>>April Griffin: 2016, 1 P.M. SPECIAL CALLED BOARD MEETING TO ORDER. IF EVERYONE COULD PLEASE TAKE THEIR SEATS. IF YOU COULD STAND FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE. (MOMENT OF SILENCE). AND THE PLEDGE. [ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ]
>>April Griffin: BOARD MEMBERS, I NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. MOTION BY MRS. EDGECOMB. SECOND BY MRS. HARRIS. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE BY PRESSING YOUR BUTTON. AND THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. UNANIMOUSLY. STATE FOR THE RECORD THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. MRS.
>>Cindy Stuart: , DO YOU HAVE THE BOARD GUIDELINES? I'M SORRY.
>> THE FORMAT FOR OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THE BOARD AGENDA IS A CONSENT AGENDA. ITEMS ON THE AGENDA ARE APPROVED UPON MOTION AND VOTE UNLESS AN ITEM IS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION. THE AGENDA AND BACKUP DOCUMENTATION ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE LIVE WEBCAST AND ON CABLE TV AND ON THE VIDEO MONITOR HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT ALSO CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING LATER IN THE VIDEO ARCHIVES. DURING THE MEETING, THERE IS A TABLET AVAILABLE AT THE COMMUNICATIONS DESK THAT CAN BE USED TO VIEW THE LIVE WEBCAST WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING SHOULD WE LEAVE THE DAIS. THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF 45 MINUTES ALLOWED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. SPEAKERS WILL BE GRANTED THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS EACH AGENDA ITEM. A TOTAL OF FIVE MINUTES TO ADDRESS TWO OR MORE AGENDA ITEMS. SPEAKING TIME WILL BE REDUCED TO TWO MINUTES TO SPEAKER. IF THERE ARE STILL SPEAKERS AFTER THE A LOT HAD HAD 45 MINUTE TIME ENDS THE REST OF THE SPEAKERS WILL BE HEARD AFTER PULLED AGENDA ITEMS. YOUR COMMENTS ARE IMPORTANT. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE, STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP THE BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THAT RESPONSE. THE SCHOOL BOARD RESPECT IT IS PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD BUT NOT -- WE CANNOT TOLERATE BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO OPERATE INTERRUPT THE CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING. OUR CIVIL RULES ARE IN EFFECT.
>>April Griffin: BOARD MEMBERS, BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION, WE HAVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 16th, 2016 MORNING WORKSHOP. AUGUST 16th, 2016 AFTERNOON WORKSHOP. AND THE SEPTEMBER 6th, 2016 BOARD MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE. I HAVE A MOTION BY MRS. HARRIS. A SECOND BY MRS. STUART. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE BY PRESSING YOUR BUTTON. AND THE MINUTES PASS UNANIMOUSLY. WE ARE NOW IN THE SECTION FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS. HAS THERE BEEN ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS? THANK YOU. MR. ROBINSON? YOU HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THREE ITEMS. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS. JOE ROBINSON HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 6.02, 7.02, 7.03. AND THE LAUNCHING OF THE JUNIOR CHAPTER MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL. WE'LL TALK BEFORE THAT IN THE LAST. SAVE THAT FOR LAST. 6.02. I HAVE BEEN COMING HERE FOR SEVEN YEARS FOLLOWING THE BUDGETS, MAINTENANCE, AND NOW IT'S AN ISSUE. THE UNION HAS CALLED FOR AIR CONDITIONING TO BE REPAIRED. PEOPLE ARE CALLING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE DONE. AND THERE'S SOME TRUTH TO THAT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE AIR CONDITIONING CALLS, 2011, THE FIRST SIX WEEKS IT WAS 947 LEFT OPEN. IF YOU LOOK AT 2016 THE AIR CONDITIONING OPEN CALLS THE FIRST SIX WEEKS IS 2,916. PEOPLE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR WORTH OF ASSETS IN BUILDINGS, FACILITY, AND SO FORTH. WE HAVE NOT BEEN GOOD STEWARDS OF PUTTING AND FINDING MONEY FOR THOSE ASSETS. THOSE ASSETS ARE DETERIORATING. ROOFS ARE LEAKING. AIR CONDITIONERS AREN'T WORKING. ELECTRICAL UPGRADES NEED TO BE MADE. IT'S TIME THAT WE TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK IN THE FUTURE AT SETTING ASIDE A FUND, IDENTIFYING A RESOURCE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR ASSETS. YOU HAVE A HOUSE. YOU DON'T FIX THE ROOF. AFTER SO LONG IT LEAKS. HURRICANE COMES AND BLOWS THE ROOF OFF. SO WE HAVE NOT NECESSARILY BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE CLASSROOM, AND WE HAVE DONE SOME WORK ON CLASSROOM. WE HAVE GIVEN RAISES TO TEACHERS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, OUR STUDENTS NEED GOOD ASSETS. AND WE NEED TO GET A BETTER PLAN FOR MAINTENANCE AND PROVIDING FOR DOLLARS BECAUSE WE HAVE SOMEWHERE AROUND, IN MY ESTIMATE, A 700 TO 800 MILLION-DOLLAR BACKLOG. THAT BACKLOG IS NOT GOING AWAY. WE ARE BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS EVERY DAY, TRYING TO PUT NAMES ON THEM. SO THE THING IS WE NEED TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK. I'M HERE TO SAY THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE MODIFICATIONS. FIRST OF ALL, HEAD START. I'LL GET BACK TO THE MAINTENANCE. THAT'S SOMETHING GOOD. THAT'S A CATCH-UP. THAT'S A COST OF LIVING INCREASE. AND I APPRECIATE THE HEAD START PROGRAM BECAUSE WE NEED THAT SO NO WHEN STUDENTS LEAVE HEAD START THEY WILL BE SOMEWHAT PREPARED TO GET TO THE REAL SCHOOL SYSTEM. NOW FIVE YEAR FACILITIES WORK PROGRAM. IT EVEN STATES IN HERE THAT THE PROPOSED RENOVATIONS INCLUDE THE PROJECTS FOR $418 MILLION IS UNFUNDED. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO FUND IT? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO FIND FUNDING? AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME TYPE OF NEGOTIATION WITH THE UNION TO DO IT. RIGHT NOW WE ARE $139 MILLION, MR. VAZQUEZ, GOING IN THE HOLE. YOU ARE TRYING TO FIND ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO DO. BUT THERE COMES A TIME WHEN YOU CAN CUT NO MORE. THERE COMES A TIME WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND NEW RESOURCES. YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND CREATIVE WAYS TO GENERATE REVENUE. WE ARE GETTING TO THAT POINT. AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL SOLVE IT BEFORE OUR ASSETS START DETERIORATING, AND THE WORK CONDITIONS OF OUR TEACHERS GET EVEN WORSE. PEOPLE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CHANGE CLOTHES TO COME TO WORK BECAUSE THE AIR CONDITIONING ISSUES. BEING A MECHANICAL ENGINEER, THAT DESIGNS AIR CONDITIONS, I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES. IT'S A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. NOW, AS FAR AS THE EDUCATIONAL OUTLAY, WE HAVE GOT A LOT OF PROJECTS, THAT $14 MILLION. SO OUR DISTRICT-WIDE THINGS WE ARE GOING TO PUT AIR CONDITIONING ON PORTER, PLANT CITY, MAY BE CONVERTED, MAYBE NOT. THESE ARE ALL GOOD THINGS BUT THESE ARE NOT ENOUGH DOLLARS. IF YOU LOOKING AT THE RATE OF MAINTENANCE WORK ORDERS TO SOLVE THEM. SO BOARD MEMBERS, I'M ASKING YOU TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK OF POSSIBLY HAVING SOME TYPE OF REFERENDUM. DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE, BUT I THINK IT'S TIME WE MAY HAVE TO ASK THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO HELP PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BUT WE WANT ACCOUNTABILITY. WE WANT THE REPORTS IN FROM THE CONSULTANTS GIBSON. WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHERE ALL OF THE WASTE AND FINE TUNED AS WE CAN GET, AND I DON'T SUGGEST DOING THAT UNTIL AFTER ALL OF THAT IS IN, AFTER ALL OF THAT IS VETTED, BUT I ASK THAT THE UNION IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE PART OF THOSE NEGOTIATIONS AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT THIS $800 MILLION MAINTENANCE BACKLOG BECAUSE YOUR ASSETS ARE FALLING APART, AND WE NEED TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT THE ASSETS AS MUCH AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE CLASSROOMS. AND I ASK YOU TO PUT THAT ON THE SUSPENDED AGENDA IF YOU CAN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU, MR. ROBINSON. MS. BAXTER JENKINS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF. JUST FOR THE RECORD SINCE MR. ROBINSON DID MENTION THE UNION, I'M STEPHANIE BAXTER JENKINS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE CLASSROOM TEACHERS UNION. WE REPRESENT 20,000 OF YOUR SUPPORT STAFF AND TEACHING AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF. SO ONE THING I DO WANT TO REITERATE, BECAUSE THIS WAS A BIG THING AMONG MY MEMBERSHIP, WE HAVE ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TO PLEASE HAVE ANOTHER TIME WHEN YOUR EMPLOYEES COULD ACTUALLY SHARE STORIES WITH YOU AND LET YOU KNOW SOME FACTS. I CAN SHARE A LOT OF THINGS WITH YOU. IT IS CERTAINLY MORE TRUTHFUL, MORE POWERFUL WHEN IT COMES FROM THE PEOPLE ACTUALLY DEALING WITH IT AND THEY REALLY WANT THE ABILITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL. SO WE HAVE ASKED AGAIN -- WE HAVE ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TO TAKE PLACE WHEN EMPLOYEES COULD DO IT, AND ON THIS PLAN AS WELL AS OTHERS, I WOULD ASK AGAIN THAT YOU CONSIDER DOING THAT. ALSO, AS A PARENT IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, IT HAPPENS TO BE MY JOB TO BE HERE, BUT IF I WEREN'T I WOULD BE WORKING AND NOT ABLE TO COME AND COMMENT. SO WE ARE LEAVING OUT A LOT OF PEOPLE AT 1:00. SO WERE THAT SAID, HOWEVER, MR. ROBINSON COMMENTED ON THE AIR CONDITIONING. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I THINK PEOPLE HAVEN'T READ ABOUT, SEEN ON THE NEWS. 176 OF MY SCHOOL PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED ISSUES RANGING FROM NO AIR CONDITIONING THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL TO LITTLE ISSUES HERE AND THERE, AND IT'S FLORIDA, AND EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT HAPPENS. BUT I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED IN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN TO SEE THAT YOU BASICALLY HAVE SIX OR SEVEN SCHOOLS WITH A MAJOR RENOVATION, WHILE MR. FARKAS HAS SAID THERE ARE FAR MORE AND MANY OF YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS RESPONDED TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS THAT YOU ARE AWARE THAT THERE ARE FAR MORE. SO I AM CURIOUS WHY WE ARE ONLY PUTTING THIS LIMITED AMOUNT IN THIS PLAN. IT SEEMS LIKE THE PLAN NEEDS A LOT MORE MONEY ON THAT. YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, I WOULD SAY, I ABSOLUTELY, MORE THAN PROBABLY MOST OF THE PUBLIC REALIZE THIS IS NOTE YOUR FAULT. YOU ARE IN A STATE WHEREIN THEY DO NOT FUND PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THAT INCLUDES FACILITY DOLLARS WHICH THEY HAVE SIPHONED OFF FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS OVER THE PAST 17 YEARS CONTINUALLY. I THINK FIRST OF ALL YOU ALL NEED TO STAND UP AND START SAYING THAT. YOU NEED TO SAY VERY CLEARLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STRUGGLES YOU ARE DEALING WITH, BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. AND YOU DO NEED TO CONSIDER WHETHER IT'S A REFERENDUM, WHETHER IT IS CREATIVE SOLUTION. I HAVE SEEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS WOUND UP ON PEOPLE'S UTILITY BILLS. THERE ARE A LOT OF CREATIVE SOLUTIONS WE CAN DO THAT I THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD SUPPORT, TO SUPPORT PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BECAUSE AS MUCH AS I AM HERE FOR TEACHERS, I HAVE TWO CHILDREN IN YOUR SCHOOLS AS WELL, AND I TALK TO A LOT OF PARENTS, AND TEACHERS WORKING CONDITIONS, THE STUDENTS LEARNING CONDITIONS. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LEARN VERY WELL WHEN IT'S 87°. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LEARN VERY WELL WHEN WE HAVE TO TAKE YOU OUTSIDE YOUR CLASSROOM BECAUSE IT'S WAY TOO HOT TO BE IN THERE. I MEAN, AGAIN, I DO NOT PUT THAT ALL ON YOU. I MORE THAN ANYONE REALIZE YOU ARE DEALING WITH A SERIOUS SCENARIO CREATED BY THE STATE. BUT I THINK AT THE TIME WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE PUBLIC TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE THE ISSUE, AND IT IS NOT FAIR TO ASK PEOPLE TO WORK IN THOSE CONDITIONS, AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO ASK STUDENTS TO BE IN THOSE CONDITIONS. LASTLY, ON THE SAME NOTE, IN TERMS OF PICO DOLLARS, I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR WITH TALLAHASSEE AND AGAIN WITH THE PUBLIC THAT YOU ARE NOT GETTING THE KIND OF MONEY YOU HAVE, AND TO REALLY FULLY EXPLAIN THAT. AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CONSTITUENTS YOU ALL TALK TO, BUT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH PICO DOLLARS, CAPITAL OUTLAY DOLLARS, HAVE BEEN SENT TO OTHER PLACES? WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE, I DON'T THINK THEY UNDERSTAND BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE ARE IN THE WEEDS ON THIS STUFF QUITE AS MUCH AS I AM, AND MANY OF YOU ARE IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET. BUT I THINK YOU HAVE REALLY GOT TO START EXPLAINING THAT, BECAUSE WE ARE AT THE POINT -- THINGS ARE NOT GREAT IN OUR SCHOOLS. OUR TEACHERS ARE NOT FEELING HAPPY, AND IT DOESN'T MAKE THE -- THEY HAVE A HARD JOB, AND IN SOME PLACES EXTREMELY HARD. WE ASK THEM TO BE EVERYTHING AND DO EVERYTHING. AND MOST OF THEM REALLY, REALLY WANT TO DO THAT. BUT MAKING IT -- HAVING TO WORK FOR EIGHT OR TEN HOURS, STANDING ON A BUS RAMP WHEN IT'S 96°, TO GO INTO A BUILDING THAT'S 86°, IS NOT A GREAT PLACE TO PUT PEOPLE. SO WE HAVE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX THAT. WE CERTAINLY ARE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU. I WILL BE THE BIGGEST CHAMPION IF YOU WANT TO PUT A REFERENDUM OUT TO THE PUBLIC, I WILL WORK THAT HARD, BAUER OUR SCHOOLS NEED TO BE FUNDED AND I WILL TAKE MY ROLE AS A CITIZEN VERY SERIOUSLY AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW THAT. BUT I THINK IT CAN'T JUST BE ONE GROUP TALKING. IT'S GOT TO BE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TALKING ABOUT THAT. SO I WELCOME THAT CONVERSATION FURTHER FROM ALL OF YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. (BELL SOUNDS).
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU, MS. BAXTER JENKINS. RANDY TALASKY.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, AND AS A CONCERNED TAXPAYER AND A GRANDPARENT OF THE SCHOOL I DON'T LIKE TO SEE DOLLARS WASTED. AND WHEN I START HEARING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HEAR ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO DEOC MATTERS, IT'S A PROBLEM. FROM SUPERINTENDENT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THAT ALL OF YOUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN BRIEFED BY HR. BUT I WOULD CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE, AND THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT EEOC IS ALL ABOUT. BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO HARASSMENT, HARASSMENT CAN BE A VICTIM, SUPERVISOR, SUPERVISOR OF ANOTHER AREA, AN AGENT OF THE EMPLOYER, A CO-WORKER, OR NONEMPLOYEE. THE VICTIM DOESN'T NEED TO BE THE PERSON HARASSED BUT IT COULD BE SOMEONE WHO IS AFFECTED BY THAT SITUATION. UNLAWFUL HARASSMENT MAY OCCUR WITHOUT ECONOMIC INJURY OR DISCHARGE OF THE VICTIM. NOW, THE BEST PREVENTION FOR THIS HERE IS TO ELIMINATE HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE. EMPLOYERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO PREVENT AND CORRECT THE UNLAWFUL HARASSMENT. THEY SHOULD CLEARLY COMMUNICATE TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT UNWELCOME HARASSMENT CONDUCT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. THEY CAN DO THIS BY ESTABLISHING EFFECTIVE COMPLAINT, THE EMPLOYEES TAKE -- EXCUSE ME, EMPLOYERS MUST TAKE IMMEDIATE AND APPROPRIATE ACTION. SO ONCE YOU ARE NOTIFIED, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO CORRECT THIS BY THE PERSON WHO IS DOING THE HARASSMENT. EMPLOYERS SHOULD STRIVE TO CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THE EMPLOYEES FEEL FREE TO RAISE CONCERNS, AND THEY ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE CONCERNS ARE BEING ADDRESSED. I DON'T THINK THAT'S HAPPENED. I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENED IS PEOPLE ARE GETTING THREATENED WITH THEIR JOBS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO COMMENT ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORKPLACE. THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY SAID THAT PERSON, ELIA, WORKS IN THE SCHOOL, SCHOOL BUS DEPARTMENT, WALKED IN, AND TOLD ALL OF THE DRIVERS IF THEY POST ANYTHING ON FACEBOOK, THEY WOULD BE TERMINATED. SO I'M BRINGING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION SO THAT YOU CAN TALK TO THIS INDIVIDUAL AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT HARASSMENT. AND THAT IT WON'T BE TOLERATED. I HAVE USED UP MY TIME. BUT I'LL BE BACK AGAIN.
>> YOU STILL HAVE 20 SECONDS LEFT.
>> HOW MANY?
>> WELL, NOW 16.
>> THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME. I APPRECIATE IT.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU. SUSAN KIRBY.
>> I AM GOING TO READ FROM A PREPARED STATEMENT. I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SUSAN KIRBY. I SERVE AS A CLASSROOM MOM FOR MY SON'S KINDERGARTEN CLASS. I AM VERY TROUBLED OF THE AIR CONDITIONING OF THE SCHOOL, 08, BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING IS VERY COOL AND COMFORTABLE. I AM IN A ROOM WITH FIVE-YEAR-OLDS WHO COMPLAIN OF FEELING ILL FROM THE HEAT, GUZZLE WATER AND CONSTANTLY GETTING UP FROM BEING HOT OR TO USE THE BATHROOM TOO FREQUENTLY. NONE OF THIS IS FAIR, HEALTHY OR GOOD LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN SCHOOL AND ARE BEING ASKED MORE OF THEM ACADEMICALLY EVERY DAY. YET ARE NOT GIVEN THE PROPER ENVIRONMENT TO GET GOOD RESULTS, THE RESULTS SCHOOL COUNTS ON. HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK JOB PERFORMANCE WOULD GO DOWN IF YOU TURNED OFF THE ADMINISTRATION'S AC? BUT YOU EXPECT SMALL CHILDREN TO BEHAVE, FOCUS AND ABSORB INFORMATION WHEN THEY ARE UNCOMFORTABLE FROM AN OVERHEATED ROOM. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THIS IS ON YOU GUYS, BUT I'M JUST ALSO KNOW THAT 80% OF THE CLASSROOMS ARE TOO HOT COUNTYWIDE. AND THE OFFICES ARE NICE AND COOL. AND I DON'T THINK THAT IS, YOU KNOW, VERY FAIR, AND A VERY GOOD WAY FOR CHILDREN COMING UP, THEIR VERY FIRST EXPERIENCE AT SCHOOL. I THINK IT'S TOO HARD ON THEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME AND SPEAK WITH US. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS, THAT'S IT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. MRS. SNIVELY?
>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU. I WAS JUST WANTING TO CLARIFY, BECAUSE JUST THE RECENT CONSTITUENT SAID ABOUT 80% OF THE CLASSROOMS ARE -- DO YOU HAVE ANY STATISTICS THAT SHOW THAT, CHRIS FARKAS?
>> 80%? NO, MA'AM.
>>Melissa Snively: I'M JUST CURIOUS ARE IF THAT WAS AN ACCURATE STATISTIC. DO YOU HAVE A PERCENTAGE OF CLASSROOMS?
>> BASED ON WHAT ACs ARE OUT. AND THERE'S NOT A TOTE BOARD OR ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO FIX AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
>>Melissa Snively: I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
>> RIGHT NOW WE KNOW IT'S TOO MANY AND WE ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING THAT. SO, RIGHT. SO WE ARE GETTING READY TO DISCUSS THAT. ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS, WE ARE NOW INTO -- I'M SORRY, MRS. EDGECOMB.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: MAYBE TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION. CUSTOMARILY WE DON'T ALWAYS RESPOND TO ISSUES THAT ARE BROUGHT TO US, BUT I THINK THIS IS ONE THAT HAS CONTINUOUSLY COME AT THE FOREFRONT, AND AS SOON THAT EITHER WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS IT AS PART OF THIS, OR -- OKAY, THAT'S WHAT I WONDER, WHEN WE ARE GOING TO ADDRESS IT.
>> YES, MA'AM. AND ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT TOOK PLACE IS THAT THIS HAD TO BE DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH, THIS PARTICULAR MEETING HAD TO BE DONE AT THE END OF THE MONTH, AND TO MRS. BAXTER JENKINS' POINT, WE HAD A VERY, VERY LIMITED WINDOW OF TIME IN WHICH TO FIT THIS IN. SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE MOVED THE DISCIPLINE WORKSHOP, WHICH I KNOW YOU WERE VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THAT PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 22ND. WE DID GET THAT IN THE SCHEDULE TO ACCOMMODATE. BUT WE HAVE TWO HOURS FOR THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT TO HAVE OUR STAFF PRESENT. I KNOW THE SUPERINTENDENT IS GOING TO OPEN UP. ARE YOU GOING TO OPEN UP? OKAY. CHRIS IS GOING TO OPEN UP. AND YOU DID HAVE SOME STATEMENTS YOU WERE GOING MAKE BECAUSE WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THIS. AND THEN WE AS A BOARD CAN HAVE OUR DISCUSSION AND FILL STAFF IN ON WHAT WE ARE HEARING IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AND TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO YOU, MR. FARKAS, BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA. AND ACTUALLY I AM GOING TO CALL MISS TRACYE BROWN FOR ITEM 36.02 FOR THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, BOCC, HEAD START, EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM AND THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND MS. TRACYE BROWN, SUPERINTENDENT OF ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS IS GOING TO PRESENT THIS.
>> THANK YOU. I AM SO USED TO LOOKING UP THERE. THANK YOU.
>> WE ARE REQUESTING THIS ADJUSTMENT, THIS MODIFICATION FOR THE HEAD START PROGRAM HERE IN OUR DISTRICT AS AWARDED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HEAD START TO ADJUST THE COST OF LIVING FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AND THIS IS FOR THE 16-17 SCHOOL YEAR. ACTUALLY CLOSE IT OUT ON THE 30th OF THIS MONTH, THE ACTUAL CONTRACT.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: MRS. BROWN, CLARIFY FOR ME, BUT THIS IS AN ADJUSTMENT, IT'S THROUGH THE FUNDS THAT WE GET THROUGH THE BOCC. IT HAS NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH OUR NEGOTIATION WITH OUR UNIONS IN TERMS OF COST OF LIVING OR ANY OTHER KINDS OF RAISES. AM I CORRECT?
>> YOU ARE CORRECT.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: OKAY, SO THIS IS A SEPARATE ISSUE.
>> THIS IS A SEPARATE ISSUE. THIS IS JUST TO ADD ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO THE CONTRACT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE WITH THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND IT'S TO COVER THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR THE END OF THIS CONTRACT YEAR WHICH ENDS ON SEPTEMBER 30.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: DOES THIS HAPPEN ANNUALLY, OR OCCASIONALLY? OR HOW DOES THIS OFTEN HAPPEN WITHIN OUR DISTRICT?
>> OUR GRANT ACTUALLY ENDS ON THE 30th OF SEPTEMBER EACH YEAR. AND IT OCCASIONALLY WILL REQUIRE AN ADJUSTMENT. THIS YEAR'S ADJUSTMENT IS STATED IN THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> MS. BROWN, CAN YOU TELL US WHERE THOSE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM, FOR CLARIFICATION, PLEASE?
>> THE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU. THAT CANNOT BE SAID ENOUGH RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>April Griffin: BOARD MEMBERS, THE NEXT ITEM IS 7.02 TO APPROVE THE 2016-17 FIVE-YEAR FACILITIES WORK PLAN, AND MR. CHRIS FARKAS.
>>Christopher Farkas: AND THAT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO HIGHLIGHT IN OUR DISCUSSION AS YOU REFERENCED EARLIER ABOUT SOME OF THE AC ISSUES. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS FROM THE FIVE YEAR WORK PLAN THAT WE HIGHLIGHT. AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE WE TAKE THE FIVE YEAR WORK PLAN IN THE SUMMER, JUNE, JULY, TAKE IT TO OUR OTHER AGENCIES, CITY OF TAMPA, COUNTY, PLANT CITY, TEMPLE TERRACE, TO GET FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT THE PLANS ARE DURING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS RAND THIS GUIDES OUR CAPITAL SPENDING AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AN IMPORTANT THING AS FAR AS FACILITIES, AND YOU WILL SEE THE REVENUE THAT COMES N.BUT THERE'S TWO MAIN FUNDS. THE MILLAGE THAT WE COLLECT AND ALSO THE IMPACT FEES THAT ARE THERE. NEW CONSTRUCTION AS IMPACT FEES, AND SOME OF THE THINGS WE ARE GOING TO BE BUILDING AS WE MOVE FORWARD. OPENING THIS YEAR IN AUGUST WERE ALLONS OMP HIGH ADDITION, SULPHUR SPRINGS ADDITION. WE WALK INTO NEXT FALL ELEMENTARY C WHICH IS IN THE TREBLE CREEK SUBDIVISION AND EAST BAY ADDITION. WE HAVE HAD SOME OF THESE NEW ISSUES THAT HAVE COMB UP AND MOST OF OUR NEW CONSTRUCTION WILL BE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY. ELEMENTARY D WILL OPEN UP THE FOLLOWING FALL IN SOUTHERN HILLSBOROUGH. ONE OF THE FIRST YOU HAVE SEEN IS THE ROBINSON HIGH ADDITION THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT DOING IN THE 1920s SCHOOL YEAR. AND I SEE THE LOOK ON MRS. KURDELL'S FACE THAT IF WE HAD THOUGHT ABOUT THAT FIVE YEARS AGO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN -- SO THAT WE'LL LOOK AT SOME OF THE GROWTH THAT'S IN THE ROBINSON -- ROBINSON AREA, AND THEN DOWN IN THE 20721 SCHOOL YEAR. THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR, ACTUAL FULL HIGH SCHOOL, LOOKING AT BUILDING IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY LENNARD HIGH SCHOOL IS OUR LARGEST HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH WE WERE COMPLETELY BAFFLED ON HOW TO FILL IT. WE HAD ABOUT 800 OR 900 KIDS. NOW QUEER AT 2800 STUDENTS. AND IT'S A BIG CHALLENGE FOR US. AND IT'S A CONCERN FOR US. WE HAVE EXPANDED THE CAFETERIA AND TRIED TO DO SOME THINGS TO HELP OUT AND BUILD A WING AT LENNARD. BUT THAT'S A BIG CHALLENGE FOR US. AS YOU KNOW, IMPACT FEES FUNDS THAT CONSTRUCTION, AND IMPACT FEES ARE GATHERED BASED ON THE HOME SALES OF NEW HOMES. AND TYPICAL HIGH SCHOOL, THE REFERENCE POINT MAY NOT BE ENTIRELY ACCURATE, IS IN THE 50 TO $60 MILLION RANGE. IT WILL TAKE US THREE TO FOUR YEARS OF NOT SPENDING IMPACT FEES TO RAISE THAT MONEY TO BUILD A HIGH SCHOOL BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG FOCUSES. LENNARD IS THE LARGEST HIGH SCHOOL. EAST BAY WILL BE FULL AS WELL IN THE COMING YEARS. RIVERVIEW IS FULL. NEWSOME IS FULL. ALL THE SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY. SO IT'S A NEED THAT WE WISH WE COULD BUILD QUICKER BUT THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY IS ON OUR SIX TO EIGHT-YEAR PLAN. THE FUNDING FROM THE FACILITIES PLAN IS FOR GO OVER. NEW CONSTRUCTION. THIS IS OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS. CUMULATIVE. NEW CONSTRUCTION $87 MILLION. 87.9. 100% FROM MAJOR FEES. MAJOR MAINTENANCE $19 MILLION. AGAIN, THE PLANS WHERE WE HAVE THE NAMES ARE ALSO PART OF THE THAT. FOR THE 16-17, WE HAVE ADDITIONS TO SCHOOLS. WE DON'T. DONE RENOVATION IN THE SCHOOL IN THE LAST 11 TO 12 YEARS AND THAT WILL LEAD INTO OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT AIR CONDITIONING SO I WILL LEAVE THAT PART ALONE. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WE HAVE ABOUT $55 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR BUS PURCHASES THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX. AND THEN WE TALK ABOUT ANTICIPATED REVENUE, LOCAL MILLAGE AND IMPACT FEES ARE A BIG PART OF THAT. THE NEXT ITEM 7.03 WHICH WE CAN EASILY INCORPORATE INTO THIS ITEM, AND THE HIGHLIGHT IS THE PICO MAINTENANCE REVIEW. THE FOUR MILLION DOLLARS IS ABOUT ONE THIRD OF WHAT WE HAD JUST FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO THAT WERE OUT THERE. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE BOND REVENUE WHICH IS MINIMAL ON THE GRANTS. EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. THE $189 MILLION IS FOR ALL OF OUR SITES, SCHOOL SITES AND NOT. AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, WE PAY ABOUT $65 MILLION IN DEBT BECAUSE WE STILL OWE 918 MILLION FROM THE YEARS WHEN WE WERE BUILDING TEN SCHOOLS A YEAR AND DIDN'T HAVE THE IMPACT FEES. SO A BIG PART OF OUR CAPITAL DOLLARS GOES TO THAT. YOU CAN FIND THE PLAN ONLINE TO ACCESS, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE. WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS AS WE START THE NEXT CONVERSATION BECAUSE I'M SURE THAT WILL BE BOARD DRIVEN. BUT THE INCREASE IN MAINTENANCE REQUESTS WHICH HAS BEEN REFERENCED, MAINTENANCE REQUEST FROM THE FIRST SIX WEEKS IN SCHOOL THIS YEAR VERSUS LAST YEAR ARE UP 600, BUT PERSPECTIVE IS IMPORTANT. THE NUMBER OF MAINTENANCE REQUESTS WE HAVE HAD FOR ACHV, SIX WEEKS, IS 5600 WHICH MEANS THAT THE SIX WEEKS OF LAST YEAR WE HAD 5,000 REQUESTS. SO THERE WAS A LOT OF REQUESTS BEFORE THAT. AND LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE N.2011, FIVE YEARS EARLIER, THERE WAS 2500 REQUESTS. SO WE HAVE MORE THAN DOUBLED THAT NUMBER. SO WHEN YOU LOOK BACK, THE ARCHING AC LIFE IS ABOUT 20 TO 25 YEARS. WITH F YOU LOOK BACK AND NOW WE ARE GETTING INTO THE GROWTH PERIOD. THE YEARS WHEN WE BORROWED THAT MONEY TO BUILD THE SCHOOLS, $918 MILLION I REFERENCED, THOSE ARE ALL BEGINNING TO COME DUE FOR THEIR REPLACEMENTS. AND SO THIS PROBLEM -- AND YOU CAN GO BACK TO LISTEN TO LAST YEAR'S FIVE YEAR PLAN AND A COUPLE OF BOARD SHOPS, MY SOAP BOX HAS BEEN HERE, UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THIS COMING TO FRUITION NOW, BUT IT'S OF GRAVE CONCERN TO US ESPECIALLY BECAUSE MY STAFF, MY MAINTENANCE STAFF, AIR CONDITIONING STAFF, PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN OF WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO DO, AND IT'S A BIG CHALLENGE FOR THEM. BUT THE OPEN NUMBER OF MRs THAT MR. ROBINSON MENTIONED IS ACCURATE. WE HAVE SINCE 1997, WE HAVE ACTUALLY I BELIEVE 88. FORGET THE NUMBERS. WE HAVE HAD ABOUT 80 SCHOOLS OPEN. AND OUR MAINTENANCE IS THE EXACT SAME SIZE. WE HAVE NOT INCREASED MAINTENANCE STAFF FOR THE NUMBER MUCH SCHOOLS AND NOW WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVEN'T RENOVATED ACHV SYSTEMS SO IT'S A BIG CHALLENGE. THE TWO THINGS, IF YOU LOOK ON THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, YOU WILL SEE ROOFS AND AC. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE THE FUNDING HAS GONE SOUTH. IT IS A NATIONAL ISSUE. THERE IS A WHOLE BOOK ON DETERIORATION OF SCHOOLS. I'M NOT AS WORRIED ABOUT THAT. ISM WORRIED ABOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. BUT WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THAT. WE HAVE A DEFINITE NEED TO HAVE TAKE THAT NEXT STEP TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO A CONVERSATION TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THAT. BUT THIS IS NOT A ONE-YEAR PROBLEM. IT IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM TO A LOT OF US BUT DEFINITELY IS ONE THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS. WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE CAPITAL DOLLARS. ONE ASPECT THAT WE ARE ENGAGING HUMAN RESOURCES IN IS THE ASPECT OF OUR STAFF. AC SYSTEMS ARE LIKE CARS. IF YOU KNEW HOW TO FIX A CAR YOU COULD FIX ANY CAR. BUT NOW THERE'S A COMPUTER INSIDE EACH ONE. AC SYSTEMS ARE THE SAME THING. THERE'S MOTHER BOARDS AND CHIPS, SO GETTING QUALIFIED STAFF THAT IS TRAINED ON THAT IS A BIG CHALLENGE FOR THE DEPARTMENT, COMPETITIVE SALARIES, THE SAME SITUATION. WE ARE IN FLORIDA. AND THE REALITY IS THAT YOU CAN STEP OUTSIDE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND MAKE A LOT MORE MONEY TO DO THE EXACT SAME JOB IN THAT SETTING. IN ADDITION TO FUNDING FOR REPLACEMENTS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT OUR STAFF CURRENTLY SO THAT WE CAN GET SOME SUPPORT ONCE THE SYSTEM IS IN PLACE AS WELL. I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, OR I'M SURE WILL BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL.
>> MR. FARKAS, LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION REAL QUICK. DO YOU WANT TO COMBINE THE TWO AND THEN HAVE THE DISCUSSION ALL TOGETHER?
>> YES. PICO IS JUST A SUBSET. IT USED TO BE A MUCH LARGER FIGURE. YES, 7.02 AND 7.036789 AT THIS TIME PICO MONEY WE HAVE HAD. WE ALLOCATED TOWARDS MAJOR RENOVATION. BUT THE REALITY IS WE ARE SPENDING A LARGE PORTION OF OUR BUDGET ON AIR CONDITIONING FIXES NOW SO I AM GTE GUESSING THAT'S OUR PLAN IS WHAT'S ON THE ITEM 7.03 BUT I AM GUESSING A LOT OF THAT MONEY IS GOING TO END UP IN THE ACHV FOR REPAIRS.
>> AND BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE HEARD FROM 7.02 AND 7.036789 WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THOSE AS A WHOLE. MRS. STUART.
>>Cindy Stuart: I NEED CLARIFICATION. AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S YOU, MR. FARKAS. % YEAR PLAN. TODAY WE HAVE A NEW FIVE YEAR PLAN. I NEED SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN AND CLARIFY WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN JULY AND NOW THAT BRINGS US TO THIS PLACE WHERE WE HAD 31 PROJECTS FOR THIS YEAR, 2016-17 LISTED AND NOW WE HAVE THREE. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S MRS. SAUNDERS DIVISION, CAN EXPLAIN TO US WHY WE HAVE MOVED MONEY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF MONEY AWAY FROM WHAT WE INTENDED TO DO FOR THE 16-17 SCHOOL YEAR THAT WAS APPROVED BACK IN JULY AND WE ARE NOW NOT LOOKING AT DOING. AND I'M NOT ASKING YOU JUST AS A BOARD MEMBER. I'M ASKING YOU FOR EVERY CONSTITUENT PHONE CALL THAT I HAVE HAD IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS ABOUT AIR CONDITIONING. MY SECOND QUESTION IS, WHAT HAPPENED? MR. ROBINSON QUOTED SOME NUMBERS. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE ARE ACCURATE OR NOT BUT I THINK THEY ARE PROBABLY PRETTY CLOSE. WE DID NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE LAST YEAR. WE HAVE HAD NOT HAD THIS ISSUE ALL YEAR. WE HAVE NOT HEARD THE LEVEL OF COMPLAINTS THAT WE HEARD. SO WHAT HAPPENED? IS IT JUST THAT WE ARE GETTING COMPLAINTS? PEOPLE ARE VERY VOCAL? BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED, THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAD 146 SITES. IF THAT'S ACCURATE -- AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ACCURATE EITHER -- THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAVE SUCH MAJOR AIR CONDITIONING ISSUES. SO I NEED SOME EXPLANATION. THANK YOU.
>> I CAN TAKE A LITTLE HISTORY, GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY BEHIND THAT BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE KIND OF PUT INTO CONTEXT, SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS. I THINK MR. FARKAS KIND OF HINTED ON SOME OF THESE THINGS HISTORICALLY. AND IT'S KIND OF A HISTORICAL ISSUE AND KIND OF COLLIDED TOGETHER IN ONE. SO LET'S GO BACK AND UNPACK WHAT MR. FARKAS SAID. SO 20 OR 25 YEARS AGO WE WERE BUILDING LOTS OF SCHOOLS IN THIS DISTRICT. AND WE WERE, IN DOING THAT, WE WERE GOING INTO SERIOUS DEBT TO DO THAT WORK. AS WE WERE BUILDING A LOT OF BUILDINGS IN A VERY TIGHT FRAME IN THE SAME TIMELINE WITHIN FIVE, SIX, SEVEN YEARS, SO WE BUILT UP THIS HUGE INVENTORY OF SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT THAT NOW 20 YEARS LATER ARE ALL HAVING SOME SIMILAR ISSUES. SO THAT'S KIND OF A THEN AND NOW KIND OF AN ISSUE. IN THE COURSE OF THAT TIMELINE, A LOT OF THINGS HAVE OCCURRED FINANCIALLY. AND ONE ISSUE THAT HAS COME BEFORE US SEVERAL YEARS AGO WAS WE USED TO BE ABLE TO LEVY TWO MILLS OF OUR MONEY FOR RENOVATIONS AND FOR ALL THESE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN WE WOULD LOVE TO BE DOING IN OUR SCHOOLS EVERY SINGLE YEAR. WELL, YOU TAKE A HALF MILL AWAY FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND YOU LOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN OUR BUDGETS, AND I THINK MS. BAXTER JENKINS ALLUDED TO THAT. THAT WAS A HUGE BLOW TO CAPITAL AND THAT'S WHY WE AS SUPERINTENDENTS AND BOARD ASSOCIATIONS HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BE VOCAL OUT THERE AT THE STATE LEVEL WHEN YOU ARE HEARING -- I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LITTLE PERCENTAGE, YOU KNOW, OF MILLAGE AND MOVE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. THAT'S MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND REMEMBER, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY MILLAGE 1.5 MILLS IS NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME 1.5 MILLS IN OTHER PLACES IN THE STATE BECAUSE OF THE PROPERTY VALUES. SO JUST KNOW A LOT ABOUT THAT. SO AS OUR BUILDINGS HAVE AGED, AS THE MILLAGE HAS GONE DOWN, OF COURSE, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE FACED ANOTHER CHALLENGE IN OUR DISTRICT, A AND THIS IS OUR GENERAL REVENUE FUND. A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT USED TO BE -- NOT BE ABLE TO BE CONTAINED ON CAPITAL BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THEM OVER INTO OUR GENERAL REVENUE FUND WAS MOVED OVER TO GENERAL REVENUE FUND AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR YEARS OR OTHER KINDS OF EXPENSES, MAINTENANCE COSTS, MAINTENANCE WORKERS, ALL THOSE TYPES OF COSTS THAT COULD BE ON CAPITAL HAVE BEEN ON OUR GENERAL REVENUE FUND. WELL, WHEN YOU TAKE -- YOU TAKE A CAPITAL BUDGET THAT'S BEING SQUEEZED AND YOU TAKE A GENERAL REVENUE BUDGET THAT HAS BEEN SQUEEZED, AND WE KNOW THAT THE AMOUNT OF INCREASE IN OUR RECURRING COSTS IN 13-14 AND 14-15 -- AND I HAVE TALKED TO THE BOARD ABOUT -- YOU LITERALLY HAVE HARDLY ANY SPACE LEFT IN YOUR GENERAL REVENUE FUND TO MOVE ANY OF THESE PROJECTS OVER TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF IF WE FELT LIKE WE HAD THAT TO PRIORITIZE THEM. SO YOU KIND OF GET BLOCKED, ALMOST STYMIED TO LIFT ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO LIFT AND KEEP THEM ON YOUR CAPITAL PLAN. AS WE HAVE LOOKED AT OUR GENERAL REVENUE BUDGET AND CAPITAL BUDGET WE ARE BASICALLY AT A POINT WHERE CAPITAL HAS TO START PAYING FOR CAPITAL AND GENERAL REVENUE HAS TO START PAYING FOR GENERAL REVENUE. AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN OVERNIGHT FIX. THAT'S A SLOW MOVE, BUT WE HAD TO TRANSFER A LOT OF THOSE DOLLARS BACK TO CAPITAL THAT WE JUST DID NOT HAVE ANY MORE ROOM ON OUR GENERAL REVENUE FUND TO FUND. AND THE OTHER PRIORITY OF THIS BOARD IS MAINTAIN. SO IT'S LIKE THIS TRY ANGULATION OF THREE ISSUES, CAPITAL BEING SQUEEZED, FUND BALANCE BEING STABILIZED AND GENERAL REVENUE. AND WHEN YOU GET TO THAT POINT THE MONEY THAT YOU GET TO PAY FOR CERTAIN THINGS HAS TO PAY FOR CERTAIN THINGS. AND UNTIL WE FIND ANOTHER MECHANISM TO GENERAL RATE REVENUE TO BE ABLE TO MAYBE TAKE ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
>> THE SECOND HALF THAT QUESTION, I THINK, MR. FARKAS, IF YOU COULD QUANTIFY SOME OF WHAT WE ARE HEARING OUT THERE, WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN IS IT BECAUSE OF SUMMER? IS IT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT WE ARE MANAGING AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS? IS IT BECAUSE OF LACK OF TECHNICIANS? I NEED THE PUBLIC TO HEAR SOME ANSWERS ON WHERE WE ARE. AND EVEN TO HEAR FROM YOU AND FROM THIS BOARD WHAT'S HAPPENING INSTEAD OF A LOT OF WHAT WE ARE HEARING OUT THERE.
>> THERE'S A COUPLE REASONS. IT'S NOT JUST ONE ANSWER. BUT THE PRIMARY REASON IS FUNDING. THAT'S THE REALITY. WE HAVE GOT SYSTEMS THAT WE WOULD REPLACE AND SHOULD BE REPLACED AT THAT TIME THAT WE ARE NOT REPLACING. YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD THAT, BUT AS I REFERENCED THERE, THERE'S 5,000 MAINTENANCE REQUESTS FOR MAINTENANCE LAST YEAR. THE ABILITY AND HOW QUICKLY WE CAN FIX THEM IS ONE OF THE BIG CHANGES. THE OLDER SYSTEMS -- AND THE PERFECT EXAMPLE I GAVE WHEN I TALKED TO PRINCIPALS AT THE LAST PRINCIPALS MEETING WAGS WILLIAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL. BUT THE AIR CONDITIONING WENT DOWN. WE WENT TO GO LOOK AT THE SYSTEM. IT HAD A MOTOR OUT IN THE MAIN AIR HANDLER. THAT'S NOT AN UNCOMMON THING. IT'S ABOUT 22 YEARS OLD. WE WENT TO FIND THE SYSTEM. THEY DON'T MAKE THAT MOTOR ANYMORE. THE COMPANY DOESN'T. SO WE HAD TO FEIGNED THAT SYSTEM IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. WHEN THE MOTOR CAME IN, IN FOUR DAYS, ACTUALLY GOT HERE IN FIVE, THERE WASN'T A BRACKET THAT CAME WITH IT. WE HAD TO ACTUALLY HIRE A WELDR TO MAKE A BRACKET BECAUSE THEY DON'T MAKE A BRACKET FOR THAT SYSTEM ANYMORE. SO A NEW SYSTEM THAT'S A 24 HOUR REPAIR, AND THE SCHOOL REALLY KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE, IN A 22-YEAR-OLD SYSTEM, THAT'S A TWO WEEK REPAIR. AND JUST HELPED THEIR CIRCULATION. THEY ARE NOT A CONDUCIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT WE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH. SO THE OLDER SYSTEMS ARE HARDER TO REPAIR AND TAKE MORE TIME. AND PART TWO WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT WITH THE REPAIR TECHS, THE SCHOOLS HAVE GROWN, REPAIR DEPARTMENT, HAVC HAS NOT, AT THIS TIME VENDORS ARE VERY BUSY. IT'S NOT A SHELL GAME. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I AM COMFORTABLE WITH BECAUSE I DO TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT I DO, AND WE CAN'T FIX AC, AND SOME OF THE UNTRUTHFUL STATEMENTS OUT THERE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT CAPITAL DOLLARS THAT I HAVE IS DIFFERENT FROM PART 1, AND WHAT IS IN MRS. SAUNDERS BUSINESS DIVISION. THE ENERGY SAVINGS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH MY ABILITY TO FUND MY DIVISION OR REPAIR ANYTHING. PLUS THE SAVINGS ARE 2 TO $4 MILLION. JUST ONE AC SYSTEM IS $5 MILLION. THERE IS NOT -- THAT MAKES ZERO SENSE FOR ME TO IN THAT SITUATION WHEN I AM TRYING TO SAVE MONEY BY TRIMMING THINGS OFF. SO AS I SAY, I WOULD LOVE TO TELL YOU THERE'S A SOLUTION, MRS. STUART, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, AS I SAID BEFORE, IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY FROM A FUNDING STANDPOINT THE SITUATION WILL BE -- YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT IT. IT WILL SOLVE ITSELF IN ABOUT NOVEMBER BUT IN MARCH THE SAME PROBLEM IS GOING TO BE THERE AND THAT PROBLEM WILL GET WORSE EACH YEAR AS WE GO THROUGH BECAUSE WE ARE BUILDING TEN SCHOOLS A YEAR. AND AGAIN, THE 20-YEAR REPLACEMENT CYCLE, YOU ALL BOUGHT CARS. IT'S SUPPOSED TO LAST 20 YEARS BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT DOES. SOME LAST 15. SOME LAST 25. SO WE ARE IN A SITUATION NOW WHERE FROM OUR STANDPOINT IN DIRE STRAITS. LET ME GIVE YOU ONE REFERENCE POINT, MRS. STUART. WE TALK ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE FOR PART 1 AND THE ONE THAT COMES TO YOU. CAPITAL ALSO HAS A FUND BALANCE, CARRY-OVER BALANCE. IN 2008 THE CARRY OVER BALANCE FOR CAPITAL WAS 5 $8 MILLION. THE CURRENT YEAR IS $24 MILLION. 96% REDUCTION IN OUR CAPITAL BALANCE SINCE 2008. A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT FACTS TO UNDERSTAND, I ACTUALLY GOT TOGETHER A TEAM AT CAPITAL, VENDORS FROM THE OUTSIDE, PEOPLE FROM THE OUTSIDE TO MAKE SURE OUR VIEW WAS ACCURATE AND I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE GIBSON REPORT PHASE 2 YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THE DATA THAT I AM GOING TO TALK A LITTLE ABOUT. AGAIN WE ONLY WORK ON ROOFS AND AC RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THOSE ARE THINGS THAT AFFECT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT MOST. NOT PAINT ANYWHERE ELSE, EVERY YEAR WE HAVE $71 MILLION IF WE ARE DOING AN EQUAL NUMBER OF SCHOOLS FOR THE 20 YEAR REPLACEMENT CYCLE. THAT'S EVERY YEAR. EVERY YEAR WE DON'T DO THAT, THAT DOLLAR FIGURE GOES INTO THE REFERENCE POINT THAT MR. ROBINSON TALKED ABOUT. SO THIS $785 MILLION OF NOT FUNDED AND BACKED-UP MAINTENANCE IN AC IS ACCURATE IF NOT HIGHER. THE $71 MILLION THAT WE NEED EVERY SINGLE YEAR JUST TO KEEP UP WITH IF PREPLACEMENT CYCLE IS EVERYTHING LASTS 20 YEARS F.YEAR ON THE FIVE YEAR PLAN WE ARE DOING ONE PROJECT AT $4 MILLION WHICH MEANS THE $67 MILLION THAT WE ARE NOT USING CARRIES OVER TO THE NEXT YEAR, SO THIS PROBLEM IS NOT GETTING BETTER. THIS PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. I AM NOT TRYING TO BE CHICKEN LITTLE. I'M JUST TRYING TO ANSWER YOU AS BEST I CAN. THE FUNDING SOURCE IS A BIG PART OF IT. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A BIG POCKET OF MONEY THAT WE ARE NOT REACHING INTO, BUT IN MY SCOPE, IT IS -- IT DOES AFFECT LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. MY BOOKS ARE OPEN. IT'S PUBLIC RECORD ANYWAY. BUT IT'S NOT THAT WE ARE HIDING MONEY OR TRYING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I'M ONLY WORRIED ABOUT FIXING AIR CONDITIONING AND ROOFS AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING BEING WE PUT IN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN WITH VERY FEW EXCEPTION IFS THERE'S LEAD PAINT OR SOMETHING WE HAVE TO ADDRESS FROM A SAFETY ISSUE. AND THAT'S ALL WE HAVE IN THIS PLAN. BUT IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING TO BE IN THE SITUATION THAT WE ARE IN. AND I FEEL BAD FOR MY GUYS THAT HAVE TO GO OUT AND FACE THE PRINCIPALS AND KIDS EVERY SINGLE DAY IN THAT SITUATION. BUT WHAT HAS CHANGED IS WE ARE STARTING TO SEE THAT ROAD, THAT WALL. LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT A PRETTY PICTURE FOR NEXT YEAR. I WOULD LOVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I THINK IT'S THE SAME THING ONLY WORSE.
>>Cindy Stuart: I APPRECIATE THAT AND I HOPE BY THE END OF THIS MEETING WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE THIS BOARD IS LOOKING TO GO TO TALK ABOUT SOME SOLUTIONS, WHETHER THEY ARE SHORT-TERM OR LONG-TERM. I THINK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DISCUSS BOTH. I HOPE THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO COME OUT OF THE CONVERSATION TODAY AND NOT JUST AN APPROVAL OF THIS PLAN THAT WE HEAR SOME OF THE CONVERSATION THAT IS ON THE TABLE ABOUT GOING IN THAT DIRECTION. SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONEST IF I ON THIS. I FEEL LIKE WE ARE BACK ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BUSES THAT WE HAVEN'T BOUGHT FOR A LONG TIME. AND I FEEL LIKE WE ARE RIGHT BACK THERE WHERE NOW WE ARE REALIZING THAT WE HAVE MAINTENANCE AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PROPERLY TAKEN CARE OF AND PROPERLY MAINTAINED, AND WE ARE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE WERE WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BUSES.
>>April Griffin: MRS. VALDEZ.
>>Susan Valdes: I AGREE WITH THAT LAST STATEMENT YOU MADE, BECAUSE THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT -- WELL, I MENTIONED THAT TO YOU EARLIER, MR. FARKAS, IN THE HALLWAY, WHERE THIS FEELS JUST LIKE -- WE WERE ASSUMING THAT THINGS WERE GOING ALONG THAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING WITH ACs AND MAINTENANCE, FIVE-YEAR PLAN. BUT ANOTHER ASPECT OF THIS IS THAT WE HAVE NEVER REALLY BEEN FAITHFUL TO THESE FIVE YEAR PLANS FOR A LONG TIME. OUR PROJECTS HAVE BEEN MOVED AROUND AND SHIFTED. SO THERE HASN'T BEEN EQUITY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IN TERMS OF ALL OF OUR FACILITIES. SO THAT'S ALSO A CONCERN. WE ALL KNOW THAT PARTIALLY HOW WE GOT HERE IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A SITUATION WITH HAVING TOO MANY SALARIES. ASK $180 MILLION OF SALARIES, AND AS MR. EAKINS, YOU DESCRIBED, WHERE BOTH SIDES OF SEQUESTERED, THERE'S GOING TO COME A POINT WHERE THINGS WILL NOT BE SUSTAINABLE. AND I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE BUDGET MOVING FORWARD AS WELL, BECAUSE I REALIZE THAT UNLESS TALLAHASSEE INCREASES ITS PER-PUPIL ALLOTMENT, IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER. MRS. SAUNDERS, IS IT 7,000? BECAUSE I KNOW WE GOT CUT.
>>Gretchen Saunders: 7400 A STUDENT THAT WE ARE FUNDED.
>>Susan Valdes: 7400.
>> AND THAT WAS ABOUT A $6 INCREASE FROM THE YEAR BEFORE.
>>Gretchen Saunders: THAT'S ONLY GENERAL FUND, THOUGH. JUST GENERAL FUND.
>>Susan Valdes: YES, THAT'S ADJUSTS GENERAL FUND. SO MY CONCERN IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE PLANS, HOW CAN WE ADDRESS THE EQUITY ISSUE AND BRING THESE FACILITIES UP TO PAR? WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO -- AND I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN WE DO THESE, BUT THE INVENTORY OF OUR FACILITIES, AND SEE WHAT'S THE CONDITION OF OUR FACILITIES, WHAT DO WE LOOK AT WHEN WE DO THOSE? I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PROCESS IS. AND COME TO MIND, REMEMBER THAT RENOVATIONS ARE ALSO NOT LIKE WE WOULD CONSIDER RENOVATION AT OUR HOME OUR OUR CONDO WHERE YOU CAN GO TO BEAUTIFY A WHOLE SECTION AND IT'S ALL GOING TO BE NEW. NO. RENOVATION FOR US MAKES SURE THAT ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL OUTLETS ARE WITH CODE, IT'S ALL ABOUT ALL THESE SAFETY THINGS. SO YOU DON'T SEE A FACILITY GO THROUGH AN OVERHAUL OF A BEAUTIFICATION UNDER RENOVATION. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE DEFINITION OF THE TERMS THAT WE ARE USING TO DESCRIBE THE REALLY MIRRORS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, BECAUSE FOR THE PERSON OUT THERE THAT IS NOT INVOLVED IN THIS CONVERSATION ON A FREQUENT BASIS WILL FIGURE RENOVATION IS -- I'M GOING TO BEAUTIFY AND CHANGES THINGS AROUND. WELL, NO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. I AGREE THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, WITH A REFERENDUM OR SOMETHING TO THAT NATURE, BUT I'M NOT THERE YET. I'M REALLY NOT THERE YET. BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET A GRIP. AND I KNOW THAT STAFF -- MR. EAKINS, DR. VASQUEZ, YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB IN TRYING TO CONTAIN AND PREPARE THE BUDGET AND KEEP AT SUSTAINABLE BUDGET AND MAKE IT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK WITH. BUT THE REALITY IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS, PART OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE HEAR TODAY AS WELL -- AND THIS BOARD HAS PRIDE ITSELF WITH NOT LAYING OFF ANY INDIVIDUALS, PARTICULARLY IN THE 2008-2009 TIME WHEN OUR BUDGET CAME DOWN, AND EVERYTHING WAS JUST A VERY DIFFICULT TIME FINANCIALLY. THAT WE REALLY ATTEMPTED TO TRY AND MAINTAIN FAMILIES' LIVES, AND NOT DISRUPT THEIR LIVELIHOOD, BUT THAT'S ALSO ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY, BECAUSE BUSINESSES CANNOT SUSTAIN THIS KIND OF WEIGHT. SO IT'S A CHALLENGE. I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO SEE HOW WE CAN TRACK EQUITY MOVING FORWARD, AND ENSURING THAT WHATEVER IT IS THAT IS SLATED TO BE DONE, THAT REALLY GETS DONE SO THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET BACK TO PUTTING THINGS ON A CYCLE, AND ALLOWING FOR THE SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE THE MAINTENANCE, WELL, THE THINGS THAT THEY DESERVE AT THE TIME, AND BUILD THAT EQUITY ACROSS THE DISTRICT. I APPRECIATE THE GUYS IN MAINTENANCE. I KNOW THAT THEY WORK VERY HARD, AND THEY DO TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR WORK. ONE OF MY CONCERNS WITH THE VENDORS THAT WE USE -- AND I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MR. DERRINGER, IS THAT WHEN MRs ARE HANDLED, AND THEY SAY THAT THIS PARTICULAR MR HAS BEEN CLOSED, AND THAT INDIVIDUAL AC OR AIR HANDLER HAS BEEN FIXED, AND IT REALLY HASN'T BEEN FIXED, I DON'T SEE, WE MAY NEED TO THINK ABOUT HAVING FOLKS GO BACK AND INSPECT THE WORK, BECAUSE WHEN THEY COME BACK OUT, THERE COULD BE ANOTHER GENERATED INVOICE FOR REPEAT CALL, AND WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ON HOW MANY OF THOSE COME BACK TO US WITH ANOTHER FEE ON THERE, BECAUSE IF THEY ARE MARKED CORRECTED AND FIXED AND THEY ARE NOT, I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR ANOTHER AC GUY TO COME OUT, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A VENDOR. NO. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO AFFORD THAT, TO DO THAT, IF THAT'S EVEN GOING ON. I DON'T KNOW. BECAUSE WE AS BOARD MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION. NEITHER PER SE AS FAR AS THAT WE CAN GO IN AND LOOK AT THESE MAINTENANCE REQUESTS. IT'S NOT WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION. SO I'M SAYING THESE COMMENTS JUST TO MAKE STAFF AWARE OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HEARING ARE HAPPENING. AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SHARE THOSE IDEAS AND THOSE COMMENTS WHEN THEY COME TO US, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, THEN WE ARE PART OF THAT PROBLEM AS WELL. SO ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS IN REFERENCE TO NEW REVENUES. WE HAD A WORKSHOP, ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, SO WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT ADVERTISING ON OUR BUSES, ADVERTISING AT OUR SCHOOL SITES, AND WHERE ARE WE ON THAT CONVERSATION? HAS STAFF -- THAT'S A WAY IN WHICH WE CAN HELP TO GENERATE OUR REVENUE. AND WHO KNOWS? MAYBE IF FUNDS ARE GENERATED IN A PARTICULAR SCHOOL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE. BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME INFORMATION ON, SEE IF IT'S EVEN FEASIBLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND HOW MUCH WOULD IT GENERATE TO BE ABLE TO BRING ALL OF THESE PROJECTS CLOSER TO COMPLETION. BUT I FEEL BAD FOR OUR STUDENTS. I FEEL BAD FOR OUR TEACHERS, OUR EMPLOYEES. AND YOU ARE RIGHT. IT'S NOT ALL OF OUR PARTICULAR FAULT. I WISH I HAD A MAGIC WAND THAT WE COULD FIX IT IN A HEARTBEAT. BUT THAT BUDGET IS -- I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN WHAT WE ARE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO DO RIGHT NOW. AND I BELIEVE WE NEED TO HAVE A MORE SERIOUS CONVERSATION ON THAT AS WELL MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE I DO NOT THINK THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICES, THE LEVEL OF SALARIES, AND THAT ARE PART OF NEGOTIATIONS MOVING FORWARD. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: MRS. KURDELL.
>>Carol Kurdell: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID. THAT'S HEARSAY. I WANT TO STICK TO THE FACTS TODAY. THE FACTS ARE THAT WE ARE A GROWING DISTRICT. THE FACT IS THERE'S NOT EQUITY ACROSS THE DISTRICT IN TERMS OF DISTRICTS. I COVER THE WHOLE COUNTY. I CAN TELL YOU THAT FOR A FACT. SOME DISTRICTS HAVE BENEFITED GREATLY OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE AND THAT KIND OF THING. CHRIS FARKAS, SIR? HAVE OUR CHILLERS BEEN MAINTAINED PROPERLY? CAN YOU GIVE ME A YES OR NO? OR DO WE NEED A QUALIFIER?
>> THERE'S ALWAYS A QUALIFIER BUT THE ANSWER WILL BE NO, NOT TO THE LEVEL WE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH. MAINTENANCE TAKES PEOPLE AND MONEY.
>>Carol Kurdell: AND YOU ARE SHORT ON PEOPLE AND MONEY.
>> YES, MA'AM.
>>Carol Kurdell: THAT'S WHAT I HEARD EARLIER.
>> UH-HUH.
>>Carol Kurdell: I WAS HERE WHEN WE PUT THE CHILLERS IN. YEAH. AND IT'S BEEN ABOUT 20 YEARS, 15, 20 YEARS. ARE THE CHILLERS THE BEST THING TO DO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, GIVEN TECHNOLOGY? BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION THIS BOARD IS GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT AND ANSWER, BECAUSE THE TECHNOLOGY CHANGES.
>> YES, MA'AM, AND WE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED THERMAL ICE STORAGE, AND BOB, CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, I AM GOING TO SAY SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS WE HAD NOT A LOT, BUT A FEW ICE STORAGE PLANTS THAT WORK WITH NEWER TECHNOLOGY. THERE'S BEEN SOME THINGS THAT HELPED IN THAT PROCESS. AGAIN THERE'S A COST WITH THAT. BUT WE HAVE STARTED THAT PROCESS. BUT YOU CAN'T DO 260 SITES AT THE SAME TIME. SO THOSE ARE SLOWLY DONE, AND TAKEN CARE OF. BUT TECHNOLOGY CHANGES ALL THE TIME. WE ARE ALSO CHALLENGED FROM A COUPLE PERSPECTIVES FROM. A STATE PERSPECTIVE IT'S AN ISSUE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY POSITION ARE DOING, COST PER STUDENTS, THAT TALLAHASSEE CURRENTLY HAS IN PLACE, IS SOMEWHAT UNREALISTIC TO DO WHAT WE ARE DOING, EVEN THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD IT BUT ARE LIMITED BY WHAT THEY CAN DO SO THE TYPE OF EQUIPMENT IS ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES. TWO THINGS, WE ACTUALLY SPEND PER STUDENT 40% LESS THAN THE STATE AVERAGE IN MAINTENANCE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SO AS WITH ANYTHING, WHEN YOU SPEND THAT MUCH ON THAT PRODUCT, IT AFFECTS THAT OUTCOME. SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART TO REMEMBER, IS THAT WE ARE 40% LESS THAN THE STATE AVERAGE FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. SO, YES, ALL THOSE THINGS. AND ONE -- SORRY, MRS. KURDELL -- WE COMPARED TRANSPORTATION, AC, AND THERE ARE SOME SIMILARITIES, MRS. STUART, BUT HERE IS THE BIG, BIG DIFFERENCE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, HAVING GONE THROUGH BOTH THOSE PAINFUL PROCESSES. A BUS IS $103 THE THOUSAND WHICH IS A LOT OF MONEY BUT IT'S -- 103,000. BUT THEY GOT TO US EARLIER SO WE CAN FIX THAT THERE. AC SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. IT'S A YEAR-ISH, DEPENDING ON WHEN WE STARTED AND WHAT WE ARE DOING AT THE SCHOOL SITE TO FIX THAT PROBLEM, TO DO AN ENTIRE REPLACEMENT, AND EVERY PROGRAM IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. SO EVEN IF YOU GAVE A BLANK CHECK RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH VENDORS RIGHT NOW THAT COULD EVEN PERFORM SERVICE ON THE 50 TO 75 SYSTEMS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FRAMING THE CONVERSATION, IT'S IMPORTANT WE START THE PROCESS NOW. RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE TO DO AN AC REPLACEMENT FOR NEXT FALL IF WE ARE DOING A WHOLE SYSTEM REPLACEMENT. SO IT IS A QUICK ANSWER TO THAT. WE PAY, LIKE I SAID, 360% OF MY BUDGET GOES TO DEBT. SO TAKING ON MORE DEBT MAY SOLVE US TEMPORARILY SO IF YOU BRING THE CONVERSATION ON THAT, CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN, WE HAVE TO START GOING INTO THE THAT DEBT, EATING WHERE THE PROBLEM IS NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE ADEQUATE MAINTENANCE BUDGET TO FIX THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THOSE TWO THINGS OUT THERE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
>>Carol Kurdell: AND I'M GLAD YOU DO BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION TODAY, BECAUSE HERE IS THE DEAL. BUSES ARE NOT GOING TO FUND WHAT WE NEED FUNDED. YOU ALL NEED TO THINK BIGGER THAN THAT. MR. ROBINSON IS STILL HERE. HE JUST MOVED HIS SEAT. MR. ROBINSON IS NOT WRONG ABOUT A REFERENDUM. AS MUCH AS ANYBODY HATES TO TALK ABOUT THAT, YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT. BECAUSE YOU HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM. YOU ARE BUILDING -- YOUR BUILDING IS GOING UP, A FACILITY. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THAT. AND SOME OF YOU HAVE. WE WERE OPENING 10 AND 12 SCHOOLS A YEAR. A YEAR FOR TEN YEARS. THAT'S WHAT THE DEBT IS. THAT'S WHAT. YOU ARE ABOUT TO HIT SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN WITH THIS HOUSING BOOM. WE MAY BE IN A SORT OF SOFT RECESSION THAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT, BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL MOVING HERE. WE STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE SCHOOLS, THOSE KIND OF THINGS. SO DON'T TALK ABOUT THE SMALL STUFF. I BEG YOU. TALK ABOUT THE BIG STUFF. AS SCARY AS THAT IS -- AND I'M SURE THAT'S SCARY FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT, AND HIS CHIEF OF STAFF AND HIS DEPUTY. AND I KNOW GRETCHEN IS ABOUT TO FAINT OVER THERE. BUT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO THINK ON BIG TERMS ON HOW YOU FIX THIS. WE ALL KNOW THIS IS THE SECOND RECORD-SETTING SUMMER IN FLORIDA. JULY, AUGUST. LOOKS LIKE SEPTEMBER IS RIGHT ON RECORD, TOO. I MEAN, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. SO FOR SOMEBODY WHO GREW UP WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING IN FLORIDA, I DON'T EVER REMEMBER IT BEING LIKE THIS. AND WE HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO AIR CONDITIONED SPACES. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE GOT TO ADDRESS NOW. DO YOU WANT TO TAKE ON MORE DEBT? NO, I WOULDN'T. I WOULDN'T. BUT IT MAY BE YOUR ONLY SOLUTION AT THIS TIME WITH A REFERENDUM. YOU SEE THOSE PARENTS SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT NEED TO BE IN TALLAHASSEE. THEY'LL LISTEN TO THEM. SO THOSE PARENTS, PARTICULARLY THE LADY THAT SPOKE, SHE NEEDS TO BE IN TALLAHASSEE WITH A CONTINGENT OF PARENTS AND TELL THEM, MY CHILD IS SUFFERING IN THE CLASSROOM BECAUSE IT'S SO HOT. THEY NEED TO TELL THEM THAT THEY DON'T NEED TO DIVERT THE MONEY TO CHARTER SCHOOLS. THOSE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SELF-FUNDING AND SELF-SUSTAINABLE. YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE. IT IS TIME TO PUSH THE LEGISLATURE TO THE LIMIT. AND THAT'S NEVER NICE. WE HAVE ALL GOTTEN TO KNOW THEM OVER THE YEARS. THEY ARE PEOPLE WE LIKE, SO OF THEM. BUT THEY HAVE GOT A JOB TO DO. AND THEY CAN NO LONGER IGNORE THIS. SO I WOULD IMPLORE YOU TO DO IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE AS YOU MOVE FORWARD. I THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS IN THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN THAT I WOULD TAKE OFF AT THIS POINT. AND I'LL -- AND THIS IS MY PERSPECTIVE. AND YOU HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT, THIS BEFORE. VAN BUREN IS IN HERE, AND IT SAYS A K-8 REVISION THAT IS $3 MILLION. NOW, I UNDERSTAND WANTING TO DO THAT AND I'M IN FAVOR. HOWEVER, WE JUST CONVERTED SULPHUR SPRINGS. THERE WAS A PUBLIC CONVERSATION ABOUT SULPHUR SPRINGS BECAUSE WE WERE ALL INVOLVED IN IT. BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD THE PUBLIC CONVERSATION WITH THAT COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW WE DO THE K-8. I WOULD SAY, TAKE A LOOK AT THE BOUNDARIES. THAT'S ANOTHER PAINFUL, BIG THING YOU ALL ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO. IT'S THE THING THAT MAKES SENSE AND SAVES YOU MONEY. NOW, I DON'T KNOW, MR. FARKAS, WHAT YOUR POSITION IS, AND MR. SUPERINTENDENT, AND CHIEF OF STAFF, ON THE K-8 FOR THIS. BUT I WOULD THINK LOOKING AT THIS, IF AIR CONDITIONERS ARE AS BIG A PROBLEM AS THEY ARE AT THIS POINT, SAVE OFF THE K-8 EVEN THOUGH IT'S SMALL. DO SOMETHING WITH THE BOUNDARIES INSTEAD. TAKE THAT MONEY AND PUT IT INTO HELPING FURTHER THE MAINTENANCE OF THE AIR CONDITIONING AT THIS POINT IN TIME, YOU KNOW. I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. IF WE COULD GET TO NOVEMBER AND IT COOLS OFF, EVERYBODY WOULD BE A LITTLE HAPPIER. BUT THE THING IS, IT'S NOT GOING AWAY. THERE WENT MY HEARING. IT'S NOT GOING AWAY. SO LIKE I SAID, I IMPLORE YOU TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE. I THINK YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE FIXES AS YOU MOVE ALONG RIGHT NOW. SOUTH COUNTY IS BOOMING AGAIN. LIKE THE NORTHWEST DID WHEN WE WERE BUILDING SCHOOLS. SO JUST ABSOLUTELY. I KNOW I'M REPEATING MYSELF. LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE. YOU HAVE GOT A LOT ON YOUR PLATE. AND NONE OF IT IS GOING TO BE EASY, BECAUSE YOU ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO DO MORE WITH LESS. AND WE HAD A ROTATION MAINTENANCE PROGRAM GOING FOR A LONG TIME. WE DID A LOT OF THINGS. BECAUSE I WAS INVOLVED IN THAT. I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE WHOLE MAINTENANCE THING. AND WE DID IT LIKE RED AND GREEN TEAMS LIKE THE MILITARY DID, WHERE YOU HAVE A TRAILER AND EVERYBODY GOES, AND JUST GO AROUND. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT. BUT THOSE KIND OF THINGS WORKED. AND WE MAY HAVE TO GO BACK TO SOME OF THAT WHERE YOU CAN DO MORE WITH LESS PEOPLE. SO I DON'T ENVY YOU ON THIS ONE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR AN ANSWER ABOUT VAN BUREN AND HOW YOU GOT THERE.
>> YES, IT IS BY NO SUCH A DONE DEAL. ACTUALLY THAT'S 100%.
>>Carol Kurdell: THERE'S 3 MILLION FOR THIS.
>> THAT'S ALLOCATE BUD HERE IS THE GOAL FOR THAT. EXACTLY BACK TO WHAT MRS. VALDES WAS REFERENCING. I WOULD LIKE FOR THE FIVE YEAR PLAN TO REFLECT EVERY PENNY SPENT ON THAT. THERE'S A CONVERSATION WITH WHAT TO DO WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL SEATS. THERE'S BEEN NO DECISION ABOUT VAN BUREN BEING PAID. I THINK -- THE PROBLEM WAS THIS WAS DUE OCTOBER 1st AND FOR THAT TO BE A POSSIBILITY WE NEEDED TO HAVE THAT IN THE PLAN. I SHOULD HAVE COMMUNICATED THAT TO THE BOARD BETTER AND I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT. BULL IF BY CHANCE VAN BUREN IS NOT IN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY, THAT MONEY WILL STAY IN THERE AND CAN BE ALLOCATED FOR AIR CONDITIONING, OR ANOTHER USE THAT'S IN THERE. BUT IF I DIDN'T LIST IT IN THE PLAN, AND THAT'S THE WAY WE WENT, THEN IT WOULD BE A NEW PROJECT TO AND THAT'S NOT FAIR TO YOU EITHER. SO THAT IDEA OF HAVING IT OUT THERE AS A POSSIBILITY WAS AN ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION. AND THE POINT ABOUT-SEATS, WE HAVE 13,000 EXTRA MIDDLE SCHOOL SEATS. SO IT'S MORE THAN JUST PUTTING MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL FACILITIES. BUT WITH THAT COMES A PRICE TAG BECAUSE ELEMENTARY KIDS HAVE A DIFFERENT REQUIREMENT TO HAVE BATHROOMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ON FIRST FLOOR. THAT'S WHY THAT FIGURE IS ON THERE. AND AGAIN THAT'S MY FAULT FOR NOT COMING TO THE BOARD THAT THAT WAS ON THERE AS A POSSIBILITY FOR DISCUSSION. SO, IF WE WENT IN THAT DISCUSSION WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE DOLLARS ALLOCATED FOR THAT.
>>Carol Kurdell: HERE IS MY PROBLEM WITH THAT. I APPROVED THIS. IT'S IN HERE. MR. ROBINSON IS GOING TO COME UP AND SAY, YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO VAN BUREN TO K-8 FOR $3 MILLION. WHERE IS IT? SO HOW DO I GET PAST THAT?
>>Christopher Farkas: YOU HAVE TO APPROVE ANY SCHOOL CHANGE. JUST LIKE YOU DID WITH TURNER OR SULPHUR SPRINGS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. YOU ARE ALLOCATING FUNDING FOR THAT, THAT WOULD BE THERE, BUT THAT WOULD NOT TAKE PLACE, AND BROUGHT THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE SCHOOL BOARD IN THAT SITUATION.
>> I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT IT. THANKS. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: MRS. EDGECOMB?
>>Doretha Edgecomb: THANK YOU. I'M NOT EVEN SURE HOW TO APPROACH THIS, IT'S SO COMPLICATED, AND THERE ARE JUST SO MANY VARIABLES. AND THERE ARE SO MANY CRISES, IF YOU WILL, EMBEDDED IN ALL OF THIS. AND SO I AM GOING TO DO THE BEST THAT I CAN OF THE ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, MR. SUPERINTENDENT, THAT MRS. STUART ASKED, HELP ME WITH ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS GOING TO ASK. WHAT WAS YOUR THINKING OF SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT YOU MADE TO MOVE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM CAPITAL OVER TO GENERAL FUNDS? AND I HOPE I HEARD YOU. FIRST OF ALL, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO BALANCE THE FUND BALANCE, ONE. ONE IS GENERAL FUND, THIRD, AND THE CAPITAL FUNDING. THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS. AND WHAT I WAS TRYING -- WHEN I ASKED THAT QUESTION IS, I WAS TRYING TO GET INTO INTO YOUR HEAD TO THINK ABOUT THE PROS AND CONS. WHAT YOU STRUGGLED WITH, WHAT WAS EASY TO MAKE. YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS YOUR THINKING ALL AROUND THIS? BECAUSE HERE IS WHAT I SEE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. IF YOU TRANSFER MONEY FROM ONE TO THE OTHER, TO ANOTHER, IN ORDER TO DO WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE DOING, YOU ARE MAKING AN IMPACT ON THE FUNDS, AND WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE WORK THAT THAT WAS DESIGNED TO DO IF YOU ARE TAKING THOSE TO DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS? ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL, IF YOU WILL. A CRITICAL PORTION OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO RUN THIS DISTRICT. AND I HEARD YOU. I STILL STRUGGLE. I KNOW YOU HAVE TO DO IT. BECAUSE IT COMES DOWN TO VERY FUNDAMENTAL THINGS LIKE TV ACADEMICIAN THAT WE ARE FACING, WITH THE GROWTH. AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT HAVING MULTIPLE CHECKBOOKS, AND, YOU KNOW, DOLLARS AND CENTS. THIS IS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. SO I KNOW THAT. AS I LOOK AT THIS FIVE YEAR PLAN TODAY, IT CAN'T BE BUSINESS AS USUAL. IN LOOKING AT IT, IN TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY PROPOSING IT. SO MR. FARKAS, MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME. I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT THIS THING HOLISTICALLY. IF THERE WERE SOME CRITICAL PAGES IN THIS BOOK, IN THIS DOCUMENT, THAT WE REALLY NEED TO ZERO IN MICROSCOPICALLY BRETER WE HAVE EVER DONE IN OUR LIFE IN TERMS OF THIS PLAN, WHAT ARE THOSE PAGES? AND WHY ARE THEY SO CRITICAL TO THIS DISCUSSION, AND ULTIMATELY THE APPROVAL OF THIS PLAN? I JUST CAN'T LOOK AT IT, HERE IS THE CONVERSATION. I WANT TO ZERO IN ON THOSE PAGES THAT TELL THE STORY, THAT TELLS ME TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE, WHAT'S BEING IMPACTED, AND AGAIN, SOLUTIONS AREN'T EMBEDDED IN HERE. DISCUSSIONS AND SOLUTIONS AROUND THIS BORED. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE -- I CAN'T OFFER SOLUTIONS AS A BOARD MEMBER UNTIL I REALLY UNDERSTAND THE CRITICAL PIECES THAT I BETTER KNOW BEFORE I APPROVE THIS PLAN.
>> AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND. MY FRAME OF REFERENCE IS IMPORTANT. I WAS AN EDUCATION MAJOR IN COLLEGE SO I GOT IN TO TEACH AND BE AROUND SCHOOLS SO STUDENTS ARE ALWAYS THE FOCUS. THAT'S WHY REGARDLESS OF THE POSITION I'M IN. SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT PAGE IT'S ON, HOW DOES IT IMPACT STUDENTS? THAT'S WHY I GOT INTO THIS PROFESSION. SO I WILL TELL YOU -- AND I APPRECIATE EMPLOYEES, DON'T GET ME WRONG. KIDS ARE WHY WE ARE HEAR. CONE DOESIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IS OUR FOCUS FROM OPERATIONS. WHEN WE ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THAT, THAT'S OUR NUMBER ONE. SO HOW IS THAT IMPACTED? WHAT PAGE IS IMPACTED BY OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE A CONDUCIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS? IT'S THE PROJECT PAGE. THAT'S ALL THE PAGES THAT ARE -- IT'S WHERE IT LIST IT IS INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS AND WHAT PROJECTS WE ARE DOING.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: TALKING ABOUT PAGE 28 -- WHAT?
>>Christopher Farkas: JUST MAKE SURE. THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT FORMS OF IT SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET THE SAME FORM THAT YOU GUYS HAVE. I APOLOGIZE. IT ACTUALLY STARTS ON PAGE 4. WHERE IT LISTS SCHOOLS AND WHAT WE ARE DOING. I THINK WE TALKED IN THE PREVIOUS WORKSHOP ABOUT SYSTEMS AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE A WAY OF DOING THINGS. AT THIS TIME SAME WAY IN MAINTENANCE. MY GENERAL MANAGER IS ONE THAT KNOWS HIS DATA VERY WELL. SO WE CAN TELL YOU OUR TOP 25 ROOFS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED, OUR TOP 25 AIR CONDITIONERS. WHEN WE GET OUR BUDGET, WE LOOK AT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND COMPARE THOSE TWO. WHEN THERE'S A MINIMUM ANNAL BUDGET THERE'S ONE PROJECT ON HERE FOR AC. IF THERE WAS ANOTHER $5 MILLION IN HERE WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT HIGHEST LIST FROM A PRIORITY STANDPOINT OF AIR CONDITIONING. SO I SAY THAT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THERE'S THREE PROJECTS, TWO ROOFS AND AIR CONDITIONING, THAT ARE LISTED IN THAT FIRST COLUMN, THAT'S THE MOST TELLING FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE THAT MEANS THERE'S ONE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM THAT'S GOING TO BE FIXED, COMPLETELY FIXED FROM THAT STANDPOINT. THE OTHER 24 THAT ARE IN DIRE NEED, AND THE OTHER 50 THAT PROBABLY NEED SOME MAINTENANCE ARE NOT TOUCHED IN THIS PLAN. SO CONDUCIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, 50 TO 75 SCHOOLS IS NOT IMPACTED. WHAT THE BUDGET IS, IS WHAT DICTATES HOW MANY PROJECTS WE ARE ABLE TO DO. IT STARTS ON PAGE 4 AND 5. ON THAT, THAT'S A HUGE PART. THAT'S EVERY SCHOOL THAT WE ARE TOUCHING IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AND AS A TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, YOU LOOK AT WHERE YOUR SCHOOL IS. SO IF YOU HAVE A SCHOOL THAT'S HAVING AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEMS AND YOU ARE NOT LISTED IN ANY OF THESE FIVE YEARS, THAT GIVES YOU SOME CAUSE FOR EVEN MORE CONCERN THAN YOU HAVE WALKING TO YOUR CLASSROOM WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT'S 85° AND YOU HAVE TO CHANGE CLOTHES. SO I'M JUST AS WORRIED ABOUT MY TEACHERS AND THEIR ATTITUDE OR THEIR LACK OF FAITH IN WHAT WE ARE DOING. AND THEN AS I AM IN A CONDUCIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. BUT THAT'S THE REALITY. THAT'S WHERE THE WORK IS DONE. SO WHEN WE LIST POTTER -- AND THAT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE. POTTER IS A SCHOOL THAT HAS 40 AIR CONDITIONERS, ALL INDIVIDUAL UNITS. BECAUSE OF WHEN IT WAS PUT IN. THAT MEANS THERE'S 60,000 PARTS THAT CAN GO WRONG IN A POTTER CLASSROOM ON A DAILY BASIS. SO WE'LL FIX THAT AND WE'LL GET NEW SYSTEMS IN THERE BUT YOU HAVE 25-YEAR-OLD, 40 PARTS IN THERE. THERE'S OTHER SCHOOLS THAT JUST LIKE PORTER. I'M GLAD THAT WE CAN FIX POTTER. BUT THE NEXT ON THE LIST OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, WE WON'T TOUCH. SO INSTEAD I'LL HAVE A MAINTENANCE WORKER OUT THERE AT THAT SITE, EVEN MORE SO AT THE SITES THAT WE CAN'T TOUCH. SO THE PROJECT LISTS FOR 16-17 ONLY WILL BE MY NUMBER ONE AND PRIMARY THINGS, HOW MANY THINGS CAN WE FIX AND PLAN TO FIX FOR THIS YEAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PROJECTS ON THERE THAT -- NOT ENOUGH. NOT ENOUGH ON THERE. THE MAINTENANCE REQUESTS, WORK ORDERS, THERE'S A DIRECT CORRELATION TO PROJECTS AND MAINTENANCE REQUESTS. THE OLDER SYSTEM, TRADITIONALLY THEY ARE THE EXCEPTIONS. THE MORE THAN WORKERS.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: AS COMPASSIONATE AS YOU ARE ABOUT THIS, AND WE ALL ARE, THESE ARE THE NEEDS, THESE ARE THE CRITICAL NEEDS. BUT AM I CORRECT, WE CAN'T FUND THOSE THINGS AND GET THEM DONE, BECAUSE WE MADE SOME CHANGES OUT OF YOUR BUDGET, AND WE ARE GOING THESE FIXED, AND WE HAVE NOW REDUCED DOWN FROM 40-SOMETHING TO 3, SO EVEN IF WE WANTED TO DO THIS, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO IT?
>>Christopher Farkas: PRETTY MUCH.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: OKAY. AND YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING WEREN'T GOING TO GIVE US PIE IN THE SKY ROSE COLORED DISNEY WORLD ANSWERS AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR TO THE PEOPLE.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: I ABSOLUTELY AGREE. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I HEARD YOU. THESE ARE THE NEEDS BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING. AND I HEARD THE SUPERINTENDENT TALK ABOUT WHY WE GOT TO THIS PLACE. OKAY. LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING THAT MAY BE MORE MANAGEABLE AND I AM GOING TO MOVE ON. I DON'T THINK I HAVE EVER HAD TO SAY THIS ABOUT THIS PLAN, AND I'M NOT SURE I COULD APPROVE IT, IN GREAT CONSCIENCE. I DON'T SEE HOW I COULD DO THAT. IF YOU TOOK ALL THE SITES WHERE THERE ARE AIR CONDITIONING SITUATIONS AND LISTED THEM -- AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE. 5,000. WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THAT MANY. BUT HOW WOULD -- IF YOU JUST LOOKED AT ALL THE SCHOOLS, WHERE THERE ARE CRITICAL NEEDS, LISTED YOUR ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM, TO DO THEM, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF IMMEDIATE RESPONSE, LONG-TERM, OR IMPOSSIBLE?
>> OUR ABILITY TO SERVICE THEM FROM A MAINTENANCE STANDPOINT OR FIX THEM?
>>Doretha Edgecomb: YES. WELL, WHICH ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES ARE WE IN? IMMEDIATE? DESPERATE? LONG-TERM? IMPOSSIBLE?
>>Christopher Farkas: I HAD A COAL LEAGUE FROM L.A. THAT LISTED HIS IN A STOPLIGHT FASHION, RED, GREEN. THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE DO FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE. WE HAVE 25 TO 30 SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN THE RED FOR REPLACEMENT SYSTEM. IT NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT NOW.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT THE ABILITY TO GET IT DONE.
>>Christopher Farkas: OH, AND HERE IS A PARALLEL TO TRANSPORTATION. YOU GUYS LIVED IT SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT. SO IF YOU HAVE GOT AN OLD BUS THAT IS DOWN, THERE'S MORE THAN JUST AN OLD BUS PART OF IT. THERE'S THE TOWING COSTS THAT COME WITH IT, THE ABILITY OF COST TO REPAIR THE BUS. IT'S THE SAME THING WITH AN AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. OUR SYSTEMS THAT OLDER, THE 25 BESIDES THE ONES WE ARE GOING TO DO, TAKE OUR TECHS AWAY TO DO IT. THERE'S ALSO SOME TECHS THAT CAN'T REPAIR SOME OF THOSE SYSTEMS FROM A TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT SO WE HAVE TO CALL AN OUTSIDE VENDOR, AND WHAT MRS. VALDES SAID, SHE'S ACCURATE. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO FIX THE ACs, LET ALONE QUALITY ASSURANCE. I HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS TO KNOW THAT YOU NEED QUALITY ASSURANCE. BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THE REPAIR. WE CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DO TOP DO THE QUALITY ASSURANCE AND GO BEHIND THEM ON THE REPAIR. SO IT DOESN'T TAKE A LOT OF OUR 25 TO MONOPOLIZE THE TIME OF BOTH OUR VENDORS AND TECHS TO DO THAT AND THAT IMPACTS EVERY OTHER SYSTEM. THE OPEN NUMBER OF MRs IS NOT JUST AN INDICATION OF HOW MUCH WE HAVE TOUCHED THAT MR. ROBINSON REFERENCED. IT'S THE TIME IT TAKES. IT USED TO BE THAT YOU GO TO A SYSTEM, OH, IT JUST NEEDS A RESET OR NEEDS THIS. SO THE PERSON IS THERE FOR TWO HOURS AND THE SYSTEM IS BACK UP. WE GET TO SITES NOW AND IT'S A MUCH MORE IN-DEPTH, INVOLVED, LET ME GET SOMEONE ELSE'S OPINION ON HOW TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. SO NOW YOU HAVE GOT ONES THAT ARE TAKING MORE TIME AWAY. AND IT'S GETTING WORSE. SO IT'S ABOUT 25 TO 27 IN THE RED. THERE'S ANOTHER 50-ISH IN THE YELLOW, IF NOT MORE. AND THEN IT AFFECTS THE GREEN ONES. WE TALKED ABOUT MAINTENANCE. AND THE QUESTION THAT MRS. OCCUR LEGAL ASKED, THERE'S NO PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE WHEN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR TECHS IS TRYING TO GET COOL. THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN IS TO AT LEAST GET AIR ON IN THAT BUILDING. I SAID THE PRINCIPALS. IN A ONE CARES ABOUT MY CAPITAL FUNDING. THEY CARE THAT THAT KID IS HOT. AND I DO, TOO. AND THAT'S THE HEARTBREAKING PART OF THE CONVERSATION, IS THAT'S OUR GOAL. THAT'S OUR FOCUS ON THERE. SO I WOULD SAY THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING I CAN BUT I WOULD SAY WE ARE DIGGING DEEPER INTO OUR SITUATION.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION. AND FROM LISTENING TO IT, ALL OF IT MAKES SENSE. BUT JUST AS YOU TALK I HEARD THAT LITTLE VOICE OVER THERE AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT, THOSE KIDS SITTING IN THOSE CLASSROOMS STRUGGLING. AND I KNOW YOU ARE, TOO. SO AS MUCH AS THIS ADULT CONVERSATION IS REAL, AND THERE ARE NO IMMEDIATE SITUATIONS, WE CAN'T HAVE A BLIND EYE TO THE DAY TO DAY SITUATIONS WITH OUR KIDS. AND WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT KIDS BUT TEACHERS CAN'T TEACH WELL. LUNCH WORKERS CAN'T PREPARE FOOD. NOBODY CAN DO THEIR JOB WELL. MY LAST QUESTION. WHAT'S THE IMPACT ON THE FACT IF THIS PLAN DOESN'T PASS TODAY?
>>Christopher Farkas: WE DON'T HAVE A REFERENCE POINT FOR THAT. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THAT SITUATION BEFORE. IT MAY BE MR. GIBSON OR MR. PORTER CONVERSATION. I KNOW OUR DEAD LIKE LINE IS OCTOBER 1st. AND HENCE THE REASON WE ARE SITTING HERE TODAY. WE TRADITIONALLY DO IT IN A REGULAR BOARD MEETING. BUT I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. MRS. DUDLEY SUAREZ IS THE ONE THAT HAS AN ANSWER.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: AND I AM NOT
>> I CAN ONLY TELL YOU.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: I AM JUST TALKING ABOUT THE REALITY OF THIS. AND, NO, WE HAVEN'T HAD THIS SITUATION BEFORE. BUT MAYBE OUR LAWYER OR SOMEBODY CAN HELP US OUT WITH THIS. BECAUSE THIS IS TOUGH CONVERSATION.
>> YES, MA'AM.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: AND I'M LIKE MRS. KURDELL. I DON'T WANT TO PASS OR APPROVE SOMETHING THAT -- THAT'S FOR ME ISN'T JUST RIGHT AND NOT REALLY GOOD. AND MAYBE IT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO. MAYBE THE BEST WE CAN DO IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST THERE IS TO DO, IF YOU KNOW --
>>Christopher Farkas: YES, MA'AM. I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: MR. PORTER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING?
>> YOU ARE REQUIRED BY FLORIDA STATUTES TO PASS THE FIVE YEAR WORK PLAN BEFORE OCTOBER 1st. IF YOU CHOSE NOTED TO DO THAT, THEN WOULD YOU NOT BE ABLE TO SPEND MONEY ON ANY OF THESE BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE APPROVED. SO I THINK YOU WOULD BE IN A SITUATION OF MAKING PROBABLY THE SITUATION A LOT WORSE BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T OH ADDRESS ANYTHING IF IT'S NOT IN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN. THE PLAN CAN BE AMENDED IF THAT'S THE WISH OF THE BOARD, AND TO MRS. KURDELL'S POINT ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE VAN BUREN SITUATION. IT'S ALMOST TWO SEPARATE ISSUES. YOU CAN'T EVEN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT CONVERTING IT TO K-8 UNLESS THE MONEY IS THERE. SO YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION UNDER FLORIDA STATUTES TO HAVE A FIVE YEAR WORK PLAN. THE DISTRICT WOULD BE IN A POSITION OF NOT BEING ABLE TO USE THE FUNDS IN THE PLAN TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED TODAY.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: OKAY. IF WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEYS IMMEDIATELY TO TAKE CARE OF THE IMMEDIATE DESPERATE SITUATIONS, AGAIN, WILL THIS BOARD TALK ABOUT TODAY ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS? BECAUSE I THINK THAT -- OKAY.
>> I WANT TOO MAKE SURE THE BOARD IS AWARE, WE TALK PROJECTS IN THE ONE OR TWO PROJECTS. BUT ALSO THIS IS HOW WE DO OUR MAINTENANCE FUNDING. SO OUR GUYS ARE GOING OUT TO THE FACILITIES AND TRYING TO DO THE FIX HE IS. THEIR FUNDING IS IN ONE OF THE BACK PAGES, TOO. THE AC FUNDING. IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE PROJECT. WE AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO REPAIR OR DO ANYTHING. WE THINK WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO A WHOLE LOT. YES, MA'AM.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: I'M SORRY. I'M NOT FINE BUT I'M FINISHED. THANK YOU. (LAUGHTER).
>>April Griffin: MRS. SNIVELY.
>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT I AGREE WITH WHEN IT COMES TO THIS. SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE MADE, MR. FARKAS, AND OBVIOUSLY ALL OF US HAVE HEARD FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, OF COURSE, TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN HOT, HOTTER THAN HOT RECENTLY, AND MRS. STUART, I AM NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. IT'S PROBABLY A COMBINATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND NEWSPAPER MEDIA THAT HAS CREATED AWARENESS ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE NOT REALLY HEARD FROM PEOPLE BEFORE, HONESTLY. AND I DON'T GO BACK TWO AND A HALF YEARS TO THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUE. I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE THAT LONG. BUT I CAN IMAGINE THAT SIMILARLY PEOPLE ARE NOW STARTING TO FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING TO THEIR BOARD MEMBERS AND TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY ARE HAVING. OUR STUDENTS, OUR FIRST PRIORITY, I THINK WE ALL AGREE WITH THAT. AND GIVING THEM OR PROVIDING THEM WITH THEIR MOST OPTIMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IS AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE ALL WANT, AND FOR TEACHERS AND FOR FACULTY AS WELL, BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID THAT IT'S DEGREE DIFFICULT TO LEARN OR DO YOUR JOB IN THE TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT THAT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS ARE PROVIDING RIGHT NOW. BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PAST TO HAVE GO ON, THERE'S NOT A LOT FOR ME TO SAY ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE. I'M JUST HERE. BUT WHAT I WANT TO CONCENTRATE ON IS WHAT WE CAN DO FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENT SOURCES OF REVENUE THAT MS. KURDELL ALLUDED TO, SOME OF THE BIGGER, BIG-PICTURE ITEMS. THE REFERENDUM -- I HAVE DONE A LITTLE RESEARCH. I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT WE NEED AS FAR AS HVAC REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT. I KNOW THAT SINCE 2008 WE HAVE CHALLENGED BECAUSE OF THE REDUCTION IN MILLAGE. I AGREE WITH MRS. KURDELL THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE COMMUNICATING WITH OUR LEGISLATORS, PARENTS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, FACULTY. WE EVEN HAVE TO GO TO TALLAHASSEE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL DOWN THE STREET FROM US, AND WE SHOULD BE IN THEIR OFFICES, AND WITH OUR CHILDREN, WITH OUR STUDENTS, AND TELLING THEM ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE ARE TRYING TO TEACH. I DON'T LIKE TO BE IN DEBT. I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF REFERENDUMS EITHER. AND THAT'S KIND OF A LONG-TERM. BECAUSE A REFERENDUM, THE CLIMATE HAS TO BE RIGHT INFORM THAT. AND IT HAS TO BE ON THE BALLOT. AND IT'S TOO LATE FOR THIS ELECTION CYCLE, OBVIOUSLY. SO THAT'S A LONG-TERM, IF WE ENDED UP DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT'S A LONG-TERM POSSIBLE SOLUTION. BUT WHAT WE NEED IS A SHORTER TERM POSSIBLE SOLUTION. SO I HAVE ASKED MRS. SAUNDERS, AND I TALKED TO MR. EAKINS AND MR. FARKAS AND MR. BOYD ABOUT QUALIFIED SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BONDS, BECAUSE OF THE FAVORABLE MARKETPLACE THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER BONDS AS A SHORTER-TERM SOLUTION. I THINK THAT MR. EAKINS HAS HAD A CONVERSATION WITH JERRY ABOUT THAT, IN DEPTH ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO EXPOUND ON SOME OF THE OF THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU HAVE HAD WITH THEM, BUT I THINK THAT'S A POSSIBLE SHORTER-TERM SOLUTION. IT'S NOT GOING TO NECESSARILY TAKE CARE OF THE ENTIRE NEED. BUT IT COULD JUMP START US IN SOME OF THE MORE OF THE URGENT REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF H VAC SYSTEMS THAT EXIST RIGHT NOW. SO I WAS GOING TO ASK MRS. SAUNDERS IF SHE WOULD SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT, AND THEN I REALLY THINK WE SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON GETTING OUR MILLAGE BACK THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, BECAUSE THE RECESSION IS OVER. IT IS NOT 2008 ANY LONGER. WE CAN SEE IT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GROWTH MANAGEMENT. THE ECONOMY IS REBOUNDING. AND THERE'S REALLY NO REASON THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE GETTING THAT HALF PERCENT BACK FROM MILLAGE. AND SO I WANTED -- I GUESS WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AS FAR AS YOUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS CONCERNED, MRS. ALITTO AND THE REST OF US. BUT COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THAT? AND THEN ALSO TO THE PLAN, IF WE DID SOMETHING LIKE THAT, HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT THE FIVE YEAR PLAN? LET'S SAY WE APPROVED THE PLAN TODAY AND FUNDS BECAME AVAILABLE IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY. HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT THE FIVE YEAR PLAN?
>> LET ME ANSWER THAT ONE FIRST BECAUSE THAT'S THE EASY ONE. AS MR. PORTER SAID, THE PLAN IS M.D.ABLE. SO WE CAN ALWAYS ADD THAT PART IN. THAT'S NOT THE CONCERN. THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE FOR THE BONDS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID. IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE OUR MONEY GOES, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER SOLUTION TO GET THERE. THE 2 MILLS WILL GET US TO WHERE WE NEED TO MAINTAIN. BUT IT'S THAT 6 AND $700 MILLION AND PREVIOUS DEBT THAT IS MY CONCERN. SO THE IDEA BEING THAT THE SENT DEBT SERVICE IS PAID TO THE CAPITAL AS WELL ON BUILDING SCHOOLS SO THAT $67 MILLION IS COMING OUT OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IS A BIG PART OF WHAT COULD GO TO FIXING ACs AND DOING THE THINGS WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW. SO MY ONLY CONCERN IN THAT CONVERSATION, NOT THAT I HAVE A BETTER ANSWER THAN THE REFERENDUM, EVERY COUNT HAS DONE ONE OR THE OTHER IN FLORIDA BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF FUNDING.
>> I KNOW THAT BROWARD COUNTY DID IT. AND IF WE WERE EVER GOING TO BORROW -- THIS IS THE ENVIRONMENT TO BE BORROWING IN.
>> AND LIKE I SAID, I THINK -- I DON'T HAVE THAT ABILITY TO MAKE THAT CALL. AND I THINK THAT WE NEED A PLAN FOR WHAT THAT PAYMENT STRUCTURE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE SO THAT ALL OF US AREN'T SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THE PERSON SITTING IN THIS CHAIR IS PAYING $20 MILLION A YEAR TO PAY FOR THIS OR $50 MILLION TO PAY FOR THIS BOND, IS EVEN A WORSE SITUATION THAN I AM IN RIGHT NOW. SO YOU THINK SHORT TERM FOR AC, I AGREE, WE NEED TO BE ADDRESS SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY BUT LET'S NOT SET OURSELVES UP OR THE NEXT PEOPLE UP FOR FAILURE THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THAT BACK AND EXTRACT MORE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PAYMENT PLAN ISN'T PARTICIPANT OF OUR SAVINGS STRUCTURE EVERYONE.
>> I THINK THE BOARD MEMBERS AGREE THAT'S NOT THE LEGACY WE WANT TO LEAVE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. BUFF WE DO WANT TO COME UP WITH A SHORT-TERM SOLUTION IF NECESSARY, THE FASTEST WAY IN ORDER TO MITIGATE THIS SITUATION RIGHT NOW, AND LOOK TO THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR CFO FOR SOME ADVICE.
>> THANK YOU, MRS. SNIVELY. SO WHAT WOULD 2 MILLS GENERATE RIGHT NOW FOR OUR DISTRICT BASED ON OUR $86 BILLION PROPERTY TAX ROLL FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY? SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT $86 BILLION, TWO MILLS IF WE WERE ABLE TO USE THE TOTAL 2 MILLS, IT'S $165.6 MILLION. IT'S A LOT OF MONEY. IF WE CAN ONLY USE 1.5 OF IT NOW, SO IT'S 123 MILLION. SO $41 MILLION THAT WE ARE NOT GETTING IS A LOT. IT COULD HELP OUR SCHOOLS. IT COULD HELP OUR STUDENTS IMMENSELY. SO I AGREE WE NEED TO GET THAT BACK. CONNIE AND DR. HAMILTON TO A GREAT JOB. THEY ASK QUESTIONS ALL THE TIME. THEY TAKE THIS INFORMATION IN TALLAHASSEE. IT'S GOOD FOR US TORE KEEP REHASH IT TO TALLAHASSEE AND LOCALLY. WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS? WE HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH MRS. SNIVELY AND JERRY FORD. THERE'S TWO THINGS TO LOOK AT LIGHT AWAY. WHEN I WAS TALKING TO CHRIS HE SAID THAT WE HAVE ABOUT 25 PROJECTS. WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT WE HAVE TO DO RIGHT NOW. TWO THINGS THAT COME TO THE TOP OF THE BARREL. ONE IS CALLED A QUALIFIED ZONE ACADEMY BOND. AND WE DID THIS A WHILE BACK. AND IT'S A SUBSIDY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND IT GIVES A TAX SUBSIDY TO -- WE APPLY FOR THE MONEY IN TALLAHASSEE. THEY GIVE US APPROVAL. AND WE GO OUT THERE AND FIND A BANK. AND WE SAY TO THE BANK IF WE GOT APPROVED FOR $35 MILLION, WE FIND SOMEBODY TO HOLD THAT FOR US, WE ISSUE BONDS. BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS COME INTO PLAY. THE SCHOOLS HAVE TO BE -- THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE DEEMED NECESSARILY IN THE APPLICATION HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST 35% FREE REDUCED LUNCH, OR BE IN A QUALIFIED ZONE. ENTERPRISE COMMUNITY. AND WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE A 10% PRIVATE MATCH. SO WHATEVER THE AMOUNT THAT WE GET APPROVED FOR, WE HAVE TO HAVE OUTSIDE FUNDS. WE CAN'T FIND IT IN-HOUSE AND MATCH IT. IT'S GOT TO BE OUTSIDE OF 10%. THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE FINDING IT VERY DIFFICULT, A, TO FIND A BANK OR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION TO BACK THEM TO DO THIS, B, TO FIND MATCHES THAT'S NOT PIECEMEAL. OH, SOMEBODY IS GOING TO PLEDGE $10 MERE, SOMEBODY IS GOING TO PLEDGE $20 HERE BECAUSE WE ARE AUDITED ON THOSE MONEYS, WHICH WE SHOULD BE. CURRENTLY, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS BEEN APPROVED. THEY HAVE $52.9 MILLION IN QUSAD MONEY. TWO YEARS AGO MIAMI-DADE APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED A LOT OF THAT MONEY. BUT PEOPLE ARE HOLDING OFF NOW BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND THESE. I'M SURE WE DO COULD. SO ANYWAY, THERE'S $52 MILLION OUT OFT TABLE RIGHT NOW FOR QUSAD. THE OTHER FUNDING SOURCE WE HAVE IS OUR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX DOLLARS, OUR SALES TAX MONEY WHICH CURRENTLY WE ARE USING TO PAY THE BONDS ON THE DEBT, AND FOR SCHOOL BUSES. SO WE HAVE CAPACITY. SO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING THE LAST WEEK IS WORKING WITH FORD AND ASSOCIATES ON WHAT WOO DO WE HAVE IN CAPACITY? WE HAVE ABOUT $35 MILLION IN CAPACITY WE COULD REISSUE DEBT ON FUTURE EARNINGS FOR THE SALES TAX. WE GENERATE ABOUT 2.4 MILLION A MONTH IN SALES TAX WHICH IS GREAT. IF PEOPLE KEEP SPENDING MONEY WE KEEP GENERATING MONEY FOR THAT. WHAT WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IF WE ISSUE ADDITIONAL BONDS ON THE COMMUNITY SALES INVESTMENT TAX DOLLARS, WHAT WOULD GO FIRST, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY BACK THE BONDS, AND I HAVE TO TELL MR. BEEKMAN WE COULDN'T ORDER SCHOOL BUSES. SO AGAIN, YOU JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE DOING. AND YOU GUYS BROUGHT UP GREAT QUESTIONS. I'M SORRY, YOU LADIES BROUGHT UP GREAT QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW DID WE GET IN THIS SITUATION? YOU HAVE TO HAVE LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE. SO WHEN I STARTED IN THE DISTRICT, WE JUST BUILT BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. SO THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO. I'M OLD. SO THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO. THAT NEXT YEAR WHEN DR. BOOKMAN WAS IN THIS SEAT, WE STARTED GOING TO THE RATING AGENCIES AND WE HAD A $17,000 FUND BALANCE. $17,000. THE AGENCIES SAID, OH, MY GOSH, YOU GUYS ARE GROWING BY 5,000, 7,000 STUDENTS A YEAR, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD SCHOOLS. WE WERE OPENING UP IN A TEN-YEAR PERIOD, WE OPENED AND BUILT AND OPENED 60 SCHOOLS. THAT WAS MORE THAN PASCO COUNTY HAD AT THE TIME. AT THAT POINT WE WERE JUST LIKE IT WAS A TURN-AROUND. WE KEPT BUILDING AND BUILDING AND ISSUING DEBT. MORE THINGS HAPPENED IN THE MEANTIME. THE COST OF LIVING WENT UP. CHARTER SCHOOLS. WE WENT FROM HAVING THREE CHARTER SCHOOLS TO NOW OVER 40. REMEMBER WE ARE GENERATING THE REVENUE FOR THOSE STUDENTS. THEY ARE OUR STUDENTS. THEY ARE ANOTHER ENTITY. WE ARE PASS-THROUGH. THAT'S OVER 17,000 STUDENTS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS. I HOPE I DON'T GET FIRED. 17,000 STUDENTS ARE IN CHARTER SCHOOLS. THOSE DOLLARS ARE FLOW-THROUGH. THAT'S OVER $122 MILLION THAT COME INTO OUR DISTRICT AND GO OUT SOMEWHERE ELSE. WE GAVE EMPLOYEE RAISES MANY YEARS. WEEKI WACHEE HEALTH INSURANCE PACKAGE. IF YOU LOOK AT MANY OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANIES, THEY DON'T OFFER THE PACKAGES WE OFFER. OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE A GREAT HEALTH INSURANCE PACKAGE. THE STATE PASSED THE CLASS SIZE MANDATE. OKAY. WHEN WE GO TO OUR MEETINGS WHETHER IT'S THE COUNCIL, GREAT CITY SCHOOLS, OR THE ASPEN INSTITUTE OR ANYONE WHERE ELSE, FUNDING HOW THEY SOLVE THEIR FUNDING IS ADD MORE STUDENTS TO THE CLASSROOM. WE CAN'T DOUGH THAT. WE HAVE THE MEET -- WE HAVE TO MEET THE MANDATE, OR BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET MONEY TAKEN AWAY. THE OTHER THING IS WE HAVE A LOT OF CHOICE PROGRAMS. AT SCHOOLS, WE HAVE GIVEN -- WE GOT COURTESY BUS RIDERS. THERE'S A LOT OF EXPENSES THAT HAVE LED UP TO THIS. AND IT'S JUST NOT LIKE IT'S NOT BEEN THERE. IT'S JUST COME TO A POINT WHERE THE GENERAL FUNDS HAVE BEEN PICKING UP ALL OF THESE EXPENSES FOR A LONG TIME. AND AS A STUDENTS START TO GROW IN CERTAIN SCHOOLS, WE HAVEN'T DONE BOUNDARY CHANGES FOREVER. WE PURPOSE -- REPURPOSING THE SCHOOL, I THINK LOWRY, WELTED 89 PARENTS, AND WE ENDED UP NOTE DOING THAT BECAUSE WE JUST DIDN'T DO IT. BUT FUEL COSTS, WE HAVE CONTRACTS RIGHT NOW TO KEEP PRICES DOWN ON FUEL. BUT OUR UTILITIES, EVERYTHING HAS GONE UP. WE HAVE BEEN GETTING -- GIVING RAISES BUT OUR REVENUE, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FUND WHAT WE HAVE NEEDED TO FUND. ALL THAT TO SAY OUR TWO OPTIONS ARE QUSAD AND COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX DOLLARS. WE HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM COMING TO THE BOARD NEXT WEEK TO YOU ALL TO REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT. WHAT IT SAYS IS, IF WE CAN GO AHEAD AND STARTLE FUNDING SOME OF OUR AC PROJECTS RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE GO OUT TO MARKET IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY, WHENEVER WE CAN GET OUT TO THE MARKET, BECAUSE PROBABLY THE BEST WEEK TO GO IN THE MARKET IS THE FIRST WEEK IN JANUARY. IF WE CAN DO THAT, THEN WE PAY BACK CHRIS FARKAS' BUDGET FOR HIS CAPITAL MONEY AND START USING THAT RIGHT AWAY, MONEY ACROSS THE BOARD. SO THOSE ARE OPTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S A GOOD OPTION TO EXPLORE. I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING IT. I KNOW OF THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR OPTIONS AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MORE FAVORABLE ONES TO LOOK AT FOR GETTING OUR PROJECTS KICK STARTED.
>>Gretchen Saunders: MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO GO AFTER BOTH. I THINK WE SHOULD GO AFTER AS MUCH QUSAD MONEY AS WE CAN AND THEN DO A FULL COURT PRESS. I CAN'T PUT A CAR-BUS ANALOGY OUT THERE. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO GO AFTER BOTH, BECAUSE WE CAN WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND SEE WHAT WE CAN GET FOR PLEDGES FOR 10%. AND THEN JUST GO OUT THERE AND REISSUE SOME SALES TAX MONEY.
>> WHATEVER WE DECIDE.
>> PEDAL TO THE METAL. THERE WE GO. FULL THROTTLE.
>> WHATEVER IT IS, I KNOW THAT THE BOARD FEELS THE SAME WAY, WE HAVE GOT TO DO SOMETHING QUICKLY IN ORDER TO MITIGATE THE SITUATION WITH THE HVAC SYSTEM RIGHT NOW BECAUSE EVERY DAY THAT GOES BY, THAT IS 81°, 87° IN A CLASSROOM, IS A DAY THAT STUDENTS ARE DISTRACTED. I KNOW I CAN'T WORK IN THAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT, OR CONCENTRATE IN THAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT. VERY DIFFICULT TO DO THAT. AND SO WE JUST HAVE TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ENVIRONMENT IS OPTIMAL FOR OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: MRS. HARRIS.
>>Sally Harris: THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, MRS. SAUNDERS, FOR THAT GOOD EXPLANATION. THAT REALLY WAS VERY THOROUGH. I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. I THINK THAT WE HAVE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR THAT WE HAVE ALL GOT TO SPEAK OUT TO THE LEGISLATORS AND SEEK THEIR ASSISTANCE IN THIS VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. IT'S FUN PI. WE ARE ALL HEARING THIS ACROSS MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF THE SAME ISSUES. AND I THINK THAT BECAUSE WE ARE SO LARGE, WE ARE SEEING IT AT A STRONGER PACE. I WILL TELL YOU THAT SOUTH COUNTY IS BOOMING. BUT IT'S FUN PI. EVERYBODY HAS SAID FOR MANY, MANY YEARS SOUTH TAMPA IS NOT ABLE TO GROW, AND THAT ALSO DIDN'T HAPPEN. SOUTH TAMPA HAS PUT UP HUGE APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND ALL THOSE VACANT LOTS ALONG WESTSHORE ARE STARTING TO COME IN WITH MULTIPLE HOUSING AND THERE ARE NO LONGER SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS. SO WE ARE ACTUALLY SEEING THE SAME KIND OF GROWTH IN SOUTH TAMPA THAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD NEVER SEE. AND I KNOW THAT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF TAMPA IS ALSO BOOMING, BECAUSE IT WAS A RURAL AREA. IT'S STARTING TO NO LONGER BE RURAL. SO WE ARE GOING TO DO NOTHING BUT EXPAND IN OUR GROWTH. I KNOW THIS SOUNDS UNUSUAL, BUT I AM GOING TO SAY IT AND I AM GOING TO SAY IT PUBLICLY. YOU KNOW, TAMPA HAS A LOT OF AFFLUENT PEOPLE. THEY HAVE A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HELP, AND THEY ARE ALWAYS REACHING OUT TO HELP. AND THEY JUST NEED TO BE ASKED, YOU KNOW. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS WE NEED. AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE THE PUBLICITY THAT THIS MIGHT GIVE US MIGHT GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK THEM OUT AND SAY, WE NEED HELP. AND AS SILLY AS IT SOUNDS, THE GO-FUND-ME IDEA, WITH A BIGGER CONCEPT, WOULD BE A HUGE IMMEDIATE FIX FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, OUR AIR CONDITIONING. THERE ARE PEOPLE IN TAMPA, FLORIDA WHO HAVE EXCESS INCOME THAT COULD REACH OUT AND HELP THIS DISTRICT. AND I THINK WHAT LOUDER POINT OF VIEW WOULD THAT GIVE TO OUR LEGISLATORS TO SAY, LOOK, OUR COMMUNITY BELIEVES IN OUR DISTRICT, OUR COMMUNITY BELIEVES IN WHAT WE ARE DOING, AND I APPLAUD MRS. SAUNDERS, YOU KNOW, MR. EAKINS, MR. FARKAS, FOR STRETCHING NO MONEY AS FAR AS YOU HAVE STRETCHED IT. I MEAN, WE ARE CUTTING EVERYTHING. WE ARE CUTTING EVERYTHING THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN CUT. AND YET WE ARE NOT ABLE TO EVEN PUT BAND-AIDS ON FIXING THE AIR CONDITIONING. SO I SAY LET'S REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IMMEDIATELY AND SAY WE NEED HELP. AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, LOOK AT THE OTHER MILLAGE, YOU KNOW, AND PARALLEL MOVING INTO THAT. SO THAT'S MY TWO CENTS.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU. AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, I KNOW YOU WANT TO SPEAK, BUT I WANT TO GET MY COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ANSWERED REAL QUICK. WHAT YOU DESCRIBED EARLIER WITH YOUR TRY ANGULATION IS WHAT I REFER TO AS A PERFECT STORM. A PERFECT STORM OF YEARS OF NEGLECT IN THIS DISTRICT. WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT WITH TRANSPORTATION WHEN EMPLOYEES STARTED COMING FORWARD AND LEGISLATE US KNOW THE ISSUES THAT EXISTED THERE. AND THAT CAME TO US THROUGH SOME GREAT TRAGEDY, UNFORTUNATELY. BUT IT IS A PERFECT STORM OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. AND THE LEGISLATURE, WE NEED HELP IN THAT REGARD. WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF I AM GOING TO CONSIDER APPROVING ANY TYPE OF REFERENDUM OR EVEN BONDS THAT WE HAVE OUR FINANCIAL HOUSE IN ORDER. IT'S A PROMISE THAT I MADE MY VOTERS, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, WHEN ASKED IF I COULD -- IF I WOULD BE WILLING TO RAISE TAXES IN ORDER TO FUND EDUCATION, AND I SAID, ONLY IF I FELT COMFORTABLE IN THE FACT THAT OUR FINANCIAL HOUSE IS IN ORDER. AND MAYBE IF WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN AN INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL AUDITOR SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE MULTIPLE TIMES THAT IT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD, WE COULD HAVE FOUND THESE ISSUES EARLIER. WE KNEW SOMETHING WAS AWRY. WE KNEW SOMETHING WAS UP. WE COULDN'T QUITET PUT OUR FINGERS ON IT BECAUSE WE WEREN'T GIVEN THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT WE WERE MAKING, AND HERE WE ARE. YOU WERE IN OFFICE, MR. SUPERINTENDENT, FOR HOW LONG BEFORE YOU FOUND THE DISCREPANCIES IN OUR FUND BALANCE? AND WE HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING EVER SINCE. BUT I AM GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE ELEPHANT THAT'S IN THE ROOM, ASIDE FROM THE LEGISLATURE. WE ARE IN THE POSITION WE ARE IN NOW BECAUSE OF YEARS OF NEGLECT. AND WE BRAGGED ABOUT IT AND I BRAGGED ABOUT IT IN THE COMMUNITY. WE MADE IT THROUGH THIS FINANCIAL CRISIS. WE MADE IT THROUGH THIS DEPRESSION WITHOUT LAYING PEOPLE OFF. LITTLE DID WE KNOW. WE KNEW SOMETHING. THAT'S THE THING WE COULDN'T QUITE PUT OUR FINGERS ON IT. AND EVERY TIME I BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF A FINANCIAL AUDITOR I WAS TOLD TO SCHUTT SIT DOWN, BE QUIET, BE A GOOD LITTLE GIRL, PLAY NICE, AND LET OUR SUPERINTENDENT DO WHAT SHE WAS BEST AT DOING. AND NOW WE SEE. SO THE FRUSTRATING PART FOR ME IS THAT NOW WE ARE DEALING WITH THIS. AND PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY. I KNOW WHY. ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT GETTING THE FUNDING THAT WE NEED. WE HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO IN VERY SHORT ORDER TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY FEEL COMFORTABLE, THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU THIS. I KNOW HISTORY IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND YOU CAN PUT REFERENDUMS ON ALL DAY LONG UNLESS YOU ATTACH A STADIUM TO IT, AND IT IS NOT GOING TO PASS. PEOPLE CAN SAY THEY WANT EDUCATION FUNDING, BUT THE MINUTE IT TOUCHES THEIR POCKETBOOKS, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR IT. SO I DON'T WANT TO SEE US FIRST OF ALL SPEND THE ENERGY THAT CAN GO INTO BETTER THINGS BEING PUT INTO A REFERENDUM THAT WILL NOT PASS. MARK MY WORDS, IT WILL NOT PASS. NOT WITH ALL THE BAD PRESS THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN ABOUT OUR FINANCES. SO WE HAVE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO GET OUR FINANCIAL HOUSE IN ORDER AND MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THAT WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING FROM THE TOP DOWN. AND MR. SUPERINTENDENT, YOU AND I HAD THE CONVERSATION WE HAD IT MULTIPLE TIMES, I KNOW YOU HAD IT WITH OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, THAT WE HAVE GOT TO START LOOKING AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE THINGS. AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD MAKE THE COMMUNITY FEEL BETTER IF WE CRANKED THE AIR UP IN THIS BUILDING TO 85°. MAYBE THAT WOULD MAKE THE COMMUNITY FEEL BETTER. BUT THE SCHOOLS ARE HOT. IF THAT'S WHAT WOULD MAKE PEOPLE FEEL BETTER, THEN YOU KNOW WHAT? LET'S COME IN SHORT SLEEVES AND TANK TOPS. WE CAN COME TO WORK IN THIS BUILDING DRESSED LIKE THEY ARE IN THE SCHOOLS. I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN ANSWER, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GETTING BEAT UP BECAUSE THIS BUILDING IS AT A COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURE, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. WHEN PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING, IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM. BUT OUR KIDS ARE NOT IN AN ENVIRONMENT. AND I KNOW MR. FARKAS THAT IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. WE HAVE GOT TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT. THE BONDING PART OF THE REASON WHY WE ARE IN THIS PROBLEM IS BECAUSE NOW WE ARE PAYING BACK BONDS. I MEAN, WE WOULD BE ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL IN ORDER -- IN THAT SITUATION. SO I DON'T KNOW. IT'S A VERY, VERY TOUGH SITUATION. BUT WE HAVE GOT TO START TALKING ABOUT SOME TOUGH THINGS, TOO. AND MRS. SAUNDERS TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER. WE HAVE GOT TO LOOK AT BOUNDARIES. WE HAVE GOT TO LOOK AT BOUNDARIES. AND IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH. AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WEATHER THAT STORM. WE HAVE GOT TO TALK ABOUT CLOSING SCHOOLS. WE HAVE GOT SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE UNDER CAPACITY. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO OPERATE A SCHOOL, MS. SAUNDERS?
>>Gretchen Saunders: IT VARIES. MILLIONS IT COSTS JUST TO KEEP A SCHOOL OPEN WITH STAFF AND CHEEKS IN SEATS.
>>April Griffin: SO WE'LL STILL NEED THOSE TEACHERS AT VARIOUS POINTS BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FACILITIES THAT WE ARE MAINTAINING THAT ARE UNDER CAPACITY. SO WE'LL STILL NEED THOSE TEACHERS BECAUSE WE HAVE CLASS SIZE AMENDMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY. BUT WE DO HAVE TO START HAVING SOME TOUGH CONVERSATIONS. AND MR. SUPERINTENDENT, YOU AND I SPOKE EARLIER, TOO, IN REFERENCE TO THE AIR CONDITIONING. MR. FARKAS, WE HAVE A PRACTICE OF TURNING THE AIR UP ON THE WEEKENDS, AND WE ARE SAVING -- WE DO HAVE A COST SAVINGS WHERE OUR ENERGY IS CONCERNED. BUT I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE OOI. BY THE WAY, THIS WAS A PRACTICE THAT WAS STARTED YEARS AGO. BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE PRACTICE IN OUR ROI BECAUSE WE ARE SAVING MONEY ON THE ENERGY, AND WHEN THOSE UNITS HAVE TO WORK AS HARD AS THEY DO, WHEN THE STUDENTS RETURN ON MONDAY TO GET THOSE WALLS COOLED DOWN, WITH ALL OF THOSE STUDENT IN THE CLASSROOM, WHAT ARE WE REALLY SAVING? HOW MUCH ENERGY -- I MEAN, HOW MUCH STRESS IS IT PUTTING ON THOSE VERY OLD AIR CONDITIONING UNITS? I JUST HAD TO REPLACE TWO OF THEM AT MY HOUSE. WHEN ONE IS WORKING TOO HARD, IT PUTS UNDUE STRESS ON THE OTHER ONE, AND THEN THAT ONE BREAKS DOWN AND YOU HAVE TO FIX THAT ONE. SO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE STRESS THAT WE ARE CAUSING TO THESE UNITS. AND BOARD MEMBERS, I THINK WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER THE PRACTICE OF TURNING THE AIR DOWN THE WAY THAT WE ARE AT THE SCHOOLS OVER THE WEEKEND. BECAUSE WHEN IT HAS TO WORK AS HARD AS IT DOES ON MONDAY MORNING, ARE WE NOT GETTING THE SAVINGS BECAUSE WE ARE SPENDING THE MONEY ON THE MAINTENANCE ON THE AIR CONDITIONERS, BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING SO HARD? SO MR. FARKAS, I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK OF THAT WE NEED TO DOUGH A COST ANALYSIS ON WHAT WE ARE SAVING WITH THE ENERGY SAVINGS THAT WE ARE. AND THERE'S THE ENVIRONMENTAL PART OF THAT AS WELL THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER. BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE GOT KIDS THAT CAN'T LEARN BECAUSE THEY ARE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY ARE HOT, AND YOU CAN'T TEACH OR LEARN IN THAT ENVIRONMENT SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE REACHED CRITICAL MASS AT THIS POINT. BUT AGAIN AS FAR AS A REFERENDUM IS CONCERNED OR BONDING, UNTIL WE PROVE TO THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO SELL THAT. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. AND I HAVE TWO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. BUT WE ARE AT 3:00 RIGHT NOW. MRS. MOLITTO, IF YOU COULD BE VERY BRIEF. I KNOW YOU WANTED TO TALK WHEN MRS. SAUNDERS WAS TALKING.
>> IN MY EFFORT TO TALK FAST I AM TALKING OVER YOU. JUST TO SAY A COUPLE THINGS ABOUT WHAT I HEARD THE BOARD SAY. ON THURSDAY, DR. PEPPY AND I WILL BE MEETING WITH YOUR BOARD CHAIR APRIL GRIFFIN. THE SUPERINTENDENT MR. EAKINS HAD ASKED ME TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE SURE I SET SOMETHING UP TO TALK ABOUT OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES. EACH OF YOU HAVE TALKED TO ME ABOUT THAT, AND HOW DO WE WANT TO BEGIN TALKING ABOUT IT PUBLICLY? BECAUSE THIS ISSUE ON CAPITAL IS HUGE, AND IT IS TIME. OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE LOOKED AT THE FACT THAT IS CORRECT WE NEED TO LEVY THE HALF MILL AGAIN AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE WORKED ON FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WE DO NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT AGAIN. AND DURING OUR LEGISLATIVE PIECE, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET FURTHER INTO IT. BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I SAID THAT ALL OF YOU KNOW THAT OUR ACTIONS ARE IN PLACE TO GO AHEAD AND BEGIN TO TALK TO YOU AS A BOARD, TO GO OVER, NOT JUST THIS, BUT THE HISTORY OF IT, AND WHY IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOOK AT GETTING THAT HALF MILL REINSTITUTED, AND A LOTT LITTLE MORE ON THE HISTORICAL PIECE OF IT BUT OTHER ISSUES THAT ALSO PLAY INTO WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITH OUR BUDGET, WHEN WE START LOOKING AT OUR LEGISLATORS. THEY HAVE BEEN -- OUR LOCAL DELEGATION HAVE BEEN VERY IN TUNED TO WHAT'S GOING ON. I HAVE HAD GOTTEN CALLS FROM VARIOUS MEMBERS WANTING TO KNOW HOW THEY CAN HELP WITH THE ISSUE OF AIR CONDITIONING AND WHAT'S HAPPENING. SO WE HAVE A BIG TEAM WITH THEM, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THE WHEELS ARE IN MOTION. MRS. GRIFFIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY THIS WEEK TO MEET AND BEGIN TO PUT THAT TOGETHER FOR THE BOARD.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU. WE ARE AT 3:00. THIS IS SCHEDULED TILL 3:00. BUT I HAVE TWO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT. SO IF EVERYBODY WOULD INDULGE -- CAN WE DO IN THE FIVE MINUTES? ALL RIGHT, MRS. VALDES.
>>Susan Valdes: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. SEEING THAT I SEE MR. SCOTT BROOKS HERE, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ACADEMY IS. AND LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN HELP BUILD OUR FUTURE HVAC EMPLOYEES BY CREATING OUR OWN EMPLOYEES IN THE SUSTAINABILITY AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THEM ALL THE CERTIFICATIONS. BUT WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY. WHEN WE HAVE CHALLENGES LIKE THESE, WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR A LITTLE CLOUDY AND WINDY OFF OPPORTUNITY AND LITTLE WINDOW OF HOPE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE OUR STUDENTS AND OPPORTUNITY TO PROSPER AS WELL. BEFORE WE CONSIDER CLOSING SCHOOLS, BECAUSE I FEEL MEMBER GRIFFIN IN REFERENCE TO THE CAPACITY, BUT BEFORE WE REALLY DO THAT, LET'S LOOK AT WHATEVER SURPLUS PROPERTY WE MIGHT HAVE OUT THERE, THAT WE DON'T NEED, THAT WE ARE HANGING ONTO FOR WHATEVER REASONS. LET'S ALSO LOOK AT THE UTILIZATION OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDINGS. WE HAVE VELASCO. WE HAVE ISC. AND OF COURSE THIS ONE HERE. AND MY LAST COMMENT WILL BE, BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE APPROVED THESE FIVE-YEAR PLANS HISTORICALLY. AS A ROUTINE THING, BECAUSE IF WE DO NOT APPROVE THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN, AND I HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THESE INEQUITIES FOR A LONG TIME, AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THESE INEQUITIES FOR A LONG TIME WITHIN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN. BUT IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS FIVE-YEAR PLAN, THEN NONE OF THOSE DOLLARS CAN BE SPENT ON WHATEVER. SO I HOPE THAT TODAY WE DO APPROVE THIS FIVE-YEAR PLAN. AGAIN, AS FLAWED AS THEY ARE, AND GIVEN THE INFORMATION THAT STAFF HAS GIVEN US TODAY, AND UNDERSTANDING THEIR CHALLENGES AND TRYING TO BRING THE BEST FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN TO EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY REALLY ALL WANT. WE WANT ALL OF OUR KIDS AND ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO FEEL COMFORTABLE. LET'S KEEP IN MIND, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ACs, MAY I REMIND ALL OF US THAT THE KITCHENS ARE NOT ALL AC. SO THINK ABOUT THE WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT OUR FOOD AND NUTRITION EMPLOYEES GO THROUGH WHEN THEIR KITCHEN ARE NOT AC. I DON'T SEE NOBODY GRIPING ABOUT THAT. SO LET'S THINK ABOUT BEING EQUITABLE. LET'S THINK ABOUT THAT. AND IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT. BECAUSE WHEN THE ACs ARE NOT WORKING WELL IN THE CLASSROOM, IMAGINE, JUST IMAGINE WHAT THOSE EMPLOYEES IN THOSE KITCHENS ARE GOING THROUGH. FOOD FOR THOUGHT. THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU. MRS. EDGECOMB.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: I KNOW THAT MUCH OF THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN ABOUT THE WAY TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM. IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES, AND TODAY, THERE WAS A CONVERSATION AROUND ALMOST EVERY TIME WE COULD TALK ABOUT FINANCE AND BUDGETS AND SO FORTH AND SO ON, WORDS LIKE THESE COME UP. BOUNDARIES, CLOSING SCHOOLS, MAGNET SCHOOLS. LET ME REMIND YOU THAT IF THESE BECOME THE CRITICAL, THE NUMBER ONE WAYS THAT WE TALK ABOUT SAVING MONEY, THERE ARE CERTAIN GROUPS OF CHILDREN THAT ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS. THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT, IF WE AREN'T CAREFUL, WILL LOOK LIKE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF 1960s AND 70s AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO GO BACK TO THOSE DAYS. I KNOW THIS IS CONVERSATION. AND I KNOW THERE'S A CRITICAL NEED TO FIND ANSWERS. BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO BE ON THE BACK OF CERTAIN GROUPS OF STUDENTS WE TALK ABOUT INEQUITY. WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY. WE TALK ABOUT INCLUSION. WE TALK ABOUT SUPPORT FOR ALL CHILDREN. LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER DECISIONS WE MAKE, IT IS REALLY ABOUT ALL CHILDREN.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU, MRS. EDGECOMB. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THIS POINT. WHAT IS YOUR MOTION?
>>Susan Valdes: TO ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE US TODAY.
>> IS THAT A SECOND, MRS. HARRIES THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I'M SORRY, MR. PORTER.
>>Jim Porter: TO APPROVE ITEM 6.02. SO IF THE MOTION TO APPROVE --
>>April Griffin: YES. WE ACCEPTED THIS AGENDA EARLIER. ANY DISCUSSION, BOARD MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE BY PRESSING YOUR BUTTON. AND IT'S BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.