4 8 2019 Fall River School Committee Meeting

The Fall River School Committee met on April 8, 2019, to address key operational and budgetary issues facing the district, including the construction of the new B.M.C. Durfee High School, major transportation bids, and the proposed fiscal year 2020 budget. Superintendent Dr. Matthew Malone provided construction milestones, noting concrete footings and foundations were being poured by Suffolk Construction. The committee also accepted donations totaling over $5,200 for various schools and approved contracts, including a renewal for the OneGoal college readiness program at Durfee High School.

A significant portion of the meeting centered on student transportation bids, where Chief Operating Officer Ken Pacheco and consultant Rich LaBrie addressed sharp cost increases. After a motion by Member Kevin Aguiar to reject the bids failed to receive a second, the committee voted 3-2 to approve the three proposed bids for regular education, homeless, and athletics transportation, despite concerns about costs rising to nearly $12 million. The committee also approved district participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) to provide free school meals to qualifying students and approved the job description for a new Instructional Support Liaison position.

Budget deliberations produced lengthy debate between committee members regarding Chapter 70 net school spending. While Member Aguiar attempted to amend the operating budget placeholder to $108,242,648 to anticipate state legislative increases, his amendment failed. The committee ultimately voted to approve a placeholder operating budget of $106,642,648 (101% of the governor's initial budget) with added language affirming that the final appropriation should represent 101% of the final state foundation budget, and separately approved an $11,959,056 transportation budget on a 3-2 vote. Following an executive session, the committee reconvened and unanimously voted to approve a collective bargaining contract with AFSCME Council 93 Local 1118 representing school maintenance employees.

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