May 15, 2024 at 2:30 PM - Budget Committee Meeting

Discussion: 

Boston- first on the agenda I would like to place our April 30th minutes uh Ms Diane has has emailed those to everyone, Anita have you had a moment to review those?
Hale- I have.
Boston- Chris?
King-yes. 
Boston- okay um without objection I'd like to go ahead and get those approved.  
Hale-move to approve. 
King- second. 
Boston- okay so I have a first and a second to approve the April 30th minutes for the budget committee any discussion if not all in favor?
Hale/King-Aye. 
Boston- all oppose, motion carries thank you uh next on the agenda is the AP and above salary scales this is the one we have had just so much so many issues with it um so what we've got is if we did and correct me if I'm wrong uh when we tried to add the current salary scale plus 3,000 that took everybody off scale.
Bray- it took them off the scale because I have to be able to explain to the state how their salaries are computed starting with a scale and when we just add amount like that it basically takes everybody off this scale. 
Boston- does it do you not have to explain how teachers...
Bray- well teachers see I can explain it on the scale same thing I have to upload all of them but I have to say that based on their years of experience and educational level this is the amount they make and anything above that if they get supplement I have to add that separate and then I have to show the calculations.
Boston- and this takes if we just add a flat 3,000. 
Bray-right and then we'd have to know where to put them next year because that may put them on the scale off the scale because we got to start all over again next year. 
Boston- okay now the budget that I'm looking at that you sent out to us that reflects the $3,000?
Bray- yes ma’am. 
Boston- okay okay and if we change that you'll have to go back and change obviously the budget. 
Bray-correct. 
Boston- and I'm I'm not I don't want to take anybody off scale to where you can't explain it I I think you have to look at the state and say this is how we did it um any suggestions?
Hale- what what were you saying to do again please?
Boston- well I don't think we can add just the flat $3,000 because it takes everybody off scale. 
Hale- right. 
Boston- uh so I think if we looked at a percentage adding it a percentage to it then you can calculate from that percentage right?
Bray- absolutely just like we do today. 
Boston- and just like we've done every year for the last...
Bray- 100 years. 
Boston- 100 years. 
Hale- but not the high percentages that we have now like the 25% and the 17%. 
Boston- yes that you take you start from your salary scale...
Hale- yes ma'am. 
Boston- and then you calculate according to what percentages if they're a 20 year Elementary assistant principal they're going to get 22% added to this salary scale. 
Hale- okay so we're not going to get rid of the percentages this year?
Boston- I don't know how we can I I mean I don't see that we can afford it.
Hale-okay okay so are we looking at this?
Boston- we're looking at this uh I think some discussion needs to be had about uh proposing just a percentage that keeps them on this scale and that keeps them where Kim can explain it to uh the state of Tennessee. 
Stout- so the one that we got from you Ms.  Bray is using the scale plus 3% is that right?
Bray- I prepared one like that for Ms Boston and Mr Stepp. 
Boston Mr Stepp emailed it out to everybody. 
Bray- it wasn't from me but yes I prepared it. 
Boston- what I'm proposing if you take into consideration the 8% that we gave assistant principal and above last year and we indicated that that could not take place again this year because we simply could not afford it um if we add 2% to that that means they have a they have received a 10% raise in two years um and that's a pretty substantial raise for the last two years and that would be what I'm looking at is just to give them a 2% in two years um and and go from there. 
Hale- so on on this scale right here...
Boston- don't look at that...
Hale- don't look look at that why not?
King-question I have is where are we with teachers what did we do with them?
Boston- we added 3,000 across the board which keeps them on the same salary scale. King-we also had agreed to put administrators there too what happened to that?
Boston- uh that's what Kim just got to explaining uh that takes if you add just a flat 3,000 that takes them off this scale. 
Hamby-but it doesn't take the teachers off the scale?
Boston- they have a different scale. 
Hamby- okay. 
King- so if we put them on the same scale we agreed to...
Boston-we didn’t agree to that was some proposals. 
King- the minutes on 4/24 say we did all three of us agreed put teachers and administrators on the same scale but last meeting you said we didn't the minutes say we did so if we stayed with that and added 3,000 you wouldn't take them off the scale. 
Boston- well I don't know that you can take the teacher scale add 3,000 to it for administrators. 
Bray- that's what what we did is we took the scale the teacher scale and we just added 3,000 which we can do that that's not...
Boston-but then you added the $40 per day and $80 per day. 
Bray- that's on and above the scale I think what Mr King is saying is just let everybody have the same starting point, they start on the same scale. 
King- yes. 
Boston- but then what are you going to do with that scale?
Bray- and then you would add the percentages at this point to that am I understanding sir? You're just saying start with the same scale everybody be on the same scale. 
King-right,  yeah instead of having 15 different scales just one. 
Bray- and then add your percentages to that scale. 
Boston- what does that do?
Hale- and what percentages are we talking about?
Boston- you're talking now you're now you can look at this. 
Hale- now you're talking about that um if it's a certified uh supervisor and they have 13 years in they get 26% of their salary and on Down the Line let's say it's a second...
Boston-yes,  I didn't bring the teacher salary scale with me um and I don't...
Bray- would you like a copy, I have it. 
Boston-yeah please if you don't mind I I want to look at it for just a moment. 
Stout- just a thought while we're waiting we're thinking of percentages the average cost of living increase this year was 3.2% for 2024 so Social Security um increased by 3.2% last year the average cost of living was 8.7% so we were in the range of the cost of living  increase last year we wanted to stay in the range of cost of living increase this year 3.2%.
Hale- Ms Bray um if we used to this teacher scale and we're saying somebody has a doctorate with um 16 years experience on the teacher scale it says $72,941 am I looking at it correctly?
Bray-correct. 
Hale- and then with and then you add the 3,000 that's 7...
Bray- no no this has already got the 3,000 added to it. 
Hale- the 72 has it?
Bray- yes ma'am this is the proposal well this is what you folks accepted for teacher. 
Hale- and then but right next to it it's got like the specialist degrees that would be 74,600 that's with the 3,000 added to it?
Bray-yes ma’am this the completely thing this is just the scale that's in place now with $3,000 add it at all levels.
Hale- but what happens to those people that are making more than this with this amount of. 
Boston- well if you if you look at the teacher salary and I'm just taking the top person they were they've got 14 years and 14 years and they have a master’s on the teacher scale they would be looking at a starting point of 62,213. 
Bray- if they're system wide. 
Boston- if they well where would our where would our principals and every...
Bray-the principals would be under the teacher column and your supervisors here would be system wide. 
Boston- okay so you're looking at 60?
Bray- yes ma'am.
Boston- on the current salary that we're using the base salary is 55 so you're starting out with a $5,000 increase before you ever start adding percentages if we go off the teacher scale. 
Bray-correct. 
Boston- that's where we ran into the problem with people getting $16,000 raises $11,000 raises and and I I I I'm I can't do that.
Hale- and why did we get so much of a of a raise whenever if we're starting with with the scale and we're only giving 3,000 on top of it?
Boston- well you're talking about two different things if if we add 3,000 to the on the teacher scale okay which we did then what you're doing is then you go back and you add the percentages like 14 years would be uh let's say that they're a elementary principal they're going to get 25% on top of that right and they've got a $5,000 increase before we ever start adding the percentages um and and that's where we ran into and I think Kim I think you and I calculated that somewhat and that's where we ran into some of the people getting getting such large raises.
Bray- yes that is correct. 
Boston- and and I mean you can't help it if we go off the same scale because the teacher scale is is...
Bray- right now now it's about 5% higher base side by side before the percentages than the admin scale.
Boston- right so you well I mean like I said it's in black and white you start 5,000 ahead before you ever add 25% to it and if you take that you're adding another $15,000. 
King- but if you do away with those percentages just go with a 408080 or something like that. 
Boston- well if you do that...
King-percentages go away. 
Boston- you still have the increase for some individuals that are enormous I mean any any proposal that we've looked at we've got people getting $11,000 raises $16,000 raises $9,000 raises.
King- could I ask who those are?
Boston-I mean I don't have my calculations with me but I've got them at home. 
King- I'm just saying could I ask who those individuals are?
Boston- well you're going to have to ask somebody besides me but we had discussed it did we not Ms. Bray?
Bray- we did and it was I think that was on one of the budget versions that you have. 
King-the sheet we got today has some good information like that doesn't have names and that's fine. 
Boston- oh I don't necessarily need names but I'm just saying we had some individuals getting a a huge raise. 
King-doesn't it indicate that they're underpaid now?
Boston- no when we did the lean frog um study our admin and principals were I think we only had one that was under but was a little bit below and that was our CAO. 
King-has it grew as an average, but individually not...
Boston- as an average well that's all we that's all we have to go on. 
King- yes but you're pulling out and saying somebody's getting 11,000.
Boston- that was on the other calculations.
King- so I'm saying who are those people how did they get so far out of whack?
Boston- that was when we did the 60 the 40 I don't know if it was the 408080 or the 62.50/100/100 we've done so many calculations on this that it it's just been very confusing but in keeping in spirit of what we can afford and what we did in line with our teachers I'm going to make a motion that we take the salary scale that is currently with the percentages add 2% for add assistant principals and above and leave that alone and we can move on with this budget. 
Hale add 2%?
Boston-add 2% that gives them a total  of 10% for the last two years. 
Hale- but not um but but we're still not doing it away with percentages can't do it. 
Boston- well I mean we can but it's going to cost you some it's going to cost you some money. 
Hale- okay I'll second your motion. 
Boston- okay um and and I think we're kind of at odds about what we need to do and maybe next year TISA will come up with more money and we can add those to the salaries um this year I I just can't do it and I think that's I think that's fair. 
Stout- the difference did we look at the cost difference between between 2% or doing an average cost of living increase at 3%?
Boston- if we were looking at did we give a cost of living of 3% to the teachers who knows we just added $3,000 to it don't know if that's 3% 2% 5% 9% I don't know because we just added a flat rate but that's my proposal and that keeps everyone I mean you have some people that will get a $5,000 raise and I can't can't I can't handpick who gets how much all I can say is that's 10% within the last two years and I think if you look at the history of our percentages of the last let's say probably six years it took us four years to get to 10% previously and we've done that in the last two years which I think is is is impressive in itself. 
Stout-so we're looking from the lean frog review is what they found was the entry level in our district was lower than average but as we get as we get up into the higher degrees then we're competitive so if they have the higher degrees the more time with us we're paying competitively but people who are entering um were paying lower which might affect our ability to recruit so just want to keep that in mind. 
Boston- but we're trying to get our teachers up the governor has told us we have to and we've got two more years Kim?
Bray-yes. 
Boston-in which to do that get and these are reoccurring expenses these are written you're going to see it again next year except you're just going to be required to add to it next year and I think we have to consider you said and I'm going to ask you what did you say the percentage of our budget is in salaries and benefits. 
Bray-85. 
Boston- so that leaves us with 15% of our budget to do everything else?
Bray-correct, it’s people and benefits. 
Boston- I'm going to I'm I'm going to to stick with my motion um any more discussion?
King-would you restate it please?
Boston- yes take the license certified Personnel assistant principal and above including principal systemwide supervisors take that salary scale that is currently in place add 2% and then calculate your percentages as as they as they fall I'm not going to say I like it either but I think it's one of their only choices if we're going to move on with this budget so I'm going to do all in favor?
Hale-aye. 
Boston-all oppose?
King- no. 
Boston -I vote aye so motion carries. 
Hale- but we're going to have to try and get rid of those percentages next year. 
Boston- well let let me this is this is not on the agenda but this is just looking at it um you can you can get rid of the percentages but it's going to cost you and when you start giving those large raises because it does cost you you're going to you're going to hear from your teachers your non-certified at at how is that fair that's I mean I've had numerous communications with how is that fair um and you can there's a way and I'm comfortable that if anybody can find it Kim can I've just not seen it without it costing us too much money. 
Hale- thank you.
Boston- Kim if you will adjust the 2%. 
Bray-2% got it. 

Discussion: 

Boston-okay next on the agenda is the actual budget draft and I I think we've gone through this numerous times so that we're um we're we're where we need to be with the exception of just a couple of more questions um Chris do you have any questions about the budget?
King-no. 
Boston- okay Kim on the greenhouses on 71300 336 it's our first CTE page it's page eight will the ISM grant pay for those greenhouses?
Bray-(nods head yes).
Boston- so that's that 20,000 is in consideration of 700,000 we're getting back from the ISM Grant am I correct Leslie?
ISM is going to help with the greenhouses correct?
Eldridge-ISM is going to build all five greenhouses yes. 
Boston- okay okay the 50,000 that we budgeted last year for the two building packages that we did not buy is that money rolled back into the general fund?
Bray- yes.
Boston- okay that's what I thought. 
Hale- now what line are we looking at?
Boston- those were just general questions um let me see 71376 is the building we budgeted 50,000 last year but we didn't spend it and that's going to roll back in and we're budgeting 50 again this year to buy those packages. Leslie, do you have the staff in which to?
Eldridge- we do and like I said if we don't do the house packages we will do smaller packages maybe a tiny home, storage units, things like that the skills can be developed through the classes.
Boston- but do you have the staff to?
Eldridge- we do currently yes.
Hale-okay I noticed that um that the total number of teachers you wanted uh Ms Edlridge is um 61.
Eldridge- that's currently how many we have. 
Hale- and I saw one budget that didn't have quite that many trying to find it let's see that's page eight, on budget that we had it was only 46. 
Eldridge- we had 46 last year we we had 61 this year.
Hale-um so why do we need um 61 this year if we did 46 last year?
Eldridge- we currently have 61 this school year.
Hale-oh okay thank you. 
Boston- that's not any new positions that just that's just positions we had open that we just now filled. 
Hale-okay. 
Eldridge-they were filled at the beginning of this school year with ISM funds but we are asking for no new positions that is correct. 
Boston- okay so we had 46 and then you that increased uh to 61 with ISM money?
Eldridge- yes ma'am.
Boston- now are those the positions that we're going to have to sustain?
Eldridge- yes so this year ISM will pay 75% of those positions and our County will pay 25%. 
Boston- so we added 15 positions with ISM money?
Eldridge- yes ma'am. 
Boston- but now when this when this grant expires we have to sustain those positions is that correct?
Eldridge- that is always the intention yes ma'am but we're gradually doing that so next year we'll pay 50% with the ISM and our local will pick up 50 so we're gradually stepping down so we can gradually increase that budget over the next 3 years to sustain those positions. 
Stepp- and each one of those positions are generating money through TISA so TISA right now what money they've generated so far is more than what the 25% is we'd have to fund next year and it'll be more than the 50% we have to fund so as we create more C codes they're getting more credits which means we're getting more dollars from TISA because of these positions. 
Boston- but in 2026 we will be fully uh required to completely fund these positions?
Stepp- yes with the goal that we were generating all that full money through TISA.
Boston- okay on SPED and I think Ms Holton is here we added seven positions last year and you are asking for two new positions?
Holton- um um last year we added seven certified teachers um this year I'm asking for an assistant at South and an slpa position which is two assistant positions um based on numbers and the slpa position is in hope of lessening the contracted service amount that we're paying each month. 
Boston- say that again. 
Holton- the SLP would um hopefully decrease the amount of money that we're paying in contracted Services every month. 
Boston- okay but we're adding contracted services for two I think 300,000 250,000 because how many speech pathologists does that contract?
Holton- um So currently we have two individual service agreements we had three one went on maternity leave for speech then we have sidekick as a company we have OT PT um a behavior contract because we couldn't fill the behavior position um and so that those contracts are running us about 30,000 a month currently. 
Boston- 30,000 a month did they bill the insurance?
Holton yes they bill for tenncare before. 
Boston- but then we pay any overage?
Holton-correct
Boston-okay okay. 
Hale- is that that for teachers or assistants?
Boston- she's asking for two assistants this year. 
Hale- two assistants this new year and we added seven where are those seven positions that we put in last year, I mean what are they where are they?
Holton-we added a teacher at Stone Elementary I'm pretty sure we added a teacher at Martin I'm going to have to look back I'm sorry I'm so focused on this year that last year...
Boston-I understand I understand but do we have any in central office of those seven?
Holton- no. 
Hale/Boston-they’re all out in the schools?
Holton- every position we we added last year is out of school.
Boston- okay then the only the other than that the only other thing that I'm looking at is um the 70,000 in aviation scholarships and the $62,000 box truck um um I'll make a motion that we cut those from the budget and um we'll wait and see what next year brings. 
Stepp- yeah I don't I don't recommend that. 
Boston- well I understand that but I don't think that we can afford to give four children $70,000 in scholarships uh we have 6,900 children that we need to to do uh do for and I think that money would help us in other areas. 
Hale- now the scholarships for these children is that they're already in the program?
Boston- they are in the program you said you had four right?
Eldridge- we currently have four this year that would be to add four next year so it would be it would be to sustain the ISM grant that was initially written in 2020 for Aviation that would be for sustainability um so we would be cutting that program where students earn a private pilot license from Cumberland County Schools. 
Boston- but they could still take the aviation courses?
Eldridge- yes that is in our...
Boston-and they would receive that credit?
Eldridge- they would receive a credit but they would not receive something to be industry ready and Workforce ready ?
Stout-and how does that impact our TISA funds?
Eldridge- it would be uh it would impact our TISA outcomes a little bit because it is industry credentials. 
Stout- so we'd be getting less?
Eldridge- yes ma'am. 
Boston- would we would we be getting $70,000 less?
Eldridge- I was only asking for 60 and I don't know I would have to look at the calculations probably not that much but we would be getting something. 
Boston- right okay I still would make that motion. 
Hale-make the motion to um...
Boston- cut the 70 in aviation scholarships and the $62,000 box truck. 
Eldridge- so the the addition for the aviation was 60,000 10,000 for the travel increase for competitions for total of 70. 
Boston-okay that's okay that's the line...
Stout- quick question you said you did apply for some money for that for the licensing part of it is there rather than just saying we're taking it all is there some you said you thought we would get some money back to help with that could we...
Eldridge- I don't know that we will I don't know what we would get that Grant I didn't get it last year when I wrote it so it's no guarantee that we would get it this year so if we could offer the scholarship program to two students one from each High School rather than cutting it all out something is better than nothing to show that we still have that program and to show with the state that we are sustaining a million-dollar grant that they gave us. 
Boston-but it's it's not we're not in a position we're going to have to see send money back a million dollars back if we don't sustain those scholarships?
Eldridge- no but we we had an agreement to sustain that to the best of our ability we've already spent the million dollars. 
Stull- okay could we potentially lose the program altogether?
Boston- well that that Grant expired so we don't have that program anymore. 
Boston- if we don't if we don't attract instructors yes we could. 
Stull-losing the aviation program itself not having it continuing to go through the grant but...
Boston- I would be willing to amend my motion to one scholarship each School. Eldridge-something would be better than nothing and I appreciate that. 
Boston- I I would be more than willing to do that so I'll amend my motion to uh Grant one scholarship per High School uh which is a a decrease of 30,000 and sorry Kim but I just can't see the box truck. 
Hale-so by doing that we wouldn't cut the program completely?
Boston-you're not going to cut the program completely. 
Hale- okay you're just not going to be awarding a pilot's license to two students. 
Hale- so how would they go about getting their pilot's license after uh they completed...
Stout-pay for it themselves. 
Eldridge- yeah they would have to pay for it themselves well and that that would be very few students who were able to do that.
Hale- but we're still saying you've amended it for at least one?
Boston- one per high school and and I think down the road if there are other scholarships then we can say we've already got this program in place and we're more likely to get that funding if we can show we have it already sustainability. 
Boston- and I'm amenable to that I don't want to hold any student back but you have to look  at the total picture. 
Stout- the whole CTE program is what are we going to invest and then how are they going to help us because of what we're investing so if we're not investing in running the programs they're not going to be likely to help us with that. 
Boston- right that's true.
Hale-well um you know I've seen it happen where we quit JROTC and Mr Stepp can't even find us get us back again with JROTC.
Stepp- I'm interviewing somebody next week. 
Hale- thank you sir but I mean it's been difficult has it not because we quit that particular program so if we keep some of this in place it would be easier to um to to maybe get additional funding. 
Stout- yeah showing stability is important. 
Boston- yeah I'll amend so my motion is to offer $30,000 to two scholarships and um wait and see what next year brings on the box truck which is $62,000. 
Hale- okay I'll second it. 
Boston- any any further discussion all in favor?
Hale-aye. 
Boston all oppose?
King-No. 
Boston- and I vote I aye so motion carries um that's all of my questions for the for the budget um I think if we can make those those amendments and call a special called we may be able to get this budget out, how long will it take you?
Bray-I can get it tomorrow. 
Boston- okay so tomorrow is Thursday, when would y'all want to call a special called for the entire board? I'd want her to to produce make the changes that amendments and then uh call a special called next Tuesday what time is all the graduations and everything over next Tuesday?
Stepp-the graduations are over this week. 

 

Discussion:  Boston-Special called for next Tuesday 4:30. Anything further? All right I'll make make a motion we adjourn. 
Hale- second. 
Boston- all in favor?
Hale/King-aye. 
Boston-we’re done, so hopefully we can get this out to the County Commission next next. 
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 3:10pm.