SUSAN, I WILL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED HERE.
[00:00:03]
TODAY'S JUNE 22, 2021, AND THIS IS THE BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING, AND WE WILL BEGIN OUR MEETING WITH AN INTRODUCTION.FORMAL INTRODUCTION, AS WE SAID EARLIER, WE HAVE A NEW MEMBER IN ATTENDANCE, RYAN REYNA WHO'S INTERESTED IN JOINING BAC.
I WILL GIVE YOU A MOMENT, RYAN, TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
>> RYAN REYNA: THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
SO I HAVE BEEN AN ALEXANDRIA RESIDENT SINCE 2008 BUT GREW UP HERE FOR A PORTION OF MY CHILDHOOD IN THE DEANNA GREAT FALLS AREA.
I HAVE LIVED IN THE WEST END AT FIRST AND NOW LIVE IN DELRAY.
IN THE INTERVENING MOMENT, AS I MENTIONED, WENT TO WORK FOR THE DELRY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
SO I CURRENTLY RUN AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS LOTS OF DISTRICTS AND STATES, NOT IN VIRGINIA, THINK ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN KIDS IN HIGHER WORKFORCE.
VERY INTERESTED IN BRINGING THOSE SORT OF -- MY DAY-TO-DAY JOB EXPERIENCES TO MY LOCAL SETTING.
AND I HAVE TWO GIRLS, ONE IS GOING INTO SECOND GRADE, AND THE OTHER WILL START KINDERGARTEN IN THE FALL.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: RYAN, WHAT SCHOOL DO YOUR CHILDREN ATTEND?
>> RYAN REYNA: BOTH WILL BE AT MOUNT VERNON.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: WE HAVE A FEW MOUNT VERNON ALUMS, PARENTAL ALARMS ON THE CALL.
SO BOTH OF MY KIDS WENT TO MOUNT VERNON.
>> NANCY DRANE: I AM NOT AN ALUM QUITE YET.
I HAVE ONE, MY DAUGHTER IS AT GW, BUT MY SON IS A RISING FIFTH-GRADER AT MOUNT VERNON.
SO, WELCOME, AND GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON THE COMMITTEE.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: THAT WAS A NICE SEGUE.
WE SHOULD ALL SORT OF INTRODUCE OURSELVES SO YOU KNOW WHO IS ON THE COMMITTEE.
RYAN, I AM ERIN DAHLIN, THE CHAIR OF THE BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND I HAVE TWO KIDS, ONE AT -- ACTUALLY, HE IS DONE WITH MANY HOWARD, SO AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH AS OF NEXT WEEK AND ONE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
CAME UP TO MOUNT VERNON IN MY DAY JOB AND WORK FOR AMERICORPS AS THE CHIEF PROGRAM ADVISOR.
AND KIND OF HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WITH YOU, LIKE YOU.
YOU KNOW, CONNECTING, TRYING TO CONNECT TO MY LOCAL COMMUNITY.
THIS IS MY FIFTH YEAR ON THE BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SALENA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF?
>> SALENA HAJJI: YES, MY NAME IS SALENA HAJJI.
I'M THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE BAC.
YOU WILL LOVE THIS WONDERFUL GROUP.
I HAVE THREE CHILDREN, ONE RISING, SHE IS ABOUT TO START KINDERGARTEN.
A FOURTH-GRADER AND THEN MY OLDEST IS ABOUT TO BE A FRESHMAN AT ALEXANDRIA CITY HIGH ON THE AUTISM PROGRAM THERE.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: SALENA, WHAT ELEMENTARY?
IN MY DAY JOB, AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR THE USPTO.
I ALSO NEED TO CONNECT WITH MY COMMUNITY AND SHOW MY CHILDREN THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO CONNECT TO THE COMMUNITIES SO THAT THEY CAN EXHIBIT THOSE SAME BEHAVIORS AS THEY GROW UP.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: THANK YOU SO MUCH, SELENA.
I'M NANCY DRANE, THE SECRETARY OF BAC.
I WILL STRUGGLE TO REMEMBER HOW MANY YEARS HAVE BEEN ON BAC, BUT THIS IS EITHER MY SECOND OR THIRD YEAR, MAYBE SECOND.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: PANDEMIC MAKES TIME WEIRD.[LAUGHTER] >> NANCY DRANE: OF COURSE, THAT AND POOR MEMORY.
LIKE A BEFORE, I HAVE A SEVENTH GRADER WHO'S AT GW MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I HAVE A RISING FIFTH-GRADER WHO IS AT MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL, AND I WAS THE PTA PRESIDENT FOR SOME TIME AT MOUNT VERNON AND WAS INVOLVED WITH THE SCHOOL BEFORE JOINING BAC.
IN MY DAY JOB, AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ACCESS TO JUSTICE COMMISSION, AND WE PROMOTE RESOURCES AND REFORM IN THE CIVIL JUSTICE SPACE IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
SO NOTHING HAS BEEN GOING ON THERE FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: [INAUDIBLE] >> NANCY DRANE: SO GREAT TO MEET YOU, GREAT TO MEET YOU.
[00:05:02]
>> SUKUMAR ROA: MY NAME IS SUKUMAR ROA.
I HAVE TWO KIDS, ONE IS RISING FIFTH-GRADER, BOTH OF THEM ARE AT JEFFERSON HOUSTON.
MY OLDER SON WILL BE STARTING HIS FOURTH GRADE, CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
I WAS GOING TO SAY LIKE SECOND GRADER THIRD-GRADER, BUT -- THINK ABOUT TWO YEARS ON BAC SO FAR, IT'S HONESTLY BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
WE HAVE FEARLESS LEADERS ON THE TEAM, SO IT'S GREAT TO WORK WITH EVERYONE.
AND DURING MY DAY JOB, I HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT CONSULTING FIRM FOR PRIVATE SECTOR AND FEDERAL.
>> RYAN RENYA: YOUR KIDS WENT TO DISCOVERY TIME? YOU LOOKED FAMILIAR.
>> SUKUMAR ROA: YES, I WAS GOING TO SAY I THINK I'VE SEEN YOU SOMEWHERE ABOUT THE -- THAT'S RIGHT.
BOTH OF MY KIDS WENT TO DISCOVERY, YEAH.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: OUR SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE IS RAMEE GENTRY.
MY KIDS GRADUATED, MY TWINS GRADUATED IN 2020.
[LAUGHTER] SO I HAVE BEEN ON THE LIAISON FOR BAC FOR MOST OF THIS TERM, THIS IS MY SECOND TERM ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.
PRIOR TO THAT, PRIOR TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, PAY ATTENTION, I WAS THE CHAIR OF ANOTHER ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
BEFORE THAT, I WAS A LEADERSHIP POSITION AT PTA.
YES, I'M LOOKING AT ALL OF YOU.
JUST KNOW, YOU KNOW, I KNOW -- YOU GUYS ARE LIKE, NO WAY.
AND I'M LIKE -- THESE THINGS HAPPEN.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: [INAUDIBLE] THE SCHOOL BOARD, RIGHT? THERE'S A FEW OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE ON BAC AND THAT WAS SCARY AT FIRST.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
I LIKE TO REFER TO THIS COMMITTEE AS SMALL BUT MIGHTY.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AS I SAID, NUMBER OF CAPACITIES.
YOU WILL GET TO HEAR MORE TONIGHT.
I THINK WHAT WE DID WAS I THINK -- AND I'M USING "WE" A LITTLE GENERAL LASTLY, BECAUSE MY JOB IS LIAISON IS MORE TO, YOU KNOW, OFFER SOME BOARD PERSPECTIVE BUT ALSO REALLY TO HELP SUPPORT AND BE THAT LIAISON FOR THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
YOU KNOW, THE GOAL OF THE BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS FOR THIS GROUP TO BE ABLE TO TACKLE ISSUES THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE A LITTLE EXTRA TIME AND FOCUS ON.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE BOARD DID THIS YEAR WITH THEIR REPORT.
I THINK IT'S REALLY EXCITING MODEL.
I THINK THE CHALLENGING THING ABOUT KIND OF GOING FIRST WITH THIS NEW WAY OF DOING STUFF AS I THINK WE HAVE LEARNED STUFF.
I AM EAGER TO HELP -- I AM EAGER TO HELP WORK ON HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE THE PROCESS BETTER FOR THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND TO MAKE IT MORE CAMINO, REWARDING.
REALLY EXCITING STUFF THAT WE DID THIS YEAR.
I'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH MULTIPLE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE ALL VERY, VERY GRATEFUL TO THE WORK THAT BAC DID THIS YEAR AND REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATED THE REPORTING.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT ON THE MIC IN PUBLIC.
BUT I WANT TO REITERATE THAT'S ALSO WHATEVER IT INDIVIDUALLY FROM BOARD MEMBERS.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: THANK YOU SO MUCH, RAMEE.
AND OUR FEARLESS SCHOOL BOARD LIAISON AND BOARD CLARK, THAT WOULD BE SUSAN NIELSEN WHEN SHE MAKES ALL THE THINGS HAPPEN.
SO VERY THANKFUL, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS HAVE A ZOOM LINK, ALWAYS GET THINGS POSTED ALL BECAUSE OF HER GREAT SUPPORT.
>> SUSAN: I AM NOT A COMMITTEE MEMBER, THOUGH.
MY KIDS GRADUATED FROM THE SCHOOLS IN 2007 AND '8.
I'M THE OLDEST MEMBER HERE AND NONMEMBER.
ANY WAY -- >> ERIN DAHLIN: [INAUDIBLE] >> SUSAN: IF YOU DO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME THROUGH THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: WE WILL PROCEED WITH OUR AGENDA.
THE FIRST ITEM WAS DURATION OF THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING, AND I AM REALIZING THAT I DID NOT SEND THEM OUT.
AND SO, WE MAY NEED TO DO THAT VIA EMAIL AFTERWARDS.
>> NANCY DRANE: DID I CIRCULATE THEM?
>> ERIN DAHLIN: I DON'T KNOW IF YOU DID, NANCY.
I DID NOT FOLLOW UP FAST ENOUGH.
WE WILL GET THAT OUT TO FOLKS.
>> NANCY DRANE: IF WE HAVE A DOWN MINUTE, I WILL SEE IF I CAN FIND THEM.
I WILL CIRCULATE THEM TO PEOPLE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I SPACED OUT.
[00:10:02]
OBVIOUSLY DIFFICULT TO HAVE A STAFF REPORT WITHOUT OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR HERE.
RAMEE, I DON'T KNOW IF ONE OF THE THINGS YOU CAN SHARE, ONE OF THE FOLKS WE ARE
[American Rescue Plan Resources]
INTERESTED IN, DIALOGUE OUT AT THE SCHOOL BOARD ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AGENDAS WAS THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK SORT OF DOVETAILS WITH BAC OR SOMETHING WE SHOULD KNOW FOR CONTEXT, RYAN, LIKE THE LAST MEETING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE FOCUS OF ARP RESOURCES FOR A CPS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO THINK ABOUT THE GO BIG OR GO HOME,
BECAUSE -- IN THE INSTANCE IT'S A ONE AND A GENERATION -- >> RAMEE GENTRY: GOT IT.
FIRST OFF, SUSAN, HAVE YOU HEARD BACK FROM ROBERT? DO HAVE DEFINITE CONFIRMATION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ABOUT ATTENDANCE?
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S DELIVERED, BUT IT'S NOT BEEN READ.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: GOT IT, GOT IT.
SO JUST A FOLLOW-UP TO YOU ALL, IF FOR SOME REASON ROBERT DOES NOT JOIN US, I WILL ASK HIM -- I WILL FOLLOW UP AND ASK THAT A WRITTEN STAFF REPORT BE WRITTEN AND SENT TO EVERYONE.
REGARDING -- I WILL NOT GET THE ACRONYM RIGHT, BUT THE THING THAT AARON JUST
SAID.[LAUGHTER] >> ERIN DAHLIN: THAT'S MY LIFE AT WORK.
[LAUGHTER] >> RAMEE GENTRY: WE ACTUALLY ARE -- SUSAN, HELP ME, IS IT AUGUST 3? THE SECOND?
>> SUSAN: AUGUST 3, WHICH IS A TUESDAY, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND MEETING.
SO RAMEE CAN EXPLAIN ALL OF THAT.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND MEETING, SO THAT WILL BE -- AND NO WE ARE MOVING BACK TO IN PERSON BUT PRESUMABLY THE SAME KIND OF ACCESS FOR PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO WATCH FROM HOME WOULD BE ACCESSIBLE, SUSAN? RIGHT.
SO WE, THE BOARD, AND AT THE SAME TIME THE PUBLIC WILL GET AN UPDATE ON KIND OF THE SPENDING PLAN FOR THAT AT THAT MEETING.
SO THAT HAS BEEN SCHEDULED AND THAT IS ON THE CALENDAR.
SO WE ARE -- GENERALLY, WE GO QUIETER IN THE SUMMER.
I SAY THAT, BUT I -- YOU KNOW, WE DO OCCASIONALLY -- PARTICULARLY WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SUMMER, SOMETIMES THERE ARE CONTRACTS AND THINGS THAT HAVE TO GET APPROVED, ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER WITH CAMINO, MAINTENANCE, THINGS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO EVERY NOW AND THEN, WE WILL BE PULLED IN TO GATHER A QUORUM TO APPROVE THE KIND OF STUFF.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW THAT THERE'S NOT REALLY A PLANNED FULL ON PUBLIC MEETING WITH BUDGET RELATED CONTENT UNTI THAT AUGUST 3 MEETING.
BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THAT, PLEASE TUNE IN FOR THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE WILL GET AN UPDATE FROM THE STAFF ON SORT OF THE PLANNING FOR THAT.
>> SUSAN: IT IF I COULD ADD TO THAT, I ALWAYS JUMP IN WHEN I'M NOT REALLY WANTED,
BUT -- >> RAMEE GENTRY: NO, NO.
IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE BENEFITS -- I KNOW IS NOT FUN FOR YOU.
RYAN, BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS TO RUN THE ZOOM MEETINGS, SUSAN HAS HAD TO ATTEND EVERY SINGLE BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING SHE HAD TO DO IN NORMAL TIMES, BUT IT'S BEEN REALLY HANDY BECAUSE SHE CAN OFFER THESE LITTLE BITS OF INFORMATION.
>> SUSAN: IT IS SIX COMMITTEES TIMES HOWEVER MANY MEETINGS.
[LAUGHTER] >> ERIN DAHLIN: ON TOP OF WORK SESSIONS TOO.
>> SUSAN: WHAT I WAS GOING TO ADD IS THAT EVEN WITH THE BUDGET CALENDAR OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AT THIS MOMENT, THEY ARE ALL DRAFTS, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE FIRST WORK SESSION ON THE BUDGET WILL COME AFTER THE SPECIAL, ALONG WITH THE FIRST BOARD MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 9, I THINK IT IS.
SO THAT IS WHEN WE WILL BE ADOPTING OUR -- DISCUSSING MORE THE CALENDAR, WHICH YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB WITH, AND SOME OTHER BUDGET PRIORITIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO IF YOU LOOK OUT FOR THAT AGENDA, THAT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT ONE.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: SO, SUSAN, WE ALSO SOMETIMES HAVE HAD, PRIOR TO THE FIRST FULL-BLOWN MEETING, WE HAVE HAD A WORKS, STANDALONE WORKS SESSION WHEN WE'VE DONE THE BUDGET PRIORITIES? RIGHT?
>> SUSAN: SO I ASKED ABOUT THAT, AND I WAS TOLD THAT WE WERE NOT HAVING ONE.
BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT FROM THE BOARD'S SIDE YOU COULD ADDRESS.
SORRY, MY DOG WILL NOT SETTLE DOWN.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: IT'S VERY EXCITING.
>> SUSAN: SHE LOST HER TOY UNDER THE SOFA.
SO, YES, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS NEXT THING UP IS THAT UPDATE ON THE PLAN FOR
[00:15:06]
SPENDING THAT FUNDING, AUGUST 3.IN THE FALL, WE WILL RECONVENE.
THERE WILL BE, WHETHER IT'S ITS OWN SEPARATE MEETING OR SOMETHING ELSE, THAT WILL BE A BUDGET PRIORITY DISCUSSION.
WHEN WE ARE A LITTLE BIT CLEAR ON WHICH MEETING THAT LIVES IN, WE WILL SEND THAT OUT TO THIS GROUP SO THEY CAN SEE WHICH MEETING THAT WILL BE AND MAKE SURE THEY CAN TUNE IN FOR THAT.
JUST KNOW IF YOU CANNOT WATCH THE MEETING LIVE, YOU CAN ALWAYS WATCH IT.
USUALLY TAKES A DAY AND A HALF OR SO FOR IT TO BE UPLOADED.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET CALENDAR.
SO WE DID REVIEW THREE OPTIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED AT THE LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY INFLUENCED BY THE WORK THIS COMMITTEE DID AND BOARD WILL HAVE SOME TIME TO RUMINATE ON THAT AND COME UP WITH WHICH OPTION THEY PREFER.
WITH TWO OF THE THREE OPTIONS EXPLICITLY SCHEDULED IN SUCH A WAY SO THAT THE BOARD WOULD BE ADOPTING OUR BUDGET PRIOR TO THE CITY MANAGER RELEASING THE PROPOSED CITY BUDGET.
THANK YOU FOR THAT SORT OF SUMMARY, RAMEE.
>> RYAN REYNA: CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION IF I UNDERSTAND THE TIMING?
>> RYAN REYNA: DO WE KNOW YET WHEN ALEXANDRIA HAS TO SUBMIT ITS ARP PLAN? WILL THAT HAPPEN BEFORE SOME OF THE OTHER BUDGET -- SO OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS A PUBLIC MEETING AUGUST 3, BUT IS THERE A DEADLINE ALREADY THAT'S BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR SUBMISSION?
I WANT TO SAY SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER AND I DON'T HAVE THE DATE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I BELIEVE EVEN ACTUALLY IN OUR LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, AND THAT'S NOT DICTATED BY US, I THINK THAT'S FEDERAL, BUT I WANT TO SAY IT'S A SEPTEMBER DATE.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: BUT I AM MAKING A NOTE AND I'M GOING TO FIND THE RELEVANT PART IN THE BUDGET.
>> RYAN REYNA: WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER THAT GETS FINAL BEFORE THE INITIAL DISCUSSION THAT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.
SO I WOULD SAY TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THEY'RE CONNECTED CONVERSATIONS BUT IN SOME WAYS SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME REAL DEFINITE LIMITS ON WHAT TYPES OF THINGS YOU CAN BUY WITH THE FEDERAL FUNDING.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU WILL SEE A FOCUS ON THE KIND OF THING VERSUS THE CIP BUDGET, WHICH THEORETICALLY A 10 YEAR PLAN AND HAS ALREADY BEEN SORT OF DISCUSSED WITH THE CITY.
AND WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS REALLY MORE TWEAKING CIP BUDGET RATHER THAN BIG, BIG CHANGES.
AND THEN THE OPERATING BUDGET, AGAIN, THERE IS A LOT OF THAT THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT WOULD GO INTO THE FEDERAL FUNDING AND ACTUALLY WE WOULD BE -- THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED BEFORE: WE WILL TRY TO BE REALLY CAREFUL TO NOT, YOU KNOW, YOUR KID'S HOMEROOM TEACHER'S PAYCHECK WOULD NOT BE FUNDED WITH THE FEDERAL GRANT, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A VERY BAD IDEA BECAUSE THREE YEARS FROM NOW OR TWO YEARS FROM NOW, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO -- SO, YES.
HENCE WE WILL BE REALLY, REALLY CAREFUL AND EXPLICIT AND PEOPLE AND EXPLAIN WHAT WE WILL USE THE MONEY FOR.
IT'S A FINITE POT OF MONEY VERSUS THE OPERATING BUDGET.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: IN THREE YEARS, YOU HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT AGAIN TO PEOPLE ABOUT --
[LAUGHTER] INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT SCOPE OF WORK FOR NEXT YEAR INCLUDING COMMUNICATION,
[Memo follow-up from ACPS Staff]
SO, YES.OUR NEXT TOPIC WAS REALLY JUST A CHANCE TO DEBRIEF AMONG ALL OF US THE RESPONSE THAT THE SCHOOL, BASICALLY THE CFO SHALL PROVIDE TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
I HAVE FORWARDED ALONG WHEN I RECEIVED IT FROM DOMINIC LAST MONTH.
SO FOR CONTEXT, BAC PRESENTED A MEMO TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
[00:20:02]
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THAT MEMO, BASICALLY A MONTH AGO.AND THEN WITHIN A WEEK WE RECEIVED A FORMAL RESPONSE TO OUR MEMO FROM THE CFO.
SOME OF THE RESPONSE FROM -- WHAT WAS PROVIDED TO US WAS ESSENTIALLY INDIVIDUAL RESPONSES TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND TO SOME EXTENT REFUTING SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAD PROVIDED.
AND SO, WOULD LOVE A CHANCE TO TALK -- I'M SORRY ROBERT IS NOT HERE.
HE WILL CHAT ABOUT IT WITH US.
BUT I WILL DO MY BEST WITH NANCY'S HELP WITH THE NOTES TO PROVIDE A RESPONSE BACK TO DOMINIC, OUR CFO; ROBERT, THE BUDGET DIRECTOR, WHO IS THE LIAISON TO TO BAC; DR. HUTCHINS, THE SUPERINTENDENT.
SO I KNOW FOLKS HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT.
IT WOULD JUST BE INTERESTED IN KIND OF HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD FOLLOW UP.
I'M DEFINITELY WILLING TO START AND WOULD LOVE TO KIND OF HEAR FROM OTHER FOLKS' PERSPECTIVES TOO.
ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE MEMO IS I FEEL LIKE WE OPERATED IN A REALLY INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE ASK THE STAFF FOR FEEDBACK ON THE PROCESS.
IN DIRECTLY ON THE MEMO, THEY WERE GIVEN ACCESS TO THE GOOGLE DRIVE WHERE THE DRAFT MEMO WAS.
WE ASKED POINTED QUESTIONS OF THE STAFF AND THERE AND ASKED THEM TO RESPOND TO IT.
THE SORT OF FORMAL RESPONSE BACK FROM THE CFO SHOP JUST INDICATED THAT WE GOT SOME THINGS WRONG IN THE MEMO.
AND WHILE I APPRECIATE THAT, I ALSO WISH THAT THAT HAD BEEN PROVIDED TO US EARLIER, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE DOCUMENT.
I DON'T THINK IT WAS ANY OF OUR INTENTION TO PROVIDE SOMETHING THAT WAS FALSE OR WASN'T EXECUTABLE, IF YOU WILL.
AND ALSO, JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, LIKE, THAT WE ARE VOLUNTEERS.
AND SO PART OF IT FOR ME, AND I WILL JUST ACKNOWLEDGE RIGHT UP FRONT, I FOUND IT VERY DISCOURAGING PERSONALLY TO GET THAT TYPE OF FORMAL RESPONSE.
I'M USED TO THAT IN MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE, THAT YOU WOULD RECEIVE THAT KIND OF RESPONSE BACK, YOU KNOW, IN A PROFESSIONAL SETTING WHERE YOU ARE PROVIDING TESTIMONY OR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OR GUIDANCE OR YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING WRONG.
BUT IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY OR VOLUNTEER CAPACITY, ESPECIALLY FROM PARENTS, THAT WOULD BE MORE COLLABORATIVE AND NOT AS WHAT I RECEIVED AS TO BE AS COMBATIVE.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE PUT IN PLACE GOING FORWARD THAT WE BUILD A RELATIONSHIP THAT IS PRODUCTIVE AND THAT, WHERE ESSENTIALLY OUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE VALUED.
AND I WILL SAY THEY DO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THEY THANK US FOR OUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
TO SOME EXTENT, I THINK IT WAS PARTLY, AGAIN FOR ME, A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTING TO RECEIVE THAT WHEN WE HAD ASKED FOR ENGAGEMENT BEFOREHAND.
SO I WILL STOP THERE AND ASK IF OTHERS IN BAC HAD SIMILAR REACTIONS, DIFFERENT REACTIONS WERE THINGS ARE -- YOU KNOW, JUS WANT TO SHARE WHAT -- HEAR FROM YOU ALL ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE A FOLLOW-UP JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE RIGHT AWAY I DID NOT RESPOND TO THE EMAIL, ONE, AT THE TIME -- JUST BEING HONEST, THE EMOTIONAL BANDWIDTH TO DO SO WITH EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON AND TRYING TO DRAG THE KIDS OVER THE FINISH LINE, FOR THOSE OF YOU LITTLE KIDS, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
WITH HIGH SCHOOLERS, IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE THIS YEAR! SO THE BANDWIDTH NECESSARY PERHAPS IS NOT THERE TO IMMEDIATELY ACKNOWLEDGE BUT I ALSO THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE COMMITTEE TO RESPOND.
SO I WANTED TO HEAR FROM YOU WILL DIRECTLY.
>> NANCY DRANE: I WILL WEIGH IN, ERIN, AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS AND SAY THAT I HAD A SIMILAR REACTION TO THE STAFF RESPONSE.
AND I APPRECIATED THAT AT SOME POINT THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY IN A FINANCIAL AUDIT, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS THIS PROCESS WHERE THERE IS THE AUDIT AND THEN A FORMAL RESPONSE.
SO PERHAPS THAT IS THE PROCEDURE THAT THEY ARE ACCUSTOMED TO.
[00:25:03]
BUT I WAS ALSO DISAPPOINTED WITH THE PROCESS BECAUSE IT WAS SO COLLABORATIVE AND WE DID AFFIRMATIVELY SEEK COMMENT, CORRECTIONS, ETC., TO THE MEMO FROM STAFF.YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY TO GO INTO THE SUBSTANCE OF THE COMMENTS, WHICH ACTUALLY THINK DID NOT REALLY IMPACT THE SUBSTANCE OF THE MEMO, REALLY.
JUST THE THREE OR FOUR THINGS THAT THEY MENTIONED.
BUT I THINK TO EACH ONE, IF WE HAD RECEIVED A COMMENT FROM STAFF PRIOR TO SUBMITTING THE MEMO, I FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT WE WOULD HAVE CORRECTED IT, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN SENSITIVE TO LANGUAGE CHOICES THAT MAYBE THEY HAD A DIFFERENT REACTION TO FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND THE LIKE.
AND SO, I FELT IT WAS UNFORTUNATE THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT IN ADVANCE, AND I DID FEEL, YOU KNOW, THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS DEFINITELY ROOM FOR DISAGREEMENT.
ACTUALLY DON'T THINK THERE WAS DISAGREEMENT HERE.
IT WAS JUST SORT OF SOME TWEAKS THAT THEY WOULD'VE SUGGESTED.
AND I FELT IT'S SORT OF, I DON'T KNOW, JUST PUT -- UNDERMINE IS TOO STRONG OF A WORD, BUT I THINK WE WORK SO COLLABORATIVELY TOGETHER THAT TO HAVE THE SORT OF STAIN ON IT, WELL, THIS WAS WRONG AND WE DON'T LIKE THE WAY THIS SOUNDED, IT WAS UNNECESSARY BECAUSE I THINK THE SPIRIT OF THE WHOLE PROCESS WAS SO COLLABORATIVE AND POSITIVE.
I DON'T THINK IT IS WORTH REHASHING IT, BUT I DO, ESPECIALLY AS SOMEONE WHO IS PREPARED TO CONTINUE ON BAC, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE THE TYPE OF EXPERIENCE WHERE WE WRITE SOMETHING AND THEN WE GET A FORMAL RESPONSE BACK FROM THE STAFF.
THAT'S NOT HOW I WOULD WANT THIS PROCESS TO GO.
SO I HOPE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO TALK THIS THROUGH AT SOME POINT WITH STAFF SO THAT WE HAVE A MORE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS TO EXPLORE ISSUES.
SO, ANYWAY, I HAVE A COUPLE OTHER THOUGHTS RELATED TO THE MEMO BUT I WANTED TO DIRECTLY RESPOND TO THE PROCESS IS BEFORE W TALK ABOUT THE OTHER PIECES.
>> SUKUMAR ROA: SO I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, ACTUALLY, TO BOTH WHAT NANCY AND ERIN MENTIONED.
I PULL THE SENTIMENTS THAT BOTH OF YOU HAVE EXPRESSED, ESPECIALLY THE ATTEMPTS TO SORT OF ENGAGE AND COLLABORATE.
I FEEL IT'S KIND OF AN IRONIC SITUATION.
BUT, YEAH, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, SO I WON'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME.
I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE A BETTER PARTNERSHIP.
I MEAN, I KNOW I'M VERY NEW TO THIS COMMITTEE AND I AM LEARNING MORE AND MORE.
I DID THINK THAT THEY WOULD ENGAGE MORE IN THAT PRIOR TO THE FINAL, FINAL DOCUMENT.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: SO I WENT TO JUST SHARE WITH YOU ALL VERY CANDIDLY, I WAS VERY DISMAYED WHEN THE STAFF RESPONSE WAS MADE PUBLIC.
AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE SUPERINTENDENT AND ASKED AND EXPRESSED MY CONCERN AND HAD A PHONE CALL WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE CFO.
JUST BECAUSE OF SCHEDULING, IT WAS FAIRLY BRIEF.
AND, YOU KNOW, I AM LOOKING TO FIND A WINDOW OF TIME FOR SOME, YOU KNOW, THE LONGER DISCUSSION.
BUT I VERY MUCH -- AGAIN, THIS IS ME SPEAKING AS SOMEONE WHO IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF THE DOCUMENT, SO IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW -- BUT WHO DID WATCH, I ACCURATELY SAY I SAT HERE IN ALL OF THE MEETINGS AND I WATCHED THE PROCESS AND CAN ABSOLUTELY CONFIRM THAT THE COLLABORATION WAS VERY MUCH PRESENT AND THAT THE -- VERY MUCH THAT THE COMMITTEE WAS ASKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM THE STAFF.
I AM FRANKLY NOT CLEAR ON WHERE THE ISSUE AROSE.
EVEN IF, AS SOME HAVE SUGGESTED, THEY WERE THINKING IN A VERY LITERAL WAY ABOUT FINANCIAL AUDITS AND THAT THERE WAS THE SORT OF WALL BETWEEN, YOU KNOW,
[00:30:03]
STAFF RESPONSE AND THE OUTSIDE AUDIT, IF THAT WAS WHAT THEY WERE THINKING, AND THEY NEEDED TO EXPRESS THAT, BECAUSE WHAT BAC WAS SENDING WAS REPEATED INVITATIONS TO THE STAFF TO RESPOND.AND IF THE STAFF WAS CHOOSING NOT TO RESPOND NOT BECAUSE THEY DID NOT LIKE SOMETHING, BUT BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY NEEDED TO CREATE THIS WALL, THEN THEY NEEDED TO SAY THAT.
I ALSO THINK THAT THERE IS A WAY THIS CAN BE DONE IN WHICH, AGAIN, SCHOOLBOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEES ARE APPOINTED BY -- THEY SERVE -- ALWAYS SOUNDS FUN WHEN I SAY IT, BUT THESE ARE THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.
RIGHT? YOU GUYS ARE VOTED IN BY BOARD MEMBERS AND YOU ARE NOT STAFF, YOU'RE SERVING IN A DISTINCT SCHOOLBOARD ADVISORY CAPACITY.
SO THERE CERTAINLY CAN BE, WHETHER IT'S THIS COMMITTEE OR ANY OF THE OTHER ADVISORY COMMITTEES, THERE CAN BE MOMENTS WHERE PERHAPS THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION THAN THE STAFF.
BUT I THINK IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ROBUST REPORTS, WHICH I HAVE HEARD NOTHING BUT, YES, THIS IS THE WAY WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD, THEN I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A MUCH CLEARER COMMUNICATION ON IT.
AND I THINK WHAT I AM GOING TO BE SEEKING IS REAL CLARITY ON THE STAFF NEEDS TO INDICATE THAT THEY ARE PLANNING TO CONCUR ARE PLANNING NOT TO CONCUR, BECAUSE AS I THINK NANCY MENTIONED, WHAT'S PARTICULARLY ODD ABOUT THIS IS DESPITE THE WORDING, THERE IS ACTUALLY, IF YOU ARE REALLY FAMILIAR WITH IT, NOT A WHOLE LOT OF DAYLIGHT OF DIFFERENCE, RIGHT? AND A LOT OF THIS COULD'VE BEEN AVOIDED WITH A VERY SIMPLE COMMUNICATION MOMENT.
BUT EVEN IF THERE HADN'T BEEN, EVEN IF THERE HAD BEEN A TRUE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON SOMETHING, THE POINT OF THE COMMUNICATION FEEDBACK MOMENT IS THAT'S THE MOMENT WHERE, OKAY, I'M GOING TO MAKE A HYPOTHETICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
COMES UP WITH FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THE STAFF SAYS, YEAH, ONE, TWO, TOTALLY FINE.
RECOMMENDATION THREE, COULD YOU USE THIS PHRASE INSTEAD OF THIS PHRASE? YES, YES, FINE.
FOUR, WE REALLY, REALLY DISAGREE WITH US.
WE REALLY, WE REALLY DISAGREE WITH RECOMMENDATION NUMBER FOUR.
THEN THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THAT AND THEY CAN SAY, OKAY, WELL, FAIR ENOUGH.
YOU WILL, YOU KNOW, HAVE A STAFF RESPONSE AND THAT STAFF RESPONSE WILL EXPRESS WHY YOU DISAGREE WITH RECOMMENDATION NUMBER FOUR AND WE KNOW THAT.
DESPITE THAT, WE FEEL STRONGLY ENOUGH THAT WE STILL WANT THIS REPORT TO READ AS IS WITH RECOMMENDATION FOUR WITNESSES.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
I HAD HOPED THAT THAT SORT OF WOULD'VE HAPPENED IS A PART OF THE PROCESS, BECAUSE I FELT LIKE WE HAD FAIRLY OPEN COMMUNICATION PROCESS ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
SO IT WAS A PRICE MOMENT FOR ME THAT IT DID NOT.
BUT WHAT THAT TELLS ME IS THAT WE JUST HAVE TO BE VERY, VERY EXPLICIT ABOUT IT.
THE GOOD NEWS IS, COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THIS, THERE WAS ALREADY AN AD HOC COMMITTEE BEING FORMED AND WORKING THAT WA EXPLICITLY GOING TO WORK ON WAYS WE CAN ENHANCE AND IMPROVE AND CLARIFY THE WAY THAT WE WANT TO RUN THE SCHOOLBOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
SO THIS BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT SOME VERY CLEAR EXPECTATIONS IN ABOUT THE BACK-AND-FORTH BETWEEN STAFF AND SCHOOLBOARD ADVISORIES WHEN THEY ARE PREPARING A REPORT.
SO I HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH DR. HUTCHINGS AND THE CFO.
I WILL HAVE ANOTHER FOLLOW-UP CONVERSATION AND I ALSO AM IN CONTACT WITH BOARD MEMBER MICHELLE REIF WHO IS DEFINITION OF ALREADY HAD ONE CONVERSATION WITH HER AND WE WILL HAVE OTHER CONVERSATIONS.
SHE'S THE ONE RUNNING THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON THE SCHOOLBOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE, ON SCHOOLBOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
I WILL ALSO SAY THAT BEFORE THE MEETING, THE WORK SESSION WHERE THE STAFF
[00:35:01]
RECOMMENDATIONS WERE RELEASED, UNFORTUNATELY I COULD NOT BE AT THAT MEETING.BUT I ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO ALL OF THE BOARD AND SAID, HEY, BOARD, JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW, ALL OF THE ENTIRE MEMO, THE WHOLE TIME IT WAS BEING DRAFTED, WAS BEING OPENLY SHARED WITH STAFF AND THEY WERE EXPLICITLY ASKED TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT BUT LENGTH OF THE BOARD BOOK HAD BAC RECEIVED ANY FEEDBACK VERY LIKELY WOULD HAVE CHANGED THAT.
THIS IS -- JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, TO UNDERSTAND THAT FROM MY VANTAGE POINT.
SO I DID COMMUNICATE THAT PRIOR TO THE WORK SESSION ABOUT WHERE THE STAFF REPORT WAS RELEASED.
AND I WILL FINALLY SAY, WHICH I HAVE SAID BEFORE, AS FAR AS THE BOARD IS CONCERNED, WHICH, KEEP IN MIND, AGAIN, YOU ARE ALL ON A SCHOOLBOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE, I HAVE RECEIVED NOTHING BUT RAVES FROM EVERY BOARD MEMBER ABOUT NOT ONLY THE CONTENT THAT YOU GUYS PUT TOGETHER, BUT JUST THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT SCHOOLBOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEES TO DO, TO HAVE A REALLY SPECIFIC REPORT THAT ACTUALLY PUTS OUT RECOMMENDATIONS RATHER THAN WE LEARNED ABOUT THIS, WE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT SOME VERY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE TIED TO SOMETHING VERY SPECIFICALLY THAT THE BOARD IS GOING TO BE MAYBE ACTUALLY VOTING OR ACTING ON.
AND THE IDEA OF THAT ADVISORY COMMITTEE PRESENTING TO THE BOARD.
SO YOU GUYS ARE TRAILBLAZERS AND CREATED I THINK A MODEL THAT THE REST OF THE BOARD IS VERY EXCITED TO SEE REPLICATED IN OTHER SCHOOLBOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
THE SORT OF DOWNSIDE IS AS TRAILBLAZERS, YOU GET TO EXPERIENCE, YOU GET TO KIND OF HACK, MACHETE YOUR WAY THROUGH THE WEEDS AS WE WORK THROUGH SOME OF THESE FINER PROCESS POINTS.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: THANKS FOR THAT, RAMEE.
SO IT SOUNDS KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT, WE HAVE A SIMILAR TAKE ON WHAT WE EACH EXPERIENCED IN RECEIVING THE FEEDBACK.
SO UNLESS FOLKS OBJECT, I WOULD LIKE TO SEND A FORMAL RESPONSE TO DOMINIC AND DR. HUTCHINGS AND ROBERT TO INDICATE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE SHARED THIS EVENING.
IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION, COOPERATION IN MOVING FORWARD IN A WAY THAT HELPS OTHER ADVISORY BOARDS TO BE THE TRAILBLAZERS OF OTHER THINGS GOING FORWARD.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: ERIN, AND I WILL ADD, IF YOU AS PART OF THAT WANT TO KIND OF CONCLUDED BY ASKING FOR AN ACTUAL MEETING, PARTICULARLY SINCE ROBERT WAS NOT HERE TONIGHT TO HEAR ANY OF THAT, HAPPY TO ATTEND THAT MEETING WITH YOU AND STAFF.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: THANKS FOR THAT, RAMEE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK ESPECIALLY IN A SORT OF FOLLOW-UP TO SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THEN, SOME OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR REFERENCE, OH, BAC CAN DO THIS, PERHAPS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD FALL INTO THEIR BAILIWICK, BUT I JUST WANT TO CAUTION TOO, LIKE, HOW DO WE -- THERE IS A TWO WAY COMMUNICATION NECESSARY FOR THAT SORT OF ENGAGEMENT.
IN ONE OF THE THINGS IS, YOU KNOW, DUE TO THE INTENT OF NATURE OF NANCY, WE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT SOME OF THOSE ACTIVITIES BUT NOT NECESSARILY ENGAGEMENT OF STAFF AND ASKING HOW WE CAN HELP WITH THOSE ACTIVITIES.
SO I DO THINK IT PROBABLY BEHOOVES US TO HAVE A MEETING OR REQUEST SPECIFIC ITEMS TO SAY GOING FORWARD, ESPECIALLY THIS IS THE ROLE THAT WE ENVISION TO HELP IN SOME OF THE LARGER GOALS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH RESPECT TO EDUCATING OUR PARENT COMMUNITY AND THE LARGER SORT OF GENERAL COMMUNITY JUST AROUND SCHOOL FUNDING AND SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THE ACPS HAS FACED THIS YEAR.
SO I THINK I WILL COMMIT TO DOING THAT FOLLOW-UP AND APPRECIATE FOLKS' HONEST AND FRANK FEEDBACK TONIGHT AND HOPE FOR A FUTURE ROOM IN WHICH THAT IS AN EXCEPTION, NOT THE RULE, FOR THE TYPES OF ENGAGEMENT THAT THE STAFF HAVE WITH COMMITTEES.
AGAIN, I WILL WANT TO BE THE FIRST PERSON TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A
[00:40:01]
VOLUNTEER COMMITMENT AND WE ARE ALL PARENTS AND WE ALL HAVE OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES.AND JUST APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE AND, AGAIN, WAS NOT OUR INTENTION AT ALL TO I GUESS RECEIVE SORT OF -- IT WASN'T OUR INTENTION AT ALL TO TURN IN ANY PART OF THE WORK PRODUCT THAT WAS REFLECTED WITH THEIR REALITY.
I WILL COMMIT TO DRAFTING SOMETHING BY THE END OF THIS WEEK AND SHARE WITH YOU ALL BEFORE I RETURN AN EMAIL TO DOMINIC AND DR. HUTCHINGS AND ROBERT AND RAMEE.
>> NANCY DRANE: CAN I ADD ONE QUICK THING, AND THIS IS MOSTLY FOR RYAN'S BENEFIT.
ROBERT IS THE LOVELIEST PERSON YOU WILL EVER ME.
HE'S A REALLY TERRIFIC PERSON AND WE HAVE HAD VERY POSITIVE COMMUNICATIONS WITH STAFF THIS WHOLE YEAR.
I WANT TO CONTEXTUALIZE THAT THIS IS FRUSTRATING TO US BECAUSE THIS IS SORT OF THE CULMINATION OF ALL OF THIS WORK THAT WE DID IN THE PROCESS WAS FRUSTRATING, AS YOU CAN HERE.
BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, LIKE, THE TENOR OF OUR MEETINGS IS ALWAYS
GENERALLY PRETTY POSITIVE AND PARTICULARLY ROBERT IS JUST A REALLY -- >> RAMEE GENTRY: PLEASE DON'T BE SCARED, RYAN.
>> RYAN REYNA: THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
I WAS TRYING TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES WHETHER ROBERT NOT ATTENDING THIS MEETING WAS INTENTIONAL.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: VER POSSIBLE.
>> RYAN REYNA: THANK YOU FOR THAT CONTEXT.
SO I THINK I SAID I WILL COMMIT TO DRAFTING A FOLLOW-UP AND GET IT BACK TO YOU ALL FOR YOUR REVIEW BEFORE I PASS IT ALONG.
I THINK THAT LEAVES US WITH OUR LAST AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS LEADERSHIP FOR BAC
GOING FORWARD -- >> NANCY DRANE: CAN I ASK FOR ONE OTHER QUICK THING? SO SORRY, DON'T MEAN TO GO BACK.
>> NANCY DRANE: RAMEE, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE MORE THING IN THE BACK REPORT, AND THAT IS ALL THE WORK AROUND COMMUNICATIONS.
I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH A COUPLE OF THE BOARD DISCUSSIONS AROUND BUDGET.
I KNOW THAT THEY WERE LARGELY FOCUSED ON THE CALENDAR, BUT THE BOARD MEMBERS TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY LIKED THE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH RESPECT TO COMMUNICATIONS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT CLEAR SORT OF HOW THOSE WILL MOVE FORWARD.
OF HEARD A LOT ABOUT HOW BAC WAS GOING TO DO THINGS, WHICH I THINK WITH A FULLER COMPLEMENT OF MEMBERS, WE ARE HAPPY TO DO, BUT ALSO SORT OF CURIOUS HOW THAT COMMUNICATION STAFF IS GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH STAFF.
SO JUST WANTED TO PIN NOT AS SOMETHING MAYBE THE BOARD COULD CONTINUE TO PROBE ON, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THOSE, YOU KNOW, THE CALENDAR WAS A VERY CONCRETE THING THAT WE WANTED TO ADDRESS.
BUT TO MY MIND, I THINK SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WERE ACTUALLY MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE CALENDAR STUFF.
I WANTED TO PUT THEM OUT THERE.
WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THAT IS MY SONS DURING THE WHOLE PROCESS, WHICH I WAS LETTING HAPPEN ORGANICALLY AND NOT -- AND LETTING THE COMMITTEE MOVE ALONG WAS THAT THE COMMUNICATION WAS BUBBLING UP, AND I FELT WHAT WAS GREAT ABOUT THAT IS THAT IT ALSO WAS VERY CLEAR I THINK TO THE BOARD THAT THEY SAW THE VALUE OF THAT.
AND WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THAT IS, TO YOUR POINT, NANCY, A VERY CONCRETE THING.
YOU KNOW, BAC WORKED ON THE CALENDAR THIS YEAR.
BAC CAME UP WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SCHOOL BOARD IS GETTING OPTIONS FOR THE CALENDAR.
WITHOUT -- WITH ME TRYING TO STAY IN MY LANE OF LIAISON AND NOT DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR THIS COMMITTEE, I THINK, AS YOU ALL THINK ABOUT NEXT YEAR AND SCOPE OF WORK FOR NEXT YEAR, THAT I THINK YOU SHOULD REALLY BUILD OFF OF THOSE COMMUNICATION ELEMENTS FROM THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND WHAT IS HANDY ABOUT THAT IS WHAT WE DID IN THE FALL IS BECAUSE WE HAD THIS REALLY CLEAR, DEFINED THING ABOUT THE CALENDAR, THERE WAS A MOMENT IN THE FALL WERE WE GOT VERY, VERY CLEAR WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT THIS COMMITTEE IS THINKING ABOUT DOING.
IT WOULD BE DOING THIS RESEARCH IN ORDER TO COME UP WITH THE CALENDAR RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THEY HAVE TO PRESENT IN MAY IN ORDER TO VOTE IN JUNE.
[00:45:01]
SO A SIMILAR THING, WHAT HAS BEEN -- THE COMMUNICATION THING HAS BEEN MENTIONED.AT VARIOUS POINTS, WE HAVE HEARD IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND DIFFERENT FORUMS, YOU KNOW, ONLY IN THE LAST MONTH OR SO HAS THE COMMUNICATION STAFF REORG FULLY HAPPENED.
AND THEY HAVE NOW COME OFF OF FINISHING SOME PRETTY GIANT PROJECTS, MAINLY PANDEMIC -- RELATING CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING PANDEMIC INFORMATION, PLUS THE WHOLE IDENTITY PROJECT.
AND WITH THOSE COMPLETE AND WITH THE STAFF REORG ALSO COMPLETE, THEY CAN BE GIVEN A PRIORITY.
SO IF THIS COMMITTEE IS SAYING THAT AND THE BOARD APPROVES THAT SCOPE OF WORK, IT BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR -- SO THEN IT BECOMES A MOMENT WHERE THERE'S AN EXPECTATION OF STAFF COLLABORATION IN THEIR ACTIONS, SPECIFICALLY RUN QUESTIONS RELATED TO COMMUNICATIONS.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THAT WOULD SHAPE UP OVER THE YEAR.
AGAIN, I'M NOT IN THE POSITION TO ACTUALLY DICTATE THIS COMMITTEE'S SCOPE OF WORK, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT YOU ALL AS YOU DETERMINE SCOPE OF WORK.
THERE IS A MOMENT WHERE THE BOARD WILL VOTE ON THIS COMMITTEE'S SCOPE OF WORK AND SAY, YES, THUMBS UP.
BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU IS I THINK IF YOU COME FORWARD WITH A SCOPE OF WORK THAT IS RELATED TO COMMUNICATIONS, I THINK YOU WILL HAVE -- I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF SUPPORT FROM THE BOARD FOR THAT BEING YOUR WORK.
AND THEN IF THAT IS A VOTED ON THING, THEN IT BECOMES THAT IS -- THERE IS AN EXPECTATION THAT THE WORK IS DONE AND YOU RECEIVE SUPPORT TO DO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IN ANY WAY GOT CLOSE TO APPROACHING TO ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, NANCY.
[Leadership of BAC Going Forward]
>> NANCY DRANE: THAT HELPS! THANK YOU.
SO WITH RESPECT TO BAC GOING FORWARD.
AS I SAID IN THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, THIS IS YOUR FIVE FOR ME.
I WILL ACTUALLY BE EXITING STAGE RIGHT -- STAGE LEFT, WHATEVER WAY YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO EXIT.
LOOKING TO TRANSITION THE COMMITTEE TO DIFFERENT LEADERS AND I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, TRANSITIONING THE LEADERSHIP TO NANCY FOR NEXT YEAR, IF SHE IS WILLING TO CONSIDER IT.
BUT THAT ALSO MEANS A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS WITH RESPECT TO, ONE, IDENTIFYING A NEW SECRETARY; TWO, A LARGER STRATEGY, WHICH IS FILLING THE SEATS IN BAC.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE THIS YEAR, AND, RYAN, FOR CONTEXT, WE HAVE AROUND FIVE OR SIX MEMBERS.
BUT WITH FOLKS' BUSY SCHEDULES AND DIFFERENT THINGS, YOU KNOW, REALLY, ESPECIALLY IF THE BOARD -- IF THE COMMITTEE IS TO TAKE ON A LARGER ROLE, WE NEED MORE FOLKS TO DO MORE WORK.
SO I THINK, REALLY, RAMEE, IT IS A CONVERSATION WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD TO BETTER HELP US RECRUIT INDIVIDUALS TO HELP SERVE.
AGAIN, JUST FOR SOME BACKGROUND, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ORGANIZES THEIR BUDGET AND FISCAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE I THAT EACH BOARD MEMBER'S RESPONSIBLE FOR PERSONALLY INVITING AND SECURING A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE COMMITTEE.
SO IF WE WERE TO TAKE A SIMILAR APPROACH FOR BAC WHERE THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING US SORT OF STAFF UP, IF YOU WILL, I THINK THAT COULD BE AN IMPORTANT STRATEGY GOING FORWARD FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY SUSTAIN KIND OF THE TYPE OF WORK THAT THE BOARD FINDS VALUABLE.
ASK IF FOLKS HAVE THOUGHTS SITUATIONS, DIFFERENT THINGS.
I WANT TO SURE NANCY IS OKAY WITH THAT.
I MEAN, I DID PREVIEW IT WITH HER.
SHE'S PLAYED SUCH A CRITICAL ROLE OF SECRETARY AND HELPING US REALLY HONE IN ON OUR ROLES, SYNTHETIC AND NATURAL TRANSITION.
[00:50:01]
>> NANCY DRANE: I WOULD BE HAPPY TO GIVE IT A GO ANOTHER YEAR.
SO THANK YOU FOR ASKING AND SUGGESTING IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I DO WANT TO UNDERSCORE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT JUST REALLY HAVING A STRATEGY TO HAVE MORE MEMBERS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE HELPFUL BUT ONLY IF WE HAVE A FULL COMPLEMENT, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A LOT ON ALL OF US TO DO EVEN THE WORK THAT WE DID THIS YEAR.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE HAD IS, IF I MAY BE FRANK, I THINK SOME OF THE OTHER COMMITTEES -- SO I WILL GIVE TWO EXAMPLES: THE TALENTED AND GIFTED COMMITTEE AND THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, NOT SURPRISINGLY ATTRACT PARENTS WITH STUDENTS IN EITHER OF THOSE TWO GROUPS.
THEY FEEL VERY IMMEDIATE, THIS IS IN MY ROOM, THIS IS ON THE COUCH OVER THERE KIND OF CONNECTION TO THAT PARTICULAR TOPIC.
I THINK -- WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED ABOUT BAC, AND WHAT I AM HEARING, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT PEOPLE DO AND STUFF LIKE THAT IS I THINK PEOPLE THAT ARE ATTRACTED TO BAC IT AS SORT OF A BIGGER PICTURE AND A LOT OF INTERESTING INTERCONNECTED KIND OF STUFF.
I THINK SOME PEOPLE SEE THAT NATURALLY AND OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT NEED A LITTLE HELP SAYING THOSE KINDS OF CONNECTIONS.
SO HOW DO WE HELP PEOPLE SEE THOSE, THOSE KINDS OF CONNECTIONS? HOW DO WE MAYBE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT I HEARD YOU WILL SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE ALSO HEARD OR MEMBERS SAY IS THAT ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNICATION AND HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET, IT IS WORTH THINKING THAT IS NOT JUST FAMILY MEMBERS ARE CURRENTL ENROLLED ACPS STUDENTS THAT NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND EMBRACE THE BUDGET, BECAUSE THE LION IS -- LION SHARE IS NOT -- THE VAST, VAST, VAST MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING COMES FROM THE CITY.
SO WE KNOW THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA, THE BULK OF THE POPULATION, THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA DOES NOT HAVE SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN.
SO WHAT WOULD WE -- HOW COULD WE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW COULD WE THINK ABOUT RECRUITING FOR THIS COMMITTEE OUTSIDE OF CURRENT SCHOOL PARENTS? THE PEOPLE THAT STILL GET EXCITED ABOUT READING BUDGETS? SO THOSE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS THAT I HAVE.
BUT I THINK THAT IT'S A DIFFERENT RECRUITMENT STRATEGY FROM WHAT WE HAVE USED IN THE PAST, BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WORTH THINKING ABOUT, BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE THEN CAN HELP GIVE US SOME INSIGHT IN WAYS THAT -- HOW DO YOU COMMUNICATE TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THAT ON THE COUCH OVER THEIR IMMEDIATE INTEREST IN THINKING ABOUT SCHOOL FUNDING TOO.
I THINK SEAN MCENANEY WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT.
VERY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT DID NOT HAVE ANY SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN.
HIS CHILDREN WERE TEACHERS AT ACPS, BUT NOT A PART OF IT.
I THINK TOO, TO YOUR POINT, ABOUT WHO'S ATTRACTED TO BAC, YOU KNOW, I HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN BUDGETS ARE A REFLECTION OF YOUR POLICIES, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, YOU BASICALLY ARE INFORMING YOUR POLICIES WITH THE MONEY THAT YOU PUT BEHIND DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, FROM A MACRO LEVEL, LIKE THAT IS THE PIECE WHERE I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO ATTRACT THE FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A REFLECTION OF THE WAY THAT ACPS, OUR INVESTMENTS THAT WE MAKE ARE A REFLECTION OF WHAT WE HOPE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AT LARGE.
BUT ALSO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT JUST -- THAT IT IS MACRO ENGAGEMENT, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WE SEE A LOT FROM INDIVIDUAL PARENTS IS MAYBE MORE MICRO ENGAGEMENT ON INDIVIDUAL ISSUES THAT ARE REFLECTIVE OF SOMETHING AFTER SCHOOL AS OPPOSED TO MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT AND HOW ARE WE EQUITABLY SERVING AND THINKING OF THE FRAME THAT HAS BEEN SO IMPORTANT FOR BOTH THE BOARD AND DR. HUTCHINGS THIS PAST YEAR AS HOW DO YOU BUILD SOMETHING THAT'S EQUITABLE FOR THE FUTURE? SO WITH THAT IN MIND, JUST THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE RECRUITMENT STRATEGY AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING SORT OF IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE TO TRY TO HELP BUILD THE RANKS OF THE BOARD A LITTLE BIT MORE BEYOND THE KIND OF FIVE FOLKS THAT
[00:55:04]
NORMALLY PARTICIPATE.>> RAMEE GENTRY: THE ONLY CAVEAT THAT I WILL SAY AS ONE LAST THING ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF BEING REALISTIC ABOUT RECRUITMENT THIS YEAR AND EVEN IF THERE ARE INTERESTS IN THINGS LIKE, ERIN, YOU MENTIONED THE CITY AND THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, BOARD MEMBERS SPECIFICALLY NOMINATE PEOPLE, WE ARE IN A TRANSITION YEAR THIS YEAR.
HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR, THIS COMMITTEE WILL -- >> ERIN DAHLIN: HAVE A DIFFERENT BOARD MEMBER.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: HAVE A DIFFERENT WORD MEMBER, YES.
EXITED THE LAST BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: THAT'S EXACTLY HOW IT POINTS.
SO NOT AT ALL TO SAY THAT'S -- I THINK IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US ARE GOING TO BE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF, NOT TO SAY -- BUT IT'S GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING ASPECT OF THIS COMING YEAR.
AND I THINK, LIKE MAYBE FIXING MORE OF A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY, THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
>> SUKUMAR ROA: I WANT TO ADD PART OF THE RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES ALSO, THE SKILLS THAT ARE NEEDED ON THE BACK ITSELF, AND THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER -- TO MAKE IT MORE TANGIBLE AND SAY THESE ARE SKILLS THAT ARE NECESSARY I THINK WOULD ALSO PROBABLY HELP US PICK PEOPLE BECAUSE WE CAN BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT THE KIND OF PEOPLE WE NEED.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: EXCELLENT POINT.
JUST HAD A TREMENDOUS HEADACHE.
I LAID DOWN AND DID NOT REALIZE WHAT TIME IT WAS! I AM SO SORRY.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: WE HAVE BEEN THERE.
WE HAVE ALL LIVED THROUGH THIS PAST YEAR.
SO I THINK FROM THE ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER, I WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY NOMINATE NANCY AS THE '21-'22 BAC CHAIR AND WOUL WELCOME A SECOND?
>> ERIN DAHLIN: ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
WELCOME TO THE BAC FOR NEXT YEAR.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: YOU CAN VOTE FOR YOURSELF.[LAUGHTER] >> NANCY DRANE: I WASN'T SURE ABOUT IT.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR YOURSELF.
OTHERWISE PEOPLE FEEL GUILTY LIKE MAYBE SHE DID NOT WANT TO DO IT.
[LAUGHTER] >> NANCY DRANE: I VOTE FOR MYSELF.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: THERE YOU GO.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: I PROMISE TO FINISH OUT THE WORK BEFORE THAT TRANSITION TIME.
IS THERE ANYONE INTERESTED IN BEING SECRETARY FOR NEXT YEAR? IF YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT, THAT IS OKAY.
BUT I WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE INTO THE ETHER.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: I WILL ALSO SAY THAT SOMETIMES WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH SOME COMMITTEES IS PEOPLE HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, I CAN DO TH FALL BUT I KNOW I HAVE A BIG COMMITMENT IN THE SPRING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SO THAT MIGHT BE -- AS A FORMER MEMBER OF ONE OF THESE COMMITTEES, SYMPTOMS THAT SECRETARY DUTY HAS BEEN SPLIT IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
JUST ENCOURAGING YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: THANK YOU FOR THE SUGGESTION.
>> NANCY DRANE: IT'S A PRETTY LIGHT LIFT.
I'M HAPPY TO SHARE TEMPLATES AND ALL THAT KIND OF GOOD STUFF.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: ROBERT, JUST FOR CONTEXT, YOU KNOW, THE BULK OF THE MEETING WE SPENT DEBRIEFING THE RESPONSE THAT DOMINIC PROVIDED TO US REGARDING THE MEMOS.
SO I THINK WE HAVE SOME FOLLOW-UP WITH YOU ALL TO DO, SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE SENDING SOMETHING BACK TO YOU AND DOMINIC AND DR. HUTCHINGS, JUST SO THAT THEY KIND OF RECORD THE BAC RESPONSE FOR THE RECORD.
AND MOVING FORWARD FOR NEXT YEAR.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: POSSIBLY ALSO, RAIN, MAYBE -- > ERIN DAHLIN: IN A MEETING DEPENDING ON THINGS GOING FORWARD.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS FOR MEETING? MY EXECUTIVE HAS ARRIVED.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: AARON, DID YOU WANT TO SEE IF ROBERT HAD A STAFF UPDATE?
>> ERIN DAHLIN: THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
ROBERT, IS THERE A STAFF UPDATE?
>> ROBERT: THERE IS A STAFF UPDATE.
>> SUKUMAR ROA: SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: NO WORRIES, SUKUMAR.
RYAN, YOU HAD TO LEAVE AT 8:00 TOO?
>> RAMEE GENTRY: THANK YOU BOTH.
>> ROBERT: I CAN PROBABLY PUT A COUPLE BULLET POINTS TOGETHER AND EMAIL AND UPDATE, IF THAT WILL WORK.
I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE TO DROP OFF.
ACTUALLY, I PREFER TO DO THAT, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: THAT IS FINE, ROBERT.
WELL, I WILL OFFICIALLY ADJOURN THE MEETING -- >> SUSAN: BEFORE YOU ADJOURN, DO YOU KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE SAME MEETING DATE OF THE SECOND
[01:00:06]
TUESDAY OR THE THIRD TUESDAY OF THE MONTH?>> ERIN DAHLIN: WE WERE DOING THIRD TUESDAY THIS YEAR BECAUSE I THINK THE SECOND TUESDAY CONFLICTS WITH A LOT OF PTA MEETINGS.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: WE HAD OPTED TO MOVE TO THE THIRD TUESDAY.
>> NANCY DRANE: I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION AND THEN A COMMENT, I GUESS.
CAN YOU REMIND ME WHETHER WE TRADITIONALLY MEET DURING THE SUMMER OR WHAT OUR NEXT MEETING WOULD BE IN SEPTEMBER?
>> SUSAN: THE NEXT MEETING WILL LIKELY BE IN SEPTEMBER, OR BECAUSE SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST, YOU CAN ALSO OFTEN BE IN AUGUST.
IT JUST DEPENDS, IF YOU WANT TO.
AND IF YOU HAVE AN END OF YEAR REPORT THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON, THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GET YOUR COMMITTEE TO ADOPT SO IT WILL GO ON AN AGENDA IN EARLY OR SECOND MEETING OF SEPTEMBER.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: JUST TO SAY, WANT TO MAKE REAL CLEAR, YOU GUYS DID THE MEMO.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO IT END OF YEAR.
THAT'S A MORE GENERAL THING THAT PEOPLE DO IF THEY HAVE NOT HAD SOMETHING OF THAT SUBSTANCE.
[LAUGHTER] >> NANCY DRANE: THANK YOU, RAMEE.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: YOU WILL CLEARLY EXPLAINED AND DEMONSTRATED YOU SHOW YOUR WORK.
>> SUSAN: BUT WHAT WE WANT TO SEE, BECAUSE WE DO KEEP IT ON THE BOARD COMMITTEE PAGE FOR EACH COMMITTEE, IS IF YOU SUBMIT A MEMO JUST STATING WHAT YOUR WORK WAS FOR THE YEAR, AND THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO DO.
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE LARGE OR -- >> RAMEE GENTRY: SUSAN, LITERALLY, CAN YOU JUST REPORT THE MEMO ON?
I CANNOT IMAGINE IT BEING -- >> SUSAN: OKAY, OKAY.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: I CAN'T -- >> SUSAN: THE BOARD HAS TO ACCEPT IT.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: I CAN LITERALLY PUT FIVE BULLET POINTS AND SEND IT.
>> NANCY DRANE: NOT A BIG DEAL.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: BUT I WOULD SAY ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS SAY WE DID THIS, HERE IT IS.
>> NANCY DRANE: THAT'S EASY ENOUGH.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: JUST TRYING TO BE SENSITIVE TO WORK.
>> NANCY DRANE: I APPRECIATE THAT.
SUSAN, IF IT'S OKAY, LET ME GET BACK WITH YOU.
BECAUSE I ACTUALLY HAVE A STANDING WORK MEETING ON TUESDAY EVENINGS THAT I MANAGED TO AVOID, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE CALENDAR IN FRONT OF ME.
SO MAYBE WE CAN CONNECT ABOUT A PREFERRED DATE.
I GUESS I WOULD ASK -- I WILL EMAIL SUKUMAR AND RYAN.
BUT, SELENA, DO YOU HAVE A DAY OF THE WEEK THAT'S BETTER FOR YOU OR THAT YOU PREFER?
>> SALENA HAJJI: I DON'T HAVE A PREFERENCE.
I GUESS IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A STANDING ONE, BECAUSE IN THE FALL I TEND TO BE EXTREMELY BUSY WITH THE KIDS' ACTIVITIES AND IT LIGHTENS UP IN THE SPRINGTIME AND SUMMER.
BUT FALL IS A CRAZY -- IT'S CRAZY AT WORK DURING THAT TIME TOO.
>> NANCY DRANE: I TOTALLY GET IT.
SUSAN, MAYBE I CAN CONNECT WITH YOU IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
YOU CAN WORK WITH YOUR COMMITTEE AND COME UP WITH YOUR DATE AND LET US KNOW WHAT IT IS.
WE KIND OF ASK THAT YOU NOT DO IT ON -- BOARD MEETINGS ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME WEEKS OF EVERY MONTH, UNFORTUNATELY.
BUT WE TRY NOT TO OVERLAP BOARD MEETINGS.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: IT'S PROBABLY SAFER TO AVOID THURSDAYS.
>> NANCY DRANE: THAT IS FINE, THAT'S FINE.
I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT THANK YOU FOR TAKING A COUPLE MINUTES TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
I HAVE THE DRAFT RESPONSE TO THE STAFF AND OUR FINAL MINUTES WE CAN CIRCULATE VIA EMAIL TOO.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: SO WE WILL APPROVE THAT.
I ADJOURN THE MEETING TONIGHT.
>> RAMEE GENTRY: THANK YOU, ERIN.
>> NANCY DRANE: THANK YOU, ERIN.
>> SALENA HAJJI: YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> ERIN DAHLIN: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> SUSAN: GOODBYE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.