May 8, 2024 at 4:30 PM - Budget Committee Meeting

Boston-We have got uh Mr King is present Anita is present by Zoom so we have all of the budget committee here um I'll entertain a motion to approve the budget committee meeting minutes, 4-24 we have already approved they're just posted for public view 4-29-24 is what we're looking at approving. 
King- Madam chair, move to approve 4-29.
Boston- okay okay we've got a motion and Anita would you like to second that Mr King made a motion.
Hale-I can second it. 
Boston- so we have a second any discussion if not all in favor?
Hale/King-aye. 
Boston- all oppose so minutes are approved. 

Boston-okay so if y'all are ready to move on um we can start going I I would suggest we start going through the budget again and you can tell us what changes you've made what additions you've made um I I still have just a couple of questions and...
Stout- so Teresa just just to clarify and summarize wrap up here so in the budget we have the four Middle School basketball supplements and in the budget you're saying there is money for the athletic field survey so those two things are getting the blessing of the budget committee and the and their coming from the current budget we're going to be looking at today?
Boston- they are they are both in the budget the 10 the 10,000 for the supplements has been added in and the 14,000 we have $100,000 in a it's I think it's on the very last page and that is primarily for I think we took how's it labeled architect?
Bray-I'm getting there yeah um engineering. 
Boston- engineering budget which 14,000 of that can be used I don't know how much Kim would charge us to do that.
Stout- so we're we're looking at moving forward with two out of the four to make some progress towards our strategic plan?
Boston- that is correct okay Ms Miss Bray if you said we got an additional 12,000 is that...
Bray-yes ma’am it was added to line on the revenue section which is page three it was added to line 46511. 
Boston-okay so we got an additional 12,000 in uh revenue we got a new TISA estimate is that correct?
Bray-that's correct. 
Boston- now with this estimate are you comfortable this is where we're going to stay?
Bray- I think so our numbers aren't fluctuating and that's what makes it fluctuate. 
Boston- okay okay Anita is that do you see where we are on page three?
Hale- on page three?
Boston- on page page three we got an additional $12,000.
Hale- no I was on the last page uh page three $12,000?
Boston- yeah it's four line 46511 TISA we just got an additional uh we got a TISA estimate which added $12,000  well what I'm just saying is it's reflected in that total for 68 million.  Kim do you want to just start with...
Bray- I didn't make any changes to page five which is a regular instructional page no changes to page six. 
Boston- okay you're going to have to go back to line one 116 for teachers you say there are four alter hang on alternative school teachers but there is a $22,000 increase um and those are certified teachers.
Bray-they certified teachers. 
Boston- so four that would be 12,000 why do I have 22 an increase of 22,000?
Bray-I don’t know that when you put it to the budget if we had the additional one all year last year because I think we're not comparing Apples to Apples but these are for the salaries for next year the four current teachers,  we have we have a couple well we actually have three that are very tenured teachers and I figured they're actual salaries based on their years of experience. 
Boston- but but if we just added 3,000...
Bray- but they but some of them took a step as well. 
Boston- could you tell me how much there's I mean because that would be 10,000 in step raises. 
Bray-well I like I said I I configured their salaries exactly off the new scale.
Boston- can you and I talk about that in the morning because I I mean the way I see it is you've got four teachers we've added $3,000 to all the certified right that would be $12,000 and they've got an increase of 22. 
Bray-yes ma’am,  we can I can walk you through it but I went back and checked that and it is correct for four people that are current employed. 
Boston- and we only have the four people?
Bray- correct. 
Boston-okay.
Bray- we made no changes to page eight and then we made the changes to page nine that we just spoke about with the Middle School coaches.
Hale- what line is that  on page five?
Boston- we're now on page eight. 
Hale oh okay. 
Bray- actually I moved on to nine. 
Boston-oh I would like to go back to page eight on the 70,000 in the aviation scholarships. 
Bray- yes ma'am.
Boston- um that came from a grant  and and I think that you have asked us to pick that that expense up is that correct?
Eldridge- yes ma'am for four that would be for four scholarship students now in the past it was funded for probably 30 students but we are scaling back to four.
Boston- and it's still 70,000?
Eldridge- it's 60 and we asked for a $10,000 increase in other cost listed there. 
Boston- so each student would get 15,000?
Eldridge- yes ma'am. 
Boston- and then you asked for an increase in...
Eldridge- the increase would be for TCAT student fees registration fees buses for state and National competitions okay and just travel expenses in general 
Safdie-what state National competitions how much money for for the competitions?
Boston-right now we've budgeted 132,000 um 60 of that so um 72,350 for competitions and do we do we do we pay for anybody else's competitions?  I mean that's that's...
Eldridge- well this is something that's been in place for...
Boston-I understand. 
Eldridge- years and years now and I will say athletic uh teams at our schools have booster clubs CTSO’s do not.
Boston- what is it?
Eldridge- athletic teams have booster clubs at each school and CTSO’s do not. 
Boston- what is it called?
King- Career Technical Student Organizations. 
Boston- and you called it a CTO?
Eldridge- CTSO’s or FFA HOSA FCCLA all of their clubs that are mandated by the the federal guidelines.
Boston- what do you mean they're mandated?
Eldridge- so in order to receive Perkins funds we have to show that we are implementing CTSO’s in our um our CTE classes. 
Boston- is that is that your competitions is that what you're calling...
Eldridge- yes ma'am.
Boston- and so in order to receive that Grant in which my understanding is the Perkins Grant is is what about 200,000?
Eldridge- it's 153,000.
Boston- okay so we have to show that we are competing in order to get that Perkins Grant?
Eldridge- yes ma'am.
Boston- so the competitions could stay in place just not the scholarships I mean because the scholarships wouldn't have anything to do with the CTSO.
Eldridge-they do not but it is part of an aviation grant that we started 3 years ago.
Boston- but but that was from a grant.
Eldridge- yes ma'am but we as a district said that we would sustain that.
Boston- who said that?
Eldridge-our district. 
Boston-  I mean you're talking about this board said that?
Eldridge- yes ma'am. 
Boston- Can you tell me when we said that?
Eldridge- well I wasn't here when the grant was written but it is in the paperwork that I could I could dig out.
Boston-I'd like to see because we never see the whoever writes the grants we never see those grants but whoever spoke for us would not have been able to say they can sustain that. 
Eldridge- well it was with full intentions that we would sustain such a great program where students earn their private pilot license.
Boston- I've paid out of my pocket for...
Eldridge- and many people do I have to...
Boston- and and and I know what it's like but we have especially now we have a lot of of needs. 
Eldridge- we do and I understand that.
Boston- and so I I would prefer and if it's the CTSO so and we receive the Perkins Grant we receive 153,000 to spend 132 that's that's just a little bit off.
Eldridge- to spend 132 on what?
Boston- that's your competitions and things. 
Eldridge- okay so that's what you've added up in in this budget?
Boston-well that's just on this page I think you've got another page that also uh goes in with competitions. 
Eldridge- and we spend 20% of our Perkins Grant on competitions but that's the maximum amount I can spend.
Safdie- so how so what what is the rationale for funding for students 70 plus thousand when our band competition we only could spend $1,500.
Eldridge-I mean so it's it's 60,000 it's not 70 and it's a maximum of $15,000 each and that is for um their written tests for their private Pilots license their flight time their solo rides their check rides all the things that a private pilot license encompasses and this is a program that was one of the first in the state and there's many districts who have followed closely behind us giving this opportunity to students.
Safdie- well that would include the that would be the scholarship materials. 
Eldridge- right. 
Safdie- but what about the the national uh State comp or state and National competitions how much money is actually going to State and National competitions?
Eldridge- are you asking me how much we spend on that each year?
Safdie- how much is it proposed this year for the 2025 2024-2025 school year?
Eldridge- well it's hard to determine exactly how much it depends on what students um how they compete and who qualifies I can't determine who's going to qualify for Nationals until they go to State and compete.
Safdie- so we're saying what if they qualify for Nationals we'll pay for their full amount.
Eldridge-no sir we do not pay for their full amount the club pays for the student registration they also pay for they help pay for student meals the students have to pay for a lot of those things there's a lot of cost associated with traveling to California and Seattle but we we do pay for the travel the transportation and we pay for our advisor fees and travel and and meals.
Safdie-well you know my opinion is and it may be shortsighted and I'm sorry to have this opinion or note disappointment but I cannot see funding students for a national competition if it exceeds that $1,500 that we've allocated to other school other school activities okay. 
Eldridge- and and last night at our CTE banquet I know that several board members were there and and our CTSO members FCCLA FFA members spoke and talked about a lot of the things that they do with these competitions which is very powerful and like I said our our schools have booster clubs that raise money they have opportunities to raise that money within their their uh booster clubs CTSO’s do not that falls completely on the teacher who teaches all day. 
Safdie- have what efforts have you made to incorporate fundraising to area businesses?
Eldridge they do lots of fundraising at area business. 
Safdie-what has been earned as a result of that?
Eldridge yes sir, I don't have that dollar amount I wasn't prepared for that question but I would be happy to get it for you.
Safdie- thank you.
Eldridge- you're welcome. 
Boston- on page 45 we also have 45,000 for staff travel to competitions um which is a total of about 117,000 that we pay that this budget pays for competitions for CTE classes um and and I would be interested in what other competitions for other students um and I think it's FCLA...
Eldridge-they go to California, it’s FCCLA. 
Boston- yeah that goes to California but they have to raise their own money.
Eldridge- they raise a lot of the money and we fund some of that. 
Boston- is that that is that CTE class?
Eldridge- that is a CTSO a Career and Technical student organization.
Boston- okay and so how much of that do you pay?
Eldridge- for FCCLA? I don't have the breakdown of each Club.
Boston- that's fine that's fine. 
Eldridge- but I will say this is again this is part of our um Federal mandate through CTE and we are required to have these CTSO’s and we um are very successful and provide these students with opportunities and again our grant pays 20% maximum and we do use the 20% maximum of our Perkins Grant we just have a lot of kids active I mean we have over 500 kids active in our CTSO’s and that's why it requires as much money as we are requesting.
Stout- that's full, right?
Boston- when you say Federal mandate tell me that what that means. 
Eldridge- so to receive federal funding we have to...
Boston-Perkins Grant?
Eldridge- yes ma'am Perkins is federal funding so to receive that Grant we have to uh implement those CTSO’s in our standards and we have to show that we are active in those CTSO’s through memberships and all the things that goes with it. 
Boston- and you have to show competitions?
Eldridge- yes ma'am.
Safdie- well even if they show competitions is there a way of going to a competition that is not so expensive if their funds are short?
Boston- I don't know.
Eldridge- the the state competitions are are where they're at they're usually in Chattanooga or Gatlinburg. Nationals can be anywhere in the United States. 
Safdie- and do they have to attend Nationals can they attend...
Eldridge- they don't have to but if a student earns the right to attend Nationals and we are able to help with that funding why would we not do that for a student?
Safdie- well 15 to $20,000 per student or $10,000...
Eldridge- it's not $15,000.
Safdie- but when we only give $1,500 to other students I think that there's a good reason to question why.
Eldridge- and that would probably be what it would be for a student is 1,500 you're getting the aviation scholarship mixed up with the CTSO’s they're two completely different things.
Safdie- thank you I appreciate that correction.
Eldridge- you're welcome. 
Stout- if I might I think we're really getting into the Weeds on operational stuff here and a lot of the questions are coming up because we are not in the know on this we're not the experts we don't work in these positions we've got experts that are hired that know all of this information they've put a budget together that they're recommending that's gone through our director who's recommended it and we're going line by line and micromanaging this and trying to work on writing the budget when really it was put together and recommended to us and we're really getting into the weeds with questions that we've got them because this isn't our area of expertise. 
Boston-no funding it is.
Safdie-would you agree...
Stout-it's not. 
Boston-yes it is. 
Safdie- would you agree funding I don't have the information but would you agree funding students for uh for travel and reimbursement that exceed the $15 $15,000 allotment that we give other students.
Stout- I am trusting the directors of the Departments and the director of schools to come up with a balanced budget that supports the programs in accordance with the plan that we've approved. 
Safdie- so the policy so the policy says $1,500 for clubs in their competitions. 
Stout- that we that we Grant when they come to us and ask for funds for some of the competitions this is something that we're working within the budget but again my point is we're getting into the Weeds on a lot of questions cause we don't understand how all these aspects work within the district because we've got people who are experts to run that that's...
Boston- how do we understand it if we don't ask the question?
Stout- we can’t understand every aspect of everything in the district that's why we have people that are hired to run those positions our job is to work with them regarding any red flags on the budget and approve the budget we've got a recommended balanced budget that came to us and we're we've this is the fourth time we've gone line by line on this budget and each time there's these little questions line by line that are coming up. 
Boston-that’s our job. 
Safdie-you should be on the County Commission because that's exactly what the County Commission does line by line and that's our responsibility but but I agree with you in context okay um so I was just trying to find out if I'm if it's if if I am confused with the scholarships versus competition cost which which you're saying I am then then we need to look at how much money the scholarships what our commitment to the scholarships are and I don't know I don't have that question I I guess I have to trust you.
Boston- well I think it's something that we have to look at um Kim you're on page nine. Bray-yes ma'am.
Boston- we didn't change anything there?
Bray- page nine was where we I put the Middle School coaches in. 
Boston-and you added two cheer coaches?
Bray- I added that for your consideration because I was looking at my supplements and every all of our athletic teams have accompanying cheer coaches. 
Boston- okay and so we're adding...
Bray- just a couple one for each side.
Boston- do we know what supplement you added?
Bray- I just put $1,200 it's not significant but we have cheerleaders on for all of our teams. 
Boston- okay any questions?
Hale-no I don't have any.
Bray-there were no changes made on page 10 there were no changes made to Ms. Polson's page.
Boston-what effect does this $113,000 new Grant?
Bray- that's just a new money that she had you know she had a grant previously and she just utilized those funds to fund an additional nurse and then she's doing a lot of preventive um Health sort of thing.
Boston- is that is that reflected in our income?
Bray- it is I don't believe there were any changes on page 12 uh page 13 the only changes that were made were to lines 105 and then the appropriate tax and retirement. Boston-on 105 there again it reflects a much larger increase than what we’'ve and...
Bray- now remember remember these are supervisors so the percentage goes on their increase.
Boston- so we said take their current salary...
Bray- we added $3,000 to the scale to their scale and then I recalculated the salaries I added 3,000 to their scale just like I did the teacher scale.
Boston- and then you gave them a percentage on top of that?
Bray- the percentage that they were do for their supplement. 
Boston- like could you have not and I'm just asking taken their scale multiplied their percentages and then added $3,000 which I I think that was the intent. 
Bray- I didn't understand it that way because that will take everybody off the scale by doing it that way. 
Boston- what do you mean?
Bray- for next year going forward. 
Boston what what do you mean it'll take...
Bray- because next year if you add 3,000 on top of what you're wanting me to do is just add 3,000 to their current salary?
Boston- yes.
Bray- but that will take them off the scale because in other words you will not be able to calculate their salary by looking at that scale I just added 3,000 to the principal and above Scale AP and Above Scale just like I did the teachers and then recalculated based on the number of days they work. 
Safdie-and we have money to support that right?
Bray- yes. 
Boston- it's yeah it's reoccurring expense um that's I don't think that's the way we meant for that to be calculated. 
Bray- I'm sorry that's not how I understood it. 
Boston- I understand that's why I want to go back and look at that.
Bray- but just if you make the decision to do it like that those people will be off the scale permanently because you won't be able to take a salary scale and calculate their salary going forward so any new person that comes in they we could put them on the scale but all the people that are currently on that scale would be removed from a scale. 
Safdie-wouldn't they just start the next year at the place where they left off?
Bray- well it might not you have that's a calculation and you have to put them somewhere and that 3,000 may not put them anywhere on that scale because it is a calculation.
Safdie-so if their salary was $50,000 on this on the scale and it excuse me for the year number of years they worked and the percentage indicated by the number of years and their salary was 50 $50,000 and let's say the scale they got 10 th 10 10% 10% increase on the scale which give them what another uh 15 how many 10% times 50,000 is is uh $5,000 all right so $5,000 so you add $5,000 to their salary which makes them $55,000 so the next year you're saying when they have another year of experience that that $55,000 no longer applies and their scale no longer applies?
Bray- because the 55 may not be where they are on this scale you start with these scales and that 55 may not be what their salary is at the next year based on their years of experience and their degree. 
Safdie- thank you. 
Bray- you see you understand what I'm...
Safdie- I understand I just thought it was a percentage increase going across the top I apologize I should know better I apologize. 
Boston- okay go to page 14. 
Bray-uh page 14 we changed a couple of things here line 105 and then I did go back and recalculate 189 and I had made an error I had an extra person in there so that was reduced. 
Boston- so she's getting an $8,000 raise?
Bray- based on the the scale correct because of the percentage because of moving up a year on the scale cause she got three plus she took a step because she's not maxed out and then the percentage based on that.  15 uh one line 105 and then the appropriate taxes and retirement on that. 
Boston- did this change at all? 
Bray-it did it went down; nothing changed on page 16 nothing on 17 on page 18 uh line 101 I took the current salary and added 3,000 to that which was a decrease there and then on the principals and the assistant principals those are all recalculations the principals didn't change very much the assistants did. 
Boston and you said that was because we lost a assistant principal when we had people moving about. 
Bray- and it depends on who replaces these folks cause we when we lose a tenured person we've had someone come in that has no admin experience it makes a tremendous difference in the salary; nothing changed on page 20. 
Boston-except for explain this to me why there's $117,000 increase in two salaries.
Bray- like I said we explained last year the salary that I currently make I took that job after the year started so that was not a full year of that salary I put a 4% raise on my current salary for the four year because in 23 24 I was not in that job for the full year it was not funded for the full year and then we have the open position at 75,000. 
Boston- you explained that to me. 
Bray- yes ma'am. 
Boston- I just didn't I just kept seeing that number we did not this is what your salary would be for a full year you were not funded for the full year and we we did not put an increase on the 75,000 that's because that's where we still (inaudible)it okay I understand that. 
Bray-page 21 nothing changed there 22 nothing changed there and then this is the big change is on page 23 line 335 this is where I inserted what you folks agreed to for the maintenance budget. 
Boston- three million in maintenance projects and 200k for as needed. 
Bray- yes ma'am I believe that's what my sheet said that we all agreed or you agreed to is that what you show?
Safdie- and and just remind you me um and I know this has been said before but my memory is short um the fence around the Homestead um and where does that stand at this point?
Bray- well we have a budget amendment that would be in the current year.
Safdie the current this is going to be taken care of this year?
Bray-well that's up to you folks to determine but we just put those funds there and that can be used for any maintenance project but this is the line it will be once the County Commission approves it it'll be dropped into you approve the budget amendment last meeting. 
Safdie- thank you. 
Boston-so and it went into general maintenance for this year. 
Bray-yes ma'am. 
Safdie- for this year. 
Boston-and we had not designated it to go to any particular project at this time?
Bray-correct.
Stout- okay so we just need to then have a have a Homestead line item out there for the 200 well what was the remainder that you were saying Mr Stepp to go into the Homestead?
Stepp- what was rest after the roof. 
Bray-we have 250 so we had about another 250 go there I it's in this line if you folks ask me to have it bid out I can bid it out.
Boston- well we put four last meeting we put 433...
Bray-and part of that will be for our septic at...
Boston- our septic which is 250. 
Bray-well that's what we think right now so that would leave us about 150 or so. 
Boston- is that going up?
Bray- well they're currently looking at we have another we've had two vendors come and then we have a third one coming on Monday to get a final number. 
Stout- then we had the budget committee that voted on creating per Mr Stepp's recommendation a Homestead line item for that remaining funds to go in there for whatever is determined for the security at Homestead. 
Boston- for the 24-25 budget. 
Stout- okay so we need to see that in the 24-25. 
Boston- yes that's what we that's what we agreed upon. 
Safdie- I thought you she just said it was the current budget. 
Boston- no no no that's where the money is from the outcome. 
Safdie- I got you.
Boston-the outcome was put into the general maintenance from for this year correct so the Homestead line...
Bray- right and I have not put that because I wasn't I was uncertain as to how much you folks want to put there. 
Boston- well I I think just to create a line so that we can make a decision if if we wanted to make a decision to put anything in that line.
Bray- well technically we have a because we can't just we'll have to stay within the confines of the accounting system but we can put it under building Improvement or building construction and then designate out in the notes for Homestead. 
Safdie- create an item a new item on the chart of accounts?
Bray- no sir that's the comptroller's job. 
Boston-on transportation?
Bray- we didn't make any changes there okay where are Kim I know we took okay so you've got 30,000 in maintenance of plant to buy two mowers what...
Bray- that's for Mary's mowers.
Boston- right. 
Bray- not for the schools we took the school we took those out right this is it could be a mower it could be something else that she needs to utilize but just some kind of small piece of equipment not a vehicle a tractor uh something like that. 
Boston- whatever she sees...
Bray- well whatever breaks that we need to get repaired or replaced. 
Boston- okay Transportation no changes?
Bray-no ma'am. Human service is page 26 this is one of our um social workers and our kids club employees but we didn't make any uh changes there and then the last page is our pre pre k and I think Mr Stepp had let the board know that we are no longer being funded for 12 positions but just 11 classrooms so I removed one teacher and one assistant.
Boston- what happens to those students that that we just they just wouldn't get in?
Bray-correct.
Boston- what if we funded it?
Bray- I don't think that we can do that.
Stepp-it's a conflict with the preK grant. 
Boston okay that's that's what I yeah. 
Bray- they basically tell us what we how that money need needs to be utilized and they say you get this many classrooms and that’s it. 
Boston- and that's it, that's as many classrooms as we can have?
Stepp- yeah according to our County data they basic all it's like the it's like the title 5 they have formula they use on where we are in this County. 
Boston- and we went down?
Safdie $200,000. 
Stepp-correct. 
Stout-okay Mr Stepp where does the baby birds fall in to play in the budget for next year. I know we had talked about playground and I know we've tabled that from one of the budget committee meetings to look at how much it's going to cost but there was also a shortage my understanding is for funds for some of the teachers and some of the operational things where does that fall in on the on the budget for next year?
Bray-it's not, baby birds is federal, it’s separate, it’s not on the GP budget. 
Boston- and we don't supplement. 
Stout-it it was my understanding from me that we were going to have to pay some out of pocket to keep funding the program since we weren't getting the full grant. 
Boston- yeah we can if you if you'll remember I asked Marlene if we could supplement it if...
Stepp- we're looking into that right now, see what the guidelines are. 
Boston-for they're doing the baby bird grant went to service based only if we add to that if we supplement it then that's going to be in the area of the daycare area even though they're still learning they're still thriving we're still teaching uh but Marlene said that we would have to go by the service guidelines and then if we if we determined we would supplement it then we would have to make sure that we follow those daycare guidelines which we did anyway we had to when she explained it to me the very first time we're following all three sets of guidelines operating that program uh but that is that is not something that has been a proposal um that is something I would certainly like to see. Stout-so if we do end up supplementing it has to come from the general purpose funds and so it would go on this budget but we just don't have anything out there where we fit that in yet?
Boston- it's it's nowhere on this budget so...
Stout- so that could be an upcoming expense that's going to have to come from bottom line?
Boston- that's going to have to be a topic of discussion. 
Stout- that we have to keep in mind for the funds that are left. 
Boston- that's what we're kind of looking at is is where is your you know there there's a lot of things in here and I know that you you did not necessarily think we have to go line by line but that's how you find those things in order what is a need what is a want what you can cut possibly to fund some other area that's just is that's maybe a little bit more important so I mean that's why we do what we do.
Stout- I think it's good to get a good overview on it but when we start getting in the weeds on specific questions just because there's so many programs and ins and outs of things as a board we're not going to know that we have to defer to our experts that are within those programs in that area to to come to...
Boston- okay we're going to we're going to move on uh page 27 and you said that's where we lost and we're down to 11 classrooms.
Bray-so I took one teacher and one assistant. 
Boston-and took them out um...
Bray- and everything associated with that.
Boston- so the grant is now this program is only costing us about $200,000 $250,000?
Bray-correct, the grant basically would fund the salaries and then you folks would pick up the insurance and things like that.  Next page this is our Capital Outlay page we didn't change anything on here now would you prefer me to use line 706 for Homestead or 707?
Boston- 707 you've got our contingency fund right?
Bray- 707 is our balance on CCHS. 
Boston- which is the contingency fund?
Bray- not contingency that's probably close to what we're going to owe that was our adequate Appropriations for what ESSER did not pay. .
Boston- right but what was how much of a contingency fund did we have built into...
Bray- the ESSER?
Boston-no built into the auditorium.
Bray- this is right at that probably but this is probably what when you say contingency this is probably what we think will owe at the end.
Stout- there's no fluff. 
Boston- well for each building program there's a contingency fund and I think he put and and don't quote me on this but there was about 450 that he wanted in in a contingency fund just in case just in case...
Bray- right so far we've not gotten into that. 
Boston- and and so far Kim has been excellent about staying within the budget so we always end up with at least a portion of that money's back. 
Bray- and hopefully we won't have to spend all of our money but this was what we were required to do by County finance so that we could technically say that we can meet the terms of the contract. 
Safdie- so are you saying that the 400 approximately $450,000 is located in another line the contingency fund or...
Boston- no it's it's here yeah if it's not paid for ESSER it's right there. 
Safdie- okay but you think that the building from well we'll find out. 
Boston- could you put could you put 40 or 707 under building improvements and out of the explanation just add Homestead and put zero for right now until you you add or we determine to add something to that. 
Bray-Sure, done. 
Boston- okay so you want to go down that tell us the good news.
Bray- the good news is we are still have our 3% reserve and above our 3% required reserve we would be left with $1,396.164 for fund balance above the reserve level. 
Safdie- I believe from last year that's what we predicted we'd have. 
Boston- that close.
Safdie-that close pretty good. 
Boston- I kind of thought we'd be at 1.5 but what is your 743,500 capital outlay what is that?
Bray- where are you seeing that at?
Boston-it's uh that's the total never mind I got it that's our total of our Capital outlays.
Bray-yes. 
Boston- and okay so we're taking we're taking the 24,000 off.
Bray-I can.
Boston- 24,000 off uh leaving in when you say 30,000 for the district is that for districtwide?
Boston- yeah that's and like there's something that needs to be done at this building or something that we can help another school with that that's a capital project that they don't necessarily have the money to complete with their 10,000. 
Boston- you're a little bit flexible.
Bray- yeah but there are things that do have to be done to this building. 
Boston- okay so I know we've talked about this box truck before but let me ask you a question in your opinion could they could they continue to use the special ed bus?
Bray- they could they could hopefully it'll keep running but I mean it's very I mean that's an old bus and they've gotten the use out of it it would be more efficient if we had something was actual truck that was a vehicle that was set up to haul things in. 
Boston- well now let me ask you a question we're retiring a truck from maintenance with only 100 or transportation I think it's Transportation...
Bray- it's not a box truck that's basically a pickup truck with some bedding on it so he can carry tools. 
Boston- and what are we going to do with that?
Bray- probably either trade it in if he gets a new truck trade it in sell it at auction like we normally do. 
Boston- what's wrong with his truck?
Bray- it's got over 110,000 probably got close to 115,000 miles on it now. 
Boston- okay so is it still running, he’s a mechanic. 
Bray-it’s still running but it's the one that he uses when a bus breaks down that he goes to them.
Boston- I'm not going to question that because you've got students waiting. 
Bray-correct and that’s the one Christopher drives. 
Boston- but the one he that we are replacing could that be used as...
Bray- it's still not going to be a box truck it's not going to have the capacity to carry...
Boston- but could it be used?
Bray- it could be used exactly it's not going have anything to cover the bed. 
Stout- weather permitting. 
Bray- weather permitting. 
Boston-but you've got a special Ed bus that they're currently using. 
Bray- that probably needs to go to pasture. 
Boston- do we have any other ones?
Bray- not currently we use most of our buses anytime there's a bus that needs to be taken out of service they usually use it for parts Christopher is very good at doing mining for parts and then last summer if you remember we held an auction with the County and we got rid of pretty much everything else that we couldn't use at that time. 
Boston I I didn’t know that but...
Bray- oh was a countywide auction they brought all the vehicles from all the county offices to the bus depot and they had a big auction that day. 
Boston-okay okay. 
Bray- and the truck would also have a lift gate on it which would be very helpful instead of having to hand load everything in and out. 
Boston- but this is that's that's a want and I think sometimes we have to concentrate on needs um versus wants but I'm not ready to make that decision yet. 
Stout-we got to look at the workman's compensation aspect of it. 
Bray-well  from a woman whos been in the back of the truck and loading stuff by hand to me it seems like a real need it's about 80 degrees outside in the street. 
Boston- but we also need you know another vehicle for uh you know for the district I mean the one you ended up driving to Nashville was how old. 
Stepp- 2003. 
Boston- okay see well if you say it real fast it's not really that old it's 21 years so I mean we also need need to be looking at that but I I'm not sure this year is the year that that we need to be looking at that okay Anita do you have any questions?
Hale- I don't have any at this time Madam chair.
Boston- okay Chris?
King- no further questions. 
Bray- okay do I leave the furniture in or out it's currently in. 
Boston- I'm I'm I'm going to make a motion that we take it out and we can put it in the rotation and and I'm not certain that that well I'm going to make a motion that we take the furniture out um the furniture it's only four classrooms yes uh and put it put it in the rotation for when we redo the maintenance plan. 
Hale okay I'll second that.
Boston- okay you have any any discussion? yes sir 
Safdie-Mr Stepp have you visually inspected those classrooms and  the...
Stepp- this wasn't my recommendation this came from the board chair. 
Safdie-the furniture?
Boston- yes if you look on the allotment sheets that teachers do every or principals do every year they want Furniture but there's never there's never the money to give them Furniture so I asked Kim I said could could we not just start something put it in the rotation so this year Kim put it in the budget uh but there again it's only four classrooms and out of what 357 classrooms if not more that you know I'm not saying all of it needs furniture but they do so I conceded and said let's just put that in the rotation but we'll revisit that during the maintenance plan.  
Bray-you might even consider adding it to the renovation when a school has a renovation. 
Boston- see now that's a thought I would be...
Bray- because when we I just remember when we did Crab Orchard that they got new furniture. 
Boston- and they were so excited um and and I would I would be amenable to that as long as we make some kind of movement toward because principals put it in there. 
Bray- they do every one of them. 
Boston-every year and so I think we need to start looking toward that. 
Bray-and a lot of them use their Capital outlay money. 
Boston-they do they do but that's their money true and if we could somehow start supplementing that that a little bit at a time eventually we would get there so I've made a motion to take that out of the budget this year I've got a second all in favor?
King/Hale-aye. 
Boston- all oppose? and I vote aye so motion carries so we're going to take that out of the budget for right now okay so I think we got we're close to a budget um I'm not ready to say to send it to the full board I still have a couple things that I want Ms Kim to go over with me as far as these salaries are concerned in case we need to adjust those or amend those.  If we present June the 6th and we get it to them 15th 16th they'll have more than plenty of time to to hopefully review it so. 
Clark- wasn't it due on May 1 to the County Commission it was due May 1st. 
Boston- it it was  but we didn't have the budget. 
Clark-but you promised me it wasn't going to be late in the hall right there you told me personally and then you walked away so now you're talking June. 
Boston-no we're not talking June. 
Clark- I thought you just said June  the 6th. 
Boston- we present to the commission on June 6th. 
Clark- right it was supposed to be May 1. 

Boston-okay um we've got next on the agenda is the budget draft where Kim you have changed everything.
Bray- yes ma'am. 
Boston- according to how we voted so far. 
Bray- yes ma’am I did update the revenue we got a new TISA estimate we got another additional $112,000 I did get that in. 
Boston- is that reflected on the 1.396 I think is what it is?
Bray- yes.
Boston-okay well Chris if it's okay with you and it's if it's okay with Anita can we go ahead and address the athletic request before we start going through the Budget?
Hale- yeah.
Boston- is that okay with you is that okay with you okay I think we're close to having a a balanced budget but if we can just address the athletic request then we'll start on the budget and then see where we land okay okay so on the athletic request we've got a request for a full-time athletic director countywide with taxes and benefits um my question Kim what's the what's what's the actual salary on that that?
Bray- probably 65 it's a little hard to know depending on who takes the position.
Boston- but we don't we do we have a job description for that?
Bray-we have an athletic director job description yes ma'am I think we do. 
Davis- yep we changed it last year. 
Bray- it was just never a full-time position. 
Boston- and we're making we're proposing to make it a full-time position?
Bray-that’s my understanding. 
Boston- now the $18,000 that we've got in the budget will go that'll be consumed by that? 
Bray-well I think if you keep the others in place that we currently have that those will still need to be there if we keep the two because what we did is split that 18,000 between the high school ad’s and then your middle school ad’s and it's my understanding the proposal was we keep those.
Boston- now we do wait just a minute we did what?
Bray- I said we took the 18,000 and we split that between the high school ad’s and two new Middle School ad’s.
Boston-we're giving what did the high school ad get before?
Bray- I think they got 3,000 if memory serves me and they get five now.
Boston- so we we give 9,000 to who?
Bray- they get let me see they get six let me look we took the 18,000 and just redistributed it among four people and...
Stepp-no 6 of it we did not we did three to each High School ad and..
Bray-no I think they get...
Stepp-three to the Middle School ad’s the high school ads already got uh 2500 or 3,000. 
Bray- I think they get five.
Stepp- yes but that wasn't we didn't use the full 18. 
Bray- that's true we did not use because they were already getting something so the two  middle schools were they get three so that's six. 
Boston- so we took 12,000 of the 18 and divided between four people?
Bray-basically yes.
Boston- what were we going to do if we got a part-time ad in place?
Stepp- Dr Maddox was it was added to Dr Maddox's job description so he was our part-time ad and then he had his full-time supervisor job.
Boston- we didn't change his job description we just assigned him extra duties?
Stepp-County-wide athletics correct. 
Boston-with no compensation?
Bray- correct. 
Stepp- there wasn't no supplement to it because we added the two Middle School ad’s and the high school ad’s uh got extra money to help the Middle School ad’s. 
Boston- how much did Middle School ad’s get?
Bray- 3,000 each. 
Hale-how much?
Boston- 3,000 each. 
Stout-where are these requests driving from did this come from administration did this come from you Mr Stepp who's who's recommending this for the program?
Stepp- this was discussions that Mr Davis and I had. 
Stout- okay so is this being recommended by you and by the administration all all four of these?
Stepp- I did not have this originally in my budget. 
Stout- so based on some of the recent changes with the middle school basketball does this draw does that draw the need...
Stepp-the board voting on The Middle School basketball then that's why the supplements are on this list.
Stout-okay so is there a need for all of them?
Stepp- for the supplements?
Stout- for all four. 
Stepp- well we've talked about the athletic field surveys before so if we go to Middle Schools that's where that came from so that was requested for me to get that the athletic tracking software a lot of this came from the strategic planning right?
Davis- yes it's all from the strategic planning which is...
Boston- well the 14,000 is within Kim Chamberlin's budget he's got 100,000  that he can pull he can pull the 14,000 if that's what it's going to cost uh the athletic tracking software um that that's pretty expensive software in my opinion especially if we're going to add if we're considering a countywide ad um in my mind the 18,000 was still just sitting there I didn't know we had taken it and redistributed um...
Stepp- I reported that to the board when we did it. 
Boston- okay um in an email or just verbally or how?
Stepp- probably both I have to go back and look but...
Stout-I know we talked about it in one of the meetings I don't know if it was budget or board.
Boston-okay and how much do the high school ad’s get?
Bray- I'm looking but I believe it's 5,000 each. 
Boston- and we have one at each High School?
Bray- each High School yes ma'am. 
Hale- how much did they get. 
Boston- 5,000.
Hale-okay I can't hear it's hard for me to hear other people.
Boston- that's okay I'll try to keep you abreast okay um Middle School basketball supplements if we've got $6,000 left that number would only be 42,6720 but I I noticed you already put that in the budget is that correct. 
Bray- correct I thought that's what you had asked me to do. 
Boston- the 10, 267 is already in the budget but you you did not put the ad?
Bray- no ma'am I did not you folks had agreed on the middle school basketball I just went ahead and added. 
Boston- okay go ahead Anita. 
Hale- so so we have said that uh Mr um uh the ad director right now Mr Maddox he's just taking he's not getting paid for it he just took on extra duties is that correct. 
Boston- he was assigned he was assigned extra duties that is correct. 
Hale- okay okay all right thank you. 
Boston- okay no problem um so that's already in the budget. 
Safdie- no amount of money would compensate compensate for for what you do. 
Boston- I kind of agree with you uh Chris what's um what's your opinion on a countywide ad?
King- I voted the way I voted on the basketball program and this wouldn't be necessary so I don't have anything else to say. 
Boston-okay you're going to have to say it... 
King- I voted no for Middle School basketball so budgeting for something I can't do. 
Boston- Okay. 
Hale- see and I voted no for the basketball also. 
Boston- right so what would be your opinion on a countywide athletic director?
Hale- it's a big job but um we have a ad right now maybe we need to worry about compensating that person for extra time that they would have to do or get some...
Boston- well I think being a 9 through 12 supervisor is is certainly a full-time job within itself um and and changing the Athletics would would be would be quite stressful I would assume um I think this position is needed quite frankly uh so that we have a center person that doesn't have another job that doesn't have other duties um to to concentrate strictly on our Athletics and that's all of the Athletics that's not just basketball and football um and it would it would it would cost us um. 
Davis- can I add something to that, it's it's not just the Athletics right so it would be...
Boston- well it's called an athletic director.
Davis- on that piece of paper yes um um in our strategic plan we indicated that we want to be supportive of the Arts and the activities and that is one of the five bullet points in our strategic plan it's also in our mission statement it's in our vision statement and all three of those words are consistent in that. 
Boston- well would we have to modify our job description for if we re named that position to include the Arts the activities and the Athletics and would that be enough for a I mean would that be a full-time job my question.
Davis- I think I think you you very well could um you could sum that up by using extracurriculars and I I think that that might be in the job description now um I'm not 100% cause I don’t have that I have in front of me um but I do know that school districts that are making an initiative to support those areas have taken steps and have employed full-time Personnel to support that initiative um and that's not uncommon it it's it's very popular and it's it takes place in in several school districts surrounding us um and again all of these items that are here are are in the Strategic plan itself from things that we are looking to affect as we make progress as we go to work as we are trying to move the needle in those respective areas so um I know that that's generally our primary focus as a as a board is is one of the main functions is create a strategic plan understand our role in budgeting and work on policy so that being said as to how it's done it's not for us to decide it's just what we're going to fund and what initiatives that we are going to attempt to affect I I don't know how we're going to look folks in the face and say we are here to affect one of the items in our strategic plan if we choose not to fund the things that we said we were going to do so um I know it's impossible to do everything at the exact same time uh however I would imagine this budget is largely or grossly uh undersized compared to all the other initiatives that we've taken the time to work on in steering committees uh to establish that strategic plan um and I would dare say that the majority of of of initiatives that we've taken place or we have taken and said we are going to hire to manage or direct a certain Department all entities that I can tell you about hire someone to do the job to oversee that department it a a director's job is not part-time right we didn't hire a part-time director of schools we didn't hire a part-time director of operations we allocated funds to support that initiative because it was important to us not only did we do that in Miss Miss in in the example of director of operations we also decide to spend $80,000 to help and identify from a professional level what items need to be addressed and when and so we can follow that plan because it was important to us to make sure these kids and their families have operations that they can count on that are going to to be um moving in the direction our strategic plan says so this is essentially in the same vein same logic same just same idea ideology is set set someone in place with things that they can achieve give them the tools to do it software survey for the fields the kids that are playing these Sports don't have their own Fields we're trying to add these things so we can do what we say and say what we do we've already said what we're going to do I'm asking you all to do what we said.
Hale- Madam chair?
Boston- yes ma'am.
Hale- I still get phone calls saying um asking about could we uh that some coaches are saying yes it's a it's a good move that we've made but could we not just plan right now but wait until the following year where they have a little more time to um to address what the plan should be that the plan of action is was before we voted on all this we had no plan of action. I don't know what the answer is to that but I still have a a very uh I have um constituents out there that are just very some are for the plan or for for the middle school programs and some are not it's it's it's very complicated.
Boston-oh I I will agree with you 100% um if but right that that's not something that we would have to that's not something we can address today my next question is...
Bray- can I correct something I said please?
Boston- absolutely. 
Bray- uh I looked on my list of 245 supplements the high school ad’s do get $6,000 each and the middle school gets 3,000. 
Boston- okay.
Stout- um Madam chair just to answer your question going back to the athletic director job description and whether it would need to be modified if we were going to include also the Arts and other activities it would have to be because it does state that the athletic director serves the purpose of implementing and maintaining the assigned programs and services of the elementary middle and high school athletics to comply with County state and federal guidelines so we would have to....
Boston- we would have to put that on policy my next question would be uh while you've got that pulled up Ms. Stout read on down does that say that that is required to be a certified or a non-certified position or is it it can be either.
Bray- it'll be all the way at the bottom. 
Stout all the way at the bottom oh there we go job requirements bachelor's degree um background clearance no does not need to be certified certified is not required 
Boston-A requirement okay. 
Stout- coaching experience preferred knowledge and ability to implement County state and federal policies procedures governing Athletics ability to compile maintain file and present all physical and computerized reports records and other documents.
Boston- so if we're going to modify that job description to include the Arts and and activities that could be anything from and I'm I'm I'm questioning this it's not that I'm stating it um Beta Club I mean is that what what do we consider activities?
Safdie- I I think that's a question that we need to pose to the director of school and the staff to consider what the what the range of responsibilities in the Arts Humanities portion of this suggestion would be because they know better than anybody else the theater teacher the speech teacher uh all of these teachers who know their field better than this board of education um and if we wanted to include a director of of of Athletics and include in that job description a um a component relating to Humanities and
arts then I think that they would best be the ones to address that and then at the next meeting...
Boston- just make a proposal.
Safdie- right make a proposal let that bring the proposal to to us. 
Boston- or at the policy committee meeting um how did we choose the salary?
Bray- I just sort of looked around and think what I thought that might be worth as far as how many days that they would be working.
Boston- how many days are we asking them to work?
Bray- I believe we discuss 210 it would not be a year round position but that might have to be modified. 
Stout-were you finding that a lot of other districts had an athletic director position?
Bray- not some do but some it's part-time some work 120 days it just depends on the size of the district. 
Safdie we had a part-time athletic director before. 
Boston- well that's all we've ever had we've never had a full-time. 
Safdie- well now I consider Mr Maddox job...
Boston- but he only I hope he only addresses Athletics for a very short period of time because he's got a pretty big schedule um what counties surrounding us did you find I mean just asking. 
Bray- I think White County I'm pretty sure white County's got one but I think it's 120 days maybe does Warren have one I don't know they don't have one in Purnam but White County does but it's a I'm probably sure it's probably I don't know this for a fact to be a retired teacher maybe. 
Stepp- it is. 
Bray- cause it's a 120-day contract contract just like we did with some of our other retired teachers. 
Boston-was Dan a full-time or part-time athletic director?
Eldridge- he was a part time. 
Boston-part time how many years ago has that been? 
Safdie-he worked for ages. 
Eldridge-15. 
Boston- the first one remember was Travis Isaacson and...
Eldridge- he was at CCHS before they split. 
Boston-okay what what would it look like if we made it 120-day contract?
Bray- well it's really difficult to say depending on who takes it because if it's a retired teacher then they flip to the teacher Scale based on their years of experience and their education if they're a certified person.
Boston- would we could we hire someone that's not a certified teacher.
Bray- correct we could just figure out what we want the daily rate to be and then adjust it appropriately.
Safdie- well if um Mr Davis's point is is accurate and I'm sure it is I didn't mean to use the word accurate it corresponds to the Strategic plan and the Strategic strategic plan includes the Arts component then then um his suggestion is that we find a person that can take responsibilities to coordinating the Arts whatever that coordination would be as well as the Athletics that'll be an interesting job mix. 
Hale-yes agreed. 
Safdie- and I think you're right on task. 
Bray- if you took it to 120 days making the assumption full time would be 65 that would take it to around $ 37,143. 
Davis-the trouble with part-time if I may is is the school is all those activities are taking place all year long right so just to have somebody responsible for it be like yeah this isn't the day that I'm responsible for it...
Boston- I only work Tuesday Wednesday Thursday. 
Davis-would be pretty hard to digest that right like I I could see where that would be uh well pretty problematic. 
Boston-and you're not saving that much money uh if if we created a position. Shannon do you still have that pulled up, does it say countywide athletic director or does it just say athletic director?
Stout- it says elementary Middle and High School athletics.
Boston- so that would be that would be considered countywide okay. 
Safdie-Mr. Stepp in your envisioning of um the Strategic plan do you is there a right mix between Athletics and and the Arts?
Stepp- it's going to be tough to find someone who has all those qualities that understands the idiosyncrasies of each of it. 
Boston- I think that's going to be a learned position but what you need is someone with some organizational skills more than anything that would be the biggest requirement is organizing and following and keeping everybody on task with rules and and exact exactly a master calendar um scheduling other things what would you consider as activities Mr Stepp?
Stepp- I mean just now being asked um mean it be extracurricular it could be just about anything. 
Boston-are you looking at...
Stepp- well just now being asked I hadn't had a chance to think about it so I mean I would to think about what's included in extracurriculars.
Davis- Dance Theater band.
Stepp- could be just about anything tell you the truth activities cover anything that's not during the school day.
Stout- any non-educational school day it's pretty broad.
Boston- and am I...
Stepp- we have a lot of co-curricular subjects too just to throw that out there they can be...
Boston-what’s that?
Stepp-they can be academic in the school day and be extracurricular after school too so I mean so there’s a lot of details to this to this to be ironed out. 
Stout- in your opinion would bringing somebody into a position like that enhance and help us get on track with the Strategic plan?
Stepp- with the right skill set. 
Stout-is that something you'd recommend doing now or later on within our 5-year plan? Stepp-well I mean I didn't include it in my original budget so but this was added on and you know I think we need to look at it seriously.
Safdie- does that mean look at it seriously by adding it on or look at it seriously by creating a job description that included the skills?
Stepp- well if you vote this in that's what I would have to do is include all those skills and things there um just looking at the bigger bigger picture of things you know we talked about losing about $600,000 in federal money but something we need to think about in the long run the sustainability of our programming not just this but everything we've talked about I mean we really got to think about those kinds of those kinds of changes in funding that are going to happen in the next few years.
Stout- well that's kind of my question then is this something that obviously we're saying strategic planwise that would help enhance but based on the budget I know it wasn't in your original plan it's been brought forward now based on the budget numbers that we have would this at this juncture be recommended or is this something that we should look at based on the numbers for maybe next year timing wise what do you think?
Stepp-well as as we talked about in construction nothing gets cheaper  that's what this discussion is about now. 
Safdie-would you consider a viable option to give a one year contract to a director of Athletics so that the school system could so the teachers and whoever your staff could participate in the process of I think advising creating the skills that would be necessary for...
Stepp- I think if the board creates this position we just we go all in with it I don't know if a one-ear contract you know would roll over well with everybody they have to work with and they might say ah they're just here a year so we can still of roll very complex it's a complex thing to do.
Boston-Anita,  any thoughts?
Hale- well well yeah not really because um I don't think that Athletics and the humanities go together in my opinion.
King- kind of like ice cream and turnip greens. 
Hale-it's two they're two different they're very different
Boston- what did you say Mr King?
King- I said they go together like ice cream and turnip greens.  
Hale-I know and and and they don't they don't go together so we're either you know we we're basically trying to get an athletic director and pay him a salary for half a Year's work an all an all year salary I I I don't know we've been we've been paying someone to um coordinate the things you know and it's been running smoothly until we did this basketball Middle School thing so. 
Stout- I think the logistics of the job is what's going to be difficult as far as looking at our strategic plan and what these extracurricular what we're trying to drive with extracurricular activities is the same sort of thing right we're trying to enhance character and integrity and teamwork and and develop outside um talents and interests along to round out the educational experience so I think we're trying to drive a lot of the same sort of things with the students with these programs but the logistics of this position is going to be challenging because of the programs are so very different to how they need to be run if we were to go to one position for an athletic director does that mean that we don't need the Middle School and High School athletic directors as well does do we roll those up into just one and we've got one athletic director that's overseeing the entire program or do we still need that structure?
Boston- I think you've got to have them in the high schools I think that's that's a must.
Stout- so this would be an addition to what the structure we have already.
Boston- now the middle schools I'm not I'm not certain about that but I do know that they are absolutely necessary in those high schools.
Brown- Am I permitted to speak?
Boston- Absolutely please. 
Brown-regarding the White County position that Ms Bray referenced which is the only uh comparable District to us that has this position uh he is part-time and he does middle school and high school they do not have someone in the high school and in the middle school so I believe to your point Ms Stout if you do create this position you're taking away the structure and the stability of the position at the high schools which obviously directly impacts me um in addition to that I believe this position uh is quite frankly it's not needed I think the High School athletic directors uh run the programs and do a good enough job I would hope uh to satisfy the needs that the High School coaches and the parents in the community need um and as we continue to develop the middle school programs and train and get the right people in place I believe the Middle School athletic directors uh can follow suit and do that as well and there might be a way if if we have this funding available potentially to allocate it in a different way uh where we can address more pertinent needs that we have for our student athletes and I appreciate uh the proposal and I appreciate the concern that we have for athletics and trying to do what's best for our community and our student athletes um but if we're talking about $75,000 um I do that job right now for six and I'm a full-time assistant principal so that job could be utilized differently and the funding for it could 100% be used differently to help student athletes in a different manner. 
Boston- how how would just question you know more about it than I do how would you propose uh because we I know we've had a part-time athletic director has that athletic director assisted you in making decisions or if this something you just always done on your own. 
Brown- Dr Maddox and I and previously with Mr Patton we communicated uh primarily they handle the Middle School aspect of it and the support for those uh we've never had middle school athletic directors until this year so Dr Maddox has worked directly with those two athletic directors to support them uh and the high schools have kind of ran on our own entity and support. Dr Maddox has been great and very supportive and and we've worked well together uh in the past than we do currently but primarily I I I take care of stone Memorial High School and Mr Miller takes care of Cumberland County High School and Dr Maddox supports the Middle School athletic directors and again I think there's an avenue where um if we could open it up and have a little more easy communication we're already using the high schools currently for Middle School which hopefully that will change at some point the Middle School athletic director High School athletic director can work more lock in step with one another I think that would be more beneficial. 
Davis-so when um Ms. Hale asked about activities and arts and Athletics all going together it was a good idea when we put them all together in the Strategic plan and because we decided they all went together it was a good idea when we elected or voted to have the committee in charge of all three of those things but right now you're saying it's not a good idea um so you've got two segments of students you got students that are academically supported because we are required by state law and a number of other things to support them and then we have the we have the every other thing that they do in our school system that they're not mandated we're not mandated to support okay um and that's that's what we're asking we're asking to put somebody in charge of the things that people are supporting right so I don't know how many academic competitions there were last year can anybody in here tell me how many academic competitions there were can anybody in here tell me how many athletic competitions there were can anybody tell me how many Academic Teams there are formed can anybody tell me how many academic buildings other than the ones that they just go to school to there are right so the point is we have a major interest in nonacademic activities in our school system if we are going to make an effort to put it in our strategic plan put it in our vision statement our mission statement change our committee to support Arts academics and Athletics it's not a stretch to think that we're going to put somebody in charge of this to to be responsible solely for the growth of those programs under which they can collaborate with all existing people for the better purpose and service of the community and that interest I would dare say we get so to my knowledge outside of of supplements we only support the athletic department by the $220,000 a year we we give $10,000 to one to CCHS and we give $10,000 to SMHS so for to cut the to cut the grass I I don't know I don't know why we give it we even give we might as well not even give them anything if that's all we're going to do that's embarrassing I'm embarrassed that's embarrassing to me so to to sit here and look at this the that the group what we're doing there are hundreds if not thousands of games being played with our schools logos on them under our insurance policies under the almost $600,000 worth of supplements that we give these coaches which is a fraction of their actual time spent to support that and then we ask the parents to pay for it all we ask the community to fund raise it all the there's millions of dollars raised to support all of these initiatives and we can't figure out how to do what we already said we were going to do and we don't have enough wherewithal to identify that somebody with the title of director should be a full-time job it should be a full-time job in districts that are that are we can settle if we want to continue to settle then then I don't know what we're doing here but I didn't I didn't run for election to settle I didn't sit on the strategic planning steering committee to settle um I didn't read the front page article the other day to settle um I've got work to do when I leave here today and I I don't understand how we can't find the means to support the initiatives that we said we were going to support as a board um if we want to continue to do the same thing and and expect different results I'm not in that group of people because I'm not going to do. 
Safdie-I know this this is a budget committee and I'm not on the budget committee but I do have a question for you,  would it not be more productive if during a full board meeting we asked the director of school to work with his staff to create a job description for a part-time arts or and Humanities director or or even a full time and we could but that would be the first step because we don't know what's needed we just know that there's there's a gap there I can remember when my wife um when there was a coordinator someone was acting as a coordinator for art projects and and this woman was wonderful but Dale got awfully upset because suddenly she was asked to do art projects at Fairfield Glade without any without any for knowledge without any without any consideration and the question then I'm sure that there are there are other teachers that that would like to have a key person but we don't know what their responsibilities would be yet is it to coordinate art projects to coordinate speech projects let's give a job description first as the first step to get the broader View and then as you take over as your new board takes over they can decide whether or not that job description needs funding and corresponds to the items that you're talking about which I'm sure it would but you see you see what I mean?
Davis- sort of yeah I I hear what you're saying. 
Safdie-the job part of it should come first because we don't know what a director would would entail.
Stout- I think to your point Mr Safdie the whole point is this is operational right so operational falls to the director and to the administration so they need to come forth with that need that need what we're looking for and the recommendation for what they need and then can we fund that need we're we're kind of going backwards here.
Safdie- I think I think that's I think that's right I think that...
Boston-I I wouldn't know at this point and I don't know at this point of what a we've had a countywide at part-time countywide athletic director for 8 years I don't know what they do I know what the job description says they do and I know what we set aside allotted for them to pay them which is $18,000 which is not a great deal of money because it's always been adjacent to another job they've had two responsibilities they've just received a supplement I I think what Mr Safdie is saying is is is if you can come to us they're I mean we we can create a position at any time if we have a job description and we and and you know we look at it and it it's explain to us this is what that person will do and this is what we have calculated how many days we're going to need them if we need full time if we need 120 days I don't know can you I mean if it falls within the Strategic plan I think that's certainly a goal but you're not going to reach your you know all of your goals within the first year you're you're going to put that aside um...
Davis- how much progress do y'all think we've made on this strategic plan in that area year to date, do we have a way do we know that?
Safdie- well there's there's another consideration the fact that in terms of supporting Arts I mean there are there there are art teachers there are speech teachers there are there are music teachers there are choral teachers there there is ongoing art and what you're talking about is can we facilitate or coordinate those those activities and and and and assist okay. 
Davis- exactly help, how how can we help  that way we're not up here speculating and and someone that does know about it because it's their job can tell us about it that's exactly the point. 
Safdie-right, so that so that's why a job description let let the director of school come up working with his team and come up with a a  straw dog proposal to your team right I mean it's your it's your you can do it the way you want to but somewhere along the line if this board is interested in in moving toward and supporting the Arts and Humanities and we think a director is necessary what would the position of director entail and would it be a full-time or a part-time now that doesn't that doesn't settle the question Ms Bray of the full-time athletic director and his new or her new responsibilities I think the reason why we have that turned it into a full-time position now is because of coordination of the of the K through or K through uh eight non uh feeder School athletics is that correct?
Bray- I don't think I know anymore to be honest with you.
Boston- well we we have we have now put in place now whether we have those positions filled or not I don't know but we have now put in place Middle School Ad’s.
Bray- correct they've been in the past year we've had those in place where this will be the first year we're closing out.
Boston-okay do we have a position open?
Bray- yes I understand one of them has resigned.
Boston- okay that's what I thought the other one has has maintained...
Bray-that's my understanding.
Boston- and is going to maintain as far as we know.
Bray- as far as I know at this moment
Boston-um that's progress.
Davis- hire two lost one.
Boston-well we that position is still open. 
Davis- and we're also filling a full full time ad spot at the high school at the end of this year. 
Boston- oh did we lose our a we lost our ad over there?
Davis- yep.
Stepp- assistant principal was slash ad job. 
Boston- so which is Mr Brown that's you're an assistant principal and AD right?
Brown- yes ma'am.
Boston- okay.
Davis- and it's no disrespect this intention to go to add this position is not in in in any way shape or form predicated around the concept that what who's doing doing what can't do it it's it's it's predicated around the concept that if one person is ultimately responsible for the outcome of all these areas that we have identified as being me meaningful to us which in the Strategic plan we've got those things that we're looking to move from red to Yellow to Green are we going to be content with loss of position not funding it and not moving the needle or are we going to be content with saying maybe if we had somebody in charge of the job it would be we would be making progress by now because we're all speaking a lot of hypotheticals if we're going to add a job description well the job description is the bullet points for the Strategic plan how to affect those things obviously they're going to need to work alongside the principals the assistant principal's existing ads um and the program themselves whatever programs they may be to identify what areas they need assistance with um number one thing I see we need assistance with is bringing items to the board that can be digested and pointed back toward the Strategic plan because every time we raise our hand and say there's a need to fix this there's a need to fix that we've got to add a a fence in between uh two fields to keep balls from killing people or we can't grow grass this year year um because we don't the grass isn't taking or we've got these tremendous needs we're not actually spending any money on fixing any of that ever okay we don't we're not fixing that stuff those booster club programs and the people that are behind the scenes that want to give their kids the opportunity to do it shell out of their pocket and they go beat the doors down of local businesses and they go raise the funds and we just sit up here and and and and tell you guys best of luck with what you've been doing it's it looks good for where I'm sitting so I'm asking us to pay somebody to go be responsible for the whole thing and I I'll quit talking if if if my point's not been made by now it's not going to be made I'm actually going to get some water.
Boston- Anita any comments?
Hale- none can't think of anything.
Boston- Mr King.
King- I know we have an athletic director last meeting he gave us good advice we outvoted him so why do we need another?
Boston- what okay um well I think I I think the proposal is and that we go from part-time to to a full-time position Mr Stepp what would be your recommendation and I know this wasn't in your original budget but what would your recommendation I mean is this something that you see that we have a need for?
Stepp-well I worked in a larger County that didn't have this we relied on the high school and middle school athletic directors and one person at the central office was assigned to work with all those athletic directors so that's what I'm used to I've seen this work in White County and be successful um I think is it Lenoir City or Loudon County?
Davis- Williamson County Wilson County.
Stepp- yeah all the larger Counties have one person organize this over however many schools they have.
Boston- well Putnam county is is they have what 12,000 students?
Stepp- yes.
Boston- and you said there was someone in central office.
Stepp- deputy director made sure all the ad’s did what they were supposed to.
Boston- but was that an additional job for him or is that part of his duties?
Stepp- part of his duties. 
Boston- okay.
Hale-I do agree with Mr um uh Mr King that we already have an athletic director through that does part-time and why are we wanting to hire another one at this particular moment in time?
Boston-well that's that's why you're on the budget committee because you have to fund it um and and if you don't necessarily think that that's appropriate at this time that's then we we can move on because someone on this budget committee has to make a motion. 
Hale- to make a motion to move on to something else?
Boston- no to make a motion to add that to the budget now we've got the supplements added in which I think are going to be necessary um um we've got those already in the agenda the athletic field survey can be within Kim Chamberlin's budget Upland's budget and um I think we're a little premature on the athletic tracking software that's my opinion now the countywide uh athletic director um. 
Hale- I don't see why we need one I mean I understand that we are going to have to have supplements for the middle school basketball coaches.
Boston- well they've already taken the supplement that we're paying uh or that was being paid and divided that between uh the Middle School athletic directors um it's not a great deal of a supplement but it is a supplement so if if this budget committee would like to move on um then then I'm ready to do so I would like to ask that um Mr Stepp to review that job description and come back to us and see uh come back to us and and and make a proposal as to what that would look like. 
Stepp-one or both like Mr Safdie was talking about athletic and Humanity?
Boston- are we doing arts and activities included. 
Safdie- I I would suggest so won't be able to move...
Boston-yeah I would add some wording to that because that's the way the Strategic plan is um worded I think is that correct?
Safdie- one step at a time yes. 

Boston- I understand that thank you um but let's set it next Wednesday at 4:30 okay is that okay with you Chris, let's can you meet earlier on Wednesday at 2:30 on Wednesday okay and and go from there. 
Hale-okay I can do that yes. 
Boston-and that will get you out of here in plenty of time to cause we only have a couple of issues that I think we need to kind of clear up. I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. 
Hale-second. 
Boston-okay Chris? All in favor?
Hale/King- aye. 
Boston- all opposed, we are adjourned.