18:26:31 From Nicole Katz to All panelists : Nicole Katz is here buy cannot get my camera on 18:27:42 From Christine Parsons : I'm just here for a public meeting, but I'm so thankful that Rudy Marconi is well. 18:29:47 From Nicole Katz to All panelists : It is not letting me through, it is showing I can only view 18:30:05 From Nicole Katz to All panelists : Even if I call in says I only have mute access 18:30:15 From Randy Liebowitz to All panelists : she can call the phone number for the zoom from a land line 18:30:19 From Nicole Katz to All panelists : I use this each day for my business so not sure why 18:31:31 From Randy Liebowitz to All panelists : 929-205-6099 code 94031549398# 18:32:56 From Nicole Katz to All panelists : It is showing that I am only a Town Member with no ability to show my face or speak 18:35:52 From Nicole Katz : Says I am only an attendee even on phone and cannot speak, will be muted. 18:39:57 From Town Ridgefield to Nicole Katz and all panelists : You should be able to talk now. See if you can unmute yourself. 18:41:12 From Nicole Katz to All panelists : Yes I am able to unmute but cannot video in. That is fine, I will just talk when asked. Thanks 18:44:12 From Jeff Wark to All panelists : I am on as well. Hope you can see and hear me. 18:50:51 From Nicole Katz to All panelists : Looks like Jeff also having same issues so if you could also unmute him as well that would be great. Thanks 18:51:19 From Maureen Kozlark to All panelists : ok 18:58:30 From Jeff Wark to All panelists : I'm on. Not sure what the issue is. 18:59:13 From Town Ridgefield to Jeff Wark and all panelists : Jeff, I think you are muted on your side. 18:59:40 From Town Ridgefield to Jeff Wark and all panelists : I show you as unmuted in the meeting. 20:05:19 From Miira Velia to All panelists : Dear Board members, I’m sending this message as I need to drop off the call before the public comment part of the agenda. As the parent of two Ridgefield elementary school students, I have serious concerns about the adverse impact of a reduction to the BOE budget, as detailed by Dr. DaSilva. I ask you to please reconsider your decision to cut. Thanks for your service to our town. 20:12:48 From Town Ridgefield to Stephen Ruland and all panelists : Stephen, please rejoin the meeting. It may allow you to speak when you raise your hand in Zoom. 20:24:15 From Cheryl Osher : Hi, It's Cheryl Osher. It's not happening now or ever? 20:27:04 From Randy Liebowitz to All panelists : Cheryl, try calling that number above. maybe that will work. or do the zoom on your phone 20:27:27 From Michelle DiMiceli : It's Michelle DiMiceli. Can we try again? 20:29:39 From C B : I support the school budget. 20:36:32 From Mary Battipaglia : I support the school budget 20:37:23 From Leah Hayner : I support the school budget. 20:38:14 From Alison Anderson : I support the school budget 20:38:32 From Danielle Bender : I support the school budget. 20:38:45 From Elizabeth Reynolds to All panelists : I support the school budget! 20:39:53 From Christine Anderson to All panelists : I support the school budget. 20:40:28 From Liz Wronski to All panelists : I support the school budget. 20:40:40 From Holli Levy to All panelists : I moved to Ridgefield in 1985. I support maintaining the programs we have in our wonderful school system. A school system that attracts families to this town, supporting our businesses and creating a robust real estate market. 20:44:22 From Eliza Baker : I support the school budget. 20:44:59 From Michelle DiMiceli to All panelists : I am trying again on the phone. I am on, but don't know how to "raise my hand" 20:45:47 From Cheryl Osher : How do I call in? 20:46:19 From Randy Liebowitz to All panelists : scroll up in the chat. I already typed it there 20:46:55 From George Beratis to All panelists : 1-929-205-6099 20:47:26 From Elizabeth Karlan to All panelists : Cheryl, you need to hit the “raise hand” button at the bottom of your screen 20:47:36 From Rayda Krell to All panelists : Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 Webinar ID: 940 3154 9398 International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/acU5foHwf1 20:48:21 From Shane Peters : Can someone please post instructions for people who wish to call in and speak? 20:49:05 From Leah Hayner : I think there was a number to call in on your email when you registered to attend the meeting 20:49:10 From John F to All panelists : go on top and ‘raise’ hand 20:49:13 From George Beratis to All panelists : Cheryl you can call in from the number I listed above 20:49:42 From Jaclyn Aaron to All panelists : Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 Webinar ID: 940 3154 9398 20:49:52 From Stephanie Anderson to All panelists : I don’t know if this is correct, but at the bottom of the email with the Zoom link there are numbers for iPhone and telephone. I don’t know if this will work, but it says iPhone 19292056009 20:50:29 From Natalie Vecchio to All panelists : I join my neighbors in supporting the school budget. 20:50:36 From Jessica Muller to All panelists : I support the school budget. 20:50:37 From Sean Connelly to Town Ridgefield(Privately) : Can you let people know the number to call if they can't get in? 20:51:04 From Mira Jensen to All panelists : I support the school budget 20:51:07 From Sheila Dunphy : Please do not cut the budget. 20:51:13 From Melissa Ettere to All panelists : Thank you so much Jeanne for your words! You know Brooklyn and our whole family appreciate you and support overwhelmingly the proposed school budget! We will pay to not cut school budget, if necessary! 20:51:26 From Cheryl Osher : i'm on the phone 20:51:26 From Jennifer Failla to All panelists : I support the school budget. 20:51:33 From Ann Guerrera to All panelists : I support the budget 20:51:34 From Michael La Barre to All panelists : I support the budget. 20:51:39 From Cristina Corona : I support the school budget! 20:51:54 From Nicole Brodsky to All panelists : I support the school budget 20:51:56 From Olga Anaya-Salazar to All panelists : i support the school budget. 20:52:04 From Jeanne Deming to All panelists : Phone number is in the email giving you the zoom link 20:52:05 From Eileen McKeon to All panelists : I urge you to support the budget 20:52:07 From Gigi Bazarian to All panelists : Or iPhone one-tap : US: +19292056099,,94031549398# or +13017158592,,94031549398# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 Webinar ID: 940 3154 9398 20:52:29 From Karen Griffith to All panelists : Please support the BOE-approved school budget. 20:52:34 From Jennifer Mignano to All panelists : I support the school budget! 20:52:49 From Erica Meier to All panelists : I support the the BOE budget in full, please do not cut it. 20:52:54 From Olga Anaya-Salazar to All panelists : budget cuts will be devastating for our schools, kids and our community 20:52:55 From Jean Macaluso to All panelists : I support the school budget. 20:52:55 From Stephanie Anderson to All panelists : I support the BOE budget. I understand if 3.96 is not doable at this time, but please support the 2.96. We know that a lot of that money is going to have to go to new state mandates so we will most likely be cutting things that we currently have in our schools just to meet new mandates for social distancing. Thank you. 20:53:07 From Timothy Ward : I support the school budget. 20:53:15 From jessica Wilson to All panelists : I support the school budget 20:53:23 From Kristin Ward to All panelists : I support the school budget and ask that you do not cut the budget below the 2.96% 20:53:55 From Deborah Colon to All panelists : I support the school budget. Please do not cut the budget. This time is the time to support our children and use rainy day money. 20:54:29 From Douglas Silver to All panelists : I support the budget. It is my hope that you will not recommend a cut to the school budget given the massive unknowns of what the state will require of the schools if they return in the Fall. Please remember that if we touch the rainy day fund to balance our budget, there will not be a mid year backstop if the school needs to come back to the town. Uncertain funding to begin the school year is no way to run a school. Doug Silver 20:54:39 From John Dunphy : I support the budget as proposed. I am a town resident for 14 years, a high school counselor for 21 years and a parent of 2 RPS students. John Dunphy 20:55:33 From Elaina Rampolla to All panelists : I support the school budget 20:55:48 From Kelly Feeney to All panelists : I support the school budget! 20:55:57 From Hilary Brown to All panelists : My husband and I are both 20-year residents of the town; both sons graduated RHS and benefited from people before us who supported the school budget year after year. I am a music teacher in town; my husband and I also own a business in town. We support the school budget as proposed. 20:57:21 From Melissa Ettere to All panelists : Cheryl Osher is at her neighbor’s (Melissa Ettere’s house). please acknowledge and let her speak! 20:58:02 From Chris DeVito : raise your hand if you want to speak Shane 20:58:30 From Shane Peters : Not for me, for everyone else. 20:58:50 From Kathleen Murdock to All panelists : try logging out and coming back in 21:00:07 From David Griffith : As a teacher, resident, and parent in Ridgefield, I strenuously urge you to fully support our schools, teachers, and children. Please approve the 3.96% board of education school budget. 21:00:15 From Erica Digrazia to All panelists : The way Mary Walsh phrased it was perfect. This is the time to think about the children and not our wallets. Our children will undoubtedly be going back to unknown times and leaving as much as we can unchanged is the best thing we can do for them. I wouldn't recommend as much as changing paint colors at this time, just to keep things stable and comforting for these little beings. We should put the town projects we can on hold, use what we can from the rainy day fund, keep our town prosperous by NOT cutting jobs, Fund the schools, keep the teachers, keep the arts/music programs because it is an outlet for the kids during their long school days, not to mention additional fields for them to explore and wonderful ways for them to exercise their brains. We (who are the future of this town) are continuously asking you for this. Please do this for the children and for the future of the town. 21:00:29 From Andrew Clavi to All panelists : I support the school budget! 21:01:48 From Deanna Lovasik to All panelists : Please approve the 3.96 percent budget. The children of Ridgefield need all 21:03:03 From Deanna Lovasik to All panelists : need all the support, teachers and experiences they can get. Do not make the world a scarier place for them upon their return. 21:18:21 From David Griffith : Yes, so we should fully support our schools, so more people will be attracted to Ridgefield! 21:20:43 From David Griffith : Who's going to move to Trumbull with its dramatic school budget cuts? 21:43:54 From Erica Digrazia : What is the point of having a "rainy fund" if you aren't going to use it at a time like this?!?!? When WOULD you use it?? 21:44:43 From Melissa Ettere to All panelists : exactly! 21:46:30 From Michael McNamara : Seriously! Erica is right. When would you use it if not now? 21:47:30 From Michael McNamara : YES RUDY!!! Thank you! 21:48:02 From Nora Marrinan to All panelists : I am asking about the “town saving” related to the buildings closed. I am paying for my extended electricity, my extended heat, water, Internet - just saying. 21:48:16 From David Griffith : Exactly! We have the balance for situations precisely like this. 21:48:16 From Melissa Ettere to All panelists : Yes Rudy! 21:48:22 From Erica Digrazia : Justin DiGrazia (here) - this is absolutely absurd. This is NOT like 2008. This is unlike anything anyone (unless you were born prior to 1918). Point being, stop waiting for a "rainy" day and WHAT IFs. This is a NOW situation. If you all ignore public outcry to maintain funding for schools, this is completely tone deaf of what we need for our educational system and children. We do not need to deal with what if later period. 21:48:56 From David Griffith : Here, here, Erica! 21:48:57 From Steve Zipkin to All panelists : Yes , Rudy Make it happen! The benefits to fund 21:49:04 From Michael McNamara : YES Justin! 21:49:11 From Erica Digrazia : Let us vote on the fund balance. It's our tax money, our schools, our children!!! 21:50:00 From Melissa Ettere to All panelists : Yes, let us vote 21:50:10 From Michelle DiMiceli : We should not be proud of having a lean school budget. It is already been too low to! 21:51:29 From Michael McNamara : Ned Lamont also said that they were looking for federal reimbursements on COVID to bring that state deficit down. 21:51:57 From Erica Digrazia : Please stop comparing us to other towns. Their problems are theirs to deal with. This is irrelevant. What's relevant is we need to figure out how to fund what we have now and everyone on this board is kidding themselves if they think school will return to normal anytime soon. Where is the funding coming from when we eliminate the round tables and need desks for all elementary schools. What about the kids that have significant learning challenges and newly acquired stresses due to this. Who's going to fund those school counselors? Assume COVID is not gone until there is a cure, the fund balance is for this situation period. 21:52:57 From Erica Digrazia : Yes, Michelle DiMiceli - not proud of the lowest spending per student in our DRG considering our mill rate either!!! 21:54:08 From Michael McNamara : That’s important Rudy. I agree. Put it to the town. I think you will find that the people are behind the schools. 21:54:18 From Stephanie Anderson : Thank you Sean for listening to your constituents. The people speaking out for the school budget ARE taxpayers. 21:54:26 From Michael McNamara : Sean, hear hear! 21:54:28 From Erica Digrazia : Yes!!! 21:54:40 From Rachael Zumbo-Penney : I think the calls and comments demonstrate that Mike- I agree. 21:54:45 From Kristin Ward to All panelists : Let the town vote Rudy! Don' 21:55:24 From Erica Digrazia : Great idea, Rudy. 21:55:46 From Michael McNamara : That’s sensible, Rudy. Thank you. 21:56:29 From Michelle DiMiceli : Thank you. This cannot be rushed! 21:56:33 From Joseph O'Dea to All panelists : Ask for email public comment only. 21:56:34 From Andrew Clavi to All panelists : Yes, it is very important this conversation continues… 21:57:09 From Cristina Corona : Agreed! Thank you Rudy. Great suggestion! 21:57:49 From Angela Rice to All panelists : Thank you for scheduling another meeting. Very responsible and considerate! 21:57:55 From David Griffith : Why don't you reach out to the public before next week's meeting? 21:57:56 From Erica Digrazia : Thank you all!!! 21:58:04 From C B : Thanks. 21:58:12 From Chris DeVito to All panelists : Thank you! 21:58:30 From Christine Parsons : Great idea! More discussion. Thank you all! 21:58:51 From Shane Peters : Dave Griffith makes a great point. 21:59:00 From Michael McNamara : Yes, reach out to the public before next week