>> Not to do away with this one. All right, let's hear last from our administrators. >> We also put check marks on the number of tasks and responsibilities as mentioned by the other two groups and uh the time uh to get all of those responsibilities done. And we said that uh with the number of task for responsibilities sometimes when people uh bring their value added to a position they do more than the job description and then when that person leaves those expectations are for the new rather than to be perfectly aligned to the job description and not to the what that person was doing uh above. And we said the workload is also affected by school climate uh behaviors of adults and um and students. Um if we always in conflict uh we don't have uh collaboration or camarity and so then we might be reluctant to even do our own responsibilities need needed to say additional responsibilities.
Would you mind sharing the project plan so that we have an idea of what's what the deliverables are and when and when should we should expect to see output outputs from them so we don't keep harassing you about that >> because I think that would help >> is it so we can understand in case any anybody has any questions we can answer those too >> and if and if we can kind of just have uh have a check-in because I'm I'm thinking as we go through this budget process, I think that that's really an important data point. >> Um and as we are discussing this with the public that is going to be needs to be part of it, which means we kind of need it sooner rather than later. So is there a time frame, do you think that we could review the first?
But if we have good climate then everybody works as a team and said absolutely it's understandable. I'll do more you do that part but I know that you have got my back and I have your back. >> Okay. And then we just said the unpredict unpredictability of the job affects uh the stress and the time taking work home uh being early leaving late all of those things >> because it's unpredictable what might h excuse me happen during a school day that impacts your ability to do those things. I just want to make sure I understand. >> I think I think it's that something will come up and take four or five hours that you had planned to you know >> do something else. Um but I also I feel like the workload then is um affected by the stress level because there's different obviously different stress stress levels associated with different tasks right dealing with I rate parents is going to be a higher stress level than you know working on something in your office type thing and where a lot of that high stress um can happen happen.
>> Yeah, we got to make sure it's accurate. I think that's that's the key because we would much rather delay and make sure that it's accurate when it does come out as opposed to put something out that's not >> you know what it makes me makes me feel that we shouldn't have to worry about it being accurate now >> say aren't we >> I wasn't getting that it's accurate >> and if you've seen the draft >> have to check their work >> I would think that you were checking they were checking in with you along the way regarding the data >> oh that's Right. So I would think that this [clears throat] report that's coming out should be >> just tweaked >> accurate data if we've been working a little more involved. >> Yeah. That burden shouldn't be on you to verify their work. >> But it is because it is our resp like it will be coming out from the office.
Yeah. So I hear alignment about the number of tasks and responsibility is impacting which we heard in this group and also in this group and then time uh which I you have a different take on the time the two groups had time impacted by the number of tasks and responsibility in a day. you have it related to things come up, right? Which is true for any group potentially, right? >> I think that goes back to um what Daniel was saying too because um things come up, but then you still have certain legality things. So things come up during the day, I can't do this, but I have to get this turned in to the state or to HR or whatever. So then I'm working on it at, you know, 9:00 at night to try to get it done because I couldn't do it during the day because of a walk out by the students or I rate parents coming in and those sort of things.
And so we we have I can't if it's wrong I can't say you know what Collins messed up. They're going to be like well you took a look at it right? Yeah. No. Yeah. I mean, I understand a spot check, but then like I I think Yolanda's making a good point like for for uh the next iteration, I think it's important to have like, you know, built into the plan >> different uh checkpoints, you know, to make sure that while you're constructing the draft in phase two, when you're constructing that draft, that data are used, they are accurate while that those are while it, you know, while you're in real time, then waiting till the end and then having to verify all at once which could be lengthy and >> difficult >> and we have we have been doing that doing that. >> Oh okay.
>> Okay. When you talked about school climate, sorry to ask more questions. I just want to make sure I'm understanding. What I heard was that sometimes you've got people that are willing to pitch in, share the load in the absence of staff or coverage or is it specifically related to this is my mindset about what needs to happen >> both. For example, if somebody is on maternity leave and it's a secretary, there's only one secretary. Nobody else at that responsibility. So now that needs to be splitted with the other staff members. If there is camaraderie and there was cross trainining since the beginning in collaboration then the team will meet together and say we understand it's for a limited time of time we're committed we're passionate about it we're going to do so much percentage in addition to our job >> okay >> if there's no good climate then >> got it >> that is not even uh a possibility of a conversation >> okay yes >> um just to kind of add to what he was saying too I think it's it's it the the the number of tasks and the importance of the tasks is also connected to that uh the climate issue as well because oftentimes you have a conversation where you for for lack of a better phrase you have to protect somebody from themselves, right?
>> So >> you guys not in a total duck. >> No not. >> Uh and then finally um some good news. Uh and actually it it is kind of um it is >> timely considering we're talking about budget stuff. Um so you know one of the things that we've tried to do similar to like our aggregation program is um you know where we can sign uh agreements with alternative suppliers. >> Um we we go ahead and do that enter into those um into enter into those agreements. Um and we get a report each year. Um, and so, you know, I'm very pleased to say that, uh, this year we saved, let's see, in the in solar, let's see, let's see, [snorts] uh, excuse me, in electricity bills, uh, we saved 143,000 and with gas, uh, we saved 18,000. So, not as much, but, um, but we still saved.
They're they're they're they do have good climate. They do want to help out. They do go above and beyond. Um but that leads to burnout. Um and that leads to stress. That leads to sickness. That leads to absence. that leaks leads to we're always talking to people about work life balance as well and you got to kind of like ask people to take a step back and say hey you know do you really want to take on 15 things like this just because you do have that climate so >> gotcha okay so if I captured this correctly what I heard are the primary two drivers around the issue of workload really are about the number of things to be done in a day and the time to get them done in some way, shape or form, whether it's impacted by unexpected things that happen or just the comp the the load itself.
So, >> 18,000 is build better. >> Yeah. Than none. >> And this is for all town town buildings. >> Um this is for most town buildings. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So, um >> I'd be curious what the uh new public safety building what those [clears throat] what those for you as well. >> Uh it's a it's a lot of electricity. >> Yeah. >> You know, because it's it's geothermal. >> So, we use that compared to if >> what did we do differently because we contracted with different suppliers. Is that it >> for this thing? Not publica like the public safety building. Well, that's >> No, no, I'm talking about this. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, we contracted with different we'll go out to bid um and uh and look at different terms and everything and and it's it's um it's worked out well for us so far.
Um, and then I also heard I some a division of responsibilities which also is connected in some ways to coverage. So whether you are pitching in to help out because somebody's out or you don't have staff because you haven't been able to hire so somebody's got to carry another load. And I think that was a similar uh thought from this group as well. So are we okay when we talk about this issue of workload to leave it to these two items because these were your priority areas to address. Okay. All right. Um so you can sit back down. Thank you. Yes, hang on to your small group rolls. Those can go in your folder because you're going to need them. Um, I'm just capturing what we said here. So this is our new uh issue statement. The story remains the same. We're just narrowing down so that we can actually try to come up with some options on how to address that.
So, >> and this is different than the rate that is set. So, the homeowners also we we opt in automatically or we can find the aggregation similar um similar concept you're going out to the market with a larger buying power to >> but that's just for private >> correct >> and this is just for our public buildings >> correct correct >> okay so yeah a little bit of good news and uh I >> somehow it's hard to feel good about utilities these days it's kind of like okay well we're going to give you a a discount of $50 this month >> this month >> but then we're gonna >> charge you later >> your supply fee There might be an interest just like my grandpa. >> Yeah, my grandpa would always say you can't I think I used this the other day. You can't cut the inch off the bottom of a blanket and tie it to the top and think you got a longer blanket.
Does that make sense to what I did here? Okay. So, what I'm saying is there are concerns about time to complete tasks and coverage and we we'll I'm going to put staff um that are impacting all employees because all three groups mentioned it in some way, shape or form, right? All employees in ways that affect And then we named some of those up here. Health, safety, student outcome, work life balance. Is there any additional impact that we're missing here or or interest I should say. So if you look at your interest on the bottom, it's impacting retention of staff potentially. It's in it's impacting work life balance. It's impacting fair workload distribution. It's impacting time to do high quality work. Does everybody see where we're pulling this all back together? Okay. So now what we're going to do, unless it's already lunchtime, which it is.
It just doesn't [laughter] work that way. >> That's I've never heard that one. >> I have. That's a new one on me. >> You haven't heard that? Well, you can always count on grandpa at the grumpy old men club. But uh so just last thing um uh I really have to give a shout out to RTPW. Oh my gosh. >> Um so we were talking a little bit just about how difficult this storm has been. Probably as much snow as as we've seen back, you know, in 2015, but the temperatures have stayed colder long up a lot a lot tougher. Um, so they have been going at it um, you know, pretty much all all week. So they they've got, I believe, pretty much all the sidewalks cleared and everything done now. But, um, >> just what they did, I think I don't know if it was Sunday night or Monday night and with downtown with removal of snow.
Okay. 12:45 sharp. We're going to come up with options to address this issue. So, come if you want to start thinking about it while you're enjoying your sub sandwich or whatever it is you're going to eat. Uh we're going to get back into small groups to come up with some options on how to address this. I'll see you at 12:45. And I know we're missing four people, but I feel like in the interest of time, we need to keep going. >> Let's make some hard decisions right now. Uh Russell is gonna or bring up my slide if you would again and then we're going to just revisit real quickly what we finished up with and then start creating options. So, right before you rushed out of the door to go have something hopefully yummy to eat, we were talking about um the workload issue and you guys did some work in your small groups as well as whole group.
When I came down in the morning, I was like, "Wow, they did a great job." >> They did. >> Yeah, absolutely. I I stopped by again on Sunday at around noon and they were just letting people go and they've been on like 24 hours. >> Oh yeah. It must have been Monday or Tuesday night. It was a few couple of days in because they couldn't possibly have gotten to the sidewalks initially, >> right? Yeah. >> And even when I was out driving, I guess this was on actually Yeah. Well, I think it was Monday and when I hit from went from uh you know, Ashland to Southboroough, there was it was like a somebody drew a line. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> I will say that's something we don't skimp on is snow and ice. So, um >> you know, we look so much better than Boston.
I'm going to go back here a little bit. And so we rewrote our statement as there are concerns about time to complete tasks and staff coverage that are impacting all employees in ways that affect retention, quality of work, work life balance, equitable and fair workload distribution and morale. Now what we're going to do is we're going to try to imp or come up with some options to meet the interests that we've identified around this issue of workload and we're going to do this again in small group to start and then we'll come back together as a whole group. So I'm going to do this a lot because I think it's important that you hear from your colleagues in your small group and then really because we're working as a whole group as you've seen we've already found a lot of alignment in some of the work that we've been doing.
Boston is still a mess. >> Boston is even now like it is still a mess. I I had to go pay [clears throat] for it from from the Pike >> and I got off at the Austin Brighton and you know how it's usually >> three lanes there. >> There was two and a half. >> Oh wow. From the snow. >> From the snow. And I'm like and this was a week after the storm. >> And I was there with a friend and I go, I can't believe they haven't cleaned this. And she goes, well, who would take care of it? I'm like, Boston Public Works should be taking >> Yeah. Mass Highway. >> Mass. So, >> crazy. It's crazy crazy. Yeah. No, but kudos to everybody in the DPW. You guys did an awesome job. >> That's my That's my report. I just wanted to end on that one.
So I think that's a good thing about IBN is that we get to see others are thinking similarly. We all have interest about retaining people. We all have interest in recruiting new folks when necessary. Um we all have interest around morale. So what I want you to do is when you get into your small groups, you are going to develop a few options that will meet the interest as outlined on the uh on the display board here for this issue specific to tasks and staff coverage. What I want you to do is split the issue of ta time to complete task and come up with options for that and then options for coverage or equitable distribution of responsibilities. So for example, if I'm on this chart, I might have time to do task. Put a line here. If you want another piece of paper, that's fine.
>> Thank you. Well, that was a good way to end it. >> You good? >> Board reports. >> Board. I'm sorry, Katherine. Do you have anything? You're good. [laughter] >> Okay, Yolanda, you're up. >> Couple things that I'd like to request that we have on our next agenda. I had already sent you an email about it. I missed the deadline. I lost track of time. Uh but just that people know. So I'd like us to put our comp plan discussion on creating the committee. Y we haven't done that and it's time that we create the implementation committee commission. >> I have that I have the you had two requests on my okay >> on my list. >> And then on 9:26 I guess the planning board is requesting that we do a joint meeting with them to review the housing production plan is what I've been told.