Worcester Finance and Operations subcommittee

And the agenda and backups are here.
The big thing, to preview, is the second quarter report, which gives some perspective on where the budget will end up by the end of the year.

posting as we go
new buildings will have multiple single stall bathrooms throughout the buildings
Foley asks if there is anything that can be done for existing buildings
Allen: each school has identified restrooms that have a single stall, many near nurses
can look to see if there other options available
Foley: motion to look at other options, particularly in secondary buildings

on fans and water on hot days
bulk of the item covered; this is surveying of fans and A/C in buildings
"we certainly know which schools have full or partial air conditioning in them...now have a complete inventory of the 243 window air conditioning...80 portable air conditioning...up to 211 fans that have been purchased and provided...which does not include fans that may be brought in by individual staff members"
Biancheria asks for a list of which schools have air conditioning
do personnel bring in their own fans?
Allen: try to accommodate any need for fans
Biancheria notes popsicles were delivered
McCullough: maybe there is a need for more of them

Second quarter report (through December 31, but projections are more recent)
Allen: projection of $893,151, most in the teacher salary account, creating vacancy savings
"still only accounts for about 1% of the teacher account, so it's not a significant amount of the overall total"
assumption is that positions will be filled during the rest of the year (thus vacancy factor is to date, rather than assuming they are still open through the end of the year)
almost $900,000 to add some additional positions and some technology positions
"many are teaching positions for compliance reasons"
custodial supervisor
largest item is the requirement of the city law department to have the video footage stored for 32 days
which is $400K
"as you know, we continue to install more and more cameras in our schools, including the cameras at the front doors" and the city's policy is to retain that video for 32 days
Foley: is this vacancy rate typical? are we struggling to make hires?
would this fortend
Allen: we've been looking at this
"isn't necessarily alarming, but we are seeing that it remains difficult to fill some of our high-needs position"
budget increased over $25M, most went to new positions
"seems there's a struggle to fill those positions"
"a combination of the normal occurrence that we see with vacancies" and as the normal as we add positions
Foley: caution as we receive additional funding, struggle to fill
Allen:
Foley: contract with Durham allows for reduction in credits
$110,000 is credits that we were owed from last year's budget that are hitting this year's budget
how close are we to installing GPS
Allen: "we're ready to go, we're still trying to even make contact with National Express, Durham's parent company"
Foley: from conversation with other districts, similar issue in other districts with Durham
has the site been put on our web to allow to report these issues?
Allen: I'll have to check on that
Foley: may become moot somewhat when the GPS is running, but need a report
facilities ordinary maintenance?
Allen: until we fill our own positions
all related to skilled trades
Foley: marketplace for skilled trades; it's balancing out but it is not ideal
overtime in transportation
Allen: overtime used generally at the start of the school year as making adjustments
"our buses, as are Durham's are generally running ten hours a day" so overtime in
Foley: unemployment, fifty claims
can people apply if they leave voluntarily or not?
Allen: generally if they leave voluntarily, they are not
"it's not necessarily unemployment due to budget cuts; it may be other reasons"
Foley: "I'm a huge fan of cameras; it's a very large investment in safety"
are we required to do this?
Walton: that's correct
Foley: making choices ahead of public input sessions; are these the highest choices regardless?
Allen: we build these in as the base starting point now
deliberate decision recognizing these would be the priority positions
Foley: it might be helpful to put this out there when we do our public sessions
getting out in front of the public forums on this
McCullough: EL positions, custodial supervisor
Biancheria: there are no open positions in custodial
two hours every day already in the budget?
Allen: yes, but as additional is needed, it would be charged to this account, for example, athletic and other events
used for majority of drivers, particularly special education drivers,
almost all of them
Biancheria: have we discussed making that working time their working hours?
Allen: it is something we'll be discussing with School Committee in executive session in the future
Biancheria: custodial supervisor prior need discussed
volume of processing translation materials
bringing in systemwide supports
this should be a list prior to the public forums as to what we're looking at

siting of Doherty: Foley notes the intersection of Worcester's charter and subsequent state law and regulation
Allen: intersection between city charter and district building committees
note there's some backup images here
Foley: I think we've kind of crossed that bridge
interesting legal discussion if we ran into conflict with that

change in school assignments on Winter Hill
check out this map! Craziness!

Allen: perhaps individually when you look an individual at streets, perhaps it makes sense
but as a neighborhood, it makes SO sense
administration recommends to change the school assignments to be Nelson Place, Forest Grove, Doherty
students who are currently elsewhere are grandfathered
and some of these are essentially cross-quadrant assignments

And on public forums
Foley: typically, budget committee holds one, two, or three meetings to give public a chance for input
we will continue doing that in FY22
Student Opportunity Act bringing significant money to Worcester, not necessarily in year one, hopefully will over next several year
organizing four feedback forums
we will provide information to public about dollars coming in, achievement gaps we're facing, and "real high level strategic investment"
give feedback to the state on this investment
will also be soliciting site councils to provide feedback
people are encouraged to write and provide feedback; seeking to provide feedback via the website
"frankly, we're waiting for more information to come back from the state; frankly, they're a bit tardy"
plan to be voted at our March 19 meeting
Allen: report of the superintendent next week is on the Governor's budget
"if the intent is to phase in one-seventh, it does a reasonable job, except in one category"
have seen
"all inflation adjusted numbers; we already use inflation-adjusted numbers to balance" budget
"in FY21, facing a" low inflation year and a loss of more than 350 students
"it's going to be
overall the increase is somewhat an increase of $17 or $18M, "which is less than the increase last year"
"it's a good increase, but it's not...$30M or greater than that"
"there's only one area that I'd see the House and Senate doing something different" which is low income
Foley: it's the only time you hope for high inflation
marginal increase is modest

winter equipment report
trucks have schools assigned to them based on size
walkways, stairways done by site-based custodians
"we send out as many as 19 plows on any given storm"
Biancheria: are we in the process of replacing the trucks marked "poor"?
Allen: in next capital request
Biancheria: maintenance of snowplows is done by outside contractors?
Allen:
Biancheria: makes a motion to have a truck at South High
Allen: in the past, pre-MSBA, would have been allowed to purchase a truck through construction funds
no longer allowed
due to amount of pavement, probably going to need its own dedicated vehicle
Foley: we don't approve the capital budget
Allen: it's ultimately the city manager and city council who approves the capital budget
Biancheria: are we looking at tinted with windows and chrome fixtures on our trucks?
Allen: those being replaced would be standard, run of the mill pickup trucks
considering heavier duty equipment for some sites for snow removal
sand through city contract but at Foley Stadium