7.14.25 Facilities and Operations Subcommittee

Welcome everybody. Today is Monday, July 14th. Uh this is the facilities and uh operations subcommittee being held at the administration building. Um Deb, may I please get a roll call?

Mr. A here.

Mr. Cory here.

M here. Uh to the flag, please.

I pledge 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.

Thank you.

Uh 13, open meeting law. Pursuant to open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium. Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

Deb, do we have citizens input tonight?

We do.

Would you mind reading?

Thank you. Colin Das 56 map 02720.

Good afternoon. I am submitting the following citizens input in the event that I may that my right to participate in this meeting as protected by school committee policy is not respected. The concerns brought before this committee must be taken seriously and acted upon.

Ensuring that students and staff are housed in safe school environments is not only a moral imperative, something that should be our first priority to help our fellow citizens. It is also a fiduciary responsibility. Fiduciary. I urge the administration to write that word down, study it, and apply it consistently to the district's operations. Mold outbreaks should not be a seasonal occurrence. We should be

using our resources to identify and eliminate the root causes of these issues in our classrooms. The administration simply needs to communicate clearly what is wrong, what needs to be fixed. There is no price tag when it comes to the health and safety of our students and staff. We must collaborate more effectively with educators and facilities personnel to be to fully understand the scope of the

problems we face. The recent communications received by this committee reveal two major concerns in my opinion. One, a serious communication breakdown that stems from the top down.

to a persistent mold issue that continues to impact the health of our educators. It is my hope that starting today we begin to take real steps towards resolving both. As a committee member, I've experienced firsthand the lack of communication, including mold related issues. In a recent batch of financials required to be signed off by the school committee, there was a bill for mold sampling. On May 25th, 2025 at

10:51 a.m., I emailed Dr. Tracy Curley requesting all mold reports from this year. The only reports the committee received back from the request were from were for Spencer Bordon. On May 30th, 2025 at 8:22 p.m., I followed up requesting that Dr. Curley provide a public update at the next meeting. That update never came.

Superintendent Curley has removed me from signing off on financial batches and performing my duties of fiduciary oversight. That practice must cease and desist immediately. In my opinion, it is illegal. It is a criminal offense.

Rather than removing me from signing off on badges for simply asking questions or requiring the necessary information to make informed decisions, I encourage the superintendent to work with myself and the rest of the committee. Let's uphold a fiduc fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers and let's do the right thing.

Let's improve communication with staff and the public. Let's work together to identify the root cause of these persistent issues and finally resolve them. The most importantly, let's ensure that more students and educators are put that no more students and educators are put in harm's way simply by showing up to work or coming to class. I hope today we can move in the right direction. Too many educators

have gotten sick simply for showing up.

And that's and that doesn't sit well with this member. No more radio silence.

Half information being shared. The buck stops at the top. Also, where were these concerns once received by the administ administration shared with HR? Where is the HR director that provides column follow?

Thank you, Mr. Ro. Um, you want to I can't respond.

No. Um, if you want if he wants to respond, I I'll respect it.

3-1 discussion. vote to refer a power purchase agreement for two solar energy systems. Who?

Sure. So, um we've had quite a few of our buildings looked at for um feasibility of putting uh an array whether it be on the roof uh ground mount or canopies. Um the two schools that um are on this particular request Front and um RPA the areas in which a school um in in the in the neighborhood which a school is in usually determines whether or not the the power companies have the

ability. So National Grid has the ability to take on that extra um generation.

We have other schools that um have equal space or um even more space to put uh systems on. But these two buildings currently are in um an area that that they can That was one of my questions. Why these two schools?

Um so uh the uh Fonsa school is going to have a canopy in the parking lot because the roof it um doesn't is not very uh conducive to so the shape of the roof and um RPA um the fact that it's a brand new roof um is is very enticing both to us um to have it there. the height.

There's no shading at all on that roof.

And also um to the power company because the roof is brand new and there are no issues with them putting uh a system on the roof. So these are um it's a power agreement. So there's zero cost to the district whatsoever. Um the district would um the purpose of doing it obviously is that the district will receive a discounted um rate for electricity for the life of the uh the

agreement which is 20 years. At the end of 20 years we can have them remove them if we choose to or we can enter into another agreement in 20 years with obviously a much more system by then the technology be better.

Um so that's where we that's where we stand. These two schools were chosen for those reasons. Number one, for for our purposes um they work well in both areas and um from the national grid side um which um is our power supply they're accepted.

Any questions, Mr. Cory?

Yeah. So um the cons the consortium ensures that our rates would always be at a discount. Right.

Right. So they're locked in. You're locked into the rate for 20 years. um the rate um does not move around in those 20 years. It it's locked in of what we would pay. So basically what happens is the the electricity goes back into the grid and we buy x amount of kilowatt hours from um the grid at that reduced rate. So it goes back in, it doesn't go into our system that per se,

it goes out and then comes back in at that discounted rate. Okay, that all sounds good. What concerns me is the actual overlay on the roof and what that might mean for future maintenance issues moving forward, potential water leaks in an old building or anything like that on the roof.

So, this particular roof is brand new.

It's only 2 years old on all levels.

There's five new roofs on um on the RPA roof. Um it's not going on a roof at Fansa. So, it's a cockport just like BCC. Um, so that is sitting on its own brand new surface. Um, they're ballast systems except for the copper which is actually attached, but on this roof it's ballast. So, it doesn't actually have any penetrations into the roof. It's weighted cabled and sits on top of the

roof. So, there's no penetrations that we would have to worry about later on.

and and if your people have to do any potential roof work due to a storm or any anything that could happen uh unforeseeable uh those panels can be removed. So there's a there's a a clause in in all of this that you know obviously natural disasters things like that. There's also a clause that they can remove the panels do our work and then we would put the they would put the panels back the unit.

We never own the system itself. So we don't have any maintenance on the system. If anything goes wrong they have to repair it. um they've got x amount of time according to the contract to repair it and get it back up and running so that we don't lose our investment so to speak.

Well, it also the city would end up so for instance um Dery has a a um pilot and basement payment roof of taxes.

Um so it's a payment it's a it's what we would um the city would get out of this.

So everything is taxable. It's an energy generating system. So, the city would collect a certain dollar amount at Dery.

I want to say it's about $9,000 a year as a payment. Um, I'm not quite sure what this one is yet because we don't have the rates um to give that right now, but we can. Um, and so the the flip side is the city would have a piece of of this even though the electricity would belong to the school department.

Is there a potential for more of our buildings to qualify for something like this moving forward?

So, um we have one um one piece of uh 20 251 South Main that um the roof is not there's an issue on the roof. Um it's a strip on the roof that we have an issue with. So, it's still under warranty from the company who put the roof on.

So, that one is repaired. Then that actually if you look inside the package that was one of the roofs that we also had another solar piece. The south end does not may not um they're not quite sure whether or not they have the capacity to handle um that back into the grid but that is the other potential schools like um Beveris there's quite a bit of uh equipment up

on the roof so it makes it a little harder. We do have some other options at Dery again. Um the Pace building, the old Nagel, it's got a brand new roof. A lot of opportunity up there also um to put something that that area is um is a little more difficult because the grid because of BCC's canopy. That grid may be at capacity right now. So, we're not sure um about that one. But that parking

lot has been talked about for canopies also. So, in your research on this, Ken, um, what's the overall vibe on on this whole movement with solar panels on on, you know, these institutional roofs?

Well, I I way back when we were ready to do Dery. Um, we were at a disagreement with the city as to whether or not we should do it and not uh whe whether we should do it through a PPA or whether we should purchase it. And at that time I my stance was that I didn't want to purchase it because then we own it and we own everything that comes with it.

Yes, we would be getting some tax credits that we could apply for other things and we would be getting the actual production of the electricity straight and not paying for it. But we would also own it no matter what happens to it. Every time something would happen, we would put into it. We also didn't have to put out one penny for the dery one like we don't have to here. So

there's no investment on our side. We're getting the reduction, you know, and it also goes into our overall um sustainability plan. Um so when we apply for grants like CEC um and other grants within the um Massachusetts um what Massachusetts offers um this always looks good on our portfolio.

And my last question is I I tried to understand this savings chop money. I just don't it's it there's a lot of numbers there, but in the end you're telling me that we're going to save 63,000 each year.

Yes. So basically what what what it overall looks if we're if we're buying electricity right now and I think the number might be as high as 22 cents per kilowatt hour we would be buying it for about 11 maybe 10. So we're it's a 50% reduction in the cost of electricity what we produce. So we're still going to pay for everything above and beyond what we produce. If we if we're producing, let's say, $100,000 worth of

electricity, we may be we may be saving that on that particular piece, but we're not saving it on the rest of it. So, we're still under the the regular grid price for everything above and beyond what we can produce.

So, this comes out on the positive side of the ledger then for us.

So, o overall you you in your heart you feel this is a really good move. I I to be totally honest if if these companies would put it on every roof I think that would be a feather knockout.

Thank you. I thank you.

So why this company and what was the process to pick these are the guys that work with the city already?

This say they worked with us before but they um there's a power purchase option in here. They've already bid this with the state. So it's kind of like state contract but not quite in state contract. They've already done that work. the state has done that work. So, this company and there's a few others um like this company in other areas that are um doing this doing this work.

So, that's why you picked them because we picked this because and they were already on the list, right?

And they've done work for us before.

The um you had mentioned about the rationale for why purchasing wasn't your recommendation.

if you when we send this to the full committee if you can give us a a one pager on what that is because that's going to be a question everyone I think would ask uh we can get that ahead of time.

Y the um it seems like a not a lot of money but it's a no-brainer and it's we're not having any liability I think to collect. We're not going to get rich off it but that's that's that's a big piece of it. It's it's not having one more thing to worry about so to speak but not having to do any of the maintenance on it. They do their own maintenance on it. They're up on the

roof checking to be sure everything is working because of of the state-of-the-art equipment. They're seeing what we we see so we can see how much we're generating um at um we're upgrading Morton. We're upgrading solar and those others so that the students can see what we're generating and they can use it.

That was one another request would be when you go to the full committee if we can get something like all solar in the district where it is what's the status what is it working is it now you know we've heard all kinds of rumors we put stuff up we never connected them all this nonsense but ultimately if we get something as a committee saying here's all of our buildings this is why we can

do these those why we can't do those it'll eliminate I think a lot of questions uh sure I'd like to see the savings as well on there we can do that yeah that'd be great Yeah, good.

Um, ju you you just mentioned a little while ago, Ken, about well, we mentioned the hazard of a storm or whatever, but you said something that if it does go down, we're off the grid. Is that what you said? And so, we're on the grid. So, so basically national grid for any even if you're you you're on a you have solar array on your home, right?

You're never off the grid.

Basically, your solar system is just sliding into the grid.

Okay? So when the power goes out, first thing that the power companies will do if it's a if it's in your area is they'll shut that there's a there's a disconnect switch because they don't want anybody to get a shock while they're working on the system. Your your system could still be running and putting electricity back into the grid.

So if the power line was down near your house, it would be live. They go down, they shut that down. So it the system is designed to go back in. In some installations, it goes into the system.

If we owned it, it would be different.

It would go right into our building and the meter would be spinning backwards.

Right. So, if there's something broken on the canopy Yes. and it's broken for a week and a half, does that cost us It does. It does. So, but they know it's broken.

Okay.

So, they're losing as well as we're losing.

Um, so it' be in their best interest to get out right away, right?

Okay. Which is probably more than we could possibly do in that kind of Right. It's all they do.

It's what they do, right? Do we have any experience with that at Dery in terms of anything?

We haven't been down at Dery. Um we were down at Sylvia. Um I remember the first time um we had a windstorm at Sylvia and they um I I say it's ballast because there's a cable that runs across them and then they they waited usually it's blocks.

Um we had a windstorm and they they folded up like a deck of cards like putting all the cards together. They they all piled up against each other in about a day and a half. They were they came up, they did the whole thing, put it back on, you know, and and figured out what was wrong with it. We haven't had issues with any of our other systems. Um Morton

is the only one we own. And that was part of the MSBA project, and they haven't done one since. That was the first and last one that they did because it's it's a lot.

Was that done first? Was that the first one that was done?

It was the only one we own. So we That one was that they built the only one that went came in with a new new construction.

Yeah.

So that one we do own but it's already out of date.

Motion to refer with the suggested uh more information.

Second.

Yes.

Mr. Cory.

Okay.

Yes.

Um on 232 a discussion and vote to refer the disposition of the WY school and the stone school.

Is this you again? Okay.

Sure.

As we me take you separate.

Sure. Talk about Sylvia first. I mean not Sylvia. What I get Sylvia Wy?

Okay. So um WY we I want to say it was three years ago we put an SLI in to MSBA um to do work on the building. It's it's a one unitit building.

So, um the first piece was when we applied for that, they MSBA said that the building was already shuttered and that they would rather not work on a building that is not occupied. They were looking for a building that was still active in the roles. Um that building if you look at similar buildings um we don't have any quite like that in the district because most of them are two units that are left but that building

would be about a seven.5 million and the $8 million renovation. Um and we really would only have again a single unit building with the ancillary services that we need now. So square footage wise it's really not a building that we can use. Um, and again, the reason why they're both here is because they've been sitting for a long time, and the longer they sit, the worse they get. Um,

that WY has a couple of roof leaks that we can't repair um that we've patched and we continue to patch on the um and I'll talk about the other one when the paper comes up. So, that building again is in uh in a position that, you know, could be on the tax.

It was definitely not cost effective.

Every time that I've seen what you submitted and the money for the return, the land is not there's not a lot of land there. There's not a lot of building there. I I think that one is a sort of a no-brainer. My question is, would we incur any expenses now if we turn that over as far as cleaning it out or anything, or is this just an as is in the city?

I would say it's probably going to cost us about $10,000 to empty it out completely. We don't have a lot in there, but what we have we would have to dispose of.

So, it would be like our disposal and then they take it out from Exactly.

I think it's a no-brainer. I Mr. Cory.

Yeah. So, um I'm going to go back um my experience. I I I scoped out the WY about 10 years ago when uh when I previous to my retirement. Uh we were searching for some potential spaces for alternative for an alternatives setup which ended up at um the Deuke on Oak Grove Avenue. And previous to the alternative high school moving to Debuke, we looked at the WY and uh I was

actually there on on grounds scoping it all out. So, I know what you mean. It's not a very uh useful building. And uh I think we brought it up again when we were looking for extra space for uh for prek. We were talking about the potential use of the WY, you know, because it's it's it's one of our buildings, but I think um all of your research pointed out that the building's

just too far gone. I agree. I'm also I just wanted to say that I've been there.

I scoped it out and and there's nothing there for us.

True for a WY. Yeah, the wy there's nothing I second drive.

Yes, Mr. Cory.

Yep.

Yes.

Okay. On to three. Oh, sorry. We still have the other school.

The other school.

So, this is on stone school.

Yeah. Stone at 1207 Globe Street. So, we had looked at this site um to put a modular um building in for prek. Those numbers came in quite high for what we were looking to do. Uh and that had nothing to do with the central piece which was that building. The building require again it's a single unit school. Um that building is requires more work. Um the roof doesn't leak. It's a slate

roof. Um So, we're kind of tight there.

We see some daylight, but for for whatever reason, I can't seem to find out where why the water is coming in.

It's like magic. I don't know. Um, but that that building is dry. Um, the the site um sits on both Globe Street and on Pebble Street, which is in the back.

Pebble Street's a funny street to get to, but um it it does have some uh frontage on Pebble. Also the site um we removed an oil tank uh from that site. One of the last schools that had a buried oil tank removed it.

Those it was successful. No issues getting the you know the ground was not contaminated in any way. Um so we removed that tank at the time um to to facilitate the construction. But as those numbers came in very high, we kind of caught the end of um the good times that we had at Dery. And then we got caught up in in where prices went through the roof close to $550

a square foot uh to build anything. So the again with this building, it's a single unit. Um that does the building does have space um on the capital improvement plan um that we sent in this year to the city. It had um an 89 or an 85 million request for um a school to be added. in in the next five years um on that site.

Um that would be um on the city side uh if we were to do that and um again that's 20 30 before it would open.

Um if we were to get picked right away uh to do that in the 2026 round of uh requests. So, uh, to renovate that building, again, it's it's a one unitit school. So, it's about six7 million to renovate that school to a single unit school. And then whatever addition we decided to put to it, or if it was new construction, the building is on the historic register. Um, so that

one is a little more difficult to um to take down. Um, and um, I'm not quite sure if there was a battle on that or not. Uh the school has some history. Uh the neighborhood is is pretty tight with the exception that that's a good size piece of land that's there. We don't have neighbor issues on Pebble Street, but it is a different kind of setup if you were

to put a bigger building on it where you would parking would be an issue. Um and you may have issues with busing in and out. Our goal there was to bring buses through a a loop system, cut in Globe Street and run out the back and then parents would drop off the opposite um into that building. So that was the plan back then.

Cory, so so are you saying that there's no no real no practical potential for that to become an maybe a prek site in the future or something like that?

I I would just say that I don't think that the prices are going to go down.

So, we were we were quite a bit over what we thought we could do a prek site on that.

What's the price? You said 69 million.

Is that what you said?

89 million to put a building. That's not that wouldn't be a pre that would be a fullblown full-blown school.

Yeah. About um 600 student, 650 student.

It would be comparable to a fansa probably ao kind of building. And if you were to try and salvage the other building, which I'm sure if an architect was designing that, they would try and use that as a centerpiece box off around that building to keep that building, do a renovation the building and then a courtyard within there for playgrounds and stuff. That would be what I would say would be uh a

vision that we could possibly have on that building. But again, that's the number that we would be looking at is like 89.

The city would be looking at the city.

So it begs me begs a couple of questions for me like the potential for mobile units on there for extra classrooms or or craft space for prek kids.

So trailers Yeah. So trailers have have been an option. Um and you know over the years we've used that at at Tanzy. Those are those are trailer units.

Yeah. The thing when we originally had done the research between the modular unit and the trailer unit there wasn't a lot of difference in price.

At one point there was but because of the need from for a lot of districts the modular unit is the preferred method because it's real construction.

Yeah.

But the the um the trailer option um is being used a lot in a lot of places.

Um Dr. Curly, what are the projected um uh student numbers maybe over next five six years on are is our student population growing?

Not it doesn't appear just based on recent numbers to be growing that we wouldn't expect it necessarily to grow at the same rate. I think some of that has to do with the availability of housing um in the district, but we also know that a lot of our families that are coming in aren't they are doubling up.

They're moving in with family members and things like that. So, it's been difficult. You know that we had a demographic study done in like 2023. Um those numbers weren't correct. So, you know, we paid obviously we paid professionals to come in to do that kind of work and they weren't able to accurately project for us even a couple of years in. Now, over time it could be that maybe five years out, 10 years out,

maybe things balance and it ends up in the same place, but right now we haven't been able to use that um in order to accurately project the numbers. And so the best we're able to do is take a look at what did um increases look like this spring as opposed to last. What did um increases for particular students group groups look like um for a certain number of months, you know, one year to the

next. But we're we don't feel entirely confident in our local ability to really do that kind of projection given that we got experts to do those projections for us and they weren't quite accurate. I just think the the landscape has changed in a way that um you know people weren't taking that into account a few years ago when when that uh study was done. But we're not, you know, we're seeing the

we're seeing the enrollment kind of slow down in a way that we're not, you know, we went from one year to the next.

Okay. So, my question was born out of concern for maybe growth numbers in and can our facilities hold, you know, the current numbers of students that we have, especially in the prek thing. And as um Kenny mentioned, uh that building is on the historic register. So I just wonder if there's any preservation society grants that might be able to kick in to help us maybe potentially develop that

building if if that building could be of any use to our district in the uh future years. That's all I'm thinking is just potential thought. You know, I think the difficult part is in terms of the the one unit buildings themselves being viable schools is difficult because that configuration isn't really what's needed just in terms of when we think about how we resource buildings with

coaches and things like that like it's not cost-effective to put the same resources a coach a VP and with such a small number of students right so we have a different configuration where a twounit school seems to be kind of as small as we would go. I think physically the building for those buildings for prek don't work just because of the multiple floors that are, you know, our students would be on and we're looking

at littles that we really try to keep on one floor, maybe two, but certainly not on a third floor of a building and things like that. So, um, I think the one unitit aspect of the schools kind of is limiting. Yeah, it limits us. And then I think the difference probably between, you know, you know, between WY and the stone sites are the land options and um and what that would look like to

use the mobile units, you know, over at the stone site.

Okay, Ken. So, so now that you know you've guys have vetted that situation pretty well, I I I know that we don't want to take on the added cost of these two old buildings.

um no way that we can gift it to the preservation society at that point. Can we make a recommendation to the city to gift it to the preservation society?

I would I would think and and I've shot in the dark here is that that building um will make I don't know 12 to 14 apartments without changing the building and preserving it that way, putting it on the tax roles. I mean, I don't know. Gifting it. We We tried the giving away schools. We didn't, but the city did, and I don't know how that worked.

It didn't work very well.

No, I again, and some of them went on, you know, there were buildings that did, you know, survive.

I was only suggesting because this one's on the historic register.

Right. Right. And and I think that, you know, there are there are success programs with that. I mean, the the Lincoln school will be, you know, apartment soon and open and that building's preserved and they left a lot of the interior woodwork in place. So, I think there's a way to capture that. I just don't for us it's different because trying to modernize some of the buildings, you take away some of that.

We have no choice but to take away.

That answers all my questions. Thank you. I yield.

Yeah. I just think um I remember years ago we were going to do a administration south parent center slash something on bus route you know like that site being something that we could use. Uh, I think we need to look at the pay center currently prek I and it's one of the other things about where's that going, but I wouldn't necessarily want to dump this yet until we can figure out where that goes cuz sure

I for one have some ideas on doing something different with the pay center or where we currently have preks where I think we could probably open that as an office a lot cheaper than six million.

I think the only problem we may have and I I agree that Um, there are other options. I think the only issue we'll have is that it's been vacant for a long time. So, we're going to be forced to put an elevator in that building if we change occupancy. And we will be if we're turning it into um an administration building. So, we will have to make an investment. I'm not

saying it's not worth it because we have parking. We have off street park. As you just said, it's on a bus route. um it does have some options and there's no no um so that that's where I would go where I don't think we have we've been back and forth with a plan we're going to have a full plan we're going to have a long-term plan short-term plan right now we don't have many plans y

but the other one with the pay center was basically we're a year out anyway because fire suppression and that so I'd rather table this for now this one go let you see not take it off then you all do your research and say, "Well, it'll cost us X dollars, but we'll have a more centrally located pay center.

Where are we going to put special ed if we move them out of the other place while we're before we start renovating the pay center?"

Sure.

To be half a prek. Maybe we renovate it to be a a full prek and maximize the cost of people getting in there. So, I make a motion to table this particular one, unless you want to speak first. Do you have any questions first before I make a motion?

Yeah. Yeah. Go ahead.

Um, so is there a basement in this?

There is. Okay. What's the capacity of the basement? Like how So, as part of it was a gym slash cafeteria. Um there's a boiler room down there. There are some rooms that were used. Um but it it's um it has full windows, not full windows, but it's got the like some of our buildings have.

Um so it's not like it's a basement basement, you know, it does have walkout stairs to get to the schoolyard part, right? But it is um it is a usable basement. So whether we use it for something or not, it would still we wouldn't be able to add them. Like we could probably in that building go prek to five, right?

And have enough classrooms with some ancillary, but that's all you would have. You'd never have enough to do a, you know, a dual, right? Right. A double classroom kind of right?

I'm fine.

Second. Second.

Mr.

Yes.

Mr. Cory.

Yes.

Miss Larry.

Yes.

On to uh just an update of the pace center.

Mr. Pico, is that you again?

Yeah. I just uh left you sent y in with a packet a brief. Um the roof replacement is finished. Um we've just wrapped up all of the punch list items on it. everything um that um that we were concerned with was taken care of.

Uh they they found a couple of other things that they took care of. Uh skylights were all removed which were a major headache for us as far as leakage in that building. Um and um the way they were closed off was permanent. Um so it's not just you know a fix. It was it was permanent. Um no structural repairs were needed on the roof. So fortunately, as as much as that roof did leak, it

didn't cause us any major structural issues inside. Um whatever they needed to do, they did. And their new roofing system is obviously insulated. So the new code, so the build building is now more energy efficient, um with the roof piece, fire suppression. Um they're just about ready to mobilize. I've been um back and forth with um seeing the submitts coming in and out of items that requesting

information on whether it be uh how to hang things, what the ceiling heights were going to be when we're finished. Um the complicated piece there was the auditorium because the area there's a huge area up above the ceiling um that has to be protected and there's a lower area where the seating is backstage already had fire suppression but that all needs to be upgraded um to today's standards.

So that building with the exception of what we are going to use um was a difficult piece of this. So that we're going back and forth now almost three weeks on trying to get all of these answers ironed out uh in in a workable way. Um the um the inside of our areas are are going to be kind of the same way because we don't want the monstrous sealants in those preks. So there'll be

um an area that's going to be um via suppression sprinkled up above and protected below where the students are.

Um so that's a kind of a double system.

So, we've been working all of that out with the contractor. They were um they were informed that there was going to be a dual system. So, we're now trying to get it down to where we actually need the stuff and then we'll um do whatever we need to do after the fact. So, that that piece on the fire suppression, we're expecting them to mobilize, I would say, hopefully by the end of the

month because they will be there getting started. Um it's it's a company that we've dealt with um at the um Watson School, the general contractor completed at the end of the month or starting because it takes a while, right?

Yeah, this I'm I'm going to guess that we'll be pushing December um to have a complete system and and operational. Um the water service fortunately is is um the adequate size.

We have we have to put a pump on it because it doesn't have enough pressure too close to the tank.

We don't have the pressure required. Um but we um we are um in uh in great shape um as far as the service itself so there'll be no no digging so to speak uh bringing in a new service and um the prek classrooms we've um we're starting to remove um the uh wooden flooring where the uh two construction sites were. That's a little block uh wood floor that that sits there. It sits on

concrete, but all of that has to be removed. We'll pour a slab on top of that and then we'll be ready to build classrooms in those two back areas.

We're currently moving um materials that are in there in different areas of that building and setting up um the prek storage for all their supplies and the pace storage for all of their supplies.

So, I can empty the the upper deck also to make room for that construction. So, um that we've got some some pretty good movement right now and we're working in that area ourselves um with our own in-house people.

Any questions?

Cory, I just want to say I I I have u a lot of faith in our in-house people uh to get the job done. Um, when you mentioned the Watson School just now in your description and I just want to say as a source of pride, I went to the Watson School and I remember the condition of that building before you and your crew got your hands on it, Mr. Pico. And so

when I'm coming back home uh in my travels and sometimes even in the early evening and I see uh the condition of that school right there on Eastern Avenue looks absolutely beautiful. the windows, the lights, the uh the uh landscaping on the front Eastern Avenue side look absolutely beautiful.

Thanksgiving time I was there delivering baskets uh from my church to the residents in that area and I was downstairs and did a full inspection of the basement and I understood what the basement looked like before as to what it looks like now and with that new cafeteria down there looks absolutely wonderful, you know, and and the new boilers. So, I mean, you to be commended um for the the overall work that you did

on that building, and I know that this building is going to probably come out great, too. It's all I wanted to say. I yield.

Yes, sir.

The um on that similar note, uh one thing that bothers me about that building is the flag pole condition.

It's rusted. And if we could please get somebody that like I know it's probably on somebody's radar, but the grounds or something like it just it's rusted. It looks so we we we have um some outside lighting that we're changing. So we we waiting for a lift.

So once we stop putting that lighting in around that building, then we're going to paint it.

Yeah. Yeah. Just come down. It does.

So what Mr. Cory said, there's been a lot of renovations now. We got a an eyesaw of the um the 750,000 that the city had.

There was some controversy of whether they had it in opera funds or not and city council was on their thing, but we didn't know. The mayor said they got some money. Like I was under the impression he the mayor was indicating that they had some money for us to do the pay center and I don't necessarily think that was true. I think it's the fire suppression which is their responsibility as the city with the roof

and that is there 750,000 extra for them but I think believe that we were told that there is funds not everything we need but there are funds that the city has for us to do the prek stuff if you could get that detail in senator committee because absolutely we hear different things but fire suppression is going to cost something right where is that money coming from and is that where you They must have a

pot of money for that.

Yeah, that's definitely our money. The fire suppression piece. Yep.

Put aside on their side.

That's what I'm saying. So, there's got to be a line item in the council that says that, but there's also the 750,000 and you got to find it just right, you know. So, I I'm curious because we're a year or so more behind where we were from last March at Spencer Bordon with the prek discussions.

This isn't We can't even start to do any work until the fire suppression is done, which was supposed to be done by December of last year.

Yes.

I'm not off on that. Right. So, we have time to either do something different or where we're going to get the money, how much is it going to cost? So, I I do think we should look at it. the um the piece of the um moving the rooms. I think we should look at that as soon as possible because there's some valid suggestions on where how are we going to

fill up the uh PA building. You know, we've spent money on buildings that are not filled uh with offices. Um so I think we should just uh keep on plugging but understand that we don't necessarily see full solid plans of everything. How many prek rooms are we going to have?

How many do we have economy? What's the long-term future of prek in general? So, those are my concerns. I think I've had conversations with superintendent about it. I'm sure this is not new uh information, but we need a more comprehensive look so that we're aware of what's happening and money is going to run out at some point with some of these things. So, I agree.

I yield. Thank you. Thank you for the update.

Thank you.

Um on to uh update on mold issues in the district.

So um again high humidity, excess of moisture entering the building. So um we just started our summer programs and um obviously there's bodies there. Doors open in and out and out with all of this heat. Um those are the items that we battle. Um our buildings are um we have dehumidification going in all our buildings currently. Um we started putting those dehumidifiers on as soon as the temperatures started to rise um

and then humidity comes right along with it. But um that we're doing in every building. Um we are still mixing our cooling and our heating uh to make up for a little bit of the the lack of humidification. So, there's only two buildings in the district that have dehumidification built into the systems.

The state-of-the-art Watson and Dery High School.

State of the art.

It's the most up-to-date building. It's even got more stuff in than Dery does.

Um, but it it is um that building has a building total building uh dehumidification. Dery has the same thing. So with with what both of those buildings are doing is they're cooling the building, but they're also taking out the humidity with a separate system. The ultimate goal is to eventually have this in all of our buildings. Um and um until that happens, we have the units that we bought 25

of the um I call them the heavy duty piece. We have smaller units in the classrooms. We have a middlesiz unit in the classrooms. Um classrooms we had difficulties with. And then we have this larger unit that usually sits in hallways or if it sits in classrooms um they're they're a quieter unit than the ones we rent, but um it sits and we open doors in between classrooms um to dry

them up. We haven't had um the wet floors as of yet, which piece of wood. Um and we um what we are doing between mixing that temperature of of heating and cooling at the same time, we have the dehumidification units that we didn't have this year uh last year at this time. Um and um we're currently not renting any units. However, if the summer continues down this road and and

the temperatures, we may have to rent um some units if we can't purchase. there are they're hot commodities right now and they're expensive. Um so um that's where we stand on that particular piece. We're doing the cleaning in the in the classrooms. Uh currently uh we've got um I think a total of 56 movements going on in all the buildings between classrooms moving from floor to floor. Um classrooms were

moving uh teachers were moving from building to building. Um and um all of those things are forcing us to change what we do and how we do it in the rooms besides summer school. So it's it's a the process is um a little messy this year. We're all over the place when we're cleaning up down, you know, sideways, so to speak. And um that's that's something that we normally don't do. It's a very organized cleaning.

normally right down the hallway up to the other side of the hallway. in the hallways. Alas, we're jumping around a little bit trying to move these um teachers in and out of rooms, moving the prek classrooms, you know, out of um I think we moved seven to one uh six six one from uh Sylvia and four from uh that's five.

Yeah, five.

Five. Yeah.

Um so moving those out. We're redoing those classrooms first, the ones that we emptied, and then we'll be bringing new furniture into those classrooms to set up with other classrooms are going into open spaces. And that's happening up and down in most of the buildings. We do have some rug removal that's going to happen again this year, not as much as we did last year. Um, but we do have

some rug removal um putting down DCT tile. Um and um we do have a grant um that we received for 2.9 million to work on the green school which it's you know um it's very very needed in that building. Uh the controls so part of it is controls. Another one is a heat pump chiller which is state-of-the-art um which is why we got this grant because we're doing decarbonization in

that building as much as we can. Then eventually those boilers will go when we can provide um a heat pump setup for heating also. Um and um we do have uh a lot of work going on um at Sylvia and um Spencer. Um so it's probably six buildings under construction right now and um minus some minor stuff doing some changes at Westall. um also. But um that's where we stand. And on the

high humidity and and the mold piece, we are controlling the temperatures as much as we can and we're monitoring it, you know, the systems that we can monitor. The ones that we can't monitor automatically, we're monitoring um you know, with um a daily check of classrooms and humidity. Uh that's happening in four of our schools right now.

So when will we know if we need to rent the units?

So right now everything is covered.

Everything we have is covered. Okay.

Um we we will bring on 10 units at the end of the month and we will scatter those throughout a couple of buildings.

Um just because of that's when we normally get the the August one is normally when we get that.

So a couple of weeks we're going to get those units. Um, and we shouldn't need more than that because that'll drop off two in each of the buildings we have issues with.

And by then close to summer school proactive versus the reactive they're already they're already they're already going.

Yeah, they're already set up and uh we've already put a hold on them that we will take them at that time.

So my my only we had we had a terrible summer last summer and we all learned a lot by it.

Um, mold mitigation was exacerbated by the extreme humidity last summer. It almost killed it well killed my grass.

It It almost killed my abide trees. I had I had to treat them.

Uh, so it was the heat wave was killer.

And now we're getting more humidity even this upcoming week. We're going to get high humidity this week. The only question I have is we're not mad magicians or anything, but is the custodial staff feeling the urgency of this issue in each of the buildings that they're working on?

I I have to say that they've that the custodial staff has risen to that occasion. They they have they know what they went through last year.

Yeah.

And they know how difficult that was. Um there's been thousands of dollars spent in our buildings, whether it be the simple things, you know, um changing a ceiling tile model, um whether it be um insulation changes in the units and changing the way we heat and cool the building. Mind you, our set temperatures last year were between 68 and 70. That's much too cold. So we can't maintain that

68 to 70. So we're now we're running anywhere from 71 to 73 in the buildings.

Totally changed everything. And we are mixing we're mixing heating and cooling.

Um and um the filter changes are happening four times a year. We didn't change that. What we have changed is u beginning of of the um beginning of the heating season. They're going back into the units to do another vacuuming of the of the cells. Um, and that cleaning and then obviously our regular changes. When we're changing filters, we're doing some other things in there. We're looking for

visible signs if there is anything.

They're wiping that down now as opposed to, you know, the way we didn't do it before. Um, and um, as I said, we changed a lot of insulation last year.

We do have about four uh four rooms this year that we're changing insulation in and um some of the uh unit ventilators.

Um there was some uh parts on on the older ones that we couldn't get. So we we had them manufactured. So we have some pieces that we're manufacturing um at machine shops to uh to keep those units alive until we have um the ability to change those. TZ is one. So there is a sense of urgency amongst among the staff.

Yes.

Thank you.

the um when you say the ACs are running, didn't the guy tell us one time that the ACs are in essence like the humidification like so you ratchet it up when it's needed and then yeah you try to so what we're doing is we're trying to modulate them so that because you automatically want to turn the AC up when it gets super humid and you are taking the the water out but you're not

you're you're basically um you're chilling everything. The ground is never going to get cold enough. So, you sweat.

The ground's going to sweat. And all our buildings where where we had our issues, first floors, because they're in the ground. So, we're never going to get that ground cold enough that it's not going to give us an issue. Slippery floors, things like that, doors open when kids are walking in and out, holding doors open when kids are walking in and out for a long period of time.

So, by heating the air and cooling it at the same time, it's drying that cold, really cold air that that feels a little too cool. 68° was cold. And it was, you were comfortable while you were in it, but I'm going to tell you that that created more problems than it was helping. Um, it really did. And changing that temperature made a big difference in the building. I can see it now. We we

feel it now. how I feel it in this building and you know I have the tendency that the air conditioning where it's at 68 and things like that and you can feel a difference as soon as you walk into that room that it feels cold doesn't feel comfortable it just feels cold and there's a little too much moisture in the air so and so at one point years ago there was

word out there that we somebody said don't turn the air around to save money you know at some point like I think it's different than what you just said but that's also not happening I'm assuming We're we're regulating the buildings from trying to keep an even temperature here. Well, and then the mold detectors that was a source of conflict last year that we said we've been putting them in.

Yeah.

Are they in? Are they reading? How is that?

They are reading. Um we're changing batteries now because a few of them weren't reading. Um but they are reading and the temperatures are hovering in the 50s.

I'd like them lower, but they're in the 50s. And on a real bad day, they're going into the 60s where we don't want them. You know, we had 70s and 80s. Um so green is still an issue. Green is still giving us hotaches. Um but we've got um dehumidification a lot more units there and we'll put as many as we need.

Um Sylvia is better, Spencer Bordon is better. Um and both of them have new chillers. So that's made a difference. So now we can regulate with the new chillers. But the there was little whatever you call them stats.

Only at Green or is that the reason?

We have them at Green. We have some at Spencer. We have them at Laterno. Um I'm not sure if I have them at FNA. I may have them in spots. I don't have them schoolwide.

And those don't, if I recall, they don't you have to manually look at them.

That's So what's happening is the custodians are doing that. So the custodians are going around every morning doing doing the stats.

So you have some data on what is there, what's not. Exactly.

Yep. I think some of the um concerns I have are more that we had a major issue and then the people that are working there, I don't necessarily know that they feel confident or even know enough about what's happening.

And I'd feel the same the same thing with us. Like we get limited updates, but I think more regular updates would help make everybody feel better, including us, including the staff.

So I as I as I said in the email that's my fault for bad communication when that one particular piece we did we did send a lot of emails back and forth. Okay.

But the actual day that room got cleaned and it shouldn't have been we should have left it for them to uh test it. So we were waxing floors and they couldn't get upstairs in that particular suite.

So that was the room that was going to be tested is in the old library. We call the library suite now. So there's a bunch of different rooms in there. They couldn't get to that room in order to do the test that they wanted to do. Um which is not a normal um test. It's not a a regular test that we would do for air quality. It's a totally different test. It's a medical test.

under on I didn't really understand the exact issue but by cleaning it and waxing it or whatever did that pro let's say that room was contaminated and by cleaning it and washing waxing and whatever else happened did that now give a false so that's sense of like concern that's what I thought the concern was right the concern was is that we clean the room and therefore it's going to test clean we clean all the

rooms and if there's an issue if there's an issue that's not necessarily ally. I mean, we're waxing floors and we're wiping everything down and sterilizing everything. Um, if that condition comes back, it's not going to matter that that wax is only a month old. If there's a condition that's pre-existing in that building for whatever reason, it's still going to be there. We're just cleaning

with spot cleaning, you know, touch points, but cleaning, wiping everything down, wiping books, the counters. Um, if there's, you know, ventilators, all of that stuff's being done with the library suite. We still have rug in that particular area. Um, so the rugs weren't shampooed yet. So, it wasn't a true, we didn't do everything in that particular suite. So, there was work that still

needed to be done. But again that as I said I didn't communicate to the lead in that building not to clean that area we we refused to pay it and they had to agree but was it like is that false or so it's our the testing that we do for the air quality testing that um MTA has also done. They bring in their people. We have our people. We've compared results.

Um there was an individual who was requesting a different test um for personal reasons and MTA said that they would do the testing. So that's what it was.

But I guess it beg the question when I was reading it to say when we did the testing we traditionally do what was the results? Was it clean?

So we hadn't done that area because that and we offered to we said we'll do our testing and they said no we don't want the general testing. this is a specialized test based on a person's, you know, personal medical condition that they wanted a very specific kind of test done on.

I guess in hindsight, I would have it would have been better if we just did our testing.

Did our test anyway because at that point, you know, we did our testing, our testing was clean. You want to do extra, go ahead, you know, but at this point now, it it it's sort of like they're doing it. We didn't want to almost makes us look like we weren't trying to help.

I see. And then I'm reading the email saying, "We're trying to help the person go to a place that is safe for them. HR probably should have been or at least somebody else because it wasn't just you. Other people knew that this was in the works." Uh, so it was unfortunate that we get the email. I guess there's nothing we can do about it now, but I would probably say we should

do our test. We're going to do the test already scheduled that may have already happened because the two good tests are better than none I guess if uh u but the bigger picture of the mold I think we just need a a more regular hey this is what's happening we just learned information from the subcommittee that we got 10 extra humidifiers on August 1st that we're purchasing like we have x amount

that we purchased last year so that like it gives everybody more calm that says we're on it we're taking it serious all all the things you just said memo would to us to the union to the principles to me would make a world of difference towards people saying we're not going to be in the same mess. So I appreciate the update and um if you need more of those units I think you should have the

ability to buy as many rent as many as you need to because we can't wait for subcommittees and full committees.

That's an emergency. If something starts going, those numbers start going through the roof, I'd rather have rented more dehumidification to prevent and the only thing I would add is that it we haven't been we haven't done the testing that we were doing like you know all last summer and things like that. We haven't done that, but we also we don't have any um there's no evidence of mold

right now in any of these places. So, I know there's you know there's some concern and I don't disagree with you. I think that if we just say more and we're actually giving accurate information and we don't leave it up to people to make conjectures, I think we would benefit from that. But we don't know we don't know of a mold problem that we're not communicating. that's not what's

happening and so um and we have started testing and you said it might have already been done um and we will share those when when that information is available. I had one more question everyone know the clutter remember we went to the green school and that clutter is that not happening across the district or we still have issues with people that are saving too much yeah it's so we we just had this you know

discussion today around you know so the guidelines that we sent out um coming out of health and safety committee that we shared and then um lists of what the room needed to look like at the end of the year for teachers when they packed up their things so that areas were um available for cleaning and things like that. um there are some issues that are being uncovered in the summer and so

those are being addressed and then we know that when we get back to school it's going to be with the you know the same list that we've shared mid year all of the reminders of what the expectations are making sure there's an opportunity for health and safety committees within schools to kind of um observe in classrooms be part of kind of the local accountability within a school um and and just pointing out to teachers

as reminders hey we don't forget Yeah, we're not supposed to do this, not supposed to do that. And then are being able to take additional steps so that when people still, you know, they've gotten a reminder from their peers and they're still not doing what they need to do, um that we're sending, you know, that we're leaving them a note with a reminder and kind of, you know, being a

little bit more being proactive, but then also being more progress like in terms I don't want to call it progressive discipline. It's not about disciplining people, but helping people to become more disciplined in terms of what we need in classrooms so that everybody can do their jobs, right? And and I agree wholeheartedly everybody should be on board with this.

But I don't think it should just be our administration. I think the MTA should be on board with if there is progressive discipline or whatever the heck you're going to do. MTA should be aware that you are making the moves to health and safety committee. I mean, we it was a joint venture in terms of creating the original this is what the classrooms need to look like. Here's what's allowed. Here's what's not

allowed. Some of that was through discussions with um you know the fire department and what need what we could have and what we couldn't have. So all of that was shared with schools and it was done again in collaboration with health and safety and so that's how we'll kick it off in the school year. I think health and safety with MTA presence will continue and that's been they've been supportive.

People who sit at the table are like, "Yeah, we need to do this. We're gonna we're gonna help people get this done."

So, I think that that I think that will continue to be.

The only thing I would say the only thing I would say is it's probably better.

At some point though, enough's enough.

And what I saw last year at the Green School was unacceptable.

I asked at the time what was the penalty for the person enough. So, I would like to get a report to the committee on any room that does not meet those standards that we sent out by school and the principal of the school needs to take action. And if that means they get suspended, they get whatever, do whatever you have to do because we can't have another duplication of last year and people go, "Well, maybe it's

better." No. The bottom line is is if I work in a classroom and he's my boss and says, "You have to do the following. You can't leave all these boxes here. You can't leave clutter like this." and he's my boss and I continue to leave that clutter there, then I deserve to get suspended or something serious action and we need to support you and them not coming down on you when you do that

action. But I've had enough of what I saw at that green school was unacceptable. So, as far as I'm concerned as one member, I support you coming down on them because once you do that once or twice, they're going to take you and Mr. Pico serious.

Are you Yes.

Yes. I just wanted to follow up. I I I agree with my colleague there, uh, Dr.

Curley. Uh, do the principles understand the sense of urgency in regard to the mold? And they do. And so they're they're translating that to their full staff.

They do. And I and so and we're, you know, we're trying to make sure that they feel a sense of urgency. Had a discussion uh with Mr. Fico around again supporting it to make sure it happens.

What does it look, you know, is it a different experience for an educator when on that UNI event? If we don't want anything on it, what about, you know, getting a sticker that says don't put anything on this vent, right? No, because the last thing we want to do is like have people forget or think, "Oh, I didn't think you meant this." That be really crystal clear. Be able to identify where the vents are, um, the

intake vents and things like that in in classrooms, so that we can put some signage high on the wall that says like, "There's a vent here. Don't block it."

you know, making sure there's a reminder in terms of like you need to be three feet away from this vent and you know, things like that. So, I think we're as soon as I know that when we're in a good place and we know we've done all the things that we need to do to support people to do it, then people need to be held accountable for doing it. I mean,

that that that's where we need to be to start the school year.

I mean, this is what we learned from last year. last year. It was tough going through that issue last year, you know, uh and so we learned from it and I think urgency is the key and everybody pitching in and helping and mold is something that you alone can't control.

He alone can't control, we alone can't.

It's it's collective. We all need to be on it together. I yield. Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

On to new business. Is there any new business? Mr. A, just a quick I know we talked about this at the last meeting about we were closing the northeastern avenue and we had senior a senior uh displaced issue.

Is that rectified? What's the what is the So currently from 3 to two or so currently there is I'm using that senior to sub seniors right now. When that ends then yes we will be going down to one.

We'll be we're going to be losing one.

Exactly. If you can just get us some sort of sure timeline on that when there was a issue with the union in the negotiations but we can't as we Dr. Cle said if we if we don't say what's happening people can create their own narrative of what's happening. So I think the term is displaced senior is what the the union the the verbiage that they used with us.

Yeah. Whatever it is, I think if we follow the process and you have three and there's only two spots open, right?

There's a process for how you go down to right the lower seniority person or whatever the wording is, then Yep.

Thank you. You're welcome, Mr.

Corey. I don't know if this is in our purview, but I just wanted to uh suggest uh just a brief moment of silence in regard to what happened last night at the Gabriel House for us just to share our our thoughts and our feelings with with all that, you know, our fire department colleagues and our police department colleagues in the city.

Is uh is that an acceptable motion or something that we can I think we can just do that. Just do that. Yeah, we just have a brief moment of silence for that.

Thank you. Thank you for your consideration.

Appreciate that. Thank you.

Second.

All in favor? Play.