Remarks by Susan Baskett
32 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 2
Thank you, President Feaster. The Finance Committee met full force Oh, I'm sorry, Trustee Norton was enjoying his vacation, so you did not get to play with us, but that's okay. We had a great conversation with the CFO and the finance team to talk about proposed changes, improvements that you'll see in the monthly monitoring report, went through that monthly monitoring report, which you will see, the Board will see later tonight. Thank you so much.
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
If I may respond to that, sir, I think it's better to have it sooner rather than later. We are a public body. We will meet in public, and all are welcome to attend. whether they are a prevailing candidate or not. I think it's good for those who have expressed interest in sitting at this table to understand where the current board is in the work that we're doing.
And I was under the thought that that would be part of the agenda. For those who don't know, the board started a self-evaluation and this would kind of bring things full circle, which I think would be valuable for everybody, whether you plan to be at this table or not as a trustee, it may be helpful. And that's one of the things we can do. The thought is again, as trustee Norton's mentioned, there are a lot of things that this board is in the middle of and will the work will continue. And it would be helpful, I think, for everyone to understand where we're currently are. And again, what we're…
I just want to kind of, I'm hoping I'm wrapping this up because we are taking a lot of time with this. Everyone here has different experiences having served, whether you were appointed, whether you were four years or four months, I mean, I think there was a lot of learning from everybody. I think again, it would be valuable. I am sorry that vice president Wilkins have had had Wilkes, excuse me, has had a hard time and trying to get something scheduled. I know she's been working on this for months to have a meeting. We started as a retreat. You know, now we're at a transition point. I think…
just sharing that recommendation for our students and families let's see basket again I wish to offer my gratitude for you and the team for providing this I know we as a board have been criticized in the past for not offering any mental health services and we have a whole plethora I'm sure this document will be on our website too for others to see but I have a question regarding initiating call if you will and follow up so whether I'm a student or a parent or just a loved one of a student I should bring my concerns or issue about the students to the principal or I mean what is the the best…
I guess my question is so I know nothing about care solace I just know I have a child in need or I have concerns so who is the best person to reach out to the challenge as you know with our social workers number one most people don't know who they are in the building and there they do have a caseload usually of students who are already are you know have IEPs or 504s I'm thinking that you know if I reached out to my principal my principal will or a principal will do what for me to make sure that again my concerns are addressed yeah I feel like I need to phone a friend turn to a friend and ask…
That's at the older level. The younger level? We have another subject matter expert here. Good evening, Trustee.
And correct me if I'm wrong, excuse me, that's like a pass-through for us.
So it's not really in our, for us, per se, to use for things. It goes strictly to the staff.
So if I can kind of comment I mean you know we have been accused of not having a revenue problem but a spending problem we've got both here because we don't know you know we know what we're obligated to spend but we don't know what we're getting when we're getting it that's a problem so again I commend you guys for working on this
So I know we talked a little bit about this in committee. Do we have any idea? And all of the legislation was there like an expected date of getting real live information accurate information okay because we have had the horrible experience of you know making cuts in January so I just you know wanted to bring that to everyone's memory yeah and the only thing I can say is that we we consistently the three of us consistently monitor the mspo message board kind of see what's
Yes, thank you, President Feaster. Excuse me, I'm not quite sure if this was overlooked in the superintendent report or maybe I just missed it. Just wanted to kind of respond to one of the speakers this evening as well as inform the community again, because I do believe this was sent out regarding the strategic planning community input sessions that we're having. October 14th and 15th first one is that you're on and then the pioneer the next one and give me the time again is that six o'clock six to seven thirty six sorry six thirty to eight okay all are invited we have six to seven thirty…
All are invited. You may attend one or both if you're really enthusiastic about it. But again, that's the community input sessions that we have scheduled already. So that was item one. Also wanted to mention for the community and trustees, the NAACP Freedom Fund dinner is scheduled for the first Sunday in November, as it has been for many years. Trustees, as the district is a supporter of the event, our tickets as trustees are covered. However, you do have the opportunity to sponsor students, multiple students if you'd like, at $40 each. This is an annual wonderful event that the local NAACP…
You should contact John Gaslow, the superintendent's office. If you want to sponsor a student, you are able to do that on the NAACP website.
But of course, I believe Trustee Wilkes, you are on that committee per se, so the details can be, sent your way, but by check or by card. So, yes.
Definitely, I will be there. So, for trustees who plan to attend, please contact the superintendent's office. We'll coordinate that with trustees. Thank you. Let them know that, but I'm referring to sponsoring a student as well.
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Thank you, President Feaster. The Finance Planning Committee met Tuesday, September 15th. We reviewed the items that are coming for first briefing, so I won't steal the thunder there. We also got a brief update regarding the strategic planning process, which I believe the superintendent will cover. and her update.
Trustee Baskett. Thank you. I was not going to say much today because there isn't much more to say. We have been, as, as trustees have mentioned, we've seen these numbers.
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So the team is asking for $78,000 for a two-year lease. And as we discussed in the committee meeting, there is no current available space within our district that we don't have to pay for.
If I said that correctly. That fits the bill. We're talking about 400,000 square feet you mentioned?
4,000, excuse me, sorry. Too many zeros. So again, if the community is willing to help us out in either helping to fund or subsidize or provide a space free of charge, they have two weeks now to contact the superintendent's office and discuss with you and the rest of the team if their space would be more suitable than what's proposed here today. But again, to clarify, we have a wonderful home builders program already.
But there is a wait list of students, if you will, or has been a wait list for students. And so you creatively created this program, this class, the construction fundamentals, for students who can't get in the home builders class. Although there may be seniors taking this class and therefore they won't be around next year for the home builders class, the underclassmen who are part of this class may be able to get in the home builders class. And if you've never attended the banquet trustees, I really encourage you to attend the home builders program banquet. It is truly a celebration of the…