And now that this meeting is being live streamed and audio recorded. This meeting is being conducted both in person and virtually.
I'd like to request for board members to please state your name when speaking. This is aging roll call, please.
Mr. Bennett? Dr. Cronin, here. Dr.
Here.
Cook here, Mrs. Manny here. Mr. Mr. Schmidt. Mrs. Hacker?
Yeah, Mr. Singer. Here. I'm present one virtually. Yeah, I just wanted to for the record.
Note that Mr. Schmidt is participating electronically tonight. Thank you.
Please rise if you're able and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance.
But, And she's already holiday. One way under. Okay.
Now I have a motion to approve the Bank. 20 third, 2,023 board of directors agenda.
So move.
Is there any discussion?
This is standard voice vote. All in favor, please say I. Any opposed? No.
The agenda is approved. Thank you. Moving on to agenda item 2, informational and proposals. 2 a president communications.
I'd like to announce the board met in executive session. Prior to this meeting to discuss matters of personnel and informational items.
Moving on to agenda item 2 B, recognition of citizens. This is an opportunity for residents and taxpayers to address the board on matters related to the agenda.
Citizens wishing to speak should come to the microphone or raise their virtual hand. Those present the room they register by completing a form located near the signing sheet and providing your full name and address.
If attending virtually, you must have registered individually with your. First and last name and address to be recognized.
Why should recognize or unmuted it is only necessary for you to identify yourself by providing your full name.
This is a reminder that public comment is not a forum for personal attacks, antagonistic behavior or harassment.
Please be advised that you are accountable for any legal ramifications and liability that results from statements that misrepresent the truth.
The fame individuals or disclose personal information that is not of public concern. To provide other residents with an opportunity to speak.
Each speaker during the public comment portion is limited to 5 min of speaking time once recognized. And limited to one opportunity to address the board during each of the public comment periods.
If necessary, the board base set a maximum time for The public comment portion of any meeting. I will ask for treasurer.
This is sicker to please keep time.
Are there any residents or taxpayers who would like to comment at this time and what we'd like to do is to start with those online.
To get those in the room who would like to speak a chance to complete the form before speaking. The form is located near the sign and sheet in the alongside the entry to the room.
So with that, is anyone online, Mr. Aaila, who would like to comment?
We'll give them a moment, but, at this current time, there are no virtual hands raised.
Okay, we can always come back if anybody wides up raising their hand. Is there anyone in the room who would like to comment?
Hockey rake. I'm a small business owner and I spend 30 years in the insurance industry.
The insurance industry is built on relationships and it promised to fulfill commitments. Investing in relationships and honoring commitments is in my personal DNA.
So I stand here today and I ask where did this project go off course? And what happened to the commitment to deliver on a promise.
The Joy Sports is a group of volunteers who work to create opportunities for youth to be active and to collaborate with community members to make that happen.
Our board invested a lot of time over the past 4 years to first raise $20,000 and then $64,000 to make this rank a reality.
We leveraged our personal relationships in the community, had one-on-one outreach. You social media and ran several fundraising events to select, successfully collect.
Donations from 49 donors who repeatedly donated so we had 70 donations over 4 years. I shared a timeline of the events.
To your desk right in front of you. And that timeline has green highlighted circles and a star and then one red with a red star.
The green circles in the stars were signs to us that this project was viewed and supported by the school district.
We did our outreach based on this specific feedback, this affirmation, the support of the project.
We recognize the project spans 2 superintendents and multiple configurations of your board and our board.
But there are some green lights that I'll call them that are really notable. April twentieth. The dairy times at school district staff helped us move the boards for the rank into your warehouse and have been stored on your property for 3 years.
In June, 2021 after soft opening there were concerns about the original location and we were asked to pause, there were concerns about the original location and we were asked to pause while the school district looked at the pause while the school district looked at the master plan for the campus.
While the school district looked at the master plan for the campus so that the school district looked at the master plan for the campus so that they could then come back to us in October of 2,021 with a new location for their rank and an estimate of $63,000 for that rate.
Little over a year ago, April, 2022 in front of this entire board we presented conceptual signage for the rink so that we could thank and recognize our donors for their support.
That signage was approved by the board. We took those moments in the timeline over the past 4 years as green lights and restarted our fundraising efforts.
From April through June from April 22 through December 22 as we gain momentum in the community. We had communication with Dr.
Winslow about the success of our fundraising and consistently, Dr. Windsor was positive in her acknowledgement of our efforts regarding the fundraising.
In January of 23, we're on the agenda to present the chat for the rink. In January of 23 we received an email that said you know due to our grant from the dolphin county tourism.
We're uncomfortable. We need to pause, but note there is still support for the rank. In February of 2023 we get greater detail around the concerns for the rink and we get a new estimate for the rink and we get a new estimate for the rank with now earmarked about 100 and we get a new estimate
for their rank, which is now earmarked about $140. Listen, we get that the world is teams, right?
It's not 2019. There are different stresses in everybody's environment. We've navigated the COVID.
We have lingering social and emotional and learning challenges. And now you're balancing, you got to build a new school.
We get that. But we also have to acknowledge that we have a crisis among our youth. We have a huge mental health crisis.
There are higher rates of anxiety. Depression and suicide. We have an alarming increase in unhealthy BMIs because our youth are not active.
At some point you're gonna be asked to vote on the range and I'd love it if you would vote to be a co-investor in the rink.
A vote in support of the rank is bigger than the rink. It's a vote in support of physical activity for our youth.
It's a vote in support of honoring commitments to deliver on the promise. And it's a vote in support of a collaborative framework between a nonprofit and the community and local businesses to raise capital funds for the generational place.
Thank you, Do anyone else in the room who would like to comment?
Good evening, I'm Nathan Buck. Class of 1993. I am the vice president of the joy of sports in support of what and surprise me just spoke about in regards to the rink and the partnership that we've had.
I've had 23 years in nonprofit leadership myself, 16 years in staffing and recruiting in the corporate world.
My most recent client was Hershey corporate. All through the pandemic. My current role is focused on the things that I've learned in and through those times and that is around people development and making sure that people are developing on all levels.
Both in regards to their career, their health, physically, socially, and spiritually. My current role is focused on regional nonprofit culture shift to move a nonprofit organization in the direction of people development.
The Jo of Sports has 4 main pillars. Those 4 main pillars are to help increase the quantity and enhance the quality of ethnic opportunities in Derry Township for those up to age 18.
To support education and training opportunities for sports leaders, coaches, athletes, and parents to promote and sponsor recognition activities for sports leaders, athletes, coaches, and parents.
And to foster collaboration and coordination among Derry Township athletic organizations. Partnership between us and Derry Township has been very, very profitable in regards to the community and the health of the people here in the community.
Recently the Joy of Sports Partner with Derry Township for our local disc golf course in Shank Park.
We improved and expanded the playability in that park and it is now seeing 7,000 plus rounds of golf annually, new players every week.
That project was in the heart of what the joy of sports is all about in helping expand playability and provide opportunities for people to be healthy.
And this is impacted all ages as we have players ranging from single digits all the way up to their seventys.
Couples, singles, families, groups of teens, etc. All improving their physical and social health.
In this opportunity. But more is needed. There are other activities like hockey, pickle ball, rollerblading, and more that can make more opportunities for people in the community to be able to engage in healthy activity.
Such as the proposed rink that we have partnered with Derry Township for. We secured the donors and the materials and mentioned the health crisis among our youth.
We know 53% of Derry Township middle school students are not meeting even the minimum CDC required guidance for body movement.
That's not athletic activity. That's body movement for basic. Health. Many of them are not interested in the well established sports offerings that we have and some would consider exploring spaces like this.
We have more data that we can provide. And will be socializing throughout the course of this year and the years to come to help raise awareness and mobilize our community to address the crisis.
In the meantime, we're asking for you to co-invest in this project. As well as for the partnership between our organizations.
When you are asked to vote for it, please vote yes. As a commitment to provide more opportunities for health physically and socially.
Should you decide to vote down the rank? Then we would ask for a specific commitment from the board. Addressing helping us address the donors appropriately affirming the value of our partnership and the efforts made in good faith.
Acknowledging the change of priority for the district publicly. And underscoring the aspiration for future partnership and projects together.
Thank you very much. And may express, you know, I have complete empathy for your roles in governance.
I walk it myself and I have tremendous empathy for the decisions you have to make in parties you have to balance.
So thank you for your time tonight. Thank you.
Hello, my name's Angela Mullen. I'll keep this short. You just heard a lot from the last 2 speakers.
I have a lot of things I would like to say about following, in their footsteps.
I'll just keep it to like 2 short points. My first point is just along the lines of what they said.
We raise so much money for this project after getting a green light from the school. The plan change.
We raise even more money per the change in plans. Moving forward, will we as parents team members, community members lose the trust of the businesses and the individual donors that we salt out.
And I think that's my biggest fear. Just we worked so hard and we built so much trust.
And what's gonna happen to all the money if this project doesn't continue. The one donor that specifically always sits at the top of my mind.
It's currently a seventh grade student, but as a third or fourth grader, the mother reached out to us and said that he wanted to donate to the rank project and you know his own money is in that pool.
And I feel a little bit. Conflicted every time I think about that, you know, what will happen if we can't continue the string?
So I just wanted to kind of make a little personal that means a lot to me. On the second point and then I will be finished is just getting kids off screens.
We all know the kids are on screens too much. None of us can deny it. Look at me on my screen currently and most of you also have a screen in front of you.
And I would just like to remind us all that these kids, a lot of the students in this district have been on screens there entire lives.
And I'm just fearful for their future. We need a pride, outlets away from those devices and this specific project is a chance to do that.
So I just thank you all for your time, for the service that you provide. I know it's a very difficult job.
And for your willingness to listen. Thank you. Anyone else in the room who would like to comment?
Dave Weaver, 2 14 Java Avenue. Couple of weeks ago I was here and talking about the new school construction brought up the.
Suggestion that the board and their consultants and architectures architectural personnel. Explore the possibility of refurbishing re-purposing this building and the 2 or 3 adjacent buildings.
As part of the bigger picture construction, that's on the horizon. I'm back again to suggest that that is a worthwhile endeavor if it hasn't been done before.
While Excuse me, Mr. Weber, I'm not sure this item. This item is not really on the agenda for this evening.
This public comment period is for agenda items. Unless you're going to talk about an agenda item. You could.
Rise up again at the second comment period where we talk, where you're allowed to talk about non-agenda items as well.
Okay, thank you.
Anybody else in the room who would like to comment?
Mr. Miller?
Hello, John Miller, 3 29 Coco Avenue. Seems to be a lot of consensus here with physical activity.
I think there's a lot of things that were said, which are. Undeniable, get kids off as screens.
Get the, you know, more physically active. And even active in different types of sport. I think that's a wonderful idea.
There seems to be a difference in understanding here. From what we've heard. And what some others like myself perceived to be.
Reality and how this circumstance is. Working. We're
The school district does not have in its long term plans an outdoor hockey rink. Furthermore, it's not a tourist destination.
There was reference to the grant monies, $11,000. Dolphin County commissioners approved.
On November thirtieth. Of 22.
I don't know if we're even allowed to use that money and that's I'm just I'm thinking out loud here.
I don't know if we're able to use those funds. I mean, if that's the case, it is a pretty creative way of.
To obtain funding. For our projects, certainly. In addition to that, you know the soft opening that was referenced on the previous location.
I would just refer everybody back to committee meeting minutes. And board meeting minutes. I don't recall the details but It is memorialized that anyone could listen to it at that.
Previous point in time. The boards. Last concern that I have they are I believe indoor boards.
I'm not a hundred percent sure how they would hold up to the elements. I don't know if they have UV protection.
I'm not sure how they would be anchored. There's a lot of considerations from a design and construction standpoint that might not translate from an indoor to an outdoor type of application.
So there's a lot of things to consider here. And just, You know, the divergence in How I perceive this situation and how others.
Rightfully perceive it, shows that there is some, misunderstandings, I believe that need to be ironed out before.
The board would vote yes to this so further discussion would likely help everybody thank you Thank you, Mr. Miller.
Anyone else on the room would like to speak?
Mr. Al, anybody online? There are still no hands raised.
Okay, if there's no one else in the room and we have nobody online, I think we will.
Close out the first public comment period.
Oh, did a hand just go up? Kevin Ferguson, you have been given permission to speak.
Please state your name for the record.
Good evening, Kevin Ferguson. Wanna comment on that agenda item as well with the roller hockey rank.
I'm not quite sure what the ask is for tonight. But if it's for money to support this project.
Certainly I'm not opposed to that. And I, fully supportive of the joy of sports. Mission, absolutely.
But I would like to point out if. Money is the ask and money is. Is gonna be considered tonight to donate to that project.
I would like the board to remember that. Within the past couple of years, you had a varsity sport.
The boys and girls. Swimming and diving team. That was in need of a new athletic field if you will.
And that construction was just completed. And the school district chose not to invest. Anyone into that project?
There was no money. From the school district to support the construction. Of the swimming pool for the boys and girls swimming and diving team.
So when you make any consideration for donating money towards this project, I would just like for you to keep that in mind.
Thank you for the time.
Thank you, Mr. Ferguson. Any other hands, Mr.
No, there are no hands raised. Okay, we'll close down the First public comment period and then move on to item agenda item 2 C standing committee reports.
The general services and finance committees met today. Mr. Rizzo, do you have a general services report?
Yes, thank you, Mr. Singer. So today the general services meeting, was held.
To talk about. Basically facility issues that, we're dealing with here at the school district.
So we look at, unfinished business right now. We have 3 agenda topics. We had concession stand update.
Stormwater base and sinkhole mitigation and then the next steps for the elementary facility. So when we look for, the concession stand, project right now.
There's issuance of bids. That were issued last week. And they're expecting to be.
Return back on June fourteenth. And at that point they will be reviewed and then a recommendation will be brought to the board.
Again, this is not a confirmation that the concession is being built just that we're putting, the project out for bid.
So wait for those business to come back in and then the board will make it's determination at that time.
4 B, Storm Way, Water Basin, St. Cole mitigation. So the bids did come back in right now.
The administration is working through those evaluations. And the expectation is that There will be, an individual chosen from that group.
A bit that came back in. So, that is, where the stormwater facing, is coming in.
Again, it's taken a little bit longer than, had expected, to get those, bids in, and get that work done, but it's something it is absolutely necessary.
Moving forward. And when we talk about the elementary, facility, Dr. Wilson spoke about, that they started the process.
With, Crabtree and Roar Ball. They have a kickoff meeting on the thirtieth of May and then it will be bringing the group in for a tour of the facility.
And again, keep in mind when they, crab tree and roar ball made their presentation.
And they presented a design for the school that was just, for the presentation purposes. So we have not landed on a design.
We're taking into consideration many factors in the, in the district. Not only just, you know, the standard elementary school but also ECC and how that ties in.
What can we do with the administration? What happens with this building here? So there's a lot of there's a lot of discussion that needs to occur and this is really just the beginning point.
So there's been no design, landed on and I just wanted to clarify that. And when we look at, the design of the building, the couple of key factors that we're trying to focus in on one is safety.
For the school districts, if anyone's been into the elementary now, you know, as Dr.
Winslow stated, if we're going, if any extracurricular activities are happening in the elementary, they have to walk through the halls to get to the.
To get to the gym. So you're having your public. Mix with your teaching areas and, that's one of the things that we're going to be looking at and how, how we mitigate that, that issue.
One piece that we're working on right now, in preparation for all those talks is the RFP, they're developing right now to get an RFP for a project manager.
So we want to get a project manager on board early so that they're in that design, or that there's design conversations because that, project manager will be on site for the entire T of the project.
It will be working through, those plans. And our plans are not to, you know, Move the kids from the site.
But to do some level of. Phased in approach to the school, build. So that's where we're off right now.
Or where we're at right now with the. The elementary project when it comes to the community.
Miss Carpala is already working with Crabtree Warball on communication plans and what things need to be.
Provided to the community, making sure that we have open dialogue. We are talking about having an open house so that individuals can go in and see the condition of the elementary.
So that they have a chance to obviously provide some insight and some input at a later date when it comes to design of that facility.
So a lot of activity that is going on with that effort. And I know it sounds like it's, you know, if we're moving along really fast, when in fact it's going to be quite a slow process.
We wanna make sure that everything is correct. Next this key we had on, new business.
We did the traffic study presentation. We had a presentation from, Retu on the traffic study and this was really looking at how we, can minute or not manipulate but move.
Traffic around the high school at the peak times the hours around peak times in the morning in the afternoon.
Some key things that they did find is that and whether we have the opportunity to follow up on is that there is a lot of congestion right at the light there at Governor Road in Homestead where they feel that a certain light configuration may be an opportunity to.
Remove some of the congestion and keep the traffic moving. This is something that we would have to work with the township to see what our options are there, but at least we know that we have that those opportunities.
The other 2 things that we talked about is how do we move the cars within the area of the school.
When we talk about parking and how do we create a kind of a lane for the traffic coming in for drop off and then move the cars.
In a specific manner, a control manner, that would move the, vehicles out of the way faster and keep the process in a constant motion.
So 2 options there. We still, have some, some discussions with the full board.
And then also present to the, to the public or what our options are but we would like to have one of those options.
Be ready for the school year. So that we can get parents, train, I wouldn't say train, but understanding how to manipulate and go through that change.
Management process. So that's one of the things that we're still working on. It'll be it'll be later discussions on how we want to move forward with that.
And bring that to the public. Again, there's no there's no cost. It's really a no cost situation.
It's just a matter of, you know, manipulating the traffic, within the parking area.
And then beyond that, we did talk about the project manager already. And then the last thing I want to comment on is, so we had an ad hoc, our ad hoc facilities team that met coming out of the pandemic and really what that was trying to do was to talk about some of these.
Capital projects and facility issues that we needed that we're getting backlogged. And that team has worked to talk about those things and take them back before they came to, general services for move for approval up to the board.
But at this time we've caught up and I think it from the group itself it was agreed upon that we would close out that ad hoc committee and then everything in the future will come straight to general facility.
So our general services, I'm sorry. So that is the plan. I wanted to thank everyone that did.
Come in and spend extra time on the ad hoc facilities, committee. It was.
I don't know if you guys can hear me, but. The there's no sound. I can't hear anybody currently.
Last year by 3 million dollars, which is Very interesting and unique. We had 2 significant exemptions come through in September.
Which we are looking into. That's something that's not very normal for us. And we will be looking further into that.
Some of the expenses that are changing, we have, we're able to finalize some of our placements for special education and alternate education.
So we now know the cost of those. And we will be able to adjust some things for, revised predictions for gas and electric utilities and some liability insurance, but all in all the net for expenses and revenue was pretty much the same.
So with the. If you remember at the last meeting, we approved the draft final budget with a 2.7% tax increase.
But that leads us with a deficit of 425,000. That's pretty much the same with our.
Extra looking at the details.
So just to remind you that we approve the final final budget on June twelfth at our board meeting.
And we did not at finance committee recommend any changes to that draft proposal that we approved at the last meeting.
So nothing has changed after our further review of revenues and expenses. A reminder of the 2223 budget at the end of this year any excess is going to be transferred into the fund balance.
Which is if you remember the fund balance is down because we had transferred money out of that kind of rainy day savings account, with COVID and we need to put that money back in there.
Which also keeps us, enables us to have a high bond rating for when we do go to bond for the elementary school.
Another thing that we finalized and got to know is that the median assessed value of homes in Derry Township is now a hundred $63,700.
So that factors if we do a 2.7% tax increase on the median SS value that's $86 increase a year.
And that concludes my report. I don't know if I missed anything. Is it what what did that last part mean?
The median assessed about value of a house in Hershey the $163,700.
And that would result in $86. That it's a 2.7% tax increase or millage increase results in an $86 increase.
Per year. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Sicker. Send anyone have any questions?
I have a quick question, probably for, Cheryl. Do we have an idea right now what our potential access to be that would go into the fund balance?
Like where do we stand right now today? A real quick estimate that we looked at today is maybe 1.8 million and now a million of that was the state revenue and then the other was probably strong local revenues that were coming in earned income amusement.
Thank you. Will that bring us back to the pre pandemic? Balance of the 8% or whatever. The lot of recommendation.
I'd have to look. I don't know. But we're currently below that. The 8% is now what you're allowed to have.
In your unassigned general fund budget so it's
Okay, any other questions? Thank you again. We're moving on to agenda item 2D student representatives report.
This is the last student representative report for this year.
Representatives, Aziz and Patel, do you have a report? We do, thank you.
I'm just gonna start with saying is less than 2 weeks of school left and last week the girls tracking field team won the 2023 mid pen championship.
And this week, the senior breakfast and walk, which is around all the buildings, is this Wednesday morning.
And that evening is the Senior Awards. And the senior class trip is Thursday to Hershey Park and senior prom was last Friday as well.
And I just wanted to thank you once again for the last time for the opportunity to be here this year.
Representative is he's here so the ECC reading pray was last week some of the athletes also joined in so it was was pretty fun.
The elementary school field day was also last week. Tonight, the elementary school has a spring concert for chorus and orchestra.
There's also no school on Monday. And final start this Friday for high schoolers. And the Hershey High School Student Council elections are also occurring at the moment.
And I also wanted to give a quick thank you. Olivia can't join us because she has another school event, but I'm just passing on the word for her.
I'm really thankful for the experiences we had this year. And we hope next year's representatives have a fun like we did.
Well, thank you. I have a little something to say. Being that this is your last meeting of the year.
On behalf of the student body of Hershey High School and the Gary Touchup School District.
Board of Directors, I want to thank you for your service. You're in engagement and contributions have benefited and lightened us and we hope that your service has been a valuable experience for you as well.
How's the token of our appreciation? I'm sure you've already found them.
Now for your service, you should have found a dairy touch of school district. School board portfolio.
That looks like this. And, at your seat and you should also feel free to take your day and plate as a memento as well.
And I believe that's bound up with your portfolio. I don't know whether representative Forrester will make her way here to pick that up or do you?
Want to take it and give it to her?
Yeah, we'll take it to her. Okay. Is that okay? Alright.
Okay, well thank you again and,
Best of luck and your features. Mr. Singer, this is Lindsey, if I could just add on to that.
I had the pleasure this time last year as board president of getting to sit in on the interviews for selecting the student board.
Representatives and there was an incredible number of students and who just really did a phenomenal job. The 3 of you absolutely stood out and have shown us all your long exactly why it was the right fit for experience for you and wanted to say that for all of the times you've asked questions that you provided your feedback.
I hope that that will be beneficial for you in the future. It mattered a lot to us as board members to be able to hear your perspective and appreciate you having the courage to speak up and share.
And thank you for committing the time. I know you have really busy schedules. So best of luck to you and thank you for all that you've done.
Being a part of this book.
Thank you, mister. Okay, moving on to agenda item 2 E. The listed items are on the anticipated June, 12, 2,023 board of directors meeting agenda.
The list of items are up on the screen there.
Moving on to agenda item 3, unfinished business. The roller hockey rink, Dr.
Winslow. Thank you, Mr. Singer. The proposed roller hockey rink project is one that the district has made every effort to support since the current administration learned about it in June of 2,021.
Well, certainly not opposed to the idea of a rank in the community. We no longer support moving forward with this project on district property.
There are multitude of reasons behind the withdrawal of support while ultimately it comes down to being fiscally responsible with funds.
As it stands, the rank would cost rate around $96,000 to construct. The Joy Sports Foundation has offered to cover $63,000 of this expense.
Based upon a November 2021 estimate. Since 2021 construction costs have escalated by at least 30% and one can always count on unexpected costs for unforeseen challenges.
Additionally, the rank would add impervious coverage to our campus footprint, which triggers stormwater management work.
A very rough estimate for expansion of the stormwater basin behind the high school is about $36,000.
And this is assuming that all current piping is in good working order. Costs that are completely unknown to us that we don't have an estimate on them, our architect or engineering fees for the project design.
Fees forbid document creation and review and legal fees associated with various elements of the project. There are always pieces with bid documents and pieces like that that our solicitor needs to chip in on.
Gets paid for. At this point in time, the total known cost to the district for the rent construction costs is at least $70,000 that's on top of the 63 that would be donated.
Adding in what our experience would lead us to guess at the unknown cost would likely add in at least another $15,000.
For a total of a minimum of $85,000 that the district would need to cover to bring this project to completion.
This is not account for ongoing maintenance costs. In my last meeting with Mrs. Zaprasny, I did say that I am not asking the joy of sports to go forward and try to raise more funds.
It was ever, never actually an ask of the district. It was simply this is how much we think it's going to cost.
And it was a joyous sports decision to go forward and try to raise those funds. But given the following factors, one, there's a level of expense far and above what's initially expected.
To it's not a district initiated project that is not part of our campus plan. 3, the project does not support the district's educational or athletic programming.
And for it does not feel like a fiscally responsible use of taxpayer dollars. And therefore the administration does not recommend moving forward with the ring project.
Thank you, Dr. Winslow.
I have a motion to approve Dr. Winslow's recommendation.
So move Mike.
Is there any discussion?
Yes, so this is Mike Rizzo. You know, I look at the district, the township and all the facilities that are available to.
The constituents of this of this township. And you know my family's used a lot of them over 3 generations if not if not longer so I am you know I applaud the joy of sports for trying to build.
Greater opportunity for the constituents of this of this district and this township. However, when I listen to and I've been in conversations through.
The general services team and ad hoc facilities and all the things that are going on regarding. The roller rink in everything it needs to be added to make it right by the township.
Rules to me, it doesn't seem like it's a, it's a project that should be brought to the district property.
Now it doesn't mean that I wouldn't be happy to see that in the township somewhere at another location because I think it is a beneficial.
Opportunity for students, kids, even adults for you know activities however on the school grounds i just don't see the right place to put this roller rink without taking away parking.
Spaces without having to build in the retention areas, drainage areas, things of that nature affecting impervious surfaces that create issues with township regulation so for that reasons.
And those reasons that will be voting no tonight for the hockey rate. Thank you.
Any other discussion? Sure, I just want to add in that I feel it's been an amazing amount of work and fundraising has gone on.
I think both parties have brought a lot to the table because of that in itself and the number of unknowns that there are, I really am not prepared to put a halt to the project.
I feel that there is a lot of potential for it. So I think discussions would be warranted. And I don't know that'll take us, but I'm just not ready to halt it yet because I see just incredible value in in another outdoor space for our kids.
Within within the within the compounds of the district space. So I will be. Supporting moving forward with.
Continue discussions. Just for the sake of the record. Dr. Williams, Dr.
Winslow, could you state your motion again so I didn't write it down and I don't have it in my notes.
The administration does not recommend moving forward with the ring project.
So I'm sorry, I'll clarify. So I will be voting no to that. Cause I know you said you've already know to the ring.
It's like I'm a double negative. So. This is Kathy Sicker.
I would just like to let the board know that I am recusing myself from any votes related to the rink tonight as my husband's center office is a donor to this project.
Hmm. This is Lindsey. There is no doubt that there are numerous benefits here.
It's a unique space, I think, for children to engage in physical activity. The opportunities for social games and, just as several of you had mentioned, creating, increasing activity levels, which is huge.
And this project alone is a way of doing that. There were a number of extenuating circumstances.
I know that have arose since these conversations first started, specifically the sink holes in the stormwater base in which we're currently working through.
I know that the tourism, the tourism grant was not accepted as part of this project, but I do hope that there may be other grants or other ways of moving forward.
I think our partnership with joy of sports is important. This organization has and will continue to make a positive impact in our district.
Not only in our community but with the students of our district if the issues with this particular space can be remedied and joy of sports can somehow obtain the funds to proceed with this project either in this space or potentially another space considering the barriers with the current space, then I do think it would be a valuable addition to our campus.
I would like to make a motion to amend the administration's recommendation. To have the administration work with joy of sports to set a final roller street hockey rink fundraising goal that if met joy of sports can move forward with the project on our campus and either the current designated location or another.
What's required? Could you read that one more time? Yes, just walking for double negatives again. Good.
I would like to make a motion to amend the administration's recommendation that the administration work with joy of sports to set a final roller street hockey rank fundraising goal that if met joy of sports can move forward with the project on our campus and either the current designated location or another location.
And that motion would need a second for it to be discussed. Second Bob Bennett. Any discussion?
So yeah, this is my. So if I ask on that if we have a fundraising goal for the initial project, what is the answer to ongoing maintenance?
Management of the hockey rink.
You mean the current like the after it's built the maintenance and security. I do and I think that is a part that the district would have to take up.
Again, I can't speak for what it would cost on a yearly basis to maintain the roller rink.
So I think, but kind of to Dr. Cronin's point that the conversations just continue.
My answer to that, Mr. Rizzo, would be that as the project had been conceived as it evolved.
Over the past couple of years. The district said that it would take care of. Maintenance, capital improvements and things of that nature.
That had already been. Baked in. So that's that had already been said previously. It's still cost to the constituents.
That don't use the rink. Is that accurate, Dr. Winslow?
I don't know if it was part of the original discussions or not. Did Terry just say that it was?
Yup. You see you're saying that the school district has pre committed to maintaining and taking care of the rank.
No ongoing maintenance. I'm having stated in correspondence and communication. I believe it was even in the draft memorandum of understanding.
That was approved. Never approved. Did you ever come to a vote? No.
Mister Singer, this is Lindsey Drew. I wanna first just recognize the Jo sports for successful fundraising in this project.
I think that anytime a nonprofit organization has to go out to the community. There is tremendous impact.
You're putting yourself out there for fulfilling a commitment for being able to appropriately appreciate and recognize your donors.
And for delivering that final product. I have been on the board through all of the conversations about this hockey rank.
Unfortunately, the way I'm I view it as we go through the timeline. There was a disservice that it perhaps didn't start off on the right foot in conversation and didn't come to the board soon enough.
That the board was not brought into that, going back to a previous administration. I think that anything that has happened since then, it goes back to square one.
It should have been something that we talked about. As a board. When we talked in the fall of 2021 during an unfinished business, there was conversation about what do we do with the MOU.
The MOU would identify whether or not we Who maintained it going forward? Who is responsible for those expenses?
And outline kind of that agreement and arrangement and the project at that time looked very different because it was on a different part of the school district at a piece of property.
That was not currently in use.
We kind of walked away from that conversation with.
No real answer or direction other than some. General consensus amongst the board that that location did not seem to be the right fit.
I know in the general services meeting following that Dr. Windsor had offered that perhaps. The location that's currently being discussed would be one that could.
Be considered and that it could be part of. Curricular activities. Fast forwarding all the way to now.
It did somewhat, I know we did approve. The sponsorship recognition. I personally voted yes for that and I personally voted yes for that and I want to be very clear that that was never Something I did without intention.
I looked at that as something that would enable you to go out and have conversations with potential donors and know what you would be willing to offer to them for recognition should this project come to fruition.
Coming to where we are today and hearing the administration's recommendation, I unfortunately cannot support it in this moment of time.
From. Several different reasons. One, the administration's recommendation, I believe, has a lot of really valid points.
Mr. Rizzo mentioned the impervious coverage. We have bids currently out on the stormwater basin as well as the concession stand all within that same area of the campus.
And know that there's going to be construction there, you know, for the foreseeable future.
The other component is knowing that there was a tourism grant, application. It's unfortunate that there wasn't more collaboration between the district.
And drove sports in applying for that grant because perhaps that would have been identified earlier on. To be able to recognize that a tourism grant wouldn't have been the right path for that.
I wouldn't be comfortable accepting a tourism grant on behalf of the district. Because I don't think that we're in the business of tourism.
Knowing that the tourism grant is still there and approved to the joy of sports for use. I would hope It's my understanding that the conversation has never been had with the township about use of township parks and wrecks space.
I would think there'd be a strong case for that the township to utilize the tourism grant funds.
I think that that would fit all of the boxes that it could fit into to be able to provide that space.
I'm not against a roller hockey rink. I think that, it has been a great demonstration and collaboration of community.
I unfortunately just don't feel that position sitting here as a school board. Director, that we Can comfortably move forward.
I think. To vote on the amended motion would be disingenuous to you because it would just kind of push things down the road.
To a time where there's going to be a different board to vote on and i think that you would come back to square one and all of your efforts would continue to feel complex and, kind of disjointed.
Between conversation here and there. So while I have tremendous respect for what you're trying to do, I think the joy of sports has done.
Incredible things for children in in this in this community. With direct leads. I unfortunately can't support it as a school board director, but we'll look forward to seeing it.
Progress if it can on a township property. And. Happy to support there. Yeah, thank you.
And.
Hi, yes, I think to say something. This is Erica Schmidt. I agree with, Dr.
Cook that I think this, should definitely. Can continue to be a conversation. The joy of sports has reached out to the community.
The community has spoken that they a lot of the community would like to see something like this. This is something that can be incorporated into our curriculum.
As well as the sheer fact that we are about to take on. An elementary school build and which could.
Very well get worked into somewhere in that space, I believe. So I don't think the conversation has to end here.
I think, we owe it to the joyous sports. For, leading them.
Along for the past 4 or 5 years to really work through and see what else we can. Do to make it work.
Accountability they have to their donor. I don't feel that where this board and the administration and the district are in a position right now that we would be able to deliver a clear.
Decisive path forward. Other than kind of where we've been existing and and so that's why I feel, it words, actionable item tonight.
We're still discussing the motion. To the original motion. And the other and maybe that needs to be restated.
The motion to amend. Okay, we're still discussing the motion to amend. So anybody else have any?
So listen to the challenges in school district has putting this on their campus. I would have to. I came in this kind of late in the game as well as I looked this timeline.
As when it began, I didn't even have the twinkle of my item sitting at this desk.
So, I wave on April here a little bit. So a lot of The challenges they have I have to agree with.
I'm not really in favor probably of, you know, if we're gonna sit here and have votes on raising taxes and spending more money on a roller rink that.
May or may not be used by everyone. However, as I look at this timeline, it seems to me that we have given a lot of indications that we were headed this direction and I don't think that's fair.
So I would say I will vote to. Go along with this amendment to give joy sports one more opportunity to see if they can come up with everything they need if there's something that can be worked out.
That is can overcome a lot of what the school district opposition is and the challenges they face so really my vote to agree to this amendment is not so much that I Only saying that we should put a roller rink on our property here it's a school district but so much that I think we owe it to the joy sports and everyone who
dated that money under good faith they give you one more opportunity to try and get this work back.
Thank you, Mr. Bennett. Dr. Colon? Oh, okay.
Mr. Singh, I just want to verify and I'm not sure, you know, where this could be answered.
They apologize in trying to remember where it was in the document that had been provided to us by Joey Sports, in March.
With the timeline, but I believe it's stated within that that they felt the joy of sports had done.
Their share and that they would not be looking to. Refund race.
Do we know if that is accurate?
I don't know, I believe that information was submitted by Mrs.
Is that the information you're referring to? Yeah, I apologize. I can't put my finger on it at this moment, but it's stated.
So that question would have to be directed to her, I believe. And, I don't know that we usually do questions with people who come for public regardless of where we go here.
If joy of sports comes back and says no, they don't wanna raise the funds, then that's a reasonable solution.
I mean, we're voting to say to give what Mr. Bennett said one more opportunity to potentially get grants or raise funds to meet these circumstances that have now arose.
But they could always come back and say, no to that. So I don't think that necessarily has to play a role in our decision right now.
I guess where I'm coming from a doctor. And so from your conversations, if Correct me if I'm misunderstanding.
You had a conversation regarding any additional fundraising or. Making up the difference if the grant were not to be accepted, correct?
Not exactly in that context. The context of our conversation was that I was absolutely not asking the joy of sports to raise additional funds.
And in the questions that the board asked and submitted for our. Special session the I and I know what you're referring to and I don't have it in front of me either.
I see you have the packet, but I believe that the response was. That the joy of sports is at the moment.
Is not able to cover expenses for a stormwater basin expansion or for these additional costs. I don't know that the specific question of would you go out and raise more funds was was answered because that was not a question or not a.
I feel like people have done a lot of work and we keep running into obstacles. And no matter which way we turn, we find another obstacle.
And I do want to clarify that this There was a point where I thought that this might fit some of our curricular needs, but it doesn't.
We have a one week unit in freshman physics class. It is floor hockey and it's usually done indoors when it's raining.
So it is not like this meets. Any of our educational programming needs, which is an additional.
Consideration when you're looking at spending taxpayer dollars above and beyond what someone is offering. And again, I'm not, I love hockey.
I'm not opposed to a hockey rink in the community at all. Just don't think it belongs.
On the campus. Being supported by taxpayer dollars. Okay. And I guess that's where the reason I was stating that is that I see this as.
If. The Joyce, that that additional amount was not something they would want to go to fundraise.
We are in essence committing to the idea of utilizing district funds on this. Correct. I don't think this vote at all is a co-investor.
Vote if that's what you mean.
When I made my motion to amend the motion, it had I didn't use that those words on purpose.
I had said. That if the joy of to work with them to create a final amount that if they can If they meet it, we can proceed.
Final amounts are we don't know what solicitor costs are we don't know what it costs to go out to bid we don't know we've been working on a concession stand for 6 years like it's really hard.
To get, I think that target is just going to keep moving up for them. That's where I feel like we are doing a disservice to joyous sports and the people that have.
In good faith have given towards this project, I feel like it could turn into being like this black hole and it just keeps going and going.
So you're suggesting that a professional organization such as ours couldn't figure those things out. Not until we get bids back.
Yeah, we don't, you know. I mean, we have to put it out there. There's expenses to go out to bed.
But I think we would be capable of determining. Dr. Some figures earlier. There was 3 or 4 different figures that Dr.
Windsor shared. Related to this and that in the next thing. So there seems to be some capability to estimate.
So who's going to pay for the expenses along the way to get you to a final number? Is that going to be on joyous sports or on the district?
At what point can we? Take a vote to see whether or not we want to. Can you just question at what point who's paying for that who's going to pay for the expenses along the way to the architect fees like where's that money going to come from?
I would think the district would. Take care of that. I don't know what kind of fees you're talking about but I would You have legal fees.
Putting it out to bed. Or design of it, storm water management. That piece alone is probably 15 to 25,000.
So 15 to $25,000. Are you asking the district to pay that? You're asking the district to put tax payer money into that out to see if it's.
Yeah, the district would be a partner in that project in that process. So then the district would. Incur expense to come to a final number.
That we would ask to drive sports whether or not they wanted to raise it. And see how the joy of sports.
I have no idea whether the joy of sports would. Have the capability or interest in. Right, but we're asking the district what you're asking the district to do is put in a lot more time.
And money and effort to get to that point like you're you're charging them to occur additional expenses.
Like just so we're clear. We're spending money to get you to that point of a final number.
More money.
We do that with everything though, don't we?
Yeah, but it's usually stuff that, you know, is in the best interest of the district that we've determined.
Not something that an organization thinks is a good idea. Well, we haven't voted on this yet.
It may be or may not be that. People feel that it is in the best interest of the district to pursue.
We can tell by the conversation the way that the votes going to go. So I have a couple of things that I'd like to say before.
So before that, I just wanted to clarify or elaborate on something that Miss Drew said earlier.
Notion of a a grant from the county. Somehow declaring that. The school district is a tourist destination.
That's a misnomer. I said I don't believe the school district is a tourist destination.
I said I don't believe a tourism grant applies. Yeah. To use as the district. The tourist destination was my comment.
It's come from other places as well. I did share with Dr. Winslow a 4 page, discussion of what that was all about.
It was given out in the materials that were shared with all of you. During the special session. And what it makes clear is that all I was talking about was that this roller rank could potentially be used like many of our other district facilities.
For tournaments. We have huge soccer tournaments that occur on our facilities year after year after year.
Not only out of county license plates after those tournaments but out of state license place. The county is just interested in investigate projects where people come from outside of the county and spend money.
Our basketball tournament. That's off the high school every year. Same thing. Our baseball tournaments, same thing.
So what was shared with the with the county in terms of that grant was simply It could be that this facility could be used in the same way that it might be used for tournaments if the board granted that use.
And if that were the case. It's probably likely some people from outside of the county would come and spend money.
So nevertheless, it is still a Doping County tourism grant. And so what my comment too was, and I understand your sensitive to the way that that is represented, and you don't want it to be misrepresented because you signed.
The application. I understand that completely. My point in this was it's unfortunate we didn't have collaboration prior because as I understand it the county recommended that that be the path.
Had the district spending conversation. In collaboration throughout that process. We would have been. The district would have been able the business office would have been able to say that's not a path.
To funds that we would have been able to utilize. And could have. Redirected, you know, if the county was open to that.
The original grant was actually to the joy of sports foundations somewhere along the line. It got Changed I'm not sure exactly how that happened, but the original grant was to the joy sports shared with the district that the district would be responsible for administering and meeting all requirements and documentation of the grant.
So ultimately we did have fiduciary responsibility. At the end of the day. For those tourism grant dollars.
Yeah, it's actually the grant administrator from the county who let us know that.
Anyway, that's the only point I wanted to make about that.
But quickly, this is Eric, just to clarify that the only reason we can't use the tourism grant was because we had to have it.
Within the year, correct?
That was one of the reasons that there are several parameters around that grant that as a district we could not promise to meet.
I don't have those right in front of me right now, but I could look them up for your to share them with you again.
I think they were in the packets that we shared in our.
Yeah, I, yeah, I think. I think they were, but I thought that was the biggest the biggest one because these They understand it, you know, this is how all of these grants work from.
School districts to hospitals to communities. I mean people try to find grants to give to these places to make things like this work out.
So.
And I think that was, Ms. Drew's point, if the district had been included in that conversation, we would have been
And Mrs. Mammy, I apologize. I think that we inadvertently interrupted you.
I'm sorry, I was distracted for a moment there. Does anybody else have any other comments?
Well, I think it's, no mystery as to where I stand on this and I, do.
I do feel that I feel the tension between the joyous sports and, Angela Mullin talking about the little boy that gave you money and it definitely resonates with me that you've.
Done a lot of work to raise money for this project. And we know that in its inception, it's really not.
It's and I know that there's new ways to do things, but. The way that this has has all come about.
From the beginning wasn't right. And I think what people are underestimating. And I'm you don't have to agree with me.
I just need to say it. In this context. Think what you're under estimating. Is the relationship.
That we as board members have with our superintendent. And the relationship that Mr. Singer, who is also the founder of Joyce Sports, who has with the superintendent, first of all, is the board member that brought this forward now second of all as the president.
And it's hard to tell at this point if he is operating in the best interest of the district or what is in the best interest.
Of the joyous sports and I do think what you're saying about more play space I do think that your hearts are in the right place.
I think this relationship is very complicated and it has taken a lot of twists and turns that have put a lot of stress on the board.
They put a lot of stress on the administration and based on the way this conversation is going tonight. It seems that we're just going to continue down this road.
To whatever and that is but I think what people in this room. I'm sure you showed up for reasons other than this, but what you really need to be cognizant of is what it means to be in a leadership role and how that is impacting the relationship that we have and O to our superintendent.
Okay, we're going to call the question on the amendment. If that could be restated.
Dr. Cook. Yes, and I would like to be clear. This is Lindsey, that my motion was to continue.
The conversation I know. It wasn't necessarily aligned, Mister Singer with what you said about the cost that might get us from here to there.
I'm not suggesting that the district is spending money to get us to that point. I would think that the goals that we would potentially set with joy of sports would include the necessary fees to get us from where we are to a potential rank.
My motion was to amend the administration recommendation that the administration work with joy of sports to set a final roller street hockey rank fundraising goal that if met the joy of sports can move forward with the project on our campus and either the current designated location or another.
Okay, are we ready to take a vote on that? Okay. Miss, we have a, roll call vote, please.
Mr. Bennett. Yes. Dr. Cronin?
Yes. Mr. No. Dr. Keck?
Yes. Mrs. Manny? No. Mr. Mr. Schmidt.
Yes.
Mr. Singer. Yes.
5, yes, 3 now. I abstained. I'm not enough that she had to re record that.
And now we're going to have a vote on the motion as amended. That was to accept the amendment.
So we're still in discussion on the original amendment or the original motion now as a.
May say something. So we're taking a vote on the motion as now amended. Yes, correct.
Else.
I just have a question. This is Kathy Sicker. You said that we can have more discussion.
What's the timeline that you would want? I mean, you gonna let this go on for years or what?
I think the board should consider giving direction on that. For everybody's benefit. For the administration's benefit, they have big projects coming and also for the nonprofit involved and the donors.
So I would just think that maybe that should be added into something at some point. I think that's fair.
I mean, here's. This is Lindsay. I'm relatively new to this.
The information that we collected over time was very helpful. Have no feelings that stem from 4 years ago on this project.
I don't feel comfortable voting down this project. Without giving joy of sports an opportunity to potentially raise enough funds that this project could come to life on our campus.
I agree with the fact that if we could set meeting dates and potentially have an end time, nobody wants to see this continue.
I don't feel like I could set a date. I don't know how long this stuff takes.
I know Mr. Rizzo mentioned that the stormwater basin is just kind of coming through fruition right now.
So I don't know what the time looks like, but I don't. I don't feel comfortable voting down.
No, just because there are some unknowns floating around right now. But I don't disagree with the fact that a timeline would be beneficial so that we're not.
A new board is not sitting here 3 years from now still having this conversation. Who's gonna come up with the timeline?
I mean, it sounds like we have a whole list of what where are we gonna start? Where does this go?
Who's gonna pay for all of this stuff? What direction are we giving the administration? I mean, if the board's taking it over and it's not going to be like, then what, how are we going to do that?
Or when are we going to do that? And like you're saying between now and the election because when Mr. Singer is off this board then I mean I don't who's gonna be heading this up.
My understanding is that the motion is just too. Just to proceed with discussions without specifics. So that's what I think we're voting on.
I would just like, this is Lindsey true. Because of how it appears, this is going to go.
I do feel that for full transparency and disclosure in previous conversation, I have asked Mr. Singer to consider recusing himself from this vote.
He'll be the majority maker most likely in this decision. Not because there is a true conflict of interest because there's not, there's no pecuniary benefit.
But I believe that we are called on to avoid. Even, perceived conflicts of interest. I have abstained from.
Many votes with nonprofits I've been associated with in which there was no true conflict of interest, but did so as an out of an abundance of caution.
As one of the largest donors to this project. It is my belief that, if this is to move forward, it should do so on a true majority of the board.
And not without financial investment. So thank you.
Calling the vote on the motion as amended.
Roll call vote, please. Ms. AJ. Mr. Dr. Keck?
Yes. This is Manny? No. Mr. Mr.
Yes.
Mr. Singer? What's the bill now? So 30, I can recuse myself.
. Time I'.
Mr. Bennett. Yes.
4 yes 3 now. And you got my recuse all right.
Okay. Okay, thank you. Well, now moving on to.
Agenda item 4. Consent agenda items. Good sense agenda contains routinely adopted items and items that normally do not require public deliberations on the part of the board.
A board member may pull items which will then be discussed and voted on separately. Now have a motion to approve the consent agenda items as listed.
Is there any discussion? This is a standard voice phone. All in favor please say I and the opposed no.
And the motion carries. Thank you.
Moving on to. Agenda item 5 new business item 5 A. App of 2,023 athletic call of fame inductees.
Now have a motion to affirm the 2,023 inductees for the athletic call of fame.
Second, Is there any discussion? Oh, this is Kathy Sicker. I would just, like to thank the, Hall of Fame for Considering more women in the role, we've had it's been male dominated for a while, so I was happy to see that there are more women coming
forward. And I'd also like to congratulate my cousin Chris. Okay. Thank you.
Alright, this is a voice vote. All in favor say aye. I have something to say about the.
I'm sorry. I have something to say about the whole. I'm sorry. I have something to say about the whole. I'm sorry.
I'm going to, tag on to what Kathy said. That's a great committee and when I was there they were talking about the issue because it had been predominantly.
MAN, but they did say going forward because of the timing and the way that they induct people, that there would be more females coming forward.
It just, they look back so far. So it wasn't intentional and it going forward should look a little more even.
Okay, thank you. A little more title 9 friendly because of the time. Yeah. Catching up to the seventys.
Anybody else? Yeah, this is a standard voice phone all in favor say aye. Okay. No.
Bye.
Motion carries. Thank you.
Moving on to item 5 B, approval of Hesper memorandum of understanding, Dr. Winslow.
The administration recommends the approval of the Hershey Education Support Professionals Association memorandum of understanding for school bus drivers medical benefits.
I have a motion to approve the Hesper memorandum of understanding for school bus driver medical benefits.
This is a standard voice vote. All in favor, please say I. Any opposed? No.
On to item 5 C, the election of treasurer.
Section 404 of the school laws of Pennsylvania stipulates and I quote in each school district to the third class the school director shall elect the treasurer to serve for one year.
Beginning the first day in July following such election, end quote. I'll accept nominations for the position of board treasurer.
Are there any nominations? Mr. President, I like to nominate Mike Rizzo. Second.
Okay, Mr. Rizzo nominated. And the other nominations.
I see you smiling, Mr. Yes, we had a couple of months.
Okay, seeing there's no other nominations, nominations are closed. I should have said that first any discussion.
Hi.
No, okay. This is a standard voice vote. One volunteer I should say. Is the standard voice vote all in favor say please say aye Congratulations, Mr. Rizzo and thank you very much.
Moving on to agenda item 5 D. Personnel resignations, Dr. Winslow. The administration recommends the approval of the personnel resignations.
Now I have a motion to approve the personnel resignations. Is there any discussion? This is a standard voice phone.
All in favor, please say I. And you opposed no. Motion carries. Thank you.
Moving on to agenda item 5 E. Personnel General Dr. Winslow. The administration recommends the approval of the listed personnel and recognition of any listed transfers.
May I have a motion to approve the listed personnel and recognition of any listed transfers? So move, Lindsey, Drew, second, Maria, is there any discussion?
This is a standard voice vote. All in favor please say I. Any opposed? No.
Motion carries. Thank you.
I'm up to agenda item 6, delegate reports. This is maybe do you have a report for the Trojan Foundation. I do.
I first like to say how much I love the Trojan Foundation. It's a great committee to be on.
There's a lot of positive things that happen in there. It's all about the kids.
We have been working, some things that we're talking about in case anybody listening is interested in hiring an executive director to do fundraising for us because we need to keep obviously our.
Grant writing alive and well and that takes money. So we're in discussion now about do we hire somebody as an executive director?
You know, do we pay them a salary? We're just preliminary, extraordinarily, start talking about this.
We are having a fundraiser, a golf fundraiser at the Hershey Country Club, Monday, August, the seventh, which is super exciting.
A lot of work has been going into that. I'd like to give an extra special thanks to Patrick Lewis because he's been crucial in moving that forward.
And in an effort to have our students involved because this is a foundation that's strictly supports the students within our district.
For needs that they have outside of the scope of regular budgetary needs. We would like to try to somehow work in having some students at the fundraiser.
So people in a community can talk to them, get to know them, like maybe we discussed having the Hershey golf team there, maybe some of our musical students there would be fun.
Maybe the link crew could help with things like registration. So I think there's a lot of opportunity.
Within within there to get our kids into the community. And what we're trying to build is. Some synergy and energy trying to build an alumni.
I don't know, what do you say, like an alumni base? So we can keep the good work at the Trojan Foundation going.
Again, it's all based on donations. And then in conjunction with that, I'm also on the athletic hall of fame.
Which I was just saying is a great committee, but it's amazing how there are members of the community that do all of this work voluntarily and it's just such a positive experience.
So I'm trying to think and if anybody has any ideas they can let me know how the Trojan foundation and maybe the Hall of Fame.
Could have a synergic relationship. Again, in that effort of the executive director raising a alumni funds.
Trying to capture and build an alumni base because currently we don't and we sometimes do have alumni.
Send in money and they don't really know where to allocate it. So just trying to kind of get that all.
In control. That's it. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mrs.
The Pennsylvania School Board's association report is attached. Dr. Kroning, do you have anything to add?
No, I don't. But I do have a suggestion for Maria with the, foundation. I think getting students involved is great.
And if you have a golf outing, obviously the golf team would be great, but maybe even work with Mr. Montador with the Captain's Council to get a broad group of athletes involved because anybody can go off, right?
So they tell me I don't, but it'd be really nice to have. Representatives from each sport, then they could even drum up interest to bring other people from their stores.
Thank you.
Mr. Bennett, do you have a Harris Bergeri community college report? I do.
So attended the delegate body meeting. It's biannual is pretty brief meeting but what might be of interest for us is they have approved their 1 point, excuse me.
116 million dollar budget for the next year and as a sponsoring district our payments will remain the same.
In the 2324 to me 2223 year it stayed the same and it's gonna go up 2.5% moving forward.
Up through the 2627 so that's When they have the agreement out to and that will take it to the end of do approximately $150,000 what we are.
Financial obligation to hack. Other NAFTA generally speaking they're highly to their budget is tuition is going up, enrollments going down and they're consolidating staff and classes.
Thank you, Mr. Ben. Anyone have any questions for Mr. Bennett?
Okay, thank you. Moving on to agenda item 7 special reports. Are there any board members who would like to give a report?
Mr. Singer, this is Lindsey Drew. I've just been reminded recently.
It feels like as a parent, I think maybe others can relate. You always forget how crazy the month of May is.
And, we are really in the thick of it with activities, but having the opportunity to attend so many activities for my son as a parent but also have the lens of a school board member, you really realize the commitment of our staff to pulling off so many of these things.
So whether it's the wrap up of Spring Athletics or any of the music programs, the graduations, all of those things.
I just wanted to express appreciation, because this time of year is always, really busy, but also shows how far we've come over that year.
I also wanted to wish our retiring teachers since this will be our last meeting before the school year is officially over, which are retiring teachers the best of luck in their retirement and thank them for their service and to wish our graduating seniors.
Well as they move on to whatever life has for them next, and hope they do that safely and happily.
And then finally, I just wanted to share. The Trojan buddies, is this Friday?
At the Hushi History Center, the Trojan Buddies Club at the high school is led by Aaron Rosenstein and Alart Krause and they do a really great job of providing a really inclusive opportunity.
I'm super excited to be chaperoning. And participating in that this week so wanted to just share that so that our Special education, I believe it's.
Current and past students are welcome to attend. So making sure that Let's know about that.
Thank you. I want to add something. I want to say something. I'm afraid that might be in Stacy.
You thought I would take your thunder. The students didn't say it, but I just want to give a shout out to the Girls Lacrosse team.
They're playing their first district game on Thursday at 60'clock because they're seated first in the district, all potential district games will be home here in Hershey.
So if you haven't had a chance to see them play. Now's your opportunity. They just completed an undefeated regular season and won the Mid Penn Championships last week, scoring an average of 16.7 goals per game and letting up less than 4.
Best in the best in the league best in the district. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Cronin.
Any other board members have a report? I have a report. That's Bob Bennett. Policy committee meeting has been added forward.
June twelfth at 50'clock. The purchase meeting is to strengthen and clarify board operation guidelines as well as policies related to the release of information by school directors.
In order to ascertain what changes additions or revisions are needed to those policies and board operating guidelines and it as it relates to the.
Of district information on social media. I believe an investigation is warranted. I move that an investigation be launched into whether Maria Mami used her position as a school director to a pain school district information only to subsequently disseminate that information on her personal social media accounts.
Consult with the solicitor on. Is that a motion then that would be? Okay, we need a second.
Second. And discussion?
Yeah, this is Lindsey Kak. I look forward to the policy meeting that is going to be added because I think that's going to be an opportunity for us to.
Either create or revise policy that will help us in these situations in the future. At a time when we're working to build trust with the community and ask to hear feedback and questions and comments and concerns.
I think it's incredibly important that we work to build and maintain that trust. I hope that through the result of an investigation, we or I hope that we use the results of an investment in it of an investigation to help us inform policy as to what events transpired and how potentially we can revise.
Or create policy to make positive changes as we do move forward.
Okay, thank you, Dr. Any other comments or just question? The district solicitor was always already asked about this situation.
And he said nothing was done. But suggestion was for you to go back and revise board operating guidelines if you see fit.
But there's nothing that you can do about a school director that she didn't violate policy or any laws.
So. What exactly do what kind of district funds are you gonna spend on an investigation when you've already consulted the solicitor about this?
What is any different than what's already been done?
I don't have a good understanding of really the timeline or how this came to be with right to know requests that are being filed.
So really it's investigation would be helpful in knowing what kind of changes need to happen to these policies to prevent this kind of thing from going forward because I don't really know from A to B, A to Z, exactly how that happened.
So that is why an investigation would. Shed some light on to that to better make sure these policies are like said change is revised or any additions are made that would be beneficial and it's not just So, that's basically, policy changes on things that we think may or may not have happened.
I think that this is Lindsay cut. I think the purpose of an investigation and I'm not sure if that's the appropriate word is just to gather the information that's necessary to move forward so that we can have a productive policy meeting.
And be able to look at our current policies versus the issues and see. If and where we can revise or create.
So I think it's just, I think there was some confusion among board members as to exactly what transpired, especially those who are not active on social media.
So I do think it's just an opportunity to get all of the information that can be used moving forward.
So, so the motion, this is Mike Rizzo, so the motion then for clarity.
Is you want to start a formal investigation or you want to just investigate. As far as a board. Group to understand what we can do.
Are you looking for a formal investigation? There's difference from what I'm hearing from you. It's a little different than what he's proposing.
Or maybe we could. Reflect back on recent experience. We had a board member.
Mrs. AG, can you read back the motion?
And the secretary read back the motion and what the exact word. So I move that an investigation be launched into whether Maria Memi use her physician as a school director to obtain school district information only to subsequently.
Subsequently disseminate that information on her personal social media accounts.
We already discussed this with the solicitor. We've had, I've had my own discussions with him, we talked about it as a group.
So it seems like maybe you just have some questions for Bill in a private setting. I don't I don't have questions of solicitor directly because that would be an easy fix.
I could ask this director, I could ask him directly. So I guess that for Mr. Rizzo's question, formal investigation as in like at the end there's gonna be some kind of like.
Sanctions, what do you mean by informal investigation? From what Dr. Cook was explaining was just exactly what Mrs. Mummy was saying.
Do you need to ask questions of. The solicitor on what the issues were. But you're saying that you wanna have an official investigation.
And when I hear this, the solicitor has already provided his. Guidelines. So that means that we're going to an external party.
Now to review what he said. Am I correct in that bill? Who would be conducting this investigation?
I would like to see similar to pass. I would like to see a 3 person committee. I'm not looking for like some big drawn out.
We have a precedent for how investigation was done very recently, I believe. Yeah, to what end? You can't vote me out of my position.
So what's the end? Transpired. Have you asked her? Have you asked her?
Have you had a conversation directly with Mrs. Mummy since this all started, Mr. Bennett.
About that topic,.
I don't think we were given any opportunity.
Why not? You have a full-blown investigation and waste district resources.
Do I want to do that? Yes. Because you couldn't ask Mrs. Mummy a question directly.
I'm not
Trying to be diplomatic here. I would I would like to see the more formal setting. Let's put it that way.
I just find it really disheartening. I'm not opposed to a policy committee in 3 weeks.
I don't know how an investigation takes place between now and then given the fact that there's a holiday and graduation and Dr.
Windsor will be out of district. So I'm not opposed to that at all. I'm not opposed to proposed revisions on a policy committee about board operating guidelines.
But we've heard from the solicitor that you can't There's no sanction, there's no punishment.
She didn't violate law. There was no confidential, student FERPA related violation.
But what's most disheartening to me?
Is that I know for certain. That you and Dr. Cronin have both had issues come forward to you in the last 6 to 8 weeks that we're students.
Impacting concerns that could you could have used your position in policy for but you chose to do nothing. You didn't elevate it.
No, I'm speaking. Just something that we would like to take a recess for and talk about transparency.
2 separate occasions and neither one of you did a thing to elevate it to Dr. Windsor to.
Policy committee or any of those things, but suddenly you wanna call a special meeting, launch an investigation on something the solicitors already advised.
To change board operating guidelines, is that correct? I can respond to that because I'm no I don't know what student situation should be me out.
Well, I don't wanna disclose that. So if we do need to go back to, session, I would be happy to, but there have been situations.
Have made it known you were aware of something and didn't say anything. Yeah, I don't think that the solicitor has.
Said with absolute certainty that everything that occurred was just fine. I don't think he said that at all.
I don't wanna speak for him, but I don't think that's what was stated.
He said she didn't violate any laws, that members of our community would be concerned about how information coming to us is held and what privilege it is given.
And that we as a board are not interested in getting to the bottom of exactly what happened. So we can understand what happened.
And see to it going forward. That it doesn't happen in the future or that we spell out more clearly.
What the, responsibilities are on our part for keeping things confidential. I find that disheartening, responsibilities are on our part for keeping things confidential.
I find that disheartening. Respectfully, there seems to be a lot of hidden ulterior motives and agendas here.
I also know that one of the board members has, attributed this to me putting Mrs. Mimi up to it which is just absolute absurdity because I had nothing to do with this.
So there are a lot of other things other than genuine intentions. And I just wish everyone would be.
I mean, you're, you're in, intentions here. I can't follow at all.
That's why I for one, I'm interested in learning exactly what happened. Maybe we don't use the word investigation.
I don't know. I think but in my when this was brought to my attention as a member of the policy committee who will sit and work to revise the policies and with someone like Mr. Singer, I know what happened.
I know all of it. I'm on social media. I saw it. Someone like Mr. Singer was not so privy to the information and just needs the information and just needs the information so that he can be informed.
The information and just needs the information so that he can be informed. And I'm not just singling him out here, but I just need the information so that he can be informed.
And I'm not just singling him out here, but I just think that there were some of us who knew exactly what was transpiring and some who really didn't have a clue as to what was transpiring and just wants all of the information so that we can make informed decisions.
Regarding what policy could potentially look like to build and maintain trust with the communications that come to us as board members.
So I don't know. I, I was not part of this for other, these other formal investigations.
I don't know what that entails. Don't know what that process is. I know we have a policy meeting schedules on June, 12, so we need all of this.
We need information and we need to make sure that everybody who's going to engage in this meeting. Understand what transpired.
And I think that's what the goal of the motion was. So when we've had previous investigations.
Into the removal of Donna as president. It was for board members who met. It was and it was her of and then when we did an investigation of a superintendent, it was the solicitor in board members.
So how would you decide to do an investigation? Who's gonna do your investigation? With it being amongst the forward here, a small committee as I said or wherever you like to call that They were voteable.
Actionable items like to have Dr. Kron and removed his president too. It wasn't a vote to have me removed, it was a vote to have an investigation to see if I had any wrongdoing because you said that you felt it was time for you to be president and you wanted me to step down.
And I invoked what Phil suggested to me. That is why not. You can vote. You can enroll the question, please, Mr. Singer.
I'm sorry, I don't. I'm sorry. I didn't. It will explain to us that the process would be that I could ask for a hearing, which would be that I could ask for a hearing, which would inquire, which would involve a hearing, which would inquire, which would involve an investigation.
which occurred and found that I broke no policy, which occurred and found that I broke no policy, but there was still another investigation which occurred and found that I broke no policy, but there was still another.
But let's, you know, so I broke up. I don't care if you have an investigation because whatever, but this is, I'm just apples and, let's call the question we have, you wanna repeat one more time with the.
So. Maybe the investigation thing is what the word is maybe what's got some feathers ruffled.
So I don't know if you wanna refer to as a fact finding meeting maybe. I don't know informational meeting.
I don't know what. Term will de-escalate this, but I'm open to any change of that.
I think between right to no requests and social media posts, there's just confusion. The timeline is a little blurred here on when things were posted and when Break no requests were good on, I, these are assumptions I'm having.
I don't know them for a fact I'm interested. You also need to determine in what you're doing is somebody acting as You're a board member, you're a parent and you're a private citizen.
So Let's just say for the sake of this conversation. I have a transgender child. I know somebody wants a book removed specifically for that reason.
As a private citizen, not a board member, I'm going to figure out who wants that because you can as a private citizen.
Find that information that is knowable information you can't write a policy that is going to override and supersede right to no laws.
This what I'm saying, the whole purpose of the policy, to figure out what the policy can do.
No attention overriding right to no laws, stifling people personal freights of free speech when they're acting on their own.
It's revolving around the 9 of us it's here. Let's call the question with a modification if you were okay with that.
Mr. Singer, I'd like to move that a fact finding meeting be launched. Into whether Maria M.
Used her position as a school director to obtain school district information only to disseminate. That information on our personal social media account.
And you will share information in more detail about exactly how that. Correct. We'll take place. Okay.
Is that still on the table? For the twelfth, that is already on the table, yes.
That this is not the same meeting. It should. Okay. Let's have it.
You wanna have a. A roll call vote, please. This is.
Hey, J. No. Dr. Cook, yes.
This is Manny? Yes. Come on, Maria. Let them do it.
What are they gonna? Let them do it. Mr. Schmidt.
Yes.
Mrs. Sicker? No. Mr. Singer? Yes.
Mr. Bennett? Yes. Dr. Kernan.
Yes.
7 yes, 2 now. Yeah, like say it's the case is bear will be the case.
You, I could be like, I will be the first to say, you know, You granted me this and at the end of the day.
I see corrected that everything was just above board. So I think that, we need transparency in this process and if officer Bennett is going to lead this investigation, I'd like to know who's on your investigative team and remember that you can't have a quorum of 5 or more board members has to
be 4. I'd also like to clarify that because I've heard, comments coming from the audience as well.
There's nothing to be afraid of. There's nothing to find out here. There's nothing to find out here. There's there's absolutely nothing here.
I support doing this the appropriate way and that would be going through the policy committee not having investigations amongst one another because people aren't talking.
We ask children, we ask, like community members to follow chains of command to have conversations. We ask kids to have conversations with one another to sort things out.
If our board members can't even talk to one another to ask questions about why something happened. I can't believe we are sitting here as a governing body of a school district with a 70 some 1 million dollar budget and we're having an investigation about this because people won't ask questions.
You just don't like the answer. So we can track how much money we're wasting.
7.
This is a very, this is, this is important. Because the community is upset. We are supposed We need to be trusted by them.
And if there was nothing that went wrong, then this shouldn't be an issue. At all. There is no reason that everybody should not be on the same page with the information that was given.
And that's all we're asking for.
Okay, thank you. Let's move on to agenda item 7 C board president's report.
I do not have a report, Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot Dr. Sorry. Dr.
Winslow, do you have a superintendent's report? I do. Actually, I don't know how to follow all of that, but I do.
Thank you to our. School board reps, this is certainly a venue to learn a lot.
You're great kids. I've loved working with you and I love seeing you with you in the building.
Was Friday night it was wonderful. Our kids do us proud whenever they are out in public and they are they had a great time and it was it's just wonderful up at the hotel.
I do have a report. At the last meeting there were several questions asked that are fairly easy to answer because the things are at our fingertips but we're often sitting here listening to citizen comments and we write them down but don't always have an avenue to get back to people and answer in public.
The answer to the questions, we don't do question and answer here. So there were a lot of questions asked last time and I would like to provide some of those answers.
One was that one of the questions was about special education funding potentially being reduced and Mrs. Sicker already addressed that fully.
It was addressed. And even more detail at finance. But I think it's very important to recognize that the budget for special education has not been reduced.
Funds are just moved to different line items in order to account for them appropriately within our codes. For example, software for special education is under technology.
So it got moved out of special education line items for that department and into the technology budget. So the technology budget is higher.
Another example is our occupational therapy. We previously contracted for an occupational therapist, but that person we had to share people and we have enough need that we really felt it would be better to have someone on staff.
Essentially the same cost, but now that cost is not represented under special education contracts. It is represented under salaries.
And there are many different pieces like that. And overall, the overall special education monies that we report to the state.
Again, Last year was 9.1 million dollars. We're predicting or this this year is 9.1 million dollars.
This year we are predicting is going to be 9.4 million dollars, 9.5 million dollars.
So that budget is not actually going down. It's just the way that you see the numbers being reported.
There was a question about why doesn't the district survey student, students about bullying, because the, survey was, was put out for review.
We do survey the students about bullying. It's done in our pay survey and it's also done in the Pennsylvania Climate and Culture Survey.
It's not specifically worded that way in the SCL survey because there are other things that we're looking for in that.
A review of our climate and culture survey data actually revealed the following and the last time we gave it was 2,019.
We just got our results back this spring for 2,023. It was paused during COVID.
But specifically on the statement, students at this school are often bullied. And this is a question that is asked, at the middle school in the high school.
On the survey. At the high school, the respondents in 2,01954 58.4% of students disagreed with the statement students at the school are often bullied.
Not a great number. 2023, 75.3%. Disagreed with this statement.
So we've made significant progress. At the middle school in 2,01965% disagreed with the statement and 2023 82.4 disagree with the statement.
I would like for it to be a hundred percent of students disagree with the statement. Students are often bullied in the school.
We're not there yet, but we are making significant progress and it is something that we are constantly working on.
There's been, there was question about and I started to come up again this evening that there should be consideration.
Given to using the Grenada building for the elementary school instead of a new building. There has been consideration of this option, a feasibility study was conducted by Crabtree, the contractors, the architects that we just contracted with or going to be contracting with for the elementary building.
They did a feasibility study on this building. In 2,01718. If we utilize the entire building that's all 3 sections.
That would give us a hundred 45,000 square feet of space. Our current elementary building is too small.
At 226,000 square feet of space. There's not enough room here. For us to put the elementary over here.
Additionally, the Granada building is just barely accessible for anyone with a disability. You have to like to get into this building you have to go around back in the alley up a ramp and into an elevator to come up to this floor.
That is not how we want students to have to enter building. So there'd be a ton of work to do to get it accessible.
And just bringing the empty section. Up to code with electricity, heating and plumbing is projected at upwards of 50 million dollars.
The use of the Granada building for an elementary building does not support educational programming and it's not fiscally responsible.
There are no place bases and we have no parking. Among other things. So it has been looked at, it has been considered, it will be brought up again whenever we start having public meetings.
But wanted to address that at this point that it's not something that has been ignored. There have been multiple concerns shared about student enrollments and students leaving the district.
And while there are some families who have chosen other educational institutions. We began this year with 3,179 students enrolled.
At the end of our April counts, we were at 3,211 students enrolled. So from the beginning of the year, we are up 32 students.
There are still 30 students in Cyber Charter who were not there prior to the pandemic. We would love to get them back.
We've done multiple outreaches to families in cyber charter. With very little response.
While our district enrollments are actually up by 60 students from where we are predicted to be based upon a combination of birth data and grade progression.
So we are not actually losing kids. There was also some comments about the concession stand and that it doesn't benefit the students.
In actuality, the funds raised from the concession stand do benefit our student athletes through their booster clubs.
Those funds provide support and items that are above and beyond what the district can provide. For example, warm up shirts, cold weather gear, and during district playoffs when they're often travel that is well over an hour in order to get to games.
They help to pay for charter buses, which can be rather expensive, especially at that time of year when everybody is trying to get a charter bus because of district playoffs.
So those are just a couple of pieces that I wanted to provide some answers to and I know that anybody who speaks gets a postcard, if there's anything that you want to know more about or that you would like to talk about further, please do not hesitate to reach out.
I'm happy to. Meet with anyone and talk with anyone on the phone.
Thank you very much. Thank you, Dr. Winslow.
Now onto item 7 C, the board president's report.
I don't have a report, but I did want to mention that the proposed board and committee schedule meeting gates.
Are contained in the board brief that you received recently. And they'll be voted on at the June twelfth meeting.
So you might want to take a look at that, see if it. Fits with your schedules and and any other interest you might have with respect to the committee meetings and so forth.
Moving on to agenda item 8, recognition of citizens. This is an opportunity for residents and taxpayers to address the board on matters.
Related to the agenda or matters of district governance, not on the agenda. Those who speaker asked to follow the same guidelines outlined that the initial public comment portion of our meeting.
I will ask board treasure, Mrs. Sicker to please keep time. I will start in the room this time.
Are there any residents and or taxpayers that would like to comment at this time?
Mr. Miller.
John Miller, 3 29 Coco Avenue.
There seem to be some confusion on the timeline. So. I ran home. I don't live very far.
And I grabbed a few pieces of information that. I believe will be helpful. For everybody here.
I want you to imagine that you're new on a job and you're one of your bosses tells you, hey, Well, I want you to come down with me.
We have a project, a ground breaking ceremony. Right here. And this. Was behind my house.
In an alley. I couldn't believe it. I come out from the beach. Now, mind you.
Last 5 years, I've personally managed approximately 60 million dollars of capital improvement. Projects I know construction so when I see white flags for excavation.
I know someone's digging a hole. They're not doing a one call markout for design purposes.
I know the order of operations is not correct. So my. I've sent a frame of information I request to school district on information for the rank.
Didn't get anything back.
Now using my common sense, I emailed the same request to the township and I got back about a hundred 81 pages.
Communications that Mr. Singer engaged in under his Joy of Sports Foundation email address or personal email address.
On behalf of Joy Sports to coordinate This rink behind my house. Same thing, same project.
And project is a temporary endeavor that has clear defined start, finish parameters, resources, and it distinctly provides a solution.
What we have here tonight kicking the can down the road doesn't help anybody. I would love to see a rank it built.
Seriously. But for the record The communications that I have start around The end of 2019. There there were boards that were obtained by from Twin Ponds East that have been stored in this building.
Since July of 2020.
With no gifting agreement.
But we could just hold assets. In our facilities. If that's the case. Then I have a lot of different things I could put in here.
I'm sure other people do too. I know the one gentleman was talking about fixing this place up, which I would love to talk about.
And I'd love to hear a little bit more about. But if we wanna act like this project that the school district has some responsibility in not approving it.
As it sits right now, that's disingenuous is not the truth. In my humble view and I believe that I have the information to support that.
We love to share with anybody that wants to see it. But just to run down a few things here.
Notably.
On 8, 1920 21. Our oldest daughter's birthday.
Oh, no, no. Get my, I'm getting an anniversary mixed up. Sorry. Hopefully nobody, hopefully my family didn't hear that.
Alright, this is from Mr. Singer, again, not using the school district email to his supporters.
Good afternoon on Monday, August 20 third at 4 p. M. The general services committee will convene.
Just quarterly meeting one of the agenda items will be a memorandum of understanding between Joyce Sports and Derry Township School District to quote, officially create the mechanism through which the rink will be built and maintained.
As I've mentioned previously, there's at least one citizen.
Who has voice concerns about the rank? Correct. It is possible. There are others.
Who have not yet said anything publicly, but any case it would be helpful if you could attend in person or online.
And listen to discussion and comment if you are so inclined. And he talks about with a comment period.
Is listed towards the end of the agenda, but depending on how the discussion goes, I as the committee chairman may move to obtain public comment.
Prior to our voting on the MOU.
And there's a hundred 81 pages of that. And so I'm very disappointed to hear that we're just kicking the can down the road.
We have big decisions to make. Which is, this is again, 2019. And yes, construction costs have gone up.
For water main construction, I was spending about $37 on average per foot. And it jumped up to about $67 a foot.
So you can do the math, extrapolate that out. It's significant. Not to mention the single issue we have over there.
You're add 7,000 square feet of impervious covers to an area. Underlan by Car's geology that we know.
Is an issue. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miller. Anyone else in the room who would like to comment?
About 2 weeks ago. I was here and talked about the. Possibility of refurbishing the buildings here on Granada Avenue.
As part of the school. Expansion. Modernization, whatever you wanna call it. I would again suggest that the board and its consultants and it's.
Architectural firm look into that. I never suggested that it would solve the entire problem.
So the fact that the square footage is not enough. Is irrelevant. I also would not expect your hired contractor or architect, excuse me.
2 suggest. That you refurbish an existing building rather than build a new building, he's gonna get a lot more money.
To build a new meld. I'm pretty sure you can shake your head no, but I'm pretty sure.
I'm pretty sure. I wouldn't suggest that the Hired architect. Will suggest refurb.
Everybody likes their name on a plaque. Everybody wants their kid to go to new brand new Spark, a new building.
Every pair, every kid wants to go to a new building. But we got a wonderful built set of buildings here.
During the election, I talked to a couple candidates. Some said they didn't think the 100 million dollar figure, which was to discuss that length last meeting was a real real figure.
Another person told me that there was a feasibility study done. So I would like to see the feasibility study if you can send it to me.
That'd be great. And again, I would suggest that, these buildings have uses other communities refurbished buildings, restore buildings.
They don't tear them down like you see everything being torn down in Derry Township right now.
So I would again suggest that you do that and look into it and I'll be back. I'll continue to suggest every 2 weeks.
That you look into it because a hundred 1 million dollars is a lot of scratch. And I think that These buildings are valuable to this district and can be put to use somehow.
Thank you.
I'm just gonna make 3 very brief comments. This is Nathan Buck again. So first of all, Mr. Miller, thank you for voicing your concerns because you were listened to you were heard and that's part of what led to identifying another location.
I also want to say thank you for the lively discussion tonight. Again, my empathy, I understand this role and thank you very much for all of you serving in the way that you do.
We did proactively seek out other alternative locations for the rink across Terry Township and unfortunately part of the vision for it was to have children be able to walk to it and access to the community and in talking with their township parks their parks are at capacity for a lot of the different activities they have and there was no
ideal park that was easily accessible for all of the dynamics of what the what this rink would be.
The other thing that I would add is historically and I came like you came late to the board. I came to this board late.
But I was, you know, here through the transition and I would simply say this, my understanding historically.
9 to 10,000 fundraising. Was our sweet spot. 64,000 was heroic and the 11,000 on top of that which was removed and we proactively went after the additional monies to meet that $64,000 goal.
Again, it was heroic and it was an effort done. Yes, while Mr. Singer was transitioning, but at the same time, a lot of the initiative, a lot of the effort that we've taken since then has been Miss Pacity's effort to do that in the best interest of the joy of sports. So thank you again for your time.
Thank you for the discussion and thank you again for your consideration. Thank you.
I wanna acknowledge that many of you have been up since 6 and you're tired. I wanna comment on something.
I grew up that you can disagree and have different opinions and still value and respect. Each other. I have terrific respect and appreciation for Dr.
Winslow, Mark Anderson, all of you who've read the document, right? So we can disagree.
We can get a message that we're not so happy about and still have terrific respect and still want to have a partnership and continue to work together.
So that's my passion as well as Nates and everybody on the George Sports board. Second thing I want to hit is, you know, I became the point person, the face of this project for joy sports during the summer of 2,021.
As in the middle of a really big concussion. So this is a brilliant move on mine. And yet Terry has worked to remove himself.
The day after he became the president of the school board, he reached out to me and we happen to have a school board.
We happen to have a joy sports meeting that Thursday at that same week and he resigned from the board.
So I think that's important to know. And then. Just the last thing that I want to share.
To give you hope. The Dory sports ran kickball for 24 boys. No girl signed up.
It's a sign of a crisis that we have. I think that we can't get girls to come play kick ball.
24 boys, ages 6 through sixth grade. Sign up and play kickball with us. And when we talk about empathy and kindness and sportsmanship, we had really wide range of capabilities and skills.
These kids don't play kickball. They don't, they're playing for space and they don't open their hands to catch the ball.
So we had a child yesterday kick the ball and you know he's not on the high capability list.
So the team in the field catches the ball and teammates are saying, get them out and the kid who caught the ball said,
He's good. He can get the first base. Right, so it just gives me hope that when we do simple, fun activities that get kids outside and moving.
There's hope and some of the behavior we saw was incredible. We closed their session with the parents playing kickball with the kids.
And this idea, this whole concept originated with Terry like 4 or 5 years ago and I became the person to keep it alive.
And I said to the parents, I'm like, oh, you know what? Just keep it simple.
These parents, they were laughing, they were going for blood, they were looking for wins, and it was like what we want, we want families and kids moving.
I'm beautiful. Days off their screens, etc. So what's the vision of the rink?
The vision of the rink is to create a place surface that could be used for pick a wall. It could be used for food spall.
It could be used for rollerblading. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen.
But that was really the sentiment. Nobody in my family skates. Nobody on our board plays hockey.
It's a bigger picture about creating opportunities for kids to play. Made a very clear, you know, okay, so we have a number.
The number is gonna be okay for this point in time.
I don't know if we're gonna have the stamina or the with all the raise it.
We can run a really big gluff. Right, yeah, bluff, outing and probably raise some funds, right?
But it's a moving target. So we're excited that you kept the conversation going. We don't know if we can really deliver on it.
So I want to say thank you.
Thank you. Anyone else who would like to, anyone else in the room would like to comment?
Patience Blake, I just want to say a super quick thing, specifically for Mr. Rizzo, because you're the only one that brought up the stormwater.
I'm not an expert on stormwater. My husband is an expert on stormwater and I was, I lived in a home that was completely destroyed by a flood that was caused by water diversion because.
A whole neighborhood was built in Camelotown. So, just little, so I would just like to make a request that if the rank is.
Built or looked into that stormwater be a really important.
Aspect of it because I know that there's a stormwater basin by my house that's not being built properly.
So like I know that that's not like a super strong suit with contractors in this district. So I.
If houses especially in that area are gonna get flooded. That will not make a rank worth it.
I think people if investigation happens years down the road and they're like. My 2 million dollar house was.
Gutted because this rink was built 5 years ago, you know, so just make sure please that that's not going to be.
An issue down the road after it's built. Thanks. Thank you. Thank you.
Anyone else? Present the room who would like to speak?
I'm like Davies. First off, Mr. Singer, thank you for accusing yourself.
That was kind of my whole point back in end of 2021. But I'm standing before you today to make sure there are some facts, that are going on the record.
Or the better part of 3 years I have come to these meetings with one agenda. Let's make sure every kid in Derry Township gets a better education.
Without personal philosophies and. I've served with some of you on the finance committees. And talk with most of you one on one.
Have we had heated and sometimes pointed discussions and disagreements? Yes. But that's my right as a parent and a taxpayer.
And I encourage more parents to do the same. Not just the ones that align with me politically. I come before you tonight because one of your own has crossed the line.
As an elected official, you are held to a higher standard. So to have a school board director. Docs and online bully parents, including myself and my wife, who are not running for any political office.
With the intent to silence us is unsightly. Unsettling and just plain wrong. Her claim of only attacking political candidates is a lie.
She docks at least 4 parents. Of non-political agendas on Instagram. She does this as the ethos of the school hangs in balance because of the bullying issues that are rampant in our district.
Thank you for the board members who will be looking into the actions of Maria Memi. If she had any decency, she would resign.
Thank you. Anyone else present who would like to comment?
Good evening. I guess my only comment is if. I'm sorry, Katherine, which and I owe you a paper.
I got you.
Collectively, if parents being bullied and falsely accused of targeting something. Which implies almost like a hate crime or a bigotry and there's no acknowledgment that those parents have kids in the school.
Where is the concern for those children? That's already been documented to all of you. There were several children that could have been affected by this while they were at by your board member.
Misrepresenting facts. Discaling information without due process of right to know. I mean, you can't get a right to know one a weekend within 24 h.
But to piece information together and misrepresent knowledge that every board member in this room had. Is abhorrent for your own political gain.
And thank God I emailed in and could document exactly what I asked, what I said because your policies were not readily available online.
Several parents were upset. And you leave out that I've been a pandemic team member since I believe, 2021, excuse me, if I'm wrong.
Many parents brought many things to me, which I also addressed with the board and was also ignored there too.
So I've already documented how several. Ethics and board procedural elements were not followed and 2.
Miss to defame a parent in that way when you knew exactly what my concerns were that I had no access to the school.
My kids weren't even enrolled at that time. I didn't, how could I target a book?
I didn't have access to a library. I mean, that is disgusting. But the fact that you did that without any cause or consideration for my children that you're pretty much saying that their mother is attacking people or targeting gender people.
When the entire concern was safety. Do you not know that they're at greater danger of being trafficked?
Do you not know that? I mean, to literally submit a concern and detail it out with great care.
And be told you're not a parent of the district, you can't proceed with anything further and you perpetuate that I that I banned anything, not a single parent reference banning anything.
High school material to middle schoolers. That's an issue. And you'll have to forgive me, exploitation and all these concerns are very near and dear to my heart.
We have very We have a great many family members that that are part of that community, but I also spent several years watching my husband deal with exploited children and our many fit into that.
The gender-specific area and you made no thought at all for any neurodivergent kids.
Not at all! For them, reading that ambiguous messages about how much money you can make on sex work, I would encourage you to at least be honest with constituents and read those 2 pages in the full.
But specifically noting specific items does not negate that the whole cause of concern was that that book was rated for high school and in the middle school, pointing out a few specific items that further that concern does not negate the overwhelming concern that that book didn't even follow your own policies.
But you needed to do this for a political game. I get that, but if that's not worth an investigation to faming parents violating your own board policies and procedures, where are we?
You've sent a powerful message to constituents. That a committee member, like a parent, a constituent can be bullied and it provide influence and inference as with your position as a board member that could target our children.
And not no cause for concern, no cause about children. Okay. What does that say about our board?
Thank you very much. Thank you.
Are there any other residents present who would like to speak?
Hi, I'm Michelle Willard Hoffer, 45 bittersweet drive Hershey.
I'm a 1984 graduate. Who's not athletic and is on the joy of sports board?
I love sports, but no team would have me when I was at Hershey in 1984.
I graduated. I though participated in every intramural sport there was. I wouldn't go on vacation until I finished the week of basketball or week of soccer or week of Name it.
But this Klepsy girl couldn't make a varsity or a JV team with activities like the joy of sports.
Have plan to offer the children of Derry Township. I think it's a valuable resource. I also think that One place is offered, but Anne and the rest of the board look continuously for other locations to bring to you.
So as someone who loves sports, but Didn't get the letter, but was on the booster club.
Please consider. All the information that they have to offer. In the next meeting and thank you.
Thank you.
Anyone else present in the room who would like to comment?
Mister, is there anyone online? There is. There is. 2 virtual hands raised, Kim O'connell.
You have been given permission to speak. Please state your name for the record.
Hi, this is actually Matt O'connell, Kim's husband. So in full transparency, which is what we're.
We're at the same address and she is running for a board position. But we're still concerned parents.
So
The question that I have. Is regarding the Trojan buddies program. And the prom.
So, Miss Rosenstein is wonderful and she is. Working with inner parameters. My daughter was part of the Trojan Buddy program this year and did botchy ball with them.
And it was just absolutely fantastic experience for her and and for the the Trojan buddy program.
The question that I have, which I think is important to raise is, you know, earlier in the night it was talked about how it was great that they were gonna have their own prom.
But if we're a community of inclusivity. Why are they not part of the normal?
Oh, right. My daughter was part of the program that started to try to figure out a theme for the prom.
She worked on, how to set it up where they were gonna. Habit things of that nature, but to the extent of we are an inclusive community and the Trojan buddies is an awesome program and again Miss.
Absolutely wonderful. But why are they not part of the normal. I mean, there's.
Yes.
Mr. O'connell, this is this is Stacey Winslow. The the students are part of the normal prom.
They just have another special event that is part of. That they have for themselves and that's part of the community.
So they were there on they were there on Friday.
Somewhere. Yeah.
So, so why do they have?
Their own separate one that.
It's just an event that they like to have. It's done with other districts. And, and the community.
It's a community problem with other districts. It's something that it's a special event for that group of students.
But they also come to regular prom.
Okay, well thank you for the clarification.
Sure.
Any other hands raised? There are still 2 hands raised. Kevin Ferguson, you've been given information to speak.
Yes.
Please state your name for the record.
Thank you, Kevin. Kevin Ferguson. I wanna thank the superintendent for clarifying the issue of the special education funds not actually being decreased in next year's budget.
But certainly looking at the document that was presented at the last meeting, you can understand why. It appeared that way.
It first and also real quickly kudos to the, daughter of the previous speaker for participating in the Trojan B.
My daughter was part of that Baji team. And, that's a wonderful thing that, those kids are doing, helping out the special needs kids.
And it would be great to see that program expand that lower and to the lower grades. You also, the superintendent also mentioned the, the concession stand and real quickly.
Yeah, I'm sure that the funds go towards the sports, that are raised with that concession stand, but it's, still $250.
And certainly there can be, first of all, fundraiser, possibly this would be a project that screams a fundraiser rather than spending $250.
Taxpayer dollars that are meant for the students. And there's gotta be some other alternatives.
I'm sure that don't cost $250,000 where you can still generate funds to help support.
The other athletes. And it was pointing out again tonight. That the average the meeting assessed value of a home in every township is a hundred $63,000.
And we want and you're talking about spending 250,000 for a concession. I mean, I just don't get that.
Okay.
That to me just doesn't make any sense. We spent. We spend probably 30 min.
Listening to a discussion. About. The school district committing funds to the hockey rank.
Hmm.
Which I support that joy sports program. But this is a hockey rate that is not school related.
This is not a school related thing. And we spent about 30 min discussing that to commit funds. There are unknown amount.
And as was described by one of the board members that. That you owe it to the joy of sports to keep considering this.
But as I brought up earlier, didn't you owe it to diversity, swimming diving team?
To support billing of their new pool. Didn't you owe it? To that same varsity program to maintain their facility.
This is just to me as we're talking about $250,000 for concessions.
We're talking about, you know, building a hockey rake and we owe it to consider billing that hockey break and it's not even it's not even school related.
So these are just things that need to be considered in. If you know it would be nice to see.
That same amount of time being spent on the issue of boiling. That's, that's really an important issue.
And I heard the stats. You know, surveys, I'm not quite sure how the questions are asked and what manner other than, than what were mentioned.
But bullying is an issue, it's a problem, and we heard a very disturbing, bowling incident.
Recently so it would be nice to hear that kind of discussion be of concern to the board so you can donate 30 min of time.
To that topic. Thank you for the time.
Thank you. Michelle Davis, you've been given permission to speak. Please state your name. Have the record.
Can you hear me?
Yes.
Okay, Michelle, Davey. Boeing has been a frequent topic.
At meetings, especially in the last few weeks. And I, encourage and applaud. Those who have been brave to stand in front of you.
And speak up. Behind the stories that have been shared. How many I'm sure that have not been.
Good leadership. And a healthy culture. Should be by example.
And having members of the school board. Bully parents, whether it is at the private citizen.
Or not. Is uncalled for. And it doesn't set a very good example. For the kid.
Some of you, on the board probably know of what I'm speaking of. As it was done publicly.
On social media. And as my. Huh. Husband and I were called out for our own religious beliefs.
Is pretty hateful. When we were speaking with respect. And defending a friend and other concerned parents. When things were being told that were untrue.
I hope that. The fact finding that. Is being done by the board. Review some things and policies are changed.
Not only for bullying between students but also administration and parents for everyone.
Everybody should be treated with kindness and respect, regardless of whether they agree or not. Because disagreement with lifestyle, gender identity.
Public. Or anything is not necessarily hate. Until it turns into that. Bye.
Someone, which we do not. In any way. And I would appreciate it. An apology.
But I don't ever get that. So thank you and have a good night.
Thank you. Any other hands, Mr. At this time there are no additional answer. Anybody else present who would like to comment?
Okay, moving on, is there anything else for the good of the order?
Tempers rise a lot when people are passionate about things. I didn't show my best self tonight in my response and I want to apologize to the board members for that.
Dr. Kerner, I apologize for cutting you off. That was. Totally just.
Went right through there.
I think that we all bring so many different experiences to this board. And
There are times that we disagree. We as a board have had. So many great conversations that were examples of.
Strong civil discourse and unfortunately tonight wasn't one.
My position on this is that it's frustrating to me to see district funds used because we're not holding ourselves to the same standards.
It has nothing to do with the topic at hand. But, the communication and conversation, you know, could have done that.
I'll, actually single out Mr. Miller and that audience has been before us and there have been really contentious things and we've had one on one conversations about a lot of them.
And,
Has been a great opportunity to understand one another better. So I would just ask that we all keep that in mind and,
Everyone likes to call everything political these days, but we are all parents, we are all humans. And we need to do better for the community and I am not opposed to policy discussion or policy revision.
I just wish that it was going in a better way that we could feel fiscally responsible and transparent on and so.
That's my opinion on it, but more importantly. Wanted to apologize that I. Came across.
To heated. This evening. Thank you, mister. Anything else for the good of the order?
This is Kathy Sicker. I wanted to reach out to the citizen who keeps saying that we did not support our swimmers and divers.
I've been on the board for 7 and a half years and I was board president during the construction of the Wrex Center and the conversations.
I would love to sit down with you, email me, we can have coffee and I can talk to you about all the ways we did support this swimmers and divers.
During the entire construction process, hours and hours of our time. And my personal time as president at the time in shared parking agreements, the discussion of water, the discussion of maintenance, and also the discussion of a one-time payment.
On behalf of the district. That never went through. So we were there in support of the swimmers and divers the entire time and we are in support of the project the entire time.
So and I would be happy to talk to you. About this over coffee or over a phone call. You can email me in my district email.
It's K sicker at the Hershey. Address and we can I can tell you about the history behind what how we supported the swimmers and divers and the wreck center to get water for them.
Thank you, Mrs. Secker. Anything else? The good of the order? I have something I want to say, Maria Mami.
First of all, I appreciate the conversation around joy sports. It was very helpful to hear from the community with that regard.
I think that I that definitely that definitely helped. I'm not saying anything more than that, but I think it was important to do that.
But anyway, so the topic at hand with the investigation. I have no problem with the investigation.
I have no problem with looking into any part of it. Because I feel like I have done nothing wrong.
If it comes back that I did something wrong, then I will learn from this situation. I have no problem with that at all.
I think that this situation that we're all dancing around and talking about a common theme that we talk about at school board is preaching to our kids to watch what you say, watch what you put in writing, watch what you do on social media.
This applies to everybody here. We are a public school district. A lot of the information, probably all of it except for privileged information that has to do with real confidential issues.
Is private information. So a note for all of us, if you're going to throw stuff up on social media, if you're going to write into a public school system, there's a potential that other people are going to find out that information.
The pushback is because you don't like what I said, totally fine. My opinion, freedom of speech, you have it.
I have it. If somebody wants to come in and try to get a book out of a library because they think it belongs in another library.
I am free to interpret that however I want.
Thank you. Anyone else for the good of the order?
Okay, we're moving on to.
Agenda item number 9, adjournment. The next public board of directors meeting will be held June twelfth, 2,023 starting at 7 p.
M. We post exact. Huh? Yeah, I'm not.
Please refer to the district website to register for virtual attendance as a meeting draws closer. I have a motion to join this meeting.
I have a second. Before I take the vote, I just want to advise everyone that we will be adjourning.
To post executive session to discuss personnel issues. All those in favor of adjournment. Say aye.
Impose no.