY UNDER THE WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE? YES.
WOULD A MALE OWNED BUSINESS QUALIFY UNDER THE MINORITY? ONLY IF THEY SERVE IN A MINORITY? SO, UH, BLACK, HISPANIC, UM, SO DEPENDING ON WHAT THE MINORITY IS YEAH.
MALE WOULD, SO HISPANIC WOULD QUALIFY UNDER THIS? YES.
UH, THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA HAS CREATED A MINORITY ORGANIZATION HEADED BY THE FORMER REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR
TIM SCOTT, MS. DOLORES DECOSTA.
SHE WAS THERE ALONG WITH MS. HARRIS, WHO SPOKE AT THAT EVENT.
THEY, AND SHE HAS, SHE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR HANDICAP, FOR HISPANICS, FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS, LIKE FIVE OR SIX MINORITY GROUPS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO HELP THEM BRING UP.
SO WE CAN CONNECT YOU WITH HER AND, AND JUST, AND AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO HELP.
YOU FOLKS DOING WONDERFUL WORK.
OKAY, LET'S, UH, MOVE ON TO THE AUDIT UPDATE.
UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS FOR YOU TODAY.
I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE UPTODATE MOST UPTODATE INFORMATION AND OUR AUDITORS WERE ON SITE YESTERDAY, SO THAT TELLS YOU HOW UPTODATE YOUR INFORMATION WILL BE TODAY,
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, ALTHOUGH OUR, WE ARE IN OUR FIFTH YEAR OF A CONTRACT WITH MALDEN AND JUNE, UM, THEY HAVE MULTIPLE OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST.
UM, WE WERE PREVIOUSLY UNDER THE, UM, NOT DIRECTION, BUT THE SERVICES OF THE MACON OFFICE, MACON, GEORGIA FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND THIS YEAR WE HAVE BEEN SWITCHED TO BE UNDER THE SERVICES OF THE COLUMBIA SOUTH CAROLINA OFFICE.
UM, WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH THAT CHANGE.
UH, IT HAS BEEN RUN VERY, VERY SMOOTHLY.
EVERY MEMBER OF THE AUDIT TEAM HAS CHANGED.
SO WE HAVE ALL NEW PEOPLE, ALL NEW LEADERS, UH, ALL THE WAY DOWN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
UM, THEY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
THEY ACTUALLY PUSHED US VERY EARLY TO BRING THE TRIAL BALANCE.
BASICALLY ALL THE NUMBERS IN ALL OUR FINANCIAL REPORTS GIVE US THE TRIAL BALANCE ONE WEEK EARLY.
AND ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT EASY, WE MANAGED TO DO IT.
UM, THEY WERE PUSHING US TO DO IT A LITTLE EARLIER IN THE DAY, BUT WE GOT IT BEFORE FIVE O'CLOCK THAT DAY,
SO, UM, THAT HAS PLACED US IN A POSITION, UM, TO GET STARTED EARLIER.
UM, WE HAVE REALLY PUSHED HARD, HAVE A, UM, E EARLY ON TO GET AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, UM, PREPARED FOR THEM.
AND THERE ARE ABOUT 350 AUDIT ITEMS IN A PORTAL THAT WE HAVE TO SELECT AND MOVE DOCUMENTS INTO, OR THEY SELECT A SAMPLE AND WE HAVE TO PROVIDE BACKUP DOCUMENTATIONS FOR REQUISITIONS, THE INVOICE, THE PACKING SLIP FOR A PURCHASE OR PAYROLL.
I NEED THE HR, UM, PERSONNEL FILE.
SO, UM, THAT IS THE BULK OF THE WORK IS, IS DONE.
AND THE LAST AREA WE'RE PROVIDING IS FIXED ASSETS, WHICH IS ALL THE CAPITAL ASSETS OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH YOU CAN IMAGINE WE HAVE TO PRETTY MUCH GET FINISHED WITH EVERYTHING FIRST AND THEN WRAP ALL OF THAT UP, UH, WHICH WAS GIVEN TO ME TODAY FOR REVIEW.
SO I'LL HOPEFULLY HAVE THAT TO THEM FOR BY MONDAY.
UM, THEY EXPECT TO HAVE A DRAFT TO US BY THE END OF NO, UH, OCTOBER ACTUALLY, OR NOVEMBER.
UM, WE TYPICALLY HAVE NOT HAD ONE UNTIL MID-NOVEMBER, MID TO LATER NOVEMBER.
I THINK WE GOT IT IN THE WEEK.
THANKSGIVING, WE GOT THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING LAST YEAR.
UM, SO WE ARE VERY HAPPY WITH THIS TEAM.
THEY'RE PUSHING US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT NEED TO GET OUT EARLY SO THAT WE CAN GET RESPONSES FOR THEM, LIKE CONFIRMATION REVENUE CONFIRMATIONS AND CASH CONFIRMATIONS.
UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THOSE OUT AND HAVE MOST OF THEM BACK ALREADY.
UM, SO IT IS GOING EXTREMELY WELL.
UH, WE'VE HAD NO ISSUES OF, UM, LIKE THEY WOULD RE RESULT IN A FINDING OF ANY KIND AT THIS POINT.
SO WE, UM, ARE LOOKING VERY FAVORABLE AT COMPLETING THIS WELL BEFORE THE DECEMBER 1ST DEADLINE.
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UM, WE'RE HOPING NO LATER THAN THE FRIDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, SO THAT SHOULD BE ALMOST TWO WEEKS EARLIER THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS.AND, UM, AND IT'S GOING EXTREMELY WELL.
DO Y'ALL HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? I DO.
UM, I AM VERY PLEASED THAT WE HAVE A PROCUREMENT AUDIT.
WE'RE ONLY, WE ONLY HAVE TO HAVE ONE EVERY THREE YEARS, MAYBE DOING THREE YEARS AT A TIME, BUT WE OPT TO DO ONE ANNUALLY.
UM, THEN YEAH, IT COINCIDE WITH THE FINANCIAL AUDIT.
UM, AND PROCUREMENT AUDITS ARE ALWAYS A STRUGGLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT CODE AND POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE GOING THROUGH AND SAMPLING.
UM, BUT NOW THAT WE'RE ON A STATE MODEL CODE, IT'S GONE REALLY EASY.
AND THIS, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, THIS HAS BEEN THE, THE SMOOTHEST YEAR WITH A PROCUREMENT AUDIT FOR WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.
AND THE COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN EXTREMELY CLEAR.
SO I'M NOT SITTING IN SUMMERTIME.
SO IT IS LESS STRESSFUL AND WE'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY TAKE A DAY OFF OR TWO HERE OR THERE.
WE'RE ABLE TO BALANCE OUR LIVES A LITTLE BETTER DURING THE SPEAKING CASE.
I HAPPEN THAT
MR. CAMPBELL, DO YOU HAVE ANY MS. HAY, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I HAY HAD TO LEAVE SO HE'S NOT ON ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANY DAVID'S ON? I'M GOOD.
THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
UH, IT'S A GOOD THING THAT YOU HAVE A NEW TEAM.
YOU KNOW, YOU, THEY LOOK AT THINGS A LITTLE BIT AND, AND THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S A PLUS AND THAT'S A PLUS FOR THAT FIRM.
AND BECAUSE THAT, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE CHANGED ALL FIRMS AND THAT WAS A GOOD THING.
WE CHANGED AUDIT FIRMS, BUT I WOULD RATHER STAY WITH THE SAME AUDIT FIRM WITHOUT CHANGING THE DIFFERENT TEAMS TO COME IN.
UH, MR. CAMPBELL, DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE TOPICS SERVING MS. HAYS? NOT ON, UH, UH, DR.
DO YOU HAVE ANY TOPICS YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE? UH, NOT AT THIS TIME.
IT WAS GREAT TO BE PART OF THE MEETING, SO I'M A LITTLE MORE UP TO SPEED WITH ALL THE ISSUES AND DISCUSSIONS AND IT'S BEEN REALLY HELPFUL.
WELL, I'VE GOT SOMETHING, Y'ALL GAVE ME A REPORT LAST YEAR THAT I PUT ON THIS SPREADSHEET THAT BREAKS OUT COSTS, SALARIES, BENEFITS, PURCHASE SERVICE, TOTAL SUPPLIES, OTHER TOTAL COST ENROLLMENT COST PER STUDENTS.
TITLE ONE YOU'RE GONNA BE CLOSING OUT.
I CAN SEND YOU MY COPY IF YOU WANT TO EDIT IT,
TRY GIVE ONE, ONE SHEET OF PAPER TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AND THEY CAN SEE WHAT THE COSTS ARE FOR EVERY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT.
UH, AND I THINK I USE IT ALL THE TIME AND I USE IT NOT ONLY WHEN I TALK TO THE PUBLIC, I USE IT WHEN I TALK TO PRINCIPALS AND THEY START WINDING ABOUT HOW THEY DON'T GET ENOUGH MONEY.
LET'S SEE, SEE WHERE YOU STAND AND, UM, IT, IT, IT REALLY WORKS OUT, UH, VERY WELL.
IT'S VERY, VERY, VERY HELPFUL.
SO COULD I EXPECT THAT AROUND THE 1ST OF DECEMBER TO WHAT? YES SIR.
I HAVE A, YOU'VE GOT NEW BOARD MEMBERS COMING ON IN JANUARY.
AND I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH IT, UH, WITH EXISTING BOARD MEMBERS, UH, BEFORE THEY LEAVE AND THEN GIVE THAT TO THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, UH, DURING THEIR JANUARY IN PROCESSING.
THREE MORE ITEMS. OH, THREE MORE FOR THE FUTURE.
UH, THE FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FY 25 OE 18, THE FOOD AND NUTRITION REPORT UPDATE AND THE FY 25 BUDGET BOOK.
UM, AND THEN ALL THE OTHER STANDARD DATES FOR ESSER, WE BE BRINGING UP YOUR BACK IT, SO THE OTHER, THE BOARD MONTHLY REPORT, THE SEPTEMBER TRANSPARENCY AND THE HUNDRED K REPORTS.
I'LL BE LOOKING FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.
NEXT MEETING WOULD BE ON THE 14TH.
UM, MS. HAY IS ASKED IF WE CAN DO
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IT AT ONE O'CLOCK OR EARLIER.WHAT ABOUT WORK SESSION? THE WORK SESSION.
SO THE NEXT BOARD, THE BOARD MEETING SCHEDULED NOVEMBER AND IT'S NOVEMBER 12TH.
THAT WOULD BE A BOARD MEETING THAT'S HERE.
AND THEN OUR WORK SESSION IS THE 22ND.
NOTHING, NOTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA.
IT'S SUPERB WHAT YOU ALWAYS DO.