WELCOME EVERYONE. [00:00:01] TODAY IS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD, THIS IS THE MEETING OF THE BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR ALEXANDRIA CITY SCHOOL BOARD. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND I KNOW FOR FOLKS NORMALLY OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS REVIEWING THE MINUTES. AND WE'LL DO THAT ACTUALLY AT OUR NEXT MEETING. NANCY WAS ABLE TO SHARE THOSE BEFORE OUR MEETING, BUT WE'LL GO AHEAD AND JUST TO GIVE MORE TIME FOR FOLKS TO REVIEW THE CONTENT OF THOSE. AND WE HAVE THE SCHOOL BOARD OR SORRY THE ALEXANDRIA SCHOOLS BUDGET DIRECTOR [Staff Report] WITH US. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO DO A STAFF REPORT FOR US? >> ABSOLUTELY. LATE GREAT NEWS WE APPROVED THE SCHOOL BOARD'S BUDGET LAST WEEK WITH AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW FULL REQUESTED FUNDING FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET. WE DID HAVE A COUPLE OF ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PRESENTATION THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED. WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL $2.1 MILLION IN STATE REVENUE THAT WE ADDED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD'S APPROVED BUDGET. AND LIKEWISE WITH THAT ADDITIONAL REVENUE WE ADDED $2.1 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES OF WHICH ONE INCLUDED A POSITION FOR A SENIOR BUYER WHICH IS DESPERATELY NEEDED IN THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. IT'S A POSITION WHICH WE'RE ADDING IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, HOWEVER BECAUSE IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE 22 BUDGET WE'RE ADDING IT TO THE 22 TO CONTINUE FUNDING INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. WE INCLUDED A 1% BONUS FOR ELIGIBLE STAFF TO HELP OFFSET SOME PREMIUM INCREASES. HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM INCREASES IN 22 AS WELL AS WE ADDED SOME FUNDING FOR SOME EMPLOYEE GROUPS THAT BASED ON THE LATEST ITERATION OF THE COMPENSATION STUDY FROM OUR COMPENSATION VENDOR, WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL $200,000 TO HELP RAISE THE LOW, THE SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW MARKET FOR SEVERAL EMPLOYEE GROUPS. >> WE HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT. WAS THAT THE STUDY I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR WHERE IT WAS LIKE PRINCIPALS AND COUNSELORS OR SOMETHING YOU HAD IDENTIFIED, DO YOU REMEMBER WHICH GROUPS OF EMPLOYEES? >> YEAH, THOSE EMPLOYEE GROUPS THAT WERE PART OF THIS NEXT PHASE INCLUDED THE SKILLED MAINTENANCE WORKERS, MAINTENANCE SUPERVISORS, SCHOOL NUTRITION MANAGER POSITIONS, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, HR GENERALIST, THERE WAS A COUPLE OF HR POSITIONS DEEMED BELOW. HR GENERALIST, THE SENIOR EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST, AND SOME TECHNICIANS IN OUR TECHNOLOGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT. THE TECHNICIAN I AS WELL AS SOME ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS. SO THIS WAS THE SECOND PHASE OF THE COMPENSATION STUDY. >> SOME OF THE CATEGORIES THAT ERIN JUST MENTIONED WERE IN THE PREVIOUS ONE. >> RIGHT. >> I REMEMBER THAT WAS ONE OF THE LAST IN PERSON MEETINGS I ATTENDED. >> YEAH. >> SO WOULDN'T REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS IMPLEMENTED OR IF WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT. SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING. >> THAT'S OKAY. SO THE NEXT PHASE THERE'S A JOINT SCHOOL BOARD, CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION SCHEDULED FOR NEXT THURSDAY. SO THAT'S KIND OF AS WE CONTINUE ALONG THE BUDGET PROCESS -- >> I'M SORRY, ROBERT, ISN'T IT WEDNESDAY? >> IS IT WEDNESDAY? >> I THINK IT'S WEDNESDAY BECAUSE THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IS ON THURSDAY. >> LET ME GET MY CALENDAR. >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BOTH WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE NEXT WEEK. >> YES. SUSAN, CAN YOU HELP ME CONFIRM WHICH DAY THAT IS? SHE'S ON MUTE. >> IT IS WEDNESDAY. >> NEXT WEDNESDAY, I'M SORRY. >> MARCH 3RD IS THE JOINT CITY AND THE OTHER SESSION. >> GOT YOU. THAT'S THE 3RD. SO THAT'S THE NEXT JOINT MEETING. HOWEVER I DO WANT TO ADD A COUPLE MORE HOPEFULLY EXCITING NEWS ITEMS. SO WITH THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF AMENDMENTS PLACED ONE BY THE HOUSE, THE STATEHOUSE HAS ADDED AN AMENDMENT TO INCREASE [00:05:04] TEACHER SALARIES BY 5%. SO THE STATE OR AT LEAST BASED ON THE HOUSE AMENDMENT THEY'RE INCREASING FUNDING FOR JURISDICTIONS TO TRY TO ACCOMMODATE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO INCREASE SALARIES BY 5%. AND THE SENATE, THE STATE SENATE INTRODUCED A BILL THAT WOULD INCREASE SALARIES BY 3%. SO BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR APPROVED BUDGET NOW AND THE SENATE BILL WE WILL HAVE MET THAT THRESHOLD, HOWEVER IF THE STATE DECIDES TO GO WITH THE HOUSE AMENDMENT TO INCREASE SALARIES BY 5%, THAT WOUL REQUIRE US BASED ON WHAT WE'VE ESTIMATED AN ADDITIONAL 1.4% THAT WE WOULD ADD TO THE BUDGET. LIKEWISE THERE WILL BE A SMALL PORTION OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING COMING FROM THE STATE. AND THAT WOULD GIVE US OR WOULD PLACE US IN A POSITION TO EITHER FIND, NOT FIND I DON'T LIKE TO SAY FIND, TO REPRIORITIZE FUNDING IN A WAY IN WHICH FOR US TO MEET THAT 5% THRESHOLD AND/OR THE OPTION TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE CITY TO HELP US MEET THAT. ALL THAT BEING SAID, WE DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SOME ROOM FOR US WITH THE NEXT ITERATION OF CARES ACT MONEY. SO CARES ACT TWO FUNDING WHERE WE CAN APPLY FOR WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR GRANTS ACPS AN ADDITIONAL $15 MILLION. SO AS WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS THE ADDITIONAL CARES ACT FUNDING OF $15 MILLION SHOULD ON FACE VALUE GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO POSSIBLY USE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE ON OUR OPERATING SIDE TO SHIFT FORWARDS THAT CARES ACT MONEY TO THEN ALLOW THEM TO REACH THE 5% COMPENSATION INCREASE. SO THERE'S SOME EXCITING NEWS, A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS, A BUNCH OF BALLS IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW. BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, HOPEFULLY THE CITY COUNCIL AGREES WITH THE AT LEAST THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET AND WE WON'T FACE ANY CUTS ON THE CITY SIDE. >> QUICK QUESTION. SO IF THE STATE LEGISLATURE SAYS TEACHERS ARE GOING TO GET A 5% PAY INCREASE, THAT DOESN'T ALSO COME WITH THE FUNDING TO DO THAT? >> IT'S VERY INTERESTING THAT YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE THE STATE WILL SAY WE'RE REQUIRING, THEY DON'T MANDATE IT, THEY'RE MAKING A FUNDING SUGGESTION TO ADD MONIES INTO THE STATE BUDGET. HOWEVER WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE THAT ACPS OR ALEXANDRIA IS ONE OF THOSE, HOW DO YOU SAY -- >> WEALTHY JURISDICTIONS. >> WEALTHY JURISDICTIONS, THE STATE WILL ONLY TACK ON BASED ON OUR LCI 20%. SO THEY'RE ONLY INCLUDING 20% OF THE FUNDING NECESSARY TO REACH THAT THRESHOLD BECAUSE ALEXANDRIA IS ONE OF THOSE WEALTHY JURISDICTIONS, WE WOULD HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE OTHER 80%. NOW THAT'S EVEN FURTHER COMPLICATED BECAUSE WE EXCEED THE STATE'S SOQ FUNDING OR SOQ THRESHOLDS FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS. SO THAT 20% FUNDING FROM THE STATE IS ONLY TO MEET STATE'S STANDARDS OF QUALITY. SO FOR EXAMPLE WE JUST DID AN ANALYSIS EARLIER THAT SAID THE STATE, EXCUSE ME, BASED ON THE STATE FUNDING FORMULA THEY FUND CLOSE TO 1500 POSITIONS. THAT'S WHAT THE STATE'S FUNDING. THAT'S THE SOQ, THEY FUND 1500 INCLUDING INSTRUCTIONAL AND SUPPORT POSITIONS. HOWEVER ACPS HAS OVER 2400 POSITIONS ON OUR OPERATING. SO WHEN YOU FACTOR THEY'RE ONLY FUNDING US 20% OF 1400 AND WE HAVE CLOSE TO 2400 POSITIONS, THAT 20% DOESN'T GO A LONG WAY. >> SO THEY'RE PAYING ABOUT 10% OF THAT 5% INCREASE? >> ROUGHLY. TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, YES. >> AND DO YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT OR IS IT IN ORDER TO GET EVEN THAT SMALL PORTION OF STATE FUNDING YOU'VE GOT TO COMMIT TO DOING IT? >> ABSOLUTELY IN ORDER TO GET THE FUNDING. >> GOT IT. >> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE GET UPDATES FROM THE LOBBYISTS AND I BELIEVE [00:10:01] THEY ARE TRYING TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY PARTICULARLY, I MEAN NO MATTER WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK OUT SOMETHING TO RECONCILE THE SENATE VERSION AND THE DELEGATE VERSION. >> YES, ABSOLUTELY. >> BUT I THINK THAT THE OTHER THING IS THAT PEOPLE ARE POINTING OUT THE NEED FOR MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY. SO DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT WILL LAND. THAT'S THE ONLY THING I CAN ADD TO THIS. >> AND THEN ROBERT, IS THERE ANTICIPATION TOO OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONEY COMING INTO THE STATE AND WHAT THAT WOULD, HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT PLANNING? >> THAT TOO WE ANTICIPATE SOME LEVEL OF FUNDING COMING IN FROM THE AMERICAN RECOVERY ACT. HOWEVER AT THIS JUNCTURE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SIZE OR WHAT THE LEVEL OF FUNDING WILL BE. BUT THAT IS ALSO ONE OF THOSE BACK POCKET ITEMS THAT WE ARE AWARE OF, WE'RE JUST NOT SURE WHEN AND TO WHAT EXTENT OR AT WHAT LEVEL THAT FUNDING WILL BE. >> IS THERE A SENSE OF WHAT THOSE ADDITIONAL PANDEMIC RELATED FUNDS WOULD SUPPORT, IS IT MORE TECHNOLOGY, IS IT BEING ABLE TO DO SUMMER SCHOOL TO MAKE UP FOR LEARNING LOSS, IS IT PPE, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING YOU'LL USE THOSE EXTRA, QUOTE EXTRA, FUNDS FOR? >> I ACTUALLY JUST STARTED A FOLDER AND SOME OF THE ALLOWABLE USES WILL INCLUDE ACTIVITIES TO ADDRESS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF LOW INCOME CHILDREN OR STUDENTS, ENGLISH LEARNERS, RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES, STUDENTS THAT ARE HOMELESS OR IN FOSTER CARE TO IMPROVE THE JURISDICTION'S RESPONSE EFFORTS. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR STAFF ON SANITATION AND MINIMIZING THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. PURCHASING SUPPLIES, COORDINATING AND PLANNING FOR LONG TERM CLOSURES. PURCHASING EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, PROVIDING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND SUPPORTS, ADDRESSING LEARNING LOSS. LET'S SEE HERE, SCHOOL FACILITY REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO ENABLE OPERATION OF SCHOOLS. >> THAT'S A GREAT LIST. WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK. >> WE CAN MAKE IT WORK EXACTLY. EFFORTS TO SUPPORT THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL AND ACADEMIC LEARNING. SO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT USING OUR FUNDING FOR, THESE ADDITIONAL FUNDINGS WILL ALSO BE THERE TO SUPPORT THAT. >> ARE THERE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED, I'M SURE YOU'D LIKE TO INCREASE THE BUDGET IN A LOT OF AREAS. BUT ARE THERE PARTICULAR AREAS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED TO DO MORE DURING THIS BUDGET CYCLE THAT YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO THAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE HIGHER PRIORITIES ON THAT VERY EXPANSIVE LIST? I'M JUST CURIOUS. >> IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO STEER AWAY FROM IS THE I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT THE SHORT SIDE OF THE FIX, BUT AS EVERYONE WOULD MENTION ADDITIONAL STAFFING WOULD ALWAYS BE A GREAT THING. HOWEVER WITH THE LIMITED DURATION OF THIS FUNDING YEAH YOU DON'T WANT TO ADD FUNDING. SO WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE THE BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK ARE THOSE ONE TIME THINGS OR THOSE THINGS THAT WE COULD PURCHASE AND HAVE SOME LONGEVITY. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF CONTRACTED SERVICES, CONSULTANTS, THOSE THINGS THAT HAVE A START AND END DATE BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING IS GOING TO EVENTUALLY END. SO YOU DON'T WANT TO KIND OF BUILD YOUR BUDGET BASED ON SOME FUNDING THAT YOU HAVE NOW AND THEN NOT BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN IT LONG TERM. >> YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE. >> HVAC SYSTEMS. >> DID YOU SAY 8-TRACK? >> HVAC. >> I HEARD 8-TRACK TOO. I THOUGHT HE WAS MAKING A REFERENCE TO LONGEVITY. I WAS LIKE -- >> HEAT AND AIR-CONDITIONING. >> ABSOLUTELY. THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT IN ALL HONESTY, YEAH WE CAN DO THOSE THINGS. SOME AIR FILTRATION SYSTEMS PERHAPS THAT YOU COULD SPEND THE MONEY NOW AND THEY WILL HAVE A LONGER DURATION OR LONGER IMPACT. >> BUT I WAS CURIOUS I KNOW WE DON'T WANT TO PLAN OUR BUDGET ON SORT OF LIMITED FUNDING, BUT ASSUMING THAT THERE IS SOME SORT OF HYBRID LEARNING I THINK OVER THE NEXT NEW MONTHS, ISN'T THERE AN OPTION OR ISN'T THERE A CONSERVATION TO LOOK AT CERTAIN SUPPORT FOR STAFF THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERMANENT BUT THAT COULD [00:15:03] STILL BE VALUABLE AND HELPFUL RESOURCES IN THE SHORT TERM? >> ABSOLUTELY. AND I THINK ONE OF THE EFFORTS WE'RE DOING NOW IS CLASSROOM MONITORS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE THAT WE'RE ADDING CLASSROOM MONITORS TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS IN A MANNER IN WHICH IT'S A FOCUSED AREA WE'RE CALLING A SURGE EFFORT. SO WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THOSE MONITORS FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME. WE'VE ACTUALLY ENGAGED WITH A CONTRACT, A TEMP SERVICES AGENCY TO HELP US RAMP UP THOSE CLASSROOM MONITORS SO WE CAN GET THEM IN AND THEN AS WE START TO PARE IT DOWN WE CAN PHASE IT OUT AND USE THAT FUNDING SO THAT WE'RE NOT CONTRACTING WITH INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE ON A CONTRACT BASIS, BUT MORE ON AN INTERMITTENT OR CASUAL RATE WHAT HAVE YOU. THOSE ARE ALSO UNDER CONSIDERATION BECAUSE THEY CAN HAVE A START AND END DATE. >> I WOULD THINK ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE THERE'S STILL DEFINITELY PLANNING AND THINKING ABOUT IT. BUT THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT SOME ADDITIONAL SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ON THE ASYNCHRONOUS DAYS ON THE MONDAYS, AND THAT THERE WOULD BE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN PARTICULAR STRUGGLING WITH THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY'RE BRINGING THOSE KIDS IN ON MONDAYS. WELL IF STAFF IS SUPPORTING THOSE PEOPLE ON MONDAYS, WHAT HAD BEEN A DAY AND A TIME THAT THEY WERE USING FOR PLANNING AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES NOW THEY'RE PHYSICALLY IN A BUILDING INTERACTING WITH A KID. SO THEY'RE HAVING TO MAKE UP THAT HOURS SOME OTHER TIME. THEY'RE WORKING EVENINGS OR WEEKENDS OR WHATEVER, SO THEY'RE POTENTIALLY CAN IMAGINE MAYBE SOME STIPEND. SO IT'S TAKING OUR EXISTING STAFF AND FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL TIME, SOME STIPENDS OR THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT'S ANOTHER POTENTIAL THING THAT COULD HAPPEN. >> YEAH, THAT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE. AND WE'RE ACTUALLY PLANNING TO USE THAT NEXT ROUND OF CARES ACT FOR THOSE MONDAY OPPORTUNITIES. OKAY. THAT'S IT FOR MY STAFF REPORT. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ROBERT? >> YEAH, A QUICK ONE, SORRY. DID WE HAVE TO USE ANY OF THE RESERVE FUNDS AT ALL DURING THIS PAST YEAR? I KNOW WE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE FLEXIBILITY OF USING THOUGH FUNDS IN PREVIOUS YEARS. >> WHEN YOU SAY RESERVE FUNDS -- YOU MEAN THE FUND BALANCE? >> THE RESERVE FUND THAT, I FORGET WHAT IT WAS CALLED. BUT IT WAS A RESERVE THAT SOME PERCENTAGE OF THE FUND IS KEPT FOR ANY EMERGENCIES OR CONTINGENCIES. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THAT HAD TO BE USED DURING THE PAST YEAR? >> I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE FUND BALANCE THAT WE HAVE? >> THE FUND BALANCE, SORRY. >> YEAH, FORTUNATELY WE HAVE NOT HAD TO DIP INTO THE FUND BALANCE. SO WE'RE STILL USING THE FUND BALANCE TO HELP US BALANCE THE BUDGET. HOWEVER BASED ON THE ACTUALS WHEN WE FINISH THE YEAR, WE HAVE NOT HAD TO DIP INTO IT. SO THAT'S BEEN A GODSEND FOR US. >> AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME AREAS WHERE THE DIVISION HAS SEEN SAVINGS JUST BECAUSE THE BUILDINGS ARE UNOCCUPIED? >> ABSOLUTELY. >> ANYTHING ELSE FOR ROBERT? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH, ROBERT. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> I JUST HAD A SMALL LOGISTICAL QUESTION THAT'S NOT FOR ROBERT BUT JUST GENERALLY. RAMEY HAVE OUR YEAR END MEMOS AND SCOPE OF WORK MEMOS GOTTEN TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. OR MAYBE IT'S A QUESTION FOR SUSAN. I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM ON ANY AGENDAS. >> DID WE APPROVE THOSE AT THE LAST MEETING? >> MHM. >> OKAY. >> SO WHAT NORMALLY HAPPENS, WHEN THEY'RE APPROVED AT YOUR MEETING, THEY THEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT TO DR. HUTCHINGS. SO MAYBE THAT HASN'T HAPPENED. THAT HASN'T BEEN MOVED FORWARD. >> I'LL PUT THAT ON MY LIST. >> OKAY. >> I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT, IF IT'S AT ALL POSSIBLE, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD GET THAT. BECAUSE THEN THE NEXT THING WOULD BE IS IT WOULD ACTUALLY APPEAR ON THE [00:20:06] CONSENT CALENDAR IN THE MEETING. >> RIGHT. >> SO IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN GET THAT SO THAT IT CAN GO FOR THE NEXT MEETING THAT WOULD BE GREAT, I THINK. >> SO ROBERT, IF YOU WANT TO, I'LL SEE IF I CAN FIND ANY PREVIOUS MEMOS IF THEY WERE ATTACHED TO IT AND SEND IT TO YOU. BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE DUE THIS WEEK IF YOU WANT IT ON THE NEXT MEETING. >> GOTCHA, OKAY. >> SUSAN, THERE WAS A PACKAGE OF EMAILS I BELIEVE IT WAS DECEMBER THAT WENT TO YOU. I CAN REFORWARD IF IT'S EASIER. >> OKAY. YEAH, I CAN PULL THE SCOPE OF WORK AND STUFF OFF HERE. BUT YEAH, IF YOU WANT TO FORWARD IT. >> OKAY, I CAN DO THAT. >> I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW SO I CAN JUST FORWARD IT TO EVERYBODY. >> THANK YOU, NANCY. SO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA WAS REALLY KIND OF JUST DIVIDING AND CONQUERING AND COMING UP WITH THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WANTED TO FRAME FOR THE SORT [Discussion about process and questions for interviewing other Virginia jurisdictions] OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN VIRGINIA. AND SEAN, I KNOW YOU WEREN'T AT THAT LAST MEETING SO SORT OF BRIEFLY, WE HAD THE BENEFIT OF HAVING DOMINIC TURNER THE CFO ALSO JOIN US ALONG WITH ROBERT AND IT WAS KIND OF AN OVERALL BRIEFING ON THE BUDGETING PROCESS AT ACPS. ONE OF THE PRIMARY THINGS AND THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE AGREED TO THIS YEAR OR PROPOSED IS THAT WE WOULD SEEK OTHER CONVERSATIONS, SORRY IF YOU HEAR MY FAMILY COMING IN FROM OUTSIDE BUT THERE'S LOTS OF NOISE. THAT WE WOULD SEEK KIND OF INTERVIEWS WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO ASK THEM ABOUT THEIR BUDGETING PROCESS. ONE OF THE PIECES OF FEEDBACK THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAD PROVIDED IS JUST KIND OF THE WAY THAT THE BUDGET TIMELINE WORKS RIGHT NOW IS THAT IT'S OFTEN SEEMS INCONGRUENT WITH KIND OF LIKE THEIR ROLE AS AN APPROVAL BODY, THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS OFTEN PRESENTING A BUDGET PRIOR TO THEM SORT OF PROVING THE SCHOOL'S BUDGET AND WHO HAS AUTHORITY OVER WHAT AND HOW DOES THAT WORK TOGETHER. AND SO PART OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT LIKE IS THIS NORMAL IN VIRGINIA, SHOULD WE PROPOSE SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND IN THE KIND OF WHAT CAN WE DO IN THIS TIME PERIOD WITH OUR VOLUNTEER TIME, SO I THOUGHT WE WOULD SPEND THIS YEAR DOING THESE KIND OF ADJACENT INTERVIEWS. SO ON RECOMMENDATIONS, FROM DOMINIC AND ROBERT AND IN CONVERSATIONS LAST TIME, WE IDENTIFIED SIX DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS IN ALEXANDRIA WHERE, SORRY IN VIRGINIA, THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY REACH OUT TO. AND THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE CITY OF FALLSCHURCH, CITY OF FAIRFAX, CITY OF FREDRICKSBURG, CITY OF RICHMOND ALONG WITH FAIRFAX COUNTY. OBVIOUSLY THE CITY JURISDICTIONS ARE MORE RELEVANT JUST IN THE WAY THAT WE MANAGE IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. BUT ALSO JUST FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES LOOKING AT THOSE ADJACENT COUNTIES. BUT I THOUGHT THIS EVENING WE COULD SPEND THE BULK OF OUR MEETING JUST DISCUSSING BASICALLY TRYING TO CRAFT A SCRIPT TOGETHER OR KIND OF AT LEAST THEMES AND THEN HAPPY TO KIND OF TAKE THOSE AND DRAFT THEM INTO A SCRIPT SO THAT WE EACH CAN KIND OF HAVE SOMETHING TO FOLLOW ALONG AND THAT WE HAVE SOME UNIFORMITY IN THE INTERVIEWS THAT WE CONDUCT IN THE CITIES AROUND VIRGINIA. AND SO WITH THAT AS THE FRAME, JUST THOUGHT WE COULD SPEND SOME ADDITIONAL TIME THIS MEETING REALLY KIND OF SEEING LIKE HOW WILL WE GET AT THE BEST INFORMATION THAT'S USEFUL FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD. AND SO SUKUMAR, NANCY, ROBERT, ANYTHING TO ADD FROM THE LAST MEETING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL CONTEXT? >> I THINK YOU COVERED IT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANYTHING, ROBERT? [00:25:01] >> I THINK ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE COULD USE AS A KICK OFF POINT IS TO GET THEIR BUDGET CALENDAR. SO REQUESTING THEIR BUDGET CALENDAR AND SEEING OBVIOUSLY WHEN THEY'RE PREPARING AND HOW MANY SESSIONS THAT THEY HAVE WITH THEIR SCHOOL BOARD AND/OR RESPECTIVE COUNCILS. AND THEN COMPARE THAT TO OURS. AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HAD IS LIKE TO WHAT DEGREE ARE THEY PREPARING DOCUMENTATION. I KNOW WE'VE INTERNALLY SAID THAT WE'RE PRODUCING A BUDGET BOOK THAT CONTAINS LIKE CLOSE TO 500 PAGES. AND THAT IS SIMILAR IN SIZE OF A DOCUMENT TO SAY THE FAIRFAX COUNTY THAT HAS TEN TIMES THE SIZE BUDGET BUT WE HAVE A SIMILAR SIZE BUDGET BOOK. SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE TO HELP WITH THE CONVERSATION, WHAT'S THE TYPES OF INFORMATION THAT'S NEEDED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD OR BY THE COUNCIL, TO WHAT LEVEL OF DEGREE THAT WE NEED TO GET DOWN TO THE DETAILS. OBVIOUSLY WE WILL HAVE THE DETAILS BUT FROM A REPORTING STANDPOINT, WHERE IS YOUR SUMMARY POINT TO WHERE YOU COULD HELP KEEP THE CONVERSATION MOVING WITHOUT GETTING BOGGED DOWN IN A LOT OF THE DETAILS. >> CAN I ASK YOU JUST A CLARIFYING QUESTION ABOUT THAT ROBERT. I THINK WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS THAT WHAT EITHER THE SCHOOLBOARD HAS REQUIRED YOU ALL TO PREPARE OR JUST WHAT YOU'VE HISTORICALLY PREPARED FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD IS EXTENSIVE AND YOU'RE WONDERING WHETHER OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE A MORE SORT OF STREAMLINED OR SHORTER VERSION OF MATERIALS THAT MAYBE IS A LITTLE BIT LESS ONEROUS WHICH OF COURSE RELATES BACK TO THE TIME CONSIDERATIONS FOR PREPARING IT? >> EXACTLY. AND I'D HATE TO SAY THAT IT'S A SCHOOL BOARD REQUIREMENT BECAUSE I ALMOST GET THE SENSE THAT THIS IS WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. AND SO WE JUST CONTINUE ALONG THAT. >> YEAH, CONFIRMED. LONG BEFORE ROBERT AND I GOT HERE IT WAS THIS IS HOW BUDGETS GO. BUT THE POINT, NANCY, IS I THINK IT'S HELPFUL FOR US, IT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW THE CALENDAR. BUT IT'S ALSO HELPFUL TO KNOW AT EACH OF THOSE DATES ON THE CALENDAR, WHAT'S THE EXCHANGE OF MATERIALS. >> EXACTLY. >> I'M THINKING ANOTHER THING ALONG WITH THE CALENDAR, AND I GUESS EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT FORMATS. SO I THINK IT MIGHT BE NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU ALL TO JUST REQUEST THE BUDGET CALENDAR, BECAUSE THEY MIGHT SEND YOU BACK A DOCUMENT OR A CALENDAR, BUT IT MIGHT ONLY INCLUDE THE SCHOOL DIVISION STATES AND IT MIGHT NOT SHOW THE CITY STATES. SO YOU MIGHT HAVE TO ASK, IT MIGHT BE THAT IT BECOMES TWO REQUESTS THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR BOTH AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KIND OF LOOK AT THEM AND MAKE THOSE COMPARISONS. I'M ALSO WONDERING ROBERT, AND WE CAN SEND THIS TO YOU AFTER THE MEETING SO YOU HAVE IT IN A HANDY EMAIL FORMAT RATHER THAN GOING TO THE -- BUT THE OPERATING PROCEDURES THAT WE DEVELOPED. HOW WE DO AN ADD/DELETE PROCESS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, AGAIN I DON'T KNOW IF THESE DIVISIONS HAVE A SIMILAR THING WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY LAID OUT IN THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL IN THE DOCUMENT, BUT IT COULD BE A HANDY REFERENCE. >> YEAH, THAT'S TRUE. AND THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE THEY HAVE OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE HAS THE ABILITY FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD TO ASK QUESTIONS. AND SO ASK QUESTIONS AND THEN THE RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONS. AND THEN THE ADD/DELETE PROCESS. HOW DO THEY GO ABOUT WITH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS REQUESTING ADDITIONS AND/OR DELETIONS BECAUSE THOSE ARE ALSO DATES AND TIME THAT ADD TO OUR CALENDAR THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. SO JUST HOW DO THEY GO ABOUT THAT. >> I ALSO JUST AS I WAS TAKING NOTES I WAS ADDING SOME THINGS THAT POPPED INTO MY MIND TOO. ONE BEING A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE CITY OR COUNTY IS THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO SOME OF THAT IS JUST COMPARING THE CALENDARS BUT ALSO THE FREQUENCY OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TWO BODIES OVER THE COURSE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT WOULD SEEM TO BE RELEVANT CONSIDERATION. AND THEN THE SECOND THING I THOUGHT WE MIGHT WANT TO FLAG IS WHAT TYPE OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THEY HAVE. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE EFFICACY OF THE COMMUNITY BUDGET FORUM AND THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC HEARINGS. THOSE ADD TIME TO THE PROCESS AND I THINK WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT HOW VALUABLE THEY ARE IN REALITY. SO IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING JUST TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THESE OTHER COMMUNITIES DO. [00:30:01] >> I THINK THE OTHER PIECES, I KNOW THAT, ROBERT, YOU ALWAYS MEET WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD KIND OF WAY IN ADVANCE IN TERMS OF LIKE WHAT'S THE NORTH STAR FOR THIS BUDGET, WHAT'S THE -- >> THOSE TWO BY TWOS. >> AND REALLY TRYING TO GET AT LIKE WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO BE PRIORITIZING IN SPENDING AND I GUESS THAT PIECE. >> SO EVEN BEFORE THE TWO BY TWOS, YOU MEAN LIKE THE BUDGET PRIORITIZATIONS. >> YEAH LIKE THE BUDGET PRIORITIZATION SESSIONS I UNDERSTAND IS WHAT KICKS EVERYTHING OFF. BECAUSE AS YOU PRIORITIZE THE SPENDING BECAUSE WE NEVER HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE'D LIKE TO, THAT YOU CAN AT LEAST KIND OF POINT IT BACK TO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT THIS INITIATIVE CAN SUPPORT. IT DOES SUPPORT RACIAL EQUITY, OR IT DOES SUPPORT ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, OR WHATEVER, HOWEVER WE'RE PRIORITIZING. SO IT WOULD BE GOOD TO AT LEAST ASK LIKE WHAT PERSPECTIVE OF THE SCHOOL BOARDS IN THESE OTHER JURISDICTIONS, WHERE ARE THEIR PRIORITIES REFLECTED IN THE PROCESS. >> ONE THING I'M CURIOUS ABOUT JUST IN TERMS OF PROCESS IS SORT OF WHO WE THINK WE'LL BE TRYING TO TALK TO IN THESE JURISDICTIONS AND I GUESS HOW DEEP IN THE PROCESS ARE WE GOING TO GO? SO IT'S ONE THING TO JUST SIMPLY LOOK AT THE SCHEDULES OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THEN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND FIGURE OUT WHO DECIDES WHAT WHEN AND WHEN THE SEQUENCING IS AND GET A SENSE OF THE SORT OF PUBLIC-FACING BUDGET CALENDAR. IT SEEMS LIKE AN ADDITIONAL PROBABLY MUCH MORE COMPLEX ANALYSIS TO LIKE TALK TO THE ROBERT IN THESE JURISDICTIONS AND FIND OUT ABOUT ALL OF THE BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF THAT HAPPENS. AND I GUESS I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THAT SECOND CATEGORY OF INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING OR IF WE'RE MORE FOCUSED ON SORT OF THE PUBLIC-FACING SEQUENCING. I GUESS I'M JUST WONDERING IF AGAIN THE ROBERTS OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE GOING TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO ME ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO ALL YEAR YOU KNOW TO PREPARE FOR BUDGET SEASON. THAT SEEMS MAYBE A LITTLE BIT BEYOND WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO. I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT WHAT THE APPROPRIATE SCOPE IS OF WHAT WE'RE EXPLORING AND WHO ARE OUR BEST POINTS OF CONTACT TO GET THAT INFORMATION? >> HONESTLY I'M ALREADY LOOKING AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF USING THE CONTACTS AND ME OR MY OFFICE BECOME A LIAISON TO YOU GUYS IN WHICH WE REACH OUT THE OUR COUNTERPARTS FOR THE INFORMATION AND WE CAN FUNNEL IT TO YOU. BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY BE HARD PRESSED FOR ANY ONE OF YOU GUYS TO BE LIKE LET ME CALL UP FAIRFAX, I'M ON THE BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH ALEXANDRIA, CAN YOU GIVE ME YOUR INFORMATION. >> YEAH, OKAY. >> I DO THINK THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE SOME UTILITY AT LEAST TRYING. MAYBE THERE'S BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN FAIRFAX OR THERE'S SOMETHING. AND I THINK FINDING PROBABLY OUR CONTEMPORARIES OR MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT WE COULD ALSO REACH OUT TO JUST FOR THEIR PERSPECTIVE, I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I THINK YOU'LL GET RANDOM EMAILS FROM PEOPLE THAT WOULD LOVE TO SPEAK WITH YOU AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE ALREADY WAY MORE WORK THAN YOU HAVE TIME. SO CAN TOTALLY APPRECIATE THAT WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE AT THE TOP OF FOLKS LISTS AS I LOOK AT A NOTE WITH SOME RANDOM PERSON THAT I'M SUPPOSED TO CALL BACK THAT CALLED THREE DAYS AGO. SO YEAH, I THINK IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT TOO AFTER WE GET SOME OF THAT INFORMATION MAYBE JUST DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY ADVISORY COMMITTEES OR ANYBODY THAT WE COULD REACH OUT TO. BUT I APPRECIATE THAT, ROBERT, I KNOW THAT'S MORE WORK FOR YOU TOO AND YOU ALREADY HAVE A TON OF DIFFERENT THINGS. SO IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO KIND OF PREFACE OR GET THINGS READY FOR YOU SO YOU JUST HAVE TO FORWARD IT. WOULD IT BE GOOD FOR US TO JUST PUT TOGETHER THIS LIST OR A CORRESPONDENCE AND THEN IF YOU'RE JUST HAVING TO PUT THE TOPPER ON IT? >> I THINK WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IS IF YOU COULD MAYBE JUST SHOOT LIKE A BULLET LIST LIKE HERE'S THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE REQUESTING AND THEN WE COULD, I CAN PARSE IT OUT AMONGST MY STAFF AND SAY HEY CAN YOU PULL THIS TOGETHER, CAN YOU PULL THIS TOGETHER, AND WE CAN KIND OF DIVIDE AND CONQUER. [00:35:02] >> I'M ALSO WONDERING IF WE SHOULD JUST START WITH THE, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, JUST OVERLAYING THE TIMELINE I THINK WOULD BE A GOOD STARTING POINT. IF THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE SAME PROCESS AND IF THE OUTCOME OF EVERYTHING IS SIMILAR, THEN I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IN DETAIL WE NEED TO GET INTO THAT DISTRICT'S SORT OF BUDGETING PROCESS. >> I DO THINK THAT YOU'RE RAISING A REALLY GOOD POINT WITH THAT. PART OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS JUST UNDERSTANDING ARE WE AN OUTLIER, IS IT A REAL RANGE, OR ARE WE THE SAME AS EVERYBODY. I AGREE THAT EVEN THAT INITIAL LOOK AT THE CALENDAR POTENTIALLY ALREADY HELPS A LOT. AND THEN MAYBE IT'S AFTER THAT IT HELPS YOU IDENTIFY MAYBE THE QUESTIONS FURTHER. >> THE OTHER REASON I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT IS ALSO BECAUSE I KNOW ACPS HAVE BEEN SORT OF FOLLOWING ALL OF THE BEST PRACTICES THAT GFOA AND SORT OF OUTLYING DISCUSSION IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING ABOUT ALL OF THAT. IN TERMS OF PROCESS I'M NOT SO CONCERNED THAT IT WILL BE LIKE WE ARE MISSING SOME MAJOR GAPS OR HOLES BECAUSE IT'S FOLLOWING ALL OF THE BEST PRACTICES THEN I THINK REALLY SORT OF DIGGING DEEP INTO THE EXTENT OF STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT OR INTERACTIONS I THINK WOULD BE PROBABLY THE MOST FOCUSED NUANCES. >> THOSE ARE REALLY GOOD POINTS, SUKUMAR. AND I THINK IF WE COULD ACTUALLY JUST DIVIDE UP AND PERUSE WEBSITES. IF WE CAN DO THAT BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING, CREATE A SHARED FOLDER WHERE PEOPLE COULD KIND OF DUMP ANY OF THE CALENDAR TIMELINES AND THEN WE CAN START LOOKING AT THE COMPARISON PIECE. BUT THAT WOULD KEEP YOU, ROBERT, FROM NOT HAVING TO DO SOME OF THIS OUTREACH INITIALLY BECAUSE WE CAN GET AT THAT INFORMATION OURSELVES. AND THEN AS WE KIND OF LOOK TO SEE MAYBE WHERE THE DIFFERENCES ARE BETWEEN ALEXANDRIA, WE COULD THEN ASK MORE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO SEEK. >> IF I CAN JUST ASK A QUESTION IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE IS A PROBLEM OF MISALIGNMENT OF BUDGETING PROCESSES BETWEEN CITY COUNCIL AND THE SCHOOL BOARD, IS THAT NOT CORRECT? >> YEAH, I MEAN I THINK IT DEPENDS WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO, SEAN. IT'S LIKE PERCEIVED MISALIGNMENT WHEREAS I THINK IT WORKS JUST FINE FOR THE CITY MANAGER. SO I THINK IT'S IN WHAT SEAT YOU'RE SITTING IN. >> YEAH. I WOULD SAY THAT. I THINK THIS IS, I'M NOT SURE THERE'S A DEFINITIVE PROBLEM WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE EXCEPT THAT PERENNIAL QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT THE SEQUENCING AND TIMING AND IT IS A HOPE THAT BAC TAKING THE TIME TO DO WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY DONE WHICH IS HAVE AN IN DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH THE ACPS STAFF OVER THE PROCESS FOLLOWED BY THIS COMPARISON OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS HELPS INCREASE THAT KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT COMING FROM THIS A DEFINITIVE RECOMMENDATION MIGHT COME OUT OF THIS GROUP FOR A CHANGE OR MAYBE WHAT COMES OUT OF THIS IS BAC HAS REVIEWED THE PROCESS AND I'M TRYING VERY HARD, I DON'T WANT TO ACCIDENTALLY OR INADVERTENTLY PUT WORDS IN THE COMMITTEE'S MOUTH. I'M REALLY I'M JUST SITTING HERE AS THE LIAISON. THE GOAL IS FOR YOU ALL TO COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION AT THE END OF THIS PROCESS. BUT THAT RECOMMENDATION DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO INVOLVE A CHANGE. IT MIGHT OR IT MIGHT NOT. >> WELL THEN I GUESS I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED. BECAUSE I MEAN IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT WE COULD PUT AN AWFUL LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO LOOKING AT THIS AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A KIND OF PUSH ME PULL ME BETWEEN CITY AND SCHOOL BOARD WITH RESPECT TO THE CALENDARS THAT ARE USED FOR THE TWO BUDGETS AND THE FACT THAT [00:40:05] THEY DON'T ALIGN AND THAT SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET COMES AFTER THE CITY MANAGER HAS ALREADY GIVEN HIS PROPOSED BUDGET. >> RIGHT AND I THINK THE GOAL HERE, SEAN, IS TO SEE HOW OTHER JURISDICTIONS HANDLE THAT SEQUENCING AND WHETHER A. I THINK JUST AS AN INFORMATION GATHERING TOOL ARE WE AN OUTLIER, BUT SECOND WHETHER WE'RE AN OUTLIER OR NOT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE REMEDIED AND ARE THERE SUGGESTIONS ON HOW IT MIGHT BE REMEDIED. ULTIMATELY THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL HAVE TO DECIDE THAT WHEN THEY ADOPT A NEW CALENDAR. BUT I THINK THAT'S THE GOAL. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO SEE IF THEY ADDRESS THE SEQUENCING ISSUE AND MAYBE BY LOOKING AT THEIR CALENDAR GET A SENSE OF HOW THEY DID THAT AND THEN USE THAT INFORMATION TO POTENTIALLY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUR SCHOOL BOARD KNOWING THERE ARE PROBABLY TRADE OFFS TO HOWEVER THEY MIGHT DO IT. BUT I WAS JUST LOOKING, FORGIVE ME FOR MULTITASKING, BUT I WAS LOOKING AT THE CITY OF FAIRFAX WHILE WE WERE TALKING. AND THEIR SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED THEIR BUDGET IN EARLY JANUARY AND THAT WAS BEFORE THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS PROPOSED TO THE CITY COUNCIL. NOW I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT, BUT THE POINT IS THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT SEQUENCING THAT WE COULD JUST LOOK AT AND REVIEW. AND MAYBE THEY DID THAT TOO QUICKLY AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR DELIBERATION, I DON'T KNOW. BUT IT WILL GIVE US INFORMATION TO JUST COMPARE AND CONTRAST. >> OR TO ROBERT'S POINT EARLIER MAYBE IT'S THE WAY, THE TRADE OFF IF YOU WILL IS THAT THE CITY OF FAIRFAX WAS NOT PREPARING A 400 PAGE DOCUMENT. >> RIGHT. BUT THE POINT IS JUST TO LEARN HOW OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING IT. >> YEAH. >> AS A WAY TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD MIGHT CONSIDER. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY MIGHT KEEP EVERYTHING THE WAY IT IS NOW. >> NANCY, NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT PART. AND I'M ASKING A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION WHICH LEADS TO HOW WE GO ABOUT THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING THIS INFORMATION AND WHAT INFORMATION ARE WE LOOKING AT FIRST AND THEN IF THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT WE GATHER TO MAKE THIS FIRST KIND OF ANALYSIS AND THEN THAT BRINGS US BACK TO OKAY MAYBE WE NEED TO GO DEEPER. BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN JUST PULL UP DATA OR GET DATA FROM A JURISDICTION TO KNOW HOW THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGETING PROCESS WORKS COMPARED TO CITY COUNCIL OR THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND HOW ALL OF THOSE DYNAMICS WORK UNLESS YOU GET MORE INTO THE WEEDS OF THE WAY THOSE TWO ENTITIES WORK TOGETHER IN EACH JURISDICTION. SOME OF THE JURISDICTIONS LIKE FALLSCHURCH, CITY OF FAIRFAX ARE TINY EVEN COMPARED TO ALEXANDRIA. SO I WOULDN'T ASSUME THAT THEY HAVE A VERY COMPLICATED PROCESS AT ALL. >> YEAH, DOMINIC SHARED LAST TIME THAT HE THOUGHT THE CITY OF RICHMOND WOULD BE THE MORE APPROPRIATE COMPARATOR. WE WERE JUST LOOKING AT WHAT JURISDICTIONS HAD TO OPERATE WITHIN THE CITY PARAMETERS. WE CAN ACTUALLY ELIMINATE SOME OF THEM. THERE ARE FOUR OF US, WE CAN LOOK AT FOUR. BECAUSE I THINK HE MADE THAT VERY POINT, SEAN, THAT THE FALLSCHURCH IS REALLY LIKE A TINY, TINY FRACTION OF THE SIZE OF CITY OF ALEXANDRIA. THOUGH IT'S NEARBY IT'S NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF KIND OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ALEXANDRIA FACES. BUT I THINK WE'RE HOPING AND IF WE COULD GO WITH A MORE GENERAL JUST CALENDARING APPROACH FIRST, WE COULD VISIT IN NEXT MONTH'S MEETING LOOKING AT WHAT DATA WERE WE ABLE TO GATHER AND THEN FIGURE OUT OUR APPROACH BECAUSE I AGREE THE RICHNESS OF THE INFORMATION YOU MIGHT FIND ONLINE IS NOT GOING TO ANSWER SOME OF THE MORE NUANCED QUESTIONS WE WANT TO GET AT FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE AS A PLACE TO START WITHOU KIND OF CALLING UP THE CFO AND ASKING ASKING IF THEY'D OFFER SOME ADVICE TO US. BUT OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS IF YOU THINK WE SHOULD INCORPORATE IT THIS FIRST PASS, LIKE HAPPY TO CONSIDER THOSE TOO. I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE LIKE THE REALITY OF GETTING IN TOUCH WITH FOLKS [00:45:01] AS WELL. >> I THINK AT LIKE A 30,000-FOOT LEVEL AND THEN MOVING DOWNWARD WOULD BE TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET CALENDARS FOR A SET OF JURISDICTIONS THAT WOULD SEEM TO HAVE A COMPARITABLE PROCESS BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCILS JUST OFF THE WEBSITES OF THOSE JURISDICTIONS. THAT WOULD BE LIKE A FIRST PASS TO GET SOMETHING. BUT I GUESS MY POINT IS WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO THE DETAIL THAT IS GOING TO GIVE US THE ANSWER TO THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD HERE IN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA FOR A LONG TIME. THAT'S ALL. AND I JUST, HOW DO WE GO ABOUT ATTACKING THIS IS IMPORTANT. >> AGREE. SO I THINK WE WOULD IT BE BEST IF EACH ONE OF US CHOOSE ONE JURISDICTION THAT WILL I WANT TO SAY IN THE NEXT 20 DAYS, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GIVE IT TO SUSAN IDEALLY A WEEK BEFOREHAND ANYTHING WE WOULD LIKE TO POST AND DISCUSS. AND HAPPY TO CREATE LIKE A GOOGLE SHEET OR JUST EVEN BE A RESEPTICAL TO CORRELATE AND RECEIVE INFORMATION. I THINK THE NEXT TIME WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IF YOU DO SEE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SAY WE ACTUALLY NEED THIS INFORMATION FROM THIS JURISDICTION AND WE WOULD ASK THIS QUESTION FROM THIS JURISDICTION. BUT IF WE CAN DO THIS FIRST PASS I THINK IT WOULD ALLOW US AT LEAST TO GET THIS BROAD LEVEL. AND JUST FROM A TIMING TIMING STANDPOINT TOO, IF WE SPEND THE NEXT FEW WEEKS DOING THAT, MARCH WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IN INFORMATION WE NEED TO GATHER FURTHER WHICH WOULD THEN PUT US ON TRACK FOR OUR APRIL MEETING TO KIND OF COME UP WITH FINAL SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS. OUR GOAL IS TO DELIVER THIS BY MAY TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. AND THAT TIMEFRAME WAS KIND OF PRENEGOTIATED SO THAT IT COULD BE USEFUL TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AS THEY MOVE FORWARD. AND THEN OUR LAST MEETING WOULD BE LIKE OUR YEAR END REPORT OR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE BAC OR FUTURE MEETINGS GOING FORWARD. SO IF THAT WORKS FOR FOLKS, I THINK THE NEXT THING TO DO WOULD BE TO SELECT THE JURISDICTIONS THAT YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE A LOOK AT. SO THE ONES THAT WE HAD AND THEN ROBERT IF THERE ARE ANY THAT LIKE IF WE DON'T NEED TO LOOK AT CITY OF FALLSCHURCH BECAUSE IT'S TOO TINY, THESE ARE THE SIX THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED LAST TIME, CITY OF FALLSCHURCH, ARLINGTON COUNTY, FAIRFAX COUNTY, CITY OF FAIRFAX, CITY OF FREDRICKSBERG AND CITY OF RICHMOND. CITY OF RICHMOND WAS AN ABSOLUTELY BECAUSE DOMINIC SAID THAT WAS A GOOD COMPARATOR FOR US SO THAT'S IN. ARE THERE ANY THAT ROBERT OR OTHERS YOU'RE LIKE NAH. >> DID YOU SAY BOTH CITY OF FAIRFAX AND CITY OF FALLSCHURCH. >> YEAH. >> I IMAGINE IF YOU'RE GOING TO CUT ONE IT WOULD BE CITY OF FAIRFAX. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT ONE BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO ROLL IN UNDER FAIRFAX COUNTY. >> SO MUCH OF THEIRS IS CONNECTED TO THE COUNTY, THEY'RE SUCH AN ODD LITTLE THING SO YEAH. >> GREAT. SO ONE MORE GETS THE OUT. >> FALLSCHURCH. >> FALLSCHURCH? FREDRICKSBERG? >> SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP TEN CITIES IN THE COMMONWEALTH, ALEXANDRIA IS NUMBER SEVEN. NUMBER SIX IS NEWPORT NEWS, AND NUMBER EIGHT IS HAMPTON. THEY STRADDLE US IN POPULATION. NEWPORT NEWS IS 181,000, HAMPTON IS 136,000. RICHMOND IS JUST ABOVE NEWPORT NEWS AND THEY HAVE APPROXIMATELY 29,000 STUDENTS IN THEIR SCHOOL SYSTEM. I WOULD SAY RICHMOND IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR COMPARISON, I WOULD ALSO THINK NEWPORT NEWS OR HAMPTON AS WELL BECAUSE OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THOSE JURISDICTIONS. THERE ARE NO NORTHERN VIRGINIA JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF CHALLENGING SITUATIONS THAT OUR CHILDREN HAVE TO FACE AND THEREFORE OUR SCHOOL [00:50:03] SYSTEM HAS TO FACE IN DRAWING UP ITS BUDGET. I THINK THOSE ARE, I THINK THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGETING PROCESS. RAMEY? >> I AGREE. I MIGHT BE THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO STILL INCLUDE, THERE MIGHT BE SOME VALUE IN INTENTIONALLY INCLUDING A NORTHERN VIRGINIA JURISDICTION EVEN IF IT'S TO SHOW, I CANNOT EXPRESS ENOUGH I'M MAKING THIS UP, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THESE CALENDARS ARE GOING TO SAY. BUT EVEN IF THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA ONE LOOKS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT MAYBE WHAT THAT TELLS US IS IT'S BECAUSE OF POLITICAL DEMOGRAPHIC ECONOMIC THINGS THAT LEAD TO IT BEING DIFFERENT. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THAT IS A CONCLUSION OR NOT. BUT THAT'S POTENTIALLY SOMETHING FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER. >> I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FROM THE SENSE THAT ROBERT AND DOMINIC HAD SHARED ALEXANDRIA CITY IS NORMALLY FIRST OUT OF THE GATE TO SET THE PRICING INCREASES. PRICING INCREASES SOUNDS WRONG. >> THE COMPENSATION. >> THE COMPENSATION FOR THE NEXT YEAR SO WE'RE KIND OF LIKE MARRIED TO. WE WERE OUT OF THE GATE FIRST. SO I'M SURE THERE HAVE BEEN YEARS WHERE WE SAID OH NO STEP INCREASES THEN SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS WERE LIKE WE'RE DOING STEP INCREASES. >> CORRECT. SO I THINK THERE IS POTENTIALLY SOME VALUE JUST TO PICKING ONE THAT'S FROM A PROXIMITY POINT OF VIEW EVEN THOUGH WE'RE CLEAR THAT THERE ARE OTHER DIFFERENCES. >> I'M SEEING FAIRFAX COUNTY, ARLINGTON COUNTY, AND. >> CITY OF RICHMOND AND I THINK THE OTHER TWO WERE CITY OF FALLSCHURCH OR CITY OF FREDRICKSBURG. >> SO THERE IT MIGHT BE THAT MAYBE, YEAH PICK ONE OF THOSE AND MAYBE THAT'S ONE WHERE YOU DO GO FOR FREDRICKSBURG BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AWAY. OR MAYBE INSTEAD OF SO YOU'RE GETTING MORE OF THE STATEWIDE KIND OF PERSPECTIVE. ALTHOUGH I THINK SOME WOULD ARGUE THEY'RE STILL MORE THE NOVA REGION THAN FOR EXAMPLE HAMPTON OR NEWPORT NEWS. >> FREDRICKSBURG IS STILL A LOT SMALLER THAN WE ARE. >> SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE UTILITY OF DOING THE NORTHERN LIKE EITHER ARLINGTON OR FAIRFAX, WHICH ONE DO YOU USE AS YOUR COMPARATOR MORE OFTEN? ARLINGTON? ISN'T ARLINGTON ABOUT THE SAME SIZE AND THEN FAIRFAX IS SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER? >> YEAH, BUT I GUESS IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR, I'M NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT THE RELATIVE SIZE OF THEIR ENROLLMENT WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF CALENDAR, ROBERT? >> YOU KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS, THEIR BOARD MAKEUP. DO THEY HAVE A BIGGER OR SMALLER BOARD. >> I THINK THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL. THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT. >> DOES THE BOARD TURN OVER ALL AT THE SAME TIME. >> LUCKY US, I THINK WE'RE THE MAGICAL COMBO OF LARGE, WE ARE DEFINITELY ONE OF THE LARGEST AND I BELIEVE, I'M GOING TO MAKE A NOTE OF THIS. JENNIFER DID THAT GREAT REPORT ON THIS SO THAT IT LIVES SOMEWHERE, SHE DID ALL OF THAT WORK ABOUT NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS AND THEIR ELECTION CYCLES, RIGHT? >> YES, SHE DID AND I'LL SEE IF I CAN FIND THAT FOR YOU AND JUST SEND IT TO YOU. >> OKAY. SO CITY OF RICHMOND, CITY OF NEWPORT NEWS, FAIRFAX AND ARLINGTON? DOES THAT SOUND REASONABLE? ANYBODY FEEL COMPELLED ON ANY OF THE OTHER ONES, OR ROBERT -- >> CAN YOU SAY [00:55:01] THAT AGAIN, WHAT WERE THE FOUR? >> CITY OF RICHMOND, CITY OF NEWPORT NEWS, FAIRFAX COUNTY, AND ARLINGTON COUNTY? YEAH, SORRY. DOES THAT SOUND REASONABLE? >> I WAS GOING TO SAY SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. >> MY ONLY HESITANCY IS THAT NEWPORT NEWS DIDN'T COME UP AT ALL WHEN WE TALKED TO DOMINIC. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S NOT RELEVANT. IT'S JUST THOSE OTHER ONES WERE ONES THAT CAME UP WHEN WE TALKED TO HIM. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT WOULDN'T BE USEFUL. >> YEAH, I THINK THE NEWPORT NEWS, IN MY OPINION THE NEWPORT NEWS ONE IS JUST ONE IN WHICH WE COULD BROADEN THE ANALYSIS TO KIND OF STATEWIDE. SO IF YOU LOOK AT RICHMOND, FAIRFAX COUNTY, ARLINGTON, THIS IS WHAT NORTHERN VIRGINIA CALENDARS LOOK LIKE, AND THEN OH BY THE WAY, HERE'S A NEWPORT NEWS, LOOK AT THEIR CALENDAR AS WELL JUST TO SEE FROM A QUOTE UNQUOTE STATEWIDE PERSPECTIVE. >> AND RICHMOND. >> RIGHT, AND RICHMOND. >> THAT WAY BETWEEN RICHMOND AND NEWPORT NEWS, YOU'VE DEFINITELY COVERED MORE OF THE STATE. REALLY THE ONLY ONE YOU HAVEN'T IS THE SOUTHWEST WHICH I CAN LIVE WITH THAT I THINK. I THINK FOUR IS GOOD. >> WE DON'T WANT TO OVERCOMMIT. >> THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I THINK FOUR IS GOOD. >> AND IT'S A PLACE TO START AND WE'LL KIND OF SEE WHAT WE FIND. ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN? SEAN, YOU WANT TO DO NEWPORT NEWS SINCE YOU WERE LOOKING IT UP? >> SURE. >> OKAY, GREAT. NANCY, SUKUMAR, ANY PREFERENCE? >> NOPE. >> NO. ANYTHING IS FINE WITH ME. >> YEAH, ME TOO. >> OKAY. THEN I'LL JUST GO DOWN THE LIST ON THE THING. NANCY, YOU WERE LOOKING ON FAIRFAX. SO YOU'LL GET FAIRFAX. >> IT WAS CITY OF FAIRFAX, BUT THAT'S FINE. >> SUKUMAR, YOU TAKE ARLINGTON. AND THEN I'LL TAKE RICHMOND. AND THE GOAL WOULD BE AGAIN IF YOU CAN EITHER DO LIKE SCREENSHOTS OR IF THERE IS SOME DOWNLOADABLE DOCUMENT THAT WE COULD PUT IN A SHARED FOLDER TO CONSIDER, THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY THE EASIEST. IF YOU'RE NOT PROFICIENT AT SHARED FOLDERS, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL AND WE CAN PUT IT IN. I CAN CREATE A GOOGLE DRIVE AFTERWARDS. >> I WAS JUST GETTING READY TO SAY DO WE HAVE A GOOGLE DRIVE THAT WE COULD SHARE OR CREATE? >> SUSAN, DO WE HAVE TO DO IT IN ANY PARTICULAR WAY? >> I HAVE TO SEE IF, YOU ALL HAVE A GOOGLE DRIVE NOW THAT I RECALL. YOU ALL DO HAVE A GOOGLE DRIVE. >> DO WE? >> YOU DO. THE COMMITTEE DOES. AND ALL OF THE PASSWORDS ARE AT MY OFFICE. >> IF THEY DO IT TONIGHT, THEY CAN KEEP IT ON THEIR HARD DRIVE. >> SO I CAN FIND THAT AND SEND IT TO YOU. I MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO FIND IT IN EMAIL. LET ME SEE IF I CAN FIND THAT AS WELL. >> OKAY. >> AND THEN, ERIN, WHAT I'LL DO TOO IS I HAVE THAT LIST OF IDEAS PEOPLE HAD FOR QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT WANT TO EXPLORE. THAT WILL JUST BE A STARTING POINT FOR OUR DISCUSSION IN MARCH. OF THINGS THAT WE MIGHT, JUST AREAS WE WANT TO EXPLORE FURTHER. >> SURE. SO PROBABLY THE ONE THING TO CONSIDER IS OUR NORMAL MEETING IS THE THIRD TUESDAY. SO WE'RE RUNNING UP AGAINST, FEBRUARY IS A SHORT MONTH AND WE MOVED THIS MEETING. SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO MOVE NEXT MONTH'S MEETING ONE WEEK OR JUST KEEP WITH MARCH 16TH. THAT WOULD GIVE FOLKS LIKE REALLY TWO WEEKS TO DO THE WORK. >> I WOULD THINK THAT'S MUCH BETTER BECAUSE I THINK IT'S STILL PRETTY AMBITIOUS FOR US TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BY MAY IF WE'RE NOT EVEN THROUGH WITH THESE OTHER QUESTIONS UNTIL MARCH. I THINK WE SHOULD DEFINITELY DO THAT. >> OKAY. SO THAT MEANS ESSENTIALLY WRAPPING UP YOUR STUFF BY ABOUT MARCH 8TH SO THAT WE [01:00:01] HAVE A DAY OR TWO TO PULL IT TOGETHER TO GET IT TO SUSAN FOR POSTING BEFORE OUR NEXT PUBLIC MEETING. >> I HAVE YOUR MEETING AS MARCH 16TH ALREADY. >> YEAH, THAT'S A NORMAL ONE I WAS JUST SUGGESTING. >> YOU WANT TO MOVE IT ONE MORE WEEK? >> I DIDN'T KNOW IF FOLKS WOULD NEED MORE TIME BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING, RIGHT? NO. >> LET ME JUST SEE IF IT'S EVEN POSSIBLE TO MOVE. >> NO, NO. PEOPLE WANT TO STICK WITH IT SO IT'S FINE. >> OKAY. I WAS GOING TO CHECK IN CASE YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND LATER, BUT YOU'RE GOOD. >> QUICK LOOK AT MY AGENDA. IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS TONIGHT? ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL GET THE FOLDER TO FOLKS, THE ASSIGNMENTS AND THEN THE POTENTIAL LIST OF OTHER QUESTIONS AND THEN HA WE'RE EXPECTING WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE BUDGET CALENDAR FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE BUDGET CALENDAR FOR THE CITY OR JURISDICTION, AND IF YOU CAN GET ANY ADDITIONAL DETAIL ABOUT THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN THE TWO, THAT'S GREAT BUT WE WON'T BE MOVING TO THE INTERVIEW PHASE UNTIL WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE INFORMATION THA WE'RE ABLE TO FIND OUT. GREAT. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TO ADVANCE BEFORE WE COME TO OUR NEXT MEETING? >> I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK UP THE MATERIALS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT, SEAN, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT KIND OF JUMPS OUT AT YOU OR IF YOU CAN DISCERN ANY INFORMATION FROM TAKING A LOOK AT IT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO GIVE A LITTLE CONTEXT OR LIKE A SHORT SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU FOUND. THAT WOULD BE TERRIFIC. OR IT'S FINE WE CAN TALK THROUGH IT AT THE MEETING AS WELL. THAT WAY PEOPLE HAVE A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK BEFOREHAND. >> OKAY. >> SUKUMAR, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? >> I WAS GOING TO SAY WE CAN USE THE VERSION ON THE ACPS SITE FOR THE CURRENT BUDGET CALENDAR, RIGHT? JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT. >> YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD POINT. TO WHATEVER DEGREE, LIKE I SAID I'M SURE THERE WILL BE SOME CONVERSION, BUT TO WHATEVER DEGREE YOU CAN TAKE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU GET FROM THE OTHER DIVISIONS AND TRY TO MAP IT. AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR EVERYBODY TO REVIEW. >> I WAS WONDERING IF THERE MIGHT BE A WAY, WE COULD ALL THINK ABOUT IT BUT THERE MIGHT BE A DOCUMENT WE COULD PUT TOGETHER WHERE PEOPLE CAN PLOP IN SOME KEY DATES. IN ONE PLACE. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY WE HAVE THE EXCEL FILE. >> IF YOU COULD DO THAT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I ONLY SEE THE CALENDAR IN LIKE A PDF FORMAT. IF YOU CAN MAKE AVAILABLE THAT ONE, ROBERT, THEN THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE SO HELPFUL. >> THAT WOULD BE GREAT SO TO ADD SOME COLUMNS FOR THE JURISDICTIONS TO POPULATE THE DATES. PERFECT. >> OKAY. >> WELL IF THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS, I THINK WE CAN ADJOURN THE MEETING TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD DISCUSSION AND MORE INFORMATION TO COME. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.