All right.

Good morning, everybody.

Thank you all for coming.

And I'm I saw I'm sorry for not having enough seats, but I did not expect 300 people to come in this to this meeting.

All right, but but thank you all for coming.

Alright, good job.

All right.

We have a short 30-minute meeting today.

Once again, I did not expect this, but um I think we could uh we could extend it a little bit longer.

Should we have some more questions, potentially we'll find out about that through our attorneys here.

But let's start off with introductions to my left, please.

Anything there is that Tony Ricardo, school board district one.

Raw Aries, District 11.

Good morning, Tyrona Clark Murray City Council District 9 and 32-year veteran of Duval County Public School.

All right.

Okay, and this is currently being live streamed as well and recorded in case anybody wants to rewatch the video later on.

All right, and we notice it for an hour, even better.

So we have a full hour, guys.

All right.

Um we have microphones right here.

If you guys want to speak, just pass it along, and then we'll bring you guys some microphones as well, too.

All right.

Um, so this meeting is is very we could put one on this side of it if you don't mind.

Okay, thank you.

Uh, this meeting is really uh mainly to to understand uh the ramifications.

Should it not go in the botot on our end?

Um, what it will mean once it goes on the ballot in November, so it's more of an educational purpose.

Also, um, just kind of some point of clarity.

Uh, this was taken up this past Tuesday at our finance committee meeting during that time.

Uh, there was a lot of concerns, a lot of unanswered questions, and so I found it myself that personally I was not ready to take action on this until I truly understood the nature of what we were voting on.

Yeah, somebody could say it was as simple as just putting on the ballot, so let people vote.

Sure, we get that part.

But there's more to it than just that.

I want to understand what this mill rate, this this one mill would signify.

Should it pass in November?

Should it not pass?

What have we done in the past with this uh previous extension of I think it was like the last four years that we've had it?

How has that really affected our our school um our district?

And additionally, what would happen in the future should it pass or not pass?

I want to understand everything before I take vote on this.

So my train of thought last Tuesday was let me make calls, let me have meetings.

I'm I made a lot of calls, a lot of people called me.

I have several of emails from everybody from the community, all right.

So my questions have been for the most part answered.

I feel a lot better about everything moving forward.

Um the question is what how do we where would where do we stand next Tuesday?

And that's where I have the attorneys here to talk about where we're gonna be at next Tuesday.

So uh Mr.

Fapulis or Mr.

Factor, if you don't mind.

Uh thank you.

So uh next Tuesday, as it stands, the item is still sitting in the finance committee because that committee has not reported it out.

So next Tuesday, you will not see this item on the city council agenda unless it's discharged by the council president, which he has the ability to do, and that was addressed to a certain extent at the finance committee, and I don't know where he stands on that today.

The other option is to um a council member can move to have it discharged on Tuesday night, which if it receives a second would be voted on, and to successfully discharge it on motion by a council member would require two-thirds vote of members present.

So, whatever number of people are on the dais at the time, it would be two-thirds of that number.

If that is uh if that occurs, then what we would traditionally do, and I've already coordinated with the council secretary and um we'll be coordinating with Chief uh Smith of legislative services is we would essentially have a addendum ready for approval because that that's what gets it onto your agenda is we produce it as an addendum item, and that would need to be approved by the council, and then you would be able to move it as an addendum item.

If it is not discharged either by the president or by motion, then it would not come to council on Tuesday, and the following week it would come back to the finance committee for consideration, where the committee can then deliberate on it and take action if they so choose, or if there is additional discussion regarding deferral.

I have confirmed that the school board is obligated to get the ballot language and everything to the supervisor of elections by August 18th.

So if there's an additional deferral, of course, we have a three-week council break, and if it gets deferred in finance again and is not subsequently discharged by the two mechan by either of the two mechanisms I mentioned for the June 23rd, I believe it is council meeting, you would have one final opportunity to act on it in July, where it would come to the finance committee during its July 21st meeting, and then it would come to council on July 28th.

And that would be the last opportunity for the council to take it up and vote it out in order for the school board to meet its deadline of August 18th with the supervisor.

Now, also pending in the background is that state law that was placed on the governor's desk for signature.

It's part of a tax package that would eliminate the language in the statute that requires that this matter go through the city council to be placed on the ballot, and instead would provide like in other taxes that the school boards can pursue that they can directly submit it to the supervisor to have it placed on the ballot.

It kind of removes the city council as the board of county commissioners as the middle middle entity.

Um that uh all expectation is that the governor would sign that bill and not veto it, but again, we don't know until we know, and if it is made effective, it would be effective July 1.

So to that extent, our office would have to look at how does that affect this ongoing process that's currently pending in front of the city council with respect to the legislation.

Thank you.

So uh this past Tuesday, that was one of my questions to you, Mary.

Uh, you know, how long do we have?

You stated June 23rd.

It looks like we have really till August 18th.

Yes, I wanted I went back and confirmed with the supervisor of elections through his attorney what their cutoff date was for the ballot, and so based on that information, um, and I have I have provided this information to the council president as well that there's a little bit of additional time than what I originally could could recall when we discussed it in finance.

And that's really once once that statement was made, it made me feel a lot better knowing that.

Yeah, it's it's we could have taken the vote then and there on Tuesday, but I personally wanted time, and look what what time brought us, it brought us all together.

Sometimes a little bit more time, a little bit more conversation helps really push things forward or whatever the case is.

So I feel good about this.

Uh Mr.

Fackler, you and I had a conversation.

You you send the one uh way communication to everybody.

I called you to just get more clarity on on this subject.

Can you please invite everybody about what we spoke about and your expertise opinion?

Thank you, Councilman Arias.

Um the subject of the one way communication was simply to let you know this is not a Shall versus May version two.

There was some discussion then.

There was a legal issue of whether the SHAO in a different statutory provision actually meant May.

Here, there is no question, there is a second DCA, so the second district court of appeals has determined in this case the action of the city council.

In that case, it was county commissioners, but our version is the city council, has no discretion.

It is a purely ministerial act, meaning you are just pushing yes to keep the ball going forward.

Any discretion that existed resided with the school board when they passed their resolution, your act is purely ministerial to get it on the ballot to the supervisor of elections.

Thank you.

All right.

Um, so uh my goal today would be to have more dialogue between up here, everybody up here, and then I definitely want to have you guys as well, um, have some words as well too towards the end.

So the fact that we have an hour or 45 minutes left, I'm gonna keep the last 15, maybe 20 minutes to you all, FY.

Um, so in the meantime, um, who would like to go first from up here?

Because I I know I've spoken to well, three of the four.

Ms.

Bulduk, would you like to go first or Dr.

Bernier?

I know you may have a time crunch.

So, what I want to do is actually I want to speak to um uh and if you want to bring something up, just let me know.

Okay, okay.

All right.

Um I also do have so I spoke to not only um our DCPS uh system as well too, but also our charter school systems, um, parents, educators, everybody, and I do have uh individuals here from from the charter schools as well, too, that will speak to.

So uh floor is yours, sir.

So in and with respect to my board members, thank you very much for the opportunity to lead off.

Um, I'll be brief.

I I had a great briefing in front of the joint meeting of the city council.

Um, it was a really amazing opportunity to really drive home a couple of things.

Number one, many of the people seated here are the responsible parties for our success.

You, for the first time in the history of Duval County have an A-rated school system.

You also have for the first time in history.

You also have for the first time in history a 97.6% graduation rate.

That being said, public school systems, including our charters, do two things really, really well if they're doing it the right way.

They're developing really amazing graduates who come back and be members of this community, raise the level of our city, there are future caregivers, there are future lawyers, doctors, plumbers.

They will be gainfully employed based on the fact that they have high school diploma and industry credentials as well as the opportunities to go to college, because we believe in graduating children that are both college and career ready.

Not one or the other, both.

And that brings young people back to our community who can dig in, support, and drive the economy.

The other thing, really great partnerships between charters and public schools do is we create an environment where we can work in one of the best states for economic advancement.

We have a thriving economy in the state.

Part of it is because of the tax breaks and the work of this city council and others to bring industries to our community.

One of the things when you're recruiting a business in Iowa in December would be the weather.

Let's just be clear that's probably the first question they're gonna ask.

What's the weather like now in December in Florida?

That's a great way to get the CEO interested.

But then if the CEO, if he or she is interested at all in their employees, the next question they're gonna ask is how's the public school system?

You now can answer that question differently than any other time in the history of this of this community.

The reason why we're there, the number one factor in student achievement are teachers.

The research is so clear, right?

Principals are second, but teachers, but the the distance between them is enormous in terms of the statistical impact of a teacher in a classroom, whether that's at DuPont, whether that's at Andrew Jackson, whether that's over at Rains or down in Mandarin.

It does they are the number one factor in this particular millage.

This particular millage provides dollars, about eighty, six hundred dollars on the average to our typical educator, about 10% of the about 10% of their known salary, including benefits, that they need.

Let's start there.

They need it to put gas in a tank, they need it to put food on the table, they need it to put shoes on their children, they need to help pay for their health insurances.

You know, this inflation that we all feel about and we feel about property taxes too, they have to pay them as well.

But I think the other big thing is it stabilizes our teachers.

You look over the last several years, we have risen to a 91% retention rate.

Our vacancies have declined.

Now, nothing that I'm proud of, and I just said that to you a few minutes ago.

Back in the day, a few years ago, we had 400 vacancies.

This year we had about 250 that we finished the year with.

But that's after investing 43 million dollars in class size to bring this district for the first time in compliance with the constitutional amendment on class size.

We made it this year.

When I first got here as superintendent, I was asked to sign a memorandum signing off on 70 schools that were outside of class size.

This year there were two, and with two simple hires in each one of those high schools, we brought those high schools into compliance as well.

We are turning the corner financially.

We have proven on our halfpenny sales tax by what we've been able to reduce in terms of the cost of our builds from 70, 69, 70 million dollar buildings to 45 million dollar buildings.

We have found ways to trim costs and get our construction costs from over 500 square foot to now under 400.

This money has been well spent.

About 87% of it that has been raised in the past, has gone directly.

Um sorry, 75% of the funding goes directly to teachers.

Um, 12.5% went to the arts and athletics, and our charter proportionate chair hovers right around 20% that goes to our charters to do the same similar work.

Our chair teachers are averaging just over $8,000 in terms of uh an annual bonus.

We are moving right now to help support our police officers because we believe state student achievement and student safety are interrelated.

So we're working with the FOP right now to discuss how we can bring our um police officers distribution up to this to up to a similar level based upon years of experience in athletic projects.

We've redone 12 elementary school playgrounds, updated six athletic facilities, we've done seven high school turf fields, we have brand new middle school poor scoreboards, we have middle school track resurfacing and high school resurfacing, we've done high school tennis courts, bleach reservations, beach volleyball courts, which has led to Fletcher High School's girls not only being the number one team in the state, but they just recently have the received recognition as the number one team in the nation in beach volleyball.

They didn't even have a court.

They didn't even have a court.

And before I get in trouble with Viking Nation, let me mention also that Reigns uh has an amazing football team, and or we're just recently track champions.

I mean, we're doing so much, and I'll end with this that I would love to believe every student gets up in the morning and comes to high school because they want to take algebra one.

Um there are some that do.

There are some that do, right?

And and there are some kids that are really academically driven, but having a great teacher in the classroom when that's when that door closes, combined with the right arts and athletic activities, that's the hook to bring young people to the building every day.

And when they're here, we've got the staff that can teach them.

I would turn it over to my board members of the staff.

Thank you, sir.

Yeah, that's um before I go over to the board members.

I have a little order here.

So um now that we heard from DCPS, I would like to also hear from charter schools and um Ambassador Root.

If you don't mind, and you yeah, thank you, sir.

Thank you.

This is hot.

Um thank you for the opportunity, and I really appreciate you um taking the time and setting up this meeting because it's important to communicate and understand um the issue.

First of all, I hope this um is approved and goes on the ballot.

Um we've talked about that before.

You've um that's that's pretty simple.

It's important to let the voters decide.

Second thing I want to talk about is teachers, and I'll echo what Dr.

B said.

Um, the most important thing that we can do in education to get outcomes is hire great teachers.

Hire and retain great teachers, and that's like he said that that is proven time and time again.

This um revenue source has enabled us to do this.

Our turnover is down.

We are able to retain teachers, and this is a very, very competitive environment for teaching.

Not only do we have the neighboring counties that if this doesn't pass, we'll have more more resources to compete with this school that we cannot match, but we also have these private voucher schools that are springing up, and they don't have the the restraints or the limits on what they pay their teachers.

Um they can they're they get a voucher, but also the people that attend these schools most of them contribute tuition, and that tuition will cover the will allow them to pay more for teachers, and we're constantly um being poached.

Um, our good teachers are being poached.

They're being offered more money to leave.

Now, thankfully, most of most of them appreciate the environment we have, the diverse economic and racial environment we have, and and our philosophies on education, we're able to keep most, but that is going to be a bigger and bigger challenge every year.

So without these added, without this uh funding source um can be approved and continuing, it is going to be very, very challenging for the public school system.

And I did have one other point I forgot, I should have had notes.

I wanted to say how proud I am to be a part of the public school system.

And this man right here is my boss as well as um all the other all this the bosses of all the other schools, and we look at it that way.

And I'm also very proud to say we helped with that A.

Um, we're not an anchor on it.

Um, so we're proud of we're proud of that as well.

And thank you all for your support initially on the charter.

And um, and um thank you again for the opportunity to be here.

Thank you, sir.

If you don't mind, just very quick, just state your name and your address.

I'm sorry, John Rude 153, Catherine Towers Place.

Thank you for your time today, sir.

Thank you.

All right.

Okay, um, so now I will open it up to our board members.

Okay, Miss Uh Bauduk, you go first.

Thank you.

So a lot of what I would have said is has been stated.

So I'm gonna focus on something that I feel I can speak to that others can't.

I am a strong fiscal conservative.

I don't like taxes any more than anybody else.

And I committed to looking at our budget, really uh doing everything I could to study it, determine where there may be fat, where we could cut.

For seven years, we've had board members who are as fiscally conservative as I am, looking at that budget the same way that I am now.

I've brought transportation, I brought all of our third party contracts, I've been looking at everything.

85% about maybe a little more because we have lots of different buckets and pockets, and it's a complicated thing to discuss, and I'm looking for a way to unpack that for our constituency to see why can't we just pull it from here or there, where is all this money going?

And I'm gonna tell you I haven't found a place where we are wasting.

We have cut deeply where it hurts, and um I think what I would say is for seven years we've had board members, conservative board members approach approving budgets.

You can't say it's in there somewhere if you can't find out where it is.

We have an we have an auditor that works specifically for the board that looks anywhere we want them to.

I invite the council, our constituency to say, hey, I think you need to look at this or that or whatever, audit this.

Um, I'm open to to looking at everything.

Dr.

Bernier has has opened everything up.

We're as transparent as as I know how we can be.

I think there are some cases where you know we have this huge master facilities plan and the information's out there, but maybe not as easy to find.

So maybe we can find a way to make some of this easier to find.

Um, we have two different committees that the board has appointed to look at our finances.

This money is among the most audited, um, the most transparent anyone can see anytime where this money is going.

And so I would say to everyone who trusted and assisted in getting so many of us elected as fiscal conservatives to please trust the fact that we wouldn't ask for this if there was somewhere else that we could get it.

Um, education is one of the few functions of government that is constitutionally demanded.

Um, this is somewhere that we should all be supporting regardless of politics and partisan lines.

Education is a primary function of local and state government.

And so I would just just argue as, you know, we we can't do what we do.

We can't have champagne and caviar dreams on a hot dog and soda budget.

Um, we have to have the ability to appear not only pay the teachers we have, but to reduce the the I lost the word.

No, no, no, I'm looking for um we have compression.

That is the word I lose words now that I'm 48.

Help my life.

Okay.

So we need to reduce the compression.

We have teachers who've been in this system for 30 plus years, um, and and they're not making a lot more than our starting teachers.

And so we have students who don't want to go into education, and when they do, if they say, I want to become a teacher, they're being told by their family members it's not the life you want, by the teachers in this room.

I mean, we're looking out for our friends and our family, and we're going, please just become a plumber or an electrician, because you can make really good money doing that.

But we need teachers, we need passionate teachers.

And if we can't take care of our teachers, if we can't support our teachers, if they can't support their household, how do we say you can't take care of your own, but come in and take care of everyone else's?

Um, I had um we had a constituent come in, we had a teacher come in from Jack's Beach area at our last meeting, and she said, Um, you say you can't appreciate us more.

You can pay us.

And I just wanted a clap from the dais because it that is that is the truth.

Um we we can we can, and so um just a plea from a physical fiscal conservative board member, we wouldn't ask you for this if we thought there was another way that we can find it.

I haven't found it, and I am digging.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Completely changing my talking points um based on what's already been shared.

So we'll see how this goes.

Um, thank you for calling the meeting.

Thank you for asking and and for honestly looking for answers and for inviting our teachers and and community members to come in and tell you about the impact.

Based on what I've heard.

Well, I'll in my for the record comments Tuesday night, I said that as an elected school board member, I get two votes.

My first vote was to determine um whether we wanted I wanted to vote to pass the resolution that sent this issue here to be on the ballot, and then my second vote as a private citizen is I get to vote whether I want to renew or not renew because this is a renewal, it's not a new tax that, and I have said that I'm a yes on both, um, and I'm bringing five votes because I have three children over 18 plus a husband.

So um, so you can count on five votes from the Pearson household on this, because um my children are products of the Duval County Public School system.

I just had a moment to talk to their fifth grade teacher who had all three, and to catch him up.

I have a science teacher back there as well.

I don't know if I have any other of my kids' teachers in the room.

Um, but my last child graduated um last week.

And we are so, and I'm a product of Duval County Public Schools as well, and I am so so grateful for the opportunities that I have had as a result of my K-12 in DCPS, of my children's time uh in DCPS as well.

So, given all of that, and given what Mr.

Facler um has said as well, um, I'm gonna go with something that's kind of like one of my maxims in life is um just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Just because you can delay the vote until August, I'm not sure that you should delay the vote in August.

I think you hear the amens from the crowd on that.

Um my request is that someone pull this on Tuesday and make a motion to over if the if the city council president does not pull it, then one of you make the motion, and there should be a second, and let's get the two-thirds votes to go ahead and put this to bed, send it on to the um supervisor of elections, and let our staff move on with the important work that they need to do this summer.

Just because school's out doesn't mean that work stops.

Everybody in 1701 Prudential and in the outlying satellite offices is currently working on getting ready for the next school year.

So every extra meeting they come to, every extra set of phone calls or emails that we're all sending out trying to whip votes for this, um, is taking time away from getting ready for the next school year.

So I would just say y'all have the ability to bring this to vote on Tuesday, let's please consider doing that so that this can move on and then put it to bed so that these folks can be busy working on the stuff they need to work on to get ready for the next school year.

Thank you, ma'am.

I was yours.

Thank you.

And I appreciate you calling this meeting also.

Um there's not a lot I can add.

I think everybody that's spoken before me has done a great job.

Um, I will uh ask us to consider the teachers.

Uh as a former classroom teacher, I'll if we all who have taught in the classrooms have the same experience, um, having to work a second job or a third job, sometimes to make ends meet, and it makes you uh less effective teacher if you're having to split your time doing two or three jobs.

And I would just ask everyone to consider pulling the item, like Miss Pearson said, and making sure that it comes up for a vote, less time spent on it.

And uh, you know, it means more time that can be spent, the teachers can be spent in doing their thing, and uh the better we can be at our jobs.

Um, I'd also like to hear from the teachers, so I'm not gonna take up any more time.

Right.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And that's that's exactly who I'm gonna call next.

Um so I did have a few questions, and and just so you could hear my train of thought, um, and I've already got them actually answered by all three of you guys here.

Um, when we spoke over the phone, um, but it was the impact of of this uh mill rate.

Uh it's been in effect for the last four years.

So I wanted to know really what has happened in the last four years.

I want to know previously and then what's gonna happen in the future.

Should it go on the November November valley and it goes up or down?

Whatever happens in November has nothing to do with us right now, right?

But what would happen, right?

Whether a positive and negative, um, the other thing is I want to know, I wanted to know about salaries.

Okay, we we've had this already for four years now.

Have teachers' salaries really gone up, is what I want to know.

You know, so I'm I'm just telling you my train of thought right now.

Salaries have gone up across the board everywhere in Florida, every industry.

So that's an automatic.

I want to know if significantly have they gone up.

Not not a one percent or two percent increase, right?

So this this hold on guys, guys.

We gotta we get guys, we got to keep this controlled.

I'm just telling you my train of thought right now, right?

So those are my questions, and then I wanted to know what are what is the current teacher's salary starting at?

What is the current um officer salary starting at, and these increases in the past four years and moving forward, are they reflective to both teachers and officers as well as faculty members as well, right?

Um, so Dr.

Bernier, we had a uh conversation earlier today.

You kind of gave me those numbers.

Um you stated them again right now, but just for clarification, you you talked about 75% of the the one mil, or can you kind of um go on to that a little bit more?

Yeah, of the money we've received, um about 87.5 percent has gone into salary enhancements across all the employee bands, 75% specifically going to teachers, 12.5% into the arts and athletics um for long-term investments such as field and stadium improvements, stages and lighting, and then I also share that about 20 percent um 19.7 percent goes to the charter as their proportional share.

Um our actual starting salary prior to bonuses and other things for a teacher right now is 48,700.

Our starting salary for our police officers is 47,648.

That would be for a brand new teacher that doesn't include some of the other salary and benefit aspects of which sometimes makes up a total compensation package.

So I I appreciate the teachers' immediate response that they have had pay raises.

Um, and I when I think when I first arrived, there was a 2%.

Last year it was 2.6, and I had some questions as to in such a difficult economic year.

Why are you finding money to give to teachers?

Um, because teachers are our most important factor in our in our ability to drive student achievement.

So I've said that before.

Um, so I'm I won't belabor any more of the the comments that I already provided.

Okay, 2% and 2.6 is what you've what we've done in the last two years.

How does that compare to other counties like St.

John's Caliphate and Nassau?

I don't know the surrounding districts.

I can share with you in my former leadership of another school district in the state of Florida.

My percentage increases were greater than that, but I also had an unrestricted fund balance of above 10%.

Um as you'll recall when I first came to the position, we had a fund balance that was hovering at three and potentially had the ability without some correction that Ms.

Bullduke spoke to.

I think it's really important to clarify that those cuts that came at the district level came in district positions.

We did not impact our schools.

In fact, we reinvested last year in more positions.

Um we were right hovering at stake takeover level when I came on board.

If that fund balance dropped below three percent, the state becomes directly involved in running the Duval County Public School system.

In a sense, it would be like declaring a almost a bankruptcy.

Last year through and the year before, through all the hard work and the cuts, we actually moved our fund balance now to five percent.

That is the board policy, the board policy requires the superintendent to have it, and we added policy for disco additional fiscal awareness.

We added policy that will not allow the superintendent to dip into that fund balance without going to the board.

That policy did not exist prior to me arriving, and we put it in place as a safeguard to protect that fund balance.

Now that that foundation is laid, if we can continue to increase, and I've said it in public meetings with my staff and with the teachers and with the teachers union, the goal is as we continue to grow and and find those dollars, we will have the economic means to invest in larger numbers than just those two percent increases.

Yeah, and and that's really my my concern is you know this goes on the November ballot, let's say it goes voted up and it passes in November.

Um, 2.5% is not enough.

And and obviously it is contradictory to what I've been saying, but you know, the standard across the board is roughly, like you said, other counties, other cities are well more than that.

What can we do to make sure that these these uh this mill rate increase or I guess extension, but I should reflect that to for more teacher pays because you're talking about 49,000 roughly for starting pay, 47,000 for officers.

Can we somehow see how we can actually increase that to like above three percent?

Is that like is that a realistic scenario at some point?

Or I appreciate the question, but you're really talking about two, and this is what was explained about the budget.

You're talking about two very different pockets of money.

Um the bonus of eight thousand dollars is is not included in those figures, right?

And and that reflects a certain percentage of the teacher's salary.

The percentage was to move the base pay that that forty that forty-nine thousand in round up rounded up numbers, that forty-nine thousand, that comes from the money we receive from the state.

And if you recall in conversations or if people have been studying, about five, six years ago, the local millage for the school system hovered around five percent.

Now it's at three.

Last year was the first time in four years or five years that there was a slight hit uptick in the required local in the required local millage for schools.

That is set by the state.

That's done in the statewide formula.

So if we want to get even more, and I will make sure I want to make say this say this loud, the governor has been good to providing the districts additional dollars to help move beginning teachers' salaries, and then recently in the last couple of years, he's provided more flexibility for us to begin to work on the compression.

But it would be really great if if our what we call a base student allocation, the amount of money we get to educate a student, if that would rise.

Got it.

Okay, thank you.

All right, so before I open up to the public, uh Ms.

Clark Mary, would you like to have some input?

Or, well, there's so many things.

So many things that have been said already.

The the one thing I would add is this the reality of teaching.

Someone mentioned a second job.

Well, sometimes teachers have second jobs in the school.

So, in addition to teaching for 7.33 hours minus that planning, they're also tutoring.

And there may be pay for that tutoring and there may not be pay for the tuning because your goal as a teacher, our goals as teachers is to make sure that that student moves on the um end of the year test, that student gets the education that he or she needs in order to be successful, and that takes way more than just the for middle school, that 50 minutes that you're with the with the student, and for elementary school too, so you have team up so they're they are working extra jobs.

So this this these dollars don't think of them as a large amount because it isn't.

It is in some cases when the you think about a teacher who has a family, that these additional dollars, the millage, it is helping with paying offsetting the cost of health insurance for everybody in the household.

As yesterday, we know as teachers, if a teacher is not in the classroom and you have to use a substitute, and the sub God bless all the substitutes, there is a huge difference, and you need to be there, and you want to be there.

So you need the health coverage.

You need the various aspects of insurance, life insurance.

So there are some additional costs, and we have what we call a um an equalization amount.

So I'm gonna give you an example of what our paycheck looks like, for example.

So we have an amount that's taken out each paycheck to make sure that we receive the same amount, each paycheck.

And so you also have an election.

You can have, I hope I get the numbers right.

You can have either I think 22 paychecks or 26 paychecks.

I always elect 22 because I I manage my money when I get it at the end of the summer.

I mean, at the end of the school year.

So there are different things in addition to this millage rate that it assists.

It's not just salary, it is so many other aspects that go along with being a teacher.

All right, thank you.

So now if nobody else wants to have any input, um, I'm gonna open up to the public.

So I'm gonna start just to kind of uh make it fair, I'll do from one from this side, one from this side, and then we'll kind of just swap around, right?

Uh so just raise your hands if you want to speak, all right.

Sir, Travis, go ahead.

And just make sure you state your name and address for the record, please.

Absolutely.

Good morning, councilman, although you know me.

Uh, for the record, Travis Acres.

I am a history teacher at Atlantic Coast High School.

Uh, the largest uh high school in your district and the city of Jacksonville.

Um, I'm gonna actually read my closing first to save time uh for the others who would like to speak.

Uh, putting this on the ballot is about trusting the voters of Duvall County.

As a fellow Navy veteran, you understand and value democracy, and there's no better way to promote and preserve our democracy than through the cornerstone value of voting here in our country.

This gives families a voice on investing in their children's future, a value both you and I share.

And strong schools also mean safer neighborhoods.

We can't have that without this initiative.

It means better prepared graduates for the workforce for the military or for college, and a stronger Jacksonville.

So I urge you to not only support getting this measure on the ballot, to let people vote in November, but I'm gonna ask you, not only as your constituent, but as your friend, to be the one who makes that motion on Tuesday.

We know the second's already there.

I can count on my hand right now, 10 other council people who will second that motion.

So on Tuesday, I'm asking you, Councilman Arius, to be the one who makes that motion so that the educators in this room can have stability and economic security in their life so that our board members can have the resources to allocate to maintain our A rating, a historic achievement that has been done in this past year, and you are the person in power who can help to make that happen.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

All right.

We'll have a chat later, Travis.

All right, um, raise your hands if you want to speak, and then uh, like I said, I'm gonna take sides one here, one there.

Um, you're already up, but the next side will come over here from the lady in the back.

All right, thank you.

Good morning.

My name is Tammy Brooks Evans, and I'm the president of Duvall Teachers United.

Thank you, teachers.

I want to thank them first for taking time out of their summer, those who are 10 month employees.

So you got a 12-month paycheck spread across 10 months check spread across 12.

And thank you so much for answering the call for us reaching out saying to come and fill the room to talk about the importance of them receiving the money that is tied to this referendum.

It's important that this kind of move forward so that we can move on, so that I don't have to keep calling them from their summer break where they should be relaxing, trying to have time with their family, do things that are important for them to rejuvenate and come back and help us to maintain this A.

I think that this has been um jarring for them that it just doesn't happen the way that it's supposed to, that we're having so many questions about something that is very, very clear to the people that are filling this room, the importance of that money.

You ask the question what will happen if it's voted down, they all take pay cuts.

That's what that means.

They take pay cuts already in a budget where they're trying to survive with the rising cost of insurance, the rising cost of gas, the rising cost of food, the rising cost of life, and the fact that we're having these meetings rather than just moving this forward so that teachers can continue to receive this money, to show a little respect to the profession, a little respect to the people that give up so much of their personal lives to take care of the children of this community.

They give up so much, and the fact that people are questioning whether this is important is disrespectful, it's disrespectful.

So what I hope that's gonna happen is that someone will pull this on Tuesday.

We give the votes and move on, and they can go back to relaxing and not have to receive so many emails from their union saying, come and fill the room and tell them why things are important to you.

These are people that give up their time constantly, all school year for students, and now they're having to give up their summer break because this is something that's important for them for their livelihood.

But as you see, they're here, they show up, we make the call, they come to do the thing that is right to help for this profession.

So please pull it on Tuesday.

Let's move forward.

I feel like at the end of this meeting, you're gonna have a very clear understanding of how important this is to people.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

All right, so for the record, um, I've I've been very busy on the phone.

You may walk up.

I've been very busy since Tuesday night calling people, people have been calling me.

Like I said, I've received so many emails.

I haven't replied back to everybody, but we've been busy.

I called you as well, sir.

Um, and uh to me the clarity is there, right?

So, but you guys are here, and the way I see it is um, if anything, you know, sometimes having these conversations while it's inconvenient, it also helps push the narrative out there too.

So now things are in the spotlight, right?

So um I'm I'm just grateful that you guys came today.

All right, go ahead.

Good morning.

So good morning.

Being in front of adults than children.

My name is Cammie Gabigan, and I proudly serve as an elementary teacher in Duval County for the past 19 years.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

I appreciate your willingness to listen to the voice of the educators, the parents, the community members who directly who are directly impacted by this decision.

However, I want to respectfully remind you that this discussion should not be about whether you personally support or oppose the referendum, your responsibility is to allow the voters of Duval County the opportunity to make that decision for themselves.

The question before you is whether the referendum should should appear on the ballot, not whether it should ultimately pass.

I stand before you today, not only as a teacher, but also as a mother of two DCPS students and as a wife.

Like many families, we work hard, budget carefully, and do our best to keep up with rising costs.

Four years ago, voters approved the referendum that helped increase teacher pay, provide bonuses, and support the salaries of our school security officers.

That investment has made a real difference in the lives of educators and the students we serve.

With inflation continuing to impact everyday expenses, losing that funding would effectively mean a financial burden for many teachers like myself.

For me and countless others, that is not a small matter.

It directly affects our families and our ability to remain in this profession.

Today, I'm not asking you to vote for or against the referendum.

I'm asking you to trust the people of Duval County, put the measure on the ballot, and allow the voters to decide the future.

Taking that choice away from them is not what representative government is meant to do.

Please give the citizens of Duval County the opportunity to have their voices heard this November.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you so much.

Good morning.

My name is Margaret Rojero Hastings.

My email is somewhere in the IRM at you quite a few years ago.

Yes.

Um, yeah.

I remember.

I've taught in this district for a very long time.

I was here when our salaries were frozen, and that was not made up.

We're still paid a step below, and that's that's okay.

I think every teacher that's here, it is built into just our being that we are gonna go above and beyond.

And I know board member Balduk, and she can tell you I stay at school, I'll be there for nine, 10 hours, and I'm elementary, and I saw a lot of teachers prior to the mill, prior to this referendum.

The spark was gone.

We were not appreciated at all.

It didn't matter what we did.

Now during COVID, all of a sudden we pulled it together, and it was great.

But this mill reinvigorated a lot of people.

It made them say, I'm appreciated, I'm seen, I'm heard.

Because we love these kids.

We love them like they are our own family.

But that referendum does give me more peace of mind.

It makes me know that yes, I can pay my bills.

I can buy additional supplies for my kids or buy something additional that a child who has dyslexia might need in my classroom.

So I thank you for your time and thank you for listening.

And just please know that this mill really, this referendum means so much to so many.

And we really need that support because it does take a village, and we are that village.

We are all in this together for our future.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Hi everyone, I'm asusena Leduc.

I'm a school social worker, so I want to give a different perspective.

I don't have anything prepared because I did not expect to speak, so I'm going to just speak from my heart and from my experience.

Thank you, Dr.

Brunier, for being here, and thank you to the board members.

Uh, my address is 6836 Simca Drive.

Sorry, I'm nervous.

Um, but as a school social worker, our salary is also affected.

There's another school social worker that is here.

We advocate for our community, we advocate for the children, and as the teachers have already said, we use our own money, our own money to be able to provide for the kids.

I spend all of my time on Facebook, and some of my friends that are here on Facebook can tell you I will post my child needs a backpack.

I have a child at my school that needs this.

We shouldn't have to do that.

I will lose $7,000 from my paycheck if if this is voted no.

And that will affect my family.

I already work multiple jobs.

I'm a school social worker, I work 10 months, I'm doing additional work over the summer to create to create additional income for my family.

I was at a training yesterday because it offered us more money.

I'll be working over the summer, and the things that we do over the summer help us make sure that when we come back at the beginning of the school year, we are prepared to help the children.

There's a lot of things that we do over the summer.

A lot of a lot of calls that we make, a lot of assessments that we do over the summer.

There's a lot of things that go into our jobs.

It's not just August to May, June when we finish.

There's a lot of things that go into the summer, so that when we come back in August, we are prepared to do what we need to do in the limited amount of time with the limited amount of funds and and understanding that a lot of people obviously have.

So I'm I'm asking you, like everybody else has said, to please allow the county to vote on this because a lot of people are going to be affected, not just the teachers, the social workers, the school counselors.

We have 80-something social workers in the district that work in a lot of different areas.

All of our paychecks are affected.

School counselors' paychecks are affected as well.

She's already said teachers lost their spark.

This brought back the spark.

With my credentials, I could go anywhere and make a lot more money.

A lot more money.

I'm a licensed social worker, qualified supervisor.

I can make a lot more money going other places.

But I love working with kids.

I love what I do.

And I love that my community will come together to do what we need to do.

Por favor.

The un Latino otro Latino Por favor.

There's a lot of Latinos in the district.

Right.

Um, oh we're here, and then you're next ma'am, okay?

All right.

I'm David Boss, and I'm not an educator.

I'm representing more the community.

Um, as a uh, first of all, as a JPEF member, Jacksonville Public Education Board member, uh, but also a retired communications consultant that helped many districts across the state pass the referendum, including Duval County, but also the proud father of a DCPS teacher, Kami, and uh grandfather for two children.

The issue today is really simple.

I think we're making this way too complicated.

Uh, put the referendum on the ballot.

That's your job.

Okay, the job of the school board is the budget and analyzing it.

The job of you is ministerial.

Put it on the ballot, and the job of the voters is to make this decision.

But I also want to put it into context because I have worked all over the state.

No county commission has ever denied this request, except Duval County five years ago, which got overturned because of a legal challenge.

Just yesterday, Hardy County and very conservative Watchula voted five to nothing on the county commission to put on the ballot without discussion.

Simple, right?

Now, I also want to mention that county voters have never failed to pass a renewal all over the state.

It's gonna pass if you just put it on the ballot.

Renewals are fairly easy because it's not a tax increase.

Just two years ago in Hernando County, very conservative, over 70% voted for President Trump, and two renewals were on the ballot.

The half cent for facilities, as well as the one mil, mostly for teachers, at the same time as the presidential ballot.

And while these 70-some percent voted for President Trump, more than 60% voted to pass both renewals.

Think about that.

It doesn't matter your political persuasion, it doesn't matter whether you're Republican or Democrat.

If people are given the right information, as you so eloquently said, you've looked at the budget, they'll pass it.

Just give them the right information and they will pass these renewals.

But I just want to make sure that we have that perspective.

In Sarasota County, where I'm from, they've passed this since 1998, but recently they had a very divisive school board, well publicized, a lot of politics, a lot of divisiveness.

And guess what?

When the renewal went to the voters, 84% voted yes, despite any politics, despite any divisiveness.

When they got the information, they voted to support public education.

And I think that's what will happen here in Duval County if you'll just do your job and put it on the ballot.

And most importantly, do this for the teachers and the students and the school district that has used this money wisely to become an A district.

The proof is in the results.

Just go forward, not backward, and let the voters decide.

Thank you, sir.

You'll go next, ma'am.

We have eight minutes left, all right, guys.

Okay, I will be super quick.

Um, my name is Robin Reid.

Hi, Melanie.

Nice to see you again.

Um, I'm actually somebody standing up here.

I had to go through security with steel on my leg because my leg is fractured.

It is that important that I am here.

So I bring it with a different perspective, and I'll try and get through without crying.

As part of a two-teacher household that has served in the Duval County school system for over 20 years, the thought of losing this voting on the millage is devastating.

My husband and I have continued to teach through first year teachers getting exponential increases in salaries that resulted in only a $97 increase for veteran teachers.

For our family, when this village, you ask, what does this mean to teachers?

For our family, when this millage first passed, we were able to purchase a home for our family such that our daughter who I brought today could pursue.

She's a proud graduate of Douglas Anderson.

We bought a house so she could stay in this school system.

Now she has graduated with multiple acceptances to colleges across the country, but that also comes with a cost.

Even with an academic full ride to her college of choice, that is a minimum of $30,000 a year.

Cost to us, we won't even be able to consider it if the millage doesn't pass.

You ask what does this mean to teachers on $1,300.

$1,300 out of a two-teacher paycheck.

More than $15,000 a year.

As a parent that has filled out multiple financial forms in the last month.

We are both 20-year veterans of this school.

My husband teaches the Atlantic Coast.

He's actually not here because he's creating a piece.

One of those other jobs that we do over the summer.

But if we lose this village, that'll bring a two-teacher household of 20 plus years to making less than $100,000 a year.

That's almost $60,000 less than the U.S.

expected average for a dual degree couple, not even accounting for the number of years of service.

This opportunity to vote reinforces what we have taught our children, our graduates who are waiting to vote, and the community we want to continue to build.

Thank you.

Thank you, man.

Not you.

Yeah, not either one.

Yeah.

She had her hand up for a while.

Yeah, we can say that.

All right.

Hello, ma'am.

Name and address, please.

Good morning.

Wanda of honor, 14,000 Ridge Ridge Drive.

I am not a teacher.

Well, I am a teacher.

I'm just not certificated.

I'm a paraprofessional.

And we've been talking.

We've been talking teacher, teacher, teacher, teacher, teacher.

But what about the parents?

What about the office workers, the secretaries, the guidance?

So I speak on their behalf.

We the beginning rate for parents is $15 and something an hour.

And in our contract, when it comes down to bargaining, we can't even get a quarter raise.

They deny us a quarter raise.

All we ask for is a quarter.

Can't give us a quarter.

Ask for five cents.

Last year we got a five cent raise.

What is five cents when we make it fifty dollars and something an hour?

So I was saying this to say the military has helped all the parents and all the office workers.

The extra $400 that I get is like a blessing.

Otherwise, my paycheck is less than a thousand dollars of pay period.

Who can live off of under a thousand dollars of pay period?

My son worked for Chartwell and makes more than me.

Go figure.

Not saying nothing wrong with Chart World Cafeteria, not saying that at all because it gave my special needs son a job.

But he's making more than me, and I've been in the district for 20 years, 20 years, and I make $18 an hour.

So you do the math.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Greetings, good morning.

I am Alfreda Denson Butler, 11575 Springboard.

Thank you, ma'am.

One second, very quick.

So just FY, we have three minutes left.

We have a hard cut.

So you're speaking, you'll be next, ma'am, and then you'll be last, right?

Last week speakers.

One minute, please, right?

Thank you.

Alfreda Denson Butler, 11575 Springboard Drive 3218.

And I won't stand before you loan because most of my colleagues have shared most of this information.

I want to share with you all that the continuation improvement for this extension of ordinance 2026, 0387 since the referendum passed in 2022.

The district has seen a significant growth and benefited.

Educators like me and my colleagues that sit here or stand here before you deserve the resources and necessary to support our students thrive.

We are the backbones of our schools, yet we often ask Duke to do more with less.

Pay.

Without the one meal, teachers, educators will face an average 8600 pay cut.

I myself will receive less than 7,600.

I pulled it up in $66.

$7,680.66.

Even with the current funding, Florida still ranks 50th in the nation for teacher salaries.

Extending this referendum sends a clear message that you all value our teachers, respect our work, and are committed to providing strong public system our community depends on.

Thank you for listening.

Thank you for this opportunity.

Thank you.

That's toward my household.

Okay.

He's already still at work, and he's not even getting paid for something.

Good morning.

My name is Shanna Maureen Russell, and I live at 2547 Stern Drive South.

I just completed my 30th year of teaching.

And so proud of it, and so is my family, God bless them, that they supported my career.

I'm a teacher at Sandalwood High School.

This year I taught grades 11 and 9.

You were wondering about how this money personally affects us, so I will give you a brief personal story on how important this money is.

And I'm so grateful to all the taxpayers who supported us.

And thank you also to our superintendent and board for being supportive of it and our union.

I also stand before you, and I'm gonna try not to cry now, as a breast cancer survivor, okay?

And I won't get into all of that, but I will tell you, it is an expensive journey, and that money is what has helped keep me afloat.

That money covers a max out of pocket that nearly doubled, and a deductible that nearly tripled.

And the importance of teachers being able to focus on their students in the classroom instead of having to worry about how to pay their medical bills.

And we know pharmaceutical costs, you know, everything's skyrocketing.

The gas that it costs for me to come over here from Mayport today and to pay for parking.

I'm like, oh my God.

Uh, and we keep talking about families.

I'm single.

So everything bounces on my shoulders.

I am blessed to have four parents still in my life, and they're aging, and I need to look at that too and be able to take care of them.

And someday I want to be able to retire.

Um, so that money, we are so grateful for it.

We're so grateful for so many people who have supported it.

Thank you so much for your listening and thank you for everyone here who showed up and those who couldn't, but I know they're standing up for us right now, every single day.

Um, okay, and I didn't have any notes prepared, and I'm gonna go back to my gardening.

So sorry for the appearance.

That's the dirt under the nails.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, last speaker up, and then we'll have closing remarks over here on our end.

And it's one minute.

All right.

Let me first say I don't want no teacher to have to go and work this place.

I'm sorry, name it.

Um it's Tiffany and my addresses on file, Tiffany Clark.

Um, I don't want you to have to go to Bucky's honey.

I really don't.

I don't want you to have to do that to get a second job at Bucky.

It's one is too far if you don't live out that way.

Yes, ma'am.

Yeah, but I guess that'll be worth it if we don't get this pass.

Um let me just say this.

As an Air Force veteran, as someone who wore this shirt four years ago that stood right out there in front of City Hall, advocating for the same thing that we are advocating for today.

This is a no-brainer.

In the Air Force, we have a slogan.

Integrity, service before self, and excellence in all you do, integrity.

That's what I think of when I think of our teachers.

Christine McNair, who, as a teen parent, a 15-year-old mother at William M.

Rains, made sure I got my diploma.

She wasn't taking no for an answer.

So, as I wrap this up, it's very simple for me.

Too many teachers sacrifice for me to be sitting in this room.

Too many teachers have sacrificed for all of us to be sitting in this room.

And if we don't do what's right by them, it's a poor frog who won't laugh, dance in his own pond.

Let's do right by our teachers.

I'm begging you.

And I don't beg, I never.

But I am doing it this time.

Please do what is right.

It's not that they just deserve it, but they more than deserve it.

So I know you're gonna do what's right.

So thank you to every teacher.

When I think of you, I think of my Air Force career.

You are service before self.

You are integrity, and you have done excellence in all that you have done for my family and for me personally.

Thank you.

Okay.

All right, thank you, everybody.

So I'm gonna wrap this up very quick, unless you have something else to say.

But um, I just really want to thank you all for taking the time, taking the time of your summer, the planning that you guys have going on, your families, your gardening, everything else.

Um it really means a lot to me.

Like I said, I already had my mind made up before coming into this room, but hearing you guys and your stories really just um kind of just put a stamp on it, you know.

Like I know what I gotta do on Tuesday night.

So I don't want to cry, because a lot of great stories here today, a lot of impactful stories, so it really touched my heart.

I wanna thank you all for coming here today, and thank you, Mr.

Turner Clark Mary, and thank you to OGC for being here.

And um, with that being said, I am wrapping up.

Thank you.