1.28.2026 Fall River School Committee - Facilities and Operations Subcommittee

Six. Can we please call the role?

Mr. AA here.

Mr. Das here.

Mr. Monus here. Sold to the flag, please.

Pledge of Allegiance 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.

First one to the open meeting law.

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.

Um before we start the citizen input time, I do want to say that uh we are live today. Um if there's any issues, it's the first time that we're doing this, but I want to thank Mr. Ro and his team for getting this up and running. So if there is any issues, please uh let us know um if it's not working properly so that we can correct it. But good job

getting this up for the first meeting.

Item number two is citizen input time.

We have one person, Taylor Ferrer, 105 Aberdine Street. Mold concerns is the agenda item. And madam secretary, can you please read it?

Good evening. My name is Taylor Ferrer.

I have two separate facilities related questions I'd like to raise this evening. First regarding Lerno Elementary. There were previously reported mold concerns in the building.

I'm asking for an update for families and staff. Has the mold been fully remediated? What areas were affected?

And is there ongoing monitoring in place to ensure the issue has been resolved and does not reoccur? Transparency on this would be helpful for parents.

Second, I previously submitted a proposal focused on providing licensed mental health or behavioral support within certain classrooms, particularly those serving students with higher needs. While the staffing component is addressed elsewhere, I want to note the facility side of this issue.

If such supports are implemented, classrooms must be physically appropriate.

Classrooms must be physically appropriate spaces for therapeutic and behavioral services, including adequate space, privacy, and environmental safety. I'm asking whether facilities and operations is involved in evaluating classroom suitability while programs expand or service models change. Thank you for the opportunity to raise the questions and appreciate the committee's time.

Can anyone comment on that briefly?

So, the mold issue, uh, it's been, I want to say a little over a year, um, since we had, u mold issues at, um, at the building. Um, we did an awful lot of remediation back when, um, it was discovered. Uh, we did some, um, replacement of, uh, removal of carpet, replacing it with PCT tile in places. Um we did some uh sheetrock changes in any damaged areas. We've replaced um almost

every single ceiling tile in that building to a different tile. Get rid of all of the solid plastics to a Fisher an Armstrong product. Uh drop in um acoustical tiles.

We do have um some dehumidification going on in the summertime. We do mix in the summertime with heating and cooling so that we keep the dual level um to something we can handle in that building. And um we've had duck cleaning this that the the building has been through quite a bit of of um of work since the initial problems we had.

And right now we're in good shape.

Everything is everything is operational.

The equipment is operational. It's monitored um daily. and we um moving forward, Laterno is is kind of like a model for us as to where we're going to go with some of the other buildings. That's a newer building, so it's it's um it's kind of a tweener between technologies.

Um but it is a newer building. So, we've kind of followed suit with uh other schools like Spencer and Green and Green now, but uh Spencer and Sylvia Green is underway. And I think the um uh person writing was referring to recent couple months ago I think. Was she was that what the reference was in the in the letter concerns about mole like you know a recent but that's not that's not

asking for an update on it.

Yeah. Basically we had to do it was safe testing and the like any little blips we address them as they come and it's safe.

If anything changes, please update the committee so that the public can know as well.

Absolutely. Mr. Dice, thank you. Um I don't know if it was Latero, if you can remind me of the school. I know there was um since at least November, there was some reports that came in regarding mold in one of the libraries at one of the schools. Was that Latero?

I believe it was addressed. However, it was a reason for which he's talking about when we converted from the carpet to the BCT.

Oh, okay. So that would be Lno.

So that would have been Laterno when we changed some carpet.

Um and we didn't have mold, but there was some issues that they felt that there was a worn area in that library.

We ripped out that carpet and put the VCT tile in its place.

Thank you.

And and if you go in that room, you'll see carpet, but it's a scatter rug. It's not um it's not a wall.

And I think carpets are going to like be obsolete, too. Like for the most part, we're not replacing with carpets. I think was there one that somebody wanted because of like hearing or computers or something? But yeah, there were there was there were going to be some rooms that we may have to put in a different style carpet because of sensory reasons. Exactly what you mean right there. And that that may have to

happen but as a whole, we don't install carpet, Mr. Monus.

Yes.

Yes. Who states that it's safe and is the health department involved at all in this matter?

So, the health department is not involved.

Okay. Um so the the testing is done by independent agencies and the remediation work is done by others. So for instance if uh uh for lack of a better term we we use um universal for some of our testing. We use other companies also and um the MTA also has a gentleman who works for the MTA um that does testing.

So they'll do the testing. We'll get the results back. If everything's within the limits of where it needs to be, um, then we move forward with no remediation. If there is problems that they want us to correct, we do the corrections. We wait a certain period of time and then we go back in and test and but the board of health doesn't they don't because they don't recommend testing.

Okay? Mold is not a situation because it changes daily. The outside temperature outside, you know, the outside environment is what makes the inside environment. So because that is not a science so to speak, you can't go from day to day. It's a snapshot in time. We take a test, it's a snapshot in time. So the state department of health does not recommend testing for that for that piece anyway.

Okay.

Now due to the fact that if somebody's ill or anything like that, the state or so the state doesn't get involved. But you're right. If somebody if somebody says to us, look, I I come to school and I don't feel good, then we're going to we're going to figure out what it is. If it's if it's a situation that we say like as you know in the business there are certain things you visually know

right off the bat. If you walk in you see it you might see you know something happening in that room that you know you have an issue. So we walk into the room after that person would say something to us and we would say okay we're going to it looks like the room seems the humidity seems a little bit high. you know, we're going to uh we're going to put some dehumidification equipment in

here. Let's see if that changes.

Sometimes there's an odor that we don't know where it's coming from. Sometimes it's nothing. Sometimes, you know, could be something an old carpet, small carpet or something that that something happened to, but other than that, we would go with our gut and then have the test done. And when the test results come back, we usually share the test results. I I can't say that that the

answer is always that test just because we don't know what the ailment is. We don't know what the symptoms are. Some people may be more sensitive to certain things than others in the environment.

So due to the mold, you're stating that our basic equipment doesn't keep up or is not working properly. So none of the buildings with the exception of Dery High School and Watson now that it's redone has a full dehumidification system because air conditioning is not dehumidification. So you you have your systems your two systems and then you need dehumidification as a third. So because

we don't have that built into the systems we bring in some big equipment to dehumidify in the summertime. We also started as as I explained earlier mixing heating and cooling at the same time.

Cooling ads you know does take away some liquid but it's not dehumidification.

So when by us mixing the temperatures people find cooling at anywhere from 67 to 70°. We run the building at 72. It takes away some of that issues.

And what monitors all as far as as far as temperature? Well, the temperatures we have humidity we monitor with emitter stats and temperature we're we we're monitoring with thermostats and that's all part of your building.

All part of the building the BMS. Yep.

Yep.

Okay.

Thank you very much. We'll move on to 3.01 is a discussion uh around personal use of property and um policy. So the question I had was is there a policy?

Did we research it that there is any policy related to um such so I don't believe that there is a policy so to speak that would address personal use of school property policies that address um use of school property like students and stuff like that.

Yeah, that kind of stuff. But it's this is more related to uh an employee that takes it upon themselves to run a garage out of our maintenance shop.

Yep.

There's no necessarily policy, right, listed. I mean, it's common sense. It's illegal, all that stuff, but there's no policy on record. Is that am I accurate in saying that?

Yeah. I think the only place uh use it comes up in technology policies, you shouldn't you like that people can't use their um school devices for personal use and things like that. But it does there's not this standalone policy that says you can't use school facilities for personal use and things like that.

So, uh thank you. So, my belief is that we need to create a policy related to that just so it's explicit. Uh obviously, it's still not legal or okay, but I think we need to be more explicit about you can't be doing things like that using that as a most recent example. Um, that's what I put this on here because I think we need to initiate a policy for the next school committee

meeting where we articulate what this is. Thoughts from the committee and what happens if Mr. Monus and what happens if that is going on in the policy it will indicate, you know, obviously it's against the law. So if somebody's breaking the law, then it should be addressed by the administration in one way or another like you broke the law in our school buildings. somebody steals money, you

know, there's a protocol for that. It doesn't necessarily articulate it in the policy, but obviously you did something wrong. So, there's like personnel uh ramifications, consequences for violating the law or a policy.

And who would handle that?

All internal uh personnel are handled by the superintendent or her design. So technically speaking, if somebody did something they shouldn't do, it would in my opinion fall on the superintendent or the director, whoever, but ultimately everything stops with the superintendent. So it would be like Kevin did the following. She would have to issue a consequence one way or another. Letter file, suspension,

termination, whatever it is, it all has now right now. That's the law. Every single and correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not putting words.

I don't know what to pass then. if there's no policy in place that would handle that. I'm not saying that nothing happens. All I'm saying is is that there currently isn't a policy of the school committee that addresses it currently.

So, no, go ahead, Mr. Chica.

All I was going to say was does this so when we put something like this together, I'm assuming it's going to go to policy subcommittee before it goes to full or we're going to refer right to full in in a few weeks. We're going to hash it through about what we want to recommend, you know, the language and then we'll get the language for the committee at the next meeting and then the full

committee can vote on the policy. Now, the policy is just because I some things are unwritten. You know, just you're not supposed to do certain things, but policy would just reiterate that fact that it's it's illegal, you can't do it, whatever it is, and there will be consequences if you get caught doing it.

Something along those lines. From there, we can do whatever we want with whatever's happened in the past. It's a separate issue. This is just trying to get to some sort of policy where it's like a reminder.

Staff handbook would say if you're an employee of the district, you can't use the uh school buildings or the devices or anything else for personal use.

Something along those lines.

Mr. Dice, thank you. Um, just piggybacking on my colleagues questioning, what do we do if the policy isn't followed? How would the school committee know?

There'd have to be a complaint. I would I would say a complaint filed and then from there it would be up to the administration what they do and don't do. So, uh, we, you know, we can say what we want. Somebody files a complaint and says, uh, hey, I want to tell you that, you know, this guy's a teacher down there. He's a par professional and he's he's running an art studio out of

the school. and collecting money or something like that. There's multiple reasons for what that would be. If it's criminal, like if it's something that they're taking um money, I would say that there's other policies to say that would be immediately sent to the police for investigation. Um ultimately, it would be up to the administration to see whether they're going to investigate and

whatever the ramifications are of such, it'd have to be something. But the fact that we put it in policy will be a little clearer in my opinion to say just a reminder no you can't do this.

No no I fully agree with that. Um so I guess um in terms of the policy itself I would like to see language around and really just really cracking down on asset management. If we have vehicles how we assuring that those vehicles are um going back to the lot every single night. If we have um items coming in from the distribution center, how are we keeping um track on those items? Like I

used to work in retail, worked in asset management and there's always systems in place around especially around expensive items but around all items around how to track it, maintain it if it goes from one person to another. um having like that chain of custody that's going to be very important in terms of I don't know if this is going off track from personal use of school property policy I I think

it's in the same however just having language in place and really just procedures in place if we have to have like a either some sort of system in place or software system to look into um making sure things that that order to the schools we have um procedures in place and systems in place to make sure it's being used properly. And again, that helps from a money's aspect to make sure we're not wasting money on things

that individuals aren't getting. I don't know if we have data, if we're receiving complaints, if um my package didn't arrive or um something's missing or whatever it is. If something is missing, something went stolen, something's missing in the schools that was ordered.

If we what's the what that would be my question what are the systems in place right now for that in general like would that go through security would that no nothing would go through security like that so what would happen is if something's delivered most of the time it would either be delivered to whoever ordered it for instance if it was ordered by um custodial staff it would go straight

to the warehouse the warehouse would distribute it in their inventory it shows the custodian would put you know, I need uh four gallons of wax or four five gallon containers of wax. They would send it down whatever whatever school asked for that and then it would come off of inventory. So they would have put in a request through Brightly, come out of that system, they would take care of it,

send it to the school, it would be taken off the inventory list. Now we have 4,000 left, so on and so forth. So that would happen with most things custodialized.

Is that inventory list and um is that computerized or Yes, it is.

Yes.

What's the system we use for that?

It's part of that's part of Brightly.

Yes. It's a it's a it's technically still a school dude um piece.

Um and then for maintenance for instance, if electrician ordered stuff and it was being delivered, it would be delivered to whatever school, maybe delivered to the electrical shop. Those slips are put in for payment and then the in the the material would we would know that would being used for whatever project um whatever school and whatever project it was on and most of the time it's written on slips.

Thank you for that. Um, and I've noticed this issue, not I don't even know if it's an issue, but I think it's something that should be addressed in the policy. If um, we're using or if a staff member for any reason is requesting reimbursement for an item that they purchase for school use or they purchase something with um, with with public funds and the item is delivered to their house. I don't have

like the specifics, but I've seen it once or twice through the batches. Is that something that should be addressed in the policy? For example, all items need to be delivered either to the school itself or to the distrib distri distribution center. So it doesn't I can't address that because I don't know of anybody taking deliveries at home. But if there is a case then brought to my attention as of yet.

I don't think it was for sale. you've seen um people who are doing um participating in a book study.

They'll have the book delivered to their house or something like that or um Yeah, I think I think stuff.

Yeah, I I would advocate in a policy that anything for the schools needs to go to a school address. It shouldn't go to their personal house. my my position there there could be an argument against but um going back to vehicles are all staff right now are any staff allowed to bring their vehicles home or anywhere other than school property currently so no one has a take-home vehicle so no one's allowed to take

no one is taking home a vehicle overnight so not an overnight vehicle no one has a vehicle that's just assigned to them in the city side I had a vehicle I 24/7 on this side there is no vehicle that's assigned to anyone in particular that they have 24 hours a day so that the vehicles are sitting at Dery High School most of them are sitting at Dery High School attendance cars are usually

sitting in schools that the attendance officers use um and the facilities and operation the I'm sorry the uh distribution center those vehicles come to Dery High School they pick them up in the morning their cars stay here they take those vehicles down to the warehouse. At the end of the day, they come back here.

Okay. And um during the day, because I already know, and because we've said it before in meetings that staff vehicles don't have GPS. Nope.

So during the day, we have no way of knowing that staff vehicles are being used for public purposes. We have no way of verifying that.

You have no way of verifying if if a are you talking about a school department vehicle or I think it's a differentiation between the vehicles. So like we have if we have a non-assigned vehicle there's no reason why we can't have GPS in those cars if it's just if it's just a delivery vehicle the there's still a union portion of that like we did. So, we signed for um iPads.

iPads. We signed anou for um the um walks and I'm just saying the vehicle like if the vehicle belongs thing if it's an if it's got a GPS then it's got to be negotiated.

My my opinion food for thought that I would question that personally.

that not suffer tonight, but I'm just saying in general like I think if we have a vehicle and it's not like assigned to can whoever and we have GPS in that vehicle that's the vehicle that the person's hired to work in. We're not tracking that cuz that person could get into Manny's vehicle, Colin's vehicle or whoever. So we're tracking our own vehicles, not necessarily Ken's like the fact that

they're not assigned to an individual. I don't think contractually that would fly. If it's your iPad or your phone and we're tracking it now, that's on your person. I think that would be different.

I wouldn't think that the to get to I think where Colin is trying to get to is that we should have GPS's in some of the vehicles that we have. Um, right. And also procedures in place. Um, for example, if you're on I I wouldn't have an issue if you're um if you're in the vehicle all day, you take your lunch, you go to McDonald's perfectly. I I would see that as perfectly fine even

though it's a personal use. If you're working on the field all day, you stop.

Um, however, if you're going to, example to Somerset, going to solar, you're buying pot, that's something that I don't believe would be, but I think it would be I I think that's a policy for the vehicles I think should be looked at in the future to say what do we have? Is it different? Uh, I personally would think that the vehicles are different, but I I think you Mr.

Das's point about, you know, just trying to track checks and balances. I think we should probably look at that to make sure that we do have the checks and balances in place. If they're not where they need to be, we can make a recommendation for some changes. But with this particular piece and the piece about the delivery at home, I think that's just opening up a can of worms.

personally uh larger pieces like so if um you're going to somebody gets something and there's policies in place for that they go to uh GoFundMe or one of those things and they they pay for an iPad or whatever the thing is that becomes property of the school. So like that would be inventoried as part of it each school has. So, if the person gets it to their house, but you know, they

have to deliver it to the principal or whoever, I I think that would um there's some other pieces I think that cover to superintendent's point about a book, like somebody's in a book study, they got a book to home and then they put in a reimbursement. Quite frankly, they need the book at home to do the book study. So, it just would be a little dicey if we did it um you know,

too much. And I don't know that it's rampant if there's any issues. So if there is issues, I would recommend we bring those to the front so we can say how do we have a policy that'll affect this rather than having a blanket one and have us jump through hoops for something minor.

Okay. May I ask one last question?

Of course.

Um going on personal use of um like a computer or Chromebook for any staff member. Um and I know how it is like in other districts. Do we if so any all staff members are given a Chromebook and so we track their um search history or whatever like that will be automatically saved whatever they look up or use it for the firewall. Yeah. But I mean we don't cache logs. I mean that would be

infinite space. So like every 30 to 35 days it would you know clear the cash but it it would be saved on a local computer if they didn't clear the cash.

It would be a you know they have the ability we couldn't turn off that ability for them to they can't erase they can't erase anything.

That's my question. Okay. Thank you. I So um sounds like we need a policy uh related to the use. Uh we'll work on the details between now and the next meeting. If we could get a motion to turn to the full committee.

Motion to refer to the full committee the recommendation that the administration bring a personal use of school policy based off of the feedback.

Motion made by Mr. Das. Seconded by Mr.

Monus. Roll call.

Mr.

Yes.

Mr. Das.

Yes.

Mr. Monus.

Yes.

Secondarily on this issue. So, we've had this an ongoing issue with two different issues. Uh, I've raised this in public meetings. I've raised it to superintendent privately, prior superintendent. At the same time, we had an issue of a so-called illegal garage as well as a welding op project that people were doing inside of the maintenance shop at the uh Derpy High School. That's been an issue. I've asked

for it to be investigated multiple times by several administrations, by the mayor, by anyone that would listen, and there's still never been an investigation. So, I'd like to recommend that we authorize attorney Assad to complete an investigation report on those two issues, whether it's an internal or external, that attorney Assad will be in charge of seeing through to fruition.

Motion.

Motion's been made by Mr. Das, seconded by Mr. Monus. Roll call, please.

Mr. Mr. Agna.

Yes.

Mr. Das.

Yes.

Mr. Misus.

Yes.

That's a quick question on the motion.

Sure.

Um, so this would be something we'll discuss at the at the full committee.

Referrals full committ uh 3.02 is a discussion in general about storm overtime for the current year. Uh, obviously we have uh we're in the middle of a storm. This doesn't apply necessarily to that, but if there is questions on that, I think we can take them. But uh we've got the information um just now. So, we probably don't know exactly what's in there, but if you can just highlight what we talked about in

the past, how do we do the overtime, how is it distributed, and if a members have any questions related to storms in general?

Sure. So, overtime for, you know, for snow removal, snow um cleaning is issued by building. Um, normally first shift are given options on the morning overtime. uh and if the storm is is large enough and if we feel that we need more help with that storm we would bring in second shift that's on the custodial side on the ground side there's eight employees two of two of them which have

licenses to operate the backhoe we need tobacco to load the salt into the salters so every single storm that we need to salt one of those operators is going to be in a storm like this one was all hands on deck but if it's a if it's a quick hit or if it's a situation where we may have had some rain, gets cold, all we need to do is salt, then we would

bring in one driver with one piece of equipment if that is enough to do what we need to do. If it's not enough, we would bring in a second person or a third person, but one of the people who have the license would be called in.

Between those two people, they're rotated every other storm. First one is this person, next one next storm. So so on and so forth with the um depending on the size of the storm that would is how that would affect. Normally we would bring the groups in two hours ahead of the of the whatever event it is. Um on a on a holiday or a um a weekend situation, we would be concerned with

the schools that have events. So, we would not necessarily go to a school and assault all the sidewalks or anything like that. If a school has an event, there's usually a custodian assigned to the event. That's custodian would come in anyway for an overtime, whether we were had a weather event attached to it or not. If the weather event was something that was, you know, in need of a second custodian or a third

custodian, we would bring those people in on that particular piece. However, the grounds people would be in on that storm no matter what. Um, I guess the easiest way to explain it is we got eight grounds people and we have 100 custodians. So, the custodians in order to get them a fair chance at overtime. What we would do, exactly what we did on this is is the overtime goes out as a call for all

the custodians to come in for four hours. They would come in and work. I'm going to tell you that that isn't always the case. Not all custodians come in on every overtime call. Even if it's time and a half, double time, that doesn't mean they're automatically going to come in. So that becomes a situation where we don't know who's we're actually going to get in some of the buildings. But if the

situation was worse, we would offer up to six hours and so on. So a storm like this, it would be a minimum of eight. If they wanted to work, we would also let them work four if they only wanted to work four. eight hours of overtime.

Second shift would come in. Eight hours of overtime if we shift if we designated chiefs. Okay. On a normal workday, we wouldn't bring the first shift the second shift into the first shift area because there would be no need. We're going to have them for another eight hours at straight time. So, we wouldn't bring them in in the situation unless we were already short-handed and we had

some issues. That's normally how the overtime is distributed for storms. The overtime is distributed by the assistant director and the director based on needs of the building. I'll get a phone call.

We have this going on at this school or I need this done at this school or the daycare is going to be running or there's an event running. All of those things that would be sent to me and I would say put them on for four hours, put them on three hours, ask them what they thought. most of the time we're on the same page as to how much overtime they get and it's distributed that way.

So building by building the overall um the overall seniority is based on building. So the building is their own piece and as the grounds it's it's totality. It doesn't matter what building they're going to. The eight grounds keepers are are stand alone and the rotation is through them. On the custodial side, it's a little different because the senior runs the c the overtime piece. If it's a first shift

overtime, normally they the senior takes it with others in that first time overtime piece.

That's basically the storm overtime in a nutshell.

Any questions? Mr. D, thank you. Um I have some questions regard um a few questions related to um like how like administration of like how we how like we handled like the storm and the grounds. I have a lot more questions related to um transportation related to the storm. I'll save this the transportation questions for when transportation comes up. Sure.

Um so let's try to stick to old storms first right now and then we'll do the new storm the current storm. If you had questions like on the current one, which is not like in our backup, but if you had like questions on the prior storms, let's try just bang those out first if you can.

I I'll hold if um any of the members have Mr. Monus.

Yes. So, I believe superintendent stated in the email they came in um one night um just to clear snow because of uh police and fire and everything else.

And uh no custodians were called in to make sure the buildings were clear. Um like my other district that I work for, uh we go we go in no matter what um to clear every doorway, every sidewalk just to make sure fire, police, um everybody's able to get in the building.

Um what's the reason why we didn't call custodians in?

So the need to call the custodians in to make sure that the building could be accessed is the first piece.

So we do the surrounding area to get the building act. Forget the I'm not talking about going in the building. Access to the building by the fire department cuz the fire department walks into one door in the building where knockbox is.

That's the entrance that the fire department would use because that's the only one they can get in without a custodian.

If we do more work than that, for instance, if we do work because we're we have an event at that school, that's a whole another ball game. Custodians have to be called in. There are going to be people in the building. There going to be kids in the building. That's a different set of overtime. But the exception of the of the firefighter or police officer getting to the Knox box is the only direction that they're going

to go in. And to be totally honest, in that event, there wasn't enough snow for us to worry about them getting to the door. the parking lot and other areas are a little more of a concern and that's how it's handled that way. So, we wouldn't necessarily call a custodian every single time we have a situation, an event, a weather event if the buildings weren't going to be occupied. All of this stuff had happened

during school vacation when we were closed down as a district for school vacation. But we had employees, we had some employees coming in the next morning. The next morning, we knew that we had custodians in there to clean anyway and that those employees wouldn't be in that area.

So, you're telling me the grounds clear the way for the They don't go on the sidewalks, but they clear the the surrounding area. So, in a school like Green where there is no surrounding area, it's sidewalks, no one was called in. There was no need to. The roads were clean. I didn't have to call in anybody. Dery High School is a different story.

property to take care of. They also had events going on in the in the um fieldhouse. So, I need to have all of that area cleaned. Custodians were already on duty because we had basketball, if I'm not mistaken, during school vacation was going on in the in the um fieldhouse. So, we would have had custodians in that building. Um we may have had daycare during school vacation.

If there was an event, we had to be sure that the the building was safe for the daycare to operate. But not every building had something going on.

So if they had nothing going on, then we didn't call in custodians.

So you had enough going on for grounds.

Yes. Yes.

But not enough.

Absolutely. In my opinion. Absolutely.

It's a call that I make all the time.

All the time.

I beg the differ.

Okay. I I I respect that, man.

Okay. I respect that.

Which um uh is this the 1226 1227?

I would say the thing is that I'm just looking at them here. Some of them were like 13 hours of um Well, it wouldn't have been that one then.

Point of information.

Yes.

Um so that was when I asked that exact question on these um minute I mean not minutes on the these overtime sheets.

What is this covering? Like how far back?

The dates on top.

The dates are on top.

So is this for the I understand that. Is this for the month of December or just about it was a whole the whole year?

The date the date is on the side, right?

I'm saying wait what he's asking is covering what from September 1st until now. Like there's basically all storms 25 26 and then 26 27 all storms.

Okay. Thank you.

Yep.

Yeah.

So on the 26 27 I'm just looking at a few and uh I received some calls on the same. So 10 to 12 this particular one says snow removal um and 12 26 2 hours and then 12 to 11 is 11 hours you know so like this person worked 13 hours straight I'm just trying to um well not straight but on the next day but this the 12:00 meeting at night was is it 12

12:26 it doesn't say but it it Um, like I don't know why you would come in on 12:26 at 10:00 in the morning for only 2 hours. Like I I think that must mean 12 a.m.

And then the same one was on three and a half hours on the 28th. So the the concern that we had, I got calls, I'm sure these gentlemen got calls the same um was where it was like 13 hours. So, if there's 13 hours straight of uh overtime when they got called in, we didn't have snow until the following, if I recall, the storm 5:00 in the morning on the next day, something like that. But the

grounds came in way earlier than normal.

And that's one of the questions that I was asked and I don't have an answer.

That's why I'm asking it here.

Do you understand what I'm saying?

Yeah. So what I'm saying is is well I know what you're I know what you're you're saying. So my answer to that would be that if the storm is going to start in x amount of time whatever that may be then we predict and call in those people for a couple of hours after the snow starts to fly because they got to load the truck and have it ready to go. So guaranteed most

storms were going to start 2 hours ahead of time to prepare the trucks for wherever they got to go. That's an automatic. On the city side it was 4 hours. Over here it's 2 hours.

What I what I'm asking though is and I think you can probably figure and we would have people working more than 12 hours. We could have people working 16 hours straight.

Yeah. No, I get it. So if you can because I'm looking at this as we're going through the meeting, but yep.

The storm that we're talking about was when they came in real early and the snow didn't come till I think it was 5:00. I could be wrong. So, if we call somebody in from 10:00 p.m.

and the storm wasn't coming until 5, the storm didn't come until 5:00, under the 2-hour piece, they should have got called in at 3:00 a.m. to start to move the snow, but they came in at 10:00 the night before. And some something similar happened a year ago where like the storm was coming and then it didn't and we had paid guys for like well when the storm doesn't do what it's supposed to do.

I've paid 100 employees on the city side and private contractors when the storm didn't happen when it was supposed to.

So you here's the thing. You can't you can't ask people if I commit to somebody if I tell employees that they're going to come in tomorrow at 5:00.

Okay, they've made the commitment to me that they're going to show up at 5.

If I don't, if that storm doesn't hit, I'm paying for them to come in for a period of time. They didn't go out with their friends. They didn't go do whatever they did. They didn't make any plans. I committed to them that I made the commitment to them. They made the commitment to me.

Yeah.

So, you got a minimum at that point.

So, there is a minimum that some of these people are going to come in if the storm doesn't hit exactly what it is.

It's kind of like the Dunkin Donuts commercial where they're waiting for the first snowflake and they all run out.

I'm not going to say that doesn't happen, but but it really does happen.

It it does happen that you meteorologists are wrong in the time that it's going to stop. I can't wait until I get behind because I don't have enough equipment nor people to take care of 18 buildings after the fact.

So, all I'm asking is that that we because of the questioning Yep. that we get a a clarifying memo on that particular storm.

For instance, if it was supposed to snow by all indications at 12 o'clock.

Yep.

The two-hour window would count because you say call in at 10. Fine.

Sure.

If it said which I believe because I in my own unprofessional like looking on the internet like when's it going to snow? It was five o'clock. I could be wrong, but in my mind I keep saying five o'clock because that's when they said the first snowfall was going to call, right? Right. And then when I heard that they called the people, you whoever called the people the night before something, that was a

discrepancy. So if you can just get us something to say, if you have something like, hey, at the time our sources were telling us that it was going to snow at 12:00, therefore that's why we got the 10.

Mhm.

You know, it is what it is. But I just think it helps us to clarify.

Sure.

If somebody asked us, why are you calling in the guys for 7 hours before the um snow came?

Absolutely. and that I don't think there was a lot of other land like the December storm. So even though this covers the current school year, there wasn't many u means for knocking wood over time. Mr. D first.

Thank you. So going back on the old storms um now that my memory was a little bit more recollect and correct someone can correct me if I'm wrong. You look at the weather reports that week I believe there were two storms. One was more minor than the other. And the complaints that I received was the custodians weren't called for the minor storms and um it was just a mess throughout some of

the buildings. Um I believe I even drove by myself during high school custodians weren't called and um if there was a fire there would have been a major hazard. So, I know there's a a liability and a duty on behalf of the district to make sure sidewalks are all covered, parking lots covered because if someone slips and falls, we'll be liable.

There's a fire, we'll be liable. And then it was addressed by that storm, the bigger storm, which was 2 days after, and we had everyone all I believe more hands on deck getting that. So, if we could get a me like um my colleague just stated, we can get a memo just so we can be reminded of what happened there because it didn't really seem and just going based off my memory, it didn't

really seem consistent on um calling the custodian especially.

It's not going to be consistent. It really isn't. Mr. Das, you're trying to make it the same and it's not. So, there's a situation where I'm not going to call custodians in because the building is not going to be used. If I'm getting 2 in of snow and that building is not going to be used, I'm not going to call custodians. And why would I call them?

My qu my question would be is there either fire code or if there's um nothing there's nothing there's nothing that would say that. We do it out of courtesy because when a building is going to be active the next day or in later on in that day, we would want to protect the building. So, we would have people come in. But if the building is going to lay dormant for a day or two or

three, we know that our employees are going to beat everyone else in the building always because they're the first ones that start. So that's when we would bring our people in. So if I don't have an event until 10:00 the next morning at a school, then I I know I know my day custodians are going to come in. It's not that I don't want to give them overtime. I I I'm signing a lot of

overtime sheets every day. There's a lot of overtime the custodians are getting in this season. The unfortunate part about it is or the way it's landed. This is the first time that overtime has landed in an opportune time for them to get the overtime, you know, uh for two days number one and the extra hours, but also over the weekend.

I understand double time and and you know, and time and a half. So I I wouldn't necessarily say that the way it happens every single time because the weather forecasts are not consistent. So it starts with that and the fact that we can't bank. We're not just using the local weather. We do have services that are paid for by the city that we access and those are the weather forecast that most of the time

are right because they're not sensationalized by the media. It is a strict service that the city pays for.

They have to use that service because if not they would have much more overtime being wasted on preparing for a storm that may or may not come. So what what I what I would say is is that we issue the overtime for buildings that are going to be occupied. We do the grounds to make sure that the grounds are safe because people don't walk in our buildings and get hurt. I know. I understand. What

I'm looking I'm looking at more from an aspect of an emergency building if there's um and even if you don't have to offer hours and hours worth of overtime, just having someone go in there just make sure you can walk in if there the fireman needs to go there or something like that. So, you're saying that the main entrance should be cleaned every storm and that we would decide that one

person would come in at every storm that we have and clean the walkway getting to where the fire fighter would park.

I think that should be considered.

I just uh I can maybe try to help in just some of my thoughts on it. So, we Mr. Chico, Superintendent Curley, us, we all have a fiduciary responsibility to not just give away overtime, which is hence the reason We're kind of doing this oversight so that we can all get on the same page with how are we going to make sure that it's equal as best we can

but rational as far as like yeah I'm not going to just give overtime just for the sake of overtime because it's the people's money that we want. We want good practices on lean. So there's a balance in my opinion between giving away overtime just for no reason and not when when we had a storm the storm there was a storm that happened when there was on school vacation week that changes the

whole ball game of or like on a Friday night into a Saturday like kids are coming in on Monday you have no choice but to give the overtime but if there was no kids coming in to the building to Mr. Pico's point and you had workers in straight time which would include the maintenance guys and the custodians there really is no need for overtime in my personal opinion. I think that would

be a little overkill and a waste. I think what Mr. Chica was saying is out of courty the grounds guys would go make sure where the box is where the key is so that they can at least get to it because he's not he's not stating that though he's saying that they no I wouldn't I didn't to be totally you're absolutely right Manny I did not I did not the biggest thing is it's safety I don't

care about the overtime the money and whatever safety first at the end of the day I got to make sure the buildings are safe no matter what fire police have to get in there the the biggest thing is uh what bothers me the most about the overtime is when I see like a buddy system, two guys in one truck and uh what what what is that for? Like why aren't they all in their own plow trucks

or why aren't they salting or shoveling or what's the purpose of paying two people in one vehicle?

So in the in the lines of um being lean and um making sure that we're not giving away money, I think that's a valid question. So we can get Mr. Pico to write up what is the protocols on like whether you have two people in a truck or one but to get to the point of the box after hearing what I'm hearing here that the grounds people would like plow the um

let's say there was six inches of snow decent amount of snow I think personally that the grounds people who are coming in to do the salting and the plowing of the place should make sure that there's a path to the box so they're not doing that okay because that would be crossing the union line that's So they so so I know what you're saying, but it's the opposite of what we're

doing, right? So I I am cleaning around the building. So a building like green, unless that building was going to be occupied, I wouldn't go there at all because there is no no reason there's no area that the grounds people need to clean in order to access the building.

The only thing that needs to be cleaned is the front door where the Knox box is.

You walk in that front door off of Clapam Street and you would access the Knockspot. That's not the same case at Spencer Bordon. That's right. I guess this might not be solved today. I'm giving you my opinion. Yeah.

Yeah.

Is that if a person's driving a truck Yep.

a grounds person and they're driving that truck to the school.

Yep.

And in order to clear that sidewalk, they got to get out and shovel to get to that box as an emergency in case there's an emergency. They should be allowed to do that. Take the union aside, deal with that. However, giving you my own personal opinion, they we shouldn't have to call somebody in overtime for an hour to say you because it's in your contract. Just like the that's not your area, that's my

area. My mind, safety first. They should get a shovel, take the thing out, get to the box, move on to the next school. So, we got 18 buildings during that time.

The eight grounds people and the supervisor got to figure out whoever get to the box. That's would be my personal goal. And if it has to be negotiated, so be it. That's a negotiator. I I just think it's something that's common sense.

Your directors, let them shovel either way. Like a non a non-UN person could, but I I think we should look at it. Let them pick up.

You don't think that that's going to be a grievance?

Let letting union work safety first.

I pay to I know it's going to happen.

So, I've been doing this for 20 years. I know exactly what's going to happen when you cross the union. That's fine. But at the end of and then I'm going to pay two people.

That's fine. But at the end of the day, at least I know that's not the way being shoveled.

That's not the way things are done.

We'll do it the right way. So yeah, let's go do it the right way. I haven't seen it yet.

We um what I would mean is excuse me right now. Right now, madame clerk, please enter into the record that this is a hostile work environment and I am not going to put up with it any safety period. Period. Gentlemen, that is my statement. That is my statement. That's into the minute.

I'm done with arguing about this stuff.

I've seen enough. done.

Okay, we're going to move. We're going to move and I want to see the job get done.

Period.

Gentlemen, gentlemen, let's keep it professional and let's try to get through this agenda.

Be nice if there was a policy to take care of this.

Yeah, I I let's call aheads can prevail here. Let's deal with this.

Listen, I've dealt with more than I understand right now we're working on the storm. I believe after the conversation we should get a memo or something to say if it's a negotiated item what we do so that we can prepare for the future negotiations if that's the case but I do think that we need to be very cautious of when we just give away over time just to for the sake of

it you know so I think we have to balance between equity and fairness as well as what we need to do if it's going to be an item that's going to get grieved and we're going to pay anyway we don't want to do that but we also can acknowledge it and then move forward with this is how we would like to have it done and it's not every school they

are not all created equal as Mr. Pico said so we can get a list figure out what's the uh you know five or six uh schools that need it and we'll figure out a way we can deal with it Mr. D may I ask about new storms question on the yes so anything else on the old storms hearing nothing Mr. Chico, is it clearly just a simple easy one pager as well as something to just say

is it agreeable is not maybe you turn your side exactly kind of needs to weigh in um on that we'll do so 302 we're going to extend it to the current storm and knowing full well that we don't have the overtime slips um but it's been a long couple of days of the storms so try to keep your questions related to school stuff if there is city questions. We can I can't answer those. Mr. Chico can't

answer those, but we can ask questions and he can get back to us with an answer. Or maybe they've had meetings where they know some of those answers. Y but he can't answer for the city and the superintendent can't answer for the city. I just want to be clear on that. Please dice.

Thank you. Um so on the new storm, I think o overall I think um our facilities did very well in um throughout all the schools. I think they worked very hard. So, just want to pass that message on to them. Um, my question is around um on the administration level. I know um superintendent sent us an email um stating that you were out in the storm. I I'm sure you were out in the

storm. Who on the administration level, your director's level or whatever, who who was involved in the seeing overseeing the day-to-day of the storms?

So dayto day of the storms um besides me being out there um the director of campus services was here round the clock whenever n whenever his people were here he was here um the director of custodial services the assistant director of custodial service services the supervisor of utility workers was in um one of the days security was in here um just for meetings um but having them so

they know what is going on. Um, director of maintenance services was in um for the um for the duration of the storms um actually watching uh some of the um process of removing snow. So the hauling processes we try to keep someone around the hauling situation just so we keep an eye on the equipment u make sure that even though it's not on our dime the hauling we're just keeping track of the

equipment that's being used. If we're paying for two pieces of equipment, we want to be sure two pieces of equipment are there and so on. So that is all done by all of the supervisors who are who are on the course of the storm.

Depending on how big the storm is will depend on how many of those people come in.

Okay. Um most of the positions you enter that you just said we're at the storm make sense. Um like for custodian maintenance obvious um utility workers.

Can you remind me what what what the So their role is during storms that they would help custodians. So they would come in and clean loading docks, clean areas that they would start on and then again help out at the buildings.

Okay. Um remember that no overtime is mandatory.

I can't order anybody into work. So if people chose to work, then we would put them to work.

Would you I really don't know the answer to this question. the utility director.

Would he receive um overtime isn't a salary?

No, it's just a salary. Okay.

None of none of the directors get get overtime, nor do they get any any bonuses for coming in during all of these times.

Okay. Um I had a few more transportation questions. I'll wait for transportation.

I'll yield for now. Thank you, Mr.

Uh I had a question on the mandatory overtime. When is it mandatory? So if we could get a one pager on that too it's for future.

Yeah there is no mandatory so we don't order what we what we do is we make it available to everyone. Okay. So for instance this storm it was all an all hands- on deck storm. We also had for the first time the challenge of having the the new piece of the contract be tested. So on Monday, city hall closed and now that becomes a day that we provide a floating day if you come in

for the longest time in this district, maintenance would show up and facilities would show um custodial would show up.

They'd be working not getting any more money for doing that work. Sometimes they ended up on a straight time day and people at home were getting paid because that their particular piece wasn't needed. When city hall closes, the district closes itself. The only people that come in are essential workers, which would be custodial grounds. Um, if we had maintenance stuff that came up

during the the course of the storm, they would also be essential personnel. If security wanted to work to help, they would get this floating h if they worked the amount of hours that we needed them to work, meaning to do custodial work.

To do custodial work, right? They could come in and work. um no one would get the lowest salary. So no one's salary loss. So someone wouldn't come in and take this work because they're working for someone else's pay. If a maintenance person walks in the door, if it's a carpenter, plumber, electrician and their wage is different than the custodians, they wouldn't get their wage overtime. They would have to work for

the other overtime. Vice versa, if a security person came in and their wage was less than a custodian, then they would get custodial pay to come in and do custodial work. So that's how this particular storm was. It was Monday was a day that they could earn double time even though it was a straight time day technically.

Will you get us just what the result of that was? I'm just curious.

Does everybody understand what he's talking about with the change in the contract?

Yes.

Yeah. what he was just referring to was the change in the contracts and say that they got an extra day. So what I'm asking for would be the okay we got 100 custodians take advantage of it right because it would need it all hands on deck because what happens is why I asked the question about mandatory is at some point if we do this we now we're giving you an extra day and you're still not getting

the people then we're going to have to make it mandatory when when you need it truly because it shouldn't be optional at some point I know it's not in the contract but if we don't know the data then we can't say okay now in the future we're going to make it mandatory because when I do need you nobody even even when I'm giving you a day only a third of you show up. Yep.

I think that's um that would be telling to me to say well maybe we can do something different. Um because what if this stone was twice as large which could happen and he doesn't have the right to to mandate people come in. I mean can you only imagine uh what that would be? Um, anything else on the current?

Um, no. I guess one um the my last question would be um I'm assuming we're in um preparations.

There might be a storm this upcoming Monday.

So, part of what our plan is and and I I won't speak for the city, but part of our plan would be we don't we don't move snow lightly, right? Because it's very expensive to move. We also don't pay for that particular piece. So the school department pays for snow removal on the site. Okay. But we do not move snow.

This moving of the snow is a process on the city side. Um we try and work with people that we've worked with before that know our buildings that know our ground so that we're not wrecking things out there. However, um it is a city expense. So what what we what we did at this storm we had um a lot of snow pilot dery um I don't mean to come up but you go um if

we can get an answer on how that's covered into um that school spending it's got nothing to do with it city spends on snow strictly it's got it doesn't it's a pass for us all I'm doing is saying I have five pieces and then bill goes to the city that's all and most of the time and they're all city vendors so we're not hiring somebody claim that on net school spending They can.

Can you um just be sure of that?

Yeah, I can. They we've done it in the past. It's never been there, but I we can new people.

Absolutely.

It would be good to have that on the record because that's an considerable expense.

Right.

So, our preparation for the next storm is basically moving the major piles out of the way because they're taking up especially at Derby, they're taking up parking places. But there's also at a lot of other schools, we have accessibility issues. Handicap parking.

Unfortunately, handicap parking is usually at the end of all parking spaces. And that's usually where we're pushing snow. So, we have to move it out of those areas. Uh making sure that we can get buses around the back of buildings wherever they need to be and uh hopefully adequate parking for uh employees if there is parking on site.

So, that's what the prepar um also making sure we have enough supplies, you know, and any equipment that's that has issues during this storm to make sure they're ready for the next.

Thank you. If you like us to have questions on transportation, I'll ask those at that time. Thank you.

Mr. said, "Did you have something on the current stone?"

I'm all set. Thank you. He answered it from uh it's all on the city side when he has outside contractors come in to remove snow.

Yep. So, uh so I mean that process uh I mean you got to do something with it. I understand. Uh with the current situation um salting like the when we get salt we get it from the city.

No. So we have a separate account with the same company the city buys from the state contract. We buy so we take care of our own salt and and I want to tell you that when I got here that wasn't the case. We would go and fill up at the barn. The problem with filling up there is we wait in line and the truck is sitting there and it's sitting there. If

there's no operator I can't get the salt. So we decided that we're going to have our own salt here just because when we need it we need it have it. It's not always available at the garage and they need a loader there. So, the ability for us to get it get it at our leisure didn't happen over there. A couple of storms into it and I couldn't deal with that. So, we moved it over here.

So, we have our own salt.

We have our own salt stockpile.

Stockpile.

And then the thing with the having the truck to having one of their guys um drop it off.

No, like direct ship. No, I'm saying the we had the conversation about the filling up, waiting for the guy to come back and overnight.

Oh, that's the um is that cuz it's overnight or what?

What's the So, waiting for You mean the uh the dumping of the trucks?

Yeah. Anything like So, our trucks we don't take to the garage at all. They fuel up there. We have keys.

So, strictly was a hauling piece.

It was the hauling piece. So, the hauling piece was we we were having trouble with the the site that we're hauling to y and they needed a piece of equipment there. So, we have plenty of salt.

We do. I mean, well, we have we have enough salt, but the salt the city's salt supply, not just the cities, but the salt supply right next to CS.

They're waiting for a bodgege. So, right now they're low. They're very, very low.

I don't know if we'll have um any additional loads coming. We have enough stockpile to take care of this storm and hopefully we buy it from the city.

We buy it from right directly, the same place, but our own account.

Like I heard today that the city hasn't paid the salt bill.

180,000 for six eight months. So that's why they don't have salt.

They don't have salt because there's no salt available.

But I heard that there was a bill that they can pay that I don't know.

But what I'm saying is that bill has nothing to do with us.

Nothing to do with us.

So we pay whatever. Now you know that we're going to get enough to Yes.

And where do you put it?

The same vendor. So up in the upper yard um there's um a couple of uh we use some some cement peers to make a box and then we put the salt inside that we cover it with. Do you think we have enough for now until the next?

We have as much as we can get. We just got a load the other day of what was available.

Yes.

That's also people a lot of people are complaining about the streets and all that stuff. We are in charge of the school. So I don't want to get the two things confused, but if the city's skimping on salt, I don't want to be skimping on salt. We need to make sure it's safe.

Yes.

That's a city problem that let them deal with. Uh so I'm glad that we're doing our own uh our own thing. Uh our our trucks are uh equipment. Yes.

Do we have any big equipment that could work the streets?

We don't have any all we have is all pickups. We have one one ton dump truck.

Um and again the city's got a bunch of those trucks around. With a storm like this, most of the work is being done by the pusher, you know, on the on the backhoe or on the Bobcat. The after a few inches of snow, you know, you can go probably five, six, even seven inches with a regular plow. But the amount of pushing we're doing Yeah. So I I guess here's the reason why I was asking because

if we have eight people on our maintenance side and then we have 100 custodians working y and we have the outside doing the hauling why don't we utilize the eight guys that we have with our trucks. If they're not working the trucks y pickups or whatever seeing the streets and the condition that they're in that we're not even at the curb when they when they did a and that includes our

own like outside of the schools. I I was here when they did the package.

But if we have eight people that have pickup trucks even y why the heck can't we work on the areas around the schools for the city? Because obviously the city can't get it done.

Yeah. We haven't to be totally honest, Mr. Nagia, we haven't had a chance to get off of our property yet. So the other night we had three inches more of snow that fell overnight, 2 and a half inches, whatever it was. So, we've basically had finished everything, put a a small layer of salt down because we didn't want to waste it until we got our delivery, which was the next day, but

then we had to plow every building again. All 18. I I I'm not Look, what I'm looking for is moving forward tomorrow, the next day, like if we've gotten our schools in decent shape. We're taking the stuff and taking it out. If we have eight guys that can work eight pickup trucks, we can help the city do what the city can't do and get those to the curb in certain streets because it's not rocket

science to to I don't believe we have eight salters.

No, we've got four.

No, I'm talking about like just I'm talking about any any equipment. But if like for instance it drives me I'm driving around this city and we said we have a a parking ban.

We have a parking ban to the curb and there's nobody there's no streets that basically to the curb. So now we're dealing with the transportation, the buses, the this, the that. Well, why can't we once we get settled with our buildings say, "No, you're going to help out in the street to at least push that snow into one area and then have the outside people take it and run it out."

I'm not that I think that everything I think that everything is is doable. The issue the only issue I think we'll have is our equipment is in much better shape than everybody else's because of the way what we have, right? So, we know our buildings. We know the grounds and everything else.

When you go out into the street at 10 years of it, I know that how easy it is to snap a blade, to snap a an edge, cut an edge, the hydraulics just hit one manhole the wrong way and and you've wasted the truck. My concern might be number one, the repairs on the trucks. I don't believe our trucks are big enough to help this on storm like this, blades are not any good anymore, right? and

we're pushing a little bit of snow here and there, touching stuff up. Backhole bobcat equipment is what does this and that's that's why you're seeing everything around here. These are all private contractors because that's the kind of work I agree. If we had equipment and we could help out, we we I just think it it wouldn't be if we don't push it, it would be something that maybe you or the superintendent

might say, "No, we're not letting them go." Because what if the school committee found out that we're letting them do other you know what I'm saying?

Like I'm telling you at this meeting if we could get the blessing and then we can make a decision because we may be able to help ourselves out in other areas because part of the snow removal that we've been doing.

We remove the piles from our property.

But while they're there, we're having them do corners, right? So a school like Doran, they went outside of our schoolyard. They did Ferry Street going down towards the tipsy tobogen, right?

Because that's where our teachers park.

They also went on Ferry Street, cleaned up the corner on Ferry and did all of Fountain.

That was a city street. But those were the companies.

I guess you're answering what I'm saying. I'm just suggesting we do here. We're talking about it. I'll speak for myself. I think that within reason, that's good practice. If we have guys on a regular, you know, the next couple days because the we still have major issues in the city. So that's good to go out and help. Somebody mentioned something that custodians went across the street

and Yep. I think that's good, too. Kids are coming to the school, so they're doing areas that to try to help, not just say, "Oh, you guys can't do it."

Uh, so I'm I'm in favor of that. Mr.

Dice.

Uh, Mr. Chair, I'll ask my storm related transportation questions now since you Sure. Go ahead. Um, so since we brought up the subject, I I just want to state for the record right now I I believe the city did a terrible job handling the storm um from a leadership standpoint. I know that doesn't have much to do with the schools, but I do have some questions um related to transportation.

Um it's been all over social media. Um different pictures um different reports of um buses that were stuck that were unsafe conditions.

Um buses that were slipping on the roads and that's not the city. That's not on us. That's that specifically is on the city. Um I believe SERA we received some um notifications today. Actually, I don't believe the school committee received the notification. They're on a social media posted by the district that some certain buses were cancelled in many routes. Um, Ray Street being one of

them where students from Derby High School take transportation.

Um, correct me if I'm wrong.

Um transportation to a certain degree is a mandated. It's mandated by the state and it's mandated within our policies that we provide transportation to students.

Yes, correct.

Um when um and I've said this in meetings before, we have little control over certain buses and the school committee never took an official vote to use certain buses. my opinion, we use assertive buses to save money and excuse me, that disenfranchise the students as we just seen today. Um, do we know why SURA canceled their routes?

I was going to say it wasn't my impression that they canceled routes.

They rerouted and they they didn't stop at some of their regular stops.

So, that's what the post was about. and I sent an email um to the committee um that included that information, but it they just it was a situation where they might have had to cut out a stop because of accessibility, you know, to the to the sidewalks and things like that. So, they might stop just they might have to skip one, stop at the next. It left some students in a situation where they might

have had to walk a couple of extra blocks home.

So, we know for certain that there is no students that were denied using cert.

had to walk an extraordinary amount of distance.

So, well, the stops just aren't set up that way anyway. And so, our our responsibility to students at the high school level um or at secondary level, say, is a mile and a half. Nobody had to walk a mile and a half today because their bus stop got, you know, got moved a couple of blocks down. That didn't happen. We weren't alerted to anything like that.

And the buses were rerounded a bit. I got to say that if you look at some of those cancellations, Broad Street is a hill that looks like this down the south end.

Sure.

So there is no way that the buses were going to take a chance even if it was clean to go down those hills. So I think if you look at the roots, some of that stuff, some of the changes they made as they rode the routes because they tried the roots. This wasn't something arbitrarily we can't do, right? They rode the roots to see which ones their buses could do and if there was any kind

of safety issue. when I broad street comes to mind because I know it well. So that hill is very very steep and I would say they didn't. There might be others that might be in the same kind of category. There may be others that were on narrow streets and there was no way they were going to get an SRTA bus through those streets because they're a little wider than a regular school bus.

The parking ban the parking b Well, the parking ban helped. Wouldn't have hurt it, but the parking ban did help. But the SRTA buses going down those streets would have still been tight because of the snow.

Because of the snow. Yes.

Right. Because the city not again the city did not handle the storm properly.

Um question. Hold on. Sa I got a sa comment.

Sure. So I I think we just need a little more clarity on what I saw the thing on I think I sent it to you that comes up to you like no no no what like that was terrible communication as to what they just basically said they were cancelceing routes and it made it look bad made it look a lot worse than what you just explained the way that I see what how they presented it right

and I think we need to push back on them that one we need better communication and two what is what's the reason because they're doing very well with us taking their stuff. That is unacceptable in my opinion to get a thing that said cancel cancel cancel.

That just was not acceptable. So please pass that on to those folks because if they said we can't go down Long Street because it's icy. We This one's too based on the turn. Like I don't even think there was anything that said why.

I just said they're canceled.

So that was one. The other one is the bus stops. So along the way with school bus stops where the kids there was other people that commented about and you might have been going to say this about the bus stop.

What is the protocol for that? Like are we now going to bus stops for our kids even though it's certa come out and clear the bus stops? What's their requirement to that? I don't know.

Um I I don't know what it is because I know there is no requirement for us. We don't clean bus stops. And I want to say that a bunch of residents who have that responsibility whether it's good or bad to have a bus stop in front of your house, they did clean. There were quite a few bus stop areas that were clean.

The problem was is that for somebody to clean a bus stop area for our students, but talking about cutting through 4 and 1/2 ft, 5 feet of plowed snow, some ice to make that path for the kids. I get I get you know what I'm saying? What I'm saying is what is the responsibility of that? Because they're taking the money to say go to this corner and get on the

bus. Then they should have some sort of responsibility to clean it. And if not, we need to notify people to say in the event of a large storm, you might have to go to the next sure route instead of the day of the morning of everybody's stressed out. They can't get to school on time. Oh, sorry. The bus 10 is gone. This one's not. So, I think we'll get the idea.

Yeah, we'll get Mr. Dice. Thank you. Um, do we I I saw I saw the email um that superintendent I breezed through it because it was it was sent shortly before the meeting. Um, could you just read it into the record like explain like what the issues were around um on buses this morning?

I have some questions, but I just wanted

that one.

Oh, okay. Oh, so the one that I sent out. Good afternoon. This morning we received calls from Amarell, Whailing City, and Trembley bus companies reporting buses that had gotten stuck on the public streets. Amarell bus on Jackson Street, Trembley on Belmont Street, Whailing City on Warren Street, Smith Street, Morgan Street, and Branch Street. In five out of the six cases, buses were able to get moving, but there

was one bus carrying students from Green who were exited from the bus by school staff one block from school. The decision to exit the bus and walk to school was made in consideration of proximity to the school one block and the amount of time students would have otherwise had to wait on the bus. There were other buses identified that were unable to make turns onto streets and some streets that were too tight to

travel and students were not able to be picked up communication with families.

We used our district vehicles to transport students to the best of our ability. Additionally, we were alerted by Carter that they would be rerouting some afternoon buses and eliminating some stops. The impact on students was that some may have had to exit buses at the nearest stop to theirs and walk a few extra blocks home. Communications outlining the changes went out to families and students of Dery Mort and

Tal Cus district attendance was at 66.7% today.

Thank you. Um do we know how many late buses we had today?

I don't I mean I'm sure we can find out.

I would imagine that these buses that got stuck, I would imagine they arrived at their destinations um after they were anticipated.

I would I mean especially because when we have a 2-hour delay, it doesn't allow buses extra time to travel. It just means we're asking students to show up at their bus stop or to be ready at their houses two hours later than usual.

And so I'm sorry, just so I understand that what you just said. So the bus routes operated at their normal time.

They did not. No, no, they did a 2 hour delay.

2our delay. Yep. But there and only technically given the same time frame at which you know to arrive at the school.

So if they start their route an hour before school starts, that's what they did today.

My um the reason why I asked the question, what what's the typically the procedures or the policies on if um a bus is late? Obviously not the student's fault. Are they being marked um just being counted against them? Of course not.

Okay. So they'd be counted they wouldn't count towards any D4 policy or anything of that regard or any Well, that's that would right that would be for absences if they were so late if a bus arrived so late that they were absent from their first period class. Um that it wouldn't be held against them because I know some schools had an early release day as well. So, I didn't know

if you had to be in for a certain amount of hours or how that how that worked. Um, what And I have to my my last line of questioning. Um I I personally I think um it was the wrong decision to hold um to have the 2-hour delay based off of how just how the city looked because obviously there was um a lot of children were put in harm's way

just based off of how the the conditions of the city based off of um the roads, students having to walk a long distance in the cold and slippery conditions. Um I don't even believe any absence should even be counted for today in my opinion.

Um I don't know that's something we need to get exception to the policy. Um but that's my position. What what what's what did the process look like around um what does the process look like in general around canceling school for the day or making a two-hour delay? Who do we consult with either on the city side or around or whoever, right? What does that look like?

So I mean uh Mr. Pico attended we both attended a meeting on Friday in terms of the plans um potential plans for Monday and then yesterday Mr. Pico attended a meeting um with you know different city department heads um to discuss the state of the you know the state of the city and things like that. Um we conferenced I um I conferenced with the mayor. Um I drove around um for a couple hours

yesterday morning and then um yesterday in the early evening and um yeah made the decision based on that um and what the expectation was for kind of the difference in what I would expect to um like the changes I would have expected to see between last night and this morning and certainly driving around for um couple hours this morning there there were improvements made um on the city side. I far from perfect. I think

everybody would agree that. Yeah, because um the the reason I asked the question, I did over hear the mayor on um local media this morning and um the way the mayor made it sound like it was um it made it sound like he didn't say it directly, but he inferenced that it was his decision or he was heavily pushing for the decision to um get students into school today. Um was he a

big proponent of keeping the schools open today or getting students in? So he was um I would say he was politely pressured um you know since last Friday uh to make sure that we were ready to go back to school as soon as possible. So I think that came you know from us. I mean certainly he feels a responsibility to the city to get things cleaned up and then on the school end we say we need

this to happen. I know that we were um we did offer some kind of specific um requests in terms of areas for um additional attention going into yesterday and then overnight and then some of the work they did today while students were in school. So I just I don't I I don't I don't not sure I understand what you're saying that he he did not make the decision as to whether

or not kids went to school today. It's never the mayor's decision.

Right. I didn't know it's your decision.

Yes. I I um I guess my my not I guess my position is I I you can't I don't think we should ever take a risk when in student safety. I think student safety should always come first and I I'm sure it was considered. However, we weren't fully there and that's not anyone in this room's fault. That's on the city. However, we had a decision whether or not to keep school open

another day or to close it another day.

And my opinion is it would have been I think the best and most safe decision to keep the schools closed one more day because as we could see and I um it it wasn't good. It wasn't good for um students. It wasn't good for them to walk in there.

It wasn't good for our staff to walk through this um our bus drivers. Um so I'm going to make um two requests. one.

Does Mr. Chair like to request unanimous consent to enter um three photos into the record show? Thank you. Pass them to the clerk.

Are you done, M?

Thank you.

Thank you. And one last um thing I would like to make. I'll make this in the form of a motion. Don't believe I and I believe superintendent said she you unders correct me if I'm wrong. you understood that many students wanted to um keep their students home today and that would I thought you said that I could be correctly if I'm wrong that I when did what did I say that you understood that some parents

wanted to keep their students home you said something to that effect in an email I mean if you're looking at the email I'm not looking at the email I'm not I'm not looking probably could have been said that no I yes I I I would say I' I've said it to people. I I'm sure it could be in an email.

I I I don't have the email just for the right.

So, so what's the question? What's the my my position is this should not count towards this absence should not count on students for this day. It's 66%. Is this absent count?

I understand. And we do this we do this kind of thing all the where we we do excuse um tardies. We will excuse days and things like that. What I don't want to ever give a message out there is that um parents absolutely do have a have, you know, the right to keep their students home, right? And I understand in student safety is is why is everything we talked about all day yesterday and and continue

to talk about all day today, right?

I don't want as things are improving, I don't want people to be just keeping their students home, right? Because um they're they're not sure. They're not I will tell you I got exactly one email, one email, one communication from one parent um about the conditions today.

So, as far as I'm concerned, yes, I can look at the attendance. People stayed home. I get it. But social media said it a little I understand. But I'm telling you that as the superintendent you you clearly got some communications. I got exactly one. And so um it I'm not I'm not saying that if I had gotten three or five we wouldn't have had school. I got I did get one communication after um I

announced the two-hour delay. It's just that I do I do understand why people why some parents kept their students home today. I I do. Right. And I I guess my position is I believe it's the other storms you got it should be a case by case basis. My position is as um one member and as the as school committee who controls the policy around this is I believe parents made the right decision

to keep their their children home today because the city was not in a safe position. But I'm not going to insult the twothirds of of families in this district and make it seem like they made a poor decision in sending their students. People evaluate their surroundings and they they act in the best judgment of their children and twothirds of our parents felt like it was safe to get students to school today.

I I don't want to assume what parents would think. I I agree with you there.

Um but I guess my position is to jump into the point. I'd like to make a motion we refer to the full committee.

We excuse the D4 policy for any student absences for January 28th, 2026. Make that what is the D4 policy for high school?

The absences any I I I'll go even further. Any that we make it policy any absences from January 28th, 2026 be excused from the record.

Is there a sec? Motion's made. Is there a second?

Second.

Any other conversation?

Yes.

I want to agree with Mr. Das just due to the fact that um city streets just on the on this policy only for the um so motion's been made and seconded.

So my personal feeling is that it's a hard decision to whether we take you know have the kids come to school or not. Sometimes the best place for kids to be and for families is to have them in school and I think that can't be uh forgotten. So although it might have been for certain people a little bit dangerous or whatever they felt and they had the right to stay home, it it does

inconvenience families that are struggling and hanging on by threats to try to say how is my child care going to be? What am I going to do? Do I have to take another day out of work? I can't.

So it's not as simple as just okay, let it go. I think it's a complicated situation. twothirds of the people came in, the other third stayed home. The real issue, in my opinion, has nothing to do with the parents and has nothing to do with either of the folks here or any any of our workers. The real issue here is that the city was not prepared to do this storm. The city did a

terrible job with the plowing. Now, they can say, "Oh, people worked hard and everything else." I get it. But they didn't help. What superintendent said and what Mr.

was on Friday. They went to meetings with the city. In those meetings, they suggested, I'm positive, to make sure that as soon as possible, we get the streets clear so the buses can get down, the corners can get down, and the streets will be safe for our kids to come to school. I wasn't in the meeting.

I know that that's what they said. It fell on deaf ears over there at the city because they weren't prepared. So, they weren't prepared on the Friday. They weren't prepared or whatever the dates were. the first day off, it wasn't ready.

So now they gave a second day off, they still weren't ready. And I bet you tomorrow you go out and drive around in the morning, it's not going to be much better than it was today. It's not like they say, "Well, if we can get another four or five hours, which was the Tuesday, you think, okay, Monday we do the storm, the second day, the Tuesday, we're going to like finish up, we're

going to widen all the streets, we're going to get rid of the parking ban, we're going to do this." Does anybody that is in their right mind to think that that was uh progress that way? I heard they had nobody working one whole night. They didn't stagger the shifts to make sure the people are working overnight. If that was this gentleman, we'd be all over his butt.

They we're working nights round the clock to get the thing ready. Then we got to hear, "Oh, they don't even have people out." Whether that's true or not, I don't know. But I can tell you one thing. When I drove around, these schools weren't the the city streets weren't ready. So, I'm not going to support this policy because the what why I would support is us saying, "Let's call somebody in from the city side and

have to answer to why are we doing this?" Because at the end of the day, it's on them. Because the dangerous part that you talked about, nobody's saying the dangerous part was because the parking lot on our property wasn't plowed right or wasn't salted. Nobody's saying that. That's not what you're saying. That's not what anybody's saying. What you're saying is the city streets weren't done properly. And if

nobody, oh, everything's great. We're never going to make change if we just keep on doing the same thing like that.

We need to expect more out of the city side. And I'm sick and tired of hearing about where we didn't have enough plows and all this other stuff. That's on the city side. They weren't prepared. Bottom line is they were not prepared. If Mr.

Pico didn't have enough people to work the plows and privates ready to come in, we'd be sitting here all over his butt.

I want to know who's all over the butt at the city side than when they haven't done what they needed to do. So, I'm not going to support this for that reason.

The end of the day is we need to call them out for what they did and what they didn't do. Are you Go ahead.

Thank you. Um your point is well received, Mr. Chair. I'll um withdraw my motion and um I'm going to make a new motion that we as a subcommittee recommend to the mayor and to the um that we invite at the next February meeting um the operations director, I believe his name is Al Aivera, to appear before us to discuss um the communication between the city and the school department around snow removal and make that

second roll call, please.

Mr. A.

Yes.

Mr. D.

Yes.

Mr. Mus.

Yes.

And related to the absences, common sense prevails in the schools with, you know, excusing absences. The DEESC does not care about when they call a kid a student chronically absent. They don't care about this norm. They don't care about the kids's illnesses. They don't care about the injuries. An absence is an absence. And we get judged and the schools get judged on how many kids are

chronically absent. So, we can't be saying, "Oh, you can stay home." We have to encourage them. You need to be in school every day. Come in late if you have to. Do what do you got to do? I We would pick people up like we do everything we can to get these kids in school. So the DEESC doesn't care about a storm. Just so you know, they're not making a motion to say, "Let's wave it

and call everybody got a free day because if they did, then it'll be 1920." So I I think the common sense would prevail on the storm. Last issue on transportation is uh we got the memo about the Lerno. Um everybody read the memo from Mr. Pico.

Yes.

About the study, the traffic study. So we we're getting a lot of complaints from different traffic patterns and the like. Um I think we need to do some sort of study and even if it cost us money and if stagger whatever it is I do think that we need to do a study of traffic patterns and recommendations to say that that for 3.4 you started that so I'm just going to continue

um so I think we need to get outside somebody outside to do a whether it's not a traffic study but a look some other eyes on it. Yeah, if you if you had a second exit over here, if you took that house away and you did this. Uh, so I'd like to make a motion that we have Mr. Pacico research options for a traffic review for each building and report back to the full committee in at

the next meeting. And it could be, you know, you could say, Mr. Pico, it's going to cost $50,000 each, you know, roughly or whatever. But I just think we need to have another pair of eyes on it.

And u, this came up at a city uh traffic department meeting. They recommended something along those lines. I'm paraphrasing, but I think it's a good policy to have at some point.

Second.

Uh motion made and seconded. Roll call.

Mr. A.

Yes.

Mr. D.

Yes.

Mr. Mus.

Yes.

Uh 3.03. We're going to go backwards a little bit. Uh discussion on Brightley.

So, this is one that's uh I'm a little concerned about um what we have and what we don't have here relative to Brightly.

So back couple months ago, it was stated at a meeting something along the lines of uh we haven't necessarily fully implemented rightly or something. I'm paraphrasing again. Um couple months ago, um I asked for a one pager on what the delay was uh at the full school committee meeting. Um there was reasons for a delay at something because it was over a year and a half ago or whatever

it was when we started. So, I'm going to make a motion that we just refer this to the full committee with all financial implications provided between now and and the full meeting and then we'll have the discussion at the full meeting.

Second.

Roll call.

Mr.

Yes.

Mr. D.

Yes.

Mr. Ms.

Yes.

Thank you. So, uh, Mr. Pico or Superintendent 305 lease agreement for a food pantry at the Watson School.

Sure.

So um we had a request from a group uh of people who are were being um I don't think the proper term is evicted but they were yeah they um they were asked to leave the place they were because they was they were taking up too much room which was where which they were at the old um NRA church and I don't know know what the name of that church is right now but anyway they

were that in that building. Um, and I don't think it was as much as they were taking up more space. I think this the particular church needed the space. So, um, they service a lot of kids from our district um, and families and they are strictly they're a citywide group that kind of fills in the needs of the city in different areas. and our neighborhood, the Watson neighborhood, has been

treated in the past very well by this particular group. So, they approached us if we had any room. Um, I met them there. We walked through the basement of that building, the downstairs, which has all been remodeled as much as we can remodel a 127 year old building. But we went down into the basement. We found a closet that was filled with mostly junk.

Um, we rearranged it. We put some shelves in there. We had them take a look at it and it looks like a perfect fit for us. A bunch of our families going to be serviced. They're going to be serviced right at our building. Um they will be serviced um on Tuesdays. Um and it's uh they they feel that they can maintain the numbers they used to have prior to moving which is about 160

families, 150 families. My guess is is that of that number, we will be close to the hundred serviced by Watson families alone. Um they take up that one particular room. Um we are uh not incurring any cost so to speak. Um there's a refrigerator that's plugged in there, but other than that um all of the activities happen during our time where we have coverage of um the u um both custodial and you know the area is

clear. So people would park in our parking lot, get their food and um walk through a line, walk out another door.

Um the the only expense that we will have is during two hour stint we will have a security person there. So that is an expense that we have um for during those hours. We also have um a delivery that comes in on Tuesday mornings. They bring in um food from um from the different vendors that they use and it comes to the facility. Our custodian opens the door for them. They have their

own people. They bring it in. They put it inside the room and then they either stay and sort it in that room or they come back another day and do that.

So, um I have attached a lease um that I worked with with the dascese to create for this group. Um the cost that we put on there is minimal. It's not covering much because of what we're asking and I think the um the benefit to the district and especially to the Watson family is tremendous.

They have all liability on that.

Yep, they do.

So, you have to have the proper Exactly.

paperwork and everything is in there. I didn't read the lease to be honest with you.

Yes. Just got it. So, Mr. Sure. One one more question on that. You said 100 uh the people that are coming in from outside like you when is that having security guard? Oh, it's because it's at night.

It's at night. So, it's Tuesdays at 4:00. There are no students left in the building by then.

So, it'll be overtime for So, the overtime is our regular custodian, right? And then the overtime would be for a security person who's in that building because every building has a security person now.

Not every building, but that one does.

Okay.

Yep.

And that's that's the person who gets it because it's in that building. Exactly, Mr. Dice.

Thank you. Um, would this normally be something that even comes before us, but I would we would bring all leases if it's if it's a rental of a building like this one here and it's longterm.

So, when we have like the church rental sublet, it's more of a sublet.

Exactly. Right.

Um, what this this isn't a renewal. This is new. This is brand new for us because I just re the reason I asked this because I just recently toured um Watson and they spoke about a food pantry already.

They were starting to um Okay.

You know, we we did some cleaning out of the room. Um we did uh um painted the shelves that were in there and um they have um they have uh orders that come in on the first and third Tuesday mornings of the year.

Okay.

Um they do have a state they do have a state inspector that came in last week to look at the site to be sure it was suitable and they were approved.

Thank you. Um, last question and I'm trying to find the I did brief I did go through the agreement beforehand.

Yes.

Um, I believe there was um language around covering of utilities. Yes. Um, article five um include shall pay for utilities supplied to the premises include water, electricity, natural gl gas is where you charge.

So this is all our this is our standard lease that we've done with other buildings with other pieces. So, if we incur costs, we wouldn't be incurring any of those costs because the building is going to be lit up, it's going to be heated, all of the things that are listed here. So, we wouldn't be any additional cost. If we're doing a show at a school at night and a custodian

needs to be assigned just to that show, um, or basketball games where we have a custodian for that and we may have security for that particular piece, then that would be a separate bill. You know, they would have a charge for that. But this one here is not adding cost to us besides the security.

Besides the security pieces, which is what would be my question. If there's just like um two hours worth of overtime, what are we looking at like every week? Once a week.

Yeah, it's probably of the $100 we're probably gifting um one week.

Okay.

I mean, I think like you said, it's for a very charitable cause, so I'm not going to be overly critical. Um, so yeah, I'll yield. I'll make a motion to uh refer to the full committee with a positive recommendation.

Any questions, Mr. Mullis?

I agree 100% with this.

Second.

Second by Mr. Mullis. Roll call, please.

Mr.

Yes, Mr. D.

Yes.

Mr. Mis.

Yes, Mr. Chair.

Yeah.

Um, I apologize for tra transportation.

I did have some non snow transportation questions. Um, sure. We can go back to that.

Thank you.

Um, so and I understand we had Lerno, I believe there was a one pager on um, I believe this was covered in our motion. Just one clarifying question. We we're going to recommend that all schools be just so the public understands at home because I received some um complaints um one from the um president of the North Neighborhood Association around Westall. I just want to put that in the record. And um I also received

some complaints around Bosa and a few other schools as well. So I'm just glad we're doing that. Um, one question I wish to um, ask about on transportation is around some of the bills we've been getting around transportation.

Um, superintendent answered one recently about the um, the W9's. Um, so it's no issue that they're outdated.

Unless it's a change of address or something like that. They're they're just the same. The W9's are the same. I have one question around um so and I asked for I did an email um yesterday ask for for the backup on this um oh like is there like a specific is there procedures written procedures in place on what we require from so so the director of transportation we get numerous requests from companies to

come work for us all the time once a week maybe you know maybe once every two weeks and the usually sends us everything that they have already in just a request not even knowing whether or not we're going to use them with the rates are already set. So almost everybody's getting paid the same thing that there's a specialty that comes along with it. So they know the liability piece and all. So every time

we get a request for a new company to come in, they usually send us everything we need. If they don't, then um Miss Kavalo will ask them for all of the pertinent information. to ask, but do we have like a written like checklist of things we would need? Okay, she does. Absolutely.

Which includes liability?

Yes. Yes.

So, they are required to have the liability on hand before before they start working.

So, they can't work for us without the liability, without the licenses in place. Everything that that's required for them to be able to transport students, they have to have in place.

Okay. Um the reason I asked the question is because on one of the batches um this one SP this is um liability certificate for um SB transportation.

Yes.

And um the date it's dated I the the policies covered from 7925 so before the work started.

Right.

It's dated 11426 that it expires.

No um it's the date on this on the certificate. I was assuming it was a date that we was brought forth on January.

Yes.

This is the same company that was uh company that was questioned.

Yes.

Yeah. So my without knowing any of the details what I would say is they had to get a copy of that from their insurance person and that's the date when they requested it. If it wasn't if it wasn't missed from the beginning ideally which everybody said it was just a mistake would have been they would have requested that from them earlier but it was like the the key part for me

was where it's it was in force.

So you can't retroactively get an insurance policy as a as a bus vendor right so the fact that they says before means they paid for it before the July. So the top one I don't think matters my personal opinion. But I my question date requested. It's a date requested.

Exactly.

So when you So the the policy itself is in play because it's for more than one vehicle. Very few companies only have one van. They offer us a van, but they may have two or three. So the company itself is covering all of their vehicles. And when you're in business, you would ask for that, right? So you would go to your company and say, "I need a rider for made out to four public

schools as the insured." And that date is the date they requested it. Just as Mr. R you know exactly so my my question is um so trans they started in August this we asked about this we we didn't have any certificate insurance on a file that we did not have if if that date is the date that that we requested them when we knew that we made an error then that is

the date that's showing up there right and and I know this I know this was one specifically where I don't want to they weren't uninsured I know I understand that's important.

No, I understand that wasn't my concern.

My concern was and it's not just this company. I believe there was a few others as well where um they were insured. We I don't believe we had the the certificates on file already. Is that something just want to just bring it up? I'm glad they were insured so there was ever an issue, but we we didn't know ahead of time. That was my concern with that. And um the second

concern is um and I'm not saying there's specifically an issue. I just think it's something that that should be added to um the list and I I think the superintendent hinted at that because superintendent said that we're going to start requesting the licenses of some of these drivers. Um, my position is any any requirement for any transportation company to work with us, we should have

a copy of all their vehicle inspections.

I believe they buy annually with some with most of these companies and we should have their licenses ahead of time. That should be a requirement just so we're doing our due diligence and there's never any issues down the road.

Um, but with that I use Thank you. I do think that um just by asking the questions, which I think is good to ask questions, they're going to obviously tighten up, you know, the contract process and all that. So, I'm confident that we won't have those issues going forward, but I appreciate you asking the questions because it's helping us helping them to stay on track. Um the um so the food pantry

passed the 3.06 discussion, the following job descriptions, Mr.

Pico, revised night shift custodial. So the only revision on that one is um

the only revision on that one is what's highlighted. So basically um ours could vary as needed as a needed basis only.

So, for instance, if we had a dayshift person that I needed, um the either the director or the assistant director, if there was a need to have this night director change their hours to cover a particular area, if by some chance the two of those directors were out sick, um in the summertime when I don't have a lot of night shifts, I'd like to be able to fluctuate the hours of this person,

but I I wanted it to be clear that this is a night supervision covering the uh custodians working at night. So, the position was filled prior um and we're this is the only actual change that we're making to uh the job description and then the the dollar amount has been changed because it had just a set 70,000 on the original. We added the 80 to give us room.

So, this is when you said it's been filled. It was filled.

It's never been filled originally, but this came right now.

No, no, no, it's empty.

So, it's just uh So, it's those two changes uh that are made to the approved uh description from uh 2019.

Any questions, Mr. Dice?

Yes, thank you. Um I I did ask um yesterday for the backup on um the So, I'm just trying to understand what we're voting on here. So, this is the current this is the current job description that This is the current job description for the supervisor of custodial surface's second shift.

So what do you So I guess the question is I apologize. What are you looking for?

So the two highlighted items I added number 12 was not there.

Okay.

And the salary was changed from 70 just straight 70 to 70-80.

It's the only changes that were made.

What was the um you said this so this position was filled and then the person left the position.

The position was filled and then the pos that position was um the person in this position was made interim director of uh custodial services.

Okay.

So it was vacated. We didn't fill it.

It was vac Okay. Um, so my question my next question would be so this position is currently as is out it's not out. We're waiting we're waiting to we're waiting to uh have this taken care of and then we will uh post it to fill once it goes to full committee.

um make a motion that we approve with the uh authority to post. Okay.

Subject to the full committee vote.

Okay. Because like this is a position I've been on about for a long time. We should have this position.

There's a lot of guys on girls on second shift. We need a second shift supervisor. So if we don't do it the way I just made the motion, Mr. Vico will wait till February whatever we can do it subject to the school committee vote. He can get through the process through the interviews or whatever. by February 11th, he'll have somebody ready to go and then we start the process.

Sure. I guess my my question was u I'll second with with the continue with the question if um I understand like usually we we bring positions here and we change the job description if there's like um some sort of issue in filling the position. Um I'm just trying to understand why the changes are needed.

You just said it because just it's flexibility strictly flexibility. Yeah.

So, if there's if there are second shift custodian supervisor and there's no custodians on second shift, he shouldn't have that person here by themselves all night is the quick way to to say it. So, he wants flexibility. If he's got two people out for whatever reason during the day and they say, "Hey, I need you to come in five hours early." It's flexible. So, it gives administration and management flexibility.

And um to um Sorry to answer, but I'm sorry.

It's okay.

Um two HR related questions for this position. one um who determines who would determine the the exact amount in salary.

I would think it would come with experience. So given the range if someone is a seasoned person in the district that may have the capabilities to be a night supervis who would make that decision is what I was getting at the administration.

Ultimately the administration and they have to come to us for a vote.

Yes.

This is an S9. So that comes on an individual contract when we have to vote, right? And say, "Here's the person." They get up and explain to us why he's got all this experience. We want to start him at 80. Yep.

So we they recommend we would have to vote for that under contract. Okay.

And um I think they're all question who is um who who's taking over for Mr.

Lai's um vacancy like his duties like who is the main person who's the point of contact in HR? Uh we have an HR manager um Anna who is uh the primary point of contact in the district for HR at this point. Um and Dr. Bronnhard has um stepped in as the um title N coordinator.

Okay.

His absence.

Thank you. I next uh oh call please.

Mr. Dragon.

Yes.

Mr. D.

Yes.

Mr. Mis.

Yes.

Next up, new uh appliance and refrigeration technician maintenance department. So, we'd like to do um and we we haven't had this position in house. What we'd like to do is have an in-house person that can do the day-to-day repairs on um all of our kitchens. Um whether it be the freezers, refrigerators, or some of the um other pieces of kitchen equipment. It's a very expensive um uh it's a very expensive

endeavor to use the companies that we do and then we sometimes have to wait a long time for uh service. So this will give us someone in house. I don't know um to be totally honest. Um we've checked we've actually checked with um the Vogue schools to see if they have any technicians um that are being trained. New Bedford vote um has a refrigeration um and appliance program.

Diamond does not um but we're looking we're not necessarily looking for entry level, but that would be one of the avenues that we could possibly um look at if we don't have a lot of applications. It's a union position. It would fall within a category um depending on what they come in when come in with whether it would be licensed or um falling into a general uh trades category.

This position is already in the budget.

It's been sitting there for a year.

Paid for by transport.

This would be paid for by nutrition.

My only answer to maintenance.

Yep. Uh, one of the things that I see is um I know we have a lot of refrigeration issues and things like that, but I think there should be a line on everybody's job description that says any and all duty other duties assigned by the director. Sure.

Which I think is missing. Um, I I looked at it quick, but I think it should say something else so that it gives the whoever's managing this person the ability to I got nothing to repair today, so you know, sit down and eat uh lunch all day or something. You know, I think that's just a fair u suggestion.

Mr. Mo, I agree. And then um what are the requirements as far as licensing and um what are we looking at as far as pay also? So I guess it would fall into depending on their category. So for instance, we have five people apply Manny and we have a situation where a couple of them hold um they may hold their uh um we we don't have currently have it because the companies that are coming in

are not required to have those licenses by the equipment they're working on.

However, if we have someone then that would dictate where we would let them land on the matrix of the pay scale. So it's not a decision that we're going to make. We can't make that decision without knowing what we have for qualifications. What we would like to do is if this position and this will be put into this is going to look like the regular job descriptions. Right now this

is so we can make it work right. Um once once we're ready to put this thing out at the next meeting, if this moves forward, we'll put it in the city in the regular school department format and then we will circulate licenses, do a circulation for the licenses, take a look at what can be and then we can put it as um preferred. You know, we can't put it as mandated because then we

may not have no applicants. So we could put it as preferred. If you have this license, that's good. if this license is good, you know, and then um and then there would be a few items in the uh pricing in the I'm sorry, in the in the um uh salary matrix that gives them a stipen for something.

So, I think that's the best way to handle it only because we don't know what we're going to get and who's going to apply.

So, is this person going to be taking care of your refrigerators or condenses?

Exactly.

Everything to do with the as much as Right. As much as we can Well, depending on the capabilities, right? It's hope we're hoping to hire someone that has all of all of those qualities.

Okay. And if we don't, what are the then it'll sit for now. It'll sit for now. I mean, we're going to I if I was getting an entry level position that I had someone who could sit, you know, and and be an apprentice to, that would be one thing. But I don't have someone with with this skill set in house. So, we'd have to be careful who we hire.

Okay.

Um if they have they may have an appliance background, but not a refrigeration background. So, we may be able to take a chance. they just wouldn't be in in the category where we want them. They may want to go to school while they're here, you know, and get those other certificates so that we can let them do that work, but getting someone in in the door would be our first priority as long as they

have skill set that works for us.

Okay. And this person's for the district.

For the district. Yep.

Even though they'd be paid for out of nutrition, but they would work in the maintenance group.

their salary under the maintenance director.

Yeah, under the maintenance director. So Josh would be their immediate supervisor. Um the salary in the in the U contract would be nutrition coming out of nutrition just because we have the funds to pay for and predominantly most of their work would be in the kitchens.

Okay, Mr. Chair, Mr. Dice, thank you. Um so just two questions. Um one on on just piggy back on my colleague's comments about the format. The format's going to say if we do wave any qualities most job description state superintendent will notify the school committee. Okay.

Yes. So this is the that particular piece is the boiler plate part of it.

All of this stuff would be inserted into that boiler plate.

Okay. And um and I I see the batches coming in. I agree with you that we spend a lot on refrigerator, kitchen repair, things like things of that sort. So, anything that we can do to Yes.

lower that cost? I'm um definitely in favor of. I guess my question is from the administration standpoint, have we done some sort of detailed cost analysis just to see um how much we'd be saving with this position by modifying it? I haven't done any. Um I I know that a couple of bills from a couple of those companies. Um we're spending probably upwards of $100,000 on appliance repair. And we are

still doing some of that work inhouse if it's just, you know, some small stuff that we would do in house. But the actual work is being done by outside a couple of outside companies. So we would we would definitely be well within the salary. And the one other piece of all of this is that as I said, these companies are getting very difficult to get here, you know, to get them here

when you need them. This person is on staff, so it would make it a lot easier for us.

No, that makes sense. I guess my I don't want to say it's my concern. I don't want to be my concern, but my I just don't want to see in the future we fill this position and we're still spending because it's complex work. just want to make sure we have the best person we can. I just want to make sure we're not going to be spending like another 80 grand every single year.

I I can't promise you that I'm not going to go to an outside contractor um and the inside person can handle it all because that would be that would not be a true statement. We're the person who's going to do this work depending on their expertise level is going to determine how much outside work we need which is going to determine their salary. So yeah, the lower experience is going to get lower salary, therefore you

have extra money to pay for outside. The theory would be we hire somebody, they learn, we send them to school, whatever they train up, and then that will turn this way, right?

Uh but I think it's a no-brainer for uh just it's paid for out of the department and it's just a matter of finding the right person uh the way it goes. And I think this needs to be negotiated if it's going to go into the union. So I'm look for a motion to approve this and authorize Mr. Pico to meet with the union before the next meeting so that when we sit in the next meeting we're

not wasting time saying oh I got to go back to the union you know he can get the ground going with what does this look like what is it where does it fit in the salary range so when we do do the job description in in February it can actually get done Mr. Pico and our and our lead negotiator yeah the lead negotiator should be involved in all absolutely okay I'll make that motion

second by Mr. Bonus. Roll call, please.

Mr. Agio.

Yes.

Mr. D.

Yes.

Mr. Morris.

Yes.

Uh, lastly, new carpenter/painter maintenance department.

So, I I think that this position um so we currently have four carpenters. One is a vacant position. We have two painters. And I guess the es and flows of the work that comes in and out of um the maintenance department. There are times when we could use more painters, less carpenters, vice versa. Sometimes you'd need both of them. But what this position will allow us to do is to have

someone come in to a a small project for instance uh some a student, teacher, an accident, a a hole gets made in the wall. Um that repair requires two people. The first part of it is the the p the actual repair of the sheetrock or damage to whatever wall structure and then the second one would be to have the painter come in. Currently as the contract works, painters paint, carpenters do

woodworking. So this would allow us to blur that line and allow them to do a small job by themselves, but it will also allow each one of those departments to have this utility.

So if Josh needed carpenters to put up some walls, then this person could be that person that helps them put up those walls. If the painters are doing a a larger project, then they could use an extra hand. Then this person could be a painter. And then in between all of those major pieces, they can do this oneoff stuff to repair in these small repairs. I don't have that flexibility right now.

That it's efficient and gives flexibility to management, which is important. Any questions, Mr. Mullins?

I don't agree because now we're jumping across um just like union. Uh union's big and they're pushing union. Um I don't really but this position as is presented is going to be a union position.

Correct.

So under the same at the same at the same token Mr.

Patrigo was explaining he had painters just doing specifically painting. He had carpenters just doing specifically carpentry. Now he wants to mix it up and have somebody that can do a little bit of both and pass that through the union just like other things as far as u getting people to shovel a walkway.

But but I understand my only point in saying why I say it's more efficient is yes it is union you know but I don't think it makes any sense what Mr. Pico said about the hole in the wall having two people to check that off.

But that's the problem. No, but um I understand. But we being creative like this can legally do this. So it's not like we're saying we're going to have a position called something else. This is straight up acknowledging we're going to have a new person come in and we're going to have them be carpenter/plumber uh painter. So we're actually going to have this sent through the appropriate

channels to make sure that and they both get the same salary already.

Correct. Yes.

They're in the same like level. They're in the same in the same bargain. They get the paid the same. Quite honestly, I think we should do this with all positions and I'm a union person with the licensed ones. But I agree.

But I say when we can, we should have flexibility because it makes no sense like same thing with custodial, same thing with utility worker.

We shouldn't have I'm here and uh there's something spilled right there, but that utility worker is not going to clean it cuz it's custodian and that custodian is not going to. That's ridiculous. So that's not before us, but I digress a little bit. But I think this is a way to be more flexible while still maintaining the union piece. I mean, I Mr. Mon, you can disagree. I'm not trying to

No, I do agree with Manny and I'm going to tell you that I there is no guarantee that I'm going to be able to pull this off on that side. Okay. But I do have a position here as my carrot. I have this position that's a cop position. I either fill it Yep. as a carpentry position or I ask the committee to turn it into a painter and I fill it as a painter. Now I have

three carpenters and three painters.

Or you explain that if four members of the committee say we're eliminating the position, how many positions do they have?

Zero.

Yeah, I get I get it.

So that's the that's the rub. We're either going to learn and take a new direction and do things the right way that makes sense in the like in the private sector. you wouldn't have a person. I'm not going to hire one person to do this and another person to do that. That's ridiculous. So in the private sector, we wouldn't do it. But everybody wants to say we should be more like the private sector. This is an

example of that. So if they want to go against it, let them go against it. I'm telling you right now on a public on that TV that my vote is to eliminate the position. So flexibility or we eliminate the position. That would be my two cents. Any other thoughts?

You sure, Mr. guys.

Um I don't I I don't really have much of um strong opinion either way. I think um it would be best that we make a motion to refer to the full committee with no recommendation, which means goes before the full committee. However, we don't give a full recommendation either way.

Whatever you want to do is fine with me.

Second.

Motion's made to refer it to the full committee with no recommendation.

Seconded by Mr. Monus. Roll call.

Mr. Hagen.

Yes. Mr. D.

Yes.

Mr. Morris.

Yes.

Last last up before new business is to revisit the renaming naming committee.

Um this just as a history for you guys if you weren't here at the time. The naming of buildings came up. It was a little controversial because uh there was a situation where the administration meaning the mayor and a couple school committee members got together to name a building after somebody. It was controversial. didn't go through the proper channels. Didn't It wasn't I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. Point of um

information.

Yeah.

The last one we did was carpenter painter.

Yeah.

Do we also have um another carpenter, current carpenter?

No, that's just that's just for information.

That's just to compare like what it is.

Okay.

Thank you. So, basically when this came through, it was a a knee-jerk reaction to the fact that we the committee voted and the mayor supported and they voted for something that they shouldn't have voted for in naming something. I'm just saying it like it is. At the end of the day, this was created out of that. At the time, my concern was that we needed a process. My recommendation at that

time was the superintendent and her team would get any nominations for any naming of buildings or whatever. They would do the due diligence. they would do the background work to figure out whether it's either worthy, not worthy, whatever it would be until such time as a superintendent, whoever that is, works with her team and says, "Okay, we think this is a worthy um, you know, naming

opportunity or whatever, taking the whole picture of the school department into consideration. What we name for people, what we don't name for people, that would be the scrutiny at that point. Once she said, "Okay, it's I would like to recommend we name something for Mr. Monus." that would come before the subcommittee. The subcommittee would then hear, okay, what are we going to do? So, it's like

multiple layers of thing. We all get elected for a reason. We all elect the superintendent to make decisions. This particular piece, in my opinion, is not needed to have an outside uh entity. So, I'd like to make a motion that we leave to withdraw and utilize the superintendent first and then the facility subcommittee like it always has been. Uh but the scrutiny would go from superintendent first and then she would

present to the full a second with questions.

Second by Mr. Das questions.

Thank you. So just to get I I don't believe I was on the committee at the time this happened. So this an understanding. So the the city so this going back to the beginning the city or the the mayor himself tried to rename um a bu like a building or some something like that of some sort or was it the so uh quick and I don't want to uh go into too much detail because it's over

to vote. I was the one that voted against it but actually I remember but here's the here's just a quick example. We had a situation where the vice chair wanted to name something um for a person who passed away. They agreed and the subcommittee was talking about a planting a tree like if somebody wants to plant a memorial tree or bench or something like that has to come before the committee. That's what the

talks were around. That talk morphed into okay we're going to name a room at the school on 290 Rock in this guy's in this person's memory. Then it went to the subcommittee where the subcommittee was said we're going to take a vote to actually name the building.

So this like it went from this to this to this. It just kept on going.

So then now we're going to name the building 290 rock for this gentleman. We get it forwarded to the full committee.

The mayor says, "Oh no, that would never happen." I said, "Mr. Mayor, it was right. They just did it on the subcommittee." Gets to the full committee. A lot of people came out and the pressure of politics was like, "Oh, we just got to vote for this." And the mayor told me right to my face, just vote for this because it's, you know, I said, "It's political. This is political." He said, "I know. Just vote

for it." That's what he did to me personally. So, I said, "No, I vote my character and I'm not voting for it because it doesn't make sense to do name a school after somebody." We went to the meeting. We asked the principal. Did they even know that they're naming the school now? Because the vice chair at the time made a motion to name the whole school after the person. never talked to

anybody including the people person's closest family the vote went through it shouldn't have happened so because of that nonsense it turned into we need something so then we come up with this but I don't believe we need this because the superintendent can research if somebody anybody can say they want to name something forever but you have to be very careful before you name things for certain individuals because it's

it's it's not something that should be taken lightly and we shouldn't be comparing well Mr. disas versus Mr. you know ammonus Mr. like it shouldn't be so the real thing would be the superintendent get the information try to figure out whether it's good bad or indifferent any of research if she or whoever the superintendent is feels like it should come before the subcommittee they make the recommendation to the

subcommittee subcommittee does their due diligence forwards it to the full committee we don't need this outside committee with unelected people I I fully I I fully agree with you Mr.

here. Um wouldn't we then need a motion to refer to the full committee to strike out the policy because we still have a full policy on the books that has procedures with it that would need to be get like taken care of.

Yeah.

Which and I fully support like redoing division. My questions were around um this policy specifically. Um I was I'll speak for myself. I filed um and I'm going a lot a lot of this based off of memory. I remember last year, it was um summer of 24. Um shortly after I joined the committee, I remember filing um one of my own um re naming renaming for um for a certain building and it was it was

forwarded to this subcommittee and I believe it has all the state members on there. I was told um I believe it was I don't want to say it was you, Mr. But I know someone administration told me that they would be meeting within a month.

All the intent it was me and to be totally honest the group of people only a few of these people are active and most of these are inactive people in in the community that that make up this committee. So it was very difficult to get a meeting together because I think we have about five items four items of requests uh for naming. So it it sat all of this time and obviously

flipping this may I don't know I I don't know um that that committee was tough to put together I can tell you um and it was tough to get meetings scheduled with them.

Right. Right. So, I guess just to um to further my point, we have um in the backup a letter from January 28th and the list has all of the um same individuals, same individuals on there. My my next question would be what was the the process around selecting some of these individuals?

This all came from the school committee.

The names came from the school committee and the mayor at the time when this was put together originally.

Mayor, the mayor.

Yeah.

I I mean, I think my concern is in in what you're proposing as a um process, there'd be a person, me, who could squash um a naming or renaming by saying by unilaterally deciding not to send it to school committee. And so I I mean I think it's a pretty powerful thing if we were able to assemble um and maybe it's not this group, you know, maybe, you know, as you said, like maybe some of

these people aren't available or not as interested as they were or whatever it is, but I think it would be I think it's a pretty powerful thing to be able to assemble a group of committee um community members who could vet something and propose it to subcommittee. I I don't my understanding and I don't want to speak for my co my understanding was that you would re correct me if I'm

wrong but you would review the proposal and then give your thoughts to the subcommittee and this is this the committee whether or not it's worth it to bring forward you would research it yes whether or not I would do some research and I would decide whether or not it was something to bring forward to the subcommittee my understand I don't mean to interrupt my I I thought I understood it was you

give your opinion to the subcommittee your recommendation the subcommittee then decide at that point. That was my understanding. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Yeah. And I think what happens is it it's all well and good to have somebody from the community or wherever that's not sitting here every day like her, like him, like us that have to sit here and make decisions that are longlasting legacy types of decisions. So what happens is when you're going to say a feel-good legislation because you want to make a certain group of people happy,

it's easy. Oh, okay. Let's just name out then we're going to name all kinds of things. So, this is a process that it shouldn't have happened like it did.

This was a knee-jerk reaction to that to try to say, "Okay, if these folks say that we're going to name something, then you guys, meaning there's nobody to say, time out. It really makes no sense to name that particular piece or this or that." It really should be the people that work in the school department that are here to know all the backstories of all of these different situations and

what's the ramifications. This is precedent setting stuff. this is um you know at the time I said we shouldn't do it. Oh well let's just vote on this one and we'll make all the corrections in the future was the was the exact quote from Mayor Kan to me. Let's just vote for this one even though it doesn't make sense but we'll fix it on the future.

I'm trying to avoid that and I don't think that we don't we don't necessarily need it necessary.

We we can we can actually have the process because this is going to get referred to the full committee to send this out. Then we can say what does that look like for the superintendent for Mr.

Chico for if there's like a group of them that are going to decide and do some background, you know, like we can work out those details, but I'm not voting for that group or any group because we don't need it and it was a knee-jerk reaction that shouldn't have been done in the first place.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I fully agree and just wish to state in the record that sounds about right. That's something the mayor would say.

That's fine. We're not going to get into that. I'm just telling for the record.

This is exactly what was said, being transparent. You ask me a question about it. I'm transparent about it and there's not debatable whether he said it or he didn't say it. This is how it came. So motion's been made to leave to withdraw this.

Hold on, we got to vote on this.

Second. Roll call.

Mr. A.

Yes.

Mr. D.

Yes.

Mr. Bonus.

Yes. on this issue.

Um on this issue um my opinion is in general if we ever in the future are to assemble any group of any citizens individuals believe it's important it's thoroughly vetted and my position is as one member we have an individual that's on this list a former school committee member let's not talk about specifics please so I'll yield that yes so we sent that forward. We'll move on to the next item,

which is new business. Uh, anybody have any new business, Mr. D?

Yes. Um, I just noticed um when I came into the meeting today, I just don't want to see anyone get in trouble. I know there's currently a parking ban in effect in the city. I know there's cars parked on both sides. Um, I I some of them look snowed in, so I don't even know if it's individual.

It's not If they're snowed in, they're not us. I figured I don't even I think most if not all our our our vehicles however just want to make sure um we're working with the Got it.

Thank you Mr. Monus. Anything?

I'm good right now. Thank you.

All right. So uh before we adjourn, I just want to say thank you. This is the first meeting of this committee. Uh this we'll have to meet a little more often I think at the stock to get into what we need to relative to all the issues. uh this uh subcommittee will deal with the departments under Mr.

for Chico which is transportation, nutrition, security and what we have now maintenance custodial. So we might have meetings where we say okay we're going to the topic's going to be transportation then the transportation coordinator will be here for that with a specific focus just on that. This meeting went a little longer than we'd like like to keep it to 1 hour where we're focused and we're going to you

know get it done but I want you to know that the future meetings will be about like the transportation one maybe one on nutrition so that we're not doing a whole bunch of everything else.

And if you Mr. Chico could please introduce the young man right here. This is first subcommittee meetings he's been here with me.

This is uh Josh Patado. Um he's been with us since December 1. He's been with the district longer. Um but he's been with us for December one. Um doing an excellent job. Uh is I think one of the most difficult um positions in the district because of the diversity of what you have to deal with. You're dealing with personalities, but you're also dealing with trades that are very rigid by nature and by need. And then

you're dealing with others that it may not be the same way, but as a group, um they're a talented group, but they're they're they're manageable.

um they're a tough to manage group because of the diversities and and the need for all of them and and Josh has done a fantastic job um with number one handling that piece, but the second part of it is um he's made it his point to be in the schools. The principles know him.

They he answers their call and he's checking everything out when it's given to him. So there's no I'll get to it. It's there. He is visible and obviously he's here tonight, but he's been through the snowstorm. Um we had a couple of small things that he needed to take care of during the snowstorm. We were very lucky unlike the last major storm we had where when Manny was here that we had some very difficult

situations to deal with. This storm has been a little different. temperatures were pretty much almost the same, but but some of that stuff has been corrected since since then, but he's had to deal with that stuff. So, um his role is paramount to the district's operation as far as facilities and operations.

Yep. So, welcome. Thank you for your work and we're looking forward to uh probably at the Brightly. I mean, maybe if he'll be here, we'll talk about that to make sure we get the right folks in play at that. So, with that said, uh thanks again to Mr. Cabraw for the live.

Hopefully it went smooth. And uh next up is the uh school committee uh configuration with uh the meetings being static at one place. So we're looking forward to that too. All right. Motion to made by Mr. Das. Second by Mr. Monus.

Roll call.

Mia. Yes. Mr. Das.

Yes. Mr. Monus.

Yes.

Thank you very much. Have a good night.