Motion Passed: Motion to Approve Amended Agenda (Item 7C moved to 8B) Passed with a motion by Mr. Scott Benjamin and a second by Mr. Jonathan Dunn
Benjamin: Yea
Conley: Yea
Dunn: Yea
Viox: Yea
Williams: Yea
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Dr. Viox requested item 7C Proposed 2023-2024 Budget, be moved from the Consent Agenda and placed under Business/Recommended Actions Items as 8B Proposed 2023-2024 Budget.
6. Reports
6.A. Chairman's Report
Discussion:
No report.
6.B. Superintendent's Report
Discussion:
Thank you:
Thank you to all employees for an excellent year despite the challenges that being back to "normal" has brought. Our employees always rise to the challenges and continue to stay the course and there is nothing that our employees cannot conquer when a challenge is put before them.
3rd Grade Retention:
Taking into account the required exceptions, about 9 percent of ACS 3rd graders, or 28 students, are impacted by the retention law. The other 91 percent are eligible for promotion to the 4th grade.
Class of 2023:
Last week we had about 500 students graduate from our school district earning approximately $42,400,000 million in scholarships.......A new record!
Summer Camps:
Teachers and staff will be ready to start summer learning camps soon. I know some of the teachers have been working this week to prepare their classrooms, etc. We expect another great summer with these camps. Kudos to our academic team for always being ahead of the curve ball when TDOE makes last-minute changes/requirements.
Planning:
Staff has already been planning for next year's district in-service days, our theme, etc., and more details to come.
Next year will be our 10th year as a district, so we have some cool things planned.
Chief Financial Officer:
Well wishes to Mrs. Roberts who will be leaving ACS in early July and will be moving to Washington, D.C. to pursue her dream of becoming an attorney. We are thankful for her service over the past nine years.
I am pleased to welcome Mrs. Amy Sapinsley as our new CFO. Her former position, Accountant/Payroll Supervisor, has been posted.
Motion Passed: Motion to Approve Consent Agenda with Item 7C moved to Business/Recommended Action Items as 8B Passed with a motion by Mr. Scott Benjamin and a second by Mr. Jonathan Dunn
Benjamin: Yea
Conley: Yea
Dunn: Yea
Viox: Yea
Williams: Yea
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Dr. Viox requested that item 7C Proposed 2023-2024 Budget be removed from the Consent Agenda and placed under Business/Recommended Actions Items as 8B Proposed 2023-2024 Budget.
7.A. Approval of Minutes from April 25, 2023
7.B. Approval of Minutes from April 29, 2023 Special Called
7.C. Resolution 2023-12 of the Arlington Community Schools Board of Education Amending the 2032-2023 Schools Budget
7.D. Resolution 2023-13 of the Arlington Community Schools Board of Education to Approve Revised 2023-2024 School Fees/Field Trips
8. Business/Recommended Action Items
8.A. Approval of recommendation to renew the SKB Cleaning Services Contract for a period of 12 months, July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024, at the rate of $105,856.75 per month, less non-performance penalties, if any, and to allow the Superintendent the authority to negotiate the terms of the parties' agreement.
Motion Passed: Motion to approve recommendation to renew the SKB Cleaning Services Contract for a period of 12 months, July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024, at the rate of $105,856.75 per month, less non-performance penalties, if any, and to allow the Superintendent the authority to negotiate the terms of the parties' agreement Passed with a motion by Mrs. Kay Williams and a second by Mr. Scott Benjamin
Benjamin: Yea
Conley: Yea
Dunn: Yea
Viox: Yea
Williams: Yea
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Mr. Benjamin asked for clarification on increase in SKB employee pay rates.
Superintendent Mayo explained that the employee rate of pay would increase from $13 to $15 per hour.
Motion Passed: Motion to Approve Proposed 2023-2024 Budget Passed with a motion by Mr. Scott Benjamin and a second by Mr. Jonathan Dunn
Benjamin: Yea
Conley: Yea
Dunn: Yea
Viox: Yea
Williams: Yea
Motion 2 Unseconded:
Motion Unseconded: Motion to remove compensation increase in the Proposed 2023-2024 Budget to further study for the 2024-2025 budget Unseconded with a motion by Mrs. Kay Williams
Motion 3 Withdrawn:
Motion Withdrawn: Motion to Rescind motion to remove compensation increase in the Proposed 2023-2024 Budget to further study for the 2024-2025 budget Withdrawn with a motion by Mrs. Kay Williams
Motion 4 Failed:
Motion Failed: Motion to Amend the Proposed 2023-2024 Budget by removing the board members compensation for further study for 2024-2025 budget Failed with a motion by Mrs. Kay Williams and a second by Ms. Lyle Conley
Benjamin: Nay
Conley: Yea
Dunn: Nay
Viox: Nay
Williams: Yea
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Kay Williams
The Superintendent provided employees with a video in advance of this meeting, summarizing the proposed budget that would include a 3% raise.
The proposed board member salary increase is out of line with other municipal school boards.
ACS is the highest paid out of the local municipal school districts and with the increase making:
5 times more than Lakeland
3 times more than Bartlett
2.5 times more than Millington
Almost 3 times more than Germantown
2 times more than Collierville
There are only 5 school districts in the State of Tennessee that will have higher compensation: Hamilton, Knox, Memphis/Shelby County, Metro Nashville and Rutherford.
Per Policy 2.804 Expenses and Reimbursements, we are currently reimbursed for travel, hotel, and food for conventions and meetings.
Request an amendment that the school board remove the compensation increase in the Proposed 2023-2024 Budget for further study for the 2024-2025 budget.
Recinds request for amendment
Jonathan Dunn
New to the Board and new to the budget process
In favor of the Proposed 2023-2024 Budget; you get into this because of your heart
Advocate to provide appreciation and value to our educators
Daily Memphian quoted Mayor Wissman: "It's a volatile world in elected office. It's never been to this extent with the time constraints that it takes away from you", he said. "And our school systems in all of our municipalities are like cities within our cities. So when you have 5,000 students and over 500 employees, you've got a lot of issues you have to deal with on a day-to-day basis, plus all the parents, since students are all minors. It's a challenge and it's very time-consuming."
Specifically spoke to Ms. Williams; with replies from Ms. Williams and comments from Mr. Benjamin:
Quote in the Daily Memphian by Ms.Williams: "I just can't go along with it. I don't think it's the right thing to do. I just don't agree with us giving ourselves a raise, and I never agreed with it being on the consent agenda. The public does not know. It's just not being made transparent. That's why it's being put on the consent agenda.", implying that the board is trying to be deceitful.
After researching the archives, in 2018 and 2020, the budget was placed on the consent agenda by Ms. Williams, who was chairman at the time. In May, 2019, the budget (board members salary doubled) was on the consent agenda with no discussion and passed unanimously. Question: Why now, in the same situation and circumstances, are you telling the media that it is deceitful to place the budget on the consent agenda? This action calls other board members' character into question, is out of bounds and calls for a public apology.
Ms. Williams explained that no one (other than board members, Superintendent and CFO (virtual) attended the work session even though it was an open meeting and posted. What was said several times at the work session (not recorded) was, "I worked really hard to make sure that this could be hidden."
Mr. Dunn stated he didn't remember that being said.
Dr. Viox stated that this was patently untrue.
Mr. Benjamin said that it was not said in that meeting.
Ms. Williams wishes for the board to look at it for a future budget and see what's fair.
Mr. Dunn clarified Ms. Williams intent: Too large of an increase in board members' salaries and he has no objection to her opinion; however, has an issue with going to the media and making statements that call our character into question that we are trying to be deceitful. In fact, Ms. Williams, in 2019, did the same thing; the line item in the budget that contains board members' salaries was not presented, not noted and was not said publicly.
Ms. Williams reiterated that the raise would be higher than the other municipals. Mr. Dunn replied that it is a decision that they make and what they can afford. Our business for making budget decisions is handled here.
Again, Mr. Dunn requested an apology from Ms. Williams; Ms. Williams refused his request.
Ms. Williamd states that the Daily Memphian was invited to the work session but they did not come. She invited Mr. Waddell (Daily Memphian) to come to this meeting.
Ms. Williams stated that the Daily Memphian article quotes were referring to remarks made in the work session. And that it (referring to the board members salaries being hidden) was said several times and in fact, one time they were bragging about it.
Mr. Benjamin asked who said it?
Ms. Williams stated she would not say and that she would not get into personalities and not start attacking. However, she later pointed out that text was from Mr. Benjamin.
Mr. Benjamin stated that Ms. Williams is the one attacking and that the simple request for an apology is what they are asking for.
Ms. Williams reiterated that she cannot condone this amount of money (for board members' salaries) and wants the board to look at the budget again and study it to see if that's really what we want to do.
Mr. Dunn again asked for an apology (character) from Ms. Williams; Ms. Williams stated she cannot apologize for something that was said in the meeting.
Mr. Benjamin
Asked Superintendent Mayo if ACS builds the budget off of any other school district? Superintendent Mayo replied that we do not. The only area that Superintendents compare budgets is the percentage of employee raises.
Mr. Benjamin broke down the minute percentage of board members' salaries in comparison to the overall total budget.
Mr. Benjamin asked if Ms. Williams if she was retiring (referring to her comment to the Daily Memphian)?; Ms. Williams said that she would not answer that question because of the text that was out of line.
Ms. Conley
No comment.
Dr. Viox
For the media: the article contained a considerable amount of things wrong (either they were told wrong or assumed).
Annual Budget Process: This budget followed the normal budget process that has been followed for the previous 9 years. Below is the timeline (that begins in January):
Operations: Superintendent Mayo confers with Mr. Ruff (Operations) for immediate facility needs (items to be fixed or replaced). The district is in amazing financial shape under the leadership of Superintendent Mayo (and the previous leadership) and the judicious use of those funds. Mr. Mayo has taken it to another level and made a record investment in employees.
Building level administrators (Principals): Provide a list of needs and wants.
Board Members: Provide a list for consideration.
CFO: Reviews and very conservative with estimates in order to estimate funds that the district will receive from the federal government.
All aspects of this timeline center around the CIP plan.
ESSER funds were utilized in accordance with guidelines.
Executive Staff reviews draft budget
Board members review the draft budget (board members' salary increase was included in this draft budget) in individual meetings with the Superintendent and CFO. Board members had the opportunity to ask any questions.
Budget Work Session; posted and open to the public, opportunity for details of the budget to be reviewed, the public was privy to exactly what and how things are said.
Regular Board Meeting; proposed budget placed on the Consent Agenda
Consent Agenda
The purpose is a place to put universally agreed upon items in order to streamline the board meeting process.
Board members can pull any item off the Consent Agenda without a second.
This budget is a record investment:
Teacher/employee's pay - 3% increase (largest in ACS history)
Health premiums remain the same
Highest average teacher salaries in Shelby County; 4th highest in the State of Tennessee
Overview: Amazing shape (financial, facilities and employee salaries)
This budget process has been used for 9 straight years.
Grants established for both academics and athletics. The Superintendent will use a rubric to score and award grants.
Daily Memphian article was patently embarrassing to the district and insulting and some of it was factually wrong.
Dr. Viox highlighted his accomplishments throughout his tenure. In order to obtain these accomplishments, he invested a lot of time and money that was not reimbursed. The per diem simply does not cover all expenses. The basis of increasing the board members' salaries was to enable them to further their professional development.
Ms. Williams
States that the work session was not scheduled, that she requested it. Dr. Viox replied that he had communicated to board members, if any one single board member wanted a work session, we would have it.
OPEB Trust position was originally offered to her by Tammy Grissom (TSBA). She declined and nominated Dr. Viox, which he is now currently serving as Chairman (Ms. Williams nominated him for the position).
Consent agenda is used for routine items. However, the budget is not a routine item and does not need to be placed on the consent agenda any longer. Dr. Viox's opinion was that the board had ample exposure to the budget.
Addressed her quote in the Daily Memphian which incorrectly quoted Ms. Speakman's legal opinion about information Ms. Williams sent to Mr. Mayo to be forwarded (using an app) to Ms. Speakman (out of the country) for her opinion. Ms. Williams stated that she incorrectly quoted Ms. Speakman because Ms. Speakman's opinion was that the information did not apply to municipalities. Ms. Williams stated that she contacted Mr. Waddell at the Daily Memphian to have the article corrected.
