* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:03] GOOD EVENING, [1A. Call to Order - Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence - School Board Chairman] EVERYONE I'D LIKE TO CALL OUR REGULAR MEETING OF SEPTEMBER THE SECOND, 2020, THE ORDER, EVERYBODY, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [1B. Accept or Modify the Agenda - School Board] OKAY. FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO ACCEPT OR MODIFY THE AGENDA. THERE'S CHAIRMAN I MOVE. WE ACCEPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE. THOSE OPPOSED HEARING NONE MOTION CARRIES. [1C. Community Participation] NEXT IS COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IS A TIME AND TENDER FOR THE PUBLIC TO GIVE INPUT ON RELEVANT SCHOOL ISSUES AND NOT INTENDED TO BE A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD, AS THIS MAY BE THE FIRST TIME THE BOARD HAS HEARD THIS INFORMATION, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT INDIVIDUAL RESPONSES OR COMMENTS BY THE BOARD AT THIS TIME, BUT BE ASSURED THAT ANY CONCERNS WILL BE REVIEWED. PLEASE PRINT YOUR NAME ON THE SHEET AT THE PODIUM. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES. YUP. COME ON UP. MA'AM NO, NO, NEVER. HE ALWAYS LEAVE ME WITH SOMETHING TO PONDER. WELL, THAT'S GOOD. IT IS WELL DR. BALLENGER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD BEFORE I GO INTO THE MORE SERIOUS PART OF MY COMMENTS. CAN YOU UNDERSTAND ME? OKAY. OKAY. NO. OKAY. I'M SIX FEET AWAY. BEFORE I GO INTO THE MORE SERIOUS PART OF MY COMMENTS, I WANT TO THANK DR. BALLENGER, HIS CENTRAL OFFICE TEAM AND THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR RECOGNIZING THAT LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE. THANK YOU FOR OUR VIRTUAL CONVER CONVOCATION SPEAKERS, DR. GARY BROOKS AND EDDIE B, DR. BROOKS WAS VERY INSPIRING. AND OF COURSE HE'S ALSO ALWAYS VERY HUMOROUS. AND EDDIE B HAD US LAUGHING SO HARD. OUR STOMACHS HURT. THEY HEARD FROM LAUGHING, NOT COVID NEXT WEEK. OUR COMMUNITY AND LOCAL NEWS MEDIA WILL CLOSELY WATCH WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AS WE START SCHOOL IN A WAY WE NEVER HAVE BEFORE, SOME WILL EXPECT US TO FAIL. SOME MAY EVEN HOPE FOR IT, BUT MOST WILL CHEER US ON. WE WILL HAVE MISTAKES AND GLITCHES, BUT WE WON'T FAIL. WE WILL LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES AND TURN THOSE EXPERIENCES INTO LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LIFE SKILLS WE CAN TEACH OUR STUDENTS TO REALIZE THAT MISTAKES ARE NOT FAILURES, BUT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN AN ONLINE CONFERENCE THAT I ATTENDED THIS SUMMER, A FAMOUS MUSIC EDUCATOR, DR. RD ALAMEDA REMINDED THE 200 PLUS MUSIC EDUCATORS, WHICH WERE FROM EVERY CONTINENT, EXCEPT OF COURSE, ANTARCTICA, THAT IT'S NOT HARD. IT'S JUST NEW. I CHALLENGED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, W CPS STAFF, STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND YES, COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO REMEMBER THAT AS PERHAPS A MANTRA AS WE FACE THE CHALLENGES OF THIS YEAR, IT'S NOT HARD. IT'S JUST NEW. AND BY DOING SO, WE WILL TURN OUR MISTAKES INTO LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND OUR LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES INTO GREAT SUCCESSES. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK GERMAN AT THE SCHOOL BOARD? DAVID TOWNS, ONE 60 OLD BROWNTOWN ROAD. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY COMMENDING EVERYONE FOR THE HERCULEAN EFFORT THAT HAS GONE INTO COMPLETELY REVAMPING WHAT WE USED TO KNOW OF AS SCHOOL. UM, I FEEL LIKE I DODGED A BULLET. THANK YOU, DR. PENCE. UH, THE REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE, UH, I SPOKE BEFORE A COUPLE OF OTHER POLITICAL BODIES CONCERNING [00:05:01] A, UM, EPIDEMIC IN OUR COMMUNITY AND I'M NOT REFERRING TO THE PANDEMIC NUNEZ COVID-19, BUT RATHER A DRUG OVERDOSE ISSUE THAT IS SPIKING THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. UH, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF POSSIBLE REASONS FOR THIS ONE. I WOULD LIKE TO SURMISE ONE OF THE TRAGEDIES OF COVID IS THAT OUR SOCIALIZING FOR THOSE IN MOST NEED IS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN AND THOSE MOST DEPRESSED AND IN NEED OF, UH, ROLE MODELS, UH, PEER SUPPORT ARE NOT GETTING IT FOR WHATEVER REASON. UH, I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM IS AWARE THAT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE LOST A 16 YEAR OLD GIRL IN THE COMMUNITY. UH, AS PARENT OF A TWIN 13 YEAR OLDS, I ENVISIONED THAT, UH, I'LL WATCH THEM GRADUATE, UM, GET MARRIED, HAVE KIDS, AND MAYBE SOMEDAY THEY'LL MOURN MY DEATH. IT SHOULD NOT BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND. AND FOR THOSE REASONS, I'M GOING TO ASK EVERYONE ON THE BOARD TO TAKE UP AND CONSIDER AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN ABOUT THE COMMONWEALTH FOR A LITTLE OVER A DECADE NOW. AND THAT'S DRUG TESTING OF ATHLETES ATHLETES IN, IN, IN, IN THE SCHOOL. I, UM, HAVE BROUGHT WITH ME THE GUIDELINES, THE PROTOCOLS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UH, GIVING THE AUTHORITY, THE RATIONALE BEHIND THEM. I HAVE PROVIDED IN A PATH, A PAMPHLET FOR EACH ONE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, UH, A FORM THAT'S USED BY CLARK COUNTY. THEY'VE USED IT FOR A LITTLE OVER A DECADE AND ARTICLES, SURMISING THAT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL, UH, ANECDOTAL STORIES WHERE, UH, IT SEEMS TO HAVE SOME IMPACT. THESE ARE THE LEADERS IN THE SCHOOL. OTHER STUDENTS LOOK UP TO THE ATHLETES, THEY SET THE BAR. IF THEY KNOW FOR A FACT, THEY'RE NOT USING, IT'S NOT IT'S, IT'S WHAT THE COOL KIDS ARE DOING AS OPPOSED TO THE OPPOSITE. UH, MY BACKGROUND MAKES IT EXTREMELY IRONIC THAT I APPEAR BEFORE THIS BODY MAKING THIS REQUEST. 30 YEARS, 33 YEARS, CRIMINAL DEFENSE I'VE REPRESENTED, UH, HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF DRUG USERS, UH, DRUG DEALERS, DRUG ADDICTS, I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE ON NORMAL'S LEGAL COMMITTEE FOR THE PAST THREE DECADES ADVOCATING FOR THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA. I, I LOVE BEER. I STARTED THE FIRST STATE BEER MUSEUM, THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. SO THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT THESE ARE CHILDREN NOT CAPABLE OF MAKING RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS. UH, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, CLARK COUNTY EXPANDS ABOUT 2,500 TO $3,000 A YEAR. UH, THAT MEANS THAT I MAY HAVE TO TURN TO MR. MABE IN THE ROOM AND, AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVING PURSE STRINGS. I MAY HAVE TO LOOK TO SOME NONPROFITS IN THE COMMUNITY. I KNOW IN, IN THE MULTIPLE NONPROFITS THAT I WORK WITH, I'M PREPARED TO BACK THE FUNDING INITIALLY TO GET THIS THING STARTED. IF IT APPEARS TO BE PRUDENT, IT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I UNDERSTAND THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN RAISED AT LEAST IN THE TIME THAT MR. WILLIAMS HAS BEEN CHAIR WE'RE OUT OF TIME. SO NO, NO SURMISE AT ALL FOR US. I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANT TO RUN, DO APOLOGIZE. NO, NO, BUT I'M USED TO BEING PAID BY THE WORD I UNDERSTAND. AND I, WITH THOSE, THOSE ARE MY CLOSING ARGUMENTS WITH THIS. I'VE GOT PAMPHLETS FOR EVERYONE. I APOLOGIZE. NO, NO, THAT'S FINE. THAT'S FINE. THANKS. YES, ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK, HEARING NONE. WE'LL MOVE ON. UM, BUT I WAS REMISS AT THE BEGINNING. WE HAVE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR HERE AT NIGHT, AND I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT. AND I'M SITTING HERE LOOKING AT HIM SO WELCOME. WE'RE GLAD YOU COULD JOIN US THIS EVENING. AND ALSO DR. IS SOMEWHERE HERE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE, BUT [2. Consent Agenda] ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. WELL, THE NEXT THING IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. YOU WILL HAVE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. I'LL SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR THAT WAS POSED HEARING ON MOTION CARRIES [3A. 2020 Roy K. Boyles Wall of Recognition Inductees] NEXT ITEM PRESENTATION OF THE ROY K BOWLS, WALL OF RECOGNITION, INDUCTEES DR. BALLENGER. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. IF I COULD ASK SHARON BOILS, IF SHE WOULDN'T MIND COMING UP. ABSOLUTELY. [00:10:09] THE ROY K BOILS WALL OF RECOGNITION WAS CREATED IN 2017 BY THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. THE INAUGURAL INDUCTEE OF THE ROY K BOYLE'S WALL OF RECOGNITION WAS ROY K BOYLES AS A LONGSTANDING SUPPORTER AND CONTRIBUTOR TO THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN WARREN COUNTY. ROY EXEMPLIFIED THE CRITERIA NEEDED TO BE CONSIDERED AS A MEMBER OF THE WALL OF RECOGNITION. NOMINEES MUST HAVE HAD A DIRECT CONNECTION TO WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. EXAMPLES OF NOMINEES ARE ANY WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEE SCHOOL, BOARD MEMBER, OR OTHER LOCAL OR REGIONAL BOARD MEMBERS, A SPECIFIC GROUP THAT HAS HAD A DRAMATIC INFLUENCE OR IMPACT ON WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IF THE NOMINEE IS AN INDIVIDUAL, THEY HAVE BEEN, THEY MUST HAVE BEEN OUT OF THEIR FIELD OF SERVICE FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS. NOMINEES NEED TO HAVE HAD A POSITIVE AND LASTING IMPACT ON THE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE 2020 INDUCTEE BEING HONORED TONIGHT IS DR. FREDERICK P LOGAN, JR. I THINK MY WIFE SAID SHE'S NEVER YOUR STATEMENT AND DR. LOGAN, IF YOU DR. LOGAN RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR'S FROM CLARK UNIVERSITY IN 1968 AND SOCIOLOGY, A MASTER'S IN EDUCATION FROM EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY IN 1969, AS IN GUIDANCE, HIS EDUCATIONAL DOCTORATE FROM VIRGINIA TECH IN 1977, VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION IS OCCUPATIONS HAVE BEEN COUNSELOR AT HALIFAX COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT AT VIRGINIA TECH ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION TEACHER, WARREN COUNTY, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CAREER EDUCATION COORDINATOR, WARREN COUNTY, JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, WARREN COUNTY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, VOCATIONAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR, WARREN COUNTY, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, WARREN COUNTY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIS COMMUNITY SERVICE. HE HAS SERVED AS A YOUTH SOCCER COACH, A RULING ELDER AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH WARREN . I HAVE A HARD TIME WITH THAT WORD. ROTARIAN ROTARIAN RUDA ROTARIAN CLUB, OUTSTANDING YOUNG EDUCATOR, A RECOGNITION. HE'S AN OUTSTANDING YOUNG EDUCATOR IN 1981, A COMPANY TONIGHT BY HIS WIFE, ANDRE SON, ZACH GRANDDAUGHTER, LYDIA DAUGHTER, RACHEL. AND SON-IN-LAW LOGAN. I GET THAT RIGHT. OKAY. HUH? OH, GRANDSON, LOGAN. OKAY. THAT'S MY MISTAKE. I APOLOGIZE. CONGRATULATIONS. A COUPLE OF WORDS, NEVER RECIPIENTS [00:15:03] ALL RIGHT. WELL, EARLY [4A. Report on Refunding of School Bonds through the Virginia Public School Authority (VPSA) - Davenport & Co.] NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS REPORTS. UH, THE FIRST REPORT WILL BE RE REFUNDING OF SCHOOL BONDS THROUGH THE VIRGINIA PUBLIC SCHOOL AUTHORITY, UH, DAB IMPORTANT COMPANY. GOOD EVENING. I'M TED COLE WITH DAVENPORT AND COMPANY. UM, APPRECIATE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A FEW COUNTY BOARD NUMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WE'LL BE HEARING, UH, SOME OF THIS AT THEIR NEXT MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 15TH. AND I GUESS WE HAD SORT OF THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYBODY TO HEAR THE INFORMATION AT THE SAME TIME, NOT LOOKING FOR ANY ACTION THIS EVENING. UM, IN FACT, IN ORDER TO GET THE PROCESS STARTED ON PARTICIPATING IN WHAT'S CALLED THE VIRGINIA PUBLIC SCHOOL AUTHORITY, WHICH IS A STATE RUN SCHOOL FUNDING PROGRAM. THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS TO TAKE AN INITIAL ACTION IT'S NONBINDING, BUT THE SCHOOL BOARD DOES THAT. AND, UM, I BELIEVE THAT YOU ALL DID THAT ON AUGUST 19TH. SO THAT SET THE, SET, THE BALL ROLLING, BUT IN NO MEANS COMMITS ANYBODY TO DOING ANYTHING. UM, THE SECOND STEP, UM, IS HOLDING A PUBLIC HEARING AT THE COUNTY BOARD LEVEL, AND THERE'S A COUNTY BOARD RESOLUTION THAT THEY WILL CONSIDER AND, AND WE'VE GOT THAT SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 15TH. UM, SO THE, UM, THE OBJECTIVE TONIGHT IS TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE POTENTIAL REFUNDING REFUND DEAN'S PLURAL ARE ALL ABOUT AND HOW THEY WORK AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. UM, I BELIEVE ALL OF YOU HAVE A COPY OF OUR MEMO OR OUR PRESENTATION IT'S DATED AUGUST 31. UM, AND YOU MAY HAVE SEEN PRIOR VERSIONS OF THIS. IT'S VERY SIMILAR. ALL WE DID, UH, YESTERDAY WAS UPDATED FOR CURRENT MARKET INTEREST RATES. SO YOU HAD A REAL TIME LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL REFUNDING. THERE ARE PAGE NUMBERS IN THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER. AND SO LET ME, IF I COULD SET THE STAGE AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY OF YOU ALL TO STOP ME ALONG THE WAY, IF THERE'S A QUESTION OR SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE EXPLAINED A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY, UM, ON PAGE ONE, WHAT WE ARE, UM, LOOKING AT IS A POTENTIAL REFUNDING OF TWO EXISTING SERIES OF BONDS. ONE THAT WAS ISSUED IN 2013 RELATED TO THE LURAY AVENUE, MIDDLE SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND ONE THAT WAS ISSUED IN 2014 RELATED TO THE WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO THEY'RE BOTH COMPLETELY SCHOOL-RELATED AS SUCH WHERE ELIGIBLE OR THE COUNTY'S ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE VIRGINIA PUBLIC SCHOOL AUTHORITY. THEY ARE EXCLUSIVELY A SCHOOL FUNDING MECHANISM, WHETHER YOU'RE BORROWING MONEY TO BUILD A NEW SCHOOL OR RENOVATE A SCHOOL, OR YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT REFUNDING A PIECE OF DEBT THAT FUNDED A SCHOOL PREVIOUSLY, WHICH IS THE CASE HERE. UM, WE ARE ABLE TO REFUND ONE OR BOTH OF THESE THROUGH THE VPN IF WE CHOOSE. AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT FOR NOW, WHEN WE'VE RUN OUR ANALYSIS, WE'RE ASSUMING THAT THEY'RE BOTH BEING DONE AT TOGETHER. MMM. THERE ARE SOME SUBTLETIES TO HOW THIS REFUNDING, UM, IS, IS SORT OF TRANSACTED. UM, IN ONE RESPECT, IT'S VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD IN THAT WE HAVE EXISTING FIXED RATE BONDS AND WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING INTO FIXED RATE BONDS. WE'RE NOT INTRODUCING ANY VARIABLE RATE DEBT. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT EXTENDING THE DEBT OR SHORTENING THE DEBT. SO WHEN THE 13 BOND MATURES, IT WILL CONTINUE TO MATURE AT THAT SAME PACE AND FINAL PAYMENT AND THE SAME ON THE FOURTEENS, BUT THERE ARE SOME MECHANICS TO DOING THE REFUNDING THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE KIND OF TALK THROUGH BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION IS COULD WE DO BETTER BY WAITING, RIGHT. WE KNOW THERE'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO PRODUCE DEBT SERVICE SAVINGS IN THE CURRENT MARKET. BUT I THINK INEVITABLY THE QUESTION IS WILL, WOULD WE DO BETTER IF WE WAITED, RIGHT? AND WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT HINDSIGHT WILL BE 20, 20, SEVERAL YEARS FROM NOW. WE COULD LOOK BACK AND SAY, WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BEST TIME TO REFUND THESE BONDS. AND SO WHILE WE CAN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION DEFINITIVELY, WOULD WE DO BETTER BY WAITING? I WANTED TO AT LEAST GIVE YOU SOME OF THE CONCEPTS TO THINK ABOUT. UM, AND PARTICULARLY FOR THE COUNTY BOARD TO THINK ABOUT A PRIOR TO ON THE 15TH WHEN THEY WOULD POTENTIALLY CONSIDER APPROVAL. UM, A COUPLE OF THE, THE DETAILS ON THE EXISTING BONDS ARE ON PAGE TWO. THE FIRST ONE JUST GIVES YOU THE HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE 13 BONDS. AT THE TIME THEY WERE 7.6 MILLION THAT WERE ISSUED. UM, THEY HAVE A FINAL MATURITY OF SEPTEMBER 20, 28, AND THEY ARE PREPAYABLE AT PAR OR A HUNDRED PERCENT NO PENALTY. UM, WE ARE LOOKING TO REFUND ALL OF THE OUTSTANDING MATURITIES OF THAT BOND FROM NINE ONE [00:20:01] 21 TO NINE ONE 28. IT'S A LITTLE UNDER FOUR AND A HALF MILLION THAT'S LEFT. AND IT HAS A CURRENT RATE OF 2.8, 3% ON THE FOURTEENS. IT WAS A LARGER DEAL, BIGGER PROJECT. THE ISSUE OF MT WAS 42.4 MILLION. UH, THE FINAL MATURITY IS 2039. OKAY. UM, THEY ARE CALLABLE IN SEVEN ON SEVEN 15 TO 24 AT PAR. NOW THE THIRTEENS ARE CALLABLE OR PREPAYABLE IMMEDIATELY THE FOURTEENS. THIS IS WHERE THINGS GET SLIGHTLY COMPLEX. THE FOURTEENS, THE PEOPLE, THE INVESTORS THAT OWN THOSE BONDS ARE GUARANTEED NOT TO HAVE THOSE BONDS TAKEN FROM THEM UNTIL THE CALL DAY OF 2024. THAT DOES NOT PRECLUDE YOU FROM REFUNDING THEM. IF WE REFUND THEM, WE TAKE THE MONEY AND WE PUT IT IN AN ESCROW ACCOUNT THAT IS DEDICATED FOR THESE BONDS THERE. THE MONEY IS INVESTED, UM, AND THAT MONEY WILL PAY THOSE BONDS OFF THE INTEREST IN PRINCIPLE, THAT'S DUE TO THE BOND HOLDERS, SUCH THAT THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOLS ARE NO LONGER OBLIGATED TO PAY ANYTHING ON THE 2014 BONDS. WHEN WE CLOSE, RATHER, WHAT YOU'LL BE PAYING ON IS THE 2020 BONDS. OKAY. SO THE BONDS WON'T ACTUALLY BE PULLED OUT OF THE MARKET UNTIL 2024, BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE COUNTY AND SCHOOLS AND BUDGETING, THE 2014 BONDS ARE FULLY DIFFUSED. OKAY. AND I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU THE NET IMPACT OF DOING THAT, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE CALL AN ADVANCE REFUNDING THAT ESCROW REQUIRES, UM, REQUIRED MEANS THIS IS AN ADVANCED REFUNDING AND THAT THE SECOND IMPORTANT PART OF THAT IS THAT THAT MEANS THAT THE BONDS THAT WE WOULD SELL TODAY HAVE TO BE SOLD ON A TAXABLE BASIS. NORMALLY LOCAL GOVERNMENT SELL BONDS ON A TAX EXEMPT BASIS. THESE WOULD BE DONE ON A TAXABLE BASIS. TAXABLE RATES ARE VERY ATTRACTIVE, BUT ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL, YOU'D RATHER DO A TAX EXEMPT FINANCING. SO I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. THAT'S SORT OF THE ANALYSIS OF, WOULD WE BE BETTER OFF WAITING THE BONDS THAT ARE OUT THERE TODAY HAVE INTEREST RATES THAT RANGE FROM 3% TO 5%? OKAY. SO WHEN WE SET UP THE 13 BONDS, ONLY ON PAGE THREE, THIS IS JUST THE 13 BONDS ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE KEY RESULTS WHERE WE'RE REFUNDING 4.4 MILLION THAT HAVE A CURRENT RATE OF 2.8, 3%. I'M KIND OF GOING DOWN THE LINE ON THE LEFT SIDE, THERE PREPAYABLE AT ANY TIME AT A HUNDRED PERCENT OR PAR, NO PENALTY. UM, AND WE'RE REFUNDING THE BONDS THAT GO OUT TO 2028. UH, THE FINAL MATURITY WILL STILL WILL REMAIN 20, 28. SO WE'RE NOT EXTENDING THAT DEBT. AND THE NEW INTEREST RATE THAT WE'VE ESTIMATED BASED ON RATES THIS WEEK IS 0.5, 9%. SO YOU CAN SEE A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT OVER THE 2.8, 3% THAT THE BONDS CURRENTLY CARRY. SO THAT'S WHERE THE SAVINGS ARE BEING GENERATED. WE'RE GOING TO SUB 1% INTEREST RATE AND WE CALCULATE INTEREST RATES A COUPLE WAYS WITH, AND WITHOUT THE ISSUANCE COSTS ON LINES 10 AND 11. BUT THE POINT IS IN BOTH, BOTH, BOTH METHODS OF CALCULATING THE INTEREST WE ARE BELOW WELL BELOW 1%. AND THE RESULT OF DOING THIS CREATES TOTAL SAVINGS OVER THE REMAINING LIFE OF THE LOAN, GOING OUT TO 2028 OF ABOUT $430,000. ALRIGHT, AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE THAT YOU WOULD RECOGNIZE THOSE DOLLARS OR THE COUNTY WOULD RECOGNIZE THOSE DOLLARS YEAR OVER YEAR AT ABOUT $53,000 PER YEAR. ON AVERAGE, OVER THE REMAINING SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS, THE TOTAL OF 431 WILL HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED, BUT YOU RE YOU RECOGNIZE IT YEAR BY YEAR. SO THE COUNTY'S DEBT SERVICE BUDGET WOULD BE GOING DOWN BY ABOUT 50,000 A YEAR. NOW, KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS A CURRENT ESTIMATE. THE VPSS PROGRAM WILL NOT SELL THEIR BONDS UNTIL OCTOBER 20TH. SO IF THE COUNTY BOARD TAKES ACTION ON NINE 15, WE STILL HAVE ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE THE VPSA PROGRAM SELLS THEIR BONDS. AND WE LOCK IN OUR INTEREST RATES FOR THAT REASON INCLUDED IN THE COUNTY BOARD'S RESOLUTION WILL BE A PARAMETER THAT SAYS, IF WE CANNOT ACHIEVE A MINIMUM LEVEL OF SAVINGS OF X, WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD AND WE'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO MOVE FORWARD. AND THERE AREN'T ANY COSTS. SO THERE'S SOME PROTECTION. THERE IS PROTECTION, NOT SOME PROTECTION THERE'S PROTECTION THAT AS WE ESTABLISH THE MINIMUM THRESHOLD OF SAVINGS, WHEN OCTOBER 20TH ROLLS AROUND, WHEN THE BONDS ARE ACTUALLY SOLD, IF WE CAN ACHIEVE THAT MINIMUM LEVEL OF SAVINGS, IT MOVES FORWARD. IF WE CANNOT, IT STOPS AND WE REVISIT IT NEXT YEAR, NEXT SPRING, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. UM, [00:25:01] THESE SAVINGS THAT WE ARE SHOWING HERE ARE, UM, ALREADY ACCOUNT FOR OUR ESTIMATED COST OF ISSUANCE, RIGHT? SO THERE'S COST OF ISSUANCE TO DOING A REFUNDING TRANSACTION LIKE THIS, UH, BE IT, THE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH OUR WORK WITH THE COUNTY'S BOND ATTORNEYS, UM, AND THE VPS PROGRAM ITSELF, AND THE UNDERWRITING. THERE ARE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROGRAM. WE HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR THOSE IN OUR ANALYSIS AND AFTER IN THE S IN THE COSTS, UM, WHICH ARE PRETTY TYPICAL ARE INCLUDED IN THE BORROWING. SO THE 2020 BONDS THAT WE WOULD ISSUE, WE WOULD, WE WOULD BORROW ENOUGH TO PAY OFF THE BONDS, BUT WE'D ALSO ADD TO IT ENOUGH TO PAY THE ISSUANCE COSTS. SO WHEN WE COMPARE THE ANNUAL PAYMENTS NOW VERSUS GOING FORWARD, WE'RE CAPTURING THE COST OF ISSUANCE. SO THESE ARE WHAT I WOULD CALL NETS. CAN I, CAN I INTERRUPT YOU ONE SECOND, MR. COLE? YES. A HUNDRED PERCENT UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING AND HOW YOU'RE PRESENTING. I LOVE IT TONIGHT. IT'S VERY, VERY CLEAR AND CONCISE, BUT THE COST FOR THE COUNTY, THE ALL IN TOTAL INTEREST COSTS, IS THAT A NUMBER 11, THE 0.6, SEVEN 1%, RIGHT. DOES THAT INCLUDE WHAT YOU HAVE TO BORROW? IS THAT WHY IT GOES UP FROM THE 0.59? SO THAT'S OUR TRUE NUMBER THAT PAYS EVERYBODY ELSE AND CORRECT. THAT, THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LINES 10 AND 11, 10 IS PURELY THE INTEREST RATE, RIGHT? 11 ROLLS IN THE ISSUANCE COST TO DO THE TRANSACTION. EXACTLY. SORRY TO INTERRUPT. THAT'S FINE. I'M SORRY. I'M A LITTLE HOT. OH, THAT'S ALL RIGHT. IT'S WARM IN HERE. I'M SO THIS ONE IS FAIRLY STRAIGHT FORWARD IN THAT AGAIN, IT'S PAYING OFF IMMEDIATELY. THERE'S NO ESCROW THAT I TALKED ABOUT A MOMENT AGO THAT COMES INTO PLAY IN THE 2014 BOND THAT I'M ABOUT TO DISCUSS. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE THIRTEENS? NO, SIR. OKAY. SO ON PAGE FOUR, WE LOOK AT THE SAME SETUP FOR THE 2014 BONDS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REFUNDING ABOUT 30 AND A HALF MILLION OF THOSE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE. THEY HAVE RATES THAT VARY BETWEEN THREE AND 5%, BY THE WAY, THESE BONDS IN 2014 WERE ISSUED THROUGH ONE OF THE VPSA PROGRAMS. THE 2013 BOND IS CURRENTLY HELD BY SUNTRUST BANK. THAT WAS A BANK FINANCING. THIS WAS DONE THROUGH VPS. A, UM, THE CALL DATE AGAIN IS JULY OF 24. SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH WITH THIS ESCROW. WE CAN'T TAKE THESE BONDS OUT OF THE MARKET UNTIL 2024. UM, AS A RESULT, THIS IS WHAT WE CALL AN ADVANCE REFUNDING. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS WHEN WE BORROW THE MONEY THROUGH VPN, THAT MONEY GOES INTO AN ESCROW AND IT'S INVESTED IN US TREASURY SECURITIES, VERY SPECIFIC SECURITIES. THERE'S NO LATITUDE ON WHAT YOU INVESTED IN. AND THE CURRENT BORROWING RATE ON A TAXABLE BASIS IS LINE 10, TWO OH TWO. WHEN YOU FIGURE IN THE COST OF ISSUANCE, READ ABOUT A TWO OH SIX. NOW, WHY IS THAT SO MUCH HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR PAGE ONE IS BECAUSE IT'S TAXABLE AND TWO, BECAUSE IT GOES OUT TO 2040, BUT REMEMBER WHAT THE CURRENT BONDS HOLD IN TERMS OF INTEREST RATES THREE TO 5%. SO THERE, THERE ARE SAVINGS THAT ARE BEING GENERATED THERE TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT 1,000,890. UM, AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IN GREEN, UM, THAT WILL BE RECOGNIZED OVER SEVERAL YEARS, UM, ANNUALLY. AND RIGHT NOW THAT'S ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR WHERE THAT THE DEBT SERVICE BUDGET WOULD BE REDUCED FOR THIS PARTICULAR BOND ISSUE. IT'S STILL PAYING OFF AT THE SAME FISCAL YEAR. UM, WE HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR ISSUANCE COSTS. WE'VE ACCOUNTED FOR THE VPSS PROGRAM COSTS. AND SO THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTE AND REAL SAVINGS TO BE GAINED. AND THE QUESTION HERE IS, COULD WE DO BETTER BY WAITING, WAITING UNTIL WE GET CLOSER TO THAT CALL DATE OF 2024? BECAUSE IF WE WAIT TILL WE GET CLOSER TO 20, 24, WE DON'T NEED THAT ESCROW. AND THAT HELPS THE EFFICIENCY OF THE TRANSACTION. WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS WHAT WILL OUR BORROWING RATES DO BETWEEN NOW AND 2024. OKAY. AND SO FOR THAT REASON, WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO SHOW YOU ON PAGE FIVE IS AN EXAMPLE OF, OR AN ANALYSIS THAT LOOKS AT THE POTENTIAL OUTCOME OF WAITING. IF RATES DON'T CHANGE, WE KNOW WE'RE IN A VERY FAVORABLE RATE ENVIRONMENT. SO WHEN YOU LOOK ON PAGE FIVE, UNDER COLUMN B AS IN BOY, THAT IS THE CURRENT MARKET THAT I JUST DISCUSSED. IT'S A TAXABLE FINANCING AND THE TOTAL SAVINGS ARE A ONE 89 COLUMN C JUST SHOWS YOU WHAT, WHAT THE SAVINGS DO IF RATES GO UP BY 10 BASIS POINTS. SO IN OTHER WORDS, IT GOES FROM 2% TO 2.10, COLUMN C SHOWS YOU WHAT THE SAVINGS DO. IF RATES GO [00:30:01] DOWN BY 10 BASIS POINTS, BECAUSE REMEMBER, WE'RE WAITING UNTIL OCTOBER 20TH AND RATES ARE GOING TO BOUNCE AROUND DAY IN AND DAY OUT. AND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, TREASURY RATES HAVE GONE HIGHER BY, YOU KNOW, 10 TO 20 BASIS POINTS. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THE SAVINGS WILL EVOLVE AS WE'RE WAITING FOR THE VPS, SAY SALE DATE OF 10 20. BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO RECOMMEND AND WORK WITH STAFF TO ESTABLISH A MINIMUM LEVEL OF SAVINGS THAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE IN THIS TRANSACTION. THE REAL, UH, I THINK IMPORTANT COLUMN IS COLUMN. YEAH, E AS IN, AS IN EDWARD, UM, THIS IS A HYPOTHETICAL CASE IF WE COULD DO THIS DEAL TODAY, THIS REFUNDING TODAY, BUT DO IT ON A TAX EXEMPT BASIS RIGHT NOW, CURRENT TAX LAW DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THAT. UM, THERE'S DISCUSSIONS ABOUT BRINGING IT BACK, BUT THERE'S NO REAL GOOD SENSE OF WHEN AND IF THAT WILL HAPPEN. AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THE SAVINGS ARE UP SIGNIFICANTLY. THAT'S THE VALUE OF BEING ABLE TO ISSUE DEBT ON A TAX EXEMPT BASIS. THAT IS NOT AN OPTION TODAY, BUT WE WANTED TO SHARE IT. AND WE HAD TALKED THROUGH THAT WITH COUNTY STAFF AND THEY THOUGHT LIKE THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL PERSPECTIVE. UM, I'M GOING TO SKIP OVER TO COLUMN F WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IN COLUMN F IS HYPOTHETICALLY WAITING UNTIL THE FALL OF 22. SO WE'RE BASICALLY WAITING TWO YEARS. AND IF INTEREST RATES STAY EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE, OUR SAVINGS WOULD GO UP TO $3.8 MILLION. RIGHT NOW YOU'LL NOTICE ON LINE FOUR. THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED BREAK. EVEN IF BETWEEN NOW AND THEN RATES GO UP BY 56 BASIS POINTS, OR BASICALLY ONE HALF OF 1%, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF THAT'S THE BREAKEVEN. SO IF THEY, IF THEY GO UP BY MORE THAN THAT, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF DOING IT SOONER. IF THEY DON'T GO UP BY THAT MUCH, OR THEY GO DOWN WAITING WOULD HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT THING TO DO, TAKE IT ALL THE WAY OUT TO COLUMN G, WHICH IS WHERE WE WAIT TO DO THIS REFUNDING ON THE CALL DATE. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT CAN BE DONE TAX EXEMPT BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE UNDER A DIFFERENT TAX LAW SECTION THERE. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TAXABLE TO BE TAX EXEMPT. IF, IF RATES STAY EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE TODAY, AND THEY'RE THERE IN, IN NOVEMBER OF 24, OUR SAVINGS WOULD BE ABOUT 6.3 MILLION. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, UNDER THERE'S A COMBINATION OF WAITING AND THAT ESCROW GETS SHORTER AND SHORTER AND LESS IMPACTFUL, BUT IF RATES STAY THE SAME, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO BETTER IN THE SAVINGS. WE JUST DON'T KNOW. AND THAT'S SORT OF WHAT I LED WITH INITIALLY IS HINDSIGHT WILL BE 2020 ON THIS. UM, WHAT WE KNOW IS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A REASONABLE RANGE, UNLESS WE SEE EXTREME MARKET MOVEMENT, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AROUND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR. UM, THIS BOND, IF WE WERE TO DO IT IN 2020, THIS BOND WOULD BE ABLE TO BE REFUNDED AGAIN, 10 YEARS FROM NOW. SO WE COULD LOOK AT THIS AGAIN AND LIKELY WILL IN 2030, BECAUSE IT JUST STANDS TO REASON THESE BONDS TEND TO GET REFUNDED MORE THAN ONCE IN THEIR LIFE. SO YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD AND LOCK IN A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SAVINGS, WHICH SETS THE CLOCK RUNNING ON THAT 10 YEAR, NO CALL PERIOD WHERE YOU COULD REVISIT THIS AGAIN IN 2030, BUT ALTERNATIVELY, LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS OR SOME OTHER ITERATION OF THESE NUMBERS THERE, CERTAINLY I THINK SOMEBODY COULD MAKE A CASE TO SAY, I THINK WE SHOULD WAIT AND SEE, SEE IF WE CAN DO BETTER LATER. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, TIME WILL TELL ON THAT THE PASSAGE OF TIME CAN HELP, BUT THEN THE UNKNOWN IS, IS THE RATE MOVEMENT. SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT THERE AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, UM, INFORMATION THAT A LOT OF US DEAL WITH DAY TO DAY, BUT THAT'S REALLY GETS TO THE HEART. I THINK, OF THE 2014 BOND DECISION. UM, I'M GOING TO SKIP OVER PAGE SIX AND LEFT. THERE'S A QUESTION. AND JUST WRAP UP ON PAGE SEVEN, WHICH PUTS THE TWO OF THESE SIDE BY SIDE. SO POTENTIALLY DOING BOTH OF THEM THROUGH THE VPN PROGRAM, THE THIRTEENS IN THE FOURTEENS. UM, AND YOU'LL SEE, YOU KNOW, THE SAVINGS OVER THERE ARE A LITTLE MORE FRONT-LOADED BECAUSE THE THIRTEENS PAY OFF MORE QUICKLY, BUT IT'S 150 SOME THAT 150,000 A YEAR PLUS OR MINUS FOR ABOUT THE FIRST NINE YEARS. AND THEN IT'S ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND A YEAR GRAND TOTAL ABOUT 2.3 MILLION, THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AGO, THAT GRAND TOTAL WAS CLOSER TO 3.1 MILLION, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE SEEN TAXABLE INTEREST RATES GO UP IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS. THEY MIGHT CONTINUE THAT PATH. THEY MIGHT LEVEL OFF. THEY MIGHT COME DOWN. WE WOULD PROPOSE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO THE COUNTY BOARD AT THEIR NINE 15 MEETING. [00:35:01] AND THEN THAT, AS I SAID, A COUPLE OF TIMES, IF THEY WANT TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AT THAT MEETING, WE'LL INCLUDE, THERE WILL BE INCLUDED, UH, A SAVINGS THRESHOLD OR PARAMETER. UM, NORMALLY THE SAVINGS THRESHOLD IS TIED TO, UM, WHAT WE CALL NET PRESENT VALUE SAVINGS, WHICH IS A PERCENTAGE YOU CAN SEE IT, I'M SORRY. IT'S NOT THE LINES AREN'T NUMBERED, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT THERE AT 7.6%. THAT IS A, UH, A CALCULATION THAT WE LOOK AT IN THE BOND AND THE BOND, UM, FINANCE WORLD THAT SAYS IS COMPARING THE, THE SAVINGS TO THE AMOUNT OF DEBT YOU'RE REFUNDING. SO OUR, OUR NET PRESENT VALUE SAVINGS AS A PERCENT OF THE DEBT WE'RE REFUNDING IS 7.6%. WE MAY WANT TO SAY, LOOK, WE WANT TO ACHIEVE AT LEAST 4% SAVINGS, OR AT LEAST 5% SAVINGS. WE WOULD PROPOSE TO TALK THROUGH THAT WITH COUNTY STAFF AND LAND AT A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE COUNTY BOARD TO CONSIDER AS PART OF THEIR RESOLUTION ON THE 15TH. UM, BIG PICTURE, IF THERE'S A DESIRE TO MOVE FORWARD. AS I SAID, THERE'S A RESOLUTION ON NINE 15, UM, VP ESSAY REQUIRES ALL OF THAT TO BE DONE BY OCTOBER 5TH. SO WE WOULD BE WELL AHEAD OF THAT. AND IF WE DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD, THEIR BOND SALE IS ON OCTOBER 20TH. THAT'S THE DATE WHERE THEY SELL THE BONDS LOCK IN THE RATES. AND THEN, UM, THEY CLOSE IN EARLY NOVEMBER, WHICH IS WHEN THE, THE DOLLARS, UM, MOVE IN, PAY OFF THE OLD DEBT, MORE FUN, THE ESCROW, ANY QUESTIONS I HAVE ONE ON THE 2014 BONDS, 30,590,000. AND THE INTEREST RATE OR COUPON RATE IS BETWEEN THREE AND 5%. RIGHT. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE BREAKDOWN IS? HOW MANY BONDS ARE AT THE 5% AND HOW MANY ARE THREE? I DO. UM, GENERALLY SPEAKING, JUST ROUGH IDEA. IF YOU GO BACK TO PAGE SIX AND YOU LOOK ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE. YES, SIR. DO YOU SEE THE PAR AMOUNT? YES. RIGHT. UM, THIS IS GOING TO BE JUST, YOU GOTTA KINDA SUMMARY, BUT JUST GIVE ME ONE SEC. BEAR WITH YOU. TAKE YOUR TIME YOUNG MAN. SO THEY START, IT STARTS IN, IN 2025, RIGHT? CORRECT. THE FIRST TO HAVE A 5% COUPON, THE NEXT ONE TO THREE, THEN THERE'S THREE OF THEM AT 3%. OKAY. THEN THERE'S A 3.1, TWO FIVE, 3.25 3.25, THREE AND A HALF AND 33. AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS FOUR. AND THAT IS A FUNCTION OF THE BOND MARKET THAT VPSS SELLS TO. IT'S NOT LIKE A BANK LOAN WHERE YOU GET A SINGLE RATE FOR THE ENTIRE TERM. THEY'RE SELLING BONDS THROUGH THE, WHAT WE CALL THE PUBLIC BOND MARKET AND INVESTORS ARE ACTUALLY BUYING INDIVIDUAL MATURITIES WITH DIFFERENT COUPONS. THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOUR INTEREST RATE CHANGES OR YOUR PAYMENT CHANGES. IT JUST MEANS THAT WE BLEND, WE CALCULATE THE DEBT SERVICE USING LOTS OF DIFFERENT COUPONS. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. COLE? NO. I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE WITH OUR, IT'S A GRAPH FROM THE LAST MEETING, COMPARING THE NUMBERS. AND THERE CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN JUST TWO WEEKS. YEAH. NOT, NOT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. YEAH. UM, ONE OF OUR BENCHMARK RATE INDICES THAT WE LOOK AT FOR THE FOURTEENS BECAUSE IT'S TAXABLE IS US TREASURIES. AND THE 10 YEAR US TREASURY IS SOMETHING THAT IS SORT OF A BELLWETHER. UM, FROM AUGUST 4TH TO AUGUST 31ST, THE 10 YEAR TREASURY WENT UP 20 BASIS POINTS. KEEP IN MIND. IT WAS IN THE LOW 0.5% IT'S IT WENT UP TO 0.72. SO I MEAN, AS YOU KNOW, IT, IT WENT UP 50, NO MOST 50%. RIGHT. AND THAT'S, THAT'S A PRETTY BIG MOVE. AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WILL INFLUENCE THAT SOME OF WHICH MAY BE SEEM OBVIOUS AND SOME LESS. SO ONE WAS THE U S GOVERNMENT WAS ISSUING A LOT OF TREASURIES AND IT WAS A SUPPLY DEMAND. AND INVESTORS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUSH THE RATES UP BECAUSE THE U S TREASURY NEEDED TO SELL MORE DEBT. UM, AND THEN YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE THE STOCK MARKET SEEMS TO DO NOTHING, BUT GO UP, UP, UP HERE RECENTLY. AND THAT SOMETIMES CAUSES A, A DIFFERENT EFFECT IN, IN BOND BOND RATES, WHERE THEY GO UP TO TRY TO KEEP PACE OR REMAIN AN ATTRACTIVE [00:40:01] ALTERNATIVE, YOU KNOW, UM, EVENTS, NATIONALLY, INTERNET. I MEAN, ANY NUMBER OF THINGS WILL MOVE THE TREASURY MARKET, BUT WE HAVE SEEN, UH, WHICH IS NOT, NOT SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE. MORE INCREASES IN RATES THAN DECREASES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT I'VE ALSO COME TO LEARN THAT THESE THINGS CAN REVERSE THEMSELVES PRETTY QUICKLY. SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE A FRESH LOOK AT IT ON THE 15TH AND WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD IS COMFORTABLE SAYING, IF WE CAN GET X WE'RE GOOD, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BE EXPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, ANY RESULT BASED ON RATES MOVING AND WE'LL HAVE THAT PROTECTION BUILT IN. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? YES. OPTION REVERT TO STANDALONE STANDALONE. YEAH. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. SO, SO VPN HAS TWO PROGRAMS. ONE IS THE POOL AND THEY DO THAT EVERY FALL AND EVERY SPRING. AND YOU ARE IN A POOL OF BONDS THAT THEY SPONSOR WITH LOTS OF OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. AND THAT IS THE, THE SALE WE'RE TARGETING TO IT'S IT'S IT? THE TIMING WORKS WELL FOR US, IT'S EFFICIENT. UM, BUT WE HAVE PUT A PROVISIONAL APPLICATION IN WITH THE PSA FOR WHAT THEY CALL THE STANDALONE PROGRAM. IT IS STILL PART OF EPSA. AND IN FACT, THAT'S WHAT THE 2014 BONDS WERE, BUT YOU ARE ABLE TO, YOU'RE KIND OF IN A POOL OF YOUR OWN. SO IF YOU DETERMINE, HEY, WE CAN'T PARTICIPATE IN YOUR FALL OR SPRING POOL BECAUSE OF ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, OR IN OUR CASE, WE CAN'T GET THE SAVINGS. WE WANT. THE PROVISIONAL APPROVAL THAT WE'VE ASKED VP FOR, FOR THE STANDALONE WOULD ALLOW YOU TO POTENTIALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY. IF THINGS CAME BACK TO A, AN, AN ATTRACTIVE LEVEL, IT'S NOT AUTOMATIC, IT WOULD STILL HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION. BUT SINCE THE VPSA BOARD, I BELIEVE ONLY MEETS TWICE A YEAR. IF WE THINK THERE'S A CHANCE, WE MIGHT WANT TO DO A STANDALONE. WE USUALLY GET THE APPROVAL IN THE FALL, WHICH IS GOOD UNTIL THEY MEET AGAIN IN THE SPRING. BUT SO IF WE DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THE FALL, FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE WILL HAVE A PLAN B, IF IT MAKES SENSE TO PARTICIPATE THROUGH THIS STANDALONE PROGRAM, WHICH CAN HAPPEN MOST, ANY TIME, BUT IT WILL HAVE TO BE SORT OF, UM, UM, REAFFIRMED BY THE BOARD BEFORE WE WORK TO DO THAT. IN OTHER WORDS, WE WON'T JUST SHOW UP ONE DAY IN JANUARY AND SAY, HEY, WE DID IT COOL. OR THE STANDARD. RIGHT. THANK YOU, JOHN. FOR THAT, THAT'S IMPORTANT. YEAH, THAT WAS, I WAS LIKE, WHO WAS HOLLERING AT YOU? MOST OF GO, I COULD HEAR A VOICE, BUT WITH A MASK. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. OKAY. VERY MUCH. THANKS FOR JOINING US. ALL [4B. Superintendent] RIGHT. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT, DR. BALLENGER. YES, SIR. OH, SORRY, TIM. THE VIDEO IS REQUIRED TO MAKE DETERMINATIONS FOR EACH SCHOOL DIVISION BASED ON THEIR SUBMITTED APR DATA TO DETERMINE CATEGORIES AS FOLLOWS MEETS REQUIREMENT NEEDS, ASSIST NEEDS, ASSISTANCE, NEEDS, INTERVENTION, OR NEEDS SUBSTANTIAL INTERVENTION. BASED ON OUR DATA, WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS RECOGNIZED AS MEETS REQUIREMENT WITHIN OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DATA SHEET THAT THEY PRESENTED, THERE WERE ONLY TWO AREAS. SO OUT OF, OUT OF THE TOTAL SCORE OF 40 TOTAL, TOTAL POINTS AVAILABLE, WE HAD A 37 AND THOSE TWO AREAS WERE IN SOL ASSESSMENTS FOR OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS. AND SO THOSE WILL BE TWO AREAS THAT WE'LL FOCUS ON GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO WORK TOWARDS PASSING THOSE SOL GOOD, UH, COMPLICATION AGAIN WAS HELD AUGUST 26 AND 28 TEACHERS OF THE YEAR SUPPORT PERSONNEL WERE, WERE RECOGNIZED, HAD A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK FOR THE WAY THAT WE DID OUR SUPPORT PERSONNEL AND TEACHER OF THE YEAR. I WANT TO THANK MR. WILLIAMS FOR STARTING US OFF THIS YEAR, HERE WITH HIS, UH, GO GET THEM LETTER OR HER INTRODUCTION. UM, AND THEN I FOLLOWED HIM AND THEN WE WENT INTO INTRODUCING OUR SUPPORT PERSONNEL AND OUR SUPPORT PERSON, A STAFF PERSON [00:45:01] OF THE YEAR WAS KIMBERLY JEN SHE'S A S ROAD SECRETARY. YEAH. UM, OKAY. AND BOOKKEEPER, THE ELEMENTARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR WAS KIMBERLY BROWN. SHE IS A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT HILDA, J HILDA, J BARBER. AND THEN THE SECOND SECONDARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR WAS MS. DARCY CUP. AND SHE IS A MATH EIGHT AND ALGEBRA ONE TEACHER AT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND THEN AGAIN, AS, AS, AS KIM MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE HAD TWO, TWO KEYNOTE SPEAKERS, UH, JERRY BROOKS AND ADB, THEY, THEY GAVE A LOT OF GOOD POSITIVE REINFORCEMENTS, YOU KNOW, UM, W THAT, THAT THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING. WE NEED TO LOOK THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE'S LENSES AS, AS JERRY WOULD SAY, UM, THE WATCH, OUR PROFESSIONAL JEALOUSY, I SEE, AS OTHER PEOPLE ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL, NOT TO BE JEALOUS, BUT TO GO ASK YOUR STAFF, ASK THEM FOR ASSISTANCE, VINCENT, TO HELP YOU. AND, UM, SO, SO THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD POSITIVE THINGS THAT CAME FROM THAT, UH, FROM OUR CONVOCATION THIS YEAR, A TEACHER TRAININGS, WE WERE, WERE HELD AUGUST 24TH AND 28 ON THE LMS AND THE CIA IN OUR CIP AND A LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. AND THE COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM TEACHERS CONTINUED TO PARTICIPATE IN TRAINING ON BOTH PLATFORMS. AND THEY'RE WORKING DILLARD'S RECENTLY, YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND TOMORROW, UM, ARE DESIGNATED AS DAYS FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO PICK UP THEIR DEVICES AND TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TRAINING ON THE DEVICE AND HOW TO USE THE LMS AND ACCESS IT. STAFF MEMBERS ARE ALSO ANSWERING OTHER QUESTIONS THAT PARENTS MAY HAVE CONCERNING VIRTUAL OR IN PERSON INSTRUCTION, THE HELPLINE, UH, MR. MR. GRANT, BUT, UM, AND THANKS TO MR. WILSON AND HIS RECOMMENDATION TO, TO PUT THOSE STICKERS ON EACH OF THOSE CHROMEBOOKS. WE'VE GOT THOSE ON THERE. TIM AND HIS TEAM HAVE ALREADY BEEN ANSWERING PHONE CALLS FROM ON THE HELP LINE. SO THAT'S UP AND GOING. AND THEN AGAIN, TIM DID A GREAT PRESENTATION AND FOR THE COMMUNITY AND TALKING ABOUT OUR TECHNOLOGY, WHAT TO EXPECT, ALSO, THE PRINCIPALS HAVE BEEN VISITING THE CENTRAL OFFICE. THEY'VE BEEN PICKING UP THEIR WIFI HOTSPOTS, AND THEY'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND CHECKING THOSE OUT THE STUDENTS THAT MAY THOSE. SO WE'RE READY TO START SCHOOL. WE'RE EXCITED TO GET THINGS GOING AND BRING OUR STUDENTS BACK. ASMR RHODES RECEIVED THEIR TEMPORARY OCCUPANCY. TEACHERS ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET THOSE, UM, CLASSROOMS PREPARED. AND I THANK MR. SHEPHERD TOLD US THAT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO PUT THEIR JEANS ON AND GO OUT AND HELP THEM MOVE BOXES, THEY'RE ACCEPTING ALL COMMERCE TO COME AND ASSIST. SO, UM, NOW IT LOOKS GOOD OUT THERE, AND I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING HARD TO PREPARE FOR TUESDAY. SO, UM, THERE IS, THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER THINGS HERE. ONE, WE, WE WERE CALLED TO A VIRTUAL MEETING WITH VALLEY HEALTH THIS WEEK, THIS WEEK. AND I SAT ON SAT IN ON ONE. AND THEN MR. SMITH SAT IN ONE ON ONE AND BASICALLY, UM, VALLEY HEALTH AND ANTHEM ARE NOT CONNECTING RIGHT NOW THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS. AND I'M JUST MAKING YOU AWARE OF RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE THERE. IF THEY DO NOT GET THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATED, THEN VALLEY HEALTH WILL NO LONGER BE IN NETWORK WITH ANTHEM AFTER DECEMBER 31ST. NOW WE HAVE A LONG TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR, AND SURELY THEY CAN GET SOMETHING WORKED OUT, BUT THROUGH OUR COMMUNICATION, WE'LL CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR TEACHERS. WE WILL BE PUTTING OUT A, UM, BASICALLY A MEMO TO OUR STAFF TOMORROW TO LET THEM KNOW. I KNOW THAT OTHER DIVISIONS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES ARE PUTTING OUT NOTIFICATIONS. AND SO WE KNEW WE WANTED TO OUR PEOPLE TO HEAR IT FROM US FIRST. SO WE WILL HOPEFULLY HAVE THAT OUT TOMORROW TO OUR TEACHERS, BUT RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE COVERAGE, NOTHING HAS CHANGED. AND AS WE GAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS UPDATE, THEN WE WILL LET THEM KNOW, BUT WE WILL GET THE INITIAL WORD OUT TOMORROW. SO HOPEFULLY THEY CAN COME TOGETHER AND COME TO AGREEMENT ON SOME TERMS. THE, UH, THE FINAL THING THAT I KIND OF WANTED TO JUST TOUCH ON TONIGHT WAS, YOU KNOW, DUE TO COVID-19, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF EXPENSES THAT ONE WE'RE NOT REALLY PLANNING FOR THROUGH THE BUDGETING PROCESS. AND I'M GOING TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF A RECAP OF OUR BUDGET. UM, WHEN [00:50:01] WE, WHEN WHAT OUR BUDGET WAS PREPARED, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS $462,000 THAT WERE IN ANTICIPATED REDUCTION IN SALES TAX AND, AND HAVING THE FORESIGHT TO SEE THAT AND TO PREPARE FOR THAT. WE ALSO PLAN FOR $531,000 CONTINGENCY FUND. AND THEN REMEMBER LAST YEAR WHEN THE GOVERNOR AN ALLOCATED FUNDS TO SCHOOLS, AND THAT, THAT FIGURE WAS AROUND $927,000. SO, YOU KNOW, IN PREPARING FOR WHICH DIRECTION WE NEEDED TO GO, WE HAD, WE HAD SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT WE WERE PLANNING FOR, AND THEN HOPING MAYBE THE GOVERNOR WOULD GIVE US THE MONEY. BACK LATER ON OUR CURRENT ADJUSTMENTS, WE RECEIVED THE MEMO TO 15, 20, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. AND OUR SALES TAX WAS REDUCED BY $446,000. SO THE FORESIGHT OF BEING OF HAVING A REDUCTION OF ANTICIPATED REDUCTION OF 462,000 WAS PRETTY CLOSE. SO ALSO THERE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF A BALANCE, UM, BECAUSE THE SALES TAX WILL GO DOWN. THE BASIC AID WILL COME UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PROPORTIONAL. SO IT'S NOT DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, BUT THERE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF A BUMP THAT MAY NOT MAKE THAT AS PAINFUL. SO IT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF A KICK, BUT NOT A LOT. UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, ALL OF THOSE UNALLOCATED FUNDS, THEY WERE NOT REINSTATED. SO THAT MONEY WAS CONTINUED TO TAKE, BE TAKEN OFF OF THE TABLE AND NOT ALLOCATED TO SCHOOLS. SO STILL EVEN WITH WHERE WE'RE AT SCHOOLS ARE REQUIRED TO STILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND FOLLOW THE STANDARDS OF QUALITY THAT THAT ARE IN CODE, AND THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. SO TODAY THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT HAS NOT WAIVED REQUIREMENTS WERE RELATED TO PLANNING TIME, CLASS SIZE REQUIREMENTS. THE ONLY, THE ONLY WAIVER THAT THEY'VE REALLY GIVEN US WAS FOR K THREE CLASS SIZE. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR K THREE CLASS SIZE NUMBERS, AND THIS WAIVER, IT ONLY AFFECTS US BY ONE OR TWO STUDENTS. SO IT'S NOT A HUGE NUMBER THAT WE CAN PUT MORE STUDENTS IN THAT CLASSROOM BECAUSE OUR NUMBERS ARE RIGHT THERE AT THAT THRESHOLD ALREADY. THAT MEANS WE MAY BE ABLE TO ADD ONE STUDENT IN ONE CLASS, WHICH REALLY WOULDN'T BE A BENEFIT AT ALL. UM, SOME NON NON-FUNDED MANDATES THIS YEAR, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS PLACED A REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ON, ON SCHOOL DIVISIONS. WE WILL HAVE PERIODIC REPORTS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SUBMIT TO THEM ON HOW EDUCATION IS GOING IN THIS PANDEMIC. AND SO WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR PROCESSES AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THAT GOING FORWARD. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TIME BASED, SORRY, I'M STRUGGLING WITH THAT THING. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. YOU'RE MORE THAN SAYING YES. UM, UM, OH GOODNESS. I WAS DEFINITELY STRUGGLING WITH THAT. SORRY. I APOLOGIZE FOR TAKING THIS OFF. YOU'RE FINE. OKAY. SO TIME-BASED REQUIREMENTS. WE STILL HAVE OUR, OUR LENGTH OF THE SCHOOL TERM AND OUR CORE INSTRUCTION. SO MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS ARE STILL IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT LEARNERS WERE SAVED THE AMOUNT OF INSTRUCTION TIME THAT IS EQUAL TO THEIR PEERS. SO FOR INSTANCE, AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WE STILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN, YOU KNOW, OUR 680 HOURS, UH, AT THE, AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, YOU STILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN YOUR 560 HOURS. NOW, OF COURSE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL IS BASED OFF A SEAT TIME OF 140, BUT WE ALSO HAVE POLICY THAT WILL ALLOW, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN POLICIES TO ALLOW FLEXIBILITY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WITH YOUR SEAT TIME. UH, SO WE STILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN THOUGH THAT TIME FOR INSTRUCTION. WE ALSO STILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN OUR CLASS SIZES. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THAT IS STILL IN PLACE. SO SINCE WE HAVE TO STILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THOSE GUIDELINES AT ALL THE COVID-19 EXPENDITURES IN THAT WE'RE NOT PLANNING FOR. SO REALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES FOR COVID-19 OUR SPECIAL SERVICES SO FAR HAVE EXPENDITURES OF JUST UNDER 60,000, JUST OVER $60,000, 60,008, 69, 23 FACILITIES HAVE EXPENDITURES OF $44,232 TECHNOLOGY. TIM'S DUCKING BACK THERE AS AN EXPENDITURE OF $846,451,000, UM, [00:55:01] INSTRUCTION 65,001 34, TRANSPORTATION, 6,005, 25. AND THEN BETWEEN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, 40 3008, 76 FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF 1 MILLION, $67,090 AND 32 CENTS THAT WE'VE EXPENDED SO FAR DUE TO COVID RELATED EXPENDITURES THAT REALLY WERE NOT PLAYING FOR IN THE BUDGETING PROCESS. SO FUNDING THAT IS AT THAT HAS HELPED AGAIN, THE COUNTY CARES ACT HAS HELPED WITH BY $300,000 TO HELP WITH THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE OF THE 800,000 THAT WE HAD EXPENDITURES. WE ALSO HAVE THE CARES ACT FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED AS A SCHOOL DIVISION WAS 708,000. AND THEN OUR TITLE ONE ENTITLED FOR FUNDS THAT WE REALLOCATED OF 185,000, WHICH IS A TOTAL OF IT, OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PULL TOGETHER OF 1 MILLION, 193,360. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT FIGURE MINUS WHAT WE'VE EXPENDED ALREADY DUE TO COVID RELATED EXPENDITURES, THAT LEAVES US WITH ABOUT $126,000 LEFT FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR TO PREPARE FOR ANY OTHER EXPENDITURES THAT WE MAY HAVE DUE TO COVID RELATED EXPENSES. UM, AND, AND MS. SHEPPARD AND I WERE WE'RE TALKING TODAY AND WE WERE LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS AND I WAS LIKE, OH GOODNESS, WE JUST TOLD MR. LAVA C TO GO AHEAD AND ORDER EXTRA, UM, SANITATION, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE GO IN AND START CLEANING THESE ROOMS, WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT ON HAND. AND THAT'S, THAT'S A REQUIREMENT. AND SO THERE'S BEEN A, A LOT THAT HAS BEEN PUT ON THE SCHOOL BUDGET THIS YEAR DUE TO COVID RELATED EXPENSES. AND, AND W I DO WANT TO THANK THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR, FOR HELPING US WITH, WITH THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE 300,000 FOR PURCHASING THOSE CHROMEBOOKS. UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GONNA GO A LONG WAY AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE, ARE ABLE TO HAVE A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE THIS YEAR. SO I DO WANT TO THANK THEM AS I KNOW, THEY'RE IN ATTENDANCE. SO OTHER THAN THAT, WE'RE READY FOR SCHOOL ON TUESDAY, TUESDAY, JUST, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT IT'S BEEN A WHILE IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS SINCE THOSE LITTLE ONES HAVE BEEN RIDING THEIR BIKES TO SCHOOL OR WALKING TO SCHOOL OR PARENTS, OR CAR RIDERS OR BUSES THAT PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WHEN THE RED'S RED STOP SIGNS OUT, YOU KNOW, STOP FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN. UM, JUST BE AWARE THAT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ON THE ROADS PRETTY HEAVY ON TUESDAY. SO THINGS IT, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THOSE SCHOOLS ON LIGHTS WILL BE FLASHING. SO JUST PREPARE THAT, THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE OUT AND ABOUT, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR SAFETY IS TOP PRIORITY. OKAY. THANK YOU, DR. BOUNDARY FOR YOUR REPORT KIT. LET ME RECAP. WHAT I WOULD I TAKE MY TAKEAWAY IS WE SPENT AN EXTRA MILLION ONE ROUGHLY, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF COVID ABOVE OUR NORMAL BUDGET. IT, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE COVERED, WE WOULDN'T HAVE SPENT IT, BUT BUSINESS CARRIES ON IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, NO MATTER WHAT, WE STILL HAVE TO PAY THE MORTGAGES PAY, HAVE TEACHERS PAY THE ELECTRIC BILL AND ALL THAT. SO 1,000,001 UNPLANNED FOUR IS PRETTY TOUGH. WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DID GIVE US 300,000 TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ONE-TO-ONE WITH EVERY STUDENT, SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE HOME OR SOMEWHERE AND BE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL. SO WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE, BUT WE HAD TO, BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE TOLD WE HAD TO DO. AND IT KINDA MAKES IT MAKES IT A TOUGH ROAD TO TRAVEL FOR, FOR EVERYBODY. IT DOES. YES, SIR. I APPRECIATE YOUR INFORMATION. IT'S, IT'S VERY ENLIGHTENING AND A THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AND MS. SHEPHERD FOR WHAT YOU DO WITH GETTING OUR NUMBERS TOGETHER AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S ON YOUR TEAM IN YOUR OFFICE. I KNOW HOW HARD YOU GUYS WORK, AND WE APPRECIATE IT. [4C. School Board] ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON A SCHOOL BOARD REPORTS, DR. PENCE, THANK YOU, DR. ALINGER FOR YOUR REPORT, AND THANK YOU TO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE. UM, GETTING READY FOR SCHOOL TO START ON TUESDAY. I KNOW EVERYONE AT THIS POINT IS PROBABLY JUST REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK TO IT. AND HOPEFULLY EVERYONE JUST REALLY HAS A SUCCESSFUL FIRST DAY AND YEAR COMING UP. UM, SOME OF OUR STUDENTS ACTUALLY HAVE ALREADY STARTED BACK LAST WEEK AT MOUNTAIN VISTA GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL. UM, IT'S BEEN GOING WELL SO FAR. IT SOUNDS LIKE LAST WEEK WAS MORE OF A REVIEW TYPE WEEK. THIS WEEK STARTED NEW MATERIAL. UM, THEY'RE DOING A MIX OF, UM, REAL TIME SCHOOL THROUGH THEIR VIRTUAL LEARNING AND ALSO HAVING [01:00:01] AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO GO BACK AND VIEW IT AT THEIR OWN TIME AS WELL. UM, AND SO FAR IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A GREAT, UM, GREAT FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR THEM. GOOD. THANK YOU, DR. PAT, MR. WELL, I THANK YOU CHAIRMAN. UM, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO SPECIAL ED, UH, FOR A GREAT REPORT, MR. GRANT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR PUBLIC, UM, PRESENTATION. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO HASN'T SEEN IT TO GO AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO WORK THIS YEAR AND, AND HOW IT WORKS. AND, UH, AGAIN, I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY PARENT WHO HAS A QUESTION TO CALL THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE IF THAT'S OR CALL YOUR SCHOOL. AND WE WILL TRY TO GET AN ANSWER FOR YOU. I KNOW THESE ARE STRANGE TIMES, AND THERE ARE QUESTIONS EVEN BEYOND THE NORMAL FIRST OF THE YEAR QUESTIONS, UH, STUDENTS MOVE INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS MOVE INTO HIGH SCHOOL FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL AND JUST THE NORMAL CHANGES AS WELL AS SOME OF THE CRAZINESS. UM, THANKS TO THIS, TO THE, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THE EXTRA IT FUNDS. UM, ALSO SINCE I'VE GOT YOU HERE, UM, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO EXTEND BROADBAND TO THE COUNTY AND TO CREATE A, UH, UH, WORK GROUP TO TRY AND GET THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN, BEEN A FIGHT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO OR, YOU KNOW, JUST CHEERLY, WE WOULD CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT THE WHOLE COUNTY WAS COVERED BY BROADBAND SO THAT OUR STUDENTS DIDN'T HAVE TO USE HOTSPOTS OR TRY TO GO TO A WIFI SITE OR, OR EVEN TAKE HOME CANNED MESSAGES OR INFORMATION SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN. BUT, UH, AND THE CONVOCATION, I WAS ABLE TO TUNE INTO THAT. AND, UH, UM, SOME OF YOU GUYS HAVE FACES THAT ARE MADE FOR RADIO, BUT, UH, BUT, UH, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS, AGAIN, IT WAS, IT WAS STRANGE, BUT WE'LL GET THROUGH IT. THAT'S MY REPORT. THANK YOU, MR. WELLS, MR. RINALDO, UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, CATHY BOWERS ABOUT, UH, SHOWING ME THE PICTURE OF THE, UM, NEW, UM, WHEN THE TREATMENT SET, UM, A MORRISON WILSON. THEY, UM, THAT, UH, HE, WILSON MORRISON, SORRY. THE A THAT'S BEEN ON MY AGENDA FOR A LONG TIME TRYING TO GET THAT DONE. SO I THINK PEOPLE GOT TIRED OF HEARING ME ON IT, BUT IT GOT DONE. SO THANK YOU FOR SHOWING ME THAT I'LL DROP BY AND SEE HIM. UH, NEXT WEEK I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING BACK INTO THE SCHOOLS. UM, MY ORIGINAL GOAL WHEN I WAS ON THIS BOARD WAS TO GET TO THE SCHOOLS AND MEET ALL THE PRINCIPALS AND THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND, UH, SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. OF COURSE, WE WERE UNABLE TO DO THAT ON FROM THE GET GO, I GUESS. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING OUT TO THE SCHOOLS AND SEEING EVERYBODY, AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK HIM FOR HER QUOTE. I WROTE IT DOWN, NOT HARD, JUST KNEW. AND I, I TELL YOU WHAT, THAT'S PRETTY PROFOUND STATEMENT. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT IN THE BACK OF MY MIND. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE MR. CHAIRMAN. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. RINALDO, THIS BOWER. THANK YOU. I TYPICALLY TRY TO GET AROUND ALL THE SCHOOLS BEFORE THEY START IN SEPTEMBER OR AUGUST. AND THIS YEAR I DID ATTEND ALL OF THE SCHOOLS, WALK AROUND THE BUILDINGS. I DID NOT GO INSIDE. I FIGURED THEY HAD ENOUGH GOING ON INSIDE, AND I'M SURE EVERYTHING LOOKS GREAT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FLOORS WERE ALWAYS SHINY AND WELL WAXED AND BUFFED AND EVERYTHING LOOKS SO SPARKLY NEW. AND I'M SURE IT'S THAT WAY NOW. UM, I DID TAKE A PICTURE OF YOU, WILSON. MORRISON'S NEW SHADES OUT FRONT. I KNOW HOW MUCH MR. RINALDI WAS GOING CRAZY OVER HAVING THOSE RIP TORN OLD SHADES. AND IT LOOKS REALLY NICE. UH, WHAT A SHOUT OUT AND THANK, UM, I KNOW WE THANKED OUR TEACHERS AND ALL OF OUR STAFF, BUT OUR NURSES. UM, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO A FEW OF OUR NURSES THIS WEEK AND THEY'RE TAKING ON A WHOLE NEW LOAD. UM, SO JUST, JUST THANK THEM FOR ALL THAT THEY DO AND ALL THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING FOR OUR STUDENTS. I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AS I WAS WALKING AROUND THE SCHOOLS TO TALK TO A HANDFUL OF TEACHERS. AND I THINK THAT THEY ARE FEELING BETTER, A BETTER COMFORT LEVEL ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO AND HOW IT'S GOING TO BE DONE. IT'S IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT AND IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE, UM, HARRY THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT I THINK THEY'RE READY TO JUMP BACK IN AND, AND GO, GO ON. UM, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE. [01:05:01] SO I, I WISH EVERYONE A GOOD FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. AND, UH, LIKE DR. BALLENGER SAID, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY, PLEASE BE AWARE OF ALL THOSE LITTLE ONES OUT IN THE BALLOT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, MS. BAUER. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GIVE OPENING VIRTUALLY THIS YEAR. UH, I'D MUCH RATHER HAVE A CROWD IN FRONT OF WHERE I CAN SEE WARM EYES INSTEAD OF THIS COMPUTER. AND IT'S LIKE, WHATEVER, BUT MR. SMITH, WHEREVER YOU'RE AT. AND MS. , THANK YOU FOR GETTING ME THROUGH THAT. UH, YOU GUYS DID A WONDERFUL JOB, UH, MS. OAKLAND, UM, MS. OAKLAND, I'M SORRY. MS. OAKLAND, MS. KIM WAS SO EXCITED THAT SHE GOT THAT AWARD. AND, UH, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT HER NEW OFFICE WILL LOOK LIKE AT ACE ROADS THIS YEAR. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU GUYS WORK FOR, AND YOU CAN TELL SHE WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYTHING. A ROOM LOOK LOOKED LIKE EVERYBODY WAS HAVING FUN FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN. I MEAN, I THINK IT WAS A GREAT OPENING DR. BOUNDS, OR YOU BROUGHT THAT TOGETHER. AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. UH, MR. WELLS, YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THE, UH, RADIO. THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. I KNOW AT LEAST ONE THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE THEY SHOULD BE SEEING WHAT'S UP BETTER, BETTER HEARD THAN SEEN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. UM, SCHOOL'S OPENING SEPTEMBER THE EIGHTH. I CAN'T WAIT. I JUST WISH EVERY CHILD WAS BACK IN A SEAT IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT, UH, UNFORTUNATELY NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT I DID SEE OUR COVID NUMBERS WERE DOWN FOR WARREN COUNTY. SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A PLUS. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT TUESDAY AND HAVING EVERYBODY BACK OR ONLINE OR HOWEVER WE'RE GOING TO DO IT THIS YEAR. SO LET'S HAVE A TREMENDOUS 20, 20 LET'S SAY AND STRONG. I MEAN, I THINK MY OPENING COMMENTS WERE, UH, WHEN WE WERE RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR, NOBODY WOULD HAVE EVER BELIEVED THAT THREE MONTHS LATER WE'D BE GOING THROUGH THIS. AND THAT, THOSE TO ME ARE NO TRUE WORDS. AND, UH, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE ADAPTED, YOU'VE OVERCOME. I DON'T LIKE THE SAYING THE NEW NORMAL LET'S JUST GET BACK TO NORMAL, YOU KNOW, BUT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LEARN. UM, LET'S JUST KEEP PUSHING FORWARD. AND MS. SHEPPARD, YOU NEED SOME HELP. THEY DON'T HAVE TO JUST HAVE JEANS ON, TAKE WHATEVER YOU WEAR. COME SEE MS. SHEPHERD. ALL RIGHT. [5A. Approval of July 2020 VSBA School Board Policy Updates - Mrs. Sheppard] NEXT ITEM IS ACTION. AGENDA APPROVAL OF JULY, 2020 VSB SCHOOL BOARD POLICY UPDATES, MS. SHEPHERD. THANK YOU. AND SINCE WE HAVE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE HERE OF OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO ATTEND OR I'LL GO TO ASMR ROADS, I'M AVAILABLE ON FRIDAY TO GIVE YOU GUYS A TOUR IN OUR COUNTY, OUR MINISTRY, YOU GUYS ARE ALL WELCOME TO COME. WE'LL BE HAPPY TO TOUR YOU THROUGH A YES. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UM, BECAUSE YOU GUYS HELPED US GET TO THAT POINT. SO, UM, AND IT'S GORGEOUS. SORRY ABOUT THAT. UM, IN JULY 20. YES, ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. IT'S COOL. WE'RE MEMBERS AS WELL. SO YES, UH, JULY, 2020, VSBA SUBMITTED FOR POLICIES FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, A CHART SHOWING THE UPDATED POLICIES HAS BEEN PREPARED BY STAFF MEMBERS. NOTING THE PROPOSE CHANGES. THE FIRST READING OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES WAS AUGUST THE FIFTH, 2020. THE SECOND READING AND DISCUSSION WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE WAS AUGUST 19TH, 2020. AND THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE POLICY CHANGES AT THIS MEETING TONIGHT. KEVIN, ANY QUESTIONS I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER. I HAVE NONE. MRS. SHEPHERD HAS ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS, NOTHING. I THINK THIS IS OUR THIRD RATING AND IT IS EXPLAINED EVERY TIME. SO THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I MOVED TO JULY 20 VSBA POLICY UPDATES BE APPROVED IN THE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS POLICY MANUAL. THAT'S RECOMMENDED THAT DAY. WE'LL HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. THOSE OPPOSED HEARING NONE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, MS. SHEPHERD, A [5B. Lease Agreement for Warren County Youth Center - Mr. Hirsch] LEASE AGREEMENT FOR WARREN COUNTY YOUTH CENTER, MR. HIRSCH, MR. CHAIRMAN, DR. BALLENGER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE WHAT MS. BAUER SAID, THE NURSES HAVE REALLY, REALLY GONE INTO WARP DRIVE. UM, IF ANYONE KNOWS THAT AND WALKS INTO A CLINIC AT ANY TIME IN PREVIOUS YEARS, YOU KNOW HOW BUSY THOSE CLINICS ARE, THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND THEIR, UM, THEIR, THEIR, UH, THEIR, THE TASKS THAT THEY'RE DOING IS, IS, IS ASTRONOMICAL. AND THEY HAVE STEPPED UP AND WE MET TODAY AND THEIR QUESTIONS ARE GOOD. THEY'RE THOUGHTFUL, AND THEY ARE WORKING VERY HARD. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE DO. WE DO. AND THEY HAVE REALLY FIT IN. UM, THEY'RE TAKING ONE OF THEM IS TOOK MY, ALL OF THEM ARE TAKING LEADERSHIP ROLES, UM, NOT ONLY IN THE COUNTY, BUT I'M NOT ONLY IN THEIR BUILDINGS, BUT IN THE COUNTY AS WELL. SO WE REALLY GOT SOME GREAT NEW [01:10:01] NURSES AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WITH OUR SCHOOL NURSES THE WAY THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY SUPPORTING OUR KIDS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, WELL, DUE TO, UM, AS FAR AS THE LEASE AGREEMENT FOR THE WARREN COUNTY YOUTH CENTER DUE TO COVID-19, UM, WELL, YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE ELEMENTS PROGRAM AT LORD FAIRFAX, COMMUNITY COLLEGE. IT'S A PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS ADULTS 18 TO 22 WITH LOW INCIDENT DISABILITIES. AND WHAT THEY DO IS IT'S IT'S AFTER YOU EXIT HIGH SCHOOL AND CAUSE STUDENTS, UM, CAN BE, IF THEY DON'T GRADUATE WITH AN ADVANCED DIPLOMA OR A STANDARD DIPLOMA, THEY CAN BE EDUCATED UNTIL THEIR 22ND BIRTHDAY. UM, TO ME, EIGHT YEARS IN A HIGH SCHOOL IS NOT NECESSARILY, UM, OPTIMUM. SO WE CREATED MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES OF COMMUNITY BASED INSTRUCTION. AND THE MOST RECENT ONE, THREE YEARS AGO WAS THE ELEMENTS PROGRAM AT LORD FAIRFAX COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WHERE STUDENTS WITH LOW INCIDENT DISABILITIES CAN GO TO THE COLLEGE AND PARTICIPATE IN A VARIETY OF ACADEMIC SKILLS. UM, SOME JOB SHADOWING AND WORK TOWARDS COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT. IF YOU WOULD GO ONTO LORD FAIRFAX CAMPUS LAST YEAR, YOU'LL SEE OUR STUDENTS IN THE GYM, IN THE MAIL ROOM, IN THE, A RESTAURANT AND ALL THOSE AREAS WITH OUR JOB COACHES AND WITH OUR TEACHERS SUPPORTING THEM DUE TO COVID-19. THAT OPPORTUNITY IS ON HOLD FOR A YEAR. SO WE THOUGHT, AND WE BRAINSTORMED AND WE FIGURED OUT WHAT, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? SO, UH, WITH MANY, UH, PAST OPPORTUNITIES OF COLLABORATING WITH THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT AND DIRECTOR DAN LENS, UH, WE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA TOGETHER OF LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF UTILIZING THE ST MEYER'S YOUTH CENTER FOR THE STUDENTS TO BE HOUSED IN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE NOTHING IS SENDING THE MESSAGE THAT YOU'RE GOING BACK TO YOUR HIGH SCHOOLS. IT'S NOT THE MESSAGE WE WANT TO SEND. WE LOVE OUR HIGH SCHOOLS. THEY SPENT FOUR YEARS THERE. SO WE THOUGHT OF A COMMUNITY BASED APPROACH WHERE THE STUDENTS COULD BE HOUSED AT ST MEYER'S YOUTH CENTER AND WORK WITH THE PARKS AND REC, UH, JUST BE A PRESENCE, GET THOSE ACADEMIC SKILLS, THOSE SOFT, UH, EMPLOYMENT SKILLS. AND OUR JOB COACHES ARE ALREADY WORKING IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES AND LOCAL NONPROFIT AGENCIES TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR ADULT LEARNERS TO, TO BE PRODUCTIVE AND, AND LEARN HOW TO, UH, HOPEFULLY BECOME COMPETITIVELY EMPLOYED. SO THAT BEING SAID, UM, THE COUNTY HAS BEEN, BEEN GREAT WORKING WITH THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT, AND THE NEXT STEP WAS TO PUT TOGETHER A LEASE. UM, AND THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY DID THAT AND PRESENTED IT TO US AND DR. BALLENGER AND MS. SHEPHERD, UH, READ THROUGH IT AND THEY DID WHAT THEY DO. AND, UM, I'M HERE TO ASK YOU, UH, FOR APPROVAL OF THAT THIS EVENING, HOW MANY STUDENTS DO WE TYPICALLY HAVE GOING THROUGH THIS PROGRAM? UH, THERE'S GENERALLY EIGHT TO 10 STUDENTS AGED 18 TO 22, UH, IN THE PROGRAM AT ANY ONE TIME. WE'RE CONSTANTLY, IT'S A BIG JUMP AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY SUPPORTING THEM IN OUR, UH, COMMUNITY BASED INSTRUCTION PROGRAMS AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL AND SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH ARE IN THE COMMUNITY WORKING AND DOING SOME OF THOSE SAME THINGS. SO WE'RE PREPARING THEM AND IT'S A TWO YEAR PROGRAM. SO WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THEM IN THERE WHEN THEY'RE 18, WE KIND OF WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THEY'RE 20 AND THEN THEY CAN GO IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. SO WE'RE PREPPING, WE HAVE A WHOLE POOL OF STUDENTS THAT DO A VARIETY OF THINGS AT THE 18 TO 20 YEAR OLD. AND AS THEY MOVE FORWARD INTO THIS, UH, REALLY PINNACLE PROGRAM OF SUPPORTING KIDS, SO EIGHT TO 10. OKAY. AND I KNOW THAT'S A LONG ANSWER. THEY'RE GOING TO BE USING ALL OF THE USERS. NO, NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. THERE IS, BUT WE, THAT WAS OUR FIRST THOUGHT WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS YOUTH CENTER. YEAH, IT'S GOOD. THAT WAS OUR THOUGHT. BUT IN GOING THROUGH THE BUILDING WITH A DIRECTOR LENS, THERE IS ACTUALLY A CLASSROOM OFF TO THE SIDE. UM, AND I HEAR FROM SOME FOLKS THAT WHEN IT WAS OPEN AS A, AS A WAY OF SUPPORTING A LOT OF KIDS WITH THE GAME ROOM, UM, AND THEN THERE'S A LITTLE OFFICE OFF OF THAT. AND THAT IS ACTUALLY THE PERFECT SIZE, UM, FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE IN PERSON LEARNING. WE DO HAVE A COUPLE THAT ARE LEARNING VIRTUAL AND REMOTELY, BUT OUR STUDENTS, UH, WE HAVE, UH, PLENTY OF SPACE FOR, FOR THE STUDENTS, FOR THE EIGHT STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN PERSON INSTRUCTION. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE HAVE A MOTION TO GET THE LEASE AGREEMENT FOR THE USE OF THE ST. MARY'S YOUTH CENTER IS PRESENTED ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, POST HEARING, NONE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, MR. HIRSCH. I JUST, I JUST WANT TO SAY, I READ THE ARTICLE THIS MORNING ABOUT THE BAKERY WINCHESTER AND IT'S CLOSING AND JUST [01:15:01] HAVE DEVASTATING. THAT IS FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO'VE WORKED THERE AND THAT KIND OF THING TO SHUT THIS PROGRAM DOWN WOULD DO THE SAME THING TO OUR STUDENTS. SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU GUYS CAME UP WITH A SOLUTION, APPRECIATE THE COUNTY WORKING WITH US TO FIND A SITE PROGRAM. NEXT [5C. Change in Law Firm for Special Education - Mr. Hirsch] THING, MR. HERTZ, CHANGING LAW FIRM FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, I GUESS, CHANGING LAW FARM, BUT NOT LAWYER. CORRECT. UH, WE'VE WORKED WITH, UH, REED SMITH. UH, WELL, I'VE WORKED WITH THEM FOR THE PAST TWO DECADES AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD THING BECAUSE WE REALLY DON'T HAVE TO USE THEM THAT MUCH. UM, BECAUSE, UH, THE TEACHERS AND PARENTS AND, AND ALL OF OUR STAFF DO SUCH A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL JOB OF COLLABORATING. AND, AND WHEN THERE IS DISAGREEMENTS, MEDIATING, AND WE REALLY HAVE LIMITED, UH, EX I MEAN, WE WORK WITH THEM, BUT IT'S BEEN A LIMITED EXPERIENCE, THEN THAT'S A GOOD THING. UM, HOWEVER, WE HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ATTORNEYS THAT WERE AT REED SMITH. UM, REED SMITH IS A VERY, VERY BIG COMPANY AND, UH, THE, THE ATTORNEYS THAT REPRESENTED SPECIAL EDUCATION, UM, FOR MOST OF THE DIVISIONS IN THE COMMONWEALTH, WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO SAVE SCHOOL DIVISIONS MONEY. AND, UH, THE RATES AT, UM, THE NEW FIRM, UH, WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER. SO WHAT THEY DECIDED TO DO WAS TO, BECAUSE WHEN THEY KNOW HOW COMFORTABLE WE ARE WITH THEM, UH, THEY'RE MOVING, THEY'RE ALL MOVING TO SANDS ANDERSON. AND, UM, WE ELECTED TO, WITH YOUR APPROVAL, WE ELECTED TO CHANGE COMPANIES AND KEEP THE ATTORNEYS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FOR OVER TWO DECADES. WE ALREADY DEAL WITH SANDS ANDERSON. YEAH. SO JUST THE ATTORNEYS LEFT REED SMITH STILL IN REED SMITH IS STILL IN. UM, AND, BUT YEAH, ARE THE GROUP OF ATTORNEYS THAT WE IN ESSENCE, UM, MR. WILLIAMS, UH, THE LEAD ATTORNEY THAT WE WERE VERY WORKED WITH VERY WELL IS NO LONGER, UM, DOING CASES. SHE IS, UH, REACHING A POINT IN HER CAREER WHERE SHE'S DOING SOME OTHER THINGS, PODCASTS AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS. UM, AND THE MAIN ATTORNEY THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, UH, OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS IS, IS HIM AND, AND, AND THREE OTHER ATTORNEYS ARE MOVING TO SANDS ANDERSON WITH, WITH THE, WITH THE LEAD ATTORNEYS BLESSING. OKAY. OKAY. I THINK I KNOW WHO YOU'RE SPEAKING OF. OKAY. I KNEW HE WAS MOVING, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE, ALL RIGHT. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, NO, WE UTILIZE THE SAME THING FOR EVERYTHING. DO WE HAVE SEPARATE CONTRACTS? IS THERE SOME WAY TO CONSOLIDATE? IT WAS KIND OF THAT I GUESS WE'D HAVE TO LOOK THAT AS FAR AS TO SEE WHAT CONTRACTS ARE OUR STATED, AS FAR AS I KNOW THAT IT'S A, AN HOURLY RATE. I KNOW THAT WITH THE TRANSITION, THEY, THEY HAD ASKED FOR US TO SEE IF WE WANTED TO MOVE ALL OF OUR DOCUMENTS OVER WITH THEM AS THEY TRANSITIONED, SINCE WE'VE BEEN WITH THOSE ATTORNEYS FOR A LONG TIME. AND SO THAT IS ONE REASON THAT I ASKED FOR MR. HERTZ TO PRESENT THAT TONIGHT, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE AWARE THAT WE WERE MAKING THAT CHANGE AND TO APPROVE THAT CHANGE, UH, BECAUSE WE WANTED THE CONSISTENCY, BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT SINCE THAT IS NOW IN PROCESS. YES, SIR. ANDERSON PC THE LEGAL COUNSEL. SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. THOSE OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, MR. HICKEY, [5D. Addition of an Instructional Assistant for VPI Program--Ms. Rudacille] UH, ADDITIONAL OF INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT FOR VP OF HIGH PROGRAM, THIS OF SALE. GOOD EVENING, DUE TO AN INCREASE IN FUNDING FROM THE VIRGINIA PRESCHOOL INITIATIVE GRANT, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS ABLE TO SERVE ADDITIONAL PRESCHOOL STUDENTS THIS YEAR. THEREFORE WE'RE REQUESTING APPROVAL FOR THE CREATION OF A NEW INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE POSITION TO AID IN SERVING THE NEEDS OF THESE STUDENTS WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. WHAT'S OUR NUMBER. OKAY. LAST YEAR WE SERVED 92, FOUR YEAR OLDS. THIS YEAR. AS OF TODAY, WE ARE SERVING 146 PRESCHOOL STUDENTS TOTAL. UM, WE ENTERED THE PILOT PROGRAM TO EXPAND OUR PRESCHOOL PROGRAM TO SERVE THREE YEAR OLDS AS WELL. SO WE HAVE 31, [01:20:01] THREE YEAR OLDS, UM, THAT WE'LL BE SERVING. SO 146 TOTAL WE, UH, GIVEN THE STATE FORMULA COULD SERVE UP TO 134 YEAR OLDS AND 45 THREE-YEAR-OLDS, BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE SPACE TO FIT THEM ALL IN. AND ESPECIALLY NOT IN OUR CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT THAT PROGRAM HAS GROWN JUST PHENOMENALLY. YES, IT IS TRULY AMAZING TO ME WHAT IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO. YEAH. AND JENNY DONOVAN, OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR IS, IS INTEGRAL. THAT'S. THAT'S NOT EVEN A STRONG ENOUGH WORD IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN. I MEAN, IT HAS EXPLODED AND IT HAS, IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL. IT REALLY HAS IT ASTOUNDS ME EVERY TIME I HEAR THE NUMBERS. SO, YES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. RUSSO? WELL, WE DO HAVE THE SPACE WITH THE DISTANCING AND WE DO IT AS YOU ALL GO AROUND TO VISIT SCHOOLS AS THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS. WE HAVE PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS IN SKYLINE, HIGH SCHOOL'S LIBRARY. UM, OUR CLASS THAT WAS FORMALLY THE, UM, WELL, IT'S NOT FORM FORMERLY IT'S STILL AS AN EXISTENCE, BUT THE CHILDCARE PROGRAM AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL, UM, MRS. FRY HAS TAKEN ON SEVERAL PRESCHOOL STUDENTS. SO LIKE IN IT'S OWN LITTLE LAB SCHOOL THEY'RE, UM, WE HAVE TWO PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS AND AT BLUE RIDGE TECHNICAL CENTER, UM, THEY'RE YEAH, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE. SO IN ORDER TO EXPAND, YOU KNOW, THE AREA IN WHICH THOSE CHILDREN CAN BE, UM, MRS. DONOVAN AND THE PRESCHOOL STAFF HAVE BEEN VERY CREATIVE AND EVERY, AND ADMINISTRATORS ACROSS ALL AGE LEVELS HAVE BEEN VERY WELCOMING TO THE PRESCHOOL CLASSES. THAT'S GREAT. WE DON'T HAVE ANY VIRTUAL PRESCHOOL STUDENTS. WE DO. INDEED. LOOK, I HAVE WRITTEN DOWN HERE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO ASK ME 35 VIRTUAL PRESCHOOL. YES. 35 VIRTUAL PRESCHOOL STUDENTS. SOME OF THOSE ARE THREE AND SOME OF THOSE ARE FOUR YEAR OLDS. WOW. DON'T ASK ME HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK. THE NUMBER IS THE LAST OF THE INFORMATION. SO YOU AND I KNOW ONE OF THEM A THREE YEAR OLD WOULD COME TO MY HOUSE EVERY DAY, EVERY MORNING AND HOW YOU CAN DO THAT VIRTUALLY, VIRTUALLY. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I MOVE THAT. WE APPROVE THE ADDITION OF AN INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT POSITION TO SERVE PRESCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE VA VPI PROGRAM. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE. HEARING NONE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [5E. Approval of September 2, 2020 Personnel Report Addendum--Mr Smith] UH, APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2020 PERSONNEL REPORT. OOH, THEN DON'T MR. SMITH. GOOD EVENING. UH, THIS ITEM FOLLOWS ALONG WITH MRS. RUDEST HILLS, UH, PRESENTATION AND YOUR APPROVAL OF THE, UH, NEW POSITION. THE PERSONNEL AGENDA IS BEING PRESENTED AS AN ACTION ITEM DUE TO ONE OF THE APPOINTMENTS BEING DEPENDENT UPON THE PREVIOUS APPROVAL OF THE NEW, UH, VPI INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT, UH, POSITION. UM, THAT'S IT QUESTIONS FOR MR. SMITH? WELL, NEED A MOTION. I MOVED IT TO SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2020 PERSONNEL REPORT. STOP A SEC. OKAY. SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. THOSE OPPOSED HEARING ON MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. [6A. 2020 VSBA Annual Convention - November 18 - 20, 2020 - Virtual Conference] ALRIGHT. DISCUSSION BY THE SCHOOL BOARD 2020 BSBA ANNUAL CONFERENCE, NOVEMBER 18TH THROUGH THE 20TH. AND IT'S ALL VIRTUAL THIS YEAR. SO I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO GET ONLINE. WILL WE BE MEETING HERE TO DO THAT VIRTUALLY OR WE COULD, WE COULD USE, COULD WE USE THE CONFERENCE ROOM DOWN THERE? THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THAT EASY TO DO THAT WOULDN'T AFFECT HER DAILY BUSINESS. YEAH, I WILL. I'LL GET THAT SCHEDULED. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK THAT'S YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, BECAUSE YOU WON'T HAVE THE INTERRUPTIONS AT HOME. ALL RIGHT. [6B. VSBA Superintendent's Evaluation Workshop - October 7, 2020 - Virtual Meeting] FAIR ENOUGH. NEXT IS A VSBA SUPERINTENDENTS EVALUATION WORKSHOP, OCTOBER 7TH, 2020, IT'S VIRTUAL. IF ANYBODY BE INTERESTED, TALK TO MR. BALLANTINE, ANY OTHER [01:25:01] BUSINESS BEFORE THIS BOARD HEARING NONE MEETING ADJOURNED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.