 So, kind of order the Robert Roxbury board of school commissioners meeting for April 6. Thank you everyone for coming it's awesome to see this type of turnout. I've been on the board six years I've seen this type of turnout, maybe three or four times. I want to ask how many people want to speak and it looks like we might need a speaker's list and. And why don't add a little time limit so people who want to speak. Would it be possible to just work on it right now. Yes. Take names. Perfect. So just come up and write your name down. Jim, this is sort of my usual spiel about like, when people that are coming to our meetings that don't usually come maybe give like a quick explanation of how public kind of time works. And, and like if they don't sign up and then they're moved to speak like after a few people speaks like they can still right it'll still be open for them. Yeah, yeah, but just, I know sometimes it's hard to like actually get up there and write your name on the thing. Be brave. People who are on the phone. Raise your hand function. Leslie. Leslie, who wants to know Tim favorite has. Tim favorite. And if you're on zoom and you don't know how to raise your hand. Sorry. Yeah, you can do it physically. So I've got 10 people who would like to speak. So you know the procedure around public comment. We listen during public comment. We don't respond or engage in discussion that doesn't mean we're not listening. And obviously we're considering this later tonight so it's going to go directly to that conversation that we have later. If after everyone speaks during the public comment period you would like to speak further you can just let looks like you can either let me know or you can let grant or Andrew LaRosa know and they can tell me and grant Andrew just raise your hand and so people know who you are. And after and after everybody's done I will just give a call out to see if anybody else wants to talk. Given the number I would, I would ask people to try to keep themselves to about 30 seconds. And I am going to do my best with the names I might get a couple wrong because I can't fully read a couple days of people without sharing. We don't have a track coach who's. Oh, okay. Sorry Cody. Yeah, and you can take a little extra time. Definitely try not to take a ton of extra time. Awesome. So I'm going to Ezra, Meryl triplet. And Meg presenting. That is totally fine. You guys, you guys can have a minute. I'm Meg Vosin. I'm Ezra, Meryl triplet. We are part of the track enrichment group last year. We recognize all of you with a lot of talking up here. I just wanted to come up and continue to show our support and say that track is super accessible sport because it has such a great range of events from the 100 meter which is lasting like 15 seconds to 3k which is closer to 15 minutes. A lot of kids can find their stride. No pun intended. We have a lot of different ways of doing it, especially because we have running and jumping and throwing and all these different ways that people can use their bodies to. It just is really like diverse and so they're, they can specialize. It's a big range. You're not great at like catching and throwing you know there's javelin and shop and all sorts of stuff for track. We've been doing tracks since, like, six or seventh grade. We don't like put a new 32 track on occasion for practices just because it's better than going to this one. We want a new track. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So I noticed I have two houses here, one in my pillow, and I go to you 32. And next year, next fall, I'll be captain of the six, six time defending state champion and 2021 New England champion cross country. Now they're running track in eighth grade. In the ninth grade, they got major, they convinced me to run cross country. I didn't know that I was capable of running on uneven surfaces because of my disability, but now I run cross country track sits key with the Nordic Paralympic team. And I want, I am in support of redoing the track. And I want to give everybody the benefit and support support all people and have the same opportunities. I'm running on a fresh track and starting their running career. And a new track with support, not only the running community, but also people can walk on the orders, chill on the new track. Thank you. Thank you. Oh, is that Charlie thought. No, Charlie, I had to pull my second grade teacher eyes out on that one. I'm going to speak just briefly tonight about our as a former track coach here at Montpellier High School. I had a two hour reminiscing presentation ready for you but I decided to go with that but I want to share one story that reflects on the track that's out there now one of my fondest memories was the political battle that the track coaches had with Carolyn Sillsby who was in the science department, the snapping turtles would come up and lay eggs on them on the track. And we would go out for practice and we'll be cordoned off with Carolyn science and don't trust us as some of the history of the track, but there are two things I think that I just want to be sure said, I went up to South Burlington for the boys soccer championship and their facility and ours started almost within a year or two of each other. And if you saw that facility it's absolutely magnificent and I would encourage board members other people that are going to be moving forward on this project to take a look at that it's got lots and lots of possibilities and it would be inspirational. The second thing is I'm making an assumption and if it's wrong I'd like to be corrected on it. There are existing facilities out there that I think can be incorporated in the new facility that poval long jump and high jump facilities I think could be incorporated. The second thing is the material that the track is going to be doesn't specify exactly what it's going to be and I would hate to see a simply asphalt track go down there that would not be a step forward. And the other concern is on the schematic they have the shot put if the shot put one word is and I don't think this would be the case but would preclude playing soccer in that field. So those are concerns that I think will be addressed down the line. But I'm totally old. Those of you that know we know that I get emotional out for June 32 and tracksters from my period just as an old tractor it overwhelms me thank you for your time. Cody and definitely take some extra time if you want. My name is Cody. I'm the track field coach here at Montpelier High School. And as Ezra Meg we're saying track field is one of those sports where we have a wide range of events. You know we have about 30 to 35 kids on our team as now we have another 70 coming from the middle school. So this program is growing so fast. And as we all know the benefits of having especially a rubber track. I'm not only for the school for the community, but one thing I really wanted to touch on was the safety aspect of having a rubber track. It saves a lot of impact on the athletes knees, hips, ankles. We can drastically cut down on injuries just on having a rubber track. As Charles was saying, the jumping pit is just straight asphalt, which is not a great safe environment for my athletes to jump. For example, I just had an athlete today spraying their ankle because of the runway and the sand specifically is not sand it's just dirt. And that is not safe to jump in at all. As well as discus, for example, especially when kids are learning their, their rotating motion. Sometimes accidents happen sometimes that discus falls out of their hand and they have big nets around that discus area so that none of those discus hit other kids and potentially have concussions and injuries and stuff like that. Another huge benefit to a rubberized track is just the overall kind of competition as well as the improvement that I think a lot of our athletes will see. Again, for example, blocks, they have spikes at the very end of those blocks that dig into the rubber surface and unfortunately with a dirt track. Those blocks slide back when the athletes are pushing off against them so it's one is not safe because they could end up tripping falling, but they're also not maximizing their full potential, their full speed. The last thing I want to touch on are the hurdles as well. We do have, you know, some hurdles but when 10 of them are rusted can't be lifted they don't fall down exactly that also is kind of a danger issue for athletes who are who wants to compete in hurdles. We have three freshmen who have never done hurdles who look very promising in hurdles. So it'd be nice to kind of have that facility to give them their full potential. Because as a track athlete myself track was the best thing I've ever done. So, so I want to say. Tim DiWara. I just wanted to show up as a community member. Also avid sportsman outdoors runner. In transparency I also helped coach the mainstream middle school team, which I don't know if you've seen the numbers on that or upwards of 80 I don't know what percentage that is of the middle school but I'm guessing it's pretty big number. If you want to see how that is affecting these kids, you're welcome to stop in and just watch and help out, but it doesn't take too long to realize the fact that this whole program. The situation has on such a huge percentage of the population of the kids in this community. And so I want to make sure that I put time on my schedule today to come out to bring my family out to say that. This is something important that we should be standing behind. And thanks. Beth Merrill. Thanks again for your service to this community. I'm a eighth generation Vermonner so the blood of Yankee frugality courses through my veins every day and I believe that this is a huge investment and I recognize what a big deal this is and what an amazing amount of money and resources it takes. What we worry about is we have lots of issues of the district right that we could talk about and focus on. I just don't want to get into where we're, we're delaying something that is needed. Now, I mean really it was needed 20 years ago right. This is a cohort of kids who were promised a playground in kindergarten and never step foot on that playground because it didn't happen in their years at Union elementary. I think what COVID has taught me is like the time is now and the time to bring us together exercise our minds our bodies and our spirit of community and I feel like this track is has the potential to do that so thanks for considering. Leslie Wells. Even though you're on camera also just introduce yourself. Yeah, can you hear me. Leslie can't hear you. Okay. If you need to restart your zoom we can go to someone else and let you. Oh, I think it's on our end. Just noting that. Leslie try again. Can you hear me now. Yes. On the list. Instead of your hand. Okay, that's okay. It's all part of it. Hi everyone I'm Leslie Wells. I am a month to your residence and I have a child who's about to metric matriculate Union elementary this fall, which is very exciting. I am a boy but I'm a long time musician and a runner. And I feel like one of the things that I've seen in this community is that Montpelier High School is seen kind of as the artsy school and you 32 is the athletic school. And this is a way to support the kids who do both in the Montpelier school system is investing in the track. And I do both and it's, it's, it really is just providing infrastructure for the, for the kids to develop that, that part of themselves and learn discipline through running and community spirit so. Sorry, I don't mean to ramble, but I think it's really exciting. I also recognize it's a huge investment and then there's always a lot of budgetary decisions that have to be made. So we have to do everything we could ever all the time and we can't. But it does seem like this is a great time to put this investment forward so thank you for your time and thank you for serving on the school board. Thanks Leslie. Just before I left for here I did do a writing a written comment, but I'd actually ask if you could remove that would place it with this verbal. If that's possible I'd appreciate that. So hello and thank you to for your service. It's greatly appreciated my name is Sherry Rock Castle. My son here is a freshman. He shifted from soccer to cross country and track and field when he was in eighth grade last year. One thing I just want to just draw a picture of is and why I would really appeal to this track being developed is last year. The team had about 50 people in the middle school and an event was put on that hadn't been done you've heard about the track and field meet. We had about 50 parental volunteers and it was all hands on deck and it was the most fabulous energy that one could like just pick up on from far away and close up. It was just wonderful, however, not sustainable with that many volunteer hours, you know doing chalk and bringing in all the equipment that we needed. With these numbers it's just phenomenal and the accessibility, not only to the variety of events, but to people who don't want to particularly be in a sport where they're every move might make the difference for that team versus that freedom of doing their best. And knowing that they're personally driven to do that. And not so much with that pressure of that one move that like lost the goal or something like that I just think that our community benefits from those types of activities and the running for the community to like move their body. We all know the mental health aspect of that and how, how just glorious it is for our kids. So the track or last year remember the slippage being spoken of with my son on that track that safety stuff that Cody spoke of you know I would concur I just think that it's time to give this vast number of student body to be the benefit of the community to keep them safe. So, thank you. Tim favorite on on zoom. Hi, I'm here representing the Montpelier Energy Advisory Committee. And I'm just encouraging the school board to explore solutions for getting the high school in the middle schools heating system off of oil. The net zero energy action plan that the city released late last year we found that the high school and the middle school burn by far the most oil of all me minute municipal buildings in Montpelier high school burns about 30,000 gallons of oil a year and the middle school burns about 22,000 gallons. If my players are going to reach our net zero goals by 2030. It's absolutely critical that we have to that we change this soon. So the plan was written in 2021 and that was well before the recent spike in oil prices, but it found that heating with say a wood chip oiler as opposed to what we're doing now would save the district about $55,000 per year and fuel costs. Perhaps we could direct some of those savings towards nice things like the track. But yeah anyway this is a chance to save money by doing our part for the climate. Thank you. David. Previous speakers and thanking the board and administration for all the work that they do for the district of our students. And rather than treading over the points that were already been made I want to tell a story about my own personal journey as I think about the value of track and field and athletics in general to our students. The point is that when I was a first year student in high school, like many people at that stage of life in a middle school and later in high school, I was in search of an identity, and trying to find not you know who I was, who I wanted to be was trying to find a group of people who recognized me and see me for who I was and in my case at that point in time that included choosing not to drink alcohol and choosing to experiment with drugs and things like that and that was in my high school that the sort of high status kids were into those things. And so if you're, you know, if you're 15 and male and searching for your own version of status and affirmation of your own identity, you are definitely looking for a group that's going to reinforce that. So I joined the track team. And that was a key to making the lamp today in that I found a group of peers and respected me and respect choices I was making. I found people I could invest in and I discovered and developed my own internal discipline on ethos and a life-long orientation to how I go about working hard and interacting with other people. I think that obviously that's not unique to track and field, but I think that the, this is the kind of the reason that we do athletics, the reason we do any sport is for me at least not primarily for competition, it's not primarily to win championships, it is to develop our identities and to become full people as humans. And I can't think of a time in life where that's more essential than middle school and high school. A facility, a facility does not make that happen. However, a facility can certainly catalyze it happening for more people and make this into a major component of what our identity is as a district. And you know, we're talking tonight about the 35 kids who are athletes on the high school team and the 79 kids are registered for the middle school. This year, you know, there are 26 fifth graders in the middle school team. If we had 20 to 26 students in every class from now for the next 50 years, which is more or less what this investment is, you know, that's a stunning number of students who would be affected directly by the impact and it doesn't even touch on the other sports that would use it, the members of the community, students from other districts, etc. So, I just applaud the district for considering this and the board for considering this. And I also humbly present that this is not to me and either or question this is a both and obviously there are really important priorities, including that zeros that we should be pursuing doggedly. And those are of a different scale and should be possible alongside investing in a facility like this whose maintenance and upkeep have been probably deferred for 20 or 30 years. And so we might think of this commitment of $1.5 million as you know, just like we would think about refilling the pension funds of the state. It's sort of long overdue. Thanks again for your service. Thanks for listening. Take care. And assuming you're not driving this is your car Chris Curtis. Maybe not Chris was we have your hand up. Um, it was very hard to navigate on your phone. Yes. We can come back to Chris if that hand means you want to speak. Is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak who did not. So we have one hand up Avery. I'm a very smart. I'm the captain of the boys cross country team and distance track team. I found a new identity when I started running and the track and our facilities play a huge role in what I'm able to do and what the team is able to do. And I think it's just a beautiful sport that's about pushing yourself to becoming a better version of yourself where you become stronger you become healthier. And it's really just one of the healthiest sports out there. And it's almost primal just running. And I think that it's really important to the whole team to have nice facilities and I also think that it could even boost numbers if we didn't have people thinking oh I don't want to go run on a mud pit. But instead if we had a nicer facility similar to what South Burlington has or even some of the really small division three schools like Springfield. That would be more inspiring to people and they would be more willing to challenge themselves and better themselves. And one other thing is where the state capital, it would be amazing if we could host the state championship. And it seems kind of silly that there are schools like Springfield that host the state championship for the longest time where we would go to as the capital. And so it would be very nice if we could, I think that's an eight lane track. And I know that it's a lot of money and that there's many considerations, but it'd be very nice if we could host the state meet and that would also bring just more people to downtown. That kind of thing, and it would benefit the community too. Thank you. Chris looks like you're ready to go and then we have James's iPhone. Thanks, can you hear me. Yes. Oh, thank goodness I got my microphone sorted out. I will be brief but thank you all very much for taking public comment tonight and thanks again for your service on the school board. I just want I sent an email to the board, but I really just wanted to briefly underscore the importance of creating a magnet, both for for families and employers and the economic impact of this investment, not just in the track but in what many people in the community feel is very needed, which is a wholesale redevelopment of the field to a turf field that would serve as a magnet and a draw for families and athletes across the state, and would of course benefit our local student athletes as well. I just know that there's a real hunger and demand all across central Vermont. Many families end up driving to Chittenden County to get access to those kinds of resources and to the extent that Montpelier could consider adding that to this major proposed investment. Many of those same families would appreciate it and not just Montpelier families but club families and other players from not just one sport but lacrosse soccer baseball softball year round people will come and shovel they will come to the field to be able to play in the snow and play all year round and currently that option is just not not available to students in central Vermont so just would would ask respectfully to to consider, you know if we're going to put the field for a major project like the track to be thinking expansively and efficiently to to spend the capital and the investment that will result in, I think a huge net benefit to the community for all the reasons that many of the other speakers have already said, and I want to thank the student athlete who just presented because I think it's critically important to hear the voices of students in these debates and discussions and so I'm really pleased that some young people turned out. Thank you. Thanks Chris. James, I'm assuming it's James. Yeah, this is James I can bury here. I emailed the board and just wanted to share my quick thoughts as well. Sounds like lots of great information has been shared so I'll try to avoid any duplication. Like Nathan I too had a great positive experience in middle school and high school in track and found it to be just very empowering and gave me a healthy group of people to hang out with so that I reinforced good life choices. And there's a lot to be said for that and giving our students good opportunities and makes it easier to stay on a good path so that's that's one of the many benefits of track. It's also an incredibly inclusive sport. People have all abilities and all body types and anybody can do track and that's, I mean, not quite the same and all other sports and, you know, there aren't really tryouts for track track loves everyone and takes all comers and that's a pretty beautiful thing and I think that we're only going to find the program to grow because of that. So just I think it's good for the students, whether they're a track athlete or not, our gym class at high school would use our track all the time. And my last sort of pro track pitch would be that there's a lot of parents who are fired up about this as you are finding from all the emails you've received, and the folks that are sharing with you this evening and we, you know, our folks who if we can afford to also make donations if we can't, we can maybe come out and pitch in and help with some of the work so I think you'll find a willing force of parents and community members who would find ways to pitch in. And if that could help with costs somewhere along the way then I think that you would find willing hands to do the work. So thanks again, and I hope that we can find a way to make improvements for the track. Thanks. Thank you. I think that concludes it final call. Yes. Wilson. I've been a track coach for 38 years coach and recently I volunteered to coach at the middle school and work with Nathan, and I coached a little bit here at the high school. I wrote you a letter speaking about the positive aspects of track and field, but I don't want to talk about that. I'll talk about its history at Montpelier. Montpelier's track program was unbelievable. I get emotional thinking about it now, like Charlie, Charlie Phillips and real major. I don't know how many titles but I know that they they won nine division two titles in a row. You have. I think there's still one person who is a state title holder overall, maybe no not overall state title over in distance. But you had several state title holders out of this. There was tremendous athletes of this school. I had a wonderful opportunity and there were also a lot of athletes who weren't so great, but really contributed a lot to this to the school and to all those titles and I really just I think that it would be wonderful to resurrect and bring back the greatness of this Montpelier track program. Thank you. Anyone else and otherwise we will. Thank you so much. This was a wonderful morning. And it was, it was fantastic to hear all the great stories and perspectives. So lots of exciting things like the consensus agenda. I have and just just for folks now we are. We have two short items. Then we're having a facilities overview by Andrew La Rosa. We put the vote for after that just in case there are any questions aboard had in relation to the facilities overview that might be pertinent to that vote. I cannot accurately guess when the vote will take place it's scheduled for before 815. So I just wanted to let people know because I know you probably may not, may not be planning to stay here all evening but also probably want to know how it turns out so I'm sure word will get out if you want to or need to leave. Jim, do you mind if I just say a quick word of thanks before because I see people are having to leave. But I just want to thank everybody I mean I know some of you might need to leave before we actually vote for this but you know we don't hear a lot from community on a lot of things and for me and my decision making process as a board member it really helps to hear from all of you and to see the level of support coming from the community. And it just makes our process so much richer, and our decision making, you know, easier. So, it, this is democracy in action and I especially the students I just really want to thank you for dedicating your time to coming and speaking to us tonight. And I don't know if work might be able to do a quick pan but you know this is what civic engagement looks like. I didn't expect to be on TV tonight. Thanks, sorry. Oh no. Yeah, I see most of the track team is here too. And the U 32 track team, which I think is really special that you guys came out to support your, your cross town rivals. Thank you. I'm job emotion to approve the consent agenda, and I think you want to add something to, I'll move to approve the consent agenda, with the exception of the draft agenda for the May 4 meeting. Okay, I have a second for that. I'll never. Any of both. And Mia, you. I just wanted to offer or make a request to add a couple of things to the draft agenda for May 4. One being the that Jim and I will have a report back to the board on the conflict resolution work that we started with Carol, just kind of where we're at in that process and what our recommendation is for next steps, including using some time of the board retreat for that. So just wanted to put that on there specifically as an item for board discussion. And then I wanted to request that during the finance committee report time. We ask whether or not we can make a contribution to the Vermont coalition for student equity, and if so how much just want to add those to the agenda. Don't make a motion to approve that approve that agenda with those two items added. Great, so I moved to approve the May 4 agenda with those additions. I said, that's my motion to do that. I think we just add those to the agenda. Oh, because they were because it wasn't really in the consent agenda. Okay, we don't need a motion. Okay. Yeah, never mind. Okay. Standing by. I think Zach is online. Student update and I know that your student update also has some, some track input you've gotten so. For our track discussion, which is going to craft to this means I decided to keep our board presentation this week short. And I'd also just like to make the board aware that means that are going to be alternating through each of the item that we have. So that said, our first item for our first update for this week is about the mhs vaccination grant. And me and Zach are continuing to figure out how to best allocate these funds with student voice and in mind. And on that note, we are going to be sending out a survey to students over the next week or so for students to finally go on the ideas that they would like to see on how to allocate these funds. And that brings us to our next update, which I think Zach will take over. Yeah. So our next thing is the MSMS listening session we've got that scheduled for April 8, and that is happening at 130 at the middle school and we're going to meet with a group of students to talk about with like concerns they have just getting a general thoughts, feelings, everything. And board members who are interested in attending are welcome. You can make that time. What time did you say that was 130. And our next update is about the curriculum which we touched upon last week. We just wanted to say that we're continuing to best figure out how to approach this, and that we're meeting with the curriculum director tomorrow to talk about this. Yeah. And then our track feedback section. We're going to also try to keep it short. I appreciate everyone who has emailed and come in person and just shared how they're feeling. I think that's really great. And I would encourage the board to vote in favor of committing the money to towards the track renovation. I think a lot about sports, because that's a huge part but there's also just the community impact it could have. Walking is really easy for some people in terms of it not being super taxing but still being really healthy and supportive. And I know there's a lot a lot of people I think there's everyone is would benefit from it. But I also encourage was said earlier about trying to do both both focusing on the track as well as keeping that zero in mind as something that's incredibly important to everyone in the community. I also have a quick track update or track feedback. And as you can see from both the, the, everyone who showed up and everyone who has sent us emails and given us feedback. We've received significant amounts of support and some objections but mostly support for this track renovation. And what we've also heard from our outreach to students I think it's safe to say that this renovation is seen as widely supported within our school community, which I think is important for the board to consider as they make their decisions. And I just also wanted to say that I personally can support this renovation both being a track runner and also with that student voice in mind. Just, I think our last point is about looking ahead. We just wanted to say that we're going to continue with the agenda items that we talked about last week and also this week. And as I, as we talked about the MS MS listening sessions happening tomorrow, we're meeting with the curriculum director we're continuing to figure out how best to distribute the NHS vaccination grant, as well as a few other things that we talked about last week. So we're just going to continue working on all these with student outreach in mind, voice in mind, and just doing our best. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks guys. Questions for Americans. I think one point of clarification for folks who aren't familiar Americans act are not voting members of the board which is why they might be saying to us, we encourage you to vote but using that you pronoun instead of the royal we And you're up for facilities. So, everyone in your board packet got your facilities report. What I'd like to do is I'll run through some highlights a lot of the things that with especially with the SR funding and some other things that have become become clear last month or so I just want to hit some of the highlights. And then if you have any specific questions about what you read. First thing I want to do is, you know, this is not intended to be every single project everything that we do, but just to give people a general understanding of where we are. And, and some of the projects we focused on and possibly looking towards the future. The building committee is starting to do building tours and we're setting those up so it's going to be great opportunity. So when we're talking about specific projects. We'll have seen them with their own eyes and become a help answer questions that they have any. So I start sort of most life safety issues are the things that we've hit recently all of in about two weeks, all of our camera systems and all of our buildings. In about two weeks, we're going to be installing new camera systems at the elementary school in the high school, which means that all of our skills will have new camera systems as of last year. So that's all and we've got plenty of capacity to expand but that's a big safety piece that we've been working on and and sort of the chips have fallen such that we've been able to do that. Outside work that we've been doing down at you down at Roxbury. We've taken out the head hitting Mary go around and it and looking to put in a Gaga pit down there and we also went through all the equipment down there and replace some of the pieces that were out of date or worn. So that that playground is heading in the right direction which is good. The middle school I'll hold on for a second here at the high school for fields and outdoor stuff. We have been able to, when we took over the fields or maintenance from the city. We invested heavily in equipment with tractors and drags and mowers and things of that nature so we're in great position on that to be able to take care of our own facilities. It's a little bit. You know we got there in that nice weather and we go this should be nice and green on it's still mid April. So it's, we'll get there. We're usually not on the fields until after the April break so but we're in good shape with equipment to take care of that. We have ordered covered benches for the soccer and baseball field they have they're coming from England. Matt may know where they are within the shipping process but they have been, they have been ordered and are on their way over the last year some of the other improvements that we've done. We rebuilt the baseball pitching mound. We're going to be redoing the infield there. We're working with some of the folks on the track team with regards to a discus throwing had that should be ready to be used. When the students get back in April over the April break. And we're ongoing, again, just sort of ongoing maintenance and bringing the fields up. The mud lot that as a practice field actually turned out better than I think anybody expected it to be. It's not a game field but it's certainly viable for practice and we're going to keep fertilizing it and getting it greener and greener and greener so that's good. Energy project energy related projects that we've been working on down at Roxbury. We have bids in and for both putting in some heat pumps down there weren't able to do the whole school, but we're able to take care of the back portion that has the most need for control and dehumidification. So we'll be able to take care of about four or five classrooms down there. We'll put three three classrooms and a couple more. Yeah, I was gonna say there's more classes that about three classrooms and the admin office and we can add to that in the future we're also putting in a DDC control system down there right now. You set the temperature to 71 degrees and it's 71 degrees from October 1 until April, whatever the DDC control system will allow us to program night setbacks vacation setbacks and be able to monitor the building remotely which is huge for Tom Allen and our custodial crew. So that that work is going we've we've ordered equipment and the installation is planned for this summer. I'm going to put the caveat on anything I say we're doing because lead times and all that crazy but we've got I think we've got an early enough start that will have that in place before school starts here at the high school. The circulator pump replacement project is complete. And that's a huge it doesn't it's not all that sexy but it's a huge amount of energy savings that it's going to generate. It's one of those projects you know you've got a good project when efficiency Vermont says we're not going to give you any money for it because you're going to reap the benefits. You don't need you don't need our support. The DDC control system here at the high school is also going to begin after immediately after school starts there probably do a little bit of scouting out over the April break but that work will begin over the over the summer so that will be ready for the fall. Again, huge being able to control the building is going to be huge. So, with regards to ongoing projects. We have gone through and selected three classrooms down at Union Elementary a couple at the main street middle, the planning room and some behavioral spaces down at Roxbury that we're going to do the general summer refresh on we are not taking on any major projects this summer just knowing that we've got a big load of work coming next year and we might as well bundle it, plus with new custodians in those buildings and new principles. We didn't want to open any cans of worms that we couldn't close. So I was really, really, really wanted to do the auditorium at the elementary school this summer, because it's just going to be fabulous when it's done but I don't think Katie would have appreciated a half built auditorium when she got there on September 1. So those are some of the, that's the typical process we've got going. I want to address some of the larger projects that we should anticipate and certainly we're getting questions about. Let me ask the answer projects and grant if I forget one, let me know. So at Union Elementary now we've received conceptual approval on these projects, which we're taking as a, let's get going. So, and when I say let's get going, we're probably really not going to get into the design this until September, nobody's got the capacity now. People need their summers so we're going to hit it hard in September. Go through the design process. And I used to say go out to bid, we're probably going to have to do some sort of construction management processes nobody's going to give a bid for materials, three four months out, which is, it's just not going to happen that way. It's just going to calm down I don't think by then, but we'll get to that. So at Union Elementary the special ed suite revisioning of that and how that operates and how that can serve the students better. There is the multi purpose rise behavioral space that's above for some of you and lots of you students there know is the four winds room, redoing that space. There's a little gym, renovating that making that much closer to an actual little gym at Main Street middle cafeteria kitchen space, renovating that. Also we've started the planning because we actually are going to build the thrive space over there this summer that has to get done for the start of school so we've already started on that and working with contractors and that'll have that place for the start of and another big piece over there is the playground which I think we actually probably want to call something other than playground because it serves the youngest fifth grader to the oldest eighth grader so we need to create an appropriate space over there. High school here we've got some after three money for for student support spaces over here but it's a smaller piece and it's more furnishings as it is messes it as much a renovation. So those are those are the answer projects that are three projects, sort of big capital fund projects that have been on the books are the renovation of the auditorium at Union Elementary. And we have, I have met with contractors and designers on that process on that project and looks good I think what we wanted to do is feasible so that that's good. We're continuing with the windows over there actually met with some window contractors and actually had a good tour with the building committee over there just to kind of understand what I'm looking at and some of the things we're struggling with. That's struggling but trying to decide what, what direction to take on though so it's great to have their input on that. So that's continuing. The other big capital piece that's over there, or that that's on the books is the sustainability classroom over at Main Street middle school. So that again it's going to be something that I will hit that hard in September and really get the right group of people to think about the what we need in there and and piece it together and get it out to the. So that's kind of the, that's kind of the overview above and beyond what's in there and again I wish I had this in but the stuff has been so flowing. I can't stress enough is, is how, how grateful I am to our custodial staff, they've done an amazing job this year. I don't think anybody, other than maybe granted who signs the page X realize how hard all of them have been working and how many hours they have been putting in and to be in a time as challenging as it is as it has been and have the buildings not suffer for that and in some cases improved for it from it is a testament to their and their hard work. Was there any specific questions out of read the whole 71 pages. I'm not sure I don't know sure I'd raise my hand to pride. This is, if you haven't gotten a chance to read the whole thing, don't hesitate to shoot me a question I mean it really. It's, and I took the draft up but I need to get it up there. So you guys can ask me the questions that I can put in here and put the answers this is a living document and whoever sits in my office from here forward should be doing this for you because the heavy lifting is the first time. Once you get it done and then it's just updating, but it's hugely. It's a good resource if we use it. Yes, yes. Question for another couple. Yeah. Well, first one to say thank you for writing it. I know that heavy lift was mostly last year when you created in the first place but I also know it takes a lot to go through a 72 page document and update it so thank you very much. And Anna also. Thank you, Anna. Thank you for, you know, establishing this overview for us to give us this comprehensive look of our at our facilities and for the large amounts of work that it takes to keep our buildings running. And I also wanted to take everything to echo the kudos and the reflections on the custodial staff I think it's also very cool that you include that in our facilities report. And I would love to see this on the website that it's something that lives on the facilities page of the website because I think our, our community would also benefit from having this overview and it would be hard to remember now what board meeting was that where Andrew presented it I have to go you know so I think that that would be a good way of having these the, you know, community be part of taking care of our buildings. So here, the pages nine to 10 you have the future projects, you kind of touched on that a little bit in your overview. How this might get too granular for this discussion tonight but I would be helpful to know how much of this is already included in budgeting. So I think it's going to serve funds, what you, maybe what you would be saying to the board hey, I know you don't have a pack capital plan for FY 24 but, you know, So I look at this at the middle school and I look at most of it is going to be addressed in the next year or two. Okay. So, so I yeah I think if you go through so Roxbury in general update upgrade, upgrade the classrooms in case work upstairs sort of a classroom thing that's ongoing mechanical like we've touched on that. So I would say a lot of this. You know, I think it's a, I think most all of it is in some way addressed. Okay, if not, if not fully at least to some level. Okay, so by by future projects you're saying future to get done but we've already kind of laid it out. Yeah, these are, these are things I've heard these are projects I've heard and I think I put it up there is, you know, some of the ideas some of the things that we've heard that hopefully were as we go because it's a process of every year we sit. There's light health safety and welfare there's like no question about that we try to address as quickly and it's completely as we possibly can. So when it comes to program space and classrooms and all that we talked about it in September when we're putting together the budget with grant and by this time, future people are moving classes changing and all that so we sort of adjust as we go but again, everything that's sort of listed on there is either stuff that we've heard, or is actually going to be taking place. And obviously the, the, the bigger projects take more conversation than just my office or, you know, there's lots of voices on that one. Right. There were a number of things in the report where you noted should be adequately funded. So this is maybe just like a follow up to this question. How do we know if they are being adequately funded because I'll reach out to grant and talk about them, you know, if there's a if there's a real concern and it is a balancing act with this. Others have said we'd love to do everything right now and we can't really do that. So we have to pick and choose and you know a lot of those main reasons it's just that those should remain adequately funded are just a reminder to us that okay, we got to we got to keep on top of these things. Okay, that's helpful for how we should be reading the board. Yeah, read it as, you know, don't forget about that one that one we okay, it takes a lot of it's nothing's cheap. Certainly not. And then my last one was just on the green buildings in general. It's a little bit less of a question for you and more for the board that, you know, this is another aspect that we have heard a lot from the community on. I think that our, we as a board need to decide how much of a priority we're going to make getting to net zero is, and I would love to see that live with the facilities committee for now at least, and then the facilities committee help us, you know, be the place we're sort of that like research kind of thing lives, and then have us and then bring it to the board to decide. And, you know, how much of a priority we're going to make it meaning, do we have a policy do we have, you know, that will I think give our administration the direction that would be really helpful at this point because clearly, you've done many things without our direction, which is great that, you know, we're more of the like, no brainers, but it's what I'm hearing is that we're getting to a point now where the solutions are a lot more complicated. So we could provide a little bit more of a framework. So that was less for Andrew and more for us. That's it. That's all right. Thank you. I have a little tickling my throat, but, and I've been testing every day for COVID. I also just want to thank you for creating the facilities report. I don't know what we had before. It does live on our website under the facilities committee committee. I didn't look there. I looked on the facilities page of our website. Yeah, so thank you, but it only goes back to last year and I'm guessing that's because Andrew is the designer of this document I don't know if there was. I just want to thank you for improving the transparency of your process and the district's process around sort of prioritizing projects and what we've recently put money into and what we're planning to put money into in the future. And you can go and find it on our website on the facilities and energy committee page. I think we've improved that. I wasn't here before, before you but it seems like 100%. So thank you so much for that and when I would encourage people to access those documents because as we were hearing feedback on the track. A lot of the things that we were hearing feedback on were things that actually had recently been either paid for or earmarked, or will be paid for in the very near future. So, and I don't expect people to follow along, you know, that in that way, but if they're interested, and they have the time and energy. It's a good document to sort of dig into and hopefully as we move forward we're going to be having many years to like look back on and compare the different types of projects that we've done and I think that's a great service that you've done for the district. And I have, I have appreciated it in a few different decisions that have come across our desk. And I, and the other question that I have was actually answered in your answer to me. So, more of just a thanks for Andrew. So the first one is for MSMS, the cafeteria kitchen and the playground, I guess in the thrive space of those this summer projects next summer project. So we're ready for the start of school for the other's that process is going to take and all of these processes are going to take a long time. Yeah, yeah, but our goal is to I mean, would a feasibility or by the viability study be the type of thing that might occur to address the possibility of replacing oil heat. Is that the way that it might be approached, would that be an expensive thing, would it be not worth. I mean, absolutely, absolutely, because there are timelines and variables, because we're not even aware of necessarily the variables involved at this point, as much as the community won't would like. You know, some folks are saying, take care of this but it doesn't seem like there's a path, and maybe there's a. I would, I agree that it that was a commitment or at least a goal that wanted to be explored. There are 10 different ways to get there, and each of them has an impact, and we need to understand those impacts and I can, I can understand facility impacts. I, but I, I couldn't do that kind of report that sort of looked at all the different options what the costs are what the paybacks are, although with net zero you're not really looking at paybacks so you know, but that is a piece of it. It is that's a that's a big chunk of work. And it's something that does need to be brought on and done by an expert because they need to look at all the, all the infrastructure, how you'd make it work and then we'd also have to look at it. Like I say, for ourselves, how do we make it operational, how do we, how do we get it to work within our facilities so it is it is beyond me sitting in my office thinking about how can we make this net zero. So just just as a follow up just the viability aspect would probably have to go into next year's budget because it's just not a it's not a small it's not a just even just the feasibility aspect of it would probably have to be. And I'm kind of looking up to grant as well. Sort of. I would think so I would think so absolutely because you're hiring engineers. Well, and I think we also, and I think it's probably a test for the facilities and energy. I mean I think we need some extra help on what it is I mean all of you will talk like you know we can replace our oil burner with a wood burner, well there's, there's problems with burners and there's problems with burners rock carbon. I mean the reason that wood burners are technically net zeros because the tree grows back but the tree grows back in 80 years so you put that carbon in the air now. And I think one of the models we don't have 80 years of carbon in the air to deal with so we could spend. Yeah, a million plus dollars on a new burner and had a effectively get no measurable carbon impacts and perhaps worse carbon impacts and whether there's habitat So we need to figure out a lot of questions before we start making decisions around that. So we don't even get to have to have some of the basic answers. Unfortunately, I mean we have some stuff we're doing that's good but larger problems. And we need a lot of work on one one last piece and I we try to, we've got to do a better job of communicating this that absolutely we are the biggest oil users. In the city, but we also have two thirds of the building stock in town. So as a sort of on a square footage, we're actually, we do a darn good job. Can we do better, absolutely. But when we hear that, you know, we burn the most we do the burn the most but we've got most of the buildings and relative to and even look at our hours of operation and not it like it's questions like that how do you define how do you do it by square foot, or do you do it by square foot and hours of operation because this building is operational from said six in the morning until 10 o'clock at night. You compare that to a city building, they're going nine to five. So, and I can't I'm in no way of a position to answer that question. So, so do we can do better, but we're doing pretty good. And like Grant has said, all of our this is all solar and all of our buildings all solar. And our usage has gone down by 30% in the last 10 years of electrical use. So we're using not only is it all solar, we're using less solar panels to do it so I just want to follow up with the connecting back to me and right and also you were saying that I really feel that this is the meat it is the work of the facilities and energy committee, and we are a fairly young community where, you know, we're initiated I think in March of 2021. And we had a couple great high energy pick off meetings and honestly a lot of energy efforts just got swallowed up with pandemic dynamics and I'm happy to say that we are back at work and we, you know, we are in the midst like Andrew said we are touring the buildings we hope and intention is to have all buildings forward by the end of June. And I think we realize that these are really big things and the plate of work in front of us is really significant. And Andrew I appreciate it the one of the last meetings that you tasked us and said it's time it's time that we've been to really come to the table and start really thinking about, you know this inventory of priorities and projects and start to make some decisions on how you know the funding is flowing and really what the priorities are. So there's a lot of there's a lot of big work ahead of us and I hope I'm speaking for the committee at large that you know we're eager to get this work underway and get down to brass impacts and I think that this this facilities report is is such an incredible starting point for us and it is really like a map to get oriented within the district and it is incredible it's an incredible resource and so very very grateful for it and I think it just gives us, you know, the starting point context. And I wonder too if in the report we there was a way to you just verbally kind of went down the list of all of the efforts that have been done within like the kind of energy infrastructure and efforts and if we could like tease those out and put that in one section so that we had a place to see it and that's something that the energy community that facilities and energy committee helps with, but it would be great to see all those things in one place. And, and then just I know you were saying those projects that you've heard about. I just wanted to add to the list, you know when we were doing a lot of community feedback for the us or process in the fall with Roxbury community members we did hear a lot of clanging around a desire to see an outdoor covered space in the school yard that could facilitate outdoor education. You know community gathering space student graduations. I know it had initially been earmarked as a project when we were thinking maybe some infrastructure funds with funnel in but I don't I don't think that's happened in terms of the federal infrastructure bill we saw that on the list of projects in August. It's not there now and I just wondered and I know that project is possibly connected to the drainage in the school yard and there's some challenges with that. So I wonder, has the drainage issue is that I don't see it on the list is it something that we need to think about or that you're thinking about and you see this project. You are right. We, you we, we are at the absolute lowest point in that town. Yeah, that's cool. And I wish there's a drain pipe we could put somewhere but I don't know where it would be. Yeah, I honestly don't know. Good thing is, yes, it's absolutely a lake, but it dries up quickly. Yeah, I mean I wouldn't be surprised I was down there through. Last time I looked at it specifically was a few weeks ago and it was a quarter of the back of the part of the playground I wouldn't be surprised if that was dried out by now. Yeah, but it's just a challenge luckily it perks that's, we're so lucky on that one, but I just want to observe. Generally, I think I hope to see that the district and would be all really there's so much good work being done. I really want to point, I want to really hope that we can figure out a better way to draw attention to a lot of good work, and I want to recognize that based on what I see here that rbs is a really solid. It's like a really not not it's it's it's it seems to be there are some small things that you would like but it seems like, as far as it merging into the district that it's not a great deal of burden to you. I think it is, you know it seems very, I just want to observe that it's, it seems like as far as buildings go it's a strong building it's well put together it's, it's, it's, and that's just a nice thing. Just want to to the horn of rbs there because I'd like to see more horn tuning. You're right. I just wanted to quickly add some good. It's something that Andrew had said at previous meetings that really stuck with me and talking about the net zero and the green building piece is some of the things that can really make the biggest difference are either not as exciting or sexy or as seemingly, you know, in your face but having a sense and also human behavior, things like driving and things you know there's there's a lot of pieces to making our community more energy efficient and I'm by far not a net zero expert, but an example is I know we got some kind of eye rolls from the community about spending money on windows well if anyone's like ever bought a house in Vermont or rented an apartment in Vermont and had better windows put in like that's one of the most important things you can do. It's not seem particularly exciting, but there is sort of that attitude like make do or do without like. There are things that are happening in the school that this crew has been working on that are making those incremental differences without us doing something that might seem like a big splash. So, you know, I also definitely hear the request for changing our heating system but I also feel like at least MS MS and mhs we use every square inch around these buildings I don't see a lot of places to put some of those things without giving something up, and I know we're going to be talking about the track and about fields I don't really see that we have a lot of room for some of these things so that is not a failure in any way. I just think it's really important to realize that some of these less exciting things that may not seem visible to the naked eye are actually having a really big difference on our efficiency. So, I mean the the energy electrical savings, 40%. It's not done out of some big project it was just a conscious effort of we're going to any time we replace the white bulb we're going to do with an LED. So it was just what we did. Nobody. And we're just continuing to do that. I just wanted to add to the window thing I've heard stories of people who work in the US or MS there are some windows you can put a glass of water next to and winter and it will it will freeze by the end of the day. And that's, you know, like window fixing is an eye roll until you're someone else to like sit next to that window. Yeah, I'm looking at Julie over there. So that's that all these big projects and all this good work we're going to have. It's really not going to start in earnest until next fall with design and we'll have to talk about the right way to get the right people in the room to talk about this and the process and we're going to lay that out nice and clear. It will truly I don't want to make any promises as to it's all going to get done next year it's all going to get but it, but the extra money has to be spent by September of 24. So it's the next two summers that this is going to work on it and it's really going to be. What do we got and how do we move and how do we work around the work. Summer. Yeah, yeah. Any questions for Andrew. We may. One question. Thank you so much for that amazing work and that report and all your knowledge. Thank you everybody that to anticipate any like surprises with the SR three work. So we have the little gym, the playground, the tribe space, you know, I'm just thinking of like what happened at us with the playground. Is it like we're going to open something and they're like, we're going to need another 500,000 for something. I'm looking at it is we have the money allocated towards that that doesn't mean we're going to be in grant and look at me differently but we've got this bundle of money and we've allocated project to project. We're going to bring it all together and when it comes in higher than the amount that we've got. We will sit and say, okay, well, maybe we can do a little less here and shift it to this because this is a higher priority there's going to be a little bit of a shell game, but fundamentally, there will be these improvements and they will be valuable improvements. Again, there is these are old buildings so there's always going to be surprises, but any improvement we make to the little gym is going to be a massive improvement. So that's the that's the good thing on these projects is any improvements going to be a massive improvement. Thank you. Other questions for Andrew. Watching the screen. Thanks. I might not go too far. So here's. Here's how I'm going to handle the board action I would actually like a motion and then to handle the discussion and discussion on that motion rather than have an open ended discussion. So, and we can amend the motion as we see fit but do you have a motion to approve the administration's request to allocate $1.5 million for a track. Second. Second. Discussion. And I don't know how to handle that. I don't know if you I know you got some questions by email if you just kind of want to go through and maybe see if you can answer a lot of those. Then we can can open up to further questions. And I would like to invite my partners in crime to the chairs right in front. Gentlemen, thank you. Yes, we do. Mr. LaRosso. Thank you. So you can add your brilliant. Matt is also on the yeah. So one of the questions that was sent to me is, is this the best use what else did you consider and I just want to remind the board that we've had tons of conversations over the past year of infrastructure projects and needs ever since we knew all considerable amount of federal money was coming in. And so this when we when you when I'm asked what else do we consider we consider the small gym we consider the, you know, all the cafeteria and kitchen renovation at MSMS all of those things were under consideration it's our job knowing all the funding resources that are available to us, which funding sources work for what right so the board remembers we started talking in the very beginning about using all of the our professor or SR three for windows that was our first go at it. We got a lot of feedback about that from the community got feedback from the agency of education about hey I'm not sure that's going to be an allowable expense for that. So everything what we wanted to do so we move that back into the capital fund which was the plan prior to us knowing our brother was here so when it's when we're asked what else do we consider the track is part of that long laundry list of projects that we've been talking about for quite a long time as a school board it's just figuring out which funding source goes best with which project. Eventually we came down to it that the fun balance, the best use of fun balance would be for the track. So that was kind of how I'm thinking about that piece. Trying to read my chicken scratch here sorry. The whole 2 million grant gave me some really easy math to consider for this so I appreciate that grant. I want to say that this this estimate for the grant is just that or for the track sorry is an estimate. We don't know exactly how much it's going to cost because we haven't designed it yet. So this is a best guess estimate from Andrew working with the engineers out there do with that feasibility study which is a three page document you know this three page document is not the design of a track. So it's a three page feasibility study with the space out there. So this is our best chance best ballpark estimate. We're working off and grant please crack me if I get this wrong but we're also working off what we know the fund balance to be what we're estimating the fund balance to be at the end of the third quarter for this year, not for this full school year, but for where we are at the third quarter mark because the third quarter. Well, Grant hasn't done that with the finance committee it's coming up very soon. So he's got a good guess because he's grant he's awesome. He's got those potential numbers. So, Grant sent me this map that right now currently there's 3.8 million in the fund balance that we're planning on using 1.1 million as a revenue source for our budgets through FY 26. That's just a planned revenue source. We already have half a million for encumbered funds for things like the heat pumps and some other projects that Andrew was has in his facilities report. So that leaves an anticipated as of the third quarter of 2.2 million in policy and the school boards policy, we have a 2% set aside. That's another half million that is part of the policy that we need to have in our fund balance. And so that leaves 1.6 million available to commit right now, based on the numbers that we have. So Grant, do you want to add anything to that or did I get that math formula down you got it perfect that the 2% is just a goal, mind you it's in policy but it's in policy as a goal. So that's where that particular number number came from from both the estimate of the feasibility study and what we think we have available or what we we estimate we have available in the fund balance. And then the last one is should we include a turf field with any project that is this brand and I'll let Andrew talk more about this because you can be a little bit more articulate but I can but I know from our experience with the auditorium and and playground and things like the project at this much money you have what I call add on which we may not be the accurate term my layman's term for it is an add on and you have a bulleted list of add on so for instance, the covering the seats upholstering the seats in the auditorium at MHS was an add on. That wasn't originally part of the original plan, but when we had extra time and money. We decided which add ons to include in the project. So, right now, where the turf is not part of the, you know, it wasn't part of the feasibility study done it doesn't mean that it's not going to be on there and it doesn't mean that it's necessarily going to be an add on it could be something else but that's part of the design part of this I would argue. You know, I do my work out every morning in the workout person goes, we're not you're not there yet. Don't worry about it. And so we're not there yet with the turf field but Andrew do you want to add anything on to that. You're absolutely right this this this original report was just a feasibility just we've had talked about the track I mean, there's been a lot of talk about that. I sat in my head this vision of someone sitting in the room saying should we do the track let's vote on it tonight not knowing whether we can actually do it. This was just sort of a proof that yes if we wanted to correct and absolutely that like, like any of these projects like the special ed suite or whatever if, if the intent is to explore it further and look at it we're absolutely going to have to look at all that. If we do an eight lane track. What does that look like, what's the effect of that, if we do six and an eight straight away or whatever we have to go through these and run through these and ideally there's a group of that is put together to help explore those options that can make reasonable people come back with a proposal that says, yeah, actually went through and looked at all that and it just goes to a point that we don't think the public would be would want it we couldn't hold the state meet because we don't have enough parking to hold the state meet and you know, are those kinds of things to come back and say, this actually is the real project that that we think is the most viable and if there's ads to that project that could easily be done than those could be part of that as well but that's just the starting point to this and there's still a lot of work to be done. I think those were the questions that you sent me. Anyway. Other questions, comments. A few questions. More about the process about how we got here. One was like how much was the feasibility report that was done. And so, yeah, I'm just thinking about that timeline. And if there are any specific plans to ensure there is an audit on access, accessibility plans for kids with disabilities near a diverse that will benefit from this draft. How do we prioritize the voices of the amazing people that put this forward. You know, against the voices of people that we've heard from net zero, literacy, not against but like, what is our process as a board to make those decisions. And then, yeah, what are the consequences of not deciding tonight are some of my basic questions tonight. Was your first question Amanda how much money was the feasibility study. Yeah. $10,000. And then some other questions places like the literacy literacy, special education, all of that feedback that the board has received. We as the board will remember and other presentations that I've done we are doing work towards that so those aren't in the track and those that work is not in competition with each other. So other areas that I've spoken about in previous board meetings address the work that we're we're working towards with that piece, those pieces I should say. And then the accessibility we wouldn't be able to, we wouldn't be able to create any type of structure without it being accessible. We're not allowed to do that so in just as a first step in that we've, we've got a concrete sidewalk that runs the parking lot to the bleachers. So we were already thinking about that even at the 40,000 foot level. And so individual features that's exactly why you have a design committee to get together to address those and our current track I would argue because of the uneven surface and the travel is not necessarily accessible at the moment. So this would be a great upgrade for accessibility purposes going forward. Did I answer your questions and I'm sorry. Yeah, and it was and this was more like for the for also for the board for Jim as the chair of how like we move these things forward. And then, yeah, what are the consequences of not deciding that this today and just like because I am, I'm just thinking of process of getting here like this. Well, I can't give an all inclusive answer but I can give you my perspective. Number one is, until we have some money available, then we can't really have Andrew set somebody free on doing more design work and getting deeper into this. So that's one thing. So we can't do that until we have some money that's committed. The, the other thing is, I'm looking at this more from just the safeguarding the district's fund balance and our assets. You don't have to do this now. If you do do it, it's not a final decision you can uncommit like I mentioned last time, but I strongly urge the board to commit a significant amount of money before June 30, because I'm concerned that it becomes a big target. That's my. That's what I'm trying to make sure happens before I leave here is that the money is committed and is safeguarding this to me is a good thing to put it against. And as you go along as Andrew said if something pops up and you decide this isn't what we want to do. Well then you can uncommit whatever's left. It's not like we're going to spend $1.4 million in the next couple of months. So I would like to see it set aside I think it does give us the ability to start moving forward, it is a commitment right now that you are saying you really feel that this is important and we should move forward. But if something should change, you can turn that back with the exception of whatever money we have spent against it so far. Yeah, I want to go to process to I mean this, this has been part of a discussion for, I think it's maybe laid out in various contexts for for over a year I think we've had quite a bit of discussion and quite a bit of opportunities to ask queries and including the last two questions. I mean, I think I can always improve process but I think we've had a pretty comprehensive process on this person. Yeah. A number of my questions are ready but it was more around process just in terms of the commitments of funds process. I'm wondering what is the board's role on this beyond the commitment of funds. Is there a final like go ahead. The administration would need to receive from the board to officially initiate, you know, like a more significant aspect of the project. You know, or is once it's committed is it sort of often running. We need to make a decision on this again, other than just committing the funds. When you commit the funds it doesn't like, we're not going to go off and spend $1.5 million without you knowing anything. What happens is the board is responsible for approving contracts, any contract over $50,000. So you would see if all of a sudden, we start going off to the races with, you know, you would see it. So really the expense that we would start incurring, you might not know about unless you're seeing it in your quarterly reports or asking questions are some of the design and engineering work as we start trying to plan it out. So that's it. When we got to the point where we were actually awarding any kind of significant contract. We would have to come to you by policy through our bidding and contract policy. Okay, that's really helpful. Thank you. And then briefly what's the process for uncommitting funds is essentially just reverse voting to uncommit the funds basically the reverse of what we're doing now. Yep, somebody would make a motion to uncommit X number of dollars that had been committed for such and such a purpose. Or to repurpose it. Or true to commit it to something in lieu of what it was. Okay. My next question you already answered. And are there any categorical categorical limitations to what fund balance can be used for. Or is it basically up to like, is there any, are there any types of projects things that are not eligible for use of fund balance. You can use fund balance for anything you can use the general fund. So, no, I mean, we might need to check with the agency, because it's a project to make sure that there's no issues with that that a lot of times that's only if you're going after state funds for, for getting reimbursed which we wouldn't be in this case. So, no, as long as it's, if it was something we were going to spend our general fund money on we can spend our fund balance on. That's something that the public has given you the authority through an annual warning article. Okay, thank you. And I will say there's, there's been a few people that have asked the question. If you commit 1.5 and the project costs more which right now the estimate was more. I realize that and it could be significantly more depending on what else gets thrown in there. So we would start looking at, okay, how much more and then what are the options like Libby mentioned I'm doing the third quarter report. This is for 1.5. I think after I'm done with the third quarter report I may say that there's, there might be another couple hundred thousand or so that might actually be available to that would cause no harm. That 2% is about half a million dollars. That's a goal. If we were a hundred thousand dollars short and you wanted to use some of that money you certainly could because it's just a goal, which most districts don't have that flexibility. The other thing is say we were a quarter million dollars short. If we could next year when we're kept doing the capital plan, we can say you know what we're going to push windows one more year and stick the track in for FY 24 and get a quarter million. There are definitely ways that we could bridge that gap. Once we finish with priorities. There are ways we can figure out and address that difference. But if you set aside one and a half million. That's a big chunk of the problem we don't have to solve. When the time comes, so. Is there a question. Good, good migrating grant. I know this question looks, is there a debt that we have the interest on that, that this would also be a possible expenditure for. Yeah. Sorry, I've given up. The only thing that comes to mind would be bond payments that we have and we have four bonds. One is for when we bought into Beamer so that you can't pay off early. One is an old one from like 2008 that is not eligible. So there's two bonds. One was 2.3 million dollar bond from 2013 I think and then the 4.9 from 2018 or 19. So those two bonds, theoretically you could pay those off and avoid the interest, but we like most municipalities and school districts go through the bond bank, the Vermont municipal bond bank. And they're not set up to, they're not in the business to allow you to pay those off early, because they use those proceeds to issue other loans. So they won't just accept it, they will entertain the idea of maybe doing it. But that would be a process to go back and forth. I've already checked into it and the soonest that we could would be 2025 for one of the loans the other one we couldn't do until 2028. The other thing I would say is it doesn't really help as far as getting big money for projects because while we would avoid a pretty significant interest amount that interest amount is spread out over the next 20 years. So the amount that we could actually garner would be just what was in the FY 23 budget that you approved which is one year's worth of interest. So, I'm afraid what would happen is we would pay off a bond, not really have any big significant amount of money and then if we do a major project at some time within the next few years the only way to fund it would be to ask for another bond. And right now interest rates are not going down. No. So we'd be better off keeping the bonds we have, and then trying to avoid a new bond. If that makes sense. Yeah, that was the point I was going to make because I think it bonds at interest rates that might be a thing of the past doesn't look very favorable for a while. Other questions. So I understand right now, but what is the what do you predict is the timeline for a track renovation. If, if we had a design and a scope and all that sort of out and there's no reason to that we couldn't have had it out the bid for next summer. If we wanted to. Now if it expands to turf and relocating stands and baseball fields to accommodate eight lane tracks and things like that and maybe it goes pushes off. And also, you know who knows what the kind of who knows, who knows what costs are going to be next summer but we anticipate you hold off a year to save them but that that gentlemen spend it and be done with it. You, if we had a design process and input and buy in. There's no, there's no reason or the other things that needs to be also is going to need to be put out on the table is it's going to take more than eight weeks to do. So we're going to have to, you know, socracies and or tracksies and lacrosse season we're going to do some give and take and utilize dog river and stuff like that. And that stuff is, that's, again, that's further down the road but that's. And as a reality check just not meaning to prove the idea of it just so you know, if, if you go with artificial turf, you're probably doubling this estimate. I would think so. It's a big investment. If you're doing that. I'm not saying you should I'm just saying it would then become a big challenge to be able to get the funding necessary to be able to do it next summer. So next summer is something that I think would be reasonable things go well. But if the scope increases a lot and we can't afford that project, then it may get. Yeah, I just want to say a couple things more for like public record transparency of this process for me but I, you know, we were going to have the vote was on the agenda for last week and I asked for an extra week and, you know, for me I see my role as a board member as people voted for me because they hope that I will be representative of the values in the will of the community. And I didn't feel like I really understood that last week. And I feel like, you know, even though we have heard from some people and I see some familiar faces that have already spoken to us. We heard from a lot more people. And I think we are process and my feeling on making a vote tonight. I feel a lot more secure in my understanding of what the will and the value of our community is around this particular topic. I also do not see this as an either or I don't want to think about committing the funds tonight as saying no we aren't committing to net zero or no we won't, you know do XYZ projects at the middle school. I think that this is an opportunity for the community to improve our processes around big spending decisions like this. I think that our admin team does an amazing job and you all are super thoughtful and you have a lot of knowledge in your brains about what the process was from a perspective that I don't share and the community doesn't understand. So it's no question about how much thought any of you have put into it. It's more about transparency and public engagement around something like this that there's a lot of decisions that come across this table for us to vote on and they do not all require. You know, I don't feel a sense of requirement to engage the community about every little decision that we make, but something like this where it's $2 million. Really, if we're going to do it right eventually. 1.5 for tonight. You know, that's a big deal, and it's a big expense and I want to feel secure that we have community support in that and I, and I do feel more secure tonight than I did last week so I just want to thank everybody for for weighing in. It's a commitment thing another thing that makes me feel really confident making this decision tonight is exactly what Grant said where it's like, we're in the commitment process where you're marking the funds we're saying that we believe in this project. We're putting our support behind it but if in the next few months we stumble across something that tells us that this isn't going to work for one reason or another or we aren't going to be able to come up with the remaining funds to do the project right the first time. Then we have the ability as a community to decide on something different. So, yeah. I think we can always look inward and improve our process so I do think there's room for improvement. From a board perspective and the idea that Mia and both Kristen I'll just echo that about the facilities committee is a new committee but we do have the opportunity to be more helpful in sort of prioritizing and engaging community that sort of thing when stuff like this comes up. I try not to talk too much about these dollar our time is precious and a lot of times folks say things I might already be thinking I've put a lot of thought and research into this vote tonight. It did take me a little off guard last week, but I am feeling much more prepared so even though I was tired last week and wasn't sure where I was going to fall I appreciate that time. I've done some research into what tracks at you 32 and St. John's break cost what turf fields cost I've talked to coaches and athletic director. I feel like I'm going to equivocate a little bit because I also feel an incredible amount of weight that the board has heard over the last couple of years about what our community has gone through, and I don't know that we've all fully really passed that nor maybe we ever really will. We are losing some really fantastic teachers and staff. We helped clean because they're, we couldn't keep custodians because it's an almost impossible task to keep this place running. We have people who are really struggling our students have talked to their our student board members have talked to students about the really dire needs that our students have about how they're going to go into the world after what they've experienced at their high school so I do not take this vote lightly I think as a. I'm not trying to be the skunk of the garden party quite the opposite. I feel a lot more secure and supporting and improvement to a physical facility, knowing the incredible depth that we saw at the recent meeting from Libby and her team about what we've invested in student supports staff supports and hiring some really important critical behavior expertise and trying to really beef up that I think if we hadn't if we had not seen that level of commitment and investment into the experience of our staff and our kids I would feel really out of touch, doing something about an external physical activity outside, so I really appreciate the work that you guys did in that and that we are I think we've also seen over the last few months that we're using this federal dollars really wisely. You know I also as a parent on the parents group who's eighth graders graduating and is going to be coming here to school you know we're trying to figure out how to celebrate the end of the year which is coming out of a really strange year and, and trying to scrape together what we can to put together some sort of a fun celebration so there's a lot of competing priorities, I guess big and little. And, Libby what you said tonight was incredibly helpful about the diligence and making sure we're using the right money for the right thing so that we're really taking advantage of where we're at as a community these federal dollars. That also brings me some peace of mind that it's okay to go ahead and, and, and support something like investing in the track. On the one hand, while I say that this is an incredibly important vote and that every dollar that we spend as a board we are also representing people who are not here tonight, who may not have voted for us who may not have students in the school. Again, and I'm sorry I know I'm going on almost. I think we really have done our due diligence and I have, I have, you know, come around to appreciating and feeling okay making this level of of a decision tonight. I do think I would really like if there's a committee or an RFP or something. Based on what we did here from athletic director and from coaches and from students for other sports and how we could extend the fall and spring sport season, it would be great to just ask the question of how much the turf would cost while we've already dug up the field and maybe hear that that's like a possible add on, because I really would like us to consider. Hey, if we're going to be digging up the dirt and making a 2030 year investment over there. Let's just ask the question, knowing that it might mean you might not like the answer. I think everyone for indulging me in this I really, I really want folks to understand that, and folks who may be watching and, and wondering who maybe haven't followed the board meeting that there is a lot of really important investment in our MRPS community. And it's nice to be able to make a vote like this but also that we have, we have done a really good job of managing limiting resources during a really challenging time. Thanks. Yeah, I just wanted to chime in a little bit with the gratitude that we took the week to think about it and hear more from the community and of course gratitude to everybody who showed up tonight. Because I too have been thinking about this a lot over the past week and certainly the majority of the comments that we have received are in favor of updating the track. And that's with good reason where, you know, the, everyone who has written to us and spoken tonight has spoken so eloquently on that I've obviously not going to just reiterate what's been said that, but I just wanted to share that it all resonates very much with me as well. I like Charlie and George also get a little emotional because I do have an old trackster and it sure is, you know, everything that people have said it sure is a way of finding one's identity. I also want to note how wonderful it is in the so many of the comments that we got to hear people using these reasons of inclusivity and accessibility, and the, and the equanimity of track and field, and it makes me feel really good that that is something part of this conversation because it is so important. And as a board we are really, you know, ever since passing the diversity equity and inclusion policy we still are sort of like stumbling through and finding our way and how to incorporate that into our decision making so it's very helpful to hear people use that as reasons. It also note we also know that making decisions through an equity lens sometimes means prioritizing things making a hard decision prioritizing things, even when the majority of the public isn't necessarily in favor of that and that is one of the things that, you know, I took the time to wrestle with as a as a board member and somebody made a pretty big decision like that, but the comments from our, our community are really valuable and that was, and it was very helpful to hear from you Libby and Andrew and Grant, the different, you know, to put where this falls into that puzzle piece because I, or the, what is, because I think that's a way of us figuring out what could we be letting go of what you know what could the downsides be of this, and where I land is that at least in this moment, with this golden opportunity that we have of significant amount of federal money making our way, there really aren't very many downsides to spending even a significant amount of money like this on an improvement like this. So I just wanted to share that, and, and offer that throughout this process, or not through this process but I think I want to echo what Emma said that I think there is often room for improvement on how we hold processes for big decisions and small decisions, and want to just offer another thought that maybe we could spend some retreat time, kind of examining how this process went for us and maybe to figure out ways we could, could improve it from the board perspective. Amanda. Yeah, I just, again, I grant you don't know how much I appreciate your expertise and all just your work. I'm always very in, you know, just way with all your knowledge. I would love to have part of your brain to be like, okay. I appreciate you appreciate Libby and Andrew and all the work that was done. I'm also here channeling Lorena if you guys know who Lorena is she's in my picture she's an amazing indigenous runner. I would have thought I had for me was, and just to be transparent, being able to decide this in a week was really hard because it was a surprise for me last Wednesday that I had to vote on this and then only given a week to be able to do my due diligence when I had just a lot of things happening that I would have developed some more time, you know, like standing outside and asking people outside of the school but I just didn't have the time this week. I did send emails and put it on Facebook and from porch forum to be able to get the feedback and I, even then, I know that I call a lot of people that still didn't know about this vote and about this money so for me, that was really hard. The report that Andrew did did shine light a lot of the questions that people had, but I think there is still a major part of the of our school community that didn't know that this vote was happening. So, I, I come here very humble with just experiencing all the knowledge and all the voices that were here. I really for me is really important to hear from the community. The emails, I appreciate everybody that shown light about the importance of running and, you know, my daughter just run John, the girls on the run run her first mile on Tuesday. And so I'm really proud and and everybody knows that for me, equity is a really big part of looking at the big picture and asking the questions. And I really hope that in our retreat we start to think about the equity tool that the board created, and just looking at policy and you know how this affects, and that we move our board and our district in that direction to really look at the big picture for all of our students that impact. And, you know, we had the turf conversation that from is really important because it kind of creates that baseline for all the other sports too. I want to suggest, and to also I thought a lot about net zero, you know, I have come along when understanding the environmental I'm not there yet. I don't understand much of it. This is why we have experts that can teach us about these things. I would like to propose that in line of that 1.5 million just channeling students that came to us last summer to that we put aside at least $50,000 to do the feasibility so that we don't have to go in circles for the future as part of that conversation too. And so that we can move forward in thinking long term. I do want to have our kids to have future. So this is all great. Thanks. That's the clarification of what Amanda was just proposing. Amanda, were you saying draw $50,000 from the 1.5 million or are you saying, are you offering an amendment to the motion then? Yes. Okay. I make a motion to amend, what is it? To amend the original motion, who made that motion? Rhett made the motion. To set aside the 1.5 million, $50,000 for a feasibility study. I did ask a few people. I think Rhett needs to amend his own motion and also I think there's a question of asking whether there's $50,000 elsewhere for that study. Right. Jill or parliamentary, what do we do? I think Rhett has to amend his own motion. Okay. And I would like to ask if there's $50,000 elsewhere for that. So the amount that I had given to Libby added to 1.6 million as opposed to the 1.5. I think the, I'm not sure if the language was what the language was, but it needs to be that we're committing 1.5 like the warning said or the agenda said. Right. I would say if you can keep that warning or that motion at 1.5 for the track, you could entertain another motion. And also commit $50,000 toward a feasibility study. Or, you know, the other thing is there's a list of set asides in the quarterly report that you get. I could just simply add that as we're going to set that aside. So it's nothing you would have to actually vote on it would just be incorporated with that list of other set asides that we already know about. Either way is fine, but I don't, I don't think we need to take away from the 1.5 because we've gotten more than that available. Right. We also don't know what we still don't know what we're trying to find yet. So I think it would be good to kind of let's define that then we have a sense of what we really need for that. Do a little research on that. Yeah. Yeah, I just, I talked to a few people and just from the net zero world in the city and they say around 30 to 70,000 is the bullpark for what the study will cost. And so that is what I got 30 to seven is I just kind of put a 50, 50 was the number one person but 30 to 70 was the other. So, so, so that's, that's what I have. I just also when doing research about to make my decision today I was kind of going back to just like public comments and got into the net zero presentation by the students where we actually had to write a policy on this same thing that we just never had to the policy committee. So I had to bring it back because we did decide that in that meeting and made a motion that the policy committee will look at a policy around this issue. So, yep. Well, I think we definitely need to have a net zero conversation on the board and then figure that out and so there's resources to do that. So, so Amanda, are you good with not amending then this motion. Yeah. Yes, thanks for asking me. Okay. It was also just so incredibly moving to hear from, you know, through the age spectrum, you know we had students we have people that are here doing like a retrospective of what your experience, meant in being part of such a high impact community that it was really formative is really what I heard for folks. And so, as, as a board member that does represent the community of Roxbury, I do want to think about the work that the board can do in time upcoming around ensuring that Roxbury students can access, you know the track program got me thinking about the incredible, you know after school enrichment opportunities that there are to our students. And so I'm thinking a lot about, you know, how can our Roxbury, you know, how can our Roxbury students access these activities so I know that you know I've talked with Jim a little bit that we do need to do some work around a transportation policy that you know when the merger and I've been looking at the, the original mergers report which is great reading for those of you who have not read it is pretty foundational. And so in the merger report, it was said that the board would take the time to look at a transportation policy that would enable Roxbury students to reasonably access after school program so I think that's a step that we need to take to ensure that our Roxbury students can also access the incredible experiences that you all are talking about. Roxbury is an incredible little community and we're also really little and we don't have a lot of access to a lot of facilities and I would love to see our students be able to have the experiences that you all are naming. I would like to suggest we have a vote and let these very patient people go home. Any further discussion. Yes, first time I've ever used that number. In favor of rest proposal to allocate $1.5 million for tracks to commit. Thank you for being correct to commit $1.5 million. Hi. Hi. Any opposed any extensions. Great. Thank you. And if you want to read around for C 14 reading. And thank you everyone. This is wonderful to hear everyone's stories and see the community come out like this. It's, it's truly moving. We appreciate all the hard work. So our fourth reading of C 14. Any questions or comments on that we made some small language changes. I can highlight the footnotes and the formatting, and that we removed the actual names of the people who are 504 clear coordinators for each building, because there's just so much fluctuation and who that person is. I just said that it's typically the guidance counselor and the principal of each building. And that the infer that those names and contact numbers will be contact information will be readily available on our website which hopefully we can just like make that happen and that way that can be like a living document that gets changed. If we get a new principal or guidance counselor. That happens. Well, so, and was there any what else did we change. I think that was it. That was it. It was pretty minor like just sort of formatting stuff mostly. Anything that we missed in terms of the changes. I think that's it. One of the things is that we are stumbling across new information all the time at the policy committee, it's very exciting, this committee. But one of the things that we've, we realized is that you actually, according to state law investing. We need to have, we have the three readings but we need to have a hearing a policy hearing for each policy that we actually adopt. In addition to the three readings. Oh my. Yeah. So, so we're, Anna is going to put it on a future agenda and they have to warn that separately and that's when we actually adopt the policy. So the adoption during a regular board. Right. Oh, yeah, not a policy committee meeting. Right. Okay. Right. But it's just called a hearing. It's not one of the three readings and then it's, it's sort of warned more. Yeah, we've just clearly just been warning it and accurately. Okay. Yeah. Well, and thanks for getting on top of that. Yeah. Keep it straight. We have a bunch of improperly enacted policies. They were warned, but they're just weren't, they weren't blasted both fireworks. I don't know if I asked this last week, but are all the policies that need to be considered on the website. There are no any additional policies. There aren't any. There isn't a bucket of sort of unfinished policies or anything like that. I mean, all the, all the other policies will come to you as part of these for consideration. I will say right that the, we get the majority of our policies come to us from the Vermont school boards association, the BSDA. So I should look there too. So if you look there, yeah, like, so they have a model policy manual that's actually very well organized and labeled and categorized and numbered and structured which we're going to be moving that we're going to be moving towards that organization for our own policies just so that they align with the BSPA so that if people see a policy on the BSPA that they're hoping that Montpelier has, and then they come to us it's not with a different number like C 14 when it should be a 12. We're going to be aligning more with the BSPA policy page. So you can always there are their recommended policies. And I just spend, and I spent a chunk of time separately, putting on Excel document that eventually, you know, you can look at it which has like the mirror of here's the recommended policies from the BSPA the ones that we have, you know, the ones that we should have that want to have so that maybe some of you want to look at it and say, hey, we should have that policy that, you know, we can we can take that so that's, that's a fun little Excel exercise I've been doing and Emma has also been playing with at different levels. So, yeah, so that's great. And we do have a few other policies from community members that might come up. Yeah, no new policies come up to just from the requirements of law. We're not voting on this policy tonight. No. Have a hearing. Yeah. Okay. We also had there's something defaulting or faulty with our third reading wasn't there didn't we post the wrong thing. It was right. That's how we had a fourth formatting issues. Yeah. All right, any other any further questions or comments on the C 14 policy. Motion to adjourn. Second. Thank you. Thank you. Great. Thanks. Great work, everyone.