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HERE AT THE DISTRICT EDUCATION SERVICES CENTER, CONFERENCE ROOM E REMOTE HYBRID CONFERENCING MEETING IS AVAILABLE BROADCAST BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL TO SPEAK DURING THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
PUBLIC COMMENTS, PLEASE SIGN UP USING THE PUBLIC COMMENT FORM.
YOU CAN FIND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLIC COMMENT FORM ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS HTTPS SLASH SLASH TRIPLE W DOT BEAUFORT SCHOOLS.NET/ABOUT US SLASH BOARD OF SLASH PUBLIC COMMENTS.
YOU'LL RECEIVE A CALL DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WHERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE FOR A MAXIMUM THREE MINUTES ON ISSUES WITHIN THE COMMITTEE'S DOMAIN.
THE FORUM WILL BE LIMITED TO 15 MINUTES.
CITIZENS DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD THAT CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE BOARD CLERK UPON ARRIVAL.
WITH THAT, IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA? I MOVE THAT WITH APPROVAL, SO MOVE.
PLEASE JOIN IN A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION ON THE GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WE HAVE MR. JIM MILLER, UH, OF BLUFFTON, WHO IS GOING TO GIVE US A BAN UPDATE.
MR. MILLER? UH, YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY.
YOU ALL ARE NEW TO THE COMMITTEE, BUT YOUR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN, WELL, I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANNA SAY FOR SOME TIME.
SO, YOU KNOW, UH, KIND OF MY BACKGROUND, ET CETERA.
AND THE DISCUSSION WAS THAT IT WAS KIND OF REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE BECAUSE IT INVOLVED PERSONNEL.
AND SO, UH, THAT'S THE REASON I KIND OF WANT TO UPDATE EVERYTHING THAT I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT I SHOULDN'T KNOW,
BUT I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO UPDATE ONE THING THAT IS A, AND THINGS ARE PROGRESSING.
I'M, I'M BASICALLY HAPPY I HAVE SPOTS HERE AND THERE.
I'M STILL INVESTIGATING, BUT, UH, BASICALLY I'M HAPPY.
UH, ONE ELEMENT THAT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF, BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT HAVE TO VOTE ON IT, BUT IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BAND DIRECTORS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL, THEIR CONTRACT IS BEING REVISED OR HAS BEEN TO INCLUDE 10 MORE DAYS OF WORK BECAUSE OF, UH, BAND CAMP THAT STARTS BEFORE SCHOOL.
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND DIRECTORS, UH, THEY ARE GETTING FIVE DAYS.
SO AGAIN, I DIDN'T KNOW A FEW WERE, THAT'S HEARSAY TO ME,
UH, AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT THERE ARE IN SOME INSTANCES WHERE A HIGH SCHOOL BAND DIRECTOR FEELS THAT THERE, UH, FEEDER SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, IS PROVIDING A LITTLE LESS THAN, UH, DESIRABLE HELP OR, YOU KNOW, THE STUDENTS ARE COMING INTO HIGH SCHOOL WITHOUT AS MUCH, UH, BACKGROUND AS THEY'D LIKE.
IN SOME INSTANCES WHERE THAT IS OCCURRING, APPARENTLY PRINCIPALS ARE WORKING OUT A SITUATION THAT A HIGH SCHOOL BAND DIRECTOR WILL HAVE ONE LESS HOUR IN HER HIGH SCHOOL AND, AND GO TO A THEATER SCHOOL TO HELP.
SO, UH, SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE HELPFUL.
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FOR IT.UH, HOWEVER, FROM A TAX PLAYER, OH, THERE'S THE CLOCK.
I'M, I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT OCCURRING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. MILLER.
AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOU WHO HAVE DONE AND ARE DOING, AND, BUT I WILL CONTINUE TO SEE YOU
APPRECIATE YOUR, CAN YOU ASK WHO IS ON THE IPHONE? UH, YES.
UH, WHO IS ON THE IPHONE? OKAY.
I GUESS NO ONE'S MANNING THE IPHONE, SO I'M GOING TO DISCONNECT THEM IF THEY THAT'S FINE.
UM, MADAM CFO THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
UM, BOTH OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, SO FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE MONTH BOARD, MONTHLY BUDGET REPORT.
UH, WE HAVE A TWO THREE PAGE REPORT FOR YOU THIS, THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, AT STANDARD REPORTING, UH, PROVIDING THE SALARY BENEFITS AND ALL OF THE, UH, SERVICES AND SUPPLIES, UM, ABUSE BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
UM, NO, NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO POINT OUT.
UH, EVERYTHING WAS BASICALLY STANDARD INFORMATION.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT THE, ONE OF THE LARGER EXPENSES IN THIS BUDGET IS THE, UH, AUDITING SERVICES THAT I'M DIRECTLY CONNECTED WITH.
UM, THE AUDIT HAS, IS COMPLETE AND HAS BEEN THE FULLY BILLED FOR THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.
UH, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME REMAINING EXPENSES.
UH, THE AUDIT AUDITORS DO COME BACK ON SITE AND ONLINE, UH, LOOKING AT DOING PRELIMINARY FIELD WORK FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S AUDIT, THE FISCAL YEAR 20 FIVES AUDIT, SO IN THE SPRING.
SO IN IN MAY, UH, JUNE TIMEFRAME, WE'LL BE GETTING ADDITIONAL BILLING, UM, WHICH WILL STILL BE WELL WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT'S AVAILABLE.
UM, THIS AT THIS TIME, UM, ANOTHER, LET'S SEE, UH, TRAVEL IS ANOTHER AREA WE ARE WELL UNDERSTOOD IN THOSE AREAS.
UH, WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE, UH, WILL BE ADDITIONAL MEETINGS TO BE COVERED, UH, IN THIS, IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND THERE IS, UM, AS BOARD MEMBERS TRAVEL TO VARIOUS CITY AND CIVIC ORGANIZATION MEETINGS, UH, AND THERE'S PLENTY OF FUNDS IN THE, IN THIS BUDGET TO ACCOMMODATE THAT.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, ALSO A TECHNOLOGY PURCHASE SERVICES ON THE THIRD PAGE.
UM, UH, IT A BUDGET OF 77,000, 7,000, THAT, THAT 7,000 IS ON THE DILIGENT OR COMMUNITY SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT WE HOUSE THE BOARD DOCUMENTS AND BOARD MEETINGS.
UM, SO THAT BILL IS PAID WHAT'S REMAINING THERE IS ANY BILLING FROM THIS COUNTY CHANNEL, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY CHANNEL.
SO, UH, WE'LL LIKELY BE REACHING OUT TO THEM IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO REQUEST ANY, UM, PROGRESS BILLING THAT THEY'VE HAD SO FAR.
AND, UM, JUST THE TIMING OF THAT.
SO WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT COST IS INCURRED.
UH, IT HAS BEEN INCURRED, BUT IT, UH, IT IS, UH, COMPENSATED IN THIS, UM, BUDGET YEAR.
AND, UM, FINALLY THE ONLY, ONLY OTHER MAYBE AREA OF NOTE IS THE ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIP DUES.
AND THE MAJORITY OF THAT COST IS TO OUR, OKAY, SORRY, UM, TO SCSA OUR, OUR SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION DUES THAT ALSO HOUSES THE ADMINISTRATIVE RULES AND POLICIES ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO THEY ADMINISTER AND MONITOR THE, UH, PLACEMENT OF OUR POLICIES ON OUR WEBSITE THROUGH THAT COST AS WELL.
AND SO WE'RE WELL UNDER, UM, UH, UNDER BUDGET AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
SO WE SHOULD BE FINE, UH, TO COVER ANY COSTS THAT WILL BE INCURRED THROUGH THE REMAIN REVIEW.
UM, CAN, UM, MS. STATE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? I DO NOT, SIR.
MS. GORDON, ANY QUESTIONS? THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT, THAT I HAD, UM, I
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THINK IT WAS ON THE FIRST PAGE.UM, DENTAL INSURANCE, THAT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? UM, THAT WOULD BE DENTAL INSURANCE ON MS. CARY.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS US OR, OKAY.
I, I, I NOTICED THAT, UM, I GUESS, UH, YOU USED TO BREAK IT DOWN BY EVERY BOARD MEMBER.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T, I GUESS WE WOULDN'T REALLY DOING IT ANYMORE.
WE DID THAT AT THE TOP WHEN THE SALARY CATEGORY, THERE'S 11 DISTRICTS THERE, SO THAT RIGHT.
WAS BROKEN DOWN IN THE, IN THE SALARIES AND THEN IN THE, IN THE TRAVEL AS WELL.
AND THE BOARD MEETING STIPENDS, ALL OF THOSE ARE DISTRICT'S NUMBERS.
AND THEN THE 12 AND THE 13 REPRESENT THE OFF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF IN THE OFFICE.
AND THE OTHER POSITION THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY VACANT, IF IT'S, IF, IF, IF THERE IS NO PROJECT CODE, THAT'S A GENERIC CODE THAT WE USE FOR THE WHOLE GROUP, AND THEN WE'LL RECLASSIFY, FOR EXAMPLE, OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL, THERE'S NO ALLOCATION GIVEN SPECIFICALLY TO EVERY BOARDS, PUT IT AT THE, AT THE NO PROJECT LEVEL, AND IT'S NOT DISTINGUISHED BETWEEN ANY DISTRICT.
AND THEN WE'LL, UH, RESERVE THAT, THAT FUNDING FOR ANY OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL THAT BOARD MEMBERS ATTEND, AND THEN WE'LL SHIFT IT OVER INTO THOSE CATEGORIES, INTO THOSE DISTRICTS.
UM, I MAY, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UH, UH, IN THE TECH PURCHASE SERVICES AND LICENSINGS THINGS MM-HMM.
WITH DILIGENCE, IS THERE, UH, STILL CAPACITY TO INQUIRE BERRY ABOUT MORE TRAINING FOR PEOPLE ON DILIGENCE? I'M SORRY, I'M TRYING SUGGEST WHAT DID YOU SAY? OH, OKAY.
SO ON TECH PURCHASE SERVICES AND LICENSE, UM, WE'VE ONLY SPENT, WHAT ABOUT, UM, 10%
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER ITEM THAT'S IN HERE.
BUT IF THERE'S ANY SPACE LEFT UNDER OUR DILIGENT CONTRACT THAT WE CAN SCHEDULE MORE TRAINING YES, FOR OUR COLLEAGUES, THEN THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AS A TAKEAWAY ITEM SO WE CAN BECOME PROFICIENT AND, AND HOPEFULLY, UM, BE EVEN BETTER EQUIPPED.
THAT WAS DICK WHO WAS ON THE IPAD MM-HMM
SO I'M TRYING TO LET HIM GET HIM BACK IN.
UH, AND THEN ON ORGANIZATION DUES, YOU EXPLAINED THAT THIS GSBA, UH, THEY DO THAT FOR ALL DISTRICTS? YES, SIR.
IT'S OFFERED TO ALL DISTRICTS AS A, AS A MEMBERSHIP.
NOT EVERY DISTRICT, I'M NOT SURE IF EVERY DISTRICT PARTICIPATES AND HAS A MEMBERSHIP WITH, UH, SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION OR SCSA MM-HMM
UM, BUT THEY ARE OFFERED, EVERYONE IN THE STATE IS OFFERED A MEMBERSHIP THROUGH THAT ORGANIZATION.
I THINK IN SCSA IT IS ABOUT 65 OUT OF THE 73 MM-HMM
UM, SO JUST, JUST SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YOU OKAY, MS. HAY? YES, SIR.
UH, NEXT ITEM IS THE TRANSPARENCY REPORT.
I THINK IT'S ONLY 38 BECAUSE IT'S SO SMALL
SO, UM, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO READ.
BUT, UH, WE, UM, PROVIDE THIS EACH MONTH.
AND THEN IT IS ALSO, IT'S ALL ALREADY DISPLAYED ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, THIS IS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
UM, IT IS A REQUIREMENT FROM THE STATE THAT WE PUT A TRANSPARENCY REPORT.
OURS IS, UH, MUCH MORE DETAILED THAN IS REQUIRED BY THE STATE.
UM, BUT, UH, SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS REPORT, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THEM.
AND I HAVE LOTS OF ASSISTANCE TODAY TO HELP ME NAVIGATE THOSE ANSWERS.
UM, WE HAD MADE IT A LITTLE BIT LARGER.
SO, UM, IN, IN THE FUTURE I'LL OFFER MY ASSISTANCE TO GET LARGER PRINT FOR THE, FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
NOW, UM, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK ABOUT THE, UH, COLOR CODED CHART? WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
GOOD TIME OR LATER? UM, NOW IS FINE.
UM, WE, UH, SO I'LL JUST START, MAYBE TURN IT OVER TO MS. MS. PHILLIPS.
UH, SO CINDY PHILLIPS IS OUR, UH, DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL CONTROLS.
AND, UH, AFTER OUR LAST MEETING, I, UH, ASKED HER TO DO SOME RESEARCH WITH AI AND ANY OTHER, UH, MODELS THAT WE MIGHT FIND,
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UH, ON ACROSS THE COUNTRY.UH, SHE'S LOOKED AT A FEW OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE OFTEN LOOK TO WHEN, WHEN TASKED WITH, UM, A NEW STRATEGY OR A NEW MODEL OR A NEW FORMULA OF SOME SORT, PARTICULARLY LOT IN THE BUDGETING AREA.
UH, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, UM, CAME UP WITH A FEW DIFFERENT MODELS OR, OR, UM, FEW DIFFERENT THINGS WE WERE LOOKING FOR, UH, STAFFING MODELS, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH PRINCE WILLIAM SCHOOL DISTRICT IN VIRGINIA OR FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA.
UM, WITH THE ESSA REPORTING, I FOUND A, A GREAT REPORT FROM HAWAII THAT HAS A SCHOOL, UH, STATEWIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO WE OFTEN LOOK TO OTHER ENTITIES, UH, STATE OUTSIDE OF OURS TO LOOK TO SEE IF THEY'VE ALREADY, WE DON'T WANNA RECREATE THE WHEEL IF WE DON'T HAVE TO, BUT WE, WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR SOMETHING VERY MODERNIZED, VERY VISUAL FOR THE BOARD, UM, BUT ALSO VERY, UM, UH, IN TUNE WITH THE GOALS THAT YOU HAVE OF WHAT YOU REALLY WANNA, WHAT, SEE WHAT WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.
UM, AND SO WE MET, WE WERE MET, WE DID A LOT OF RESEARCH.
MS UH, PHILLIPS DID A LOT OF RESEARCH, AND WE HAD A FEW ROADBLOCKS BECAUSE OF SOME, UH, ACCESSIBILITY.
UH, WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, ONE PARTICULAR AI PLATFORM THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO USE INSIDE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, WHICH IS, UH, CO-PILOT.
UH, ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THAT IS PROHIBITED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR PRIVACY REASONS AND OTHER REASONS.
SO I'M GONNA, I'M NOT THE EXPERT IN THIS AREA.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MS. PHILLIPS TO EXPAND ON WHAT CHALLENGES WE MAY HAVE FACED.
AND WE DID ACTUALLY COME UP WITH AT LEAST ONE CHART THAT PROVIDES SOME GOOD INFORMATION, UH, IN A VISUAL, IN A VISUAL WAY THAT CAN HELP US, UH, TARGET OR PINPOINT AREAS THAT MAY HAVE HAD LARGE VARIANCES.
AND THEN WE CAN PROVIDE EX EXPLANATIONS FOR THAT.
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO HER TO JUST GIVE A BRIEF EX EXPLANATION OF WHAT WORK WE'VE DONE.
AND I'LL FOLLOW UP AT THE END ABOUT WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE.
SO I WANNA PREFACE THIS WITH, I'M NOT AN AI EXPERT, BUT I AM AN AVID RESEARCHER.
SO, UM, I REACHED OUT TO THE TALENT THAT WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT TO GET THE BEST, UM, PEOPLE INVOLVED TO FIND THE BEST WAY TO, TO DATA MINE THIS MASSIVE DATA THAT WE HAVE.
UM, COPILOT IS THE ONLY ROBUST AI PLATFORM THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO AS A DISTRICT.
UM, THE OTHERS THAT MIGHT BE MORE ROBUST ARE NOT PALATABLE, BECAUSE AS WE PUT OUR DATA OUT, EVEN IF IT IS PUBLIC DATA, AS TRANSPARENCY REPORT, IS THAT DATA HELPS TO BUILD THE AI BRAIN.
AND OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT IS VERY CONSERVATIVE AND PROTECTIVE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THAT WAY.
SO WE DID, UM, I DID FIND SEVERAL DIFFERENT CHARTS THAT MIGHT HELP TO TAKE A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATE IT IN A MORE, UM, EASY WAY FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND WHERE OUR MAJOR VARIANCES ARE.
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO TELL A STORY.
SO THE IDEA IS TO PUT A CHART THAT TELLS THE STORY IN THE MOST SIMPLISTIC WAY SO THAT ANYONE WHO LOOKS AT IT CAN UNDERSTAND.
WE'RE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE, WE'LL KEEP USING THOSE MODELS TO COME UP WITH AT LEAST ONE OR TWO METHODS TO, UM, COMMUNICATION
IT IS VISUALLY VERY, IT ALLOWS US TO MANAGE BY EXCEPTION.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS REPORTED 38 PAGES AND MICRO PRINT SIDE, UH, YOU HAVE TO GO ONLINE TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING AND YOU GOING MAKE IT SO THAT ANY PERSON WHO IS INTERESTED IN THE FINANCIALS OR OTHER NUMERICAL VALUES KNOWS THAT IF IT'S OUTSIDE OF A SEARCH AND RANGE, IT'S AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO BE HIGHLIGHTED SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IT DEEPER.
ALL THE REPORTS THAT ARE NOW PRESENTED AT THIS POINT WILL REMAIN ACCESSIBLE, COVERED IN MEETING.
SO IF SOMEONE HAS A QUESTION, BUT INCLUDING NEW TYPE OF REPORTING, WHICH IS VARIANCE BASED, RATHER THAN GOING LINE BY LINE, YOU WANT THE SOFTWARE AND THE AI TO HIGHLIGHT FOR US.
WHEN IT'S BEYOND, YOU CAN ALWAYS CLOSE THAT RANGE AS TIGHT AS YOU WANT IT.
IF IT'S 1 CENT ABOVE BUDGET OR TARGET OR LAST YEAR, WE CAN HIGHLIGHT THAT.
OR IF YOU SAY, I'M GONNA GIVE A 1% CUSHION THERE, JUST SO YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOU FOLKS WHO ON STAFF WHO HAVE SO MUCH EXPERTISE BEING YOU'RE DRIVING RIGHT TO THE AREA WHERE YOU NEED TO FOCUS.
TRYING TO ECONOMIZE YOUR TIME AS
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WELL.AND SO I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED BY WHAT I SAW YESTERDAY.
SO AS O IF OTHERS JOIN, IF COLONEL GEIER IS NOT ON, HE'S NOT, HE'S A, HE'S NOT ABLE TO GET ON.
SO WE'LL WANT, WE'LL EXPRESS THIS AT THE APRIL 8TH BOARD MEETING SO THE ENTIRE BOARD KNOWS WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND MAYBE A SAMPLE OF THE, UM, THE BLUE CHART, THE COLOR CODED HEAT MAP THAT I SAW.
AND KUDOS TO YOU FOR JUMPING ON THAT SO QUICKLY.
SECONDLY, ARE THERE ANY VARIANCES ON THIS REPORT THAT ANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THAT WE SHOULD BE DISCUSSING? LET ME, MS. HAY.
UM, FIRST OF ALL,
I DEFINITELY USED, UH, DILIGENT TO GO THROUGH IT LINE BY LINE SO THAT I COULD MAGNETIZE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE INFORMATION AND WALK THROUGH IT.
BUT ON THE AI FRONT, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE TEAM FOR RUNNING WITH MY SUGGESTION.
UM, YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY DONE THIS, I WOULD BE CURIOUS WHAT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS USING AND TEXAS, SINCE THAT'S WHERE OUR, UM, SOFTWARE ENGINEERS AND THINGS ARE ALL HUBBED FROM.
SO I WOULD THINK THOSE STATES WOULD HAVE THE MOST CUTTING EDGE, UM, AI IMPLEMENTED IF ANYBODY WAS GOING TO HAVE A GREAT IMPLEMENTATION.
BUT AGAIN, THAT MAY BE SOMETHING YOU'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT.
UM, AND I JUST APPRECIATE YOU GUYS RUNNING WITH THIS DIGGING IN, AND I DO THINK IT WILL BE BENEFICIAL IN THE FUTURE.
SO THANK YOU AND KUDOS TO YOU MS. HAY, FOR BRINGING FORWARD SUGGESTIONS.
I FOUND THAT TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR COMMENTS, THIS TEAM IS VERY RESPONSIVE TO SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
SO PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING ALONG, GORDON AND, UH, MR. SMITH AND ANYONE ELSE INVOLVED? NO QUESTION.
UH, SO UNDERSTAND, UNDERSTAND UNDERSTANDING.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT Y'ALL ARE CHANGING UP THE REPORT? NO, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS YOU STILL ARE GOING TO GET THIS REPORT.
THAT'S STILL GONNA BE THERE IN THE, UH, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE RIGHT, IS A VISUAL MAP, VISUAL REPORT THAT DIRECTS YOU VERY QUICKLY TO WHERE THE VARIANCE IS, ANYTHING NOT HITTING THE TOLERANCES THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED AND THE BOARD APPROVES WILL BE ELEVATED AND THEN WE'LL GET A LOT MORE DETAILED, MORE DISCUSSION.
LOOK, THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS REPORT THERE IS A CONSOLIDATED AND A DETAILED REPORT FOR YOU.
WE DO HAVE EXPLANATIONS, UH, WITH SCHOOL LOCATION THAT ARE, ARE AFFECTED BY THE CHANGES.
UM, I THINK MD CON WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST, UH, CHANGE, AND THAT'S DUE TO THE HEAVY LEVELS OF CONSTRUCTION WE HAVE GOING ON CURRENTLY THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE ROUNDING UP THE ENDS OF, UH, BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, THERE IS WORK HAPPENING AT, UH, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 SCHOOLS THIS YEAR, AS OPPOSED TO TWO LAST YEAR WITH THE LARGEST, UH, EXPENSE BEING AT HILTON NECK HIGH SCHOOL.
SO SINCE WE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AFTER THE REFERENDUM, UH, IF YOU'VE BEEN BY THERE LATELY, YOU WILL SEE WHY THAT THIS NUMBER IS $4 MILLION STEEL HAS ERECTED TO, TO THE THREE STORY BUILDING.
UM, AND, UH, THAT IS A, A POINT IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS THAT IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE, UH, WHEN WE SEE SEE STEEL GOING UP, UM, BEING DELIVERED AND GOING UP.
SO THAT IS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THIS MAJOR CHANGE IN, IN, IN PECAN.
AND WHEN WE DID A SAMPLE OF OUR, UH, HEAT MAP THAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS ONE WAS AT THE TOP OF THAT SCALE AND BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCE IN THE LEVEL OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, THE AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, UM, DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO, UH, THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE, BUT, UH, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAVE ON THIS REPORT.
EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE IN ORDER.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, BEAUFORD JASPER SHERIFF OFFICE.
WELL, UH, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE USING THAT SERVICES? JASPER ROSE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.
JASPER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
THAT IS A TYPO THAT I DON'T KNOW WHY IT AUTO-FILLED THERE.
THAT SHOULD BEFORD JASPER SEWER WATER, NOT BEFORD.
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THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.I WILL LOOK RIGHT NOW AND SEE WHAT OCCURRED THERE.
AND, UM, I DO ALSO NOTICE, UM, WHILE WHY YOU LOOKING THAT ONE UP? I SEE THE BUD, BUD, UH, BUD, UH, GROUP.
AND, AND, UM, I, AND I AND I, UM, I'M WONDERING, WELL, NOT WONDERING.
I I, I'M GUESSING, GUESSING THAT THAT IS A, SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO, WHO DO, UH, THE, UH, MAINTENANCE I'M MAY BE MAINTENANCE IN IN THE SCHOOL, IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, CUSTODIAL, I MEAN, I'LL ASK CUSTO, ASK CUSTODIAL.
SO, SO, SO THEREFORE WE ONLY HAVE THIS ONE GROUP THAT I SEE, UH, UH, THERE'S A LANDSCAPE GROUP.
THERE'S A BRIGHTVIEW LANDSCAPING THAT THE ONLY LANDSCAPING SERVICES THAT WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT.
NO, THE, THERE'S BRIGHTVIEW AND THE GREENERY AND THE BRIGHTVIEW DOES SOLELY THE ATHLETIC FIELDS WHILE GREENERY AND BRIGHTVIEW SPLIT NON ATHLETICS FIELDS OR RIGHT.
AND, AND IN AND THE PROCESS, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMEONE THAT ABOUT IT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A KIND OF GOOD QUESTION I COULDN'T ANSWER.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, DO YOU MIND IF I YEAH.
UM, HOW DO WE, IN, IN TERMS OF THESE CONTRACTS WITH THE, WITH, WITH THE, UH, WITH THE LANDSCAPING COMPANIES, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE VERIFY HOW MUCH WORK THEY'RE DOING AND, AND, AND, AND WHEN THEY'RE LIKE, LIKE WHO SUBMIT THOSE BILLS? HOW DOES THAT, HOW DOES THAT WORK? I CAN ANSWER THE FINANCIAL SIDE AND THE CONTRACTUAL SIDE, BUT THE CONTRACT MONITORING IS TAKEN CARE OF BY FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS.
UM, AND THEY BENCHMARK THEIR WORK IN THEIR SCHEDULE BASED ON, OH MY GOSH, TESTING CRITERIA, SCHOOL BREAKS, EVERYTHING, ALL THAT GOES INTO CONSIDERATION.
BUT WE ISSUE A SOLICITATION, UM, FOR SERVICES, UH, LIKE WE'RE REQUIRED FOR ANY CONTRACT SERVICES OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND, UM, THAT ARE NOT EXEMPT.
UH, THEN WE GO OUT FOR BID, GET PROPOSALS, TEAM PUTS TOGETHER, EVALUATE THE PROPOSALS, THE COMMITTEE MAKES A SELECTION.
UH, WE BRING THAT SELECTION TO THE BOARD.
AND IF THE BOARD APPROVES, THEN WE ISSUE OUR INTENT TO AWARD THROUGH A PROTEST PERIOD AND THEN, UM, SIGN CONTRACTS WITH THEM BASED ON THAT.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT MORE, MORE ON, ON, ON THE PAY PERIOD.
IN TERMS IN TERMS OF HOW, HOW DO THEY GET PAID IN, IN THE, IN, IN TERMS OF, UH, MONITORING? LIKE I, I CAN TELL YOU I'M GOING TO CUT GRASS MAYBE, UH, SIX TIMES AT ROBERT SMALLS HIGH, ROBERT SMALLS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UH, DO I, DO I GIVE YOU A CHECK? I MEAN, I, I SEND YOU SUBMISSION, BUT EVERY TIME I'M OUT THERE, OR, OR IS IT A, IS A CONTRACT YOU EXPECTING ME? LIKE, YOU KNOW, MORE OF THAT, OF THE YES, YES, SIR.
YEAH, I THINK WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU ALLUDED TO EARLIER, MR. SMITH IS ASKING A VALID QUESTION.
IT WAS DISCUSSED IN OPERATIONS MM-HMM
AND I THINK THEY SAID THAT THERE ARE CLOCKS WHERE THEY'RE WATCHING SOME OF THE CAMERAS ON THE WALL AND DETERMINE WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING IN AND OUT.
BUT WHAT HE'S ASKING FOR, WHICH IS APPROPRIATE, IS HOW DO WE CONFIRM PEOPLE ARE DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING? SO LET'S MOVE THAT TO THE OPERATIONS GROUP OKAY.
YOU OKAY? AND MS. BOY, YOU CAN HEAR, SIR? YES, SIR.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS REPORT? BECAUSE I DO HAVE NO SIR.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, MADAM CFO AND I DISCUSSED IS, I THINK FOR THE MAGNITUDE OF THESE NUMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO NEED A NARRATIVE PAGE.
SO YOU'VE DONE, YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF IDENTIFYING THE LOCATIONS.
NOW THIS MAY BE ONE OR TWO PAGES OF WHERE WE SEE THESE VARIANCES.
UM, JUST EXPLAINING A LITTLE BIT DETAIL TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BEFORE THEY'RE ASKED.
I CAN'T READ SMALL, BUT, SO I, I'M OKAY.
YOU OKAY WITH THAT? YES, I DID.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE TRANSPARENCY REPORT? WHAT WAS THAT? THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, SORRY, UH, FORMAT ON TRANSPARENCY REPORT,
WE'LL BRING A SAMPLE BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING.
MINORITY AND WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE REPORTING THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST
[00:30:12]
IT STARTED.UM, SO THIS IS THE MINORITY WOMEN ENTERPRISE, UH, BUSINESS ENTERPRISE REPORT FOR JULY.
THIS IS A, UH, REQUIREMENT ACTUALLY OF THE STATE PROCUREMENT CODE, AND THEREFORE IN OUR PROCUREMENT CODE, SINCE IT MUST BE SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR.
UM, IT IS A, UH, QUITE A YEAR REPORTING.
SO WE AREN'T BRINGING FORWARD.
I THINK WE BROUGHT BACK NOT TOO LONG AGO, UM, THE, THE THROUGH JUNE 30, WHICH WAS A VERY GOOD REPORT.
UM, I THINK WE EXCEEDED THAT 10% THRESHOLD NET OR EXCEEDED THE 10% THRESHOLD THIS TIME AT THAT TIME DUE TO THE CONTRACTS AND, AND SERVICES THAT WE HAD BEING PERFORMED DURING THAT TIME.
UH, THIS ONE IS FROM JULY 1ST THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
AND SO I AM GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MS. HAYLEY YER, UH, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPORT AND DOES THE TRACKING AND I'LL, I'LL THE, THE BACKUP WORK BEHIND IT.
UM, THIS IS REQUIRED FOR OE 6.2.
AGAIN, IT'S ALSO REQUIRED BY OUR PROCUREMENT CODE, UM, THAT WE REPORT THIS SEMI-ANNUALLY.
AND THIS PERIOD IS FROM JULY ONE TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
UM, OUR CONTROLLABLE BUDGET DID, UM, INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY, UM, COMPARED TO LAST, UM, SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT.
SO OUR SIX MONTH FIGURE IS UP, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO SPEND MORE MONEY, WHICH, AND OF COURSE, SPENDING ABOUT THE SAME, OUR PERCENTAGE STILL GOES DOWN.
UM, SO WE HAD A 10% GOAL, UM, AND OUR GOAL WAS TO SPEND 14, AROUND 14.6 MILLION.
UM, THE DOLLARS EXTENDED WITH CERTIFIED WERE ONLY 513,000, WHICH IS 0.35%.
AND THEN NON-CERTIFIED MWBES WAS 6.6 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 4.52%.
SO IN TOTAL WE WERE UNDER, UH, LITTLE UNDER 5%, UM, WHEN OUR GOAL IS 10.
BUT I THINK WE WELL MADE UP FOR THAT IN THE PREVIOUS, UM, PART OF THE CALENDAR YEAR WHERE WE WERE, UH, OVER 15%.
UM, WE DID 12 SOLICITATIONS IN THAT TIME.
FOUR WERE FOR, UM, CONSTRUCTION AND OR RENOVATION.
UH, IN OUR SEMI SEMI-ANNUAL MINORITY EXPENDITURES WERE 401,000, UM, AND A HUNDRED $111,648 AND 39 CENTS WERE FOR SEMI-ANNUAL WOMEN MWBE EXPENDITURES FOR A TOTAL OF $513,017 99 CENTS.
UM, FOR CERTIFIED, WE CURRENTLY ONLY FOR THIS SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT ONLY HAD SIX CERTIFIED MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.
UM, WE HAVE MANY MORE NON-CERTIFIED, BUT, UM, AGAIN, CERTIFIED WAS ONLY SIX THAT WE USED FOR THIS.
UH, THERE IS A GRAPH ON THE BACK THAT SHOWS, UH, VISUAL THE USAGE, UM, VERSUS OUR ACTUAL, UH, OR USAGE PERCENTAGE VERSUS THE ACTUAL GOAL.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT FLUCTUATES, UH, QUITE A BIT DEPENDING ON WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
UM, AND MS. CROSBY SPOKE TO IT LAST TIME.
WHEN CONSTRUCTION IS HIGH, THIS NUMBER IS HIGH.
THAT'S WHERE WE GET MAJORITY OF OUR MI MWBE, UM, PARTICIPATION.
SO, AND AGAIN, IN A CONSCIENCE EFFORT,
UM, YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE.
IT GIVES A DETAILED, UM, INFORMATION OF WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT, HOW TO WORK WITH US, AND EVEN A VENDOR HANDBOOK.
WE PLACE ALL LOCAL ADS AND NEWSPAPER AND DO RADIO SEMI-ANNUALLY, UH, FEBRUARY AND AUGUST WITH INFORMATION, UM, PROPOSED FUTURE PROJECTS.
UM, THIS PAST SUMMER WE HELD A MINORITY VENDOR FAIR AGAIN, WHICH WE HAD MORE PARTICIPATION THAN WE'D HAD IN THE PAST.
UM, WE CONTINUOUSLY REACH OUT TO, UM, DIFFERENT OFFICES, UM, AND PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO TRY AND STRENGTHEN THOSE CONNECTIONS.
AND ALSO THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT OUTREACH BY CDRE HUY OR TURNER TOWNSEND OW, THAT'S THAT.
THE NEXT REPORT
UM, AND THE LAST PART OF THE REPORT IS SOLE SOURCE AND EMERGENCY.
UM, WE DID A SOLE SOURCE FOR MEDTECH SEVEN FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OAP MATH FOR $77,000.
AND THEN AN EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT WERE FOR THE HVAC REPAIRS, UM, THIS PAST SUMMER TO SPLIT THAT BETWEEN TWO COMPANIES IN ORDER TO, UM, MAXIMIZE REPAIRS, UM, QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY FOR AC UM, MS. GORDON.
ANY QUESTIONS MA'AM? I'M TRYING TO, UH, DIGEST THE NUMBERS.
FOR THE WOMEN, UM, BUSINESSES.
[00:35:01]
CERTIFIED, UM, POSITION CONTRACTS THAT WERE AWARDED, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? CERTIFIED, UM, ARE THOSE WHO ARE CERTIFIED THROUGH THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, UM, OR S-M-S-M-B-AUM, AND THEN ALSO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
SO THEY CAN HAVE, UH, S-C-D-O-T CERTIFICATION.
THAT MEANS THEY'VE GONE THROUGH AND THEY'VE DONE ALL THE FINANCIAL PREP WORK, ALL OF THE CERTIFICATION, ALL THE CLASSES.
THEY'VE PRETTY MUCH OPENED UP THEIR ENTIRE BUSINESS TO THE STATE TO COME IN AND CERTIFY THEM AS A MINORITY WOMEN OWNED, BUSINESS MINORITY OR WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS.
THERE'S NOT MANY IN THIS AREA.
UM, WE DID AN EXTENSIVE EVALUATION, UM, AND WE DO IT PROBABLY ALMOST EVERY YEAR OR EVERY 18 MONTHS WHERE WE GO THROUGH.
UM, AND MOST OF THEM ARE LOCATED IN CHARLESTON AND COLUMBIA.
AND THEN IF THEY'RE IN SAVANNAH, THEY DON'T COUNT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SOUTH CAROLINA CERTIFIED BECAUSE THEY'RE GEORGIA BUSINESSES.
SO TRYING TO PULL THAT BUSINESS DOWN HERE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
UM, ALSO NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE THE, UM, REWARD FOR BECOMING CERTIFIED.
UM, THERE'S NO, WE DON'T OFFER ANY PREFERENCE.
UM, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED, UH, LEGALLY IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO OFFER ANY PREFERENCE TO MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS, BUT WE WANT THEM TO BE CERTIFIED SO THAT WE CAN COUNT THEM TOWARDS A GOAL THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE.
SO, SO WHAT KIND OF BUSINESSES ARE THEY CERTIFIED IN? UH, WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE THERAPISTS.
WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE, UM, MECHANICAL ENGINEERS, OTHERS THAT ARE CONSULTANTS FOR LARGER FIRMS THAT WE WORK WITH.
UM, OR CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES, UM, ARE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT.
THEY DO GOODS, THEY DO SERVICES, ELECTRICAL ROOFING, ALL KINDS.
BUT, UM, MOST OF THOSE ARE NON-CERTIFIED.
THE CERTIFIED ONES WE HAVE ARE PRETTY MUCH A, AN ARCHITECT, A STRUCTURAL MECHANIC, AND YEAH, AND SOME CONSULTING FIRMS. THAT'S, THAT'S THE HARD PART.
APPLIED DIRT DATA IS NOT CERTIFIED.
SO WE ARE GONNA BE HAVING, UM, WE'VE BEEN MAKING SOME PURCHASES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS FOR LAPTOP COMPUTERS FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
SO THE COMBINATION IS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WE'LL BE SPENDING.
THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING IT THIS EARLY IN THE YEAR IS BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL FOR TARIFFS COMING UP IN THE MONTH OF APRIL OR BEYOND THIS POTENTIAL THERE.
SO WE'RE, UM, THE REFRESH IS NEEDED OR THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, BUT WE'VE ALREADY PLACED THOSE ORDERS THAT IS A WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS, A WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS.
SO ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT CERTIFIED, WE'D STILL REPORT IT IN OUR NEXT SIX MONTH REPORT.
SO THOSE NUMBERS COULD GO UP SUBSTANTIALLY FOR THAT ONE PURCHASE OR THOSE TWO PURCHASES ALONE, UM, THAT COULD ASSIST, YOU KNOW, HELP US IN OUR NEXT SIX MONTHS AS WELL.
SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO TRACK NON-CERTIFIED MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 'CAUSE YOU KIND OF HAVE TO GO OFF OF THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE GIVING YOU THAT THEY'RE WOMEN OWNED OR, UM, OR MINORITY OWNED.
UM, WHEN CERTIFIED IS ACTUALLY DOCUMENTED AND THERE'S A STATE WEBSITE THAT YOU GO TO TO VERIFY THE INFORMATION.
UM, AND THERE'S NO WAY FOR THEM TO REPORT, YOU KNOW, I'M A NON-CERTIFIED MINORITY WOMEN BUSINESS, PLEASE ADD ME TO YOUR, YOUR CHART FOR INFORMATION.
SO IT'S, WE PULL IT FROM EVERYWHERE, EVERY CORNER OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WE CAN THE INFORMATION.
THANK THEY'RE WELCOME MS. MS. HAY.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, MA'AM? NO, SIR.
I, UM, MR. UM, I'M JUST, I'M JUST LISTENING TO THE, UH, I WAS JUST LISTENING TO THE REPORT.
UM, ALSO WE DO HAVE SOME, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE SOME, UM, AFRICAN AMERICAN MINORITIES, UH, WHO HAVE A, A, A TRASH, SOME TRASH COMPANIES AND SOME OTHER, UH, HEAVY, HEAVY EQUIPMENT COMPANIES THAT COMPANIES IN THIS, IN IN TOWN THAT I CAN SEE.
I, I, I DON'T SEE WHY, AND I WOULDN'T, WHY THEY COULD NOT, UH, EVEN, UM, HAVE CONTRACTS WITH THE DISTRICT BECAUSE I I, I'VE SEEN WHERE THEY HAVE CONTRACTS WITH PLACES LIKE, UH,
UH, AND AND IN TERMS OF HELP, HELP THE NUMBERS IN THE BOTTOM LINE BECAUSE I, I, I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR MORE TO SUPPORT LOCAL
UM, AND, AND ACTUALLY I WAS KIND OF, UH, WONDERING FROM WHAT, FROM WHAT IS BEING CHANGED IN
[00:40:01]
THE GOVERNMENT, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT US IN TERMS OF, UH, THOSE WORDS THAT THEY USE.UH, I DON'T WANNA EVEN USE THEM, YOU KNOW, BUT I'M SURE, I'M SURE YOU GET THE DRIFT OF IT.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE, GIVE IT ANY ATTENTION.
BUT, UH, I AM LOOKING FORWARD US TO POSSIBLY DO REACH OUT TO SOMEBODY.
WE DO HAVE SOME LARGER BUSINESSES OUT HERE THAT WHO, UH, WHO I BELIEVE THAT WE COULD BE DOING BUSINESS BUSINESS WITH WHO ARE NOW MINORITY WOMEN, COULD BE A CAUCASIAN WHITE WOMAN I'M TALKING ABOUT, OF POCKETS OF PEOPLE WHO WE SHOULD BE REACHING OUT TO BUSINESS WITH.
IS, IS, IS MY CONCERN AS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE AS WELL, IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO FORWARD MY INFORMATION, UH, UH, MR. DOOS, UH, HAS DONE THE SAME THING WITH VENDORS.
UM, THEY CAN REACH OUT TO ME AND I WILL POINT THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OF WHERE TO REGISTER WITH US, RIGHT? SO THAT THEY ARE NOTIFIED AS SOON AS AN OPPORTUNITY COMES UP TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
UM, AND, AND SEE IF, UH, IT'S A BE A VIABLE CONTRACT WITH SOMEONE IN THE RIGHT.
AND, AND, AND ALSO WITH THE PROCUREMENT, UH, I'VE BEEN LEARNING, UH, WITHIN THE PROCUREMENT CONTACT ALSO, I MEAN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS ALSO, THE, THE, THE KEY THING I'VE LEARNED IS THAT IT'S REALLY HOW THE PROCUREMENT, HOW HOW THE RFP IS WRITTEN.
AND, AND I, AND I'M, AND I'M GOING TO, BUT I'M GONNA BE TAKING SOME CLASSES AND LEARNING BECAUSE YOU, AN RFP FROM MY UNDERSTANDING CAN BE WRITTEN IN, IN TERMS OF HOW SOMEONE THAT CAN BE THE, THE, THE DETERMINATION WHEREVER SOMEONE GETS OR WHEREVER THEY DON'T GET.
BECAUSE THAT ONE THING MAY, MAY, YOU MAY HAVE TO BE TO HAVE, OR, OR, OR THAT ONE CERTIFICATION THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE, SOMEONE ELSE MAY HAVE, MAY GIVE THEM THE EDGE UP.
SO, SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT, THAT I'M LEARNING THAT ARE, THAT ARE EDGING SOME PEOPLE OFF.
AND THAT WE MAY NEED TO MAY IS, IS IN TREATING ME TO LOOK FURTHER INTO WHAT OUR RFPS ARE AND, AND, AND, AND WHAT WHAT THEY CONSIST OF.
BECAUSE THAT TOO IS, IS A VERY, UH, I IMPORTANT, UH, TOOL MOVING FORWARD, UH, FOR THE DISTRICT AND, AND, AND, AND PARTNERING WITH
SO I'D LIKE TO, IF I MAY RESPOND TO THAT.
UM, SO ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN DOING BUSINESS WITH, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THAT'S WHY WE ADVERTISE THE WAY WE DO.
UM, BUT WE ARE, WE DON'T KNOW EVERY VENDOR IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE, WE REACH OUT TO OUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PARTNERS, UH, THE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PARTNERS AS WELL.
AND EVERY SOLICITATION WE HAVE HELP US GET OUTREACH, UM, AND, AND GET MORE VENDORS TO COME IN.
SO, BUT WHETHER WE REALLY NEED THEM TO CONTACT US TO SAY, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ON THE LIST WHEN YOU HAVE A TRASH DISPOSAL CONTRACT GOING OUT FOR BID.
AND THEN WE WILL NOTIFY THEM OF THAT IF WE KNOW THAT THIS VENDOR'S INTERESTED IN, IN A SERVICE OR, UH, THAT WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, SO WE DO NEED THAT NOTIFICATION AND COMMUNICATION FROM THE, THE BUSINESS OWNERS AS WELL AS FAR AS WRITING THE CONTRACT, UH, THE RFP, UM, WE WRITE IT IN THE WAY WE WRITE IT BECAUSE WE NEED A CERTAIN LEVEL.
WE HAVE EXPECTED CERTAIN LEVEL OF, UH, QUALITY SERVICE AND WE DON'T WANT TO LESSEN THAT, UH, LOWER SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS JUST BECAUSE WE WANT MORE, UH, ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE NECESSARILY.
BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE HIGH QUALITY PRODUCT.
AND SO WE DON'T WANNA RISK, UH, LOWERING THAT EXPECTATION AND RECEIVING THE LOWER SERVICE, UH, BY NOT HAVING CERTAIN CERTIFICATIONS OR HAVING A BID BOND OR VARIOUS THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THERE'S CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAVE, UH, OF QUALITY OF THAT LEVEL, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT RP UH, PROVIDES THAT, UH, THE NARRATIVE THAT IT REQUIRES THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.
UM, AND UM, SO, BUT WE CERTAINLY WILL LOOK AT THAT AND WE LOOK AT THEM EVERY TIME WE GO OUT BID WE REVIEW SEVERAL EVIDENCE, WHETHER IT'S THE CFO OR THE COO, UH, WE ALL ARE REVIEWING THAT SCOPE OF WORK VERY CAREFULLY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE, WE ARE GETTING WHAT WE NEED FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT FOR YOU TODAY.
CAN I FOLLOW UP ON THAT? YES, MA'AM.
UM, WE'VE ASKED MS. HAY, I THINK, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
OKAY, SO LEMME SHARE A STORY WITH YOU.
SO ABOUT 15 MONTHS AGO, RECENT, SHORTLY AFTER I HAD JOINED THE BOARD, THERE WAS PRESENTATION ON THIS AND I LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS AND THE NON-CERTIFIED, CERTIFIED, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, YEAH, WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS IN IT, NON-CERTIFIED.
AND SO I MET THE PARKERS AND I'M PULLING UP TO GET GAS AND HERE COMES THIS BIG DUMP TRUCK.
ALL IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS BRAND NEW.
AND OUT OF THAT DUMP TRUCK JUMPS A LADY WHO IS WHEELING THAT 10 TON DUMP TRUCK.
NOW I'M A LITTLE HESITANT 'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA APPROACH SOMEBODY SCARED OF A JEEPING, RIGHT?
SO YOU GO UP AND SAY, HEY, I'M WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, RIGHT? AND I SEE YOU HAVE A TRUCK.
[00:45:01]
I SAID, WELL, WHO DO YOU WORK FOR? SHE SAID, THIS IS MY TRUCKAND SO I SAID, WELL, WE ARE LOOKING FOR CONTRACTS.
WHO ARE YOU PULLING FOR NOW? AND SHE GAVE THE NAME, BUT SHE SAID, I'M LOOKING FOR MORE.
AND I SAID, BOY, WHY DON'T YOU CONTACT ME AND I'LL REFER YOU TO, I REFER IT TO YOU AND YOU DID A GOOD JOB.
BUT COME TO FIND OUT WHEN SHE SAW WHAT IT REQUIRES TO BECOME A CERTIFIED PERSON, SHE SAID, I DON'T HAVE THE TIME RIGHT NOW.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TOOK PLACE ON THE MR. NA'S, UH, MEETING ON TUESDAY IS TO ACTUALLY GO OUT TO WHERE THE CONTRACTORS ARE.
AND I KNOW YOU ALREADY DOING THIS.
UH, AND TO CIRCUMVENT YOUR HAVING TO PUT SO MUCH EFFORT INTO IT, UM, ANGELA DECOSTA, WHO USED TO BE THE CHIEF OF STAFF FOR NO REGIONAL DIRECTOR, FOR CENTER FOR, UH, TIM SCOTT, SHE IS NOW THE DIRECTOR OF MINORITY BUSINESS AFFAIRS, SO THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO SHE IS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE, WE CAN CONNECT YOU WITH HER AND, UH, BECAUSE SHE HAS FUNDING, SHE HAS TRAINING PROGRAMS. AND SO WHAT MR. SMITH IS LOOKING TO, TO HELP PEOPLE GET QUALIFIED, TO YOUR POINT, WE CAN'T TAKE PEOPLE WHO ARE LESS THAN THE STANDARD.
THAT BASICALLY IS A NEGATIVE FOR PEOPLE WHO COME IN UNDER THAT PROTOCOL.
SO WE WANT EVERY WANT IT KNOWN.
EVERYBODY WHO COMES ON AND IS ACCEPTED IS QUALIFIED.
AND I THINK THE OUTREACH IS, IS THE SOLUTION.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING I MADE A NOTE, UH, WE'LL BRING UP AT THE BOARD MEETING THAT WE WANT THE BOARD MEMBERS, JUST AS THEY'RE DOING ON OTHER AREAS TO LEVERAGE THEIR NETWORK.
THIS GENTLEMAN HERE HAS A TREMENDOUS NETWORK, SO LET'S REQUEST SOME SPECIFIC NAMES OF COMPANIES, GET THAT INTO YOU FOR WHOMEVER TO ASSIGN MADAM CFO.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'LL DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO BE THE REQUEST OF FELLOW BOARD.
IS THAT OKAY? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UM, YES MA'AM, I'M LISTENING.
I'M ALSO GOING BACK YEARS WHEN WE HAVE HAD THIS BEFORE US BEFORE TO GET, UM, MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES AND WHAT IT TAKES TO GET IT THERE.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THE SAME ISSUE COMES UP, THE AMOUNT OF PAPERWORK OR THE DETAILS IN THAT PAPERWORK, UH, THAT DETERIOR THEM FROM BECOMING CERTIFIED.
SO WHILE WE, I MEAN, AS A BOARD MEMBER, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GETTING A TRUCK DRIVER, YOU KNOW, OR CONTRACTOR, YOU KNOW.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT IF SOMETHING SEEMS TO BE HARD AND I HAVE A COMPANY, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO GO THROUGH ALL THE PAPERWORK AND AND R AWARD THAT, UH, WE REQUIRE.
AND WHILE I DO NOT WANT TO BRING DOWN ANYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO THE SAFETY AND THE, THE KIND OF PRODUCTS THAT WE PUT OUT THERE, I DO THINK WE MAY WANT TO LISTEN TO, UH, THESE INDIVIDUALS ABOUT WHY THEY'RE NOT APPLYING FOR CERTIFICATION.
IT MIGHT BE JUST ONE LINE IN THAT, YOU KNOW, APPLICATION THAT'S DETERRING THEM THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO LOOK AT.
BUT WE NEED TO TALK TO THOSE PEOPLE.
WHY DOESN'T SHE NOW HAVE THE TIME NOT TO FILL OUT THIS APPLICATION? I MEAN, SHE CAN DRIVE A 10 TON TRUCK.
I MEAN, SHE'S, SHE'S SUPER TO ME, BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE NOT LISTENING TO THE CONTRACTORS AND THE VENDORS, BUT THEY'RE TELLING US IN THIS MINORITY REPORT, THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR BEAVERT COUNTY FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND I COMMEND YOU OFF OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I COMMEND US FOR WANTING TO STEP OUT AND, AND REACH OUT, BUT I DON'T THINK VICTOR NAY OR ME COULD TELL SOMEONE HOW TO FILL OUT THAT, SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND FILL OUT THAT, THAT APPLICATION.
IF, IF I, COULD I JUST FILL UP A, A FOLLOW UP ON THAT? YES, SIR.
AND SO PART OF WHAT THE CHAIRS ASKED US TO DO IS BE MORE AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY, THE BOARD MEMBERS.
AND THAT'S WHERE I LEARNED THAT MR. KASKA HAS MONEY AND TRAINING PROGRAMS TO ANSWER WHAT, UH, MS. GORDON IS SPEAKING OF.
SO PART OF THE CHALLENGE IS TO GET THAT VISIBILITY OF THOSE PROGRAMS. UM, SO IT WAS, SHE
[00:50:01]
HAS LIKE ALL OF US, SHE HAS PERSONAL ISSUES THAT, YOU KNOW, IS MULTITASKING AS SHE'S GROWING HER BUSINESS.AND SO I THINK WITH THOSE TWO MINORITY AFFAIRS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA AND THEN THE BLACK CHAMBER, THEY TOO HAVE TRAINING PROGRAMS AND FUNDING THE HISPANIC BUSINESS CAUCUS ALSO AS TRAINED.
SO IF WE CAN SORT OF FORM A CO TRIANGULAR COALITION AMONG THOSE TWO, THOSE FOUR, THOSE THREE, I THINK IT WILL HELP ANSWER SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE'RE HEARING, WHICH ARE LEGITIMATE.
IS THAT FAIR? OH, YOU WERE GONNA SAY SOMETHING? YEAH, THERE IS INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY ON OUR WEBSITE UNDER THE WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT WHERE WE KEEP ALL OF OUR VENDOR INFORMATION.
UM, IT IS FREE, IT'S FREE, UM, FOR VENDORS TO APPLY AND REGISTER WITH US TO GET NOTIFICATION AS SOON AS OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME CERTIFIED IS A STATE APPLICATION.
IT'S NOT A DISTRICT APPLICATION.
SO, UH, MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO WHAT WE CAN.
UM, PROCUREMENT'S A LITTLE LIMITED ON HOW FAR THEY CAN REACH BEFORE THAT LINE.
BECOMING A THE COMPETITIVE, COMPETITIVE AND KEEPING THINGS VERY UNBIASED.
UM, BUT I DO, I REACH AS FAR AS I CAN AND, AND WITH YOUR HELP, IT HAS BEEN, UH, A LOT EASIER.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE NEED ME UNTIL THEY LET ME KNOW THAT THEY NEED ME.
SO PLEASE SHARE MY INFORMATION.
I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY, ANY VENDOR.
SO AT OUR NEXT MEETING, MAYBE WE CAN COME BACK WITH A COLLECTIVE RECOMMENDATION OF WHO TO REACH OUT TO.
ALRIGHT, ALL THE MEMBERS HERE, PEOPLE SITTING HERE, UM, AND THE BOARD MEMBERS ASKING THEM TO HELP IN THIS AREA WITH SPECIFIC NAMES AND COMPANIES.
AND THEN WE CAN FUNNEL THAT OVER TO THOSE THREE AGENCIES AND MAYBE THAT WILL HELP LIGHTEN THE LOAD ON PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT THERE WHO ALREADY HAVE STARTED, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THE, THERE ARE TWO GOVERNMENT LAYERS, FEDERAL AND STATE THAT ARE SUPPORTING THEM AS WELL AS SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
SO NOW LEMME TALK ABOUT, IF I MAY, UH, THAT WAS THE KEY POINT THAT YOU MADE BECAUSE, UH, ACTUALLY, UH, THEY, THE LADY FROM THE, UH, I, THE, YEAH, THE PEOPLE FROM THE, FROM THE, FROM THE, THE, THE TRASH, UH, MR. AND MR. UH, THEY, WHO, WHO FROM THE, UH, THE TRASH COMPANY THEY HAD ACTUALLY HAD TALKED TO, UH, I THINK, UM, YEAH, Y'ALL DID SOMETHING AT BLACK CHAMBERS.
SO I THINK THEY WERE ALREADY A, A PART OF IT OR SOMETHING AND, AND THEY KIND OF, WHAT MRS. GORDON HAD TOUCHED ON, NOW IT'S KIND OF BASICALLY HOW THEY, THEY FELT AND WHAT, WHAT I JUST SAID.
I DIDN'T WANNA PUT IT OUT THERE, BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT THAT WAS.
THE FEELING OF IT IS KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YEAH, BUT SO, BUT, BUT, BUT THEY, BUT THEY DID, UH, THEY DID, UH, ENGAGE AT THAT AT THE CHAMBER.
SO THERE'S A CONTINUATION AFTER THE CHAMBER OF PRESENTATIONS.
WE JUST GOTTA GET PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT AND SIGN UP FOR IT, RIGHT? SO, UM, PROBABLY IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION WITH DR.
BRUDER, MAYBE WE CAN DEVELOP SOME OUTREACH MESSAGING, LET PEOPLE KNOW.
SO LET ME JUST PUT THE CAVEAT TO THAT, WHERE I WAS GOING MONDAY, THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CUT A BILLION DOLLARS, $1 BILLION MONDAY.
NOW MADAM CFO AND MADAM DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL CONTROLS, UH, SHOWED WHERE, UM, AT THIS POINT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MA'AM, AT THIS POINT, AT $27 MILLION THAT FLOW INTO THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL DISTRICT, THAT IF EVERYTHING GOES, AS IT'S BEING SAID, COMING OUTTA WASHINGTON, THAT TOO IS PROBABLY GONNA VANISH.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO AS AN ORGANIZATION IS PROACTIVELY START LOOKING AT HOW DO WE TIGHTEN OUR BELT IF THAT 27 MILLION VANISHES AND IS THERE MORE THAT'S HIDDEN IN, YOU KNOW, OUR 360 SOME MILLION DOLLARS OPERATING BUDGET THAT WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY REPLACE.
SO WE JUST WANT A HELICOPTER UP AND LOOK AT WHAT THE POTENTIAL ISSUES ARE AND OUR APPLAUD ALL OF YOU FOR THINKING THAT WAY.
AND, UH, SO WE, WE SAIL THROUGH ROUGH SEED.
IF THEY COME, THEY MAY NOT COME, BUT IF THEY COME, ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC? MS. HAY, YOU OKAY? YES, I AM.
I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD, UM, FOOD FOR THOUGHT, PLEASE.
EVERYONE'S COMMENTS OBVIOUSLY ARE VALID.
UM, A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT WOULD BE NOT TRYING TO STICK AROUND PEG INTO A SQUARE HOLE OR HOWEVER THAT TERM GOES.
UM, A LOT OF BUSINESS OWNERS LOVE BEING IN BUSINESS FOR THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.
[00:55:01]
LARGER ENTITIES WOULD REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE MEANING.THEY CAN FUNCTION ON THEIR OWN SCHEDULE, THEIR OWN TIMEFRAME, THEY CAN CHANGE THEIR SCHEDULE WHEN THEY'D LIKE TO.
THERE'S A WHOLE LAYER OF FLEXIBILITY THERE.
THAT IS HONESTLY WHY MOST PEOPLE GO INTO BUSINESS FOR THEMSELVES IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO I JUST ASK THAT PEOPLE BE UNDERSTANDING OF THAT BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE WE THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING GREAT TO PROVIDE THEM, OR ALMO ALMOST, I GET THIS SENSE OF LIKE, LET THE SCHOOL DISTRICT RESCUE YOU BY ALLOWING YOU TO WORK FOR US.
BUT THEY MAY NOT SEE IT THAT WAY.
THEY MAY NOT WANT TO BE A LARGER BUSINESS.
THEY MAY ENJOY THEIR FLEXIBILITY.
AND ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN YOU ARE REJECTED IN BUSINESS, THE KINDEST WAY FOR PEOPLE TO GIVE A REJECTION IS, I DON'T HAVE THE TIME.
I'M SORRY I CAN'T TAKE ON THIS CONTRACT, OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
UM, BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR NICE WAY OF EITHER SAYING, YOU CAN'T PAY ME ENOUGH, OR I FORESEE THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ME NAILED DOWN TO A SCHEDULE THAT ISN'T, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T WORK FOR ME OR MY EMPLOYEES.
IT'S JUST THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTORS THERE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND LIKE I SAID, EVERYONE'S COMMENTS ARE VALID AND IT DOESN'T MEAN DON'T KEEP TRYING, IT'S JUST IN SALES AND BUSINESS, YOU REALLY LEARN, UM, YOU KNOW, TO TAKE REJECTION AS YOU GO.
AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A HUGE BELIEVER AS WELL.
I GO BY A PHRASE REJECTION'S, GOD'S PROTECTION.
IF THE PERSON DOESN'T WANT TO SIGN ON WITH THE DISTRICT, PERHAPS THEY'RE SAVING US FROM A HEADACHE DOWN THE ROAD AS WELL.
SO JUST KNOW, YOU KNOW, UM, EVERYBODY MAY NOT BE FIT TO BE IN CONTRACT WITH US.
PEOPLE MAY NOT WANT TO BE IN CONTRACT WITH US.
UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO THROW THAT OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO KEEP IN MIND.
WELL, WELL SAID, MS. HAY AND VERY APROPOS, UM, I THINK THE WAY THAT WE ARE TALKING IS SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UH, AND I THINK WHAT IT WILL DO IF WE BRING IN POTENTIAL BUSINESSES AND, AND THERE'S AN OUTREACH EFFORT AND THEY SAY NO, NOW WE HAVE ACCUMULATED A, A DATABASE OF OUTREACH POINT THAT WE'VE TRIED, SO NO ONE CAN QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT WE TRIED.
BUT AGAIN, THIS MAY ALL END SOON.
SO LET'S PUT THE
AND THEN FUNNEL IT INTO, HEY, CHECK BACK WITH THEM IN SIX MONTHS.
YOUR SALES EXPERTISE IS SHOWING MS. HEY, THAT'S A BIG PART.
SO I'M JUST SAYING IT DOESN'T HELP TO JUST SAY NO AND THEN WALK AWAY.
WE SHOULD JUST KEEP TRACKING ALL OF ALL OF THE BUSINESSES AND YOU KNOW, WHAT THEIR REJECTION REASONING IS.
SO THAT MAYBE DOWN THE LINE, MAYBE THEY CHANGED THEIR MIND OR MAYBE THEY GET CERTIFIED FOR A DIFFERENT REASON AND THEN IT'S EASIER FOR THEM TO SAY YES.
I, I, THOSE ARE GREAT POINTS AND I WANTED TO ADD ONE MORE PARTICULAR THING.
THAT'S USUALLY, UH, IT COULD BE A DETERRENT FOR SMALLER COMPANIES WHEN WE HAVE LARGER CONTRACTS IN THE DISTRICT, EQUIPMENT PURCHASES.
SO A GROUNDS MAINTENANCE, UH, COMPANY WOULD NEED A, A FLEET OF LAWN MOWERS AND WEED EATERS.
A TRASH DISPOSAL COMPANY WOULD NEED LARGE TRASH DISPOSAL, UH, UH, COLLECTION VEHICLES AND THE BINS TO GO WITH THEM.
THAT'S A LARGE INVESTMENT ON THEIR PART.
UM, CUSTODIAL NEEDS THE SCRUBBERS AND THE WAXERS AND THE MOPS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS IN ORDER TO DO THEIR WORK.
SO SOMETIMES THERE ARE VERY LARGE INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE TO OCCUR OF EQUIPMENT ON THE FRONT END OF A CONTRACT IF A COMPANY'S NOT ALREADY AT A LEVEL.
UM, SO THAT'S ANOTHER, SOMETIMES THAT COULD BE A DETERRENT AS WELL.
UM, BECAUSE MANY OF OUR CONTRACTS DO REQUIRE LARGE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT IN ORDER TO TO FUNCTION.
SO JUST THOUGHT I'D THROW THAT IN THERE AS A POSSIBLE REASON AS WELL THAT COULD BE, UM, WRAPPED.
AND, AND IF I COULD JUST TAG ON, PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS QUESTIONING AND SUGGESTIONS AS ANY, UH, VIEW THAT NOT DOING EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE EVERYTHING.
EVERY PERSON I'VE REFERRED TO YOU.
AND THAT'S EXCEPT, UM, BUT I THINK BY PUTTING IN THE BEST EFFORT, WHICH YOU ALREADY ARE DOING, WE'RE JUST BRAINSTORMING HERE, THEN IT MAY
[01:00:01]
BE AS MS. HAY IS SAYING THINGS THAT WE CAN SAY, OKAY, WELL WE PRESENTED THIS PERSON, THEY DIDN'T WANNA MAKE THE INVESTMENT OR WHAT HAPPENED.SO THANK YOU FOR A CANDID CONVERSATION.
EVERYBODY OKAY SO FAR? ALRIGHT, THE NEXT ONE IS, UM, FORWARD STIPEND.
I KNOW YOU ARE
HE THE ONE WHO BROUGHT IT UP, BROUGHT THIS ONE UP.
UH, AT A PAST MEETING WE WERE HAVING A STIPEND, UH, CONVERSATION AT A BOARD MEETING.
SO, UM, AFTER THAT MEETING I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND STARTED FINDING INDIVIDUAL, UM, UH, I STARTED FINDING INDIVIDUAL RATES OF INDIVIDUAL BOARDS.
AND I THOUGHT IT HAS GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY TO DO THIS.
SO, UM, AS ONE OF THE, I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY AI POINTED OUT TO ME THAT THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION HAD REPORTED THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS PAY.
AND I THOUGHT, OH, WELL THEY PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE A COMPILATION OF EVERYONE'S ACROSS THE STATE.
SO LET ME EMAIL SOMEONE UP THERE.
IMMEDIATELY EMAILED, UH, THE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION SAID, DO YOU HAVE A LISTING, A COMPILATION OF SCHOOL BOARD PAY ACROSS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA? AND WITHIN, WITHIN AN HOUR, I HAD A RESPONSE WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL ONE PAGE, UM, DOCUMENT THAT WAS ACTUALLY JUST CREATED IN JULY.
SO, UH, I, I THANKED HIM GREATLY FOR THE, UH, SAVING ME A WHOLE LOT OF WORK AND, UH, WAS ABLE TO COME UP WITH THIS, UM, THIS DOCUMENT SINCE THEN.
UM, IT'S, PHILIP SAW AN ARTICLE, ARTICLE WHERE AT ONE OF THE ANDERSON SCHOOL DISTRICTS, I BELIEVE IT'S FIVE, HAD, THEY'RE NO LONGER IN THE NO PAY CATEGORY.
THEY HAVE, UH, RECENTLY, UM, VOTED TO ACTUALLY PAY THEIR BOARD MEMBERS, SOME OF WHICH HAVE DECLINED THE PAYMENT OTHERS HAVE, ARE DONATING THE PAYMENT AND SOME ARE KEEPING THE PAYMENT, UM, BECAUSE IT MAY CONFLICT WITH THEIR JOBS, THEIR PRIMARY JOB AS WELL.
SO, JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE'S AT LEAST ONE CHANGE TO THIS, UM, AT I BELIEVE ANDERSON FIVE.
UH, THE OTHER DOCUMENT I'VE PROVIDED IS AN ORDINANCE FROM THE
UM, MS. BROCK OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL, THE CLERK TO COUNCIL, UH, PROVIDED ME WITH AN ORDINANCE.
UH, I, I HAD RECALLED THAT A FEW YEARS AGO THAT THAT COUNCIL HAD CONSOLIDATED THEIRS PAY AND HAD, UH, INCREASED THAT.
AND THIS ORDINANCE REFLECTS THAT CHANGE BACK IN, IT APPEARS 2020 AUGUST OF 2020.
SO, UM, THIS IS JUST ROOM FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION.
UM, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M NOT SURE IF I'LL HAVE ANY ANSWERS FOR YOU, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, UH, DO THE RESEARCH AND, AND LOOK TO HELP YOU IN ANY WAY WE CAN.
MS. GORDON, I'M SORRY, UH,
UM, I REMEMBER WHEN IT, WAS IT $300, WHAT THEY GOT A MONTH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UH, FOR BOARD PAY.
UM, IF IT WAS THAT, MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE LOOKING TO INCREASE OUR STIPEND FOR OUR BOARD MEMBERS? AND IF SO, WHAT'S THE CRITERIA? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO MORE OF IN ORDER TO RECEIVE MORE, UM, AT THE END OF THE YEAR? DO WE SPEND ALL THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED TO OUR POT? UH, WHERE DOES THAT GO? DOES IT ROLL OVER OR ROLL UNDER OR DOES IT GO INTO PERHAPS INCREASING OUR STIPEND? UM, I'M WITH MR. DALLAS ON WATCHING OUT AND BEING CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT OUR SPENDING RIGHT NOW, UH, WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING IN OUR GOVERNMENT, AND ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT THE WAY THEY'RE CUTTING EDUCATION AND OTHER, OTHER, UH, FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT THEY GIVE TO US.
SO WHILE I'M FOR A STIPEND INCREASE OF SOME SORT, I WOULD LIKE TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE INCREASING AND WHY WE'RE INCREASING AND HOW MUCH WE'LL BE INCREASING IF WE DO DECIDE TO.
[01:05:01]
UM, I'M PERFECTLY OKAY WITH WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW.I JUST SEE WHERE I THINK OUR COUNTY COUNCIL IS 28,000, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
26 SOMETHING I RECALL CORRECTLY, TWENTY SIX NINE EIGHTY EIGHT.
SO JUST, JUST MY QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE WE IN THIS PROCESS AND, UH, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE GET THERE AND, AND ASKING THIS COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT US GETTING, UH, UH, A STIPEND FOR US IN OUR GOOD HEARTS, KNOWING THAT WE'RE WORKING HARD ENOUGH TO GET A, A STIPEND SO I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.
MS. HAY IS WHERE SHE CAN'T SPEAK, BUT SHE TYPED IN, SHE SAYS, I'M HEADED INTO AN AREA WHERE I'M NOT PERMITTED TO SPEAK ON A CELLULAR DEVICE.
I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF RAISING OUR STIPENDS FOR SOME OF THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
TWO, I SEE THIS AS A COMMUNITY SERVICE.
THREE CONSTITUENTS ARE STRUGGLING TO BUY GROCERIES, AND I'M NOT GOING TO ASK THEM TO PAY, TRYING TO GET IT UP.
I'M NOT GOING TO ASK THEM TO PAY US MORE.
FOUR, THIS WILL IMPACT THE COMMUNITY'S OPINION OF US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
ALONG WITH THE FISCAL AUTONOMY.
I CAN STILL TEXT BUT CANNOT SPEAK.
WE'RE NOT COUNTY COUNCIL, SO I'M, SO WE'RE NOT COUNTY COUNCIL, SO I'M UNSURE WHY WE'RE COMPARING OURSELVES TO THEM.
SO DO YOU, SHOULD WE TAKE A, SHOULD THIS COMMITTEE VOTE ON IT? I DON'T THINK SO.
I, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION FROM OUR, EVEN OUR COLLEAGUES TO, TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE GET AN INCREASE OR NOT.
BUT COUNTY COUNCIL, IF I'M MEMORY, SERVES ME CORRECT.
THEY'RE ALSO ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO IN, IN SOME WAYS THERE IS A COMPARISON.
UM, I THINK THERE'S 11 OF THEM.
MEMORY SERVES ME, BUT, UM, BUT EITHER WAY, I THINK THAT AS A BOARD, COLLECTIVELY, I THINK IT WOULD BE THE END OF THIS MONTH AS AT A WORK SESSION.
AND MAYBE WE SHOULD TAKE IT THERE AND, UH, GIVE THEM A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT THEY THINK WE SHOULD EVEN ADDRESS THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.
THERE'S SOME VALID POINTS AND WHAT MS. HAY, UH SAID, BUT THOSE, UM, ARE ALWAYS THERE.
UM, SOME PEOPLE DON'T MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS WE MAKE.
AND, UH, SO THEY'RE ALL, ALL KIND OF VARIABLES.
AND IT DEPENDS ON, ON WHAT YOU STAND FOR, WHAT YOU BELIEVE.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T QUESTION IT.
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO MAYBE WAIT UNTIL TWO MORE WEEKS AND BRING IT TO, UH, DISCUSSION TO THE BOARD AND LET THEM MARINADE A LITTLE BIT.
ASK MS. HAY, WOULD SHE LIKE TO VOTE ON WHAT'S HER POSITION ON THAT? WHY WOULD SHE WANT TO, UH, SOON.
SHE JUST CAN'T, SHE'LL JUST HAVE TO TEXT.
SO YOU CAN ASK WHAT WOULD YOU, SHE CAN HEAR THAT ASK FOR THE SHEET.
WOULD SHE? AS A, AS WITH THREE BOARD MEMBERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, SHE SAYS WE CAN WAIT FOR THE FULL BOARD.
WELL, UH, BRING, BRINGING, BRINGING THIS UP, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WITH WAS ALSO WITHIN THE LAST, I THINK, I THINK, I GUESS I'M GOING MY SEVENTH, UH, SEVENTH YEAR ON THIS BOARD.
WE, WE'VE KIND OF, WE HAVE NOT, HAVE NOT HAD A, A, A, UH, RAISE WITHIN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD AND I, I'VE SEEN WHAT WE'VE GIVEN THE, UH, I BELIEVE WHAT WE'VE GIVEN THE SUPERINTENDENT A RAISE.
I BELIEVE THAT WE'VE GIVEN STAFF A RAISE.
SO AT SOME POINT IN TIME, YOU DO HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE WHO TAKE CARE OF YOU.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE UNJUST, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SOME OF US DO SPEND TIME HERE.
WE DO PUT HARD WORK IN, IN PLACE, RIGHT? AND IF WE WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM THEIR REGULAR JOBS WHERE THEY'RE FOCUSING THEIR, WHERE THEY'RE FEEDING THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR BOARD MEMBERS IN TERMS OF WORK SESSIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHEN THE PEOPLE, WHEN THEY TAKE TIME OFF THEIR JOB, THEY HAVE TO PUT THAT INCOME BACK.
AND REGARDLESS OF, OF, OF HOPIS, UH, SOME MAY SAY THIS MAY BE A SERVICE TO WHERE, UM, YOU WANNA DO CHARITY OR WHATEVER, THEN KYLE SAY, YOU DON'T WANT THE MONEY.
JUST LIKE WRITE TO MS. CROSMAN AND TELL MS. CROSBY, HEY, HEY, GIVE IT TO THE RED.
WHATEVER YOU WANNA WRITE OFF TAX.
SO, I MEAN, SO, BUT DO BE MINDFUL THAT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO MAKE SACRIFICES WHO ARE HERE AND WHO, WHO DO PUT WORK INVER VERSUS, YOU KNOW, VERSUS
[01:10:01]
SOME MAY SAY THEY COME WITH IT'S CONVENIENT.I MEAN, SO, SO IT IS REALLY, IT IS REALLY UPON, UH, WHERE YOU SEE THAT YOU PUTTING THE WORK IN.
AND AS MRS. GORDON SAID, UH, SAID, COUNTY COUNCIL, DON'T I, THAT THIS, THIS BOARD HERE I, WITH SOME OF US BOARD I, THAT WE PUT JUST MUCH OR MORE TIME IN THAN, THAN COUNTY COUNCIL.
I WON'T SAY WE, YOU KNOW, I WON'T EVEN GO IN AND, AND, AND START PAYING US TO WHO ALL PUT TIME IN BECAUSE WE ALL, THIS IS OUR PASSION.
AND WE, WE SPENT A, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME, OUR TIME HERE, AND WE, WE PUT A LOT, A LOT OF TIME IN, IN, INTO THIS.
UM, AND, AND WE, AND, AND WE CARRY THE, WE CARRY PHONES AROUND TO HAVE, UH, FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS 20, 20, 24 7.
YOU KNOW, SO I, SO I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S THE, TO ME, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE, WE'VE HAD ONE IN A WHILE.
UH, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN WE LOOK ACROSS THE BOARD, WHEN WE, UH, WHEN WE LOOK ACROSS, WE LOOK ACROSS THE BOARD, WE LOOK AT O OTHER COLLEAGUES AND OTHER, OTHER GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT, UM, ELECTED POSITIONS I, THAT, THAT, THAT WE ARE, THAT, THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY FAR BEHIND AND THE COST OF LIVING BEFORD AIN'T CHEAP.
SO WE GIVE, THERE'S A REASON WHY WE GIVE, WHY WE CAN GIVE TEACHERS AN EMPLOYEE, UH, OUR DISTRICT EMPLOYEES STIPENDS TO KEEP UP.
THEN I BELIEVE THEN IT, IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT WE GIVE BOARD MEMBERS THAT THOSE, SOME OF THOSE SAME RIGHTS.
SO EVERYBODY'S HAD A CHANCE TO, UH, WEIGH IN.
UM, SO I'LL, I'LL STATE MY POSITION NOW.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT TIME.
I WAS HOPING WE WILL VOTE IT, VOTE ON IT, AND I THINK IT WILL BE UNANIMOUS.
NO, NOT TO BRING IT EVEN TO THE BIG BOARD.
UH, YOU LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS THAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY, WHEREAS SO MANY PEOPLE ARE LOSING JOBS.
I THINK WHEN PEOPLE ARE LOSING JOBS, IT'D BE PROBABLY A NEGATIVE IF WE WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF THAT OR RAISING OUR, SO I TOO WOULD SAY, IF WE DISCUSS IT AT THE BOARD, NO PROBLEM.
UM, I THINK WE'LL BE MORE FORCEFUL IF WE VOTED AND, AND IT, IT SAID NO.
UH, BUT THE THREE OF US HAVE SPOKEN AND SO I'M HAPPY.
UM, BUT UM, I DON'T THINK NOW'S THE RIGHT TIME TO DO IT.
I THINK IT'S WAIT A YEAR OR TWO AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS THING'S GONNA END UP.
IS THAT OKAY WITH EVERYBODY? OKAY.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE THIS TO THE BOARD IN TWO WEEKS? NO.
THAT WE'RE GONNA WAIT A YEAR OR TWO? UH, WHAT I'M SAYING IS WHEN WE TAKE IT TO THE BOARD, I'M GOING TO BOARD THAT.
I THINK NOW IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME.
SO NO ONE'S SURPRISED BY ACTIONS THAT I TAKE IT.
UH, AND IT'S, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, WHICH I DID PRETTY RIGOROUSLY, THE ONLY A COUPLE THAT ACTUALLY HAVE RATES THAT ARE PRETTY EGREGIOUS AND EXCEED HOURS.
SO THE ONLY ONE IS ORI, WHICH IS PAYING THEIR BOARD MEMBER 16,000 A YEAR.
RIGHT NOW, YOU ALSO, I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT, THE CHAIR HAS AMENDED THE STIPENDS, UH, PRO PROTOCOLS, UH, FOR MEETING ATTENDANCE.
SO THE MORE MEETINGS WE ATTEND, THE MORE WE'LL GET PAID AND THERE'S ENCOURAGEMENT TO ACTUALLY GO OUT.
SO I THINK HE'S BEEN ABLE TO COME TO A SOLUTION TO, UH, WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, BASICALLY RUNNING THE RISK OF NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.
ELIZABETH ADDED, WE CAN WAIT FOR FULL BOARD.
WE ALL RAN KNOWING THIS WAS THE STIPEND.
IF YOU DO THE MATH, OUR STIPEND IS PRETTY ON POINT WITH THE REST OF THE STATE.
DID SHE HEAR OUR LAST COMMENT? SO, YES.
ANYTHING ELSE? FUTURE SHE SAYS, YES, SIR.
SHE ASKED ABOUT FUTURE TOPICS.
NO, SHE WAS ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION ABOUT, UM, DID YOU HEAR, DID SHE, DID SHE HEAR YOUR COMMENTS? OKAY, GOOD AS YOU SAYING, YES, SIR.
UH, YEAH, I, UM, I WOULD, I WOULD HAVE A FUTURE TOPIC.
AND, AND, AND IN TERMS OF MOVING INTO THE BUDGET SEASON, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF TEACHERS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, UH, WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT COST THE DISTRICT, UM, ADMINIS, ADMINISTRATORS, ADMINISTRATORS ACROSS THE DISTRICT IN, IN TERMS OF POPULARIZING, UH, POPULARIZING ADMINISTRATION, COACHES, UM, ACADEMIC COACHES IN SPORTS, JUST, UH, ALL THAT.
BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE, WHERE SOME PEOPLE HAVE HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY, UH, ARE WONDERING ARE WE CUTTING IN, IN DIFFERENT PLACES VERSUS OTHERS AND, AND, AND WHAT DOES AND WHAT AND WHAT DOES IT COST US AS A WHOLE? AND HAVE WE LOOKED AT THAT? AND SO I THINK THAT THOSE ARE SOME, UH, UN UN UNDERSTANDING THOSE UNDER UNDERSTANDING THE
[01:15:01]
BREAKDOWN THAT THEY MAY ALREADY HAVE THOSE BREAKDOWNS.BUT PRIOR TO GETTING FURTHER INTO BUDGET SEASON, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW SOME OF THE, SOME OF THOSE THINGS GOING INTO BUDGET SEASON AND BEING ABLE TO, UH, DIGEST THAT AND, AND, AND CHEW THAT UP AND, AND SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, SO, SO I MEAN, I, I THINK THE BEST, THE BETTER IS COMPARTMENTALIZED AND SEEING ACROSS THIS DISTRICT, WHAT, WHAT IS THIS? WHAT'S, WHAT, WHAT IS IT IT'S COSTING US? I, I I I THINK THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD BE, UH, VERY, UH, IT'D BE PERFECT.
I, I WOULD PREFER TO PUT IT IN THE BUDGET PRESENTATION.
SO WE'LL PUT A SLIDE, UH, A COUPLE SLIDES ON THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF INFORMATION.
WE, UH, IN THE PAST, MAYBE NOT RECENT PAST, BUT WE'VE, UM, ESTIMATED SOME COSTS OF WHAT THE INCREASES MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN SOME OF THE AREAS AS WELL.
UH, WE DON'T KNOW THE FULL PICTURE YET, SO, BUT WE CERTAINLY PROVIDE CURRENT COSTS OF WHAT, UM, CURRENT BUDGETS OF WHAT TEACHER SALARIES, COACHES HAVE, ADMIN SUPPORT, AND, UM, ACADEMIC COACHES.
MS. GORDON, IN THAT REPORT THAT YOU'RE GIVING US, EXCUSE ME, I KNOW THAT SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE THAT A DECREASE IN TEACHERS MM-HMM
SO YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU ALLOCATE IT FOR 50 TEACHERS, BUT YOU ONLY HAVE 40 TWOS.
WHAT DOES THAT OTHER EIGHT, WHAT DOES THAT EIGHT, YOU KNOW, THOSE EIGHT TEACHERS, MONEY OR SALARIES, IS IT STILL IN THE BUDGET OR DID YOU MOVE THAT MONEY TO SOMETHING ELSE? SO I WANNA KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S, WHERE, WHERE'S THAT? THAT, THAT MONEY.
FOR THE TEACHERS THAT WE ARE MISSING IN, IN OUR DISTRICT, I THINK MS. WALTON SAID 70 OR 67 TEACHERS, SOMETHING THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
AND THEN, AND I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
WE TYPICALLY BUDGET FOR SLIPPAGE AS WELL, SO WE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE ARE BUDGETING, UM, IN MOST CASES.
IS MS. HAY STILL ON? SHE SAID NO FUTURE TOPICS.
UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE NORMAL STANDARD REPORTS, UM, I DO HAVE, UM, A FEW YEARS AGO I BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, A, A PROVISION TO A BOARD POLICY, AND THAT IS THE FUND BALANCE POLICY.
AND I HAVE, UM, IT WAS REFERRED TO POLICY COMMITTEE AND THE POLICY COMMITTEE, UM, I DON'T EITHER DIDN'T LEAD OR DIDN'T TAKE ACTION ON IT AND THEN DISSOLVED, AND THEN WE HAVE THE NEW BOARD.
SO IT WAS REALLY, UM, IT KIND OF DIED.
NO ACTION WAS TAKEN ON THE POLICY RECOMMENDATION, BUT I'D LIKE TO BRING THAT BACK FORWARD FOR THIS COMMITTEE.
ALL MEANS, AND, UH, THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE NEEDED IN THE ACTIONS OF, OF, OF US BUILDING TOWARDS THE BUDGET GOING FORWARD AS A RESULT OF THAT.
IT WILL ONLY SOLIDIFY THE, THE ASSUMPTIONS WE MAKE AND THE ACTIONS THAT WE TAKE IN THE NEXT BUDGET.
FOLLOWS IN LINE VERY WELL WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS AS WELL.
AND ALSO, UH, THE, THE, UH, I, I'M, I'M THAT THIS, THIS HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS THAT, UM, IF YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE RECEIVED A CHECK THAT A STEADY CONTACTING THE DISTRICT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT THE STATE NOW.
AND I WANT, I KIND WANNA KNOW WHEN THAT, WHEN, WHEN DID THAT POLICY TAKE PLACE AND WHERE, AND WHERE THAT AT IN OUR POLICY TO, UH, THAT, THAT THAT'S THE PROCESS BECAUSE, UH, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND ALSO, UH, WE WANT HAVE CURRENT STAFF MEMBERS WHO MAY HAVE HAD A SITUATION LIKE THAT OR, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND, AND HOW TEDIOUS IS THAT? AND CAN WE SAVE STAFF TIME, TIME FROM HAVING TO APPLY TO THE STATE? SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHERE, WHERE IS THAT AT AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? I THINK THAT THAT'S, WE CAN'T DISCUSS THAT.
WELL, UNLESS THERE'S OPPOSITION, WE CAN, UH, UH, ADJOURN THIS ONE BY WHAT YOU CALL UNANIMOUS CONSENT.