Questions on the presentation

publishing as we go
Dawn Johnson: Councilor Germain asked for an audit; the city council approved...do you know what the status is of this audit?
Councilor O'Brien: Germain wanted answers to some broader questions on if we're using money effectively; asked city auditor to evaluate bottom line...despite what the city council had been told by the city administration the city was not meeting its obligations. Identified some other areas we'd like to look at: transporation, administrative expenses, grant fees.Decision was made not to hire an outside group, "work closely with our auditor as sort of a neutral party..." hope to have all of that done late spring
Dawn Johnson: Seems as though the City Council is saying that the school department is wasting money: "It's kind of offensive to me as a person who has been following this for so many years...well, we don't want THAT big of a light on the issue...but there's no acknowledgement that the school department isn't wasting money the way that we've been getting the impression that they were"
O'Brien: so many groups looking our books, seems like not a very good use of public resources...been trying out the critical issues...very positive step, very enlightening for people...credits the Mayor
Allen: "we all got on the same page...we are now speaking the same language...the city isn't fully meeting" obligations. Positive first step, starting point.
crediting the Mayor who has just come in
Monfredo: people forget it's the minimum amount required for education
Allen: "let's have a recognition that the foundation budget is not adequate...that's $2.1 billion that the foundation budget is understating" statewide...and state is only funding $4.4 billion in chapter 70 statewide...addressing the foundation budget. Longterm problem.
Rob Cohane: third party to come in for a long term plan?
Allen: almost exactly the same..."I see a lot of that work"; cites joint meetings of education/finance and operation as a place where that can happen
Deb Steigman: how many students are we losing to school choice? 427 students
can we increase number of students in preschool?
having the funding might allow us to increase getting those kids in school earlier

This was followed by some comments from Mayor Petty on the good work of CPPAC and the hopes he has of Council and School Committee working together, moving forward.