writing these up later for both my and your use
The budget is online here. The schedule of accounts we're using is here. My memo to my colleagues is here.
Novick: several things in the second half of our deliberations.
"once in a lifetime budget...contradictory revenue picture where we'd be $9M short, but we also are receiving the three rounds of federal funding...need to have a vision as a Committee for the district"
proposal has to do with allocation federal ESSER both in cost-center authority and political authority on highest and best use of funds
lower early elementary class size, additional school adjustment counselors, equity audit, districtwide anti-bias training, increase in per pupil allotment; next year looking at summer program, full day pre-k, increase in the facilities
Requests for reports (for the next meeting): interest in elementary school principals in staffing walking school buses, legal opinion + possible process for paying our student reps a stipend, number of bus drivers necessary to appropriately fill district needs, if federal grant funds may be used for the purchase of school buses, cost of converting Foley to heating with gas (it still heats with oil, and it's the only building we own that does)
Monfredo: thank administration for layout of book, thank superintendent for the introduction to the budget with highlights, "we're really funded for what we really need"
students have needs beyond education that schools provide
district has advocated for hold harmless on enrollment; update on where we are with that?
Allen: neither the House or Senate budget included the hold harmless enrollment; however both had "pothole funding or reserve funding"; can apply for a portion of the $40M that has been set aside that we'd receive sometime in November or December
Monfredo: urge our delegation to support that (the House and Senate budgets are done at this point)
send another letter to urge fully funding preschool for our students
Foley: "my roller coaster budget" where we're losing budget and we're gaining budget, "one of the more complex budgets that I've looked at in 22 years here"
enrollment dip is costing $10M; SOA bringing in $18M, plus ESSER
first cliff: if our enrollment does not come back to previous levels; caution of the enrollment doesn't come back, we'll be $10M short
second cliff is after third year of ESSER funds; district using to accelerate SOA funding, borrowing one year ahead; we'll have a zero year after the third year
concern still that SOA approach we're taking doesn't address what the intent really was for SOA; persistent achievement gaps among our student enrollment, to "really get at the critical issues we're trying to get at there:
Asks for a report on the three year SOA plan and the results to date; worried that the students who are benefiting are the students in the middle and not the students who have persistently underachieved in our district; really need to target funding
highlight request for detail on $8M on summer school, after school programming; critical work these next years; how we're working with community agencies
Biancheria: ESSER funding as a bridge funding, sustainability concerns; "what if the well is not so plentiful; it will hit hard"
dual language, new South High, enrollment "are numbers are not going up; they're going down" (note that this is just this year; it isn't a trend)
need to push hard to let people know about the Worcester Public Schools this summer
budget "obviously increases year after year"; concerned about what state "takes seriously"
Federal funds "are like when you get a charge card, but you don't have the balance" and you hope that when you make the charge, you have the money (we do know the balance, just to be clear)
"the presentation in the book was well done...a lot of explanations, but did have some questions"
idea of having staff in facilities as opposed to privatization of jobs
make sure that people have the right tools
make sure that every single student not only feels safe, but feels comfortable and looks forward to their education
Petty: says will go 6, then exec, then back to regular session
Retirement
Novick: notes that the early retirement benefit from 2011 has just been paid off; "it took us ten years"
aware of emails and concerns and bill in the Legislature; just want to be sure we're all clear "it took us ten years to pay it off"
Petty: that comes out of our budget?
Allen: we pay back the retirement fund for those assessments
Biancheria: so glad to see that at a zero; appreciates Worcester retirement is scheduled to be fully funded in 2032 (which is different than early retirement)
early retirement is of interest to some, bill in Legislature, then could look at new teachers coming on board
comes to school committee and city council before it goes anywhere
Approved
Athletics ordinary maintenance
think of this as the 'stuff' of athletics
Biancheria: summary of how estimated gate receipts might affect us
Allen: for FY22 assuming resumption of in-person athletics and fees
if not, will have to adjust in quarterly reports or in FY22 budget
Biancheria: anything in last few months
Allen: without winter season, didn't incur those costs, either; athletic did some purchases and equipment repair for next season
Binienda: spring season was regular, not basketball; did make some purchases
McCullough: we had to plow Foley to get ready for Fall II season, are those plans that we know the cost if we needed to? also transportation, with Doherty being under construction, is cost included
Binienda: had to plow Foley once, it was $5000; students enjoyed
buses for Doherty: at Foley, football team will practice at O'Connell near fire station, will walk
Monfredo: how much did we spend on athletics OM? did we spend what is listed here?
Allen: yes, other than winter season, athletics made purchases and some uniform purchases; projected is where think account will end this year
Approved
Athletic coach salaries
Novick: know we periodically survey students as to interest; when we last did?
Shea: Office of Civil Rights survey; have added JV Volleyball for girls; added Main South
continuous approach to recognize student needs as brought to attention of principal and athletic liaison
current policy as directed through Office of Civil Rights: if any student fills out a form to petition to start a team at their schools; then are requirements that have to be met; looked at school level, then district level, then formal request to school committee
Novick: where is that form?
Shea: in athletics; at request of principals, forwarded; both middle and high schools
Foley: Shea doing a great job on renovation of Foley Stadium offices (as Shea was remote from his office; the building...is old)
Shea thanks committee for sports support
Approved
Health insurance
Novick: line A, which is main health insurance line, going up by 5%; first year of implementation of the Student Opportunity Act, one of the main drivers of which was health insurance, chart in book gives foundation budget inflation rate:
...merges the main inflation rate and the health insurance rate (there are two as part of the SOA, a separate one just for health insurance).
The rate for health insurance is 2.78. The point is "we're still not doing it." The increase we're seeing in health insurance is not being reflected in the three year GIC rate; need to start bringing it to the attention of the delegation, "we still haven't cracked the problem here." Anytime this account increases at a rate above the rate in the foundation budget, Worcester (as a foundation budget district) has to underfund something else, and that's usually been teachers. If this is driven higher than inflation as the state has it, we have to fund it another way
Foley: many many years for this; good to bring it to their attention sooner rather than waiting; this is a $1.2M hit for us"
Petty: send a letter, if you like
Approved (and approve a letter)
The rate for health insurance is 2.78. The point is "we're still not doing it." The increase we're seeing in health insurance is not being reflected in the three year GIC rate; need to start bringing it to the attention of the delegation, "we still haven't cracked the problem here." Anytime this account increases at a rate above the rate in the foundation budget, Worcester (as a foundation budget district) has to underfund something else, and that's usually been teachers. If this is driven higher than inflation as the state has it, we have to fund it another way
Foley: many many years for this; good to bring it to their attention sooner rather than waiting; this is a $1.2M hit for us"
Petty: send a letter, if you like
Approved (and approve a letter)
Other insurance programs
Approved
Approved
Workers comp
Approved
Approved
Personal Services
Foley: highlight in current expenditures is much higher than budgeted in legal costs and in special education services
Report on detail of each of those for next meeting
Novick: professional development outside of cost center in budget; asks for report on PD regardless of revenue source
appreciate caps and gowns included; appreciated by families
which of high schools under NESDEC review?
Binienda: Claremont writing two year report, as is North; several postponements
Biancheria: appreciate that included in graduation
security guards includes Fanning Building; isn't that in the process of being sold (news to me!)
how would we be operating with that?
Binienda: Fanning has been in the process of being sold "for awhile now" but not sure where to move programs to; looking to see what happens with Becker buildings; would potentially move there
Biancheria: are we looking to add security guards at middle schools?
Binienda: not at this time; look to increase in response to particular needs at times
Biancheria: AP, all transferred to ESSER? concerned if that doesn't happen if it doesn't come through
Allen: using $9M in hold harmless; if students return, goes back into general fund in FY23
if students don't come back, will have to reconcile in FY23; it isn't necessarily these costs that will have to be moved over; these are just in ESSER because they were the easiest to move over
If have to reconcile will have to take whole picture, will have to decide where to make reductions
will have to look at whole budget next year
Biancheria: medical pipeline at North; number of students enrolled: report
think we need to promote that piece, student opportunities
Approved
Foley: highlight in current expenditures is much higher than budgeted in legal costs and in special education services
Report on detail of each of those for next meeting
Novick: professional development outside of cost center in budget; asks for report on PD regardless of revenue source
appreciate caps and gowns included; appreciated by families
which of high schools under NESDEC review?
Binienda: Claremont writing two year report, as is North; several postponements
Biancheria: appreciate that included in graduation
security guards includes Fanning Building; isn't that in the process of being sold (news to me!)
how would we be operating with that?
Binienda: Fanning has been in the process of being sold "for awhile now" but not sure where to move programs to; looking to see what happens with Becker buildings; would potentially move there
Biancheria: are we looking to add security guards at middle schools?
Binienda: not at this time; look to increase in response to particular needs at times
Biancheria: AP, all transferred to ESSER? concerned if that doesn't happen if it doesn't come through
Allen: using $9M in hold harmless; if students return, goes back into general fund in FY23
if students don't come back, will have to reconcile in FY23; it isn't necessarily these costs that will have to be moved over; these are just in ESSER because they were the easiest to move over
If have to reconcile will have to take whole picture, will have to decide where to make reductions
will have to look at whole budget next year
Biancheria: medical pipeline at North; number of students enrolled: report
think we need to promote that piece, student opportunities
Approved
Special education tuition
Novick: 25% drop in grant funding sources is a drop (as described in the opening narrative) in circuit breaker reimbursement; understanding is that is this is due to picking up more special education services in house?
Allen: in house or through the collaborative
Novick: drop in revenue is due to drop in high cost services (thus less reimbursement)
Approved
Novick: 25% drop in grant funding sources is a drop (as described in the opening narrative) in circuit breaker reimbursement; understanding is that is this is due to picking up more special education services in house?
Allen: in house or through the collaborative
Novick: drop in revenue is due to drop in high cost services (thus less reimbursement)
Approved
Printing and postage
Approved
Approved
Instructional materials
time for one of my least favorite ('though I am glad we have it) charts:
Novick: reason called to attention in the memo earlier is (the above chart); this is funding that goes directly to the schools
spoke to students last week, asked if district had additional funds next year, what would they spend it on?
asks about funding for ELA curriculum that was new last year; is that being renewed in this budget?
Ganais: didn't have a pilot this past year, will have pilot this year, continuing with same number of schools; did poll teachers and did want to continue
Novick: and how much?
Ganais: directs question to Allen
Allen: carrying forward $250K
Novick: significant amount of materials are in the public domain; would prefer not to pay for things we don't have to
will expect to hear back on pilot at end of this year
Biancheria: $1 per elementary pupil recess; asks for report in August
Approved
spoke to students last week, asked if district had additional funds next year, what would they spend it on?
asks about funding for ELA curriculum that was new last year; is that being renewed in this budget?
Ganais: didn't have a pilot this past year, will have pilot this year, continuing with same number of schools; did poll teachers and did want to continue
Novick: and how much?
Ganais: directs question to Allen
Allen: carrying forward $250K
Novick: significant amount of materials are in the public domain; would prefer not to pay for things we don't have to
will expect to hear back on pilot at end of this year
Biancheria: $1 per elementary pupil recess; asks for report in August
Approved
Misc Education OM
Foley asks to recuse on rentals; Novick asks to recuse on dues
Foley asks to recuse on rentals; Novick asks to recuse on dues
we don't have to say why we recuse ourselves on things, but neither of us minds saying: Mr. Foley serves on the Board of the Y that receives the rental costs from Chandler Elementary, and dues to MASC is what pays my salary
back and forth on number of accounts versus number of lines in this cost center
Biancheria: asks about rentals: does St. Stephen's include parking lot?
Binienda: yes
Biancheria: $1.2M in rentals; don't see anything going down; 20 year lease on facilities and transportation
Allen: looking at lease property within the city, long term strategies on properties that can be purchased in lieu of leases
Biancheria: asks that process comes through school committee as well as city council
back and forth on number of accounts versus number of lines in this cost center
Biancheria: asks about rentals: does St. Stephen's include parking lot?
Binienda: yes
Biancheria: $1.2M in rentals; don't see anything going down; 20 year lease on facilities and transportation
Allen: looking at lease property within the city, long term strategies on properties that can be purchased in lieu of leases
Biancheria: asks that process comes through school committee as well as city council
Drop in instructional technology line being moved to ESSER?
Allen agrees
Biancheria: medical supplies; unusual year funded by state and federal funds, materials pulled out of schools
as we look ahead, only a 21% increase? Is that enough?
Allen: additional funding from ESSER for first half of fiscal year; will re-evaluate then based on vaccination status of students
Biancheria: how much?
Allen: $750K, for medical supplies and PPE
Biancheria: have had some discussions recently about school safety equipment; invites superintendent to speak about that
for you to appropriately understand the confusion that ensues here, let me show you what it is we're all looking at; this is page 241 in the printed version, page 249 in the online version, the final few lines of the Miscellaneous Educational OM cost center. Ms. Biancheria has just asked about line M:
Allen agrees
Biancheria: medical supplies; unusual year funded by state and federal funds, materials pulled out of schools
as we look ahead, only a 21% increase? Is that enough?
Allen: additional funding from ESSER for first half of fiscal year; will re-evaluate then based on vaccination status of students
Biancheria: how much?
Allen: $750K, for medical supplies and PPE
Biancheria: have had some discussions recently about school safety equipment; invites superintendent to speak about that
for you to appropriately understand the confusion that ensues here, let me show you what it is we're all looking at; this is page 241 in the printed version, page 249 in the online version, the final few lines of the Miscellaneous Educational OM cost center. Ms. Biancheria has just asked about line M:
Now note that it clearly is not budgeted at $125,000; it is budgeted at $97,000. This is what we're all looking at in front of us. It's in the book as that; that's the formal recommendation of the administration. If anyone, including administration, wants to change that, they need us to make a transfer.
Biancheria: so instead of reading $97,000, that now reads $125,000, correct?
Binienda: correct
Biancheria: I would like to see that up to $150,000; when you look at budget of total Worcester Public Schools, we have a number of requests for cameras; buildings that have had issues due to having no cameras; make a motion to have $25,000 in additional funds to go under school safety for a total $150,000
Petty: can we get a report on what they'd use it for?
Novick: we can't just make a motion to increase a line; we have to be taking it from somewhere else
McCullough: want to be sure I'm understanding what Ms. Biancheria is asking; the deduction of $28,000 from safety brings it to the $97,000 of what the proposed budget is; adding $25,000 doesn't it bring it to $150,000
Binienda: correct
Biancheria: I would like to see that up to $150,000; when you look at budget of total Worcester Public Schools, we have a number of requests for cameras; buildings that have had issues due to having no cameras; make a motion to have $25,000 in additional funds to go under school safety for a total $150,000
Petty: can we get a report on what they'd use it for?
Novick: we can't just make a motion to increase a line; we have to be taking it from somewhere else
McCullough: want to be sure I'm understanding what Ms. Biancheria is asking; the deduction of $28,000 from safety brings it to the $97,000 of what the proposed budget is; adding $25,000 doesn't it bring it to $150,000
Biancheria: from what the superintendent gave us, the $28,000 would not be coming out of safety equipment; that the nurses would be looking at the AED management and that would then bring safety up to $125,000; so it would not be at $97; it would go back to $125,000; "is that correct, Superintendent?"
Petty: you want it to be $125,000; you want to increase it $28,000
Biancheria: but the superintendent explained that it is at $125,000
Petty: not for this year, not for next year
Binienda; this year it was at $125; hired a company to check monthly on the AEDs; were going to take it out of the school safety account, but decided it was more of a nursing function; can't change the number unless you find the money somewhere else; so that bill went back to nursing; and that moved safety back to $125,000
Petty: Mr. Allen, give us a synopsis of what you did in the budget
Petty: you want it to be $125,000; you want to increase it $28,000
Biancheria: but the superintendent explained that it is at $125,000
Petty: not for this year, not for next year
Binienda; this year it was at $125; hired a company to check monthly on the AEDs; were going to take it out of the school safety account, but decided it was more of a nursing function; can't change the number unless you find the money somewhere else; so that bill went back to nursing; and that moved safety back to $125,000
Petty: Mr. Allen, give us a synopsis of what you did in the budget
Allen: the way the budget is printed, based on what happened last year, as the superintendent mentioned, district engaged a company to manage AED. We were short $28,000. The schools safety director volunteered $28,000 from his account, and we put it into nursing for the management contract for the AEDs which was brand new contract for us
which brings safety to $97,000
Petty: new contract went into nurses for $28,000, so the funding went into nurses for that contract
who did the check before?
Binienda: nurses check every day; have to have batteries changed, pads changed; seemed like a good use of money to do it
safety said it could come from his account; but then problem with cameras at Tatnuck Magnet, so put the $28 back in safety, and then take the AED out of the nurses account as initially we were going to
which brings safety to $97,000
Petty: new contract went into nurses for $28,000, so the funding went into nurses for that contract
who did the check before?
Binienda: nurses check every day; have to have batteries changed, pads changed; seemed like a good use of money to do it
safety said it could come from his account; but then problem with cameras at Tatnuck Magnet, so put the $28 back in safety, and then take the AED out of the nurses account as initially we were going to
Biancheria: what I'm asking is if school safety equipment at this particular time is it $125,000 or $97,000?
Binienda: $125,000
Biancheria: it is at $125,000; what I'm asking is that we make it $150,000 from facilities. We're looking at millions in facilities, we're looking at $150,000 out of what, $388M?
then go to $150,000; then would enable principals to have a direct conversation with school safety on this is the equipment that I need for our schools
"instead of having the money in facilities, which has millions, I'm asking for an additional $25,000" for school safety "which would then bring the total to $150,000"
Binienda: $125,000
Biancheria: it is at $125,000; what I'm asking is that we make it $150,000 from facilities. We're looking at millions in facilities, we're looking at $150,000 out of what, $388M?
then go to $150,000; then would enable principals to have a direct conversation with school safety on this is the equipment that I need for our schools
"instead of having the money in facilities, which has millions, I'm asking for an additional $25,000" for school safety "which would then bring the total to $150,000"
Foley: won't even talk about $28,000 contract to replace AED batteries, that seems expensive to me
the way I look at this here: the budget is proposed for $97,000 for school safety equipment
school nurses is at $169; does that reflect the $28,000 for replacing the batteries?
Allen: yes
Foley: so we're going to keep that $28,000 there for a contract for that services; if we're going to raise school safety equipment to $125, the question is where is that going to come from. [raising to $150] is the second stage $125 to $150 from facilities; where does getting to $125 come from?
Petty: "I'm a little confused...is it in the budget or is it not in the budget?"
Foley: it's not currently here; that's the problem we're having
if we're going to keep the contract in the nurses section, that's the $28
Allen: "I believe the superintendent's recommendation is to reduce line L [nurses' supplies] but $28,000 and move it to line M [safety]"
Foley: and I worry about--it's small money in a large budget--but I worry about the recommendation is we're adding $28,000 to it without exactly knowing what we're going to spend those dollars on
"if the recommendation from administration is to do that, I'll support that, but I do worry about that kind of maneuvering"
the way I look at this here: the budget is proposed for $97,000 for school safety equipment
school nurses is at $169; does that reflect the $28,000 for replacing the batteries?
Allen: yes
Foley: so we're going to keep that $28,000 there for a contract for that services; if we're going to raise school safety equipment to $125, the question is where is that going to come from. [raising to $150] is the second stage $125 to $150 from facilities; where does getting to $125 come from?
Petty: "I'm a little confused...is it in the budget or is it not in the budget?"
Foley: it's not currently here; that's the problem we're having
if we're going to keep the contract in the nurses section, that's the $28
Allen: "I believe the superintendent's recommendation is to reduce line L [nurses' supplies] but $28,000 and move it to line M [safety]"
Foley: and I worry about--it's small money in a large budget--but I worry about the recommendation is we're adding $28,000 to it without exactly knowing what we're going to spend those dollars on
"if the recommendation from administration is to do that, I'll support that, but I do worry about that kind of maneuvering"
Novick: is the recommendation of the administration then that the contract for the AEDs would then be covered out of school safety?
Binienda: that contract would be covered out of school nurses
Novick: effectively then what we would be doing is cutting the school nurses account by $28,000 and in doing so...they would then have to find a new way to cover that contract for the AED's out of their line
Binienda: the issue is that this was the nurses' responsibility, and when you have 50 schools, it's a lot to do 50 schools, so yes, that would be true
Novick: "of all years, this is absolutely not a year in which I would countenance us cutting a school nurse account"
it's appropriate for this to be covered out of school safety; keeping AEDs working is a safety issue
"I understand that there does occasionally seem to be a limited understanding of what school safety is" but that does include people having heart attacks in our buildings
extensive coverage of school safety through the facilities account "which is one of our most chronically underfunded accounts"
will oppose motion; would entertain motions to make nursing line bigger; "I honestly don't know how it is that we even fund band-aids out of $169,000 for 25,000 students"
no way that I'm going vote to move $28,000 out of school nurses at the end of a pandemic
Petty: two motions: moving $28,000 from L to M; then $25,000 from facilities to school safety
Foley: clarification: if it's coming out of school nurses, I can't support that movement
Petty: "I get the nurses thing, too"
Binienda: that contract would be covered out of school nurses
Novick: effectively then what we would be doing is cutting the school nurses account by $28,000 and in doing so...they would then have to find a new way to cover that contract for the AED's out of their line
Binienda: the issue is that this was the nurses' responsibility, and when you have 50 schools, it's a lot to do 50 schools, so yes, that would be true
Novick: "of all years, this is absolutely not a year in which I would countenance us cutting a school nurse account"
it's appropriate for this to be covered out of school safety; keeping AEDs working is a safety issue
"I understand that there does occasionally seem to be a limited understanding of what school safety is" but that does include people having heart attacks in our buildings
extensive coverage of school safety through the facilities account "which is one of our most chronically underfunded accounts"
will oppose motion; would entertain motions to make nursing line bigger; "I honestly don't know how it is that we even fund band-aids out of $169,000 for 25,000 students"
no way that I'm going vote to move $28,000 out of school nurses at the end of a pandemic
Petty: two motions: moving $28,000 from L to M; then $25,000 from facilities to school safety
Foley: clarification: if it's coming out of school nurses, I can't support that movement
Petty: "I get the nurses thing, too"
Motion: fails 5-2 (Biancheria and Monfredo vote in favor)
Petty: move $25,000 from facilities to school safety
Novick: point of order: my understanding is we'd need to be entertaining the facilities account and make a motion to cut it in order to move the money; we haven't yet taken up facilities
Petty: move $25,000 from facilities to school safety
Novick: point of order: my understanding is we'd need to be entertaining the facilities account and make a motion to cut it in order to move the money; we haven't yet taken up facilities
Petty: we're in OM; motion before is that Ms. Biancheria would have to find where the money would come from
McCullough: ability to pay for safety equipment out of facilities, correct?
Allen: correct, facilities department does installation, some of wiring, some of the behind the scene stuff already done through the facilities department
McCullough: if principal reaches out during the year, need could come out of facilities during the year?
Allen: safety and facilities work collaboratively to solve need, yes
McCullough: ability to pay for safety equipment out of facilities, correct?
Allen: correct, facilities department does installation, some of wiring, some of the behind the scene stuff already done through the facilities department
McCullough: if principal reaches out during the year, need could come out of facilities during the year?
Allen: safety and facilities work collaboratively to solve need, yes
Monfredo: school safety is down to $97,000, correct?
it's not $125,000 anymore?
Petty: correct
we could move on facilities
it's not $125,000 anymore?
Petty: correct
we could move on facilities
Novick: can we ask questions on this account before we move on?
put a marker that Miss Biancheria is looking for $25,000 and move on
Allen: perhaps administration could back with a recommendation on that $25,000
Biancheria: just so I have this straight, I'd like to amend this piece: if school safety reads $97,000
"it took me ten years to get to $125...now reads $97,000 for fifty schools, $388M"
ask that administration figure out how to get school safety up to $150,000
there are schools that have requested cameras and "it hasn't gone anywhere because facilities wouldn't give up the money"
well aware that schools asked for cameras but they didn't get them "because facilities didn't have the money"
"if we're at this point now where we're playing the game where it's yes, Dianna, it's $125, but no, Dianna, tonight at 5:30 it's not $125"
change that motion so that school safety equipment is at $150,000; it's not $25,000; it's $53,000
"and we have AED equipment that we have to figure out for the batteries"
"so we're looking for $53,000, that's my motion"
Petty: the first motion then is for administration to come back with a recommendation for the $53,000; the second is what it would be used for
the way it was explained, school safety gave up that money for the AEDs; so let's see what it would be used for, and we can take that vote next week
Binienda: wondering also if that contract also includes the cost of the batteries and the pads
we'd like to ask that; I need to find that out
Petty: come back to this next week, and pass all the other accounts except C and E right now
Novick: may I ask a question on G?
Petty: instructional technology, go ahead
Novick: piled people back in and piled them onto the wifi in our buildings; had been significant infrastructure costs incurred by the district over the past number of years locally and through Erate; is the bandwidth holding up, as all classes are online even if in person?
Walton: "Can I say we've had no issues? No, I can't say that."
Issues generally wifi has held up, internet has held up
some issues with Google meets; difficult part when we have an issue is why there's an issue: is it the device with 20 tabs open? Google? an issue with the wifi?
Spend a tremendous amount of time tracking this issues down when we have them
Bandwidth has held up, but it's tracking down those issues
for example, a student brought in a personal device to use in the school, it had malware and was flooding the network with traffic; that happens
it's matter of trying to find that item
in general the infrastructure has held up
Novick: instructional technology budget, costs incurred "and glad to do it, but really concerned about the long-term sustainability of"
there's going to need to be turnover of those machines; will need to replace them
Petty: approve OM accounts, C, E, M held aside
APPROVED
C (Novick recused) APPROVED
put a marker that Miss Biancheria is looking for $25,000 and move on
Allen: perhaps administration could back with a recommendation on that $25,000
Biancheria: just so I have this straight, I'd like to amend this piece: if school safety reads $97,000
"it took me ten years to get to $125...now reads $97,000 for fifty schools, $388M"
ask that administration figure out how to get school safety up to $150,000
there are schools that have requested cameras and "it hasn't gone anywhere because facilities wouldn't give up the money"
well aware that schools asked for cameras but they didn't get them "because facilities didn't have the money"
"if we're at this point now where we're playing the game where it's yes, Dianna, it's $125, but no, Dianna, tonight at 5:30 it's not $125"
change that motion so that school safety equipment is at $150,000; it's not $25,000; it's $53,000
"and we have AED equipment that we have to figure out for the batteries"
"so we're looking for $53,000, that's my motion"
Petty: the first motion then is for administration to come back with a recommendation for the $53,000; the second is what it would be used for
the way it was explained, school safety gave up that money for the AEDs; so let's see what it would be used for, and we can take that vote next week
Binienda: wondering also if that contract also includes the cost of the batteries and the pads
we'd like to ask that; I need to find that out
Petty: come back to this next week, and pass all the other accounts except C and E right now
Novick: may I ask a question on G?
Petty: instructional technology, go ahead
Novick: piled people back in and piled them onto the wifi in our buildings; had been significant infrastructure costs incurred by the district over the past number of years locally and through Erate; is the bandwidth holding up, as all classes are online even if in person?
Walton: "Can I say we've had no issues? No, I can't say that."
Issues generally wifi has held up, internet has held up
some issues with Google meets; difficult part when we have an issue is why there's an issue: is it the device with 20 tabs open? Google? an issue with the wifi?
Spend a tremendous amount of time tracking this issues down when we have them
Bandwidth has held up, but it's tracking down those issues
for example, a student brought in a personal device to use in the school, it had malware and was flooding the network with traffic; that happens
it's matter of trying to find that item
in general the infrastructure has held up
Novick: instructional technology budget, costs incurred "and glad to do it, but really concerned about the long-term sustainability of"
there's going to need to be turnover of those machines; will need to replace them
Petty: approve OM accounts, C, E, M held aside
APPROVED
C (Novick recused) APPROVED
E (Foley recused) APPROVED
M (school safety equipment) HELD
M (school safety equipment) HELD
Unemployment compensation
Foley: expenditures being at $1.5M this year, much higher than last year?
Allen: combination of some of the positions that we did not bring back at the start of the year--school nutrition, crossing guards, tutors--so forth
APPROVED
Foley: expenditures being at $1.5M this year, much higher than last year?
Allen: combination of some of the positions that we did not bring back at the start of the year--school nutrition, crossing guards, tutors--so forth
APPROVED
Building utilities
side conversation: Foley: number two fuel oil's still there! Novick: Working on it
thus my request for a report on converting Foley Stadium
side conversation: Foley: number two fuel oil's still there! Novick: Working on it
thus my request for a report on converting Foley Stadium
Novick: we're bringing new buildings online, taking older buildings offline, also have ionization equipment messing with our numbers
net effect of older going offline, new buildings coming online?
Allen: work with building designers during construction, do energy projections with LEDs, solar, but "also running much more equipment" than in older buildings
Use those as a baseline for the first year of budgeting a school; once we're in, have a better idea
next year will have real information to base the FY23 budget on
Biancheria: expanding security equipment for devices
Allen: web filter devices
Walton: lease on web filter came to an end; costs went up when we had to get the new service
Biancheria: "so we have a service to make sure we have anti-virus but we can't get a camera in a school"
net effect of older going offline, new buildings coming online?
Allen: work with building designers during construction, do energy projections with LEDs, solar, but "also running much more equipment" than in older buildings
Use those as a baseline for the first year of budgeting a school; once we're in, have a better idea
next year will have real information to base the FY23 budget on
Biancheria: expanding security equipment for devices
Allen: web filter devices
Walton: lease on web filter came to an end; costs went up when we had to get the new service
Biancheria: "so we have a service to make sure we have anti-virus but we can't get a camera in a school"
motion: to get list of employees who have telephones, not the names, but the number of telephone services that we're paying for 24/7 and the departments they're in
cost of telephone service, long distance, "I'd like to call Italy in a couple of weeks and maybe I'll call Ireland...so are we paying for that service and how much is that costing us?"
just as a side note: how many of us have our long distance broken out on our telephones anymore?
"fire alarm circuits: are we up to date on our fire alarm circuits?"
Allen: can provide all of that in the same report
Biancheria: doesn't city inspect all schools?
Binienda: even during COVID there had to be a fire drill in our buildings even during remote
Biancheria: under fire, we have doors and so forth inspected by the health department; they provide us with a list of what's needed to be done
Bedard: we do, Code department comes through each summer to ensure schools are ready for certificates; fire extinguishers are inspected and tagged to keep them current
Biancheria: when we're provided a list of what is needed to be done, who tracks it?
Bedard: walk through with tradesmen, ensure stairwells and egress paths are clear, check exit signs are clear and working and operable; then worked through Facilities department of repairs as needed; work orders tracked and assigned through central system; find out if the capacity, skill set and ability to do a particular task, if not they go through a contractor
Biancheria: able to get list for committee members? is that with School Dude?
Bedard: it is, scheduling, database, emergencies dealt with on different basis
Biancheria: looking at a list that comes through our Code department and comes through School Dude?
Bedard: yes, unless it needs to be addressed immediately, something in a stairwell for example
entered to track, unless taken up
Biancheria: Code, do we have an ongoing list of what they have requested and what is to be completed
Bedard: would need to drill in, last came through some time ago, scheduled to come through this summer
Biancheria: July and August? Would like to see a list of that? "I think that this is something that hasn't been a priority for awhile" understand that when the Code department comes in, it's to work collaboratively
APPROVED (along with motion)
cost of telephone service, long distance, "I'd like to call Italy in a couple of weeks and maybe I'll call Ireland...so are we paying for that service and how much is that costing us?"
just as a side note: how many of us have our long distance broken out on our telephones anymore?
"fire alarm circuits: are we up to date on our fire alarm circuits?"
Allen: can provide all of that in the same report
Biancheria: doesn't city inspect all schools?
Binienda: even during COVID there had to be a fire drill in our buildings even during remote
Biancheria: under fire, we have doors and so forth inspected by the health department; they provide us with a list of what's needed to be done
Bedard: we do, Code department comes through each summer to ensure schools are ready for certificates; fire extinguishers are inspected and tagged to keep them current
Biancheria: when we're provided a list of what is needed to be done, who tracks it?
Bedard: walk through with tradesmen, ensure stairwells and egress paths are clear, check exit signs are clear and working and operable; then worked through Facilities department of repairs as needed; work orders tracked and assigned through central system; find out if the capacity, skill set and ability to do a particular task, if not they go through a contractor
Biancheria: able to get list for committee members? is that with School Dude?
Bedard: it is, scheduling, database, emergencies dealt with on different basis
Biancheria: looking at a list that comes through our Code department and comes through School Dude?
Bedard: yes, unless it needs to be addressed immediately, something in a stairwell for example
entered to track, unless taken up
Biancheria: Code, do we have an ongoing list of what they have requested and what is to be completed
Bedard: would need to drill in, last came through some time ago, scheduled to come through this summer
Biancheria: July and August? Would like to see a list of that? "I think that this is something that hasn't been a priority for awhile" understand that when the Code department comes in, it's to work collaboratively
APPROVED (along with motion)
Facilities department OM
Novick: there is a line in the foundation budget that deals with this cost center; pulled the accounts that would be covered by this line; not only this one, but also custodial, maintenance, heating, security systems, equipment maintenance, and tech maintenance; in total we should spending north of $25M on those items; we're spending somewhere around $20M; the place that the main difference is is in this cost center, in facilities maintenance, line A
doing annual maintenance on fifty buildings, oldest built in 1840, for $3M "would be laughable if it weren't so sad"
no way that that number is high enough "to keep the roof on the building, keeping the plumbing working, keeping the floor in one space"
Account has been underfunded "for as long as I have budgets going back"; line has had years in which it went up by zero percent
never has kept up with actual or foundation budget inflation, which we know is insufficient
not making a motion, but will, first, oppose any indication that anyone wants to cut
argument to colleagues that as ESSER funding phases out, which is going to fund some capital funding, but some of which is more like maintenance, pick up those costs as we move into Student Opportunity Act
know from years of presentations from administration that this is one of the most chronically underfunded accounts by the foundation budget; have been funding at something like 60%; can't keep doing that even if weren't bringing new buildings online
new buildings--more expensive equipment--more expensive to repair
"as much as we like our new buildings, I believe it's probably cheaper to maintain Grafton Street than it's going to be to maintain the new South, even if they were the same size"
providing inadequate funding for staff; depending on federal funds for next several rounds "but then it's really going to be up to us"
Petty: "that's a good point, and we should start with East Middle" (Novick: no argument here)
something to look at with the one time moneies, and Mr. Allen has a good plan on how we move on
Biancheria: question on vehicle maintenance ($111,323): how many vehicles are used 24/7?
Allen: have vehicles we use every day
Biancheria: no employees have a vehicle they use every day
Petty: do we have people who bring their vehicles home?
Allen: will have to get in a report
Biancheria: curious, if we have people bringing vehicles home, if we are paying for their fuel, "when I'm well aware that there is a particular employee that has a vehicle that goes back and forth 24/7 and has travelled outside the city of Worcester"
wants to hold D until we get a response
Petty: can tell you the mayor doesn't have the vehicle
motion would be to approve except for D and get a report on exactly who has or uses the fuel "I guess who has the car"
guess we have a policy that you can only use the fuel on city business?
Allen: Mr. Mayor, that's correct
Petty: so we can put that in a report
doing annual maintenance on fifty buildings, oldest built in 1840, for $3M "would be laughable if it weren't so sad"
no way that that number is high enough "to keep the roof on the building, keeping the plumbing working, keeping the floor in one space"
Account has been underfunded "for as long as I have budgets going back"; line has had years in which it went up by zero percent
never has kept up with actual or foundation budget inflation, which we know is insufficient
not making a motion, but will, first, oppose any indication that anyone wants to cut
argument to colleagues that as ESSER funding phases out, which is going to fund some capital funding, but some of which is more like maintenance, pick up those costs as we move into Student Opportunity Act
know from years of presentations from administration that this is one of the most chronically underfunded accounts by the foundation budget; have been funding at something like 60%; can't keep doing that even if weren't bringing new buildings online
new buildings--more expensive equipment--more expensive to repair
"as much as we like our new buildings, I believe it's probably cheaper to maintain Grafton Street than it's going to be to maintain the new South, even if they were the same size"
providing inadequate funding for staff; depending on federal funds for next several rounds "but then it's really going to be up to us"
Petty: "that's a good point, and we should start with East Middle" (Novick: no argument here)
something to look at with the one time moneies, and Mr. Allen has a good plan on how we move on
Biancheria: question on vehicle maintenance ($111,323): how many vehicles are used 24/7?
Allen: have vehicles we use every day
Biancheria: no employees have a vehicle they use every day
Petty: do we have people who bring their vehicles home?
Allen: will have to get in a report
Biancheria: curious, if we have people bringing vehicles home, if we are paying for their fuel, "when I'm well aware that there is a particular employee that has a vehicle that goes back and forth 24/7 and has travelled outside the city of Worcester"
wants to hold D until we get a response
Petty: can tell you the mayor doesn't have the vehicle
motion would be to approve except for D and get a report on exactly who has or uses the fuel "I guess who has the car"
guess we have a policy that you can only use the fuel on city business?
Allen: Mr. Mayor, that's correct
Petty: so we can put that in a report
Novick: can we vote those separately? talking about $111,000 account, "we appear to be on something of a witch hunt. If Miss Biancheria has a question about personnel, that's certainly something that should not be handled through the School Committee. It's frankly outside of our purview."
Petty: don't know if she's asking about the person or the vehicle; I don't know how many vehicles we have
Petty: don't know if she's asking about the person or the vehicle; I don't know how many vehicles we have
Novick: "which is in the budget...we have a list of the vehicles"
Petty: maybe can bring that forward with the list...what page is that on?
Allen: page 183 has the list of the facilities vehicles
Petty: this is our total list, it says owns; we don't lease any?
Allen: don't lease any facilities vehicles
Petty counts them; "we do have a list here of vehicles we have"
can only use for city business?
Allen: correct
Allen: page 183 has the list of the facilities vehicles
Petty: this is our total list, it says owns; we don't lease any?
Allen: don't lease any facilities vehicles
Petty counts them; "we do have a list here of vehicles we have"
can only use for city business?
Allen: correct
Biancheria: question was how many vehicles we have that are 24/7
Petty: are any for the use of one particular person?
Biancheria: "it doesn't matter to me the person, it's the idea of 24/7"
Petty: maybe we can answer how many of these are assigned 24 hours a day seven days a week
Bedard: supervisors typically vehicles used for snow removal and so forth, when there is less of that, they have access to the trucks and the box trucks
"We do have a lot of vehicles out all day and all night. We're a 24 hour a day business."
everybody on that level does have access to those vehicles
Allen: supervisors have access to vehicles to respond to emergency situations; they may take a vehicle home to respond overnight
Petty: are any for the use of one particular person?
Biancheria: "it doesn't matter to me the person, it's the idea of 24/7"
Petty: maybe we can answer how many of these are assigned 24 hours a day seven days a week
Bedard: supervisors typically vehicles used for snow removal and so forth, when there is less of that, they have access to the trucks and the box trucks
"We do have a lot of vehicles out all day and all night. We're a 24 hour a day business."
everybody on that level does have access to those vehicles
Allen: supervisors have access to vehicles to respond to emergency situations; they may take a vehicle home to respond overnight
Petty: ok, that's fine
Biancheria: that's what I needed answered;
"when it comes to fuel, when it comes to a dollar amount right now it's one where we can walk around and say 'it's not so bad' but if it starts to increase, and we don't have an electric trucks right now, so it will go higher"
"and I didn't bring my broom right now so I'm not on a witch hunt"
Biancheria: that's what I needed answered;
"when it comes to fuel, when it comes to a dollar amount right now it's one where we can walk around and say 'it's not so bad' but if it starts to increase, and we don't have an electric trucks right now, so it will go higher"
"and I didn't bring my broom right now so I'm not on a witch hunt"
APPROVED
Custodial salaries
Novick: assume increase has to do with additional of dual language program, remote academy, South; is the custodial allotment in line with the scheduling that's in the school staffing formula
Allen: defer to Bedard, but will have to do with equipment, how many buildings, how many floors
Bedard: look at a variety of things when we look at standards per square foot
APPA Maintenance standards as far as cleanliness of buildings
nationally school systems are usually funded at a level three: well kempt within the budgets that have to do that
particular custodian could clean 25-30,000 square feet
running somewhere running in the 28-ish
types of buildings dictate need; newer buildings don't have VCT tile (vinyl composite; I had to ask), which need to be striped and rewaxed three times a year; lot of work every summer
Novick: assume increase has to do with additional of dual language program, remote academy, South; is the custodial allotment in line with the scheduling that's in the school staffing formula
Allen: defer to Bedard, but will have to do with equipment, how many buildings, how many floors
Bedard: look at a variety of things when we look at standards per square foot
APPA Maintenance standards as far as cleanliness of buildings
nationally school systems are usually funded at a level three: well kempt within the budgets that have to do that
particular custodian could clean 25-30,000 square feet
running somewhere running in the 28-ish
types of buildings dictate need; newer buildings don't have VCT tile (vinyl composite; I had to ask), which need to be striped and rewaxed three times a year; lot of work every summer
Baseline of what level 3 cleanliness would be
"proactively, would we like to have more custodians than we do? Of course we would."
But falling right into national school-based guidelines of where we should be
Biancheria: give shout-out to custodians for this year
APPROVED
"proactively, would we like to have more custodians than we do? Of course we would."
But falling right into national school-based guidelines of where we should be
Biancheria: give shout-out to custodians for this year
APPROVED
Petty: if we do one more, it gets us halfway through
Custodial overtime
you can hear me say "it's pretty easy" because the general fund is budgeted at zero for this; it's all coming from ESSER
you can hear me say "it's pretty easy" because the general fund is budgeted at zero for this; it's all coming from ESSER
Petty: all coming from ESSER; is that how I read that?
Allen: that's correct
Allen: that's correct
Foley: when will we be voting on ESSER? on grants?
Petty: yes, in my mind, that's ESSER funds to fund the deficit to fund the school system on, and there's one time funds to supplement the budget
Petty: yes, in my mind, that's ESSER funds to fund the deficit to fund the school system on, and there's one time funds to supplement the budget
Allen: yes, that's how we've outlined it
APPROVED
APPROVED
RECESS
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