6.23.2025 Fall River School Committee

I'd like to call to order the special meeting of the far school committee for Monday, June 23rd. Deb, would you please call the role?

Mr. Aguia here. Mr. Bailey.

Mr. Das here. Mr. Cory here. Miss Laravey here. M Pereira. Mayor Coogan here. Salute to the flag.

I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All

um the open meeting law. Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium. Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

We have two letters tonight for citizens input. Um the first one is uh Taylor Perry, Aberdine Street, Fall River. Um three minutes, please. Deb. Good evening, school committee members and Mr. Mayor. My name is Taylor Perry and I am a parent of a student in the Faller Public Schools residing at 105 Aberdine Street. I am ready to express my deep concern regarding the decorum observed

during recent school committee meetings.

While I understand the complexities of policy discussions, I have consistently been disappointed by the lack of decorum and the apparent prioritization of personal agendas over the well-being of our students. The current dynamic fosters an environment where constructive dialogue is overshadowed by power struggles and personal attacks leaving parents feeling unheard and disrespected. The perception that

individual opinions are valued based on titles and credentials rather than merit is particularly troubling. The mayor at a meeting when was pointed out on his decorum exchange where you can't tell me what to do comment was made between committee members is a prime example of the prof unprofessional conduct that undermines the trust and confidence the com community has in its leadership.

Such behavior is unacceptable in the public form, especially given the presence of concerned parents and the crucial nature of the decisions being made. As a parent, I am consistently felt my concerns regarding student education and welfare have been disregarded. The lack the current lack of cor collaboration effort and the seemingly selfserving dynamics within the committee effect actively prevents

effective problem solving and meaningful engagement with the community. The focus should be on collaborative decision-making that prioritizes the needs of students and families. I urge the committee to prioritize respectful communication, collaborative problem solving, and transparency in its proceedings. The actions of this committee directly impact the education environment for our children. It is

imperative that we work together to foster an atmosphere of trust, respect, and mutual understanding. Our children are observing these interactions and learning from the examples set. I sincerely hope you will address these concerns immediately. Time to listen to a parent. Taylor Perry. Um, thank you.

Next up, David Alivera, Robersonson Street.

Members of the committee. So, I guess Miss Laravey isn't going to step down as a member of school committee that she's was elected to serve our kids and help this district. Something she has failed to do. A true leader doesn't walk off on a meeting because a member of the school committee had question. Well, he be a member or not of that committee, that's a walk off of the job.

Two, you knew there was a meeting again and you raised your hand to serve this school district and yet you pull a no-show because of a Karen Reed case.

I'm tired of this school committee of four complaining about how long a meeting is. Sorry that you get paid for.

you don't like it, then step down as well. This school district is hurting.

We need leaders to help guide and support our superintendent for this school district. And if it wasn't for Colin and Kevin asking the questions, then it'd be a freef fall. I already I don't trust the mayor as it is. Good night, Dave Oliver. Thank you. Item number three is a superintendent report.

Miss Dr. Curley. Sure. I wanted to give two updates. one a hiring update and then also a transportation update. Um since our last meeting on June 9th, we have been we have had uh 13 resignations including seven teachers and a paraprofessional, one administrator as well as four non-UN positions. Um during that same time, we've had six new hires including three teachers, two principles, and one vice principal. Um,

in terms of a transportation update, I just wanted to share with um the public some information I shared with uh the school committee coming out of last week. Um, given our ongoing efforts um to keep our transportation costs down in the district while operating within current policy, um, we've been exploring multiple avenues, including some discussions with SERTA around middle school transportation.

Um we're doing this um simultaneous with the change in the distance calculation um in terms of our existers and walkers riding policy and the increased transportation that's um been necessitated as um a result of that change in calculation. So we have some things that we're considering right now.

Um one is related to Morton students living in the Bedford and um Traymont Street area um who would walk to the corner of Bedford and North Main. It's about a half mile walk and they would take a the Serta North Main Street bus that drops off right in front of Morton.

Um this bus is actually already being used by some current students um who actually live within walking distance but um choose to use the public transportation. Um if we were to do that, it would eliminate the need to add a bus for Morton and it would be a savings of about $100,000. Um we're looking at the possibility of removing a bus stop for more in students who live along um the north main route. Um

another one and um this that serta currently already travels and um again students would get on at one of the certa stops on North Main and be dropped off in front of the school. Um also a savings of $100,000.

We have CU students um who live off uh Bay Street who because of the change in calculation now qualify for transportation. And um these are students who would be um living on South Main who qualify um they could either walk to Bay Street or jump on um a Bay Street Certa bus or could get on a South Main Street Certa bus and get off um at South Main Globe. That would also be a

$100,000 savings. Um, and then in addition, I just wanted to mention that um, we will be adding um, a viver, a bus to Vavveris um, due to the number of new students that um, now qualify. That would be an additional cost of $100,000 and then we'll be adding a bus to Henry Lord um, for another $100,000. So, um, we're exploring some avenues for savings um, at the same time as adding some

buses. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Das, thank you. Um I don't know if the HR director is here today but out of the 13 resignations um how many completed exit interviews? Um I going to go out. He is not able to join us this evening. Um I do not believe any exit interviews have been um conducted with those but I will get an update. Thank you. I think it's just important and you can cross off the

names. I don't care about the names, but as a committee, when we're voting on contracts, we're creating policy, it'll be beneficial for myself to have a copy of the reasons why individuals are leaving the district just to hear from themselves if it's um an issue with morale, if they're leaving for money, if it's something specific. Um I like to know as one member so I can be more educated and informed. I yield.

Thank you, Mr. Agia. Yeah, just a few comments. the uh Dr. Ker, we just mentioned about the busing. I thought we got an email that say this was very preliminary and just throwing it out there that we're looking at it. Yeah.

But now we advertised it to the public.

So I'm wondering if Nope. I started by saying nope. I just wanted to share what I had shared with the school committee.

I feel like I'm often prompted to um share kind of preliminary plans or some thoughts with um the public and I would welcome you know it's an opportunity to share and just get some feedback from people. Yeah.

the um well I have plenty of questions on that the certus in general but I didn't think it was on the agenda for us to discuss but the what you mentioned about moving from to cert is that for required transportation like I don't I'm trying to figure out why is the school department involved if they if a student can just go to the corner and jump on a regular sa bus is

that our responsibility no we already have students who don't qualify for transportation but they're using some of these sort of buses. We recognize that some students for whom transportation um has to be provided if they if they want to take us up on it because they live um outside of um walking distance of the school. There is an opportunity for some of those students to hop on the same buses. And

so the same like right now with Dury High School, we have students that would require transportation because they live outside of walking distance. We partner with SERTA and generally would buy the bus passes if they were for sale. Uh we would we would buy the bus passes for students in order to provide them that transportation. Right now the sort of bus um the sort of buses are free so

we're not paying for them. We're looking to do the potentially the same kind of thing with some of the middle school routes. I just think it if it's a requirement that we have to transport somebody the school committee we need to take a vote on that not just jump on a cert bus because we think it's you know going to save us some money. I I think that we need to differentiate between a student

that just lives far away and they want to take a cert bus, they can take that without the school committee. When we get involved to try to say we're going to save money, that implies that we actually are spending money on a bus for those children that we're going to save.

That's where the savings would come.

Correct. Temporarily because eventually the serta buses will not be free and we would have to buy the bus passes. Right.

But I'm saying we we're currently paying. If you're saying we're saving $100,000, which you just advertised, that would be a savings of one. We if we Where is $100,000 being spent, I guess, is my question. It on a bus, a yellow bus. Right now, we have it budgeted potentially to be spending that. If we didn't have to spend it, then with what is my question? The $100,000 budgeted is

for what? It yellow transportation bus.

Well, it would be for transportation an estimated at an estimated cost of $100,000 for that particular bus. And if we were using Certa buses to provide the same transportation, then most immediately we wouldn't have to pay.

Eventually, when bus passes are not free, we would be buying bus passes. It would still cost less than the $100,000 that we'd be but the $100,000 is for a bus a bus route that we would have to add or currently have in order to save $100,000 the estimate because we would have a bus, right? My only thing is that I don't believe that we should be just adding a um

you go take a cert bus and that's a wash. That's what I'm saying. it. But what it I guess it potentially means so if we were paying for the buses and we were buying bus passes for students, we would be paying for students to be transported because there'd be a fee attached in the interim when those buses are free. We just wouldn't have to buy the bus passes, but eventually we'd be

buying bus passes. I guess I'm I'm just maybe it's me. I don't believe we were paying for bus passes for middle school.

That's I guess the difference is what I'm trying to No, we weren't. You're right. So, we've only This is now saying we're going to save $100,000 from middle school buses that we weren't providing or that I don't know that we've provided. I'm trying to I'm mixing something up to say where we're going to save $200 $300,000 in transportation on something like that. I just I'm totally Mr. Pico, if you can help us.

Yes. I I'm basically with we're exchanging because we are adding buses.

So with the new with the new distance we are adding buses. So what this is doing is offsetting the cost of those buses for middle school for everybody. Where wherever this wherever the difference is is where we're adding buses.

So the superintendent just said we're adding two. We're technically we're taking two away and adding two more. So right now it's dead even.

Dead even. It's not costing us more, but it's not costing us less.

As these as the the crow flies, so to speak, is gone. We're going to add buses because some students are going to be qualified for buses that didn't have qualify before. So they are we are going to add buses on. So we're required to add those buses based on the distance. Yes. I'm of the belief that we don't transfer that situation to a certain bus on a regular bus route. Like I don't think those

things can I don't think we can take credit for saying we provided the transportation to that family by assert a bus just because you jump. We do it at the high school every day. 700 students, but we don't that's where we would either pay or a student that needed it.

You'd actually have a we would pay. No, we would pay if if Serta wasn't available. If we didn't have trippers, we'd be paying for all those buses. 700 students, 14 buses a day. We'd be paying for that. So, anybody that's over to this high school over a mile and a half, they eligible for transportation. Yes.

In the high school. Yes.

But with that being said, because the transportation is free, currently we're not buying bus passes.

Before it was free, we were buying bus passes for students from Dery and from RPA.

I just recall never hearing the comment that everybody that was 1.5 miles away from this high school was eligible for a free bus pass or transportation. Never. I've never heard that. I heard students that were low income, we would give a threshold for um them. I've never heard that everyone's eligible for I thought there was a differentiation. The bus passes weren't always free. Students did pay for bus

passes. No, I'm saying that we were required to pay for transportation. I I don't recall hearing that over um my entire career here in school. I've been here for nine years and s has been providing that bus service for nine years. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the eligibility for the student to I believe that's that's part of the So we're mandated to transport every student that lives a mile and a

half or one mile away from Dery the state rag is two two miles but we do one and a half but we do do one and a half. Yes. So everyone at this high school that's two 2 miles, mile and a half, whatever number you want to use, they're entitled to transportation paid for by the school department if they so choose to use it.

Yes. I I just think, you know, that's news to me. I'm not really a fan of that sa piece, you know, but that's for uh another time. But I thought this was just preliminary and now it's out and I guess but it is preliminary and I'm just looking for some feedback.

I'm not, you know, I Yeah. I I thought that's what the email was for, but when we say it here, I just think it's people are going to assume that those things are happening almost like it's a done deal. No. Well, I think I'm I'm hoping that we're making it clear right now that it's not. I And I do think that obviously I would expect some input from everybody. What I didn't want to I

wanted to share the information publicly. I didn't want members of the committee to hear it for the first time during my update. So, I I looked to share it, you know, in the weekend. No, I understand. I just it's still in the preliminary stages. So yes, the um my colleague asked a question about the HR director and he's not here. Um I look on the agenda, we have about 50 or 60 contracts and isn't that his

job as the executive director of human resources to to weigh in and be present for discussions with the school committee on all of these contracts, the ups, the downs, the what's happened. So I think generally speaking um like the schedules of my staff are not consulted um we you know the committee is pulled for availability and so this got posted when he was not available. I I don't know.

Well, I don't see how we should be even entering into these conversations without the person who's the one that's supposedly the lead negotiator on it, but it sounds like this is just the same we had a month ago. We had we scheduled a meeting without the attorney. I think there's some kind of communication lack and it's not your fault, madam superintendent, but once again, we have

the executive director of HR not here to answer the questions here or in executive session. And I think that's a problem. Um, relative to the hires, the new hires, the I had mentioned this before about the retro payments for staff, have they all been paid? And have we rectified the step two for all and the step 12 10 to 12 issue?

Not sure if he's mouthing answers. Maybe the microphone is there.

Yes, it's all been So, everyone's on step two and anybody that was hired on step 10 is step 12.

Thank you. I yield. Mr. Chair, Mr. D, can I um just ask a quick followup on transportation? I know superintendent was looking for some feedback. I wanted to um just so um I don't know Mr. Pico question just so I have an understanding now. So, right now at Derpy High School, students um outside of the transportation scope can take a certain bus. Could you just explain how it is right now at Derpy?

So, they're they're well aware of the fact that they can take that bus. There are students who are transported formally with um yellow bus service. Um but they are available. Those buses are available. They're called trippers. They do not stop at the terminal. They run directly across the city from different areas of the city to Dery High School.

They do exactly the same thing on the way home. Thank you. But they're not meant We're not contracted with SERA.

This is not us contracting. It's considered a route. It's considered a route. It's not exclusive to Dery High School. Well, so if someone needed to get from to BCC for instance, they could jump on a on a tripper because they would know that that is coming straight towards this way. So I guess my feedback would come in um for this program if we're expanding it to the middle schools. How does the data look right

now um at the high school level um with attendance or with tar specifically with tiness? Did we ever run into issues with the buses um students um coming in tardy because of um the bus routes? Is has that been an issue at the high school level? The only thing I could add to that is is the fact that this is a tripper, right? So this runs directly to Dery, but almost every everywhere those

trippers are there are root buses. Sure.

And the difference would be the root bus would run from I'll use Bay Street for an example. It would run from the Tivetan line to the terminal if it wasn't a tripper. It would run to the terminal and then the terminal they would jump on a bus that would get them to Ellbury Street. So they if they are if they're not at school because they missed the tripper there are plenty of

options all day long. I think they run about every 20 minutes to a um to a half an hour. No, I understand that. I guess um I don't even think you'd be able to answer this, Mr. Pico. I guess what I'm trying to understand is do we have any issues right now at the high school level? Are we running into, let's just say, students um coming in late, the

buses are breaking down. Um is it we we don't have to have an answer right now, but if we're going to be taking a vote on this, it's something I I think is very prudent if we can just find out if we're running into attendance issues with students that take the triper buses. And um last question I would have on this is with the with the high with the sort of for the high school level.

Did we take a my colleague um to my far left brought up the point that we're we should should take a vote on this and I agree. Um when this program started at the high school level and I don't know what year that was. Um did the school committee take a vote on that?

I we'll get that answer to you if we can find it. Mr. I don't I think we doing this for when I was here we were doing it so it's more than 10 years ago. Okay.

Yeah. I appreciate I yield. Thanks. Next we have Mr. Chairman. Uh I can't imagine uh the school committee even needing to take a vote on such a measure. I'm I'm I'm appalled at this overarching questions uh because I mean the superintendent put it out there as a preliminary and that's in order for them to be transparent for all of us to really understand. But Mr. Chairman, if I recall my days at Dery um after school

in the office, a parade of kids would come in and would give bus passes out to them as needed. It's a humanitarian gesture and it's just the way that our transportation in the city has worked and especially because this building is situated in the far north end of the city and and makes it a lot easier for a kid to be able to connect up with a with a straight bus or a triple bus. So, I'm

actually appalled by this line of questionings. I yield. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh let let's just get on to the agenda, please, guys. Mr. Jim, Mr.

A, can we make this quick, please? This is No, we tried to make it quick, but when my colleague to my right wants to make accusations and throw words around like I'm appalled at how dare somebody ask a question about transportation, I have to respond at the end of the day.

Can we let Mr. Agar speak? We should be Mr. Mr. Das, please. Go ahead. Mr. Aguar has the floor. Mr. Chairman, Mr. D Mr.

As an individual speaking, we don't need somebody moaning and groaning to my right. Mr. You have the floor. Thank you. The question that I was asking was to actually make sure that we're giving the proper transportation to all kids that not anything about well would how appalling it is to ask these questions.

I find that to be appalling. But at the end of the day, when we have when we have an issue, we I think we all need to have a a either a meeting specifically with the topic being sort of transportation so we can determine whether it's the questions that I asked I think were very valid. Are they eligible for transportation? When they come to sign up at the parent center, do

we tell them that they're eligible for transportation? What are the options?

Those type of things. Valid. Totally valid questions. We have situations with the middle school where kids are going to now have to maybe take two buses.

Whatever it is, I think we need a a presentation so we know exactly what it is. I'm not opposed to it. I thought we were spending $300,000 on, you know, Serta transportation, but at some point we have to get it right. I've also for many years said I don't think the Serta Tripper routes are working for Dery.

I've personally over the years driven behind a Serta bus where the kids are jammed in there like sardines on certain ones. the if the bus ever stops the kids are going to go flying through the intersection right down the the lane it's not safe so I've had those questions for many years so we're just doing it on the cheap because soda can do it which is why I say is it just for

money or is it for the better and the right transportation has nothing to do with trying to debate whether you know you should have said this or not I appreciate you coming in and bringing it to our attention I just didn't want it to be final because I think we need to have those discussions and quite frankly if it costs more money to do the right transportation I'd rather do the right transportation

I yield. Thank you. Um let's go to the minutes, Mr. D quickly because we have a lot to cover tonight. Please. I'll be very quick, Mr. Very quick. And just um Mr. Hagar actually took most of the words out of my mouth. Um the only thing I will say, we had a citizen citizens input that was mentioned today that spoke about the quorum and superintendent was looking for feedback.

I thought the line of questioning was pretty non-controversial. I think we really as a committee need to stop the theatrics and the complaining when members of this committee ask questions.

It's nauseating and it really needs to end. It's been happening for way too long. Okay, please stop it. I yield.

Let's go. Approval of minutes number four. Motion to approve. Wait, do I have I have a motion. Do I have a second?

Second.

I I'll read the uh minutes. Approval of the regular school committee meeting from 512. Approval of the minutes for the policy subcommittee meeting for 522.

Approval of the minutes for the policy subcommittee for 527 and approval of the minutes for the special education alternative education and early education subcommittee from 529 and approval of the minutes for the special meeting of the of the school committee from 62. I have a motion a second discussion.

Mr. I'd like to put a hold on 43.

Okay, hold on 43. Anything further? Let's vote on the other ones, please. Um, Deb, would you please call the role?

We're holding 43. Correct.

Mr. A. Yes. Mr. Bailey. Mr. Dus. Yes.

Mr. Corey. Yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. Miss Pereira. Mayor Coogan. Yes. Mr. Corey.

On. Well, as far as um the approval of the minutes for subcommittee meeting for policy subcommittee meeting on May 27 um as a chair of that subcommittee, I was not informed of the guest who appeared at the meeting and that is a usurp of my chairmanship of that subcommittee. And when they want to talk about decorum or they want to talk about transparency then there was no decorum or transparency in the fact that I was

not informed of the guest to appear at the subcommittee meeting on that issue that needs to be really really um we need to communicate on this board and we're I am I didn't finish I have I have the floor hold on I have the floor, sir.

Point of order. I have the floor, Mr.

Chairman. What's the point of order?

Point of order is how does this relate to the minutes? The minutes? Okay. The minutes relate to the fact that Let the chair make determination, Mr. Corey. The point of order is the relationship to the minutes from 43. Go ahead. Stay on the 43 minutes. Stay on the 43 minutes.

Needed to be informed of the process of that meeting and the procedure of that meeting. And I was not I was not. My chairmanship was usurped on that meeting. I'll yield. Okay. Let's vote on the approval of the minutes for the policy subcommittee committee meeting from 527.

Um, can I get a motion to second? Motion to approve. Second. Second. Okay.

Discussion. Deb. Call the role. Mr. Dia.

Yes. Mr. Bailey. Mr. Dus. Yes. Mr. Cory.

No.

Miss Laravey. Yes. M. Pereira. Mayor Couging. Yes. Number five. contracts.

Now, we usually do this in batches. Um, the first one is new. I'm assuming that contains all of the Lakeshore learning materials. Um, does anybody want a hold on any of those? Um, all of them, please. All of them. Okay. So, let's hold them all. And then when we go to the continuation, Mr. Dus, do you have a hold on the college board also? Yes.

Okay. So, we'll start with the first one. Mr. Das Metropolitan Mediation Services for 45,000. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, wait for CFO to come up.

So, did we seek three quotes for the service? So, for Metropolitan, it's on a mass state contract. Uh, it's actually an exemption. Mass MGL 30B section 1B section 22.

It's in relation to training, educational, career development services to employees of a governmental body. Oh, there's Okay, thank you. Um, well, I do um just on the substance um because I did go through the contract and I'm just unsure if this is um for a specific situation or if it's general training.

Um what's the purpose of this contract and who who are we training with it?

This is mediation training that we are providing to all of our support staff across the district as a tiered intervention. Uh we've not offered official training around peer conflict peer mediation and conflict resolution.

And so we are training our liaison, vice principles, adjustment counselors, guidance counselors, and did I say vice principles? I think so in the mix. So it's a two-day training. We've completed one of those days July June 10th and 11th and tomorrow will be the second eight hour training. I'm I'm glad um we're being proactive and and I appreciate you for bringing that forward. I guess um what

kind of issues are we running into like what types of mediation would this be covering?

What types of mediation? So we are training our staff in in strategies to be able to support with mediation as a tool within our MTSS toolbox. Okay. For our staff to be trained in the skill of mediation. Okay. No, that that I was looking for that. Thank you. I yield.

Motion to approve. Mr. Hold on. Do I have a second? Second. I have a motion to second. Mr. Corey. Uh Dr. Brun Hod.

No, I'm I'm very happy to see this. Uh but I I when the bullion law was passed, we used to provide active mediation services within uh the middle schools and the high school. But when the bullion law got passed, some of the regulations changed and they actually stripped mediation away from us on those cases and and created a different procedure in regard to the bullying that that occurred. So, uh, is this bringing

mediation back or is it in in is it beside the bullying policy as well? I'm I'm happy to see that mediation is back because it was one of my practices that I thought worked extremely well uh in conflict resolution uh with, you know, pre-teens and teens. It worked very very well. So, I don't know if you know anything about that. I'm not sure about what you're referring to with mediation

being removed as it relates to bullying prevention and intervention, but as it relates to the fora public schools and leveraging and using mediation as a tool in our toolbox to be able to support students with understanding differences of opinion, conflict resolution, and really being able to use this as a strategy and a consistent tool across all of our schools.

So, we we were able to pay for it through the mental health grant. Uh the Metropolitan Yeah. uh mediation services is a partner of ours through the Brooklyn um center which is also part of the cartwheel collaboration and so they've been a trusted partner through that experience and thus far the training has been well received by staff. Well, like I said, I'm happy to see it back again because I was really

frustrated when we were instructed no more mediation. uh you can't proceed this way anymore. I remember those instructions, they were they were fairly black and white, you know, and I remember being disappointed by that procedural change, but I'm very happy to see that mediation services are back in the toolbox again. Thanks. I yield. Mr.

Aguar, can we uh get either a paragraph or one pager relative to what my colleague mentioned whether that's even valid or not? Because No, I think he sounds like he saying he he knows it happened. I'm looking out there and I think Dr. Brownhard would say that we're still doing mediation. So there's some disconnect between what my colleague said and what sure she's saying and what

reality is. I think I I think that what I'm hearing um is specific to bullying.

I think there's this element of if bullying is substantiated, we can't take the person who's been bullied and say we're going to bring we're going to you guys are going to work it out. I think that that isn't one of the steps and I don't think that um Dr. Bron Hodge is referring to the use of mediation with in respect to bullying substantiated bullying. So yes, I think that that clarifies it. Thank you.

Um so let's have a vote on the Metropolitan Mediation Services. Deb, could you please call the role? Mr. A.

Yes. Mr. Bailey. Mr. Dus. Yes. Mr.

Corey. Yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. Miss Pereira. Maruga. Yes. Next up is Lakeshore Learning Materials. Mr. Das, did we get three quotes? It's on the Mass State contract of52.

Did we So, they're a blanket provider?

Yes, they are. And did we um seek out two quotes as a blanket provider?

So, when we use state contract, we use two or three different criterias. One of the criterias is availability of product which is state allowed. Um so if you're looking for 17 widgets and this company does not provide that particular widget but provides others is it a comparable comparison. So we do comparisons of what the other products are that we're looking for as a second criteria with

other biders on the state contract. And then the third criteria is obviously price. So we put an RFQ. We don't have to put out an RFQ when we're using state contract. We just do that comparison.

But we do do RFQS based on items we can't get off of state contract. But we do do comparatives. Were there multiple um there's only one other vendor, but the the uh availability from that other vendor um was not um wouldn't be ready for September. Okay. So, we just don't just look at price. It's not just price.

No. Okay. And that that's it. Motion to approve. Oh, Mr. Dus, while they're both up there, could the next one is the exact same thing on Lakeshore Learning?

I'm wonder um I'm assum I'm assum same same thing needed. So, it's just a different uh project. So, they're both going to Bishop Connley, but um the needs of these two groups that are moving to to Bishop Conley were different. Um the areas that they were in were much smaller. So, this is the ancillary product that's going uh to be moved that we didn't necessarily. We have the classrooms that are being moved. This is

the stuff that wouldn't fit in those classrooms that we never bought. Sure.

Prior to No, I understand. And your expert opinion is what we're purchasing.

It's a good price, you would say, for what we're getting. The product is a good product also. So, the pricing is good. The product is it's a it's um a qualitymade um a company that makes everything that they sell. Um and um the quality is very good and they stand behind what they what they sell. Okay. Oh, very good.

Thank you. Motion to approve both Lakeshore contracts. I have a motion to approve both Lakes Shores. Motion second, Mr. Aia. So, when you're looking at the state bid list, I think there's something probably uh maybe another uh for another time, but I think getting an explanation um in more detail what the state bid list is. Sure. It I believe that the state bid list doesn't prohibit you from getting three quotes. It

doesn't. So, I think what my colleague to my far right is looking at is we see a lot of things come through and I think it's a valid question when he's saying do you get three quotes? But I I'm guessing that you also have a mechanism to u check these every now and again or you know so you're not getting just because it's on a state bid list and you

know you can get it cheaper with three quotes. I think we should at least get some one pager which will I think eliminate some of these questions because I'm sure he's going to ask these questions over and over. But if we actually have an explanation that says we are the state biddlist is getting a price for everybody at a reduced rate and a fair rate whatever and then you

said hey I didn't like that price or we went out for three quotes we I'm looking at the two of these and one's 24 one's 35 is it matter if it's 50,000 or over you know that's what it would be in a one pager is what are we making sure that we're not circumventing our policies but also getting a good bang for our buck which is what I think we

should do. Yeah. And I and I keep misspeaking about state bid because I keep getting corrected by a whole bunch of people that it's state contract. So it is a state contract that they have with all these individual companies who actually bid on what the state is looking for. So it is a state contract that we're looking at and not state bids. um the state does go out to bid

and then these contracts are all set up so that these companies can't charge us more than what they're agreed to um with the state. Thank you. Thank you. I yield. Mr.

very quickly just to my colleague's point if even like a little cheat sheet just explaining like these different things. So when I'm going through the batches and I have a question or two on on on like a batch or something like that then or with the contracts coming up if we just have like a cheat sheet that we can just plug in those answers quickly to my colleague's point then I

then there'll be less questions on that.

Um I yield. Thank you. Okay. So we have a motion and a second on the two lakes shores. Um Deb would you please call the role. Mr. Yes, Mr. Bailey. Mr. Das, yes, Mr. Cory. Yes, Miss Laravey. Yes, Miss Pereira. Mayor Cougan. Yes. And finally, the last contract is a continuation. The College Board, Mr. Das. Um, same question to the last on procurement.

College College Board, the sole source.

So, they're the ones they're the only ones that can provide us with that service.

Did we seek out three three bids? They are the ones that provide the test. The College Board, it's the sole source. Is it like some sort of state?

They're the They're the They're the only vendors.

They're the only vendor that can provide that. So, it's like how like um MASC can only provide certain trains or something. So, it's like All right. Um it it's it's for the costs associated with testing SATs, right? PSATs and and things like that. Are so their own company that they're only people who do it. Okay, I yield. Motion to approve.

Motion to approve. Second. Mr. Aguia, I don't have the paper in front of me, but is this paid for our grant or is this straight budget? This is straight budget and we've been paying this for a number of years. I think it's it is it's good to increase in AP participation, so I'm not opposed to it, but there's no grants for this that can pay for this. No.

Thank you. I yield. Dad, we have a motion and a second. Uh, please call the role on College Board. Mr. A. Yes. Mr.

Bailey. Mr. D. Yes, Cory. Yes, Miss Laravey. Yes, Miss Pereira. Mayor Coug.

Yes. Committee of the whole 61 is a discussion on referral business and how it would look financially for the district. Um motion to postpone till the HR director is present. Second.

Okay. I got a motion, a second on postponement. Deb, call the role, please. Mr. Aette, yes. Mr. Bailey, Mr.

Das, yes. Mr. Corey, yes. Miss Laravey, yes. Miss Perugan. Uh, yes. 62.

Just on that same issue, we had everything carried forward from the last meeting which Mr. Lowi had a presentation which we he was here to do it. Then we went in the back to try to rush through things before the 10:30 deadline. So, he didn't get to present.

So, I would don't know why that's not on here, but I would if it was, I would make the motion to put postpone that as well. But I would assume, do we need a motion to make sure that on the next meeting he's going to present those two?

That's the plan. The next scheduled meeting that will show up on the agenda. Thank you. I yield. 62 is a discussion the policy BEDH whether the committee should allow to have more conversations with individuals during citizens input as referred by the parent and committee outreach subcommittee and presented by Colin Das school committeeman Mr.

Thank you. Um, in preparing for this meeting, um, I was actually kind of glad this was postponed to this meeting, um, because I believe a great example for this dis for this discussion matter here is with what took place last week. Um, we had an individual, a parent from the community who was um, in my opinion mistreated by this committee. When we make decisions on contracts, on policy,

we should make decisions with an informed opinion from all stakeholders.

That includes if the nursing department has an opinion on the matter, they should be here to present if they wish to. That includes educators, that includes any employee of the district.

Um, and that also includes parents that had firsthand experiences. and we should use that knowledge taking everything in to make a decision when it comes to items. Um, if you watch a city council meeting, they run their meetings just fine while engaging with conversations with the public when needed. Um, I'm sure you'll hear counterarguments as we have have in the past about the need to maintain decorum. However,

it's the same individuals who don't maintain decorum themselves. We have protocols in place and if you're adamant that adamant against allowing citizens to speak at our meetings or to write letters and if you're that pressed about hearing from individuals in your constituency, believe you're in the wrong profession. I believe we need to at the very least we took a vote. I believe it was 4 to three to remove the

language that allows for the lack of discussion. If an individual comes before us and I have a question, if it pertains to the item, I should be allowed to ask. I shouldn't be censored whatsoever. And if a member of the public comes before us and they have a question for their elected body, I'm going to respond if I have something to give them. And that should be honored.

It's the same way the city council does it. We need to really loosen up on the way we treat the citizens of this city.

I yield. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Corey, I feel like I've just been chastised um because in no way uh not only at the subcommittee meeting, but also at the regular school committee meeting we had a couple of weeks back. I thought that um I thought that we handled the speaker very very respectfully especially at the subcommittee meeting. It was very comfortable. Uh everybody listened two ways. Um we really researched uh the

topic that we needed to research and uh we had we realized that the policy we have in the books right now has been working for a good number of years. Um, and we just chose to continue with the policy in that way and and not in any disregard to the parents concerns or comments because she was extremely respectful and extremely researched and uh she she presented herself intellectually.

It's just that we adhered to our policy.

In no way did I feel that she was disrespected.

Thank you. I yield.

Um, you want to go Mr. Larry or you want Mr.

A? Y, Mr. Aar. Go ahead. Yeah. Just uh as I'm looking at the policy that we have here, I think we need to also look at the special meeting definition and the regular meeting definition. For instance, this particular meeting, I don't consider this to be a special meeting. I consider this to be an additional regular meeting because we have 15 things on you know more than that 25 30 things on the agenda. The

point of a special meeting is a special meeting for one specific purpose only when we carry things forward because of decisions that have made by the committee to limit this time of meetings or whatever else. We actually have this is actually a regular meeting and not special. So I don't think we should be telling people this is a special meeting. you can't talk about this or you can only talk about items on the

agenda for a special. But I I do think that we need to clarify uh what that is.

This is on citizens input, Mr. Aguia.

Yeah, I know. Okay. But you're talking about special meeting is in here. So on the fourth paragraph, it talks about citizen input time, public comment at any special meeting, which is why I'm referring to it now because it's part of the backup documents for this item. I I think I think you're right about the uh breath of this meeting compared to a special meeting. I do. I think it's a little it

is like a regular meeting. I I kind of felt that way when I saw the agenda. So, I guess my my point is just that I'm not sure what this uh I think it's just a discussion, but it is if we can all agree to say a special meeting is a limited scope. I I think citizen input time should be at all of them personally, but if that's not the case,

something like this should be a regular additional meeting, not called a special. So we had a special meeting to talk about uh a transportation contract.

Let's say that would be a special meeting that we have for that one purpose only. I think that's the point of this. But in our current policy, it says public comment at any special meeting shall be limited to items on the agenda. That's where I think we need to either agree that we're not going to put a whole bunch of things on a agenda and call it a special meeting because it's a

new additional meeting. I think that's a clarity that's needed otherwise we should change the policy in my opinion.

I yield. Okay. I I I do think um we value citizens input a lot because if you look at what we did with the teachers, we'd have 20 25 I'm sorry. Um we have 20 25 teachers down here a night. All of them getting the respect they deserve. Three minutes not restricted on their comments, but I think that that's how we've dealt with it. Um, we've had a lot more citizens

input at our meetings than I see at most of the council meetings and um, especially during the contract time. So, it it seems like it's working fine.

We're giving everybody the opportunity.

I believe the only confusion um, that parent had that night was when she was going to talk. Other than that, um, I I thought she was fine. I just think she I I think she was given uh allegedly given instructions that she talk at the beginning and sign up on the paper and that didn't work and it just went a little sideways but we gave it the opportunity during the regular meeting. I'm not against that especially

the way we've handled large large volume of citizens input. Mr. Das just just to my colleagueu's point um if I I don't think we need to make a formal motion to even change the policy but if I can just ask if it's just ask you if there's an item if there's an agenda of a special meeting if it's some sort of carryover because we're ending early and there's let's just say more than five items

let's just call it a regular meeting and if a citizen has something an input they wish to give they should be able to give it and just and just um I I don't think That's outrageous. No, I I I don't like I said, I don't I kind of almost agree with what Mr. Ragar was saying. This is a regular meeting, so let's just treat him that way. I'm with you. And and just

and I don't need an answer now. Just a clarification. Um if a citizen does submit an input at a special meeting and I I don't know if um if it's you personally who reviews the citizens input or if that's delegated. I don't think it should be delegated. I believe it should be a ruling on the chair and the committee has the ability to appeal.

I'm not sure what it is. If we can just just get an answer um at a at a future date on what the answer is to that and who makes the decisions on whether input is valid under the policy or not or under the charter or not. I'd appreciate that. Thank you. Yep. Okay. Mr. Corey, Mr. chair. Uh just in regard to my colleagueu's question just now, uh in the mass general laws, uh there is no

legal requirement for public comment according to the mass general laws. It's always up to the chair of the committee, which is you, Mr. Mayor. And so I I thought that um you handle overall you handle the public comment uh section very well, especially in the heated um atmosphere that we had with the contract negotiations. I thought that we gave everybody their fair due and and that

all everything needs to run through you because you're the chairman, but there is no legal requirement for it. So, I I think that it's a it's a luxury for the public, but it's also an opportunity for the public to state their concerns, but it must be in a concise manner. That's my feeling on that. Okay, I yield. Thank you. Um 62, I'm sorry. 63, Mr. Chairman, is Mr. Yeah, on the document that we're

looking at the public comment. It's actually the in the charter. Oh, okay.

So, it is in the charter that we have uh citizen input time. So, it's not an option. Uh we do have it. I think we can make some clarifications on what it is and what it's not, but whether it's the law or not, it it's in the charter. It's listed right there, section uh 9.18 of the charter. So, I think that we need to follow it. But um I do appreciate your

willingness to call on regular meetings.

Um yeah, thank you. I yield. Okay. 63 is a discussion and vote to approve the updated for Tivan as presented by Kevin Almeida, chief financial officer. Make a motion to approve. I have a question though. I got have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. A motion to second. Uh Mr. Almea, then Mr. Das. Sure. So I I'm looking to go back to Tivan. uh they had actually come to us asking to increase

the amount that we're paying specifically to students of special needs and and students who uh to potentially go into a vocational program. And so they were looking essentially to double the rate. And so what I'm asking for you is if I can go to them uh with an up to $4,000 for those students uh in the agreement. So Okay, Mr. Das had a question. Um that that yeah that was pretty much um so the

four I was looking for an update. So this is between the meetings when this was first up. I know you were going to go to them and then come back. Um so they want more they want more money. No, no, no, no, no. I I was just looking I I was looking for a vote from you to make sure that it was okay to negotiate that in order to get that in the agreement

moving forward. Okay. Um yeah, I I I don't I don't see an issue. I guess I'll just rehash a little bit what I said the last meeting. Um I I just hope um Tan isn't going to be too greedy especially when they're relying on many different services of the city and I yield. Thank you. Anything further Mr. A? So, uh I was I read the uh document. It doesn't have the grades of the children, but I

recall two three years ago uh having some sort of agreement, but once the students get made it to fifth grade or sixth grade, they would no longer be eligible for this press practice. Um, I don't know the ages here, but I'm tempted to based on our assertive discussion, we're told that the the buses are going to cost the transportation is going to cost big money to transport those children.

We were told it was going to sort of work it out. Now we're saying that if we even though we're required to give transportation, we can put the kids on certus and call it a day. Then I would I'm curious of the ages because I and if you look at the old I don't know if it's in here, but the one that uh Dr. from a loan sign back in the day. I want to say

that it was said at that time that we um and I haven't read it in here, but we knew it was a limited, you know, two or three year program and then that was it.

Um we also have other areas in the city like on uh they almost live in Westport on um Blossom Road and stuff. They have a Westport mailing address, but they live in Fall River. Are we going to do that with other communities like we're doing um with Tivotan would be my question, I guess. And you probably don't know that answer off the top of your head on because it's a one-year agreement, but

we're going to be doing this year over year.

Okay. You know what I'm saying? I understand. So, it's like a one-year vote, but we're setting up something that is this now going to be for six years, and then I know you said that we got the money from we we um put in for reimbursement, correct? Did we not do that for the last 5 years? Pre previously, we hadn't. No. That's where I would wonder how did that happen?

Because if we put the kids' address in our computer, the EES is going to tell us that they live in Fall River, not in Tiffany. Correct. I know it's a Rhode Island things, but correct. We So we left $100,000 on the table for five years. Half a million dollars.

Yep. Based on I don't know. I'm not trying to blame somebody, but $500,000 is a lot of money to lose. I will I will tell you that the students were all notified this past year to come in and enroll with us or else they weren't going to be able to go to Tivan is what was is what happened.

And so they enrolled uh with us here so that we could get credit for the students attending.

So if we had this agreement, let's just say think this through. If we had a activity, if we had the same agreement in Fall River on Blossom Road and we had five kids that are going to need to get um transported by law to schools in Fall River and they said, "Well, in instead of that, we'll register them and then we'll make an agreement with Westport or another community to fund them." Is that

an option for other families? So I So it's different because it's that would because because it's Massachusetts it would be school choice. We're able to collect money on the students from Rhode Island because it's out of state.

But the kids are in Massachusetts. They live in Massachusetts. Correct. But because they're tuitioning out to uh to Tiveran, we're able to to get that money that reimbursement.

And you and we get a full reimbursement.

We do. Whereas if you take a kid from Blossom Road that's on the Westport side to come here, you get five grand. Yes. I would just ask you to look at that because I think it potentially is I guess unfair. If you live in Tivetan is one, you get one thing. If you live in the border of wherever it could be another far out place, but um I just think we got to figure out whether this

is ending or is it just going to go on forever? What and what if more students chose to do it? Do we do the same thing for those kids or is it just these I think this is for five?

You know, if there's five kids, what if it turned into 10 kids? Is that still going to happen? Just throwing it out there. I think those questions are Yeah.

need to be answered.

I wouldn't say necessarily for this, but I think going forward they need to be answered. And with that, I yield. Mr.

Chairman, Mr. Corey. So, I I it's a good point to raise because I mean I I really enjoy when we can help our neighboring communities. It's very important to help help all. We should all be in the game together, but I don't want to be taken advantage of. And I'm just wondering um Madame Superintendent if um we might want to refer this to the policy committee to look a little bit more

further into. Is that is that a necessary move or m this is anou and MOU. Yeah. Memorandum of of understanding, but we get reimbursed at the state rate for those students and they're charging us four or 5,000. Yeah.

So, we're making money. We're making money. We're making money. Okay. Good. I yield. Okay. Could we vote on that, please? Can I ask just a com one more comment? Yeah. Go ahead. So, I believe the question I was asking before was about whether students in middle school and high school are entitled to transportation. And I believe on the DEESC guidelines, it's only K to6. Yes.

So that's the question that where I was saying with this. So if these students live, it's obviously more than two miles away from this school and they needed to come to this high school. What are our obligations under the law, if any, to transport those kids? That's what I was trying to make the point before. If we have an obligation to transport them, then we have a decision to make on how

it goes. If we didn't, the parents can say, "Well, we're going to get them to the closest to bus stop and then they're going to go on their own." I think the 7 to 12 sort of transportation is optional, not mandated as what we were just talking about. So, in this case, that you can find out if they're in middle school or high school. Mhm. So if a student was in seventh grade, if we

had to pay them transportation, if we didn't, why would we even other than we can make money on it? I guess the way this is. You get what I'm saying? I think it's something to I think that a couple of years ago it was a very relevant discussion because it was just plain costing us money. we were we we were paying and we weren't necessarily getting anything in return because the students weren't registered

here in in Fall River. Now that they are, even if we don't have to transport them, it's not costing us anything to have to tuition them out to Tiveran.

So it's and and you're right, maybe we were not required to transport them. So there's not this ele there's not the argument of hey if we actually had to bust these kids in we'd be running this separate bus it's going to cost x it's going to save us money if we just pay tiveran now even if we don't have to transport them and it wasn't going to cost us any it's

not costing us anything extra to provide them with an opportunity to go to school like with their neighbors kind of thing.

And it could be that we're we're actually getting more resources from for That's what I'm saying. So, if it's just five kids by this special act,ouou, what if there was 10 children under that same or kids that are coming up through the system, are they all going to have that same option in that area? So, if you live on that border of Tivotan, are you eligible to go to Tivotan and now we

are now if we made $100,000 and we add 25 more kids, we add $200,000. That's I just think it's something to look at, but put an either an end to it or this is how it's going to go forever. Okay, thank you. I yield. Okay. Could we vote on this, please? Deb, can you please call the role? Mr. Bailey, Mr. Das, yes.

Mr. Cy, yep. Miss Laravey, yes. Miss Pereira, Mayor Kogan, yes. 64, discussion and vote to approve the meeting live stream options is referred by the technology subcommittee and presented by Scott Caball, chief information officer. Good evening, everyone. Uh when we met as a tech subcommittee, uh we went over some options um to live stream subcommittees and it was recommended by the committee

to um live stream the subcommittee meetings at 417 Rock Street um starting in September of the new school year to give us some time to um replace a couple of wires that were in that room during CO. Um so it's already pre-wired so we have to make some adjustments. Um and then we also talked about where it would be easier to have the full committee meetings. Um this is ideal because it's

wired for this. Um and then um the chair of the subcommittee, Mr. Aguar, asked me to um investigate the costs to have a secondary location, uh which would be the CUS community room if we wanted to have a full meeting there. And I am in the process of doing that now. and we'll report back to um another tech subcommittee meeting in the coming um in the coming months, probably August. So,

we have a plan, but the plan would be to live stream all subcommittee meetings from 417 Rock Street moving forward starting this September. And the full meetings would be here um as a backup location um to be determined on cost of wiring um and the engineering piece um for the CUS community room. Motion to approve. Second.

Um, any questions? Mr. Corey, I'll vote to approve, but I just have a question.

Um, how much additional cost is this going to be to set up live streaming?

Um, so currently, um, ideally we probably will be able to do it with what we have in house at 417 Rock Street. Um, it will cost an, you know, an extra body because there'll be someone, um, in the basement controlling the camera, the camera equipment, and then someone there for the live stream. So, we'll be an additional person for each subcommittee meeting. Um, and I can get the, you

know, the actual personnel amount, um, through the superintendent in a Friday email. That would help. Thank you. I yield, Mr. I'll go ahead, Miss Larry.

Yep. So, I'm not comfortable yet. I would like all the numbers together, the staffing, right? Okay. So on here is just the the options of the first level I believe is about 65 or 6,000. Right.

That and that those that was just again those were rough estimates while we were talking it through. Um when Renee Cotchman and I and and Alex we have the equipment in house. That was more if we needed the equipment. We're pretty confident that we can do it with what we have um in house. Um, but I can put together just a set of numbers in the Friday email for, you know, 417 Rock

Street, right? I think I'd like to bring this back. I mean, I know we have a motion on the on the floor, but get everything. I don't think we have everything yet to to move forward, you know, especially staffing. I mean, if it are we going to go with what package we going to go with? Is it going to be one staff member? Is it going to be two

staff members? Well, if if we do the 417 Rock Street, it's just going to be two staff members a meeting.

That would be the only location that we would wire for subcommittee meetings.

Okay. And that's we have one now is what I'm saying. Right. So, we're adding another staffer. Can you just get it? I mean, I don't know where we go from here because there's a motion. Um, we have a motion to I'm not supporting it this week, Chairman. Hold on. Hold on. You done? Yeah. I Mr. A. Yeah. So, we had a robust discussion at the technology subcommittee meeting on this issue. I

thought it was a good discussion with the superintendent. Mr. Cabraw, Mr.

Cotchman was actually behind the camera at the time. So, I think we received all of the backup that we needed to get it.

This is relatively short money and it was also going to duplicate what the city council gets. So, the public gets access to city council meetings live. We should get the same thing. We're no different than the the city council. So, the school city council gets it. We should get the same. In addition to that, we wanted to make sure we take a vote because before they get this going,

we can't have school committee members saying later on, oh, I want to have meetings all over the city because of that. So, we need to be on record saying, let's go forward with it. All subcommittee meetings will be there in except for if there was a subcommittee where we know there was going to be a large crowd, then we would do that and it would not be taped live because we

didn't want to spend that extra money for a one-off meeting. But, we had a robust discussion at the subcommittee meeting. So, I'm totally fine uh with it. And then moving forward, we talked about uh having one place uh to have our subcommittee uh school committee meetings so that we don't have to keep on taking the material up and down. Uh it takes a long time for us to do this

and the m uh equipment's getting ruined.

There's no reason for it. We should have one location ultimately moving forward.

It could be six, eight months, nine months down the road. U but I do think that the CUS media center was talked about as we've had subcommittee meetings there. It's large enough to, you know, hold more people. Definitely, however many people are here could fit in it.

Um, so I think that was part two, but we need to take a vote to authorize them to move forward, get this ready for September. I yield, Mr. Chair. Okay.

Hold on, hold on, hold on, Mr. Corey.

Yes. So, I just want to clarify, Mr.

Gabraw. I um I remember bringing this issue up uh when when this school was still under construction. I remember it being a concern of the department, the technology department to have a a steady setup. I'm totally in favor of a steady setup. Is that what we're talking about here? That our our regular school committee meetings will generally be held here and uh our subcommittee meetings would be at 417 Rock Street.

Correct. And then just to have that option, we were pricing out the CUS community room as a 911 kind of area if we needed a bigger space. And so you you you would already have a setup there that you wouldn't guys wouldn't have to transport there because I know it's it's really hard on on you guys doing that.

Correct. We'd have uh we're looking at the same s um system with the robotic cameras that are hanging on the walls.

Um there's one here on a tripod just because of the stage, but that's what we would be looking at to outfit um the cus community room and it's already outfitted at 417 Rock. Um during CO we used that for emergency messages through our superintendent at the time. Um so that's already pre-wired. We just have to um light it up with some equipment in the basement. This is a good idea. It's

been a long time coming. I I will vote to approve. Thank you. I yield. Okay.

Mr. D. I yield. Yield. So me. Yeah. M.

Um so the estimated cost for the for the tier one, right? The the 6,200. So what you're saying we have to pay $100 a month for internet. We're not paying 100 a month with No. So I I was asked by the chair of the tech subcommittee just to put something together so they could see costs and that's roughly what it is.

However, you're not paying any extra for the internet because we already pay for it every month. But it was just to show the cost associated with every meeting what it looked like as a breakdown for every meeting minus the staffing on.

Correct. Correct. So it's the 6,200 one-time payment for the tier one.

Correct. Well, no, because as I just said, that was just a a work kind of a worksheet. We can do this in house without any cost other than the personnel to run the meetings.

Okay, I yield. Yeah, that was my concern. So, none of these numbers No, they were just it was a workbook. It was kind of It was a like Mr. AI said, it was a decent meeting because we were bouncing ideas back and forth. We're not buying a truck for you for 100 grand and 300 a month. Okay. Not yet. Not yet. Not yet. What does that mean there, Dr.

Curly? Just kidding. Just kidding. Okay.

All right. So, let's vote on this one then. Go ahead. Uh, Deb, please call the RO.

Mr. A, yes. Mr. Bailey, Mr. Das, yes.

Mr. Corey, yes. Miss Laravey, yes. Miss Pereira, Mayor Coogan, yes. Discussion and vote to approve the school committee, change their dates for July 21 and August 11th as presented by Dr.

Curley.

So, uh we are just requesting um initially a move um of the July date um to uh the 21st of July um rather than the week prior just to give ourselves a little bit um more time to close out the fiscal year. we um close out the fiscal year and then you know prep for that meeting and then a a secondary request then to move the um so moving to the

July 21st to July 28th and then a secondary um that would move the August 11th meeting to August 18th.

Any discussion, Mr. Chair? Mr. Das. Yes.

So, and I'm looking at the backup for is um I believe it's we're doing this in part to prepare for the end of the year report. Am I correct? Yes. Um when is that report due?

Do Yes. When when is the report due by because we're going to change the the meeting, but isn't that due at due by October 1st, September 30th, depending on where it falls on the calendar.

Usually like a Friday is usually when it's due. And the school committee votes to approve that. end of the year report.

Yes. Okay. And I guess um the last comment I'm I'm going to say and I'll be sincere about this is we've ran into issues over the last um I'd say few months of meetings getting scheduled, meetings getting cancelled last minute, four members of the committee not being able to make a meeting last minute and the meeting getting cancelled and that leads to issues for you. I'm sure you

would love to gut that. It's all right.

I I think I think this is appropriate conversation. Okay. Um you ran you I'm sure you would love to see that tivou approved earlier so you can go to tividan earlier. Again I'm just going to say if we're going to change the dates make sure I asked my colleagues to make sure they're able to attend it. I yield Mr. Chairman Mr. Corey.

And so, Madame Superintendent, um I it looks like I'm going to have an issue with the 28th only because of uh uh some strong personal family plans around that week.

I will make I will make a strong attempt, but I was It's just that I'm just informing you um in open meaning that it could be potentially a difficult day for me. Thank you. I yield. Okay, Mr. Mr. Aguar. Yeah, I definitely won't be around for that day and I don't believe that we should be changing meetings uh three weeks before they happen. So, I'd like to make a motion

that we keep the meeting on July 14th.

The second 21st. It's scheduled for the 21st. 21st. It's already scheduled. It's already scheduled for July 14th. Then I want to make it to the 14th. I'm not going to be here for that time for the for that week which are looking to move it up a week. You you want to move it earlier. Correct.

But you want to move it but you don't want to move to the other one. So the motion I'm just saying I'm not here from that week from the 21st. Uh I have a wedding out of the country and I'm not going to be here for that meeting. Will you be back by the 28th? Um no, we're coming back on the 28th. So um I just have a problem when we meet like

when we do this last minute and just don't get anything. We don't know. We we've known this probably for how how many months that it it needed to and I actually I had the 14th for our meeting in the summer. So that's why I was thinking that the 21st was, you know, the second Monday. So that's why I'm I'm looking at it as I didn't know it was the 21st. I thought it was the 14th.

That's why I was saying I wanted to keep it as the 14th because I thought this was what's the same to change it to the 28th. It's a Monday. Want to go to Oh, we can't go the same day as school as the city council. Well, I don't know if they're meeting. I don't know that I just go the next day then Kevin when you get back the 29th um point point of information Mr. Okay.

What it's if it's a I know we just had the conversation about special meetings, but I think if it's a special meeting, it can't go the same day. Well, then it's going to be one topic, but I think we're going to have more than one topic that day. It's not a special meeting. It's not a special meeting. It's a regular meeting.

It's a regular regular schedule.

So, we got to vote. Yeah, we got to vote. I mean, we got to vote on it. We got to vote on it. Um, can you go to 29th Kev?

It's the 28th. Okay. The 28th, but 28th is a Monday. I don't believe I'm back at that time. Okay.

Well, we have a Can we postpone this and I can try to find out? Motion to take to the end of the agenda. Oh, you mean by the end of the agenda? Yeah, we'll just postpone it. We'll pick pick this one back up. All right. Get a motion to postpone the item. Motion postpone to the end of the uh end of the agenda. End of the agenda. Do I have a second?

Second. Second. Okay. Deb, call the role on postponing to the end of the agenda, please. Mr. A, yes. Mr. Bailey, Mr. Das, yes. Mr. Cory, yes. Miss Laravey, yes.

Miss Per, Mary Kov, yes. Um 66 is an update on the ARPA allocated funds of the PACE center as referred by the special ed alternative ed subcommittee and presented by um me. Uh what we're doing at PACE right now is I believe that the um bids have been finalized for the um sprinkler system. We were talking with Glenn Hathway and Alivera today about it. I think they're going to be pulling their permit. Um and we expect

work on the um uh fire suppression system in the PACE center to commence within the next two weeks. Uh we have the money set aside for that and we're ready to go. that'll open up the building. It's another infrastructure project like the roof that we want to get done before we go forward. So, that'll be the next piece to working on the PACE center and the old auditorium.

And that's the update. Unless someone has a question, Mr. Das. Yes. Um I the reason I made a motion to refer this out as out of subcommittee is um going to the city council. your opera director Cara Hum made some comments relative to possible extra work that could be done on the building to open up some classroom sizes. Um so more than just the roof. Um so I guess that's where I

was looking for as one member more of an update, right? Um I if I could ask um if I could ask as one member if we could receive the copies of the biz of the contracts and um see how much money is being left over from that. Um, I don't know if the city has plans on taking the money back. I did I did put in a records request with your interim CFO and um the

city I guess needs um 30 business days to respond to it. Um so I guess I'm just looking for just some just a little bit more information. Mr. Das, that is a city building. It's not a school building. The city owns the building and the city's doing the work. That that won't that won't be passed on to the school department. If we decide to go that route, we will. But it's a city

building and it's a city project. That's why Mr. Oliver is running it instead of Mr. Pico, right? But we're still being h still we still have the pay center being housing in we're putting in a sprinkler system for the school department. Right.

I I guess I I'm just wondering as one member. I guess my main question is is all the money that was allocated going to go for that project? Is it just going to be or are we just going to work on just a sprinkler system and a roof or we also going to The first step was the roof. The next step, the sprinkle system, and we'll go uh forward after

that to see what we do with that area. I mean, I just heard someone was saying we're looking for a permanent home for the uh for the live streaming. I don't know what I don't know what's going to happen. We do have ideas, but they're not finalized, and I'm not going to get into that preliminary stuff. We're doing it one step at a time. All important infrastructure work for the safety of

anyone in the building, and we're going to get it done. I I guess I'll just respectfully disagree that I think the committee should weigh in on what you what you mentioned preliminary. I think we should know if we're going to be working on the interior and the classrooms. I'll leave it at that for now. I Okay. Um Mr. Ager. Yeah. Just a few things. One is uh I think it's good

that the city paid for the um roof and this suppression. Otherwise, we can't um we can't do anything in there repairing it at this present time. Based on that, I think we're way woefully behind on the schedule. Uh we were supposed to have that done a year ago so that we could be moving in the pay center, but I do think with that being said in the Connelly um lease that we're approving again, we

need to revisit what we're going to do as a district on the um at the pay center. So, I'd like to make a recommendation that the next facility subcommittee meeting we get a full update on the PACE center um including all plans so that we can be on the same page. We know it's not opening in September of 2025, but we don't want to do work and then switch it halfway through. If once the suppression gets

in, I believe that's going to take them a little bit of time. So, in the next month or so, I think we have a chance to have a meeting, have some real plans, and determine the best place, the best use of that property. So, I don't think that needs a motion, but I would request that from the superintendent that we put that on. Thank you. I yield. Item number

67 is a discussion and vote to approve a one-year contract renewal for Witson's New England as presented by Ken Pico Food Service. So moved. Uh second. I have a motion to second. Any discussion on adding a year to Witson's? Um Mr. Mr.

D, just want to I I did go through the contract. Um, I did have like um two questions, but I know you just had a quick presentation or Sure. So, it's it's um a a an amendment to the uh contract. It's a five-year contract that we have with Witson's. We're in year three. This is the start of year three on the uh agreement that you have. Um the first year is is with contract. The

second year we go through the process with Desi. We submit um the numbers with using the CPI um as the guide for the increase in in the contract. Um Desi looks at the document, sends it back to us as a draft, which is what you have.

And that also will be each and every year until the five-year contract is up.

So every year we will have a renewal like this. This is renewal number two of Sure. year three. This is year three.

So, this basically covers all the food, the cafeteria food, everything that they do, including uh including the um alocott menus. Um if we do any catering services, everything that um that Witson does that is cover covered under this contract, right? Um I haven't received any complaints recently. I don't know if um I mean I'll vote I guess I'll vote to approve it, but if the committee can

just get some any we've received any feedback or if we've done any surveys on quality of the food. Um, I don't know if like any sandwiches have wilted lettuce.

I don't know if um if they were running into issues with um I know a few years ago, I wasn't even a member of the committee, but I was receiving complaints on um some of the quality of the food um back then. I don't know if we're still having issues. Um just something that we should keep in mind.

And obviously administration is supporting this. So, I'm assuming if there was any issues, I'll just assume either they've been taken care of or or not. So, and I guess my last question is since um we we explain the state process. So, I was going to ask again, we we don't have to submit like an RFP even if it's an extension. We we did that originally. So, when the when this

5-year contract is up, we will have to go out with a with a RFP process again.

Um and that is through Desi. So Desi has the guide as to how that process happens. Um that document um they've just revamped. So the last contract was the first time we've ever had it and it's a standardized RFP process that we follow. Okay. Thank you. I Mr. Chair, Mr. Corey, I'll try to be brief. Uh Mr.

Pico in regard to Witson's um in my experience uh at the elementary school I saw so many young students issuing or not taking the fruit that was offered with the lunches. Is there any way that we can make uh that portion of their meal optional and maybe uh you know it's it's not even about cost. I'm I'm thinking out of the box now and just thinking about giving it to the veterans

or the homeless centers or something like that. So that's not that's not doable. So the the the students take what they take. Um we try not to we I think the schools are very good at monitoring to make sure food's not getting thrown away. Yeah. A student would, you know, would put an apple in their bag backpack that they could take home. We we don't like food on the buses um for a variety of reasons um

especially those that can be thrown, but we don't discourage, you know, them taking that stuff home, but it is part of the meal and and the meal is what we're reimbursed for um from the state.

So, it is part of that meal and and the variety of an apple and orange, fruit slices, uh carrots, things like that are all kind of mixed up a bit. So it's not and then there are liability issues involved once the child has it in their plate and stuff. Thanks. I yield.

Anything further on Woodson's, Mr. Agio?

The money that is that the administrative fee? Yes. And then the management fee? Yes. Are those in the original contract subject to CPI directly? It's not uh optional. No, that's that is that is part of the contract. Those two pieces. So it says administrative fee is 23,000 per dollar per month for 10 months. Yes. And then it says management fee 14,800 per month for 10 months. And this fee represents

the FSMC profit. Yes. So why would they be two? I don't Can you explain why what the two of those are? And does the does the um CPI somewhere in a different document talk? So the CPI is added on to both of those items.

um individually and then come up with each year. So the I the CPI is not known until that CBI number comes out and that's added on at the end of each of the original contract numbers.

But they're both going to Witson's. I guess that's my question. Why would they be different if we just added these two numbers together? It's the way the bid is put together. So this is not something that just Witson's does. Every person who's bidding on the project bids it that way.

So they have to tell you what your profit is. So they don't make any profit on the administrative fee at 22,000 a month. I It's a salary. It's a salary piece.

It's salaried, so to speak. So it's it's their whole operation that we're paying for out of administrative fee and and the work that they do obviously doing all the they get the whole thing.

Woodson's gets the whole piece. Yes. Do you understand how confusing that is?

Because if it looks like this is saying the fee represents the profit, I wonder who's getting that profit.

Witson's the whole the whole package is going to witson. Both of those dollar items are going to witson.

I guess I don't know why they'd have to.

We don't ask I don't think for any other person to tell us what you if Michael Joyce uh charges us. This is done through Desi. This is a Desi thing.

That's not us. So I as I said the RFP process is very regimented. It is it is laid out completely as to how they bid what they bid on and that's what we follow. So when the other companies bid all of them look exactly the same. So if I wanted to make a motion that we just do uh the management fee and slprofit be similar to last year. Is that you have to pay

the CPI? It's in the contract. So the item from last year, the the fee from last year, the CPI is added on to that which is this year's number. So we don't have an option is my point. You don't.

Correct. So I that's where I think uh moving forward to the next one years. If we're asking us to one years, that means next year we can deny it. I guess that's our only option. If we said we don't want to pay you more of a profit, then you're breaking a fiveyear contract. You are breaking a contract. So then why do we have to do it five years to make the CPI adjustment?

So we're not voting on the cont. We're not voting on You're voting on the amendment. That is the amendment. The contract was voted on once the original contract. Each year we submit the numbers for this year for the upcoming year. It turns into that amendment. We send it to Desessie. Desi looks at the numbers, approves it or denies it, approves it, sends it to us.

We send we bring it here. So you can approve it at that level as a draft and then when you're if it gets approved here, it will go to Desessie and that document will be the new document and then next year the exact same thing is going to happen and then the fifth year it'll happen again. I would say we have to look under management fee second paragraph. This agreement shall be in effect for one

year starting 712025 and may be renewed by mutual agreement for two more one-year periods. So mutual agreement means the school committee says no we don't want it then we will go out then then if we if that is the case then we would go out again for a contract go through the RFP process um for the following year. Yeah. I just think it's an option. Thank you.

Uh I I have a motion one quick followup.

Go ahead, Mr. D. Um and I and thank you for the explanation. So it is so for the amendment to this contract, I know we school committee voted on original contract. Um and I went through it and didn't really seem I didn't see anything about the catering. So this doesn't cover catering. That's in the original contract. With since in the original contract there's a catering menu. So,

the price adjustments on the catering menu, if required, we can do, but the catering menu and and the process for the catering is all laid out in the original RFP. Okay. Um, I guess I'll just ask I'll vote to support it. I just like to maybe get an update in the future on what we use for catering. I also just like to state as one member, I think we should get rid of the school

committee catering from this company. I yield. Mr. Chairman, one more question.

Mr. Can we just have uh superintendent ask for some feedback from the utility workers and custodians related to how much food to my colleagueu's point about how much food's getting thrown out if we could get some sort of uh questionnaire out to them? I'm just curious. Thank you. I yield. Deb, do I have a motion to second? You do, mayor. Okay. Could you please call the role? Mr. A? Yes. Mr.

Bailey. Mr. Das. Yes. Mr. Cory? Yes.

Miss Laravey? Yes. Miss Pereira. Mayor Coug. Yes. 68 is a discussion and vote to approve the amendment number two to the Connelly lease. Motion to approve with a question. Second. I have a motion, a second. Uh, Bishop Connley, presented by Mr. Chico. Mr. Das, thank you. Um, this is similar to um amendment we approved um last year. Yes. Um, well, not that long ago. And this one, this

one I this amendment too I didn't get to go through. Will this um does this also cover um water and sewer?

Um do do we still have to pay the the water and sewer?

So we this we only pay the lease. Okay.

We um all of the amenities on this pro on this uh rental are included. The only thing that we pay additionally at Bishop Connley that we don't pay, we actually provide service is the uh snow removal and then obviously a custodian for our portion of the building, right? But don't we reimburse the redevelopment authority for water and sewer? I thought we did uh this building is owned by the

dascese Catholic church own. So um yeah, this is owned by the dascese. So there is no redevelopment authority that 251.

Oh, all right. No, I apolog I apologize.

I apologize. different property. Yes, I Mr. Haggio, just a question on the custodian you mentioned. So, I think we did a a contract with this custodian here is going to be a senior. Is there one less senior now that we added more if we close um Eastern? So when 300 when 300 closes that will be a senior um the term escape escapes me right now the fact that the senior job is it's a it's

senior displaced is what that title I'm saying so we're going from two sites two seniors yes to now one site person will get a job somewhere but not necessarily exactly so it's actually a savings of custodial by combining in and the lease.

I'm trying to figure out how much money we're saving by closing 300. We got to add the staff. So, the lease, right? The lease of the building. The staff is moving over.

Yes. There are more classrooms here. So, the the purpose of this is is the amendment is to increase the size of the operation. And how many rooms is it going to be now? Be 18 classrooms. 18 total. And they're full-size classrooms, not like the others. Thank you. I yield.

Deborah, can you call the role, please?

Mr. Aguia, yes. Mr. Bailey, Mr. Dus, yes. Mr. Corey, yes. Miss Laravey, yes.

M. Pereira. Mayor Kruger. Yes. Um, for your information, we have a number of retirements resignations appointments and regretfully some of our former staff passed away. Mr. Agiel, before uh can we go back to the meeting date? So, the 28th, I am not here until late in the evening, but I am here on the 29th. I don't know if my colleague had problem with just the 28th or was it the 29th?

City council does not 29th is good. So, we'll change that date. So, let's go back to I'm asking my colleague. He mentioned he has an issue. I don't know if it was a week long issue or was it a one day issue? No, it's it's a week long. My out of town family is in they're all in everybody's going to be in and people be I was just hoping you know. Well, you wouldn't have made it

the 28th either then, right? It it's that whole week that my out of town family is going to be around. I was hoping that I didn't know that we were going to change the date to the 21st.

21st was fine by me.

It did. It doesn't work for you either, right, Kevin? The 21st? No. No. Tommy, can you give us an hour or so? Cut an hour out or something like that like you did before? I mean, I'm not going to Yeah. I mean, I I'm going to I'll fulfill my obligation, you know, but So, let's go back. I know it'll just get in the way of my family, that's all. Yeah.

All right. So, what number was that on the agenda, Kevin? You got it out in front of you? Number five. Item number five. All right. So, we're going to go with July um 29th. July 29th and August 18th. 18th. 18th. Deb, uh, can I get a motion second to approve? I have a motion. I have a motion to second. Deb, can you call the role? Can I s just follow Mr. What was the issue on the

Monday? We can't do Monday, the 28th. No, the 14th.

Like they wanted I'm out of town. I'm like you first week. I'm out of town the 14th. So the best thing is the 29th.

29th. Okay, I can make it. Thank you. De call the roll, please. Mr. A. Yes. Mr.

Bailey. Mr. Das. Yes. Mr. Corey.

All right. Miss Laravey. Yes. Miss Per Mayor Cougar. Yes.

Uh so I don't know where the heck we FYI. Um change FYI. Yep. Does anybody have any comment? Do I have Can I get a motion to second to motion to um place on file? Accept please on file. Second.

I have a second to call the role. Mr. A.

Yes. Mr. Bailey. Mr. Das. Yes. Mr.

Corey. Yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. Mr. Mayor Coogan. Yes.

Next item up is number item number eight, new business. Any business to come before the school, Mr. Dair? Yes.

Yes. Um I'm going to try and go through I have four. I'm going to try and go through them quick just for the sake of time. Um first item um and I pre previously asked for this to be on the agenda. Um there was a letter that the city council signed off on and we all rescended our vote. However, the letter that we thought we were resending our vote on had absolutely nothing to do

with combining transportation into net school spending. It talked about getting more state assistance for transportation costs, which is something we all been um battling for. And um we voted to endorse um some bills, want some brought forward by the FREA. When I reviewed the letter, I didn't see anything controversial in there. So, I think we should take a second look at it in support with our

city council colleagues. I believe um correct me if I'm wrong. I thought you might have signed off on it as well, Mr.

Mayor. And um I think I would just like to just request that the item just be placed on the next agenda for for review because I didn't see anything controversial in the letter and I wish they city council told us that they were going to remove the language which had to do with combining transportation and net school spending which I thought was the the issue. Um so that's item one.

Um, item two. Um, I also asked for this item to go on the agenda. Um, at the Dery graduation, um, there was an individual that attempted to come on the property with a firearm. Um, I did receive an update from the superintendent. I had um, one followup question. Hold on. If we could, if I could just address this is uh, scheduled as a a special meeting and anything under new business should relate to the

It is for now, Mr. D. This one is scheduled to special. I thought we went over that already. I know. I I agree.

But this one was scheduled and special.

Yeah, I don't have a problem going forward. Like I said, to me, it's a regular meeting, but it's said special on the agenda. That's what we accepted.

I don't I don't like I said, this is too many items for a special. In my humble opinion, going forward, we should do it the as a regular meeting. I'm not proposed to that, but again, right now, it's still a special meeting. That's what we announced it as. So again, I I I think we can hold that one if you'd like, Mr. Das.

Sure. I just literally just one I had one just one question on it, but that's fine. Um four um there's information I have a question um just off of some of the discussion today um in ter a monetary question and um so I'm just trying to see do do we have an agreement with the city when it comes to water or sewer rates because I heard information at the city council meeting they almost passed

a budget that would have took out water and sewer for every single city department except this one. So, I'm just trying to say and and the the rationale as to why the school department didn't because we have autonomy over our own budget. They can't touch our budget. So, I'm just trying to think we could save an additional 500,000 if you know we just took the water and sewer money we give to the city out of

the budget. And um if there's no agreement to do so, I just like to get a legal opinion on it. Um, I guess the water and sewer department, they have capital items that would cover the cost, so it wouldn't be a cost on the on the rate payers. So, I think it's something that we should look at and just have a conversation about. Um, and third, this last item, actually, I

I'll for the sake of the argument that was given up, I'll yield. Mr. Mayor, Mr.

Yeah. Can someone please enlighten me on what this is what he's talking about relative to the water and sewer?

Well, what happened was the water and sewer was the city council reduced the rate increase by 1.3 million. So, the city to try to make up some of the 1.3 million they gave back reduced the water and city costs for the city agencies. It did not in any way, shape or form impact the school department positively or negatively. Uh it was just an 800,000 turn back from the city to the water

department. So when my colleague says that the CFO or interim CFO said every department was going to get note charge no water and sew except for the school department. Is that accurate? She meant city departments. I know but we she wasn't talking about the schools. All right. So those departments agencies or whatever you I guess I don't even know what agencies they were talking about

but I guess those are enterprise ones.

They're not all enterprise ones, but some of them um I don't I what water and sewer and trash I think is it.

Right. So I I I just think it's I don't even know if trash is enterprise. I'm not sure, Mr. Mr. Yeah. But but if you're charging do you charge EMS and the city side for water and sewer? I believe we did. And EMS is an enterprise fund. Correct. And the school department is similarly an enterprise fund. I didn't know that. I didn't think of the school I thought that I I don't think

that the city can be picking and choosing which departments are going to pay and which ones are not going to pay.

So I would like to get some sort of legal opinion because it doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Just like it didn't make sense that the CFO interim CFO went to the city council and said she was going to make up $4.5 million in healthcare by coming after the school department in the way we do claims. We still haven't got to the bottom of that comment, but I don't know what the heck

she's talking about. That wasn't I don't believe I don't believe she said that.

Four and a half million in claims strictly from the school on it and others but we're one of the bigger ones.

We're not going to get a dime. We pay the claims already. No, it's not it's not claims. I don't know where that came from. It came from her mouth. We talked about it because I asked Mr. Almea multiple meetings. We pay the claims here. So if we're paying the claims here, the person who's so-called in charge of the city finances shouldn't be going to the city council saying we don't pay claims. There's a major

disconnect and that's a $22 million or more line item. So, we got to get together between our people and there to figure out what is what is that? I just have no idea. I I think I think as long as I've only I've been here what my sixth year, Mr. Aguar, the amount of back and forth and meetings with the school department and the city recently is stronger than I've seen it

in a long time. Mr. Mr. Almeter. Yes. So I agree. That's a key point. I didn't hear I didn't hear that woman's going to pay 22 million in claims. No, no, that's the total bill is what I'm saying. Oh.

So when the bill is 22 million, but we're paying actual claims, the variance that she's talking about in a public meeting is, and I don't know because I don't work here all day every day, but if we're paying the actual claims, there's not variance to a million, million half, $2 million. So, what she was talking about in a public meeting though gets people concerned to say, are they going to take more money from the

school department? Are we not paying our fair share? I know we're only at 100%, but I haven't seen the most recent one, but it's not millions of dollars that you're going to save by coming after the school department. That's the only I yield. I yield. Is there a reason to go into executive session, Mr. U? Yes, there would be. Can I get a motion? A second before he if you want. I have a

motion a second. Go ahead and read them.

I could I could uh relate what the issues are, mayor, before the vote.

National Laws Chapter 38, Section 21 A7 to review and approve executive session minutes for June 5, 2025, technology subcommittee meeting. National Laws Chapter 38, Section 21A7 to review and approve executive session minutes for June 9, 2025 regular school committee meeting. National Laws Chapter 38 section 21A1 to review the open meeting law complaint dated May 9, 2025 filed by Colin Das regarding the former school

committee. U a meeting uh was held on March 3rd uh 2025. Since that meeting the committee has also held meetings on March 10, 18, 19 and April 17th and 29th. The complaintant alleges that the minutes of the March 3rd, 2025 meeting have not been approved yet a violation of the open meeting law. National Laws Chapter 3A section 21A1 to review the open meeting law complaint dated May 9,

2025 filed by Colin Das regarding the former school committee uh holding a meeting on March 10, 2025. Since the meeting, the committee has also held meetings on March 18, 19, 27, and 29. AP April 17th and April 29. The complaintant alleges the minutes of the March 10, 2025 meeting have not been approved on uh April 17, 2025. A violation of the open meeting law national laws chapter 3A section 21A1 to

review the open meeting law complaint dated May 9th uh 2025 filed by Colin Das rel regarding the former school committee uh meeting of uh March 18, 2025. Since that meeting, the committee has also held meetings on March 19th, April 17th, and April 29th. The complaint alleges the minutes of the March 18, 2025 meeting have not been approved as as of April 29, 2025, a violation of the open meeting law.

National Laws Chapter 3A section 21A1 to review the open meeting law complaint dated May 23rd 2025 filed by Colin Das regarding the May 23rd 2025 response to a request to the for superintendent of school search committee chairperson Mimi Laravey for all open session executive session minutes in the for school for public schools superintendent of school search committee from 2024.

The complaint alleges that the chairperson did not publicly announce whether the open session would reconvene at the conclusion of the executive session and never declared that an open meeting would have a detrimental effect in obtaining qualified candidates.

National Laws Chapter 38 Section 21A1 to review the open meeting law complaint dated May 23rd 2025 filed by Colin Das regarding the May 23rd 2025 request to the forest superintendent of school search committee chairperson Mimi Laravey for all open session executive session minutes in the for school uh for public schools superintendent schools search committee from 2024. The complaintant alleges that the school

committee has never been has ever been provided the search committee minutes in their entirely in in their entirety unredacted to review. National law chapter 38 section 21A1 to review the open meeting law complaint dated May June 3rd 2025 filed by Patrick Higgins regarding the June 2nd 2025 special meeting of the forest school committee. The complaintant alleges that the forest school committee violated the open

meeting law as follows. One, Mayor Coogan in his capacity as school committee chair refused to allow Colin Dios to bring up a matter that was not reasonably anticipated by the chair 48 hours in advance concerning the newspaper article that appeared in the for Herald News on June 2nd, 2025. The newspaper article referred to payment of a ransom to recover and and unlocked the school department's computer system

after it had been hacked and locked down, aka ransomware, and two, entered the executive session for an illegal purpose for compliance with the students record law, which is not one of the 10 exemptions that allow executive session.

National Laws Chapter 38 Section 21A1 to review the open meeting law complaint dated June 13, 2025 filed by Terry Perry. Uh the complaint alleges the school committee members failed to maintain the standards of professionalism respecting the decorum.

The dates of the alleged violations are May 27, 2025, June 2nd, 2025, and June 9 2025.

National Law Chapter 38 section 2183 to discuss strategy with respect to litigation regarding the department of labor relations in the matter of the for school committee and for river educators association unit A MUP 251113 as the chair has determined the no session may have a detrimental impact on the litigating position of the committee national laws chapter 38 section 213 to discuss traje to collect the bargaining

agreement relative to all personnel engaged as certified licensed occupational therapy assistants, physical therapy assistants, speech and language pathology assistance assistance, licensed practical nurses, social emotional liaison, instructional support leaison, community facilitators represented by the forage educators association. As the chair has determined, an open session may have a

detrimental impact on the bargaining position of the committee. National Laws Chapter 38 Section 218 A3 to discuss strategy with respect to collective body relative to all maintenance employees of the for school system represented by the American Federation of State County Municipal Employees Council Lending 3 local 118 as a chair is determined in open session may have a detrimental

impact on a bargaining position of the committee mass general laws chapter 38 section 2183 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining relative to all civil uh clerical employees of the for school system represented by the forward department of civil service clerical employees association as the chair has determined that open session may have a detrimental impact on the bargaining position of the

committee.

Mass General law chapter 38 section 21 A3 to discuss strategy with respect to collect the body agreement including hearing grievances relevant to all power professional employees of the for school system represented by the for federation of power professionals as the chair is determined that no open session may have a detrimental impact on the bargaining position of the committee. Mass General

laws chapter 38 section 21A1 to discuss complaint brought against a school committee member. Mass General Laws chapter 30A, section 21 A3 and section 21 A7 to discuss a pending uh settlement agreement and in order to discuss strategy with respect to litigation and comply with student records law.

As a chair, determin may have a detrimental impact on the uh negotiating position as well as the litigating position of the committee.

National Law Chapter 38 Section 21A2 to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-UN personnel and/or to conduct contract negotiations with non-UN personnel including all school principles 18 in number all Fall River educational and Fall River government TV cable grant positions eight in number all non-union central office administrators eight in number all administrative assistants 11 in

number all schoolbased athlet Athletic program support positions. All facilities and operations supervisory positions eight and number.

All computer tech uh technical and student information uh management system support positions 18 and number. All special education support positions two and number. All early education support positions four and number.

Allison Lowe's redesign coach. James Sullivan chief officer of special education compliance. Stacy Stacy Gayan, financial manager. Christine Abdo, procurement specialist. Sandra Silva, payroll manager. Melissa St. Pierre, CTE cooperative education coordinator. Kendra Pimemental, post secondary career pathway specialist. Evan Massude, production technician and editor. Debbie Sadina, communication specialist. We

would reconvene. There may or may not be statements at that time. I have a motion, a second. Deb, can you call the role of question? Mr. here. Um very very quick procedural question. Um on the schoolbased athletic program support positions I don't see a number um like all the others like we have a number like central office administrators eight administrative assistance 11 um facilities and operations supervisory

positions eight um for that based athletic support positions I don't I don't know if it's required under the law or not it's not but it's one it's one position okay set yes Okay. Who seconded the motion?

Huh? Who seconded the motion? I did. M.

Mr. A. Yes. Mr. Bailey. Mr. Das. Yes.

Mr. Cory. Yep. Miss Laravey. Yes. Miss Pereira. Mayor Coogan.

Mayor Coogan. Yes. Recess to executive session.

Accept the contract negotiation.

Uh, we're back in session. Deb, would you please call the role? Mr. Aguia here. Did you get Mr. Bailey? Mr. Das here. Mr. Corey, present. Miss Laravey here. Miss Pereira, Mayor Coogan here.

Anything further to come before the committee? There is. Mayor, um, I'd like to make a motion to accept the executive session minutes for, uh, Monday, uh, sorry, June 5th, 2025.

Second. Any discussion? Deb call. Mr. Chair, Mr.

Das, very quick. Um, just going to be voting. Just going to be voting no. And my reason as to why I believe the school committee should retain more autonomy over and decision-m over what minutes are released to the public. And uh, as I um have mentioned to the committee in the past, I yield. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Oh, sorry. Good. Please call the role.

Miss Jag. Yes. Mr. Bailey. Mr. Das. No.

Mr. Court. Yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. Miss Pereira. Mayor Coogan. Yes. Anything further? Yes. I'd like to make a motion to accept the exe executive session minutes for uh June 9th. 2, 2025.

Discussion. Hearing none. Deb, please call the role. Miss. Drag. Yes. Mr.

Bailey. Mr. Das. No. Mr. Cory? Yes. Miss Laravey? Yes. Miss Pereira. Mayor Coogan.

Yes. Anything further? Yes. Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to accept the maintenance contract as negotiated.

Second. I have a motion and second discussion. Mr. Aguia. Yes. So, um I'm not going to be voting for this contract for basically for one main reason. Uh has nothing to do with the uh money or the um cost of living adjustments. for months now, actually for years since we as a committee voted to do a reorganization, which I was opposed to at the time of the maintenance department. We were told at that time

that when we if we voted for um more supervisors, more administrators in the maintenance department that we were going to get rid of all leads that work basically to get I think five or $6,000 extra to do not very much. And now we have actually bosses that we hired as administrators and we still kept the leads. I've asked this administration for several months and I have email backup for all of the

requests that I made to address the issue. We as a body, including the superintendent and her leadership team, all agreed to cut instructional leads across all of our schools.

We voted to cut instructional leads at the same time as we all said we were going to cut all leads, but this administration chose not to address the issue with the maintenance contract. So now we're at a situation where we cut instructional leads and we kept maintenance leads which makes absolutely zero sense to do that and we are going to do it because we didn't do our due diligence with negotiations the proper

way and I very disappointed in the administration for not addressing it. It does not look good for an administration or for a school committee to cut instructional leads with all the instructional issues that we have. but keep a $6,000 stipen for several maintenance department leads. It's not acceptable.

It looks foolish. It makes no sense and uh I'm not going to be supporting it and we should have addressed the issue and there's really no good excuse for it other than we didn't do our due diligence as an administration. I yield.

Thanks. Um Deb, please call the role.

Mr. AA, no. Mr. Bailey. Mr. Das. No. Mr.

Mr. Corey, yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. Miss Pereira. Mayor Coogan. Yes. Anything further? Uh, yes. I'd like to make a motion to accept the maintenance MOA regarding iPads as negotiated. Second.

Discussion. De, please call the role.

Mr. Drag. Yes. Mr. Bailey. Mr. Das. Yes.

Mr. Corey. Yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. Miss Pereira. Mayor Coogan. Yes. I'd like to make a motion to accept the M maintenance MOA regarding the two-way radios as negotiated. Second.

Discussion. Uh, hearing none. Deb, please. Mr. Drag. Yes. Mr. Bailey. Mr.

Dus. Yes. Mr. Corey. Yes. Miss Laravey.

Yes. Miss Pereira. Mayor Cougan. Yes.

Anything further to come before the committee? Yes.

Uh, just a quick comment on the last vote we took. I'm not Bless you. Um just as a general district, I just like to know if we're consistent with um tracking maintenance of 2A radios and GPS's. Um just want to make sure it's um fair all across the board. If we could check on that and report back to the committee. Thank you. Uh anything further, Mr. Yes. I'd like to make a

motion to accept the contract of Mr.

James Sullivan. Um he is the chief officer of special education and compliance as negotiated. Second. I have a motion. Second. Uh Deb, please call the role. Mr. Chairman. Oh, Mr. Angia.

I'm assuming he accepted as a negotiation.

I'm hoping he accepts it. Well, we've had situations in the past. Yeah, believe me, I'm not uh where we say out here publicly accept a program as negotiated and the person is in the audience or wherever and says, I never negotiated anything.

So, I'm assuming that somebody reached out to him. This is a a much needed salary adjustment, but I was we trust you.

Just a practice. I mean, it's not it's not it's a it's a good situation, but we got to get into the practice of doing things by the book. So, when we negotiate, somebody calls the gentleman and says, "We negotiated this." Yes or no? It's not that complicated.

No one said it was. Go ahead, Deb. Call the role, please. Mr. Agap, yes. Mr.

Bailey, Mr. Das, yes. Mr. A, I mean, I'm sorry, Mr. Corey. Yep. Miss Laravey.

Yes. Miss Pereira. Mayor Coogan. Yes.

Anything further? Finally, Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to accept the contract of Miss Stacy Gillian, uh, the financial manager as negotiated. Second. Uh, Mr.

Any discussion? I believe Mr. Elme gave a thumbs up that he contacted her and she accepted. Yes. Thank you. Then please call the role. Miss Dragia. Yes.

Mr. Bailey. Mr. Das. Yes. Mr. Corey.

Yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. Miss Pereira.

Mayor Coogan. Motion to adjurnn. Second.

What about that? Call the role on a huge non. Oh, the S nons. My bad. You got the S nons. Can you imagine that? I don't believe we need to make that motion. No, I don't either. We're okay. Well, yes, Bruce. Make it. Yeah, make it. Okay.

Bruce said make it. authorize somebody if we don't have to. Huh?

We've never taken a motion like this.

Okay. Do it. Don't do it. Don't do it.

Don't do it. We're done. All said.

Motion to adjurnn. De call the ro. I need a motion. Second.

Make the motion. All in favor? I opposed. Unanimous. Second.