[1. 5:30 P.M. - CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:04] GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I CALLED THIS BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING OF THE GRAND PRAIRIE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO ORDER. THE TIME IS 5:32 ON THURSDAY, JULY 17TH, 2025. OUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MR. TERRY BROOKS WHO WILL BE JOINING US IN CLOSED SESSION. DOCTOR TRUJILLO, HAS THIS MEETING BEEN POSTED IN A LAWFUL AND TIMELY MANNER? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THE BOARD WILL NOW ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERATION OF THE MATTERS FOR WHICH CLOSED SESSIONS ARE AUTHORIZED UNDER THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, [2. RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION] CHAPTER 551. THE SUPERINTENDENT, AT THE REQUEST OF THE BOARD PRESIDENT, WILL DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING MATTERS. PERSONNEL, REAL PROPERTY, IMPLEMENTATION AND DEPLOYMENT OF SAFETY AND SECURITY ITEMS, STUDENT ISSUES AND OTHER MATTERS PROTECTED BY THE STATUTE, IN CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL, THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION AND MAY TAKE AN ACTION AS A RESULT OF CLOSED SESSION. WE ARE NOW IN CLOSED SESSION. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. [3. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION] THE TIME NOW IS 6:18 AND WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKERS FOR OPEN FORUM FOR AGENDA ITEMS, SO WE WILL PROCEED WITH ITEM NUMBER 5, [5. BUDGET WORKSHOP] THE BUDGET WORKSHOP. SO OUR PRESENTER FOR THE 2025-2026 BUDGET PLANNING UPDATE WILL BE DR. THURSTON LAMB, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF OPERATIONS. KRISTIN BYRD, OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT. BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DOCTOR TRUJILLO WE ARE BRINGING TONIGHT A COMPENSATION PLAN IN THIS DRAFT FORM. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO KIND OF HEAD OFF. MANY OF OUR SURROUNDING DISTRICTS ARE PASSING THEIR COMPENSATION PLANS. AND AS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SHOP EACH YEAR, TEACHERS AND STAFF MEMBERS OF SHOPPING. AND SO WE DID NOT WANT TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR AND START OUR CONVOCATION WITHOUT HAVING A COMPENSATION PLAN IN PLACE. WE'VE WORKED TO DILIGENTLY TRY TO COME UP WITH AS ACCURATE OF A NUMBER AS WE COULD WITHOUT SOME OF THE VARIABLES THAT WE NEED TO HAVE ABSOLUTE NUMBERS. WE'RE STILL WAITING ON OUR PROPERTY VALUES, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL DEALING WITH THE TEMPLATE. AND SO AS WE GET THAT INFORMATION, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO TRY TO BE AS CLOSE TO WHAT WE BELIEVE THAT FINAL NUMBER WOULD BE. SO WE'RE BRINGING A DRAFT FORM FOR YOU WITH SOME SCENARIOS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER FOR OUR CONVERSATION WITH THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. MISS CHAPMAN IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THE POWERPOINT WITH YOU. AND THEN AT THE END, WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT MOFFITT. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. DOCTOR TRUJILLO WE WANT TO START WITH JUST THE OVERVIEW. WE WOULD TALK ABOUT TEACHER COMPENSATION FIRST, AND THAT OUR PROPOSAL INCLUDES INCREASING THE STARTING PAY FOR TEACHERS FOR 0 YEARS FROM $63,000 TO $64,000. AND THEN, AS YOU KNOW, THE HOUSE BILL 2 REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHER PAY INCREASES. AND WE ARE IN THE GROUP THAT IS OVER 5000 STUDENTS WOULD BE THE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE TEACHERS AT YEAR 3 AND 4 WOULD RECEIVE $2500. THOSE WITH 5 AND OVER WOULD RECEIVE $5000. OUR PROPOSAL IS TO INCLUDE YEARS 1 AND 2 IN THAT GROUP FOR $2500 AND ALL IN, THAT REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY A 6% PAY INCREASE FOR ALL TEACHERS ON AVERAGE. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE YOU CONSIDER 3 SCENARIOS, 2%, A 3% AND A 4% OF MIDPOINT PAY INCREASE FOR ALL OTHER EMPLOYEE GROUPS. AND FOR THIS YEAR, WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGE IN OUR FINE ARTS, ATHLETIC, CRITICAL SHORTAGE AND OR ACADEMIC STIPENDS. AND JUST TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF A PICTURE OF OUR NEIGHBORS, THIS FROM OUR PEER GROUPS AND THIS IS WHAT IS AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT. AND DO YOU SEE A COUPLE OF NOTATIONS IN RED? THOSE ARE FROM SOME COLLEAGUES WHO SAID THAT THEIR BOARD HAD YET TO FINALIZE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. SO THEY WANTED US TO BE SURE AND SAY THAT WAS PROPOSED. I GOT INFORMATION LATE TODAY FROM GARLAND ISD, WHICH IS NOT ON THE LIST, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THEIR STARTING PAY FOR NEXT YEAR, WHICH HAS BEEN APPROVED IS $61,500. [00:05:03] AND THEY ARE NOT GIVING ANY PAY INCREASE TO ANY OTHER EMPLOYEES. BUT YOU'LL NOTICE THERE'S ONE OTHER DISTRICT ON THAT LIST THAT HAS A 0 IN THE OTHER EMPLOYEE AND THAT'S IRVING. THEIR STARTING PAY IS $62,618. THEY ARE, HOWEVER, INCREASING THEIR BENEFIT CONTRIBUTION. AND THAT IS GOING TO BE $506 FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES. SO THEY I THINK THEY JUST USED WHAT MONEY THEY HAD AND PUT IT INTO BENEFITS. THE AVERAGE PERCENT INCREASE AS YOU CAN SEE, IS ABOUT 3%. AND THEN THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY OF THE 3 SCENARIOS THAT WE MENTIONED. 2%, 3% AND 4%. AND IT'S DIVIDED. THE SPREADSHEET IS DIVIDED. THE TOP 3 LINES ARE BASICALLY THE SUMMARY OF COSTS. AND THEN STARTING BELOW WHERE IT SAYS NET INCREASE TO THE FROM 24-25. THE INFORMATION BELOW IS THE BREAKDOWN OF THOSE COSTS. WE KNOW IN THAT FIRST LINE PROJECTED INCREASE THAT IS THE BEST ESTIMATE AT THIS POINT IN TIME FOR WHAT OUR REVENUE WOULD BE FROM THE STATE FOR TEACHERS, $11.8 MILLION. IT'S JUST THE TEACHER RAISED PORTION. CORRECT. OF THE FUNDING. OKAY. YES, MA'AM. THE $2500 AND THE $5000. AND THEN WE HAVE WE KNOW THAT IF WE DO EITHER THE 2, THE 3 OR THE 4, THE NUMBER IN RED WOULD BE THE ADDITIONAL COST ON TOP OF THAT. AND THEN YOU SEE THE BREAKDOWN BELOW THAT FOR THE TOTALS BY EMPLOYED GROUP. CAN I ASK A QUESTION REAL QUICK? SINCE YOU ARE THERE. I GUESS I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED AS TO WHY THE. SO THE PROJECTION IS $11,800,000. WHY DO WE HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS COMING FROM IT'S WHAT WE CALL TEACHER ADJACENT. AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE YOUR COUNCIL. EVERYBODY ON THE TEACHER MATRIX. SO YOU'RE INCLUDING EVERYBODY THAT'S CLASSIFIED AS 087. YES. AS A TEACHER. YES. AND IS THAT THE HIGHEST CASE SCENARIO AS FAR AS FUNDING GOES. TO THIS POINT AND I MAY NEED TO GET DOCTOR LAMB OR MISS BYRD TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAIL ON THAT FOR YOU, MISS LILES. NO, I UNDERSTAND, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE FUNDING SHOULD COVER WHAT THE STATE IS DEFINING AS A TEACHER. AND SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY IT'S NOT FUNDING THAT, ACCORDING TO YOUR PROJECTIONS. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOWN HERE BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY ENCOMPASSING EVERYBODY ELSE IN THAT NUMBER. IF YOU LOOK AT IT. NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT. SO THAT'S THE IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S THE ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES AND NOT JUST TEACHERS. RIGHT. WHAT I'M SAYING IF THE STATE HAS SAID THAT IT'S GOING TO BE EVERYBODY ON 087, THEN WE SHOULDN'T HAVE A NUMBER IN THE RED, RIGHT? WE SHOULDN'T BE PULLING FROM 199 FUNDS. ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE STATE IS MANDATED THAT WE GIVE THESE RAISES, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO INCLUDE EVERY SINGLE TEACHER THAT THEY'RE MANDATING? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? THE BEST ESTIMATE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS THAT IF SOMEONE IS CODED 087 AS A TEACHER, THEN THEY WILL PROVIDE REVENUE FOR THAT. OR IF THEY'RE SERVING IN A CAPACITY AS A TEACHER, THEN THAT'S THE REVENUE PROJECTION THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE INFLUX OF REVENUE. BUT TO GIVE EVERYONE A PAY INCREASE, INCLUDING TEACHERS AND INCLUDING THE REVENUE THAT WE GOT, THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE. NOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. RIGHT. BECAUSE THE 087 LINE IS RIGHT HERE. RIGHT. THAT'S WHERE THE CONFUSION IS COMING FROM. I UNDERSTAND THAT NOW. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. AND AS I SAID, THIS IS JUST THE THE VERY BOTTOM LINE WOULD BE, WHICH IS THE SAME AS THAT 3RD LINE UP THERE. IT JUST TELLS YOU THE ADDITION BETWEEN THE TOTAL REVENUE BETWEEN 24-25 AND 25-26 PROJECTED BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF INCREASE. [00:10:07] CAN WE BACK UP TO THAT PAGE VERY QUICK? ALSO TO THE BOARD. I PAY CLOSE ATTENTION. I JUST DON'T WANT OUR STAFF. WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STAFF OUT THERE THAT ARE NOT CLASSROOM TEACHERS THAT PROVIDE THE SERVICES FOR US, AND I KNOW WE SEE IT, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY KNOWS, AS WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATION IS ON THE BOTTOM HALF OF THAT MATRIX. IF YOU LOOK AT THE PARAPROFESSIONALS AUXILIARY THAT WE HAVE, IT ALSO THAT PROJECTION SHOOTS OUT BETWEEN THE 2%, THE 3% AND THE 4% AS WELL. I JUST DIDN'T WANT THAT POPULATION TO NOT BE KNOW THAT THEY'RE BEING ADDRESSED BECAUSE WE'RE HEARING ABOUT TEACHERS AND WE'RE ALSO HEARING TEACHERS. INDIVIDUALS SERVING AS TEACHERS. BUT WE DO HAVE A GROUP OF. PARAPROFESSIONALS AND AUXILIARY FOLKS THAT PROVIDE A LOT OF GREAT SERVICES FOR US. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY HEARS AS WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. ARE WE GOOD? AND THEN JUST TO REITERATE A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW THAT WE DO HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE THAT COMPARES WELL TO OUR NEIGHBORS. AND THAT IS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE IRVING $400 THAT WE PAY FOR HEALTH CARE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS AMONG THE HIGHEST GRAND PRAIRIE PAYS $6000 FOR CERTIFIED BILINGUAL COUNSELORS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS. PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS. AS FAR AS I KNOW, WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT PAY ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND PRINCIPALS THAT BILINGUAL STIPEND. AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM OUR MARKET COMPARISON ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDES, THE PROPOSED SCHEDULES ARE ALIGNED WITH OUR AREA MARKETS. AND OF COURSE, WE ALSO ARE A PROUD TIA DISTRICT. AND THIS YEAR WE KNOW THAT OUR AWARD, WHICH WILL BE PAID IN THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST TO OUR DESIGNEES, WILL BE OVER $3.1 MILLION. AND WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS. WE ALSO PROVIDED YOU IN YOUR PACKET. THIS SHEET IS THE PROJECTED PAY RANGES FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE, PROFESSIONAL ,TECHNICAL, PARAPROFESSIONAL AND AUXILIARY BASED ON THE PERCENT INCREASE AS YOU SEE, MADAM PRESIDENT. YES. YES. THANK YOU MA'AM.YEAR OUR DEFINITION OF A TEACHER IS PROBABLY A LOT DIFFERENT THAN AUSTIN'S DEFINITION OF A TEACHER. OUR DEFINITION OF A TEACHER IS EVERYBODY THAT WORKS IN THIS DISTRICT. YOU'RE A TEACHER. YOU TEACH IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. YOU'RE A BUS DRIVER. IF YOU'RE A PARA, IF YOU'RE A SECRETARY, IF YOU WORK IN THE ED CENTER, CAFETERIA, WHATEVER, YOU ARE A TEACHER. AND THIS BOARD HAS ALWAYS BEEN SO PROUD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE JUST DON'T GIVE RAISES TO THE TEACHERS. DON'T GET ME WRONG, TEACHERS YOU'RE GREAT. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY GREAT. BUT YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO. THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SURROUND YOU ARE GREAT. WE HAVE EVERY YEAR WE HAVE WE HAVE DISCUSSION AMONGST THE BOARD AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS UP HERE RETENTION OF OUR TEACHERS, OUR EMPLOYEES. THIS SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF TIMES THAT WE JUST ALL WE DO IS THAT WE TRAIN AND TRAIN IN GRAND PRAIRIE AND THEN MANSFIELD OR ARLINGTON OR IRVING OR WHAT? YOU KNOW, ALL THE SURROUNDINGS THEY GET, THEY REAP THE BENEFITS OF ALL THE TRAINING THAT WE'VE DONE. SO EVERY YEAR WE TALK ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO RETAIN THESE GREAT EMPLOYEES, KEEP THEM HERE TONIGHT WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THAT OPPORTUNITY. WE'VE ALREADY STARTED IT WITH THIS GREAT INSURANCE THAT WE'VE ADOPTED. AND I'VE NOT BEEN MORE EXCITED ABOUT AN INSURANCE PACKAGE IN THE LAST 20 SOMETHING YEARS THAT I AM THIS ONE TONIGHT OR THIS ONE THIS YEAR. BUT THAT'S NOT WHERE WE STOP. THAT'S NOT WHERE WE STOP. WE HAVE TO GO A LITTLE BIT FARTHER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE RETAIN AND WE SURPASS EVEN SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS, I WOULD HOPE, AND I WOULD SUGGEST, AND I WILL SUPPORT THE 4%. [00:15:08] NOW PEOPLE SAY, WOW, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT WHAT ABOUT THE DEFICIT AND ALL THAT? WELL, WE KNOW THERE'S A DEFICIT. THERE HAS BEEN A DEFICIT. I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER A YEAR THAT IT HASN'T BEEN A DEFICIT. BUT OUR OVERALL FINANCIAL HEALTH IS GOOD. AND I HAVE ALL THE CONFIDENCE IN THE WORLD AND DOCTOR TRUJILLO THAT IT'S GOING TO GET BETTER AS THIS YEAR GOES ON. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. AND IT'S GOING TO BE SOMEBODY A LOT SMARTER THAN ME. I KNOW THAT DOESN'T RAISE THE BAR THAT MUCH, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IT WOULD COST A 5 YEAR EMPLOYEE TO BE RETRAINED TO COME IN OFF THE STREET, BECAUSE WE LOSE THAT. ALL THE TRAINING, ALL THE CERTIFICATES, EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE ALREADY INVESTED IN THAT EMPLOYEE TO GO TO ARLINGTON. AND I PROMISE YOU IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE THAN 4%. I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER, JUST SPECULATION, BUT I WOULD BET YOU ANYTHING IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE THAN 4%. AND SO ANYWAY, I'M OFF MY SOAPBOX. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. YES, ABSOLUTELY. YES. 2 QUESTIONS REALLY QUICKLY ,ON THE STIPENDS THAT YOU'RE NOT RECOMMENDING CHANGES FOR ATHLETICS, FINE ARTS CRITICAL SHORTAGE AND ACADEMIC STIPENDS. CAN I GET AND YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE THIS, BUT CAN WE KNOW WHAT THOSE STIPENDS ARE? YES, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A WE GOT A DRAFT COMPENSATION PLAN BOOK THAT YOU'LL GET A COPY OF NEXT WEEK. AND WE ARE AS SOON AS WE GET THE AGENDA COMPLETED FOR THAT MEETING. THE STIPEND SCHEDULE IS INCLUDED IN THAT COMPENSATION BOOK. WE WOULD HAVE HAD A COPY FOR YOU TONIGHT, BUT WE WEREN'T SURE WHICH OF THESE PERCENTAGES WE NEEDED TO PUT INTO THE SALARY SCHEDULES THAT ARE THERE. SO OKAY. AND THEN CAN YOU ALSO INCLUDE WHAT OUR SURROUNDING DISTRICTS ARE. FOR STIPENDS. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE'RE BEHIND IN 2 OF OUR SURROUNDING DISTRICTS THAT TAKE OUR TEACHERS AND COACHES AND FINE ARTS EMPLOYEES FROM US. AND SO I'M CURIOUS AS TO HOW CLOSE WE ARE, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR STIPENDS ARE. YES. AND THEN I WANT TO NOT HAVE TO PRESS THIS BUTTON TERRY. I WANT TO BACK UP TO THE INCREASING STARTING TEACHER PAGE. SO WE'RE GOING FROM 63 TO 64. ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO INCREASE THE STEPS AT THE LEVELS, WE'RE GOING TO COUNT THE $2500 AND THE $5000 AS THE STEP INCREASE. THE COMPENSATION MOVE IS FROM STEP 1 TO STEP 2. SO IT GOES DOWN LIKE THIS. AND YOU ADD THE $2500 TO THE AMOUNT THAT WAS THERE FROM 24-25, WHICH INCLUDES A DIFFERENTIAL. OKAY. SO WE'RE NOT GIVING THE 25 AND 500 ON TOP OF THE STEP INCREASE. YOU'RE COUNTING IT AS THE STEP INCREASE ESSENTIALLY. I THINK THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES AND NO. BECAUSE WHEN YOU MOVE FROM HERE TO HERE FROM 20 WHAT WAS THIS YEAR, WHAT WAS 2 YEARS, WHAT WAS 3 YEARS, YOU GO TO THE 3 YEAR PLUS THE $2500 OR PLUS THE $5000, DEPENDING ON YOUR STEP. SO YOU'VE MOVED UP, WE DIDN'T TAKE THIS NUMBER AND JUST ADD $2500. WE TOOK YOU FROM HERE TO HERE AND ADDED THE $2500. MADAM PRESIDENT, CAN I ADD SOMETHING HERE IN THE CONVERSATION, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO CONSIDER WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A COMPENSATION PLAN, WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE BOTTOM DOLLAR THAT A TEACHER IS MAKING. A STRATEGY FOR YEARS, FOR DECADES HAS BEEN STIPENDS. AND COVID ALLOWED US TO DO THE STIPENDS. BUT IF WE'RE REALLY GOING TO SERVE OUR TEACHERS, AND I KNOW WE HAVE A FEW OF THEM OUT HERE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WERE, THAT ARE NOW RETIRED TEACHERS, AND WE NEED SOMETHING TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE, THE STIPEND IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW. BUT ARE THEY ALLOWABLE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT COUNT FOR TRS. AND SO THAT'S THE KEY THAT WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT IS WE CAN PUT IT IN STIPENDS AND KEEP THE SALARIES AND JUST KEEP IT PRETTY COMPETITIVE, OR ADDRESS IT AT THE SALARY LEVEL AND HAVE THE STIPEND THERE, BUT NOT CARRY IT AS THE STIPEND, BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO HAVE IMPLICATIONS AT THE LONGEVITY OF A TEACHER OR A PARAPROFESSIONAL THAT IS PARTICIPATING IN TRS. SO THAT MAY BE A STRATEGY THAT WE ALSO LOOK AT IN EMPLOYING IN GRAND PRAIRIE IS HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE SALARY. [00:20:08] SO IT'S VERY COMPETITIVE. AND NOT TRY TO SEE HOW WE, STIPENDS ARE THERE AND THEN THE TEACHERS AND COACHES LOOK AT THAT. BUT THEY ALSO NEED TO KNOW AND SOME OF OUR FOLKS MAY NOT KNOW THIS. THEY ONLY KNOW IT WHENEVER THEY HAVE TEACHER ORGANIZATIONS OR SOMEBODY OUT THERE TALK TO THEM ABOUT YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS IS THEY GOT TO KNOW THAT. IS THIS AN ALLOWABLE CONTRIBUTION FOR TRS DOWN THE ROAD. AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING TO THAT, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THE STRATEGY THAT'S BEEN USED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH STIPENDS. AS LONG AS THE STIPEND IS FOR WORK, IT IS COMPENSABLE. YEAH. AND LIKE, I THINK TRAVEL IS NOT, BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE COMPENSABLE. YEAH. SO IT GETS COUNTED IN THEIR ANNUAL TOTAL FOR THAT YEAR. ABSOLUTELY. I WAS JUST CLARIFYING THAT WITH BRYAN BECAUSE WE BOTH WORK IN A NEIGHBORING DISTRICT AND WE GOT THE STIPEND. WE'RE NOT COACHES OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE, BUT WE DID GET RETENTION STIPENDS, AND IT DID COUNT TO OUR TRS. AND IN ADDITION TO IT, WHEN THEY TOOK IT AWAY, WE FELT IT. MY QUESTION IS SINCE GRAND PRAIRIE IS KNOWN TO BE COMPETITIVE. WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THIS STARTING TEACHER SALARY OF $64,000, UP FROM $63,000. WE'RE STILL WE STILL HAVE 5 OTHER DISTRICTS THAT ARE AHEAD OF US AS FAR AS STARTING TEACHER SALARIES. AND SO THAT'S A TRICKLE EFFECT FOR THE REST OF THE EMPLOYEES IF WE'RE STARTING OUT THE GATE IN 6TH PLACE. SO WERE YOU ALL ABLE TO BRING ANOTHER STARTING TEACHER SALARY AS A BASELINE? IN ADDITION TO THE $64,000, BECAUSE. WE CERTAINLY CAN. OKAY. I'LL TELL YOU THAT THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE COMPARING TO HAVE JUST RECENTLY HAPPENED, AND THAT WAS BUILT A WHILE BACK. SO WE CAN CERTAINLY PROPOSE A MODIFIED A COUPLE OF BEGINNING SALARIES. WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE ANY COMPRESSION AT THE EARLY STEPS OF THE SCHEDULE, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY KIND OF SMOOTH IT OUT A LITTLE BIT BY INCREASING STARTING WITH AN INCREASE TO STEP 0. AND THEN WE HAVE TO OOCH USE IT UP A LITTLE BIT FOR EACH ONE. I'VE SEEN SOME SCHEDULES BEFORE THAT HAVE AT 0, 1 AND 2 THE SAME AMOUNT OR 0 AND 1 OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. SO WE'LL PLAY AROUND WITH IT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH. THAT BOTHERED ME TOO, THAT WE WERE LIKE THAT. MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT I NOTICED. JUST ONE SECOND. AND THEN MY SECOND THING IS NOT MANY DISTRICTS AROUND US NECESSARILY PROVIDED A RETENTION STIPEND, BUT DO WE HAVE A COMPENSATION PLAN WITH THAT AS AN OPTION TO BE MAYBE BE PAID OUT, LIKE IF THEY'RE EMPLOYED BY OCTOBER 1ST OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, AND THEN GIVING MAYBE $2,000 THIS YEAR AND $2,000 THE NEXT YEAR AS A RETENTION STIPEND OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, BECAUSE OUR STAFF MEMBERS LIKE TO SEE MONEY IN HAND IMMEDIATELY. ESPECIALLY WITH, YOU KNOW, TODAY'S ECONOMY. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO COMPILE FOR US AND PRESENT TO US AS WELL? AND I'M NOT SAYING $2,000 FOR EVERYBODY PER YEAR. HOWEVER, I'M SAYING, YOU KNOW, JUST EXPLORING OPTIONS AS FAR AS WHAT A RETENTION STIPEND WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR COUNSELORS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND PRINCIPALS, AND BUS DRIVERS AND CAFETERIA WORKERS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL WORK WELL, BECAUSE WHEN I'M LOOKING AT 4% FROM THE MIDPOINT, IF I'M AT PAY GRADE 1 AND WE DO 4% FROM THE MIDPOINT, THAT'S STILL LESS THAN A DOLLAR RAISE, AND I JUST HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THAT. SO MADAM PRESIDENT WE STAND READY TO MEET WHATEVER REQUEST THAT YOU ASK OF US. IT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD TO DETERMINE HOW WELL WE CAN IMPROVE OUR COMPENSATION PLAN AND BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES. THE ONLY THING THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND IS THAT ANY AMOUNT THAT WE ADD TO THIS INCREASES THE POSSIBILITY OF WHAT WOULD BE A DEFICIT AMOUNT. AND SO AS LONG AS WE ARE OKAY WITH WHATEVER THAT DEFICIT AMOUNT IS, THEN WE'LL BRING WHATEVER PLAN YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO BRING. [00:25:04] OKAY. MADAM PRESIDENT, GO AHEAD. THIS IS MY ISSUE. I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK AND GIVING US SOME OPTIONS HERE. BUT YOU'RE ASKING ME ON TUESDAY TO APPROVE A COMPENSATION PLAN, BUT YET YOU HAVEN'T EVEN BROUGHT ME A BUDGET. SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED BECAUSE I HAVE 0 NUMBERS TO EVEN DETERMINE, RIGHT? LIKE IF THIS IS A GOOD INVESTMENT, IF IT'S NOT A GOOD INVESTMENT, WHAT WE CAN FISCALLY BE RESPONSIBLE IN OUR DECISION MAKING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A BUDGET. SO DO WE ANTICIPATE HAVING A BUDGET OR SOMETHING BEFORE YOU ASK TO APPROVE THIS ON TUESDAY BECAUSE WITHOUT THAT, I CAN'T APPROVE IT. IT'S NOT FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE OF ANY OF US SITTING UP HERE ON THIS BOARD TO APPROVE A COMPENSATION PLAN UNLESS WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION. SO WE ARE NOT PREPARED TO BRING A BUDGET. AND WITH A SEPTEMBER 1ST START DATE, TYPICALLY THE BUDGET IS NOT APPROVED UNTIL AUGUST. THE COMPENSATION PLAN, TYPICALLY IN MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS, IS ALWAYS APPROVED BEFORE YOU DO THE BUDGET. IF YOU WAIT UNTIL YOU BRING THE BUDGET, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT YOU LOSE STAFF. YOU LOSE PERSONNEL BECAUSE THEY'RE WAITING ON A COMPENSATION PLAN. SO IF YOU. MS. CHAPMAN TAX RATE. CORRECT. YOU'VE PRESENTED IT TO US BEFORE, BUT WE KNOW WHAT THE BUDGET IS. BUT THAT ALL COMES TOGETHER. HONESTLY, I BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN A 1 WAY THIS YEAR, 1 WAY THAT YEAR. A COUPLE OF DIFFERENCES IN THERE. I KNOW LAST YEAR WE DID DO THE COMPENSATION BEFORE THE BUDGET. I THINK FOR A SIMILAR REASON, I BELIEVE IT WAS IN JUNE LAST YEAR. BUT WE HAD PROJECTIONS OF WHAT THE BUDGET. MR. BROOKS. I MEAN, WE NEVER. AND IT'S NOT PUTTING THE HORSE BEFORE THE CART. I MEAN THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE. IT JUST MAKES NO BUSINESS SENSE THAT THE WAY, NOT JUST THAT WE DO IT, BUT THE WAY THAT IT'S MANDATED TO US TO DO IT. IT'S ALWAYS BAFFLED ME THAT FOR EVERY TIME WE DO A BUDGET AND THAT'S WHY WE ALWAYS HAVE THE AMENDED BUDGETS. THE AMENDED BUDGET IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO THAT BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1ST OR BY SEPTEMBER 1ST, BUT WE NEVER REALLY HAVE ALL THE NUMBERS UNTIL AFTER THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THEY GIVE US IS STILL GOING TO BE A PROJECTION. CORRECT AND. THAT'S CORRECT.SO FOR EXAMPLE, TERRY. BUT ITS BEEN A PROJECTION. BUT REMEMBER LAST YEAR IT IS AND IT IS. BUT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A PROJECTION. WE DON'T HAVE A PROJECTION. WHAT WE HAVE IS THE COMPENSATION PLAN IN FRONT OF US. AND SO LAST YEAR WHENEVER WE GOT THE COMPENSATION PLAN, IF YOU REMEMBER IT WAS PRESENTED AND IT SAID, OKAY, OPTION A IS GOING TO GIVE YOU A PROJECTION OF THIS AMOUNT OF DEFICIT. OPTION B IS GOING TO PROJECT YOU AT THIS AMOUNT OF DEFICIT. WHAT WE DON'T, WE HAVE THE COMPENSATION PLAN. BUT WHAT WE DON'T HAVE TONIGHT IS THE PROJECTION OF THE DEFICIT. RIGHT. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. BUT I AGREE WITH YOU. WELL, TRACY RAY WAS ALWAYS PRETTY DARN CLOSE. AND I THINK MOST CFOS ARE. AND I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE THAT THAT MISS BYRD CAN. I'M SURE SHE IS TOO. AND YOU'RE RIGHT. IT IS A BUDGET. SO IT IS A PROJECTION, RIGHT? BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT CONVERSATION YET, IS WHAT I'M IS WHAT I'M REFERRING TO. AND I PERSONALLY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE SAYING, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL THESE AMAZING THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO FOR OUR STAFF AND THEN IT COME AND GO, OKAY. NOW GUESS WHAT, YOU'RE GOING TO ADOPT A $40 MILLION DEFICIT. LIKE THAT IS IRRESPONSIBLE. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. YEAH. IT'S THE WHOLE THE WHOLE CONCEPT IS IRRESPONSIBLE. NOT JUST US, BUT IT'S THE CONCEPT.BECAUSE WE DISTRICTS DO. WHETHER YOU'RE A JULY OR SEPTEMBER BUDGET, YOU'RE GUESS-ESTIMATING. I AGREE WITH YOU DOC. WELL, AND I STILL DON'T WANT US TO GO INTO THE CONVOCATION WITHOUT A COMPENSATION PACKAGE. I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW WITHIN REASON THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A DEFICIT. WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE. AND WE KNOW THAT WHAT REALLY THE HEALTH OF OUR FINANCIAL HERE IN GPISD IS OVERALL GOOD. BUT ITS NOT SUSTAINABLE, IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE. IT'S WHAT? OH I KNOW, I GOT THAT. AND BUT I FULLY EXPECT WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR WE MAY NOT OVERCOME THE WHOLE THING, BUT WE WILL MAKE STRIDES TO MAKE THAT BETTER. I BELIEVE THAT, ANYWAY SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO. I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. SO I KNOW THAT IT'S A QUICK TURNAROUND TIME FOR THE 22ND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING, [00:30:07] TO BE ABLE TO ADOPT THE COMPENSATION PLAN. IF WE WERE TO PUSH OFF OUR COMPENSATION PLAN MEETING CHANGE IT TO JULY 28TH, WHICH WILL BE A DAY BEFORE CONVOCATION. WOULD YOU ALL AT THAT TIME BE ABLE TO GIVE US BUDGET PROJECTIONS AND A CLEARER PICTURE OF WHAT WE'RE FACING, SO THAT THE BOARD FEELS MORE COMFORTABLE WITH ADOPTING A COMPENSATION PLAN THAT'S FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE? SO I WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, BUT I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING. OKAY, SO IN A BIENNIUM WHEN YOU ARE IN A LEGISLATIVE YEAR, IT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT THE BUDGET. NOW YOU HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO WILL GIVE THEIR BEST GUESS, AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE CLOSE AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT. IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE BIENNIUM, IT'S EASY TO DO BECAUSE NOT MUCH IS CHANGING AS FAR AS THE FUNDING MECHANISMS, BECAUSE WE ARE ARE NEW TO THE DISTRICT. MY HESITANCY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET AS CLOSE TO THIS BEST GUESS ESTIMATE AS POSSIBLE. OUR PROPERTY VALUES DON'T COME IN UNTIL JULY 25TH. AND BECAUSE THE HOMESTEAD AND THE TAX FORGIVEN FOR PEOPLE OF A CERTAIN AGE IS THIS BIG UNKNOWN VARIABLE, NO ONE CAN TELL US WHAT THAT WILL DO AS FAR AS IMPACT. THAT'S WHAT THE HESITANCY IS. BUT IF THE BOARD SAYS WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN ESTIMATED BUDGET ON THE 28TH, WE WILL WORK TO HAVE AN ESTIMATED BUDGET ON 28TH. THIS IS MY THING THOUGH. WE JUST BASICALLY NEED TO KNOW WHERE WE STAND DOWN. WE WERE IN A SITUATION IN THIS DISTRICT THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR WHERE WE DID NOT HAVE AN OFFICIAL SUPERINTENDENT. OUR CFO LEFT PROBABLY WHEN? MIDWAY THROUGH THE YEAR. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS, NOT ANYTHING. YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH LEGISLATION AND HOW IT TYPICALLY GOES. WE WERE IN A SITUATION THAT'S NOT TYPICAL. SO WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE STAND FINANCIALLY AS FAR AS THE BUDGET GOES. WE HAVE AN A FINANCIAL RATING. WE KNOW THE MONEY IS THERE. WE'VE BEEN RESPONSIBLE AS A DISTRICT FINANCIALLY, WE'RE JUST WANTING TO KNOW WHERE DOES THE BUDGET SIT AS OF RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SOME PROJECTS AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THIS DISTRICT WHERE WE'VE SPENT MONEY, WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE WE STAND RIGHT NOW. AND THAT'S ALL THAT WE'RE ASKING. ARE YOU GUYS ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT? YEAH, I THINK IT'S ABOUT THE RECONCILIATION, BECAUSE BY NOW YOUR BUDGETS ARE CLOSED, RIGHT? STAFF CAN'T SPEND ANY MONEY. CORRECT. OKAY. SO BY NOW WE WOULD HAVE TYPICALLY HAD SOME SORT OF SHORE UP NUMBER. RIGHT. SO FOR EXAMPLE WE ADOPTED A $10 MILLION. AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO TO THE DETAILS NUMBER WISE BUT $10 MILLION DEFICIT. WE SPENT MONEY ON ALL THE FACILITY STUFF. RIGHT. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, WHEN THE COMMUNITY IS LOOKING AT THE FORWARD FACING DOCUMENTS, THEY'RE GOING TO SEE THAT WE'RE LIKE $26 MILLION, RIGHT? SO WHAT WE WERE TOLD IS THAT THE $10 MILLION IS AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO CARRY OVER. AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE BECAUSE THERE IS SOME SHORE UP THAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE YEAR. AND SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS WHAT IS THAT SHORE UP? BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE TYPICALLY HAVE HAD THAT FROM A CFO THAT HAD BEEN HERE A FULL YEAR. RIGHT. AND I UNDERSTAND WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION. SO WHAT'S THE SHORE UP NUMBER. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT TO A TEE, BUT YOU CAN GET ME IN A BALLPARK RANGE. SO WE KNOW THE DEFICIT THAT WE ARE LEFT WITH. OR ARE WE COMPLETELY RECONCILING IT AT THE END OF THE YEAR? RIGHT. BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THAT TOO. WE'VE ADOPTED A DEFICIT AND THEN COMPLETELY RECONCILED IT OR IT WAS OBSOLETE. AND THEN ALSO FOR THE THE PROJECTED BUDGET MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW YOUR ATTENDANCE NUMBER THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WORK OFF OF. AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY DREAMS OF BEING AT LEAST 95. RIGHT. THAT'S NOT A CONSERVATIVE NUMBER TO BUDGET AT. WE NEED TO BE BUDGETING AT 91 OR 92. Y'ALL CAN TELL ME WHAT THAT NUMBER IS. WE DEFINITELY TELL YOU AND YOU TAKE WHAT YOUR PROJECTION AT THE 91% IF THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GO. IF THAT'S WHERE YOU THINK IS A CONSERVATIVE NUMBER, THEN WE HAVE A NUMBER OF WHERE WE SIT. IT'S NOT SET IN STONE. RIGHT. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT COULD CHANGE. IT COULD TAKE IT COULD CHANGE DRASTICALLY BECAUSE BEFORE NOW AND END OF AUGUST, GOD FORBID, SOMETHING COULD FALL OUT LIKE AN AIR CONDITIONER, RIGHT. THAT'S CORRECT. OR A FIRE AT THE GRAND PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL TOWER. THAT'S CORRECT. SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT YOU GIVE US THOSE NUMBERS AND THEN YOU COME BACK AND YOU SAY, OKAY, HERE'S HOW MUCH YOU'VE GIVEN US WHAT THE MAX TONIGHT, IT'S 4% THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED WOULD BE THE MAX. AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO ADD THAT HERE. AND THEN WE HAVE A PRETTY DARN GOOD IDEA OF WHERE WE STAND AS FAR AS A DEFICIT, BECAUSE FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS WE'VE ADOPTED A DEFICIT BUDGET THAT THE MAJORITY OF IT HAS BEEN COMPENSATION. AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE DOING THAT. I DO NOT LIKE TO DO THAT. [00:35:04] I WANT A BALANCED BUDGET, BUT WE DON'T LIVE IN THOSE TIMES RIGHT NOW. AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER DEFICIT BUDGET THAT WE ARE ADOPTING IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RECONCILE AT THE END OF THE YEAR OR¨DARN CLOSE TO. YES. RIGHT. YES. AND RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD IS THAT WE'RE MOVING A DEFICIT FORWARD, AND WE'RE GOING TO ADD ON THIS NUMBER THAT NO ONE KNOWS WHERE IT'S COME FROM TO LAND US AT THIS NUMBER THAT WE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE. BUT YOU CAN'T TELL ME HOW YOU GOT TO THAT NUMBER BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR PROJECTION NUMBERS THAT YOU CAN TELL ME. RIGHT. SO THAT'S WHERE MY CONCERN IS. OKAY. AND I YOU DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING IT, I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU DON'T LIKE TO SPEAK IN ABSOLUTES. WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT AN ABSOLUTE. WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS JUST A PROJECTION BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT A BUDGET IS, IS A PROJECTION. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. WE CAN BE READY ON THE 28TH. OH, THAT'S BACK TO YOUR QUESTION. OKAY. SO YOU WOULD PREFER THAT WE PUSH THAT OFF. OH. HOLD ON. OH. THAT'S OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YEAH, WELL, WE CAN BE READY ON 28TH. OKAY. NOW,YEAH. WITH AN ESTIMATE. YES. YES. WE JUST NEED SOME TYPE OF NUMBER. YES. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S LIKE WE'RE IN LIMBO. I UNDERSTAND.AND WE'VE ALREADY ADOPTED THIS COMPENSATION PLAN. AND THEN THE DEFICIT BUDGET IS LIKE, HOLD ON, WAIT A SECOND. HOW DO WE GET HERE? THURSTON WOULDN'T DO THAT. OKAY. WE ALSO WILL PROVIDE YOU. YOU REQUESTED. I KNOW IT PUTS US INTO THE DEFICIT. SO UNDERSTAND THAT AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THESE NUMBERS. YOU TALKED ABOUT THE STIPENDS. AND IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE, WE I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR STAFF AS WELL BECAUSE THEY'RE, THERE'S A LOT OF THEM WAITING. AND NOW WE'RE SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO WAIT TILL THE 28TH WHICH IS FINE. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE COME IN WITH WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE STIPENDS, THE RETENTION STIPEND, AND THOSE ITEMS SO THEY'LL KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A DEFICIT. IT'LL TAKE US IN A LITTLE BIT DEEPER. BUT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE WANTING AS WELL AS NUMBERS. YOU WANT TO SPEAK. AND IF WE DO VOTE FOR THIS COMPENSATION PLAN WITHOUT THE NUMBERS, WE MAY HAVE SOME PROBLEMS. WHEN WE GET OUR BUDGET IN AUGUST, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COVER EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO COVER. AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. I WOULD RATHER WAIT AND IT'D BE RIGHT, THEN VOTE ON THE 22ND AND THEY'RE GETTING LESS THAN A DOLLAR RAISE OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION. WE'RE ALL 1 BOARD, AND SO WE CAN KEEP IT ON THE 22ND, AND WE VOTE OFF OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN PRESENTED TODAY. OR WE CAN WAIT TILL THE 28TH AND HAVE THE PROPOSED CHANGES. BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SITTING IN 6TH PLACE WITH STARTING TEACHER SALARY. THE THING IT JUST KEEPS, MAY I? GO AHEAD. OKAY. THE THING THAT JUST KEEPS COMING TO MY MIND IS A COUPLE OF THINGS IS THAT AS WE'LL LISTEN TO ABOUT THE NEW TEACHERS, THE STARTING 0 STEP ON UP IS THAT I DON'T EVER WANT US TO GET BACK IN. AND SOME OF Y'ALL REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE IN THAT 2 TIER, WHEN ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO, EVERYBODY BE QUIET. ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO OR SO WHEN WE WERE COMPENSATING OUR 1 THROUGH 10 YEAR EMPLOYEES MORE THAN WE WERE COMPENSATING OUR SENIOR EMPLOYEES. AND THAT CREATED THE BIGGEST MESS THAT THERE EVER WAS IN THE WORLD. WE FINALLY GOT OUT OF THAT. WE KNEW BACK THEN THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THAT, AND SOMEDAY WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO RECONCILE THAT, AND WE DID. I DON'T WANT TO GET BACK INTO THAT ONE, BUT I ALSO, I JUST WHATEVER THEY BRING TO US IS GOING TO BE PURE SPECULATION. AND I GET IT, I DO EMILY I DO, I PROMISE I'M NOT I'M NOT GOING TO ARGUE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I UNDERSTAND AND I RESPECT IT. BUT WHATEVER THEY BRING US IS STILL NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE THINK, WELL, THEY'RE GOING TO NAIL IT DOWN TO $0 RIGHT THERE. NO, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE IT'S STILL GOING TO BE SPECULATION. IT'S STILL GOING TO BE AN ESTIMATE. IT'S STILL GOING TO BE A PROJECTION. IT WILL NEVER BE 100% RIGHT ON. NOW, I STILL DO BELIEVE THAT, DOCTOR TRUJILLO. [00:40:04] I BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL THAT WHEN WE NEED TO RETAIN THESE EMPLOYEES HERE IN THIS DISTRICT, I STILL THINK IT COST US A LOT MORE TO LOSE THEM AND HAVE TO RETRAIN PEOPLE THAN IT DOES WHATEVER KIND OF RAISE WE GIVE THEM OR THEY EARN. WE DON'T GIVE IT, THEY EARN IT, AND THEY EARN MORE THAN THAT, REALLY. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT MOSTLY COMES INTO MY MIND. SO I DON'T WANT AND AGAIN, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE NUMBERS TOO. I REALLY WOULD I'D LOVE TO SEE IT. BUT I STILL DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO BRING THAT COMPENSATION PACKAGE TO THE EMPLOYEES ON CONVOCATION, AT LEAST BY THEN. DID I MAKE SENSE OR DO I? OKAY, SOMETIMES I WONDER IF I DO. TRUSTEE BRIDGES. I TEND TO AGREE WITH TERRY ON THAT. PUSH THE BUTTON. I TEND TO AGREE WITH TERRY. WE NEED TO GET THIS OUT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. AND EVEN IF WE WAIT UNTIL THE 28TH, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A SURE THING EITHER. I MEAN, WE MAY KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT I STILL THINK WE NEED TO GET IT OUT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. BUT US BY US WAITING TILL THE 28TH, IT'S THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE US MORE OPTIONS FOR A COMPENSATION PLAN. SO WE'LL KNOW THE COMPENSATION PLAN. AND WELL BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO GO UP IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE HOPING. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE HOPING, THE STAT THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM MORE? I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEM MORE. OH, I WOULD TOO, BUT I DON'T THINK BASED ON THE NUMBERS THEY GIVE US THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE MORE. DO YOU, DOCTOR LAMB? AGAIN, WITHOUT THOSE PROJECTIONS, WE DON'T KNOW. RIGHT. I THINK EITHER WAY IT'S GOING TO BE THE SAME FROM WHETHER WE DO IT NEXT WEEK OR THE NEXT. AS FAR AS WHAT THE COMPENSATION PLAN THAT WE ADOPT IS. YES. AND THAT'S FINE. AND LIKE I SAID, WHAT WE'LL KNOW FOR SURE IS THE COMPENSATION. THIS ISN'T A PROJECTION. THIS IS A YOU'RE GOING TO ADOPT OPTION 1, 2 OR 3 AND IT'S GOING TO COST YOU THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY. AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT OKAY. THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY IS OUR DEFICIT. BUT I CAN'T I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SAY THAT OR NOT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. AND YES, IT'S PROJECTIONS. EVERYTHING IS A PROJECTION. THAT'S WHAT A BUDGET IS. A BUDGET IS NEVER INFINITE. THAT'S WHY TO YOUR POINT OF AMENDMENTS BACK AND FORTH. AND THERE HAVE BEEN YEARS THAT WHERE TO THE GOOD SAY, IN NOVEMBER, AND WE GIVE TEACHERS AN EXTRA CHECK IN NOVEMBER IF WE FELT LIKE WE COULD DO THAT. CAN I ASK THE CFO A QUESTION OR YOU MAY WANT TO CHIME IN. DOCTOR LAMB, I'M CURIOUS, SINCE WE'RE HAVING THIS TALK, BECAUSE WHAT HAS HAS REALLY I'VE HEARD A LOT THIS YEAR IS THAT STAFF HAD TO SIGN A CONTRACT WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THEIR COMPENSATION PLAN WAS. THE DEADLINE PASSED, FOR I GUESS FOR THEM TO GET OUT OF IT EASILY. RIGHT. AND THEY STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR COMPENSATION PLAN IS. AND IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE ON A SEPTEMBER 1ST BUDGET. AND I'M NOT SAYING WE GOT TO CHANGE ANYTHING. SO BEFORE ANYBODY NANCY STARTS SAYING ANYTHING, I'M NOT SAYING THAT. I'M CURIOUS AS WHAT YOUR OPINION IS ON MOVING FROM A SEPTEMBER 1ST TO A JULY 1ST BUDGET IF IT. OKAY. SO YOU'RE SHAKING YOUR HEAD NO. CAN YOU TELL ME WHY THAT YOU WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THAT. SO THERE THERE ARE PROS AND CONS TO BOTH. SURE. DID YOU WANT TO ANSWER? [LAUGHTER] YES. SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE. WE DO HAVE NUMBERS WHEN WE ARE SETTING THE BUDGET AND ADOPTING THE TAX RATE. IF YOU MOVE TO A JUNE 1ST, YOU HAVE A JULY 1ST. EXCUSE ME, A LOT MORE UNKNOWNS. SO I DON'T THINK IT'S BENEFICIAL ENOUGH TO DO IT. I DON'T THINK THE PROS OUTWEIGH THE CONS. SO THE CONS ARE IT'S JUST A LOT MORE GUESS-ESTIMATING ESSENTIALLY BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONS IS WHAT WHENEVER YOU DO IT, WHICHEVER YEAR YOU MAKE THE CHANGE IN I'M SORRY, THIS IS THE PRO. YOU HAVE A TEN MONTH YEAR. OKAY. AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE LAST THE PREVIOUS YEAR. YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE TO ADOPT, I MEAN SUBMIT YOUR BUDGET ON A 12 MONTH BASIS THROUGH PEIMS, [00:45:04] ALL OF YOUR PUBLICATIONS ARE GOING TO BE ON A 12 MONTH BASIS. I CAN'T THINK OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD ANY OTHERS BUT. THE STATE OPERATES OFF OF THAT IN SEPTEMBER 1ST CORRECT? YES. SO THIS ESSENTIALLY MISS LILES, THE DISTRICTS THAT OPERATE WITH A JULY 1ST START DATE WHERE WE'RE IN THIS GRAY AREA OF TRYING TO ESTIMATE WHERE WE THINK WILL BE THEY JUST PUSHED THAT BACK. AND SO IF YOU IMAGINE WE'RE GOING TO DO A JULY 1ST START, THAT MEANS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A TENTATIVE BUDGET IN APRIL, MARCH, APRIL. AND THERE ARE REALLY A LOT OF UNKNOWNS, ESPECIALLY IN THE LEGISLATIVE YEAR. YEAH, NO, I UNDERSTAND IT MAKES IT HARDER. AND SO YOU YOU JUST MOVE THAT FORWARD. SO BY JUNE WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE A BUDGET WORKSHOP AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR PROPERTY VALUES ARE. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT OF A LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS. AND SO WE'RE OKAY WITH THAT. THIS THIS UNKNOWN, WE'RE OKAY WITH THAT. AND YOU JUST YOU OPERATE IN THAT PLACE AND THEN YOU KNOW THAT YOU START JULY 1ST. THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT WOULD BE MAJOR CHANGES AFTER THAT JULY 1ST. SOME BOARDS ARE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT AND SOME BOARDS ARE NOT. THEY DON'T WANT TO AMEND THEIR BUDGET EVERY TIME THEY COME TO A BOARD MEETING. AND SO IT'S JUST REALLY A PHILOSOPHY OF THE BOARD. BUT IT'S DIFFICULT ON THE DISTRICT ON THIS SIDE BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO OPERATE IN ESTIMATIONS AND GUESSING. THEY REALLY WANT TO BE REALLY CLOSE TO, YOU KNOW, IF I BUILD A BUDGET, I WANT TO BE WITHIN $100, WHICH I THINK IS CRAZY WHEN YOU HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THEY'RE OPERATING. AND SO IT'S REALLY A PHILOSOPHY. THAT'S THAT'S REALLY ALL IT IS, IS A PHILOSOPHY. I UNDERSTAND AND THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE I WANTED THAT OUT IN THE OPEN. I WANTED YOU BECAUSE BEFORE NO ONE WOULD EVER SAY THAT OUT LOUD. AND I'M TOTALLY FINE WITH IT. I'M NOT SAYING, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I'M NOT SAYING WE HAVE TO DO IT. I NEEDED IT ON RECORD SO THAT EVERYBODY LISTENING BECAUSE STAFF IS LISTENING OF WHY WE DO IT THE WAY WE DO IT. BECAUSE IT'S HARD. IT'S HARD ON TEACHERS WHO WANT TO COME WORK HERE, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE PAID. BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW TEACHERS ARE WAY UNDERPAID, AND IF THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET $500 MORE 15 MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD, THEY'RE GOING TO GO AND DO THAT. AND I GET IT. THE TIMES WE LIVE IN, THEY BARELY HAVE A LIVABLE SALARY AS IT IS. BUT I WANTED TO HEAR YOUR OPINIONS ON THAT SINCE WE HAVE A BRAND NEW CFO. SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND SAYING THAT. AND I GET IT. IT MAKES IT HARD, ESPECIALLY IN A LEGISLATIVE YEAR. I WORK IN FINANCE. I UNDERSTAND GETTING YOUR BUDGET TO THE PENNY. IT MAKES SENSE TO ME. I COULD NEVER WORK IN EDUCATION BECAUSE YOU CAN NEVER DO IT. YOU CAN NEVER DO IT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE STATE IS SET UP. SO I GET IT. THANKS. I APPRECIATE YOU ANSWERING THAT FOR ME. I THINK THAT I'M GOING TO GO WITH WITH NANCY AND TERRY BECAUSE OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN EMAILING. THEY WANT TO KNOW WHERE ARE WE? AND I THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD HAVE SET OUR MEETING EARLIER OR GOTTEN INFORMATION EARLIER, BUT I KNOW THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE LOOKING AT THIS BOARD TO DO SOMETHING, TO LET THEM KNOW SOMETHING. AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT TUESDAY. I KNOW THEY'RE LOOKING AT TUESDAY. SO AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE EMILY'S COMING FROM. I MEAN, WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WE KNOW WE ALREADY HAVE A DEFICIT BUDGET. WE KNOW WE HAVE A $10 MILLION DEFICIT RIGHT NOW. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEW FIGURES ARE GOING TO BE. SO, IT'S A HARD DECISION. IT REALLY IS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE AND THEIR WISHES, THEIR DESIRES AND WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FOR THEM AND WHEN WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. AND I AGREE, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TRY AND CONVINCE ANYBODY TO MOVE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER BECAUSE I'M FIRM WHERE I'M STANDING. BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF STAFF OUT THERE THAT ARE DEPENDING ON US TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION, AND THEY WANT US TO MAKE ONE THAT IS IN THEIR FAVOR. AND I THINK EVERYBODY SITTING UP HERE WANTS TO MAKE THAT DECISION IN THEIR FAVOR, BUT IT IS FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE OF US TO MAKE THAT DECISION, NOT KNOWING WHAT IT PUTS US IN FINANCIALLY. AND IS IT GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE? BECAUSE HERE WE ARE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO POTENTIALLY GIVE IT THE BEST CASE SCENARIO THAT WE'VE BEEN PRESENTED TONIGHT. A 4% RAISE, BUT ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THAT? I DON'T KNOW. AND THEN WHAT VERSUS US MAKING A DECISION WITH NUMBERS GOING, OKAY, WE CAN SUSTAIN A 2%. RIGHT. IT'S NOT THE BEST SCENARIO, BUT IT'S A SCENARIO THAT PROTECTS US FINANCIALLY DOWN THE ROAD. AND TO ME, JUST I WAS ELECTED TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS. AND THE WAY I MAKE A BEST DECISION IS HAVING EVERY PIECE OF THE PUZZLE IN FRONT OF ME AND EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION THAT ALLOWS ME TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION IN FRONT OF ME. [00:50:06] AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE THAT, TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION UNLESS WE GET IT BEFORE TUESDAY. IF WE GET THAT INFORMATION BEFORE TUESDAY, OKAY, FINE. BUT IF WE DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE PIECES TO THE PUZZLE TO SEE A COMPLETE PICTURE, TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION, I TOO AGREE. I WANT TO GIVE THE TEACHERS MORE THAN THIS, BUT I CAN'T SAY THAT THAT'S THE FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE THING TO DO. AND WE ARE IN CHARGE OF THE TAXPAYERS MONEY. IT'S NOT OUR MONEY. IT'S EVERYBODY THAT THAT LIVES IN THIS CITY THAT CONTRIBUTES. AND IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE TO JUST SAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING AND NOT HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION IN FRONT OF US. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT IS A HARD DECISION TO MAKE. IT'S A HARD DECISION TO MAKE, BUT I'D RATHER MAKE A HARD DECISION WITH ALL THE INFORMATION THAN A HARD DECISION WITHOUT IT. THAT'S JUST ME. MADAM PRESIDENT. YES, YES. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, ABSOLUTELY 100%. BUT WE ALSO HAVE A GIANT RESPONSIBILITY TO THE EMPLOYEES OF THIS DISTRICT. WE WILL NEVER, EVER HAVE A TRULY FISCAL RESPONSIBLE RESPONSIBILITY WITH HOW WE HAVE TO WORK THESE NUMBERS EVERY YEAR. THIS YEAR IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE YEARS BEFORE. YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE THAT GRAY AREA WHEREVER WE DO. AND YES, I DO. AND I THINK I AM RESPONSIBLE, I THINK I AM VERY RESPONSIBLE WITH THE TAXPAYERS MONEY. I WOULD LIKE TO THINK I AM. I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND I DON'T SEE THIS YEAR BEING ANY DIFFERENT, BUT BOTH THE WAY THAT THE CARDS ARE DEALT TO US THIS IS AS FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AS WE CAN BE. THEY CAN PROJECT THIS AND PROJECT THAT, BUT IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE RIGHT THERE'S THE BULLSEYE. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT. YES, I GET IT. I DO GET IT. I UNDERSTAND AND I AND I APPLAUD YOU. NO BUT TERRY, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I AGREE WITH YOU, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THINGS AREN'T DIFFERENT, THIS YEAR IS DIFFERENT FIRST, BECAUSE IN THE PAST YEARS AND ALL THE YEARS YOU'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, YOU'VE HAD THAT PROJECTION. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PROJECTION BEING TO THE PENNY. IT'S ABOUT HAVING IT AND NOT HAVING IT. AND THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD IN 6 YEARS WE'VE NOT HAD A PROJECTION THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. OKAY. AND I GET THAT. AND AGAIN, I'VE NOT ARGUED WITH YOU ABOUT THAT POINT. NO, I'M NOT ARGUING. AND I GET THAT I DO, BUT A PROJECTION. OKAY. DOCTOR LAMB, I WANT YOU TO TELL ME, IS THERE GOING TO BE A $2 MILLION OR A $5 BILLION? IT'S STILL A PROJECTION. IT COULD BE $4 MILLION. IT COULD BE $6 MILLION, IT COULD BE 2. IT'S STILL A PROJECTION. AND YES, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT PROJECTION. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S STILL JUST A PROJECTION. IT'S STILL A GUESS. IT'S STILL AND LIKE IT'S BEEN EVERY YEAR. AND THIS YEAR IS THE SAME AS FAR AS PROJECTIONS AS FAR AS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT. WE DON'T KNOW IT. I KNOW WE DON'T KNOW IT, BUT WHEN WE HAVE IT, WE STILL DON'T KNOW IT. CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MUCH WE HAVE BEEN OFF ON THAT PROJECTION IN THE LAST 6 YEARS? IT'S BEEN PRETTY CLOSE, I AGREE. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT WHEN THEY GIVE US A PROJECTION, THEY'RE USUALLY PRETTY CLOSE. LIKE YOU JUST SAID, BUT NOT KNOWING IT. IT COULD BE A DIFFERENCE OF $10 MILLION DOLLARS, TERRY THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. I AGREE WITH YOU. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. I'M NOT ARGUING WITH THAT. I'M NOT. AND THAT $10 MILLION, WHETHER IT'S 10 OR IF IT'S 4, SHOULD FACTOR INTO WHAT PLAN WE'RE ABLE TO FINANCIALLY SUSTAIN. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. AND IT'S OKAY. WE CAN AGREE TO DISAGREE ON THIS 100%. LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT ARGUING WITH ANYBODY UP HERE. EVERYBODY'S GOT VALID POINTS. AND I THINK WE ALL WANT TO TO BE ABLE TO TELL TONIGHT THE TEACHERS WHAT WE WANT TO DO. IT'S NOT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO GET A RAISE. I FEEL FAIRLY CONFIDENT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING FOR OUR TEACHERS 100%. IT'S ABOUT WHAT IS THE BEST OPTION TO DO. AND WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION. AND I GET THAT'S TO YOU THAT DOESN'T MAKE OR BREAK YOUR DECISION. TO ME IT DOES. AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO AGREE TO DISAGREE TO THAT. I AGREE. BUT ALSO THERE'S STILL A FACTOR IN THERE THAT NOBODY CAN ANSWER PROBABLY. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR US TO GIVE THESE TEACHERS A 4% RAISE, OR IS IT LESS RESPONSIBILITY FOR US NOT TO AND THEN JUST DO THE TRAINING GROUND LIKE WE'VE DONE TO THE OTHER DISTRICTS AROUND HERE. WHAT DOES THAT COST? WHAT DOES THAT COST TO US? WHAT PERCENTAGE OF COST ARE WE PAYING FOR THAT? AND I PROMISE YOU, IT'S A BUNCH. WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, AND WE DON'T NEED TO DO THAT ANYMORE. I CAN'T TELL YOU THE COST. NO. AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO HOLD OFF TERRY. BECAUSE US HAVING A STARTING TEACHER SALARY AT $64,000, IT PLACES US IN A NON COMPETITIVE POSITION. SO MY QUESTION TO YOU, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO WAIT TO SEE IF THEY COULD BRING US SOMETHING BETTER, [00:55:05] TO BE ABLE TO GIVE OUR TEACHERS MORE MONEY AND TO SEE WHERE WE WERE LAYING. SO IT KIND OF GOES HAND IN HAND, NOT TRYING TO HOLD OFF, LETTING PEOPLE KNOW HOW MUCH THEY WANT TO BE MAKING. BUT IF WE'RE MAKING A DECISION AND THEY CAN BE MAKING MORE MONEY IF WE HELD OFF UNTIL THE 28TH, THEN THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING THEM THE BEST OPTION POSSIBLE. I'M NOT HOLDING OFF JUST TO BE HOLDING OFF. I WANT THEM TO KNOW HOW MUCH THEY'RE MAKING. BUT IF WE CAN GIVE THEM THE BEST DECISION POSSIBLE AND EXPLORE THE OPTION OF A STIPEND, OR EXPLORE THE OPTION OF MORE MONEY AND HOLD OFF FOR 5 MORE DAYS. I THINK THEY WOULD APPRECIATE THAT MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE PRESENTED WITH RIGHT NOW. AND I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT TOO. I JUST IN THAT CASE, THOUGH, I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO AND I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE USING YOUR CONCERN IS THE 0 TO LIKE 1 OR 2 YEAR TEACHERS. WHATEVER THEY SAID AT THE BEGINNING, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT EVERYBODY ELSE. YEAH. OKAY I KNOW AND I GET THAT. BUT AGAIN, IF YOU WASN'T HERE BUT AGAIN 25 OR 6 YEARS AGO, WHATEVER, WE DID THAT REALLY COMPENSATING HEAVILY. AND NANCY REMEMBERS THIS ONE HEAVILY ON THE FIRST ONE TO. 1 TO 10. 1 TO 10 YEAR I MEAN, WE JUST LOADED THE MONEY UP THERE AND JUST KIND OF IGNORED IT AND KIND OF IGNORED THE SENIORS. AND THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO PREVENT. SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING. OKAY. YES, MADAM PRESIDENT. SO YES. GIVE ME 1 SECOND. MS. CHAPMAN, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS HOW DO WE LAND ON THE NUMBER OF $64,000. WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE IS. WHEN WE DID THAT COMPARISON. YES. THAT WAS A PROJECTION THAT WAS GOING TO BE VERY COMPETITIVE. AND IT'S JUST BEEN IN THE LAST LIKE I SAID, IT'S BEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE JUMPED OUT WITH A MUCH HIGHER STARTING PAY THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED. OKAY. SO IN ESSENCE, YOU NEEDED MORE TIME TO BE ABLE TO COME WITH A MORE COMPETITIVE. WELL, WE WERE GIVEN THE PARAMETERS ON THE OTHER RAISE. WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS STILL COMPETITIVE AND STILL AFFORDABLE, ALTHOUGH IT DIDN'T KEEP US IN THE TOP 5, AS YOU SAID. WHAT HAPPENS AT TIMES IS DISTRICTS START TALKING INFORMALLY TO EACH OTHER. AND IF WE START HAVING GREAT CONVERSATIONS AND WE SAY, WELL, GRAND PRAIRIE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT 64. IT GOES BACK TO ANOTHER DISTRICT. AND THAT DISTRICT SAYING, HEY, GRAND PRAIRIE IS THINKING 64. CAN WE DO BETTER THAN 64. AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED IN A SHORT TIME, IS. OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE FOUND OUT WE LANDED AT 64 WITHOUT GOING OFFICIALLY BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATION. AND THEN THEY WENT AND JUMPED OUT THERE WITH 65 AND 66. SO OKAY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. DR. TRUJILLO. YOU GO AHEAD, BRYAN. AND THEN GLORIA. MADAM PRESIDENT, I AGREE WITH MR. BROOKS. I DEFINITELY IN SUPPORT OF I WOULD BE IN SUPPORT AND I SPEAK FOR MYSELF IN FAVOR OF A 4%, BUT I'M ALSO WILLING TO HOLD OFF IF IT MEANS POTENTIALLY IF THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE EVEN EVEN GREATER RAISES THAN THAT. I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO HEAR WHAT POSSIBILITIES WE HAVE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO BELOW WHAT THEN WHAT WE HAVE HERE ALREADY AT 4%. CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OUR STARTING SALARY HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE 63 IS THAT? THAT IS CORRECT. YES, MA'AM. AND THERE ARE 4 DISTRICTS RIGHT AROUND RIGHT AROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, SOME OF THEM UP TO 66. AND I THINK THAT THAT STARTING SALARIES. I'M WITH YOU. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE STARTING SALARIES FOR OUR NEW TEACHERS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO RESPECT THE TEACHERS THAT HAVE THE SENIORITY IN OUR DISTRICT. WE'RE ALWAYS CHASING HEB AND BIRDVILLE AND THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, OVER ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE AND SOME COMPETITION WITH THEM. IT'S A GOOD MEASURING STICK TO LOOK AT FOR US. BUT OUR BIGGEST COMPETITORS, I WOULD SAY THAT WE LIKE TO STAY TOE TO TOE WITH WOULD BE MANSFIELD AND ARLINGTON, AND BOTH OF THEM SHOT UP AFTER SOME INITIAL DISCUSSIONS. SO ON THESE 2%, 3%, 4% YOU'VE GIVEN US THE NET DIFFERENCE OR THE NET INCREASE. WHAT'S THE TOTAL COST OF THE COMPENSATION PLAN? THE INCREASE. IF WE WERE TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO THE 4%, WHAT WOULD BE THE TOTAL COST OF THE COMPENSATION PLAN? THAT IS RIGHT HERE. WOULDN'T THAT BE THAT $13 MILLION? THAT'S THE NET DIFFERENCE. THAT'S THE TOTAL. SO EVERY EMPLOYEE GOING UP 4% IS ONLY GOING TO. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE RIGHT. THAT'S NOT THE TOTAL COST OF THE COMPENSATION PLAN. [01:00:03] 252 WAIT. NO. 260.AT THE VERY TOP UP UNDER THE PERCENTAGE. ON THAT 3 SCENARIOS PAGE. YOU SEE THE NUMBER RIGHT UP UNDER THE PLUS 2, PLUS 3, PLUS 4. THE ESTIMATED ORIGINAL PAYROLL BUDGET. RIGHT. IT'S NOT THE COMPENSATION PLAN TOTAL. AM I ASKING IT RIGHT. YOU'LL HELP ME OUT BACK THERE. YOU GOT A WHOLE GROUP OF FINANCE PEOPLE BACK THERE. SO. SO YOU HAVE THE ORIGINAL PAYROLL BUDGET FOR 24-25 AT THIS IS THIS IS AND THE INCREASE WOULD BE TO $265,898,716. WANTS TO KNOW IF THAT'S THE FULL COMPENSATION THOUGH. THAT'S THE PAYROLL BUDGET. YES. PAYROLL BUDGET OKAY. SO EVERYTHING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO I WAS WONDERING. WELL, LET ME HIT PAUSE. MS. BYRD, CAN YOU STEP UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND REPEAT THAT FOR THE PUBLIC, PLEASE? SO THE TOP LINE ON YOUR 25-26 PROJECTED PAY INCREASE CHART YOU HAVE THERE THAT SAYS ESTIMATED 25-26 ORIGINAL PAYROLL BUDGET UNDER EACH ITERATION DOES INCLUDE ALL PAYROLL CALLS, STIPENDS, SUBSTITUTES, AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT THE BENEFITS WOULD CALCULATE TO BE, IT IS THE TOTAL PAYROLL BUDGET. TOTAL COMPENSATION. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU, MS. BYRD. THANK YOU, MR. BROOKS. THANK YOU, AGAIN I WANT THE 25 OF YOU OR WHATEVER MAY BE WATCHING THIS ON TV. 25? YEAH, WHATEVER. PLEASE DO NOT MISTAKE HOW SERIOUS THIS BOARD AND THIS SUPERINTENDENT, THIS ADMINISTRATION IS. WHEN I KNOW YOU HEARD A LOT OF TALK ABOUT JUST TEACHERS. IT'S NOT JUST TEACHERS. EVERY EMPLOYEE, PARA, M&O, EVERYONE IS SO IMPORTANT TO US. AND WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT ALL EMPLOYEES WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF WHATEVER THAT AMOUNT MIGHT END UP BEING. SO DON'T JUST TALK ABOUT TEACHERS. NO IT'S TEACHERS. YES. THE REST OF EMPLOYEES ALSO. MR. ESPINOSA. GOOD. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? MADAM PRESIDENT, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE AWARE AND THE BOARD IS AWARE, WHATEVER PERCENTAGE WE ARRIVE WITH THE COMMITMENT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT IN THIS BOARD AND IN THIS ADMINISTRATION THAT DRAWS A LINE IN THE SAND. WE HAVE DEFINITELY HAVE TO ADDRESS THE DEFICITS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. WHETHER IT GROWS BASED ON THE BENEFIT FOR OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STAFF THAT'S OUT THERE. IT DRAWS THE LINE. SO THERE'S SOME CRITICAL DECISIONS AS WE'RE MOVING INTO THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, AND THEN WE MOVE INTO THE SUBSEQUENT YEARS THEREAFTER. WE CAN'T SUSTAIN IT WITH THE BUDGET FOR THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. IT IS SUSTAINABLE. WE'RE IN GOOD STANDING WITH WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IT. HOWEVER, IF IT GOES BEYOND THAT AND THIS IS WHERE MISS LILES IS TALKING ABOUT, BEYOND THAT, IT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. SO THERE'S THINGS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE SOME CRITICAL DECISIONS AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALIGN OURSELVES SO THAT OUR COMPENSATION AND THE VALUE WE PUT IN OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STAFF IS ALIGNED WITH HOW WE OPERATE HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE ISD IN ORDER TO MAKE IT VERY COMPETITIVE AND KEEP IT COMPETITIVE EVERY SINGLE WAY WE GO. SO WHICHEVER WAY THE BOARD ARRIVES, EVEN IF WE COME BACK ON THE 28TH OR WE COME BACK ON THE 22ND AND THE NUMBER ADJUSTS AND WE ARE ABLE TO BLESS MANY MORE STAFF MEMBERS WITH THE COMPENSATION. THE LINE HAS BEEN DRAWN IN THE SAND. I KNOW DOCTOR LAMB, MYSELF, OUR CFO, OUR HR DEPARTMENT WILL BE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO WORK THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE IS WHATEVER THAT MAY BE. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE A QUESTION. YES. WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INCREASES WE'RE COVERING ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING OUR OUR SFE, OUR INCLUDING OUR BUS DRIVERS, OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS. [01:05:03] WE'RE INCLUDING EVERYONE IN OUR DISTRICT THAT'S ON OUR PAYROLL RIGHT NOW. YES. OKAY. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? WE'LL MAKE THE DECISION ABOUT IF WE'RE GOING TO USE THE 22ND OR THE 28TH, BUT I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT BETTER. AND SEE JUST KIND OF A NUMBER OF WHERE WE ARE AS FAR AS PROJECTIONS GO OF WHAT WE YOU SAID THAT YOU WOULD BE READY ABOUT 28TH. IS THAT CORRECT? SO WE MORE THAN LIKELY WILL MOVE THE MEETING TO THE 28TH AND VOTE ON A COMPENSATION PLAN AT THAT TIME. SO IT WOULD BE FAIR FOR THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT THE 22ND THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT WE WILL PULL THAT BACK OUT. YES. AND I HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO A MEETING THAT WILL HAPPEN. AND I'LL GET WITH MY SECRETARY AND GET SOMETHING SITUATED AND PUBLIC SO THAT THE 28TH WOULD BE ABLE TO GO. MR. MENDOZA. SUMMER SCHOOL GRADUATION? YEAH. YES. YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WILL YOU ALL BE ABLE. ARE YOU ALL OKAY WITH THE 28TH? I MAY OR MAY NOT BE HERE. OKAY. OKAY. JUST COME IN WITH THE LUGGAGE. JUST COME STRAIGHT HERE. OKAY. YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE ON THE 22ND. YEAH. OH, OKAY. ARE YOU. ITEM NUMBER 2 DISCUSS CHANGES IN IMPACT TO LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING. IS IT IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED, OR IS THAT SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS DOCTOR LAMB? NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DISCUSS. OKAY. IT'S NOT A PROBLEM. OKAY. WELL IF NO ONE ELSE HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. THE TIME NOW IS 7:24. AND THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.