Methuen School Committee 9-8-2025

001[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Hey, heat. Hey, heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] All [Music] right. [Music] Good evening. The Mthuan School Committee business session of September 8th, 2025 will now come to order. This meeting is being recorded and will be made available for viewing on the Mthuan Public Schools website. Secretary, would you please call the role? >> Member Daglio. >> Member Dunovan, >> present. >> Keegan, >> present. >> Member Maxwell, >> present. >> Member Shabilia >> here. Member Wlette >> here. >> Mayor Borod >> here. We need a motion and a second to accept the agenda for tonight's meeting as presented. >> So moved. >> Second. >> We have a motion from member Shabilia. The second is from the vice chair. Uh before we uh proceed to a vote, I'm

002going to request a motion and a second to amend the agenda for tonight's meeting to add busing uh to uh business from the committee. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion from member Shibelia. Second is on the vice chair to amend the agenda to add the busing update. All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. The eyes have it. We need a motion and a second to accept the agenda as amended for tonight's meeting. >> So moved again. >> Second. >> Motion from member Shabilia, second from Vice Chair Keegan. Any discussion? If not, we'll vote. All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. The eyes have it. Will now rise for the flag salute. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one

003nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. Next on the agenda, uh we're going to have uh before public participation, we're going to have uh two different uh presentations. Uh first will be a discussion regarding the exciting new Mthuan literacy partnership. >> I'm going to invite some folks up, I think. Come on up. Thank you, Brandy. >> You're very welcome. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> Good evening, friends. I'm Christa Mloud, the director of the Neans Library. I'm honored to share this pivotal moment for Mthuan, a moment we've been building towards with care and intention. For many years, the Neans Library has buil been building a robust program of services to bring reading and of course culture to people of all ages in Mthuan and we have partnered with many diverse

004local organizations including of course the Methuan public schools uh to achieve our goals. In 2006, the library founded Literacy Volunteers of Mthuan to support adults who needed tutoring in basic literacy and English as a second or other language. The library is also currently engaged in an initiative to educate new parents about the importance of building pre-iteracy and early reading skills in the very youngest of our children. About two years ago, uh, former principal Mary Beth Dunovan Grassi, uh, Representative Ryan Hamilton and I began to talk very intentionally about how we could make a larger impact on reading proficiency rates among the children of our community and how that was linked with family and adult literacy. what resources and people needed to be engaged to raise the level of urgency and commitment to literacy in Methuan.

005Mayor DJ Bogard immediately recognized the opportunity to support a gratroots efforts effort to invest the energy of our residents into our city's future. Since then, we have been trying to envision how the whole community can unite around the goal of ensuring every child in Mthuan has the foundational reading skills needed for lifelong success. One of our early partners in bringing this vision to life has been do Dr. Jessica Kalen. From the beginning, Dr. Kalen has offered guidance, insight, and collaborative leadership as we mapped out what a citywide campaign for grade level reading could look like right here in Mthuan and how we could support the the great efforts of the Mthuan public schools. It is was with excitement that I get to introduce the Mthuan Literacy Partnership along with Dr. Jessica Kalen. She will serve

006as our campaign lead and consultant under the library, bringing expertise in social impact strategy, grade level reading campaign work, and the proven collective impact model to help Mthuan launch, grow, and deliver on an ambitious undertaking. Jessica, we want to thank you for guiding us through this journey and for officially leading our efforts as we kick off the MSU Literacy Partnership this evening. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> And thank you for having us everyone. My name is Jessica Callen. I'm very excited to be here and to officially get to present this partnership and this collaborative initiative that involves so many of us. Um so I think that uh we all know that literacy is important and so I will just briefly touch on why we're here. We're here because Methuan faces an urgent challenge. This

007is not unique to Methuan, but we are seeing this across the nation. Right now, over half of first and second graders in Methuan and 40% of Mthuan third graders are reading below grade level. So, if you think of that, that's um five out of 10 kids. Uh that's a very significant amount. These aren't just numbers. They're children across every neighborhood whose opportunities and growth are shaped by whether or not they become strong readers. Um, we know that research tells us that being able to read proficiency proficiently by third grade is one of the greatest indicators of success later on in life. And so it's predicting not just high school graduation, health, civic engagement, and career readiness. We know that when literacy rises, so does the health and prosperity of an entire city. So that's what

008we're launching under the leadership of the Neans Library and in partnership with the mayor's office, Representative Hamilton, and many, many more. We're excited to announce the launch of this partnership, a citywide campaign to improve early literacy outcomes. Now, this is modeled after successful efforts in other communities and in conversations to be part of the national campaign for grade level reading. So, we are on the map and connected with many resources across the nation. Um this is built over years of planning and the campaign will bring together families, schools, city government, uh volunteers and organizations to work towards a single bold goal that every Methooan child is reading proficiency by the end of third grade. So um how will we do this? So this is a communitydriven discovery. We're not going to come in here and

009say here are all programs that work for all kids because we don't know what works for methan kids. Um so for the next several months what I will be doing myself and with our uh campaign assistant Jesse McGee, we will be um conducting listening sessions, stakeholder mapping and needs assessments to ensure that Methuan's literacy strategy is shaped by the real experiences of children, parents, and educators across the city. This is creating a community solutions action plan that is tailored to what we are seeing uh what we need and what we can access. Um, not only that, but there is an equity focused and evidence-based lens that we are implementing. Our approach is aligning with evidence-based programs across the world. Family engagement, which we know is twice as predictive of student success than race, socioeconomic status,

010or ethnicity. Um, we also want to ensure that there is access to books to build home libraries and community activities with a clear focus on ensuring that all children, regardless of background, receive the support that they need to succeed. So, this is a collaborative leadership. This is Mthuan's campaign. This is a city campaign. It's rooted in partnership and shared action. So, our first big invitation that we have for everyone is to join us at the Neans Library book sale. This will be September 27th. We will be there from 11 until 1. And we encourage everyone to come meet the team to learn about the partnership, to learn about the mission, and share your story as the campaign takes shape. You can find more information about the partnership, about the work that we're doing, and all

011the updates along the way at our website, methanreads.org. So, last, and I I will be brief. I really appreciate the time and um know that you have a more on the agenda, but this is essentially a call to action. This work cannot and absolutely will not be accomplished by just schools alone. This is wherever families show up. This is all of our responsibility. So to truly transform literacy, we invite the full community, which is families, civic groups, local businesses, faith-based partners, and all residents, please come out. Please get involved, volunteer, advocate, and help us make Methuan a city where every child's future is wide open because every child should be able to read. So again, thank you for your support and partnership. We are so excited to begin this work and create a lasting partnership

012with Methuan Public Schools. Um we know that we're stronger together and together really we can ensure that every child in Methuan thrives through the power of reading. So thank you very much. [Applause] Thank you so much for the presentation. I want to reiterate that shout out from earlier. Recognize member Donovan, Representative Ryan Hamilton, uh, Director Mloud, Dr. Kang, and you, Jessica, and your team. We're so glad you're here, and we're thrilled just to consider what will happen over the course of this program in terms of uh, literacy growth in our city. It's truly wonderful. So, thank you. Does anybody have any questions or comments to share? Member Maxwell and member Shabilia. >> I just have one question. Is this just for early literacy like K through three or are you is this beyond as well?

013>> That's a great question. So we are modeling it at this beginning stage looking at third grade reading as that indicator because that is nationally recognized as one of those pivot points. Um, but that has not been clearly defined because that's part of our mapping and our stakeholder investment is learning what that pivot point really looks like in Mthuan because while statistics can show those indicators or that pin where we see student achievement change where you're learning to read or reading to learn, right? Um, we also want to ensure that we're looking very intentionally at our mission and our scope aligning with what Methua needs. So um right now that is our kind of framework as we're gathering information but we are still in the discovery phase of what will be specific to um the

014students here. >> I love this. I think this is great. So thank you. Thank you for coming. Thank you me member Denovan. This is this is a great opportunity for our kids. >> Member Shibilia. >> So what do you need from us? How do we help? I mean other than spreading the word about September 27th at the library for the book sale. How do we as I don't know elected officials or individuals or the school, how do we help make this successful? >> That is a great question. I think one of the things is to keep an eye out. We will be reaching out because we're looking to host some community dialogue series. We're trying to have a different method of incorporating questions and formal and informal feedback loops. So, it won't just be in

015person or online, but we have multiple ways of reaching families. Um, so please encourage those participation. Please show up when you can. I think it goes a long way to show that there's investment from those who are in positions like yours of participating and bringing people along because we need everyone's voices. And I think that one of these early discovery phases will be identifying where families truly are showing up because this isn't just school or early literacy or family focused. Uh, but families also show up in different capacities. So we know that there's laundromats or apartment buildings. Uh we know that employers, healthc care. So uh there's a lot of businesses and we just encourage you at this stage to participate to make sure that the outreach is going out to everyone where families are

016existing in Methuan so we can gather as much information to then build out programs that are specific to the needs of the students here. >> Awesome. Yeah. No, anything we can do or I can do. I mean, Representative Hamilton knows how to find well all of us. So, I this is fantastic and I know it's been successful in other places and I'm looking forward to seeing what you guys do. >> Thank you. >> Wulette. >> Thank you. Is there a capacity to make uh donations of children's books at the library? Uh for instance, if some uh family members that have outgrown those books, but in turn they want to donate those books to the library that you can match up with families in need. Is there a mechanism for that? And also if someone wanted

017to donate outright to your is there a a nonprofit status that someone can make a donation? Um, those would be the two things because I know people if they're listening tonight or if the the Tribune publishes uh an article on this, if people in their inventory of books, you know, wanted to make a donation or alignment of uh donated books to families in need. Um, is there a mechanism for that? And also, if someone wanted to make a donation outright, is there a mechanism for that? >> That's a great question. So I appreciate that because we know that everyone um who is interested might not have the time or capacity and so it's always very great to encompass other ways to get involved and show support. Um at this time we are gathering how that

018will look and doing that process and administration. The way to get involved and show um interest in being on that list to know how donations will work um in those physical books and how that dispersement will go is on the website. So again mthuanreads.org org. There's a get involved page and a contact us page. Uh and then we will be working and operating under the Neans Library. And so that information of donation, I believe, will be organized. We'll have a donate tab on that website once it's established. Um you are getting the very very early version of this because we just launched in September. So um thank you. You're you're setting us up for success and I really appreciate it. member Dunovan, part of the brain trust. Anything to add? >> Well, I think I

019want to thank Jessica. Um, the day after I retired from the tenny, I think is the day we met virtually because I was so impressed at what I saw in Habil. I volunteered at an event and I saw about 50 people from various walks of life who have really who really purposefully and with meaning adopted a third grade. It was at third grade. >> Yes. um across the schools and communicated with them and read books together. Um and I thought, wouldn't it be great if this we could agree that teaching reading should not be the sole responsibility of our schools? We place such a heavy burden on our teachers and so much about literacy. We should share responsibility for because we know, and Jessica alluded to it, communities that have literate citizens are wealthier, have

020more work opportunities, um have more civic engagement, and are healthier. And I think this is one of the topics that we can't argue about. We can't say it's too left, it's too right. It's right down the middle for what we need. So, two years later, thanks to Jess for sticking with us and Christa for sticking with me and um H Mr. Hamilton, where are you? um for really pushing us when we were about to give up because it was a long process for something so important and then of course to get the funding to the Neans Mr. Mayor I appreciate that very much. So big night big night in Methuan so um let's see where this heads >> absolutely and again as I mentioned before we're so glad you're here so thank you very much.

021Yes, I think that this is one of the the many levers in a long-term poverty prevention mechanism uh in the city and so I'm excited to see where we can take it and just happy to be a part of the team. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next, superintendent, I'll invite you to begin the discussion regarding the Mthuman Youth Center. So, uh, I just wanted this, uh, tonight to be an opportunity to have the new executive director, Kelly Ford, to come on up and introduce herself, have a check-in, uh, to share with all of you that on a weekly basis at this point. Uh, I am meeting with the folks uh, at the youth center and Kelly. Uh, that was a few weeks ago, I think we met for the first time. um and just

022thought this would be a good idea to share with you the progress of the building and where we are and meet Kelly in person. So that's uh what we invited her to do tonight. >> Oh, look at that. >> Team work. >> All right. Good evening. I'm Kelly Ford. I'm super excited to be here. Um just wanted to share a little bit about myself and then get into, you know, what we're doing here and how we're moving this forward. So I'm the new founding executive director of the Mthuan Community Youth Center. A little bit about my background. I have over 20 years experience working in early childhood education and in youth development. I am from New Jersey and I moved to Massachusetts in 2019 and I thought I was going to explore in 2020 and

023as we're all aware all the things that happened and um however it created a challenging environment but it also strengthened my resolve to serve the community even more. So I have a few degrees with a focus um one in early ed psychologies and a masters in executive leadership. And so I'm incredibly passionate about the work that I do um and how I lead in communities and serve and build strong partnerships. And I believe that helping young people build a strong network of supportive adults and communities, we can help them find their tribe and ultimately become the best versions of themselves. So our program is to provide a safe space for youth to grow and to thrive. And I want to give a special thanks to the vision from Susan Susan Ledger Ferraro and the tireless

024hard work of state auditor Diana Daglio. And this incredible dream has become a reality. I joined the team at the end of July and I'm so excited to be such a part of an amazing opportunity to serve and to give back to our young youth and our community. So we have already established a youth advisory board which we call my voice and the kids have been coming in and they definitely have a voice and they will tell you. So, this group is composed of 8th through 12th graders who have a seat at the table and are helping to lead a direction of our organization. I also want to take a moment to thank the My Voice members who consistently show up and share their support and aren't afraid to bring their powerful ideas to the

025table. Their leadership is invaluable. And to highlight a few of our initial pilot programs and partnerships, we have hosted a media workshop with Methooan Community Youth Studio and held our pre-launch. Uh we also had our national night out and a community big cell. And currently my focus has been on finalizing our renovations and security for our building. I am excited to meet more of the community members and partners as we continue to build strong relationships within the community. And so I really appreciate the time to be able to come up here and speak to you all and share this. So thank you. >> Thank you very much and and welcome to Mthuan and to the youth center. Uh do we have any questions, comments from the committee? >> Member Maxwell then member Daglio. Um, how

026do you become a My Voice volunteer or you said they continuously show up. How do you how do you show up? >> So the how do I show up or the kids? >> The eighth through 8th graders. So actually the kids have been recruiting each other and telling their friends about what's happening at the the My Voice and really it's just like what are you passionate about? What is it that you want to give back and to share for your community? And a lot of the feedback that I received from the kids cuz I did ask them like what made you interested in this? and they said,"I want to be able to bring things to our community that we don't have in the schools or want to bring a new idea and share it with

027that." And so that openness and that willingness to to have them be able to come into the space, but also to partner alongside with um the schools and other community partners to be able to push that work forward. And what that looked like when they came up, they designed their rooms of what they wanted to do. Um, we have an international room where they're learning how to speak Turkish Spanish and they designed that. And so in terms of like what does it look like to join? It's really just simple like what's your interest and how can you bring your full self into the space? >> But I guess my question is is how do you join? How do if I'm an eighth grader and I this sounds so interesting to me. How do I find

028you? >> You would sorry. So basically you would come in and meet me um currently right now. So, as we're still continuing to build out this program, eventually having a program director at some point in the future, but they come in and then we just have the conversation and assessment and then that's how they they lead into it. But it's also going back and to explain like what the commitments are for. >> Where do they come in though? Where do they >> come over to uh 10 dits in place? >> Gotcha. >> Thank you. >> No, that's a good question. Um, so I'm very new to this, not as an executive, but I used to be the executive of the Boys and Girls Club, and so this is my second role, but this is a

029little different, so I definitely appreciate it. >> Um, thank you. I was just wondering, how many kids do we currently have coming to the youth center right now? Like how many members, etc.? So currently since we don't have our building inspection and right now my focus has been on like the security access for the doors, we don't have members coming in at the moment. We do have our my voice which we meet bi-weekly um some online just to keep that momentum going. Um but that's currently what's happening. So around now we have about 15 of those kids who are on that. >> Okay. >> And I think if I could share to piggyback off of that question, I didn't say this in the beginning but I will. So, the hope, you know, when we did

030this in the fall of 2024, uh our hope was within a year that we would actually have programming in the building with all of the renovations. Uh and our target, uh at this point is still January. Um so, um the the biggest uh I think Kelly has said it three times already. Um but we're really trying to focus on the security right now with the team. uh what actually will work in the building best we can to make sure that the kids uh are secure in the second floor and the gym and the kitchen area and the entryway right because there's other people now with the adult ed and DPW so um they have been wonderful I have done several walkthroughs with Michael at this point uh and Bruce and different engineers to make sure

031that they uh aren't changing the building but actually adding to it to make it better. So we're working through all that right now. Doesn't happen overnight as we're all learning. Takes a long time to get certain kind of doors and that building is unique. Uh so to do the work right is a unique set of um you know stuff, right? It's a different set of doors that you need and we want to preserve the windows inside and things like that. So we're working really hard to do that which I appreciate the partnership of how this is supposed to be going. No, >> Shabilia, >> you mentioned that you don't have the the building permit yet. Not the building permit, the occupancy permit, I assume is what it is. Is that >> Sorry, what? >> Inspections.

032Is that all pending the stuff that you just Dr. just mentioned or is there other things associated with that? >> So, that is >> mostly >> Yeah, that's mostly all the things that we were mentioning. And so, like one of them, for example, is just like getting a door handle to be able to like pull it open. And so, um, it took almost about a week just to get that door handled just because of the unique building and how old the the door is. And so, it is it is a, um, you know, a big undertaking in terms of like making sure that we're getting it. But that's all the security and that's one of the things that we did need for our building inspection. And so, that part is currently done, which I'm really

033excited about. And so, we're going to ask Bob to come back out. >> Yeah. >> And I'm sure I'm sure Bob is loving that. >> I know. This is the this is the the challenge which we knew going into this. We were very open about this conversation that the needs in the building and what needs to the things that need to pass are different when you have different age kids in the building. Right. >> Right. So this is what we're this is the growing pain part of this right now. There are certain things that have to be very different about the bathrooms or different things about >> just the building setup that we have to make sure. So again, they're working. I think right before Kelly came on or right when Kelly came on is

034when we said we would do these weekly Zoom check-ins so that we wouldn't lose momentum of where we are with the the being the lease and the lease making sure that we had constant communication about what the building needed. Uh you know we cannot have full programming until all those things are in place. We promise that of the city and the community. they've been really good at making sure that we have been involved in those conversations to oversee that. >> So, I guess my my last point and I sorry I saw you go for the button. Um, if as this continues, if you're not getting the like I we can't speed up oddly shaped door orders, you know what I mean? But if you need anything and you've hit roadblocks, and I know it goes

035without saying because Dr. Kong would come to us anyways, but never hesitate to come back to that podium or to send this body an email because I think one of the few things we all have agreed on over our tenure is getting this thing up and running and moving. So, if you hit roadblocks and you need someone to bust through it, use us because that's that's what we're here for because we want this to succeed. And if we can help you in any way, we're here. Thank you so much. I really do appreciate that. >> Any other questions, >> vice chair? >> Um when all the security is in place, um is there any um envision of a requirement that the people who are working there for the city are going to be required to

036have a quarry or anything to for the safety of the kids that are in the building? Um is there going I mean because I going to assume they're going to be using the same door. They're going to be passing each other at least. No. Like, are they going to be completely sep like how is that going to work? >> We're trying really hard >> to make it completely separate. >> So, I think that's that's been our when I walked through with Michael, there's a few spaces that are a little tricky. Um, but we're we're trying to literally divide the building so that somebody from this space can't get down to their space, right? and obviously with all codes that people can get out when they need to get out. But um again, we're working through

037a couple of the trickier spaces. The harder part for us right now is the front entrance. The front entrance is common. It's always been common. Um and that's where the elevator is. So there are certain things that we're not going to be able to I don't want to say avoid, but there's certain spaces that are just the front door is the front door to the building. Um, so we're trying to figure out what the best flow uh and movement and supervision would be of those spaces. And I think those are some things we still have to work out. >> Right. And that's that's my concern is are we going to require all of the adults that are working in that building to be background checked? >> Is that >> Yeah, I don't I don't think

038that's an US thing. Um, I think that's a conversation potentially for the center and to maybe explore about that because they're not necessarily going to be with those individuals alone and they're going to be using completely separate facilities, restrooms, ex, etc. So that's something we would have to explore, but I don't know if that's necessarily for us to say everybody because I mean I have adult dead in the bottom floor like I can't ask everybody who signs up for an adult class to have a Corey check, right? So I think it's just that's a little wonky right now, but I think we can explore that and what means do we have to go to to do that? um again to keep everybody safe as the programming, but that would be more of like them exploring

039what they need to do as a actual youth program and what the requirements are around a youth program. I'd also say that one thing that we discovered, so you might see this come across uh our agenda, maybe by October, um is that they have done some much more detailed uh measurements on the square footage, which is a little bit greater than what we had in the lease. So, we're looking at just doing a quick addendum to the lease to make sure that we all understand that they can have access to the square footage that we intended. Right? We've said the gym, we've said the kitchen, we've said the classrooms, the square footage was a little off now that they've done work and are doing some renovations. We just want to make sure everything is on

040the up and up. So, uh we're potentially working on that addendum right now, too. >> Any other questions? Member Wulette. Yeah, that was the uh the crux of a lot of my questions when we pose questions to the the group and they something that we're going to work on and that's an ongoing uh fluid situation. We'll probably have to get a further report on that because I think there's going to have to be some type of uh demarcation line. Um and also like the the usage into the uh later evenings when you have the homes right where the central school is located and it hasn't been used as a school for decades. So that's another thing too the dynamic of homes right in that area in terms of the noise ordinance. But overall they've been

041wonderful in communicating. Any time we've had questions they've answered the questions. um they again the open house which I wasn't able to attend unfortunately but then you also outreach to me again so the um the rapport is excellent and I think that was the biggest thing that the vice chair and I talked about was uh the the corey check a demarcation line a separation of the young children versus anybody else visiting that facility it's a unique dynamic that probably has to be uh corrected thank you >> any other questions. Thank you so much. >> All right. Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. [Applause] >> Next on the agenda is public participation. Is there anybody who has signed up? Nobody signed up. But uh would anybody who is in the audience like to speak? If not,

042I will close public participation. If you cannot make a meeting in person for public participation, you can send an email to Martha so massir obethan.k12.mma us before 3 p.m. on the day of a school committee meeting. Next on the agenda is the approval of minutes. First we need a motion and a second to approve the minutes of August 11, 2025. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion from member Shabilia. The second is from the vice chair. Discussion not will vote. All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. The eyes have it. Next, we need a motion and a second to approve the minutes of August 25th, 2025. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion's from member Shabilia. The second from the vice chair. Any discussion? >> A vice chair. I'm excuse me, uh, member uh,

043>> Maxwell. >> Um, so I just need to ask for a friendly amendment that I actually spoke um with Martha about. So, it's um during the August 25th meeting, it was um my one topic 1D, administrative job descriptions. Um it was supposed to read administrative job descriptions and role clarity across the district. Um and this says administrative job descriptions in clarity across the district. So, just and role instead of in. >> So, that's a motion to amend the minutes. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> All right, we have a second from member Willlette. All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. Let's have a motion and a second to approve the minutes as amended. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion's from member Shabilia. The second from the vice chair. Also, forgive me

044for anyone who is watching. I'm just getting over a man cold as they are called and my brain may not be functioning uh as well as it should. Any other discussion? If not, we will vote. All those in favor? >> I opposed. The eyes have it. Next, we need a motion in a second to approve the superintendent evaluation subcommittee minutes of August 7th, 2025. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion from member Daglio. Second is from the vice chair. Discussion. >> There's no discussion. All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. The eyes have it. Next, we need a motion and a second to approve the policy subcommittee minutes of August 12th, 2025. >> So moved. >> Motion is from member Shibilia, second is from member Daglio. Any discussion? There's no discussion. We'll vote. All

045those in favor? >> I opposed. The eyes have it. Next, we need a motion in the second to approve the policy subcommittee minutes from August 20th, 2025. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motions from the vice chair, seconds from member Daglio. Any discussion? All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. I have it. Lastly, we need a motion and a second to approve the policy subcommittee minutes of August 26, 2025. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion from the vice chair. Seconds from member Daglio. Any discussion? >> If not, we'll vote. All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. The eyes have it. Next on the agenda is staff reports. We have updates from the superintendent and assistant superintendent. on the agenda. Uh we'll begin with the health task force update. Uh so at this

046time what I will do is for the very first time I believe in the city's history, [Laughter] >> we're going to hear from the health inspector who has been uh by uh my side, by Dr. Kuang side over the past many months addressing a lot of issues in our schools. So again, for the first time, I think in city history, we have a city health inspector appearing before a school committee meeting. >> Uh so thank you so much to Darren uh for joining us. Um Darren, I'll open it up to you to share any uh recent updates you'd like to provide to the committee and then we'll engage in a discussion. >> Sure. Well, uh thank you all for having me here tonight. appreciate being invited to this. Um, this is something that I feel

047pretty passionately about and I'm really happy at the the rate of success and where we're going now. Um, there's been a lot of history to this over this last year. Um, I think we're all moving in a really good direction. We're doing follow-up assessments on all of the schools. Um, monthly I'm in and out of the parking lots daily. I'm on the phone with custodials and heads from the schools daily. Um, you know, starting last year, we we saw that there was a real uh kick up in rodent activity that's been happening in our schools. Over the past couple of months, there's been a lot of shifting of blame, people pointing at different things. And the one thing that I've come to, um, my assessment today is a lot different than it was a year

048ago or even three months ago. Um, I think we've gotten where we are together. We've made some decisions along the way. We haven't funded things properly. We haven't fixed things properly. And we had some issues with our pest service, um, contracts, the scope of it, even just disseminating the information. And it's led to kind of a perfect storm. Initially when this all kicked off, I thought I was looking at two or three violations and why this isn't getting fixed. The deeper we've been digging into this, the more we've seen the problems that have caused this. And it's from the top to the very bottom, from inspections to uh you know, putting the right money in the right places to fix problems that we know have been going on. A lot of the stuff that we've

049come across in this last year, I've found in history over the last 20, 25 years where people have been trying to get things done. People have been trying to get things fixed, certain things have been specifically called out and not addressed. And, you know, 10, 15, 20 years later, we're dealing with the results of those decisions. And it's taken us a long time to get to the point that we were at um in recent months. But I'm happy to report that for the first time, I think, in the three years that I've been doing health inspections that everybody involved is aiming in the same direction. We're all firing for a common goal. Um you know, there's barriers that have been broken down here. Uh me being here right now is is kind of an attestment

050to that. There's walls that are coming down. Um, I think we're doing a better job from the city's perspective in assessing this and trying to make our schools the priority they should have been for the last 20 years. Um, and that is everything from uh, you know, janitors to equipment to things that we need to fix. Um, it's not going to happen overnight, but we've all been attacking it. Uh for the last 3 months I've had 500 conversation with Brandy over numerous things we needed to fix and even just today you know you look up at the same spot you've looked at 10 times and you find another problem that is a result of the construction. So, part of what's ongoing is DJ has asked, I'm sorry, Mayor Beerard has asked me to uh put

051together a list of of the things of greater projects that DPW can help us with, things that we need to get on the radar for capital expense projects. And I think uh I think we're making a lot of lot of ground. I was in the tenny today. That uh school had probably the biggest issue a month and a half ago. The difference between a month and a half ago and today is shocking. It's cleaner than I've ever seen it. Everybody's working on it uh constantly and reacting to every single thing that we find. The pest company's reports are being reacted to. The reporting logs in each in each school, excuse me, are being reacted to on a daily basis. And uh I think we're I think we're doing a great job. Right now, we're engaging

052in formulating a comprehensive IPM program for all of our municipal facilities, not just the schools. But in doing so showed me a lot of gaps that we had in our services and things that we asked for, contracts, um, etc. So, I feel like we're starting at the ground on some of this and rebuilding a system that's going to work, a system that's going to have transparency just by virtue of, you know, sharing pest reports and the spreadsheets and and communicating directly through city inspections, different departments in the school. Um, I think we're uh creating a new path forward. Um, some of the massive cleanup that happened in the Tim and the Tenny in the last month and a half has really changed the game. Last year we had quite a few sightings being reported in

053the Timony. I've had one in the last month and a half. That's promising. We're heading in the right direction. We're not going to get there immediately. It's going to be a little bit of a whack-a-ole. Um, that's why we have uh ongoing assessments monthly for the next year where myself, Randy, Ian, the head custodians, uh, principles of each school are going through and looking at everything. Um, at this point, we're not just assessing the couple violations we found. There's a lot of factors that contributed to that happening and we're trying to look at that from the roof to the dirt. Um, and I think I think we're making some good positive ground with that. If there's anything I'm missing or anything anybody wants to ask me. I think you covered a lot of ground, Darren.

054And just to stay for the record to set expectations for any discussion that may follow. I want to point out that Inspector D is a regulator, not a commentator. So, I just want to state that to guide tonight's discussion. I'm happy to fill in any gaps as it relates to uh any questions that any members of the committee may ask. But with that, I will open it for discussion. Member Daglio, let's stop. Okay. So, first off, the IPM, I want the public to know because nobody knows what an IPM is, Aaron. So, you mind explaining that to the public? >> Sure. IPM is a uh integrated pest management program. That's uh a full frontto back walk at your facility and the plans are tailored to each facility. Um for schools example like they can't use

055uh toxics or pesticides so they have very different IPM from the building down the street. Each one is tailor made and each one's kind of right now being tailored to what we have for our current situations and what things we think we need to improve on. All right. So then when it goes to pest from the reports that I have, they have asked previously in the past for the IPM to be changed over time. Correct. Uh correct. Yes. I did just come across some information that showed that uh the owner of Peston was reaching out to a couple of people um trying to update that CI plan CIP plan uh sorry IPM plan five to six years ago >> and and it wasn't completed. So they had to go based off of the IPM that

056was initiated by the state, >> right? They submitted in the state. They have to go off what the IPM is for them to do their job. Correct. >> Yeah. >> So if they wanted to set certain traps for something and it was became outdated or something like that, they couldn't do the updated version of a trap unless it's in the IPM. >> Correct. >> So they were going off the old one which you and I both know in certain degrees that might have been ineffective. I know one school had um non deadly trap. It was more of catch and release traps type of thing. >> Yeah. >> And that's been going on for five to six years. >> Yes. Oh, also another thing you and I both know previously our logs I'm glad that the

057logs are going now but previously both logs that Pestad has given those schools if they were to report any rodents inside a classroom they were to write it in the log books correct >> yes >> and the books that we saw at the tenny correct yes >> were completely empty >> yes yeah >> so right there past 's response to anything cannot be blamed due to the fact nobody was reporting where rodents were being in the building. Correct. From the >> I'd say that's fair. >> Also, you and I have gone over these reports for now about a year. Going back, how far has the pests like door sweeps, stuff like that have been on the log books for how long? You would say >> some of them have been on there for uh upwards

058of eight years. >> Yes. And we have been changing them now. We've been getting them in. >> But when it came to pests doing recommendations, they have been eight years past some of these things. >> Yeah, there's there's a lot going on with that relationship. I think uh we didn't have we didn't have a robust contract in the first place. Um, from my experience in dealing with the 400 plus restaurants that we do and everybody has best company. Um, I saw the invoices from the school and the dollar amount and the scope of work will tell you that it was a very generic contract that we had going. I don't know as if we even had a contract and it it wasn't addressing enough. So, I could say, you know, there's always going to be

059problems with tax. Maybe past had a problem with a tech that did the wrong thing here, did the wrong thing there. >> I would say we didn't update our program. We didn't have a robust enough contract. We didn't uh look at the information that was within the report sometimes. And part of that is because we never disseminated it the right way. Uh principles and custodial heads of each school weren't getting it. um the the people involved in in taking care of the pest company in the first place changed repeatedly, you know. So, I had mentioned how I heard uh you know that somebody had reached out six six years ago to try to correct it. It's not who you think >> and I'm not here to name names, but it's I know who you know

060it's not who you think. Mhm. >> Um, so and I don't want to continue to look at the rear view as to what we need to look in in the past to a point. We need to see why we got here, but we're looking to blame. And I think personally we all own this. I think the starting point was inspections weren't being done right within the city for 20 plus years. I don't think the state has been doing their inspections properly and we have found that to be the case in numerous other businesses. And then, you know, from the school perspective, some of the things that I see is people trying to make a dollar out of 15 cents because, you know, you got the guy bandating a boiler or doctoring this thing up because

061we don't have the money to fix it because we haven't properly allocated the funds to take care of that problem. So, we signed guys up for failure. um including you know the janitorial and custodial staff who has been pointed at as if they're the problem. And one of the first things that I came up with and I questioned uh Mayor Bureard on site in one of the school inspections is how come we used to have 71 and now we have 49 and through further investigation we actually used to have 75. We have 51, I believe, currently. And in addition to doing the janitorial and custodial work, they're painting, they're putting plaster, they're putting cabinet backs on, they're weed whacking because some of them have lost their grounds contract, right? They're support staff, they're showing up

062for other events. This has brought a deeper conversation. And I I came up with some stuff that I had passed off to um Dr. Quan probably about a month ago. And there's five different categories for maintenance. And these are these are guidelines that are set nationally and by the state. And I think by our square footage and by our people, it would at face value say that we're mid-range recommended. When you take into account the support staff, the weed whacking, everything else, that number changes drastically. I've um asked a couple of head custodians of their schools to help me in the next couple of months and to track their guys and what they're actually doing so we can get an idea of what percentage time is spent cleaning and just that hasn't come to be

063yet, but just out of some of the stuff that I've solicited out of these guys in an eight hour shift they're spending two to three hours cleaning. So by math that means we should have two to three times the staff that we do if we expect to have clean and sanitary conditions in our schools. And when you get down to this level five, it calls out that this is going to lead to the unhealthy conditions, degradation of our buildings, infestations, rodents issues, uh just things like not having time to change filters and unit events, things like that. That's actually called out as something that you could expect to see if you do this. and we did this because these are all things that I'm finding in our reports and the more I read the more

064I'm like you know wow this is a bigger bigger problem that's part of why I'm here tonight because we started digging into everything under the sun under this problem you know what things can we fix and the more we look at the more deficiencies we found in system and we're trying to resolve those working together talking about assessment uh and and these capital expense projects. Um, you know, the these are all numbers that are based off of a normal situation, too, not a situation where they are cleaning up rodent droppings or, you know, fixing leaks that have happened in the same spot on the same roof for 15 years. Um, so I think we're doing ourselves a disservice. Um, Mayor Burggard has asked me to formulate that list so that we can little by little

065chip those things away from these guys that shouldn't be dealing with that. And then they do all that and they get pointed at as if they're the ones that aren't cleaning, right? So, it's created this disheartened, inefficient morale, right? And and in the last couple months, I've seen that turn a lot just by these guys digging in, doing it, doing it right, and getting a pat on the back for actually doing it. Um, it's gotten better. Um, Dr. Quan's implemented uh the change protocol or reset for the teachers and a lot of that wasn't really perceived that well. It's all part of a comprehensive assessment that's going to get us to a better place. Uh when I started this, my mission was to get us to a safe and sanitary level as fast as possible.

066So I'll take responsibility for the fact that we rammed so many things at these guys over the summer that it tipped the apple cart on two wheels. You know, we had to run a summer program out of the tenny. Uh we crippled the other schools with things that we were doing. It was hard, I think, administratively. I think, you know, we we we definitely rocked the boat a little bit this year, but they pushed through it. Everybody involved pushed through it every day and, you know, met me with a with a smile and a notepad every day because everybody involved realizes why we're here. Most of them involved have been asking for these things for years. Um, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all of them that that it's gotten this far, but now we're

067all listening. Um, this administration is very committed to correcting this situ situation and for us this is wonderful. My partner Heidi Spina and I have been working on these health inspections for three years. you haven't been seeing her because this has gotten so politically difficult and risky as a regulator to say you have a problem, you have a problem, you have a problem, and we allow this can to get kicked down the road. So, you know, seven months ago, she recused herself from doing this because she's at risk, right? And I'm I'm still here fighting this because, you know, I have a son in the system. I pay taxes here. I hope to hang my hat here for 30, 40 years. And a lot of this is stuff that if we work together, we can

068get uh we can get taken care of pretty simply. >> So, >> we can circle back with additional questions in a second round. >> Yeah. >> Uh member will >> I really appreciate the camp here this evening. >> Thank you. >> Um I just had a few questions. >> Sure. In terms of the the confidence level, is it high that across the system we have the proper door sweeps in place across the system? Is it still peace meal? Is that 80%, is it close to 100%. What's the confidence level? That's kind of a a wide open book right there. So, let me go school by school. So, the the marsh that had issues in the past has had zero issues for better than a year. So, we're not focusing so much on that one because

069the envelope is tight. Um, a little over two years ago, I found one door with a missing door sweep and the head custodian at the time, Doug, who was back here, he was there. Um, and he took care of before I was even out the door. So, that school was done. The high school had a little bit of an issue that's going on here. And we found the main source of that to be that brick wall that carries from the outside to the inside of the building. It's just it it was made to look nice, but it poses all of these exclusion issues and that's where it was happening. That and combined with the landscaping not being maintained in the immediate front gave us our issue here. Um, currently there's two components left to exclude

070over here and they require some special order stuff that uh, Bruce Stella is working on procuring. The timony I think is almost bulletproof. Everything's sealed up on the outside. Um, we do have some expansion joints between structures. Um, it's like caulking and in some cases a rubberized gasket that's in there, right? We found some of those things that needed to be done. Um those are still in the works. This uh the tenny I think we've got the exterior pretty tight. Um what we're dealing with now, what I think we're dealing with now is a small resident population that lives there that is in the walls and ceilings and we've been slowly trapping them and getting them out. Um, as of today, the evidence that I found in in a few small areas was very obviously

071from babies and juveniles. Um, the catch rate has gone down and now it's gotten to the point where the head custodian principal have a floor plan and if there's a sighting in this office, they go in there and again, like today, I show them what pipe protrusions, what things are at play in that room. They stuff it immediately, put a temporary sweep on that door to make sure it's isolated from the hall, see if they got it. If they got it, nothing comes back, they can check that one off. And they're moving around the building doing this until it's gone. It's going to take a little time. I would expect that we might even have a little bit of a bump up coming into the colder months, but our goal is to have been like

072hitting this so hard to try to stop that from happening. Um, so I'm 100% confident in half the schools. I'm probably 95% on the high school in the Timony. And after today, I'm probably getting to the 90% range on the tenny. Um, I think we're going to get there. >> And then, uh, have you been granted access to every area of a school system? >> Yes. >> Okay. Have you uh encountered uh classrooms with massive clutter? And that massive clutter has been uh cleared out. >> Yes, I I had encountered massive clutter in the past, but since these last couple of walkthroughs, no. Um very organized most of the classrooms that I've gone in, we found a couple things here and there. Um but no vastly different >> in in terms of the the landscaping

073across the system and again with the cooperation of the DPW which we're very grateful for. How how is that uh what level is that? >> So that's a work in progress. Um, the first thing that I wanted to focus on was clearing the uh, soft envelope of the building or making a good 6-ft swath around the building to make it challenging for the mice to get there in the first place and to make our pest boxes more effective. When we started looking at that, we found trees that were growing right into the building and everything. So, we had to take down trees that were causing structural damage or they were, you know, avenues to get in. Um, there has been some of the stumps grow ground down. We still have some more stumps that we

074have to deal with in term like in some courtyards. Um we have one person that does have a stump grinder that can get through a door. We're trying to get that to happen at the Timn. Um I believe you've got somebody coming to do some fancy planting potentially. Um the courtyards, the courtyards in Natim, we saw those as a major issue. They were a major source of uh the infestation and it was built up. The janitors couldn't get to this anymore. They were so overloaded that the things that are less important h had to be left and some of these courtyards had a foot and a half of leaves in corners, right? DPW went in there and cleaned it out and and they saw activity while they were cleaning it out. We got additional boxes

075in there. There's nowhere for them to hide. They can't climb into the building. We found all the holes that we think we could find out there and and there are beautiful spaces now that have been reclaimed to put back into use. Um >> and then the final thing was very quickly I really appreciate that and I think the overall theme is this accumulated over decades. >> Yes. >> Okay. And that's the biggest factor here that people have to realize that we're cleaning up a mess that accumulated over decades. >> Yes. And then the electronic reporting system. I know we have the the log books. I've been a big advocate since the very beginning that the mayor receives those complaints internally from the school system like a click it fix it. >> I'm in favor of

076that. Um that's something I don't know if you want to broach, but there should be some type of electronic reporting system that goes directly to the mayor as the chief executive of the city. just to add some additional color to that. So, uh the inspector of course being part of my administration in representing me and and uh taking part in these activities, he receives those. So, by default, I I would consider that the the administration on the city side in receipt of those uh which is great. And to reference something that >> and that I don't think that's happened in the past. >> No. Correct. >> Okay. Right. That was a cyber >> never occurred before >> with your administration, Mr. the mayor and with your involvement that's been broken down that silo. >> Yeah.

077>> Okay. Thank you. >> Um something else that was referenced, I'm not ready to make any announcements tonight. Uh but I did engage in a walkthrough of several of our buildings with a local uh garden landscaping vendor. Uh talking about the prospect of looking at some design plans to bring the Timony courtyards back to life. Um ditto with the tenny facade, etc. So that's an ongoing conversation. I'll have more to share on that soon. Uh we can come back for a second round if needed. But member Shabilia, >> so before I get to my questions, I want to point something out. While the inspe, not the inspector, the director for the youth center was standing there talking. I watched you walk that wall, look for holes, come around, go around the bookshelf, look for holes,

078and check things. He can't help himself. And I also saw him at open house at the marsh for the little kids. And while his wife and son were doing things, he was poking his head in places. And I was like, Darren, take the night off. >> He's not kidding. >> When like every time we walk the same hallway a thousand times, literally we looked up today and went, "What is that?" >> Like that's what we do. Yeah. He can't help it to like look around with a flashlight. >> I I now have seen that firstand >> new space, a new brick, a new something every time. >> Yeah. And the stories that I've heard from from Dr. Kang or the mayor or from the custodians that I've talked to about how you were just walking

079through buildings, sticking your hands into random holes and jumping into pits under the building. I did. >> I listen um the facilities task force which is the brainchild of the mayor was formed to bring together the city, the school and the teachers to combat these issues. But that group really started making its stride with your presence. And without you, that group would not be where it is today. And this progress would not be where it is today. So, first off, I want to thank you because you guys, you and Heidi, and I said it before, and I I'll say it till I'm blue in the face, you take an awful lot of crap out in the community because you go into places and tell people they're doing a bad job. And nobody likes that guy.

080>> Yeah. >> But that's that's that's your job. Your job is to keep us alive so we're not eating, I don't know, mouse poop at a pizza place or whatever it is. So I mean thank you because you guys get beat over their head. Um with your addition and the addition of the DPW and that partnership we have with them it has been fantastic. Um so earlier you had mentioned that we are short on staffing on that side of the house. In your opinion, based on the standards that are set, not on historicals, but on your opinion on the standards that are set, how short are we? >> That depends on what's in the job description. >> If things were to stay status quo like they are today, assuming nothing changes. And >> if they

081were staying the way they are right now, I would say that we need ballpark close to 80 for what we have 51 doing. There's there isn't the coverage. >> Yeah, we're at 51 and you think we should be at 80? >> Yeah, that's that's what my math is telling me. Um, but we're digging into that more to see if we can better get a grip over it because I want to be able to give you guys real information so that you can make the decisions based on >> Yeah, man. I mean, I'm putting you on the spot, so giving me a ballpark answer is fantastic. >> It's kind of uh, you know, a little bit ahead of the the cart, but um, I would say 80 would be a much more comfortable number. Um, you

082know, for a good example, when we had this issue a month and a half ago at the tenny, the day that I walked in there, the head custodian was there and he was alone and he had three call outs. He was alone. We had 23 classrooms with students in them. We're putting out the food for seven summer feeding sites. >> Um, and there was one in the building. I remember the days and the frantic phone calls and all that was, >> you know, so this this is part of how we got here. So I think maintenance-wise to really get an accurate uh assessment of that, we got to fix the extenduating circumstances first. Um, we got to have them not repairing the same leak. >> We need to actually fix and not bandaid. >> Yeah.

083So I'm looking at trying to chip away that stuff. With that being said and acknowledging the fact that the next school committee is coming into what will undoubtedly be a even worse budget cycle than we just had short of some kind of miracle. Um where do you suggest the focus be in that department as a budgetary planning perspective so that s that plant whoa that seed can be planted with the committee and for the the candidates listening whoever they may be who win in this uh November >> I don't know the best way to approach that to be honest Um, I really don't have that answer. >> Come on, Darren. I'm coming to you. >> We're going to come up with it. >> I've been putting together lists of ideas to throw at people in

084the city of other ways that I think we can come up with money that needs to be poured into that. I think we need to infuse money into our school systems. >> I'm also a taxpayer. My taxes have more than doubled in 16 years. I don't really want to have a tax hike when I feel like we've been doing so much missspending in the past as a taxpayer. So, I think there are some good ways to find money. Um, and there are some good ways to be creative with what we have. So, one of the things Mayor Bureugard is helping to bridge this with uh DPW. Um, they have a lot of people in there. They're underst staffed. So, I'm not saying that they have an abundance of people and they can take care of

085all our problems, but they have things that we can utilize there. They have electricians, they have plumbers, they have environmental engineers, they have uh guys that can come and take a tree down or or they really know what they're doing mowing and weed eating. So, should we have our guys going out there and doing it? There's we have to remap this in a different way. In the history that I've looked over, I can see where we removed the maintenance and where we shifted it to the school department. I mean, at one point, the school department was taking care of city hall, police station, and all of our other municipal facilities together. The school department was um >> No, thank you. we've made these decisions to shift things around and then we started cutting and I

086think or or just not funding to keep up with the increase in in um student load. I think our priorities have been misaligned for probably 20 years and I think this is a new day. I think we're we're putting our focus back where it should be. Speaking of priorities, there are teachers watching right now and the one question they want answered is, "What do you foresee the future being for the rugs?" [Laughter] >> You know, I knew that was going to come up tonight. Um, well, the rugs. So, we have had probably 20 kind conversations on the side over these rugs. Um, as I said, I have a six-year-old He's in first grade. I know about circle rugs. I've heard stories about those circle rugs this last two years. Um, and to see how much

087the teachers care about them tells you how good teachers we got. >> It's the center of the community in the classroom. >> The reason for that was sanitation. And there was some pretty adverse things going on with some of those rugs. Um, and I don't want to scare people with horror stories, but they were horrible. Some of them were horrible. And when we look at raising the sanitation level, the air quality reports, things of that nature, rugs can't be sanitized properly once they're contaminated to that level unless you were to send them out to like a restoration company that can put them in industrial steam cleaners. We can't do that. We didn't think that we could bring those rugs back to an acceptable sanitary level both by equipment and by staff. So, you know, whereas

088I'm walking into a school one day and there's only one janitor there, how are we going to be shampooing all these additional rugs with our current staffing level? Not possible. Um, didn't even have the proper equipment. The schools this year got really good steamer, sanitizer, you know, rug cleaners. Um, and they have made a huge difference on the rugs that we weren't able to tear out yet, the ones that are going to come out next year, but we don't have the manpower to clean those rugs. Um, we we talked about can they be, you know, new ones picked up and put down. We don't have the staff for it. The only thing I can commit to is that we're thinking about those circle rugs constantly. And as soon as we can be at a a

089level of sanitation where they're not going to be compromised, they're fine. But in essence, circle rug, you've got 5-year-olds sitting on it, right? They're part of this highly susceptible population. They're young. They don't have the immune system than we do, right? So, we got to look out for them to a higher degree. Um, and they're, you know, they're sitting there crawling around on them, rolling around on them. It was the smart and reasonable thing to do. Um, and unfortunately it's a very tough one to swallow, but we're talking about it constantly. And as soon as something like that can come back in, we're anxious for it. I don't think any one of us wanted to see those come out. >> We can circle back for more. >> I have one >> second round. >> Okay.

090Um just as to quickly guide the discussion, I want to mention and actually thank the city council uh for approving uh the fiscal year 26 capital improvement plan which includes funding carve out for continuing the work on the carpets and the replacement of those. Uh we're going to be uh taking care of installing uh new fire alarm systems uh in the schools. And then also uh there's a carve out I'm pretty sure for the first time ever uh carveout for preventative maintenance in municipal buildings certainly includes the schools. So I think those are all good things. So I want to acknowledge the council for agreeing to support those. Um so we've heard from member Daglio, member Wlette, me for the first round. We'll hear from the vice chair. >> Um I want to thank you

091for all you've done. Um, all of the conversations I've had with you have been phenomenal and how much you care about our schools. So, I really do appreciate that and I really do appreciate Dr. Kuang and you working together so well. Um, that has been a huge win for all of us. Um, my only question for you is do you foresee in the near future or ever um bringing back food in the classrooms in any capacity? I would vote no on that. Um you're you're this is what's going to attract them into your room if you do ever get a situation where you have them. Um you know, maybe there will come a day where we'll have no rodents. But if you start bringing the food back into your room, you're going to have ants,

092you're going to have other things that uh come out of that. So I would leave that up to uh superintendent Right. >> I don't it clearly, you know, we we talked about this, right? We did it during COVID because it was a must and we tried to uh carry that forward because it worked for learning. Uh but now we're in this position. So I would say based on everything I have lived and learned, I would say no. uh you know get the get the building in the place where we want it so we can have the the rugs and things like that in classrooms without worrying about those issues coming to fruition. So, I would vote no on the food in classrooms, >> right? >> Yes. On the rugs eventually, >> right? I just want

093to be able to make informed decisions about things like, you know, parties in classrooms based on recommendations from the people who are cleaning our buildings and >> food in the cafeteria. Yeah. >> Okay. Well, I would just say if that's a party, if this is a holiday party, if this is the kind of thing, if it's achievable or cafeteria or if there's manpower to clean up after it and right now we don't have that manpower, so it might it might contribute. >> Great. Thank you. >> Other discussion before member Dunovan? >> Just two very quick questions. Um, so do we anticipate you to have formal inspections of our buildings? How do how often will that happen now? >> Well, um, these assessments are kind of informal. I'm writing up a full list, but it's not

094an actual inspection form. Um, the inspections for the school's food programs happen twice a year. >> Semi- randomly. Um, you know, I'm usually in uh in the fall and in the spring to make sure that kitchens are good. Um, but I think we're going to be doing we're going to be doing this every month this year and then going forward next year. And we haven't really projected this out yet because this is this is evolving. It's fluid. It's evolving as this problem. Um, next year if that's still required, that's what I'm up for. if it's quarterly, six months, whatever it is. But I think in addition to the two food inspections, there's going to be at least one full comprehensive building inspection with our department annually. >> Does that include an air quality test? >>

095That's a third party that does that. Um, so we don't do that. >> We did have the state do their air quality assessments. We're working off of their recommendations and then we see some things that we can improve ourselves and I think it's going to be on us to make sure that we get that air quality testing done more frequently. It hadn't been done in a long time. >> Okay. >> And the other question I'm just I think now that it's getting cooler and I know historically everyone loves to come inside where it's warmer. How you feeling about maybe a little should we expect realistically a little bump in visits from our little furry friends? >> Yeah, I mean activity always goes up coming into the winter. >> Oddly enough, it always goes up coming

096into the summer, too. I don't know what that is, but yes, in the winter they're looking for warmth. So, we can expect to see heightened activity outside looking to get in. And if we can really do it and we can get it really tight, hopefully we won't see an uptick in the activity. Um, we did see an uptick when the Timy's courtyards were being cleaned out. We saw a little bit of an uptick when people were coming back at the tenny. Um, part of it was because everybody was clearing out all of this stuff, right? Filling dumpsters with stuff for month and a half prior to that. They're losing their hiding spot. So, we're getting them and the numbers are going down. So I I'm really confident we're heading in the right direction. >> And

097finally, I'd like to say member Keegan and Dr. Kuang and then Mr. Godlin and thinking else who went was there, the mayor. We went on a six-hour tour of the buildings right before school started. That was a really long day. I appreciated your being part of it. Um, I I saw how staff greeted everybody who's obviously been spending a lot of time in the buildings and um, it just made me feel like we were making great progress. And shout out to the other people who were involved from our um, inspections department and custodial. >> Yeah, my director Kaylee is over here. She's been supporting this process all the way through. My partner um several others in in our department. >> So, thank you. >> You're welcome. Thank you. Member Maxwell, >> I just want to

098um kind of just go off of what member Keegan said because I feel like that was a loaded question and it was kind of a trap, but um there's a there's discussion about foods being being brought in for celebrations and I think I understand what you're saying. Should kids be eating in the classroom every day? Absolutely not. However, if there's an exception to the rule for, you know, maybe celebrations or something like incentives, um, I just want to make it clear that that you're not like suggesting that that can't happen because I feel like that was a loaded question and it was kind of a setup. So, I I just >> I just want to make sure that we're not kind of setting that groundwork. There are exceptions to the rules. That's uh you know

099>> except I would say that the food any celebrations would be in the in the cafeteria. >> Yeah. >> Like we do now, right? Anything that would be food related, snacks, things like that, they can happen and would be in the cafeteria. >> We don't want any classrooms at all. >> Yeah. I would still >> No, I understand. I just I'm >> and and my part in this is I can make recommendations as to things that I think are contributors like food in classrooms, things of that nature. So part of me says, "Yeah, that can be a contributor." Um but it's not my call to make that. Um we have policies that have been put forth that are that are unanimous for all the schools and all the teachers. And if we don't if we

100don't follow everything we can on there, if we just leave one or two openings, that's where they're going to capitalize on. And maybe we're not going to make the ground that we need quick enough. Um but I can't overstep what policies are are being put into place. So that's really not my call to make. >> We could take a couple minutes for a second round. Member Daglio. >> Um, so you said earlier that air quality reports haven't been done in a long time. When was the last time an air quality report was done? >> We had two this year from the state, but we had full air quality reports during co >> Okay. I was going to say that was five years ago. So when you said we haven't had it in a long time,

101I was just want the public to know because if we recall Dr. >> required to do that yesterday. >> Yeah. And also like remember when I I stood here and say delayed the opening until we got the air quality reports back in that October year because we so when the public I just want to make clear that people know that wasn't that long ago. It was five years ago during co because we were quiet. I just don't want the public to think like we didn't get those air quality reports. Um but uh also I think what's great about your office uh compared to the um up to last year until probably around October, November, Dr. Kong wasn't even receiving your health inspection reports. Correct. >> Correct. So that to me is where I think was

102like I said I know I'm I'm I'm always about moving everybody's about moving forward but I want people to know because I know in the school committee in the last couple of meetings I me personally have been hammering but I want people to know there has been another side of that where >> Dr. Kong wasn't even allowed to talk to you guys in some capacity before. >> Correct. Um, well, I don't know what her parameters were on her side. Um, on my side, >> and I don't I'm not going to point at anybody in particular or name names. Um, but for a year and a half, I was directly told to not contact anybody within the school >> that I go through my director. My director goes through chief of staff, goes through mayor, goes

103over to her, goes on down from there. So, there's like 15 points of contact to get the message over where it needs to be. the issues that we're talking about now we were bringing up three years ago because we were seeing it um at that time we do the food inspections kitchens food permit the person that runs the food program Mr. uh Robert Freddy and we've always done the kitchen inspections and relied on the state to be doing the full school inspections. So we weren't doing the first full school, but we were seeing the evidence in the cafeterias and we had to denote it on Mr. Freddy's reports for his kitchens because that's the eating space. So we had to denote it. Um I went through about a year and a half of him telling

104me, "I'm trying, but this isn't getting done. I'm trying to get this done, but this isn't getting done." So I don't know how much was being given to his side as to what right but I was directly told not to contact anybody and after four or five months of of eating this every day that day I sent the email out and included Brandy and and Mr. Stella on it. I decided that morning if I got fired for that, I was going to get fired for that and I would end up either part of this committee, part of the city council, or part of something else to make sure that this happened. And I walked back in the office and my partner Heidi turned around and looked at he says, "You're going to get fired for

105that one." And I didn't. It was on record. So they >> couldn't, I guess. So yeah. Um, prior to that, I would have loved to reach out to these guys and had this discussion because we we hid the problem. We hid from it. We didn't want to address it. And and by we, I say us over there. I don't know how much was even getting to these guys. >> Um, and then when I think I finally did send that email, you know, it was a few months before it was perceived as I gotta answer this guy, right? No offense to anybody in the room, but these are these separate silos that we had going on. Um, and I understand that. Um, a few months later, it hit ahead and there was no more walking away

106from this >> and you were there that day. >> Um, that's brought us all together to to fight this together. And some information I know that Dr. Kang didn't have that I have found. I've seen things that she's asked for for years and didn't get. I found stuff that Bruce has put together and 15 years ago he was the first person to put together a CIP plan for our city and the mayor asked him to do so and it made it past city uh school committee and died at city council. In that CIP plan is a lot of the things we're talking about today, you know. So, I think he's been villainized to some degree that he's not doing his job. um 30 years this guy's been fixing everything under the sun and bandating everything

107in our schools to help save us the money and to help keep them running. Um and that again is trying to make a dollar out of 15 cents, right? I think I think we I think we owe everybody involved a little bit of a group apology because we all own it. Um >> so one more one more, Mr. Mayor. Um, so before and this is why going back 15 years ago, but if you saw the and I want this is just because I want the public to know this. I'm glad that you're here. You I've been saying it, but the fact that you're here makes it all come to light. Previously, health inspectors, how I think one of the issues is how could things come to a head because there was always this question that

108everybody knew. Well, according to the health inspection reports previous to you guys, we were getting health inspection reports that said facility perfect, facility great, facility wonderful. And so when things like Bruce Stella brought to the city council, when you're getting health inspection reports that are perfect, >> well, it's really hard to do that. But I I've been on the school committee for 5 years and people said to me, "Well, you knew. You knew. We all knew." I go, "No, I didn't know because previous to you guys, I I even never received a health inspection report, but if I was to go back previously before you guys, you and Heidi came in, I would have gotten a report saying your facilities are perfect." >> Yeah. >> Correct. Yeah. And then it wasn't until May of last

109year where I saw the May one where you guys went in and hit us with 12 violations and then within six months 12. >> Sorry. >> Yeah. And then literally five months later you hit us with like 14 and that's how you and I met. That that was >> finally that was the the nail on the head right there. But I just wanted people to know and again I'm not trying to find excuses. I've already apologized. We should have known. But I want I want people to know the history behind this cuz you and I both know I know the history and we all know the history and it was multiple players in involved that you know if you see the documentation it shows that we were perfect in some degree. >> Yep. So, and

110now with the right people in place, we're finding out that we weren't. And that's why I'm happy with everybody in the health health inspectors. You, Kaylee, Heidi, I appreciate all of you and especially putting up with me for the last year. >> Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Appreciate that. >> Thank anyone else for second round. >> Yep. >> Member Wlette and memberilia. Just very quickly, um I had received within the last year or so confidential uh photographs which I I forward to Ian and in particular it was the Tenny Grammar School. It was bookcases and behind bookcases was outdated books and papers and sometimes holes uh or methods for the the rodents to travel back and forth. Uh at this stage I'm going to use the tenny as an example. um because

111that was the most recent uh egregious uh level that you know merited the inspection report and a whole team amassed at the at the tenny. Um how are the the classrooms in terms of the the bookcases behind the bookcases the the clutter any any holes um you know the the steel wool that that's usually will you are patching it how is that right now that based on your uh visual >> um so great uh really really good so the head custodians at the Timony the Tenny and I believe the marsh are the three schools that were dealing with the cabinet backs being blown out um the Tim was completed did first. The tenny at last I knew only had six left, but that was weeks ago. So, I'm assuming that those are done. Um, we

112found a lot. I think they had 60 some odd different units in one school where the back kick plates or the back plate of the cabinets. It's the way they were built. So, there's a univvent piping goes through the wall. They built the cabinets and then there's like this thin board on the back and they get knocked out from books and sliding things in there over the years. And we found those to be major highways. This whole pipe chase way is all highway. So they had to repair uh the backs of some hundred plus cabinets in a matter of two months time to try to stop them from getting into the rooms. The clutter was all removed. All the freestanding bookcases and and islands or any of those were sanitized, wiped down. Um and all

113the floors were done. I think uh pretty thoroughly. We went through and filled I I say we I didn't fill them. I just pointed them out and and the head custodians have been filling them. Hundreds and hundreds of holes for walls, radiators. Um and at this point, it's gotten down where they're just going room by room based on if there's a sighting or if there is some evidence found. So, I can't really tell you how many holes are left and how many are filled, but >> you'll find them. >> Yeah. Yeah. I think uh by the end of the year I hope we find them all. >> And I have to emphasize again again I appreciate everything you've said. >> Thank you very much. >> Start us with cander. I want the transparency. I want

114those reports. I want the bridges. I want the silos down. >> Um so that was something that I this is still going to be an ongoing issue. Yeah. I don't want to uh you know elude anybody that this is fixed automatically. This is going to be uh in the next year or so at least. And then we have capital improvements that have been neglected for decades. Thank you. >> Very welcome, >> member Shabilia. >> So the mayor started this whole thing off by saying that this is the first time ever that you, your predecessor, your department has been here and done this. So I mean, I think to your point, we're we're seeing that we're seeing those silos start to crumble. the the the story you just told about how you were directed by city

115hall to not interact with the schools. I can't I can't even adequately convey how ridiculous that is on public access television because that's it's that's insanity. the fact that you can stand there and tell me that you have documentation going back 15 years that Bruce prepared to say that these are the problems we need to fix and that those died with the council of the time and the mayor of the time like I think you know you're right a lot a lot of people have been villainized um no nobody is scot-free nobody is perfect there there is oodles of blame to go around but to to say that and be able to show that and be able to expose that that skeleton. I think when a lot of the folks who have been serving in

116municipal government kind of came up through the ranks, the mentality was you keep the skeletons in the closet. And I think that we're very much past that mentality because I know that I don't know if it was our second maybe our third meeting both member Maxwell and I sat in almost these very seats and she told everyone about how she dealt with the mouse poop at the Tim and I told the story about how I dealt with it at the tenny and it's I just I find it funny slashf frustrating how we can say we didn't know but yet we take the word of folks as gospel when they say other things, but when they tell us about the mouse poop, we didn't know. So, like, all of that aside, we're fixing it now, and

117that's what matters. Better late than never. Your department had issues prior to your arrival. This school committee and the mayor's office had issues prior to our collective arrival, and we're doing it. >> Now, back to my questions. the DPH reports that we did um on the all day events with them at the Tim and the Marsh. Are there any outlying or um lingering open issues from those that need to be dealt with? >> I think we can still improve on the air quality in in the marsh. I think there are some contributing things there. We uh almost got the boiler taken care of this summer. That fumbled a little bit. that's going to happen in the future. Um, even today, Brandy and I were looking at uh vents and and the need for cleaning it

118up and and I'm going to reach out and look into uh what grants or if there is any assistance that can help us with that because the ventilation has built up and it's dirty, >> I think. >> So, you're not getting the flow. >> Yeah. And we're not talking about like the cleaning it from what you can see. talking about >> when you take it off and you look inside and like how do you how do you the the >> the duct cleaning which is pretty massive in the schools our size to do that right so that was another conversation we had today it's not about like that looks clean right it's take it off and what's inside >> and it's not the air fil the air filters in a unit vent can be taken

119it's physical right you take it out and you replace it we do that but the duck cleaning is a whole different ballgame >> 13 miles of ducting that run through a building this We're talking about that today. How do we do that? >> This is going to lend itself to the system efficiency, but more importantly, like the further you get from the source, the less air flow you have. So, in some schools, we have staircases that are at the end of this and they're not getting any air flow. So, the moisture condensates and it creates more problems that uh custodial staff has to deal with. Um, I know there's some second floor windows that uh there's discussion about getting those replaced. So, a few of those things are going to come over this year and

120the following year. Um, I think the the overall air quality, if you were to test it now versus then, would be a a drastic difference with the removal of the rugs, clutter, the complete cleaning. Um, there's been a lot uh the filter changing and the unit vents and and everything else. There's a nice protocol for that. And everyone that I've looked into has got beautifully clean filters in them. And in the past they weren't um not because anybody wasn't doing their job, they just didn't they had too much job to do so. So they weren't getting to them. Um I can't think of anything else that's on that report we haven't uh >> started digging into or completed. >> All right, my last question. Tell us about the goats. >> The goats. Uh well, it

121came up as a half uh joking conversation in a task force meeting because another town I saw did this and we got talking about it and >> it seemed like a funny thing to try and see if it works because goats are four-wheel drive. They'll climb up a hill, they'll climb over anything, they'll they'll get to it and they'll eat it and until they run out of food, they're going to keep going at the problem. So, some towns have used this for their um you know, difficult terrains or terrains where they have a lot of poison ivy in it because they love to eat the poison ivy. >> So, we had them out uh last week. DJ uh lined that up and got them out. And >> I remember he jumped up out of his

122chair during our task force meeting to run out and call the the goat people. >> It was funny to see. Um and this was just a trial to see how they did, right? >> They did a pretty good job cleaning up over there. And >> the goats shall be back. Yeah. And and you know there are school systems there's another school system that I know of that this company deals with. And at this point after four or five years of doing it at that school he just shows up and he dances around a few different areas in the school where they have these issues over a period of a month. And we don't have to have extra staff to climb down in there try to rip the uh poison ivy out. Um which these guys

123don't want to deal with that anyway. And then it in the case of the CGS and and that walkway, we walk back there and it was a major concern. The little kids use that and as I'm standing there looking at the Ivy with everybody, there's all these little girls and boys right over in it with their shorts on. >> Yep. That's where the soccer balls go during >> really out. So it was way outside the box thinking as far as Methooan is concerned, right? Um it was fun. It was cool to see. I mean, everybody likes goats. who can have a problem with the goats, right? And I think they're going to prove to be useful to some of that situation. >> I misspoke just now. >> The goats won't be back. They'll be back.

124>> Oh, boy. >> Couldn't resist. >> Sorry. >> That'll be a meme tomorrow. >> That'll be a meme. >> This is See, this is definitely This is doing right here. Right. Um, so the the the stuff the goats ate, the poison ivy that's going to grow back. Do we do we have to now have our goats on retainer? Um, or do we, now that it's gone, do we send someone in there to kind of do massive removal? And >> here's the thing. um at school property. So, you can't use herbicides. You can't use things that work. You just can't. You use a shovel. >> Everything that I can use at home, you can't use here. So, yes, um it does grow back, but if anything, um if you go and you take off all the

125vegetation and all you leave is the roots, some of it's going to come back. If you take it off again, less is going to come back. Less is going to come back. So in the city of Belmont, uh this farm he services their schools and there was one area that was much worse than that he described. And he said after four years or something, it's down to less than 10%. It's almost gone out of this area because they just keep picking the green and eventually it dies off. That's really the only way you can combat this on a school where you can't use the chemicals or you're going to have to have an army of people go in there and rip out the roots and everybody's going to be covered in poison ivy and calling

126out sick for a week and nobody wants to do it. So, I think it's going to be effective way to we don't want to clear the woods. We want to beat that ivy back so that the five and six year olds that are walking down that path aren't getting it on their ankles. Um, and I I think they're going to be really effective to do that. Not a bad idea. >> And pretty cost effective, too. I mean, there it's 150 bucks a day for an army of mouths. >> I called them for my house. >> It was It was a little more than that, but still, I'll agree. Cost effective. >> Well, there's a drop off fees more. >> All right. Exactly. >> There's no no sick time when they get poison ivy, right? >>

127Yeah. >> Any other questions or discussion? If not, we'll close it out. I want to say thank you for all of your incredible work. You are a ninja. Heidi is a ninja. Kaylee, thank you so much for putting up with me in my push to place such a focus on this. You guys are doing incredible work and we'll keep getting it done. >> Thank you very much. Thank you everybody for listening to me and I'll see you in the morning. >> We'll move on now to uh the staffing update. Superintendent All right. So, um I will have a a part of the conversation next is the school committee reports which is a discussion which we'll go into. But as far as staffing goes, uh at this point we are looking at 13 professional staff, 50

128program assistant openings. Um and that sounds like uh but we're in an actual better place than we were last year at this time. We ended the year with, I think, 74 program assistant openings. Um, we are still processing, like we're this first two weeks of school, we're still processing uh new hires. So, I'm hopeful by that October meeting, we'll have sort of who's starting with us for the for the year. Um, unfortunately, all of the openings are in the special ed department, so we don't have any core content area openings in the school, which is great. Um so a little you know those those are concerning um with our school psychologist speech BCBAS we still have open we're just not getting any applicants so Gina Colleen and myself have been meeting and talking more so

129Gina and Colleen really working together on uh where are our priority contracted services needed how much money do we have in the operating budget with positions that are open that we've already have approved D and working with uh fewer uh contracted service providers this year than last year who were much uh were much more responsive to us and provided much um much needed I think trained staff uh compared to other contracted service providers. So uh it's it's a work in progress. We're getting people in. So we already have contracted service providers in the in the buildings. Um, you know, our priorities would be the oneto ones, classrooms with no, uh, hired program assistance where we're putting support, uh, classrooms with intensive needs, you know, toileting things, feeding, things like that. Um, so we're working through

130that. So, I will have a better idea from you guys what you want from us for reports after our next discussion. Uh, but I also feel like I'll have a better handle on this space and time. Again, we still have people going through the HR process. It's not what used what was taking a day or two for quaries and fingerprint return is now taking a week. So, we get you know, stuck I know everybody's been through that where we get stuck in these sort of um you know, like we just get stuck with the state returning th those reports at this time. We've been really lucky all summer. They've been turning around really quickly, but now I think Colleen said like a week again, we were used to a 24-h hour, 48 hour turnaround, so

131we could get people in quick, but that's not happening right now. So, we're at that mercy, unfortunately. So, I'll keep you guys posted and updated. >> Thank you for the update. >> Yep. >> The open positions in the special ed department. Yeah. Had we moved forward with that constellations agreement that we were hoping to during budget cycle, would we have the same issue right now? >> Yes. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. Uh so we we took we have uh we are going to look at uh so hold on. Rewind just rewind for a second. Um, we are using constellations for two of our classrooms right now at the marsh. We had zero staffing in those classrooms for our subsparate students elementary. Um, so we pushed all of our staff that were hired into the other

132classrooms. Uh, Constellations is going to provide all of the staffing for the two classrooms. Unfortunately, they weren't able to get us staffing until September 22nd full-time. So, we did have to move the students in those rooms. We placed them into the other rooms for the first few weeks of school. Um, both Gina and Colleen, the sea at the the marsh. I was also there for one of the evenings uh for parents if they had questions. Uh, notices went out so people knew what was happening and why. Um, so right now we're in I think Gina spent a good part of the day there. I'm going to spend a good part of the day there tomorrow. Um, just supporting this the staffing concerns, watching what's happening so we have a better understanding of what the needs

133are if there are increased needs. But part of it is too those those uh classrooms are also waiting for some of our staff to be processed. So they're not quite right. We're we're we're sharing right now. they're not quite fully uh staffed with the staff they need that is in process. So, in the next week or two, we'll have more staff that will be added to the ASC classrooms at the Marsh. So, it's I say no what we wanted in full. Definitely isn't in effect. Y'all didn't vote that. We didn't put it in the budget. Um but but after looking at the staffing that we had approved in the budget and what we actually need to do, uh we condensed that. So, we have these two classrooms that we needed contracted servicing for and Constellations

134has been wonderful working with us to figure out how to do that. Uh, they're also going to be providing us some professional development just for the ASD program this year for the professional staff and the program assistants when they're with us for PD. So, that's been an ongoing plan that we already had planned for, but in addition, so work in progress. So, you know, we said this, right? A a contract isn't going to fix this problem if there's not people who want these jobs just in general. So, a little bit better place than we were last year, but still not quite uh at the place where we want it to be. >> Dr. Kang, can I just add that out of those 13 professional positions that are vacant, the majority of those are school psychologists?

135>> Yeah, I've got four school psychologists. >> Put that in perspective. It's related service providers. We've got three speech for school psychologist, two BCBAs that makes up most of them. And then a couple of them are uh actually like inclusion teachers or somebody we just we keep taking down and reposting taking down and reposting we can't find. >> Thank you. Move on to the school committee reports update. So for me, I I put that on there because uh just going back to my notes from like May, June, there was a lot of conversation about reports. Do we want them? Do we like them? Do we not? There were enrollment reports. There were discipline reports. There were very many different thoughts about these reports on a monthly basis. So, so I just felt we're here. What

136is it that the school committee wants on a monthly business basis from us is really what the discussion is because everybody was asking me what to provide for this meeting and I just put it on pause because again the last couple of meetings everybody had very different opinions about what was useful what was not useful what do we want to what do we want to continue what do we want to not we don't need anymore um I think really I'm just opening this up for what do what does the committee want from my administration for monthly reports? What information is critical for us to have on a monthly basis? >> Member will I'm honestly fine with a lot of the reports being reported to us quarterly. I think >> what did you say? I'm sorry.

137I didn't >> I'm excited when we acclimate back to school like for residency. You're still in the process of reviewing some of those residency statuses and uh the enrollment. Um if we do it I think every couple of months or quarterly. Um I think we need to focus on what we're doing with the education with the examination of the test scores. I think we too much go into the weeds of data and I think we wanted to streamline the minutes of the meeting. I think we accomplished that. I think we were dealing with with the crisis that's now abating that we're still working on in terms of maintenance and operations. So those monthly reports could maybe become quarterly reports. Um the enrollment numbers could be uh every couple of months. I really am interested. I

138I even appreciate the fact that we're doing electronically with the our packets uh because I think it any type of effort to streamline government is is great. We're in the digital electronic age. Um so long as we're open and transparent um I think we can do that on a you know every couple of months or quarterly basis. That' be my opinion. So it's the it's the content of this the reports that we provided is that are we in agreement to carry those forward. So one from student services we'll have staffing from HR the the reports that were coming straight from IC which I think you're talking about the enrollment we want to just carry those forward. >> Yes I'm seeing some nods. I just need some like I need some direction on making sure. Yes.

139>> Quarterly. So we can do like October, January, March, May. >> Does everybody like that cadence? October, January, March, May. >> You know, may I The only thing I worry about is I think about Miss Bozac's reports and looking at where we're going moneywise, >> especially in terms of transportation. Um I I wonder if that's something that we need to really stay on or just to be aware of more regularly because boy that was stunning stuff. I don't want to wait until January to find out like whoa. >> So specifically for Mckin Vento for homeless. >> That's where we really got took the >> Okay. >> Yeah. So maybe we could do something abbreviated with enrollment Mckin Vento transportation finance. >> I wouldn't want to give that up. >> Wouldn't that be? But the rest

140of them you guys are all comfortable with doing four in a school year. >> No. No. I No, I don't I'm not seeing >> Well, no. I was going to say like if that's the case, maybe some reports we get on a monthly basis when it comes to transportation stuff like that like we were all saying. But I also think for the next school committee me members coming in, this question should be brought back up to them as well and see how they feel about it. I just don't want to set that tone for us for the beginning and then they come in and then we've we've already set this bar going for everybody. I just feel like >> so we could keep everything I mean we have three meetings. >> Yeah. I mean really

141only right you have October, November, December. If that is happy to carry on what we were doing, we'll just carry that forward on a monthly basis and maybe this is a conversation that I'll ask the next committee in January >> these reports are what we want to carry forward or do we want to do something different? >> I think that works. >> Yeah. >> Why just do that? So carry forward. So we'll do a staffing a student services. >> Okay. Okay. At least I have clarity. That's good. >> Erase the quarterly. >> Got it. >> Next on the agenda is old business and other pending matters. We have none on the agenda. On to new business now. We need a motion and a second to approve the transportation contract. >> So moved. >> Second. >>

142Motion from motion from member Shibilia. Second from member Daglio. Discussion. >> Yes. >> Member Shabilia. >> Who wrote this? So, >> uh, it was a formatted transportation contract from attorney McNelte going between Go Beacon and him from our bid, from our RFP. >> So, it covers all of the general stuff, the qualifications, the indemnification. I'm not really concerned about the legal clauses in here. I'm concerned about the business commercial clauses in here. >> There's nothing in So when I called you the other day and say, "Hey, can we talk about busing on the agenda?" >> Yeah. >> It was out of response to three different parents that I had talked to over the past two days that said they had had problems with the vendor. They had called the shop in over on cross street

143or Havil Street, whatever it is, >> and not that they just weren't helpful, but they were rude and then hung up on them. >> And it was a consistent message. There is nothing in this document to guarantee or even put some teeth to them providing I don't even want to say a quality service, but a less than horrendous service. So, it was taken from the whatever we put in the bid, we captured in the contract, >> which I know we talked about in that subcommittee with um I can't remember the guy's name. >> Rich because that was that was a big thing. These these the concept of these SLAs's, the service level agreements, them doing how many bus runs were completed on time. I don't I don't know how you track that considering their technology

144is probably farther behind the cities than anything else. But this this document like they're we should we when was the last time we checked their buses to see if they had more than 175,000 miles on them because it says that we're going to do that. Um, like it says that we're going to we have the ability to do maintenance inspection and maintenance records within a 72-hour request. I'm willing to bet we've never done that. And I know that we've had buses that have broken down over the last three years with kids on them. Um, routes will be planned in order for students to arrive on time for their school day and to be picked up on time at the end of their school day. So getting them on school, getting them to school on time,

145I think is a that's that one might be a little bit on the touchy side. Picking them up at the end of the day if you're the first or the second, but by the time the lower school kids get picked up, there's a delay. And I know that even just just for the marsh, because that's all I can speak to because I get the messages from talking points that the administration sends out because the buses are late every day. I know it's staffing. I see you going for the button. No, I'm going to tell you, and I can only speak for um Big Bus, um the beginning of this year has been remarkably good. >> Yeah, >> we've had one bus at the marsh >> that um actually it's on my notes to find out

146exactly why she's been out and bus three and eight have been covering it. Um but I believe there's someone at the marsh who sends out a talking point to everybody rather than just a message to bus 28. Um we do send an email out to bus 28 individually. so that the parents are aware that the bus might be late. So that's probably the route that's been late. Um so I can tell you big buses the bumps, bruises here, like you know first day a bus misses a stop because you know it's a new stop that kind of Yeah. But I can tell you between this year and last year as far as big buses go, remarkable. though I can't speak to and not again I don't know if those parents were calling for a big

147bus issue or a special ed bus issue I can absolutely speak to the Mthoon or the Draka terminal guy >> and have him speak to the people about how they address people >> if it was the Draet terminal >> what do you mean dra terminal I thought we were up in >> well uh the big buses come out of the Draka terminal the small buses come out of the Mun terminal >> so so there's kind of a over there who would have to address those people. There's a different person at Drake Terminal that I'm more than happy to have that conversation, but I was unaware of it. >> Yeah. I mean, when people I get these whether it's a Facebook message, a text, a phone call, I send them to you. >> Yeah. >> Whether

148or not they call you is a completely different story, >> right? >> Because I I am not the bus manager man. I none of us are. Well, you are. Um, but that being said, there's there's nothing in this contract to to point to performance. And I know we talked about it. I know it was an issue. I know that Rich a agreed with it, but this this contract is going to set us up where if they decide to slip, we're stuck with them and then we're we're a prisoner again because we can't afford for a student. And if these guys can't hold up, we have no recourse other than to call on their bond. But then even if we call on their bond, now we can't get our kids to school because we don't have

149buses. It's it's a it's a it's a rock in a stupid spot. I don't know. Um I got beeped. I'll wait for my my second part. >> I mean, can I just comment though? I I think I mean I hear what you're saying, but I think there are places in here that capture it and it's very like 6.4 captures some non-performance issues. You have places where that's there's points in this contract. I mean, I also want you all to remember the contract that we previous had was about a page and a half with absolutely nothing in it. Right? So, this truly captures like if they're not providing those services, then come the end of September, we actually can look at this and say, you aren't dropping our kids off on time and you're not picking

150them up. What are we going to do differently? It does hold us to that. Certainly far more than we have ever had in the past, >> right? But in 6.4, we're not going to contract with substitute busing and incur cost. We're I mean for gened busing we're we're not we're not going to call for a student and be like hey guys throw us one bus we need you for a route today like that's never going to happen there how >> I'm sorry like there's nothing in here that says we're got we can track and that you know they're they're committing to x amount of service you know barring you know maybe a b and c maybe it's weather I mean there was a stretch in time over the summer where methoo when was one giant

151detour, which I understand it's going to happen and it's going to impact transit, but kids shouldn't be getting home at 4:30 when they get on the bus. And that's been that's been happening. I don't know how often because I have a very small slice of the world that is my segment of reality, but I can assume if it's happening to one bus, it's probably happening to others. from member Donovan then member Wulette. >> So um uh 14.3. So if I'm right, this information about how the bus company will be penalized for failure to really just provide safe conditions, right? That was not part of our process in the past. No, which >> none what you're seeing here, none of this was in our I mean >> some of it was, but our previous contract with

152NRT was very very minimal. >> I think this is really good and you know could I hate to say it, we could be getting some revenue out of this in some sick way, right? But the only question I have um is how this is um the review process. For instance, if a driver is having inappropriate music and smoking while he's driving and yelling and swearing, whatever. >> What happens though if the cameras are not working? For years, that was the big issue. The cameras aren't. You're trying to investigate something and the cameras aren't working. >> Is what do we do? I mean, I thought we talked about last time that the cameras had to work. >> Wasn't that in That's too >> Is it Did I miss it? It's it's all of the all of

153it has to be working and in performance. It was part of our bid of what the expectations were. >> I just so I must have missed it as I read it, but that's >> y >> where is it? >> I don't know what section that's in. But there's also another section early on that make sure that they adhere to any ordinances. So that's already been done because the city put an ordinance in for cameras. I've already sent that off. >> Okay. So there's like a catchall for anything that the city puts in place that they have to agree to. Yes. That they have to agree to. So we worked that through as well. >> Okay. >> So that wasn't >> we didn't go against any of the the bid or the RFP. >> Gotcha. >>

154And there >> I mean I think >> well aware of that at this point. >> I'm pleased to see this. >> I can imagine it's going to be more work for you, Mr. Goslin. in some cases the um the addition of um behaviors that don't really meet our expectations, >> the staffing, we've already had some. I have to say, you know, we've had a couple of issues that um I think I will say I'm not going to speak for Gino or Ian, but Ryan Broofphy, who I don't think, and if he was here, he didn't speak, but uh he has now become like our main contact person for when we have issues. There's different people they contact for dispatch, but Ryan has been the one from Go Beacon that when I email, I email him

155and he responds and there's action and he calls. And we had a situation where uh there was a very challenging phone call between a parent and a and a a person on his staff. Well, his call they're they're recorded and they did take action. Um, so you know that those we're we're starting to feel that somebody's listening and we're getting response. And I can say in all of my years in this district, I've never felt that from people who are not our dispatch, who are on our cell phones, right? So he's been incredibly responsive to us. Uh, he has been part of which we have to like reschedule and set up weekly meetings, check-in meetings with NRT. he's on those and facilitates those at this point. So I do think there's a different sense of

156attention to our concerns and if we and I think parents have brought that to our attention that if a parent shares with us what's happening and we contact >> the right people there are things that are happening or changing. I'm not I think when parents reach out themselves, they get a very different response depending on who answers the phone, doesn't answer the phone, who's there, who's not there. I think there is that uh that they do need to work on. Uh but I would certainly encourage any parent to reach out to us if they have issues so that we can contact them as well to make sure we're in a cycle that they know things are happening. Um >> do you guys >> Not saying it's perfect, that's for sure. Oh, >> sorry. >> I'm

157good. Thanks. >> We'll hear from member Wlette. >> I'm just concerned about in terms of the uh Corey sorry and the fingerprint. >> Yep. >> Is that there's a provision that when there's a failure, let me just read it quickly. assigns drivers or monitors and this is under the penalty >> component to transport Mthuan students without having completed satisfactory background check approved by Mthuan. Now that's done jointly between the contractor and Mthuan before those people even go onto a bus as a monitor or bus driver. How is that even possible that that would be a penalty? That to me is a major loophole that it would have to be a greater penalty. Under no circumstances would I have someone that has not completed a satisfactory background check either Corey sorry or the fingerprint then come

158back later and say oh by the way then pass it so we can't have you as a monitor or a bus driver. That's a major glaring loophole. I don't have any uh comfort factor in approving this contract until that showed up because I don't again I think right now if I'm reviewing it it's a hybrid approach. You have the contractor working in conjunction within which I assume is the uh HR department to go through these uh Corey checks and I've said a while ago too that the hybrid approach in terms of Corey sorry is sorely lacking in terms of a safety component. The fingerprint with the FBI database is nationwide. It's more comprehensive. Corey sorry is just statebased adjudication. So going like again I think uh the vendors for the bus drivers and maybe the

159monitors I think they're the only group that uh in subsequent years I think after three years they have to go through the same background check again but it's diverted to Corey sorry without the benefit of the fingerprints with the FBI database that's a major loophole and I can't understand how under the penalty phase if someone doesn't satisfactory pass that Cory check that we're going to just have a financial uh penalty that something should be either someone should be fired or someone is just assigning someone to a bus without our knowledge as a as a stop gap. But I will not accept a contract um that it has to be something major. That's a major liability for this community. Can you just point to me where you I don't see anything that says it's just a

160financial that's not necessarily the case. A penalty may >> I'm assuming because it talks about penalties, >> right? But a penalty may be staffing penalty, which is what we're dealing with. Well, I just don't want to remove somebody that is not I mean, again, you go through before you even hired, you go through I think in corporate America, they're not going to just have you go into working at a hospital on a temporary provisional basis and then by the way, a month later, oh, it it came back flagged uh that you're a sex offender. >> Yeah. But what what we're saying in this contract though is that we're not going to allow anybody to drive our buses without that completed thing. I'm I'm I'm maybe I'm not understanding what you're asking. I'm I'm reading the

161statement. >> Why would it be necessarily as a penalty phase if you already done the work and it's already on record unless someone either falsified the paperwork or let somebody on a bus to drive without going through you guys? >> This is what I'm saying. So if if it's the penalty of they've done it without our approval where our contract says you can't do that and that's not allowed, right? But you're they're working in conjunction with Mthuan to clear these people in advance. You have the evidence of uh the road uh I think there was a component about uh road performance that has the evidence has to be provided to you guys. I guess the the drug testing that I think automatically should be provided to you guys. I think you're working >> shouldn't be

162in penalty section. That's what you're >> No, no. I think everybody should be cleared before they go on a bus as a monitor or a bus driver. >> It's not that all of a sudden we catch these guys. >> Okay, agreed. >> Okay, >> that's Yeah, >> I mean, >> can I Dr. Kong, can I just add based on a discussion that was presented LA last year when the bus company was here? I think part of that might speak to um times that they may do a cover driver that we're unaware of. that may have not been cleared by us and then we find out. >> Okay. Any driver that drives our bus, I don't want to have a repeat of maybe a situation in Boston. >> Mhm. >> Okay. I don't want that. >>

163Neither do we. >> So, okay. So, that's something that's a glaring loophole. I know if we can correct it uh between maybe uh table the proposal. I don't know. But it's it's a glaring loophole to me. And also again, I would love to see as a comp comparison what the city of Haveril because they have NRT. They always talk about penalties. I'd love to compare what they have as a contract versus what we have as a contract and see again what we can shore up because again it's kind of nebulous what we're talking about in terms of uh penalties. And I'm certainly not going to vote on a proposal that doesn't shore up the loopholes with the enforcement. I'm not going to have people on a bus even as a backup that's not and I

164don't I'm not a big fan of Corey. Sorry to begin with. Thank you. >> So, um I'm in I've been listening to everybody and I also agree. Me and Dr. Kong have dealt with NRT for 5 years and I think they're awful. The fact that I'm here and it's remarkable this year is like a miracle. And Ian should have knocked on wood. Uh for right now. So for the big buses, I can't wait for the winter to come and that's when all those drivers will start calling out sick. Um that's how I feel about them. But also, like I said, I've been reading the contract and with all these things about like membership you brought up. Um, who's going to be checking the tire? Like the tires, the mileage, all this stuff. It sounds all

165great, but are we sending someone out to check the tires and making sure that they're good? Like, who who's going to be doing this this part of the contract? >> Well, it's brand new to the contract, so I guess we have to determine that, and you're probably looking at them. Not that I would >> Yeah. >> or the transportation director. >> Yeah. Um, so you're >> it's I mean it's new in the contract, so we'll have to figure out how we get all their mileages and all that other stuff. Um, but we'll do it. >> All right. For >> Should we? >> Yeah. Member Shabilia. Um just quickly going back to member Wlette's comments I think the purpose behind clarifying the the Corey story which I agree has has holes. Um the example being if

166I get if I'm a bus driver but I get arrested in New Hampshire it's not going to show. We're a border community so it's something that realistically hits home more for us than other people. But as someone who has run quories in the past, we need to be setting clear expectations because not everything that pops on a Corey is created equal, >> right? >> And there are some things that are going to be a hard pass. There are some things that you're going to be like, "Oh, that happened." Okay, but that's not a deterring factor for someone we don't want around our children. I mean, I I >> I do this every day. >> Right. Right. But there's there's no um there's nothing in here that says who's determining that and who's are they running

167the quaries or does they get do they get run through our HR department? >> They get run through us and we collect anything that is questionable comes to me. >> Okay. >> To determine yes or no in methan >> is there. It's not consistent. It's a little inconsistent between communities >> as of course. Why would why would there be consistency >> because each I mean each super I mean I right there like what are my yes and nos versus Drake's yes and nos versus Andover's yes and nos. They are different >> right and I I do think that we should have a a cue of core folk for backfill and I don't know how they would do that. I'm sure they have a >> I don't do that. They would have to do that. Well,

168right. But if they say, "Listen, this is our pool of backfill folks that if you have a call out, we're going to plug and play. Timmy's going to drive this bus if we have to, >> right?" >> Those people should be giving to us ahead of time. So, say, "Okay, we had a call out we pulled from the queue." >> Right? So what they do, so let me just explain what happens when I get a Corey and I see on the bottom of it that it says Haveril, Draet, Greater Lawrence, it means that if if I say they put those drivers on a list that says superintendent in Mthuan, Drake at North Andover, Greater Lawrence said yes, those people then can all be backup drivers. So they they do a quy and you see it's

169very different when when I'm reviewing the quy for buses. I know it right away because it absolutely will say on the bottom it'll list about 20 different communities that they have to send these queries to each superintendent. So they'll keep a list saying which schools go to that. The problem we ran into last year is that nobody had extra drivers. So all the ones that we've all said yes to in the communities around the Marramac Valley, there weren't extra drivers and they were they did start pulling people from Lynn, making the assumption that because the Lynn superintendent said yes, I would say yes and it'd be fine. And that's not necessarily the case. That was really our concern last year or in previous years that they were pulling drivers from not our pool of Marramac

170Valley drivers that we've all seen, right? That's where we got into some real strong disagreements with NRT in the past couple of years. So it is it's an interesting way to do it. But it's exact I mean again like I said I when those come to my desk and I have to approve and look through them which I do every day. I look through Corey's and things that come up on Corey's and make those decisions on was this person in college and did it happen and it doesn't pertain to what's happening now in a classroom. I have to make those decisions every single day for every single employee that comes across. >> But when I see that group, I know it's automatically Trembly and NRT. >> Is there anything compromised if I make a motion

171to table and it passes if we push this to the next meeting? I guess what I would just need to know is what exactly is it that I'm asking attorney McNelte to look at because if it's something that you guys want that wasn't on the RFP, I don't think it's going to be put on the contract. I know what you're saying. I think I know what you're saying to make sure that any discussion we had about the performance is covered and where would that be covered and how or what do we have to add? I think that's what you're asking. >> So >> specifically was about the penalty for quaries. Are there any other levels of specific details that I need to share with him because NRT is expecting this? Was expecting this. >> So,

172personally, I know I would have time time permitting, I would have redlined it and sent it back to Peter because there there are little things throughout that I would have tweaked. Um, is is that an option? Yeah, >> I mean maybe I collect feedback from the team and over the course of the next week I can provide you with a redline copy to send back to Peter. >> You can't do that because then that's deliberating. >> Yeah. >> I mean, you can just provide me some feedback and if you capture what we've said here publicly, I can we can go back and forth and see if we can get one before September 24th. >> Okay. There it is timely because everybody's waiting for this contract for POS and service. They're not going to put cameras

173on things until I have this contract done. >> No pressure. All right. >> I know. It's okay. >> Is Is there any way we could bring um who who did this contract? I'm sorry. >> Tony McNelte. >> Yeah. Have him come in just to maybe if we had feedback, he could just come in and just hear our feedback and see if he can >> Yeah. But he's not going to change it on the fly though. >> No. No. But what you'll do is >> probably it's probably more efficient and timely if we do some redlinining and send it and see if it >> makes the most sense for the I've heard two very specific things. >> Yeah. >> You want a motion to table? >> Motion to table. >> Second. >> Motion to table from

174member Shabilia. Second is from member Daglio. All those in favor? >> I opposed. All right. The contract's been tabled. Uh next we're going to move on to uh the point on the agenda where we're discussing this change of the superintendence uh goal date. Um this has been requested by member Shabilia. Do we have a motion to approve? >> Is there there's no motion yet. >> It's on the agenda for approval. Just so you know. >> Oh >> no. I I didn't put the actual date that you wanted it changed. So I didn't I should have put discussion. So I guess I'll I'll make the motion so we can get the second so we can have the conversation and then it can pass or fail. >> Second. >> Okay. Motion from member Shabeli. The second is

175from the vice chair. So, the reason I asked for this at the time was because our subcommittee or our task force or whatever it's called for the audit met and we were planning the um presentation to the leadership team. Uh and then the joint presentation which I believe will take place at MCS >> Great Hall. Why the audio in there is atrocious. I digress. >> So, MCS has capacity concerns about their studio and they recommended the Great Hall and they're going to make that work for us. >> Okay. Um, so I wanted to ensure that Dr. Kuang and the team were able to see this report prior to it being presented, not for anything to be changed, but because I know if there were an audit done in my department at work and it went

176out to the world before I was able to put eyes on it, I'd be livid. So, out of just professional courtesy, they should be able to see this and be prepared for what's going to come at a meeting. um those meetings were being discussed and scheduled. So what I wanted to do was align the goal setting to be the meeting after the audit was put forward. That way we could actually have goals from the audit on the goal sheet. But then she went and threw a curveball into my whole thing. So now I don't know what we do. >> Yes. >> Still do it. still do it the same way. >> I think it makes perfect sense to do that. >> What? Change the date? >> Change the date to do her goals the week

177the meeting after the audit is released and public. >> So >> publicized. >> So >> wait, my vote to change it. >> But >> yeah, so I'm going with Chris. Uh, sorry. Member Maxwell. Unfortunately, when you when you sign a contract, it's the contract. It's unless when we when we approved a contract. Well, when people voted to approve our contract, they should have put that in that the audit should have been part of that contract. Unfortunately, I >> No, >> as someone who does contracts as for a job, it should not have. Wait a minute. But now you're changing the contract without >> change. You are based off the date. It says it in her contract that it has to be October 1st. >> Correct. >> Yes. >> So it's we are changing the contract.

178So, I'm all about app uh staying with contracts. I I signed we've approved many contracts here before and we've enforced them. So, unfortunately, I'm I'm going to say no on that unfortunately for that. >> Member Maxwell. Um I mean I would just be I would also just say no to that because you know it is again it is in her contract also. I mean there's a mid-year goal um reviewal date in her contract as well. Every anytime that you know I've brought up a concern with somebody else's contract it's my the answer that's given to me is oh no it's contractual. We can't change that and now all of a sudden we can. That doesn't uh so I I'd be a no. That's >> nice. Any other discussion? >> Dr. P wants to say, >>

179may I just say something just to like put that on the table? I think the important part for for me is that we've been talking about this very publicly about adding a goal to my goals, whatever may may come out of the audit, right? And the timing right now uh is such that it it doesn't match. Uh I am incredibly uh I think this is important. I think I need to go through the process of the goals as directed. Uh I have no issue of either pushing back. I can present goals on the 24th that are strategy based knowing that we may add a goal to that before approval from the audit. >> I think I think there's just there's some options here to do this that I am I'm right here. It's my contract.

180Uh I have been saying it all along that this is also I know that this this is incredibly important to the committee and the community. Uh so I think that not to go through this year to have an audit and then have people talk about that audit against my performance and not have that as part of my goals doesn't seem to make any sense whatsoever. So I would I would certainly say uh that I would be open flexible in favor of you know we do it in two parts so that we can digest uh I will have goals that are aligned to the strategy that I mean this I anticipate something that comes out of the audit probably one additional district goal that that can't be my whole uh performance and and all five goals

181can't come out of a climate uh you know audit uh because there's other things that we're working on, but we can do it in part. So, I can present goals on the 24th for discussion knowing that we add a goal or or a discussion on that on the uh October 11th date. >> That makes sense. What I would say procedurally is if the the committee perhaps the folks who made the motion, you could withdraw the motion that would take it off the table and then this would be in essence discussion. So that's a procedural uh thought. >> Aren't we having the discussion now? >> There's also a motion on the table to approve the date change. So we would either need to have a vote regarding the date change or >> withdraw the motion. With

182the motion, I'll withdraw my motion. >> And we're the second's been withdrawn. So this is simply a matter of discussion at this point from a procedural standpoint. >> Okay. Member will >> is is the audit finalized? So why isn't it being released? >> So release is being coordinated uh by way of a joint special meeting between the city council and school committee. >> Okay. So that's still about how many days away. >> The public uh paid for that report. >> I'm not understanding. It's not state secrets. It's not classified. It's something that's going to be released anyways in total. It's finalized. Why isn't it being released? So the intent is to have a presentation to the superintendent forformational purposes and then following that on Tuesday the 30th it's going to be released to both joint

183bodies together. >> That that's an arbitrary date for a presentation. We paid for that audit. We should have the audit released and its findings to the public. >> It will be >> and it will be >> okay. But we're we're talking about uh superintendent's goals and why not have the audit released >> because we're going to have a meeting anyways. >> Right. Have people digest it as a community. I know employees, uh teachers, parents, taxpayers have made numerous inquiries about this audit. Now, I know that the the committee had to fine-tune it, and I know there was some concerns about the some of the language was generalized and the recommendations had to be strengthened, but ultimately uh we've been waiting a long period of time for this audit and I'm not seeing any reason why

184the audit shouldn't be released to the public. um regardless of someone's contract or goals or when the the joint meeting occurs because that's just an arbitrary date. The audit is uh public anyways. There's no executive session uh issues. There's no confidentiality issues. There's no personnel issues. >> I disagree. >> Open meeting. >> I can clarify >> on an audit. >> This is just a point of information. I'm sorry, Mr. Billia, I need to say this. I think you're wrong. I don't think the audit is done. If you >> That's what I was just going to clarify. >> I have, you know, we have documentation where I had asked for some additional information. >> Okay. >> And um to Kelly, one of our contacts. I'm sorry. Do you have a question about that? >> No. >>

185Okay. Uh legitimate information. If you check your emails, I wanted a further breakdown of some of the demographics. Um and she was away for a few days. So it's I know that part is not done. I had asked for them to include some stuff about like if we had more information about the numbers of people from each school. So >> contradictory information. >> Well, I just told you where it is and I have documentation if anyone would want to see that. Okay. I mean, it was just some more information that um she had asked we had asked for and I had specific questions about it. >> And in terms of process, >> it's not done. >> Almost almost. Jeez, >> I did this. >> I'm following said it was done. >> Just a minute. >>

186Oh, I didn't say that. >> So, I'm following the same process that we utilize for the police department audit and the DPW audit where we're just trying to have a coordinated public presentation. there's going to be an opportunity for the both individuals who have been assisting us with the audit from CBiz to engage in a presentation and a discussion. And I think it's vital for the audit to be rolled out in such a way that it is being done so by CBIS and not by throwing it out there and having um the the conversation guided by anybody other than the auditors who have been putting this together. And so I'm very protective of the process so that we have it rolled out by CBIZ and not by me or by anybody else. So, >> so

187to two member Dunn, when will that information do we know when that information is going to be? >> Yes, I she asked for some clarification. I sent it back to her Sunday. Oh, that was yesterday. So, I'm assuming they were trying to pull out some additional stuff. >> So, for all intents and purposes, we have an outlined date for public release for release to the city council and school committee of Tuesday, September 30th. So, in keeping with the way that we've done these audits previously, that will be the date when it will be made available to the world and a discussion will commence from there and I'm sure we will have many meetings to develop a framework for the district in the future on that basis. Member Maxwell. >> Um I just want to comment

188on the um super the goal conversation of of putting the goals forward before you know October 1st and then editing. We as a school committee can edit and modify the goals and the um indicators at any time as long as it's both agreed upon. So, I'm I I don't I just don't understand what the point would be on the goal date change when we can amend it if needed. It's it's in the contract as October 1st. I understand. But like even if we got it done by October 1st and then say October 30th, this audit comes back and you know we want to change something, we can do that. We still can do that. It doesn't have to be a date of change. So, so point pointing of information to member Maxwell because you seem

189more locked in on this uh contract would technically be and I'm just asking technically when we do September 24th like have those goals that she previous and then we're technically going to edit it after the the first too after the meeting. So, we're technically doing what the contract allows us to do, right? Yeah, I know. I'm I'm saying that I I'm just saying that this is a this is a discussion on the superintendent's goal date change, not anything else. And I think that the goal date should remain the same. And if it needs to be edited, we can do that based on the audit. I don't know why the conversation has gone as far as it has. It's it's a little off topic. I mean, there's an update coming later on when it comes to

190the audit. So, right now we're talking about the goal date change and the goal date change doesn't need to change because we can view we can edit it and modify it at any time during the contract. So, it's a it's a mute point. >> So, so can we but the way the process would be um would we be able to set up that edit time like >> we can do it at any time? >> Yeah. So technically we could do it tonight if we really wanted to say we're going to >> because she doesn't have goals right now. Right now she she's going to submit them on September 24th and that's it. I mean I don't know conversation's over. >> I'm just saying we could set another date for the editing. >> We don't need

191to. >> Do we have any other discussion? >> Member Shabilia. One more thing. >> Yeah. The whole purpose of this was just to make sure we got the audit into the goals. I don't quite frankly care how we get it there. As long as we do, >> we'll get it there. I'll present my goals on the 24th and we'll add to it on the 11th as needed. >> Great. And I will save my comments on the audit until we get to audit. >> Any other discussion? If not, we'll move on to finance and operations. We have uh the expenditure report and the revolving funds report. Any questions regarding either? you do have the end of FY25 um and you have the first two months of FY26 as I'm sure you're well aware um but if

192you have any questions um student activities accounts and food services will resume in October uh with staff turnover etc we just didn't get those done um so those will be in October >> member Daglio >> and um just to continue over council pesh It seemed like ice rink did very well. This >> our goal with revolving accounts is to break even. Um so whatever we bring in we kind of want to spend. So and we we did that with the ice rink. >> So off by a little bit but pretty close to even. >> I will say I'm expecting the first payment for circuit breaker for FY26. Usually it comes in a lot earlier than this but we haven't seen it yet. Um that should be probably about $2.5 million roughly. Um so we'll be

193expecting that shortly. >> Vice Chair, >> um can you explain why the pres the preschool tuition um started at 148,000 for the year? >> You looking at >> um preschool tuition uh 30959 >> FY26 or 25? >> Oh 25, sorry. Um that's what's left over from Oh, wait. From 25. >> Yeah. >> That's what was carried over from FYI 24. >> 24. Okay. So, we carry over and that's why we start with a huge amount. I understand now. Thank you. >> Yep. >> What would they Mr. Mayor? >> Any other questions? >> Yeah. The Marsh School PTO playground. >> Uh that's been bothering me. What are we doing with that money? >> I'm going to look to get some uh new nets and stuff for the uh the backboards. >> Perfect. >> So, we'll get

194rid of that. >> Thank you. And I know they're also asking for some barrels. We could probably buy some barrels so that we can keep it picked up out there. >> Perfect. >> All right. >> Any other questions? >> If not, we'll move on to the grants report. Any questions from the committee? Moving on to student activity accounts. Uh this is going to be on the October 14th agenda, the food services report. As Mr. Mr. Goslin indicated uh the reports for September and October will also be on the October 14th agenda. Uh we're going to move on now to something new for our committee uh relative to warrant reports. Uh so we'll go right down uh along with the agenda listing. We need a motion and a second to accept the warrant of July 14,

1952025. >> Second. >> Motion from member Shabilius. Second from member Daglio. discussion. >> Can I just explain to the the world why we're doing this because this is very new. So, um, in our conversations with the policy subcommittee, we had our field rep, Alicia Malin, sort of quadruple check this for us. Um, so the school committee needs to accept the warrants, but that does not mean that you approve or deny payment of the warrants. there needs to be a recognition of the warrants by the whole committee whether or not you signed it. So, uh she suggested that we just start with this fiscal year July. So, you know, we'll on every monthly agenda we'll have whatever was the previous month's warrants to be accepted. So, we won't hopefully have you know, you probably will have

196three or four every month. We do warrants typically on a weekly basis. Um so, that's the reasoning behind it. and she specifically gave me the language to do the appro like that's acceptance of the warrant. So it's just an acknowledgement that you are accepting the warrant and again not these obviously have already been signed and paid at this point. So I hope that makes sense. It was a little we had to go back and forth a little bit to check exactly what it was that we were supposed to do. And this is what she gave me last week to make sure it was on the agenda and do one at a time. >> And it makes a lot of sense as well from a transparency standpoint. You know, prior to this uh these warrants in

197electronic form were not readily available online, say on the agenda. So now at this point, anyone can go through the agenda and see for themselves the weekly warrant, which I think is helpful for transparency sake. Any other discussion? >> If not, we'll vote. All those in favor? >> I opposed. The eyes have it. Next, we need a motion and a second to accept the warrant of July 28th, 2025. >> So moved. >> Motion from member Shabilia, second from member Donovan. Discussion. >> All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. The eyes have it. Next, we need a motion in a second to accept the warrant of July 31st, 2025. >> Uh, so moved. >> Second. >> Motion from member Daglio. Second from the vice chair. Discussion. >> I have one. >> Yes. So from the

198previous uh meetings about pest in when things that we we signed on invoices and people said things were just getting tacked on or weren't being done. Do we make sure that all these items that we are paying towards pest were completed? >> Yes. >> Okay. We we we don't customarily pay for anything. We wait for it to be done before we pay them. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Any other questions? >> Mhm. >> If not, we'll vote. All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. I have it. >> Next, we need a motion and a second to accept the warrant of August 7, 2025. So move >> second. >> Motion from member Shibelius, second from member Daglio. Discussion. All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. The eyes have it. Next, we need a motion

199and a second to accept the warrant of August 14, 2025. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion for the vice chair. Second from member Shabilia. Discussion. >> All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. You have it. Next. We need a motion and a second to accept the warrant of August 22nd, 2025. >> So move. >> Second. >> Motion is from member Shabilia. The second is remembered Dagio. Discussion discussion will vote. All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. You guys have it. Lastly, we need a motion and a second to accept the warrant of August 28th, 2025. >> Second. >> Motion from member Shibelius, second from member Daglio. Any discussion? >> Real quick. >> Yes. Um, I just want to quickly I know that this is this is new for us and like you

200said and sorry I couldn't get to the first round of discussion because I was trying to pull out all the the cover sheets. >> Um, I know this is something that we've gone around and around on as a committee since January 24. Um, I just want to make sure that we we understand that these back in the day, Ian used to go and come and visit me three times a week and he would pop up in my window in my office and I would sign his document and pushing you guys to go to docuine. I'm I'm putting down is my biggest victory in life thus far. Um, so that that was a big feat. Um, but whether or not we sign these or vote on these, we're we're all on the hook, right? So, as

201a body, it's it's unanimous. Um, so I just there there's there's no appointed folks. I know we had that conversation with Alicia. Um, nobody is appointed to assign or sign off on these. So, I just want to let people know that like as these come up, it's it's pretty consistently been the same folks doing it unless there was kind of a call to arms, which I know there was uh on the last goound. So, like people, we can we could speed this up by people being able to jump on them and move them along faster than some of us may get to it. So hopefully that will encourage folks to click the button and that way it helps things get done quicker for you. Not that it's not quicker than you putting around town. But

202>> just to point out briefly, so on the documents that are on the links here, I know on at least one of them >> I was going to say the same thing. >> The CAFO and I, we sign off on them weekly, but we do it with our pen rather than docu sign and then it's scanned back. I believe >> it's sent to the treasur at that point. >> Yep. So even though I'm not on there on the docu sign, we do actually physically >> so old school. >> Well, I I get it placed on my desk to review and then I sign off on it and I get the opportunity to be old school, I guess. So just to mention that any other No. >> All those in favor? >> Opposed? The eyes have

203it. Next round of contract awards. We have none. Uh lastly, actually not lastly, next on the agenda, we have notifications of appointments and other personnel matters. Uh we have the director of facilities job title change. We need a motion and a second to approve. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion from the vice chair, second from member Shabilia. Discussion. >> Yes, I'd like to start this. So, um, what you see here tonight is, uh, a result of a lot of conversation between myself, Mr. Goslin, Miss McCarthy, Mr. Stella, just trying to think of a better way. Uh, we we presented a restructuring of the department during the budget cycle that had more staff in it. So, we're we didn't get all those staff. Um, so we're trying to think of a way. Mr. Stella will

204be retiring in December. We have a new position in the budget, one of the ma new maintenance positions that you all did approve. Uh but what we had in mind for that last April is very different than I think what we need on the ground right now. Um and so we are presenting this tonight hopefully for approval so we can move forward uh with these two ideas that we would actually uh have two positions that would be of equal nature districtwide that would be supervised by the dire uh the assistant superintendent of finance and operations that these two would be working together but have very different roles in the system to make the system run. And so, uh, I know I'm not going to jump too far ahead, but they're very formatted similarly, and hopefully

205you can read through that. Salaries are very similar. Um, you know, both of these are expected to have very flexible schedules. They will be called uh at wei hours to do various things. Um, but we do see a very distinct difference between what we need with our building and facilities and what we need with our cleaning and supervision of custodial staff. Um, and so, uh, we're presenting these tonight in hopes that you will approve the job title changes is more of what is in your purview. So, that is why it's on the agenda that way. But important that we provide these two job descriptions so you could see they're so vastly different than what have has existed. Uh that we wanted you to understand what our thought process was in dividing this to be able

206to actually uh supervise these two areas in a little bit of a different maybe creative way than we have ever done in the district. Um and not having one supervise the other. So having having had that system in place for a year and a half, it was challenging to actually separate the two out. You know, the facilities who does what. Um so we're presenting this to you tonight in hopes that you will say yes. Uh our hope is that we would move forward with the uh second one that we'll discuss after this because that is a position that is just currently open and we'd like to get this posted ASAP. Um the building maintenance and facilities supervisor, we would like to get it posted, but the start date would be reflected as for Mr. Stella's

207retirement date or close to it. So there's some overlap and knowledge that we he needs to share with the the next person which is coming up quickly. >> Discussion will a quick uh concern about the u minimum qualifications. It doesn't make any reference to education. And I look quickly at Situit and their director of facilities. Uh it does involve a degree um necessarily a engineering degree or industrial science degree or even an associates degree. There's no degree that's associated with this position. And I I think we need to be careful of of who we're hiring. And I think we should look at other communities and at least the bare minimum in terms of education. And I'm not talking about an English major or a philosophy major. It's just someone that would have maybe an associates

208degree or a bachelor's degree that would match obviously the experience of a large scale organization too. But there's nothing there in terms of minimum education. Uh that's something I'm just I'm concerned about. I'm going to counter that. I saw you saw that one coming, right? >> Yeah. >> Sometimes. >> Yeah. Um I'm I would argue that the qualification to fiveyear work experience in an organization of similar size or industrial or commercial organization of relevant experience. Some of the best hires I've made in a highly regulated global organization have been high school graduates, not associates or bachelors or masters or JDs or any other thing. I think that we need to be hiring for skills. A lot of these folks went through trade schools. They didn't go to college. They're not going to have master's degrees.

209What I would like to see potentially added to a qualification is some kind of lensure. >> We hemmed in hot about the well, we hemmed in hot about all this as we were writing this and we did get some samples from other districts. Situate wasn't one of them but um about a certificate because what certificate and what is that back? >> That was going to be my next I don't know what that is. >> Yeah. I mean there's it's you know plumber, electrician, HVAC. I mean are we we felt that we would be really backing ourselves into a whole of potential people to be able to do this work and also supervise and lead you know like the communication and things like that. So, I mean, we we did hem and ha about certification or

210education for that reason. >> But then you also back yourself into a corner where if you're putting it out then you're saying you want a a master plumber or a master HVAC guy or whatever it may be. Now, your cap of 95 >> is too low. I know. >> And then you're you're stuck. So, I mean, I have faith in HR that that'll be weighted in interviews, but as for a college qualification, I mean, we we put I don't want to say we put too much of an emphasis on it, but these these are trades >> folk people. That's what they do. My college degree does not qualify me for either one of these jobs. So, thank you. >> I would tend to agree I've met a lot of well-educated idiots in my life. Uh

211to pay back off of that, um yeah, my my mother's been in HR for 35 years and my brother has a bachelor's in HR and communications and my mom runs circles around him all day and when it comes to HR stuff. So when it comes to college degrees, I I understand from everybody trades, this is a tradesman's job, but I also don't I I I like the lure but I like the price right now to to do that. So sometimes that bachelor degree where we we could start them at that price where master's tradesmen might not want that price um as well. So I feel like we're in a I hear both sides. I I agree with member Shabilia this this is a tradesman job but I also agree with member Wlette is sometimes you

212pull that kid out of the bachelor's degree that doesn't have the experience we can have him at that price at some degree I feel like both sides we we have we have I I see both sides of this so thank you >> Maxwell >> so I I guess when it comes comes to lensure I would say I would either suggest taking it out of the qualifications or coming up with which lure that is. So I know in con like in construction it says you know it says understand interpret and apply building co codes laws rules and regulations in construction and residentials you get a CSL a CSL or an HIC and that's your lens sure but so if you're if you're saying that that's a qualification understanding interpreting and applying building codes laws rules and

213regulations that is a license so we need to before we approve this we need to decide whether Whether we want that as a qualification or just knowledge of and then we could kind of eliminate the actual license. I'm not sure. But if we're saying that they do in fact have these qualifications that does come with a license. So we need to um I don't know. I I would say before we approve this we need to figure out what license that is. >> It is this. >> So I would be in favor of changing it to knowledge of >> Yeah. uh because and I'm totally fine with that and understand that. I I I think we're again we're trying to think outside the box and right now we have licensed people doing things and they end

214up doing the work which is what I'm hearing loud and clear right I have somebody who has a certificate and an enormous amount of experience who's actually in boilers and in ducks and doing the work which is not quite what we're hoping for, right? We want somebody who can manage, lead, figure out what those projects are, man, get it done. What's the PO? What's the RFP process? Right? We want somebody who can do that. And understand, and I know you have to vote because it's 9:00. >> We need a motion in a second to extend the meeting past 9:00. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. All right. >> So, I think if we do a knowledge of for the maintenance, it makes the most sense. So, I'd be

215in favor of that, not to lock oursel into or back ourselves into a particular certificate of which we're not going to be able to afford because there is absolute truth to that. Um, I think so many years ago we were trying to find electricians and plumbers. We can't replace people with with those trades anymore with the amount we pay them in a public school. It's very challenging. Um, so are we looking for somebody who has the supervision and management? Yes, we are right. That's somebody who knows what are any employee of us, what is their capacity and then what is not within their capacity, right? And when to call for the contracted service that we need for the roof, for the HVAC, for that that is I think what we need. I'm I'm saying that

216to you because I know we need that because we're the ones doing it. Um, so I think I'm all in favor of doing whatever you guys do. If you would approve this with a with a, you know, understanding that we would post it that says knowledge of makes perfect sense to me on both sets. Sure. >> Um, the only thing I wanted to add for essential duties and responsibilities is some sort of building by building book of what needs to be done in each building so that we know like you know this bu this building has boiler X you know like that sort of stuff. So that if that person leaves or whatever, there's a book that they can say, "Okay, instead of having the jack of all trades who happens to be in every

217boiler in every place, we we need some way of documenting what people are doing in each building so we know what's there." >> Second that. Wait, would >> Oh, never mind. >> Sure. >> Does that need to be listed in duties? Is that what you're saying, Lori? maintain. Create and maintain. >> Yes. You know what I'm saying? >> Yes. >> I thought it was too, but create and maintain. >> No, I think it's I I know what Lory's asking and I don't disagree. We can add some >> like kind of like a building handbook kind of. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Do we have any other discussion? >> All right. Let's vote. All those in favor? I I >> opposed. >> The eyes have it. We need a motion in a second to accept the

218newly approved maintenance position job title change. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion for member Daglio, second for member Shabilia. Discussion. >> If not, we'll vote. All those in favor? >> I opposed. The eyes have it. Next, we need a motion and a second to accept the assistant systems administrator title change to district technology support specialist. >> So moved. Second >> motion from member Shibelia, second from the vice chair. Discussion vice chair. >> So this one doesn't have like a sheet attached to it because there's not this isn't like a massive change in what we're doing. So we currently have an assistant systems admin. That person resigned. Uh you know Nancy and her team have been really working uh three man less than what we should have all summer. So we're trying to onboard some

219new folks. Um but they the team sees very clearly that they would prefer to have a district tech support person that we have in the buildings actually another one of those stationed at the tenny full-time um instead of replacing the assistant systems administrator. It just makes sense to have a building tech in each building and have uh the director of technology, the network operator, and the operations manager and data specialist. >> And it's actually less money. It's it's less money than what was in the budget. What we would pay for the district tech support would be equal with what we're paying the others. >> Maxwell, >> I'm just u I'm just confused. Can you >> try to sum that up better? Yeah. So, is it per every building will have their own? >> So, so

220high school, Tenny and what we're what if you guys approve this tonight, the switch high school, Tenny and Tim would have their own uh building tech uh support person and then there's a gentleman who goes in between the Marsh and CGS that has a very good system. So right now we're just looking because this is already in the budget. We're just looking to flip the title of that person uh to be a support specialist and have them be grounded at the tenny. >> I don't say grounded. I meant you know like stationed at the tenny. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Any other discussion? If not, I will vote. All those in favor? I >> opposed. I have it. >> Lastly, we're on to other business from the committee. We have the audit update from member

221Shabilia. So, bringing us back, um, member Wlette, you may have recalled when you asked if the audit was done and the mayor said, "Yes, I gave you one of these." Um, so is the audit done in a substantial fashion? Just just about. There are some clarification issues. I know member Donafan had asked for one over the weekend. Um, there are also some cleanup things that are going on. for example, there are individuals named in the document. Um, and I had this conversation with the mayor and putting that out there is going to expose us to lawsuits. So, we need to work with council to make sure that we are not changing the document but obscuring the individual names in an appropriate manner. Maybe maybe for example it's it's administrator or teacher or whatever it needs

222to be. You know what I mean? That way Dr. Quang gets to know who is named and manage it in a way in which staffing issues are handled, but it's not we're not putting out individuals information and openly discussing frontline workers in a meeting because that would that would be bad for us. Um, I think from a substantial nature it it is once those issues I think are are wrapped up, I think we're there because we're we're we're planning our launch party. Like it's it's go. It's go time. And I would have loved to have had this thing out in July, but unfortunately it it didn't go that way. But I have no regrets because we pushed the auditors to do more with the data they had because I think the data is good. The

223data tells a positive story and they're going to rerun that survey at the end of the school year. So, we'll get a second set of data points so we can benchmark them. So, when we're talking goaling and reviewing, we'll actually have hard data that they'll run for us and tell us for free. Yes. Free. It's for me and we'll be able to know what it is. And I think to the mayor's point, having CBiz be the one to drive this, you've been involved in Methuan politics a long time. So you more than anybody know that there is a general disdain for everything we stand for as a collective city or elected officials or politics just because people don't like politics. They don't like politicians. Having CBiz presents that present this as as you know their

224work, their findings, it removes all the bias. It removes all the nonsense and it presents it from a factual standpoint. They'll be able to tell you how they arrived at these findings, how they arrived at this data, what the the the nucleus was for that or the nexus for this and all those things that you're not going to really get from just a reading. They're going to be able to do that and then you'll be able to pepper them with questions which will be fun. So go ahead. >> The only problem I have with it is that I'm getting two pictures. One is it's going to be a very positive report. >> Okay. So okay, let's dispel that. It's it's not it's it's going to be good and bad report. >> May I? the way

225you way you said it right now is kind of like a a rosy above expectations report. >> And so I'm not in and you know that was the one aspect of it. The other aspect was I was hearing repeatedly that we're doing just minor tweaking and that this this report is is ready and now I've had two members from the audit committee said no we still got to do some some major tweaking and we have to get the >> nothing here is major. It has to be vetted through uh counsel, >> right? >> Not vetted. It need we need to understand how to not get ourselves sued. >> That's that seems >> but it's it's how do we identify specifically called out individuals that that have presented in a pattern that the auditors have identified

226without identifying them. You know what I mean? How? Because we can't do that. you know as well as I do >> we're because we're going to catch a lawsuit. really like more money is that I'm on the periphery. >> Yeah, we promised that. >> So when I'm on when on the periphery and we had again I make reference to the evaluation, right? Is that there was notable concerns that are going to be presented in in the audit? Now are there still notable concerns that are going to be presented in the audit because you guys are privy to the audit? So the audit >> if not then are we retracting that >> that's a that's a that's a document that this was approved by this body >> what >> so the content of the audit as

227produced by the auditors based on the data collected by the auditors it is what it is >> and it's going to be presented as it is I think the concern is that the city now this is the thing the city has paid for the audit and ultimately it's under the direction of me in terms of stewardship of the process and that's why I've been so protective of the process because I want to maintain the integrity of the process the integrity of the finished product and so in referencing the completeness of the report they they've put together from soup to nuts a document so the the production of the document is fundamentally complete The thing that we're talking about here is ensuring that we are minimizing any prospective liability to the city. For instance, we want

228to ensure that as part of, you know, the the last minute adjustments to ensure that the finished product is ultimately what we're paying $140,000 for. We want to just make sure that it is satisfying all of the city's needs from a liability standpoint, etc. But ultimately their findings are their findings and that it will all be included in the audit. But at the same time we're trying to be cognizant of the fact that you know there is significant liability concerns. There's also from my standpoint and this is something that I picked up on from the PD audit. We want to maintain the strictest confidentiality when it comes to the individuals who came forward to share information and insights. And so all of that is playing into this. So I just want to be as cautious

229as possible to ensure that on the 30th the final report that is released to the public of course it will reflect the findings of the auditors but it'll be presented uh in such a way that preserves confidentiality but also ensures that we're covered from a liability standpoint. And so that's where we're at in terms of uh the process. I didn't mean to take away but I just wanted to state that. >> So when you mean by confidential meaning employees of Mthan public schools were were named in the report and we're trying to take those out because Right. Is that No. Okay. So explain I just want to explain the confidential. Are we talking about Mthun employees or we're talking about the ones that gave did the >> I'm I'm going to state this for the

230record and this is what I I'm able to share from a security standpoint so to speak in terms of confidentiality. So when I reached out to employees of the Mthuman public schools to invite them to participate in interviews for instance I promised that their identities would remain confidential in order to ensure that people were comfortable coming forward to share their insights and perspective and do so in a free way so that the auditors could acquire that information and incorporate that. And so along those lines, um the goal here is when it comes to the actual report, you'll see eventually when it it is formally public, there are sections that include comments that were derived from interviews, from surveys, etc. We want to ensure that CBIZ is making that bulletproof by way of preserving the confidentiality

231of the people who contributed that information. And so the data >> it's the data is based on >> well numbers data that would collected as part of the surveys and responses and the like and I'll let the auditors get into that >> but ultimately the goal is to ensure that the finished product when it is presented publicly is done so in a way that preserves uh that confidentiality so that I'm able to keep my word to the people who came forward. Yeah Maxwell I think that I was worried that the confidentiality thing I I knew that the confidentiality protected the people that were making the reports. I I from what I understood from just now, I thought that we were going to have people's names redacted if the report was I don't want to say

232about them, but if it included them and there was a there was a negative or positive impact and is that person also confidential? Confidential is not the word, but yes, if so, let's use let's use member Daglio as since he's a teacher. If this was done in his district and there was a survey done and out of 800 responses, 600 people said Mr. Daglio is the worst ever. And that made its way into the report. You can't as the school committee in his district sit in an open session and >> you can't Yeah, you can't do that because you're you're going to get sued. We would be exposing the city to more liability and not only do we not have the money now, we definitely won't have the money after we get >> How are

233we going to fix issues if their names or the positions that the report is about is redacted? >> Those issues need to go to the superintendent and to HR. And if there are about if they are about HR or the superintendent, >> then it comes to us as a body, >> but it's redacted. So, how are we gonna know? >> We can get all of that in executive session because then it's a staffing conversation. >> Okay. >> But right now, we can't sit here and talk about Mr. Daglio, the teacher. >> Right. I just wanted to understand where you were coming from that. So, if needed, the school committee does could or does have access to the redacted names, but if Okay. if we had to and the the committee deems it necessary and Mr.

234Mayor if I'm straying >> push me back into my lane >> but if after reviewing this we say we need to have an executive session with CBiz to discuss what we believe is >> issues that were censored be or not censored uh redacted for the community but would pertain to this body. >> Sure. Okay. As long as we can cite one of those applicable rules to executive second session exceptions, we could do that. >> Yeah. No, I mean this this thing has to be done in the right way otherwise it loses all of its integrity >> and I would like to not get sued. >> Yeah. No, I I was just confused on that process. Thank you. >> Do we have any other questions? >> I do. I just have one statement. Um, I just

235want to say that I was a little bit disappointed in the process where um, this body found out about the date of the audit in the Eagle Tribune and that this body should have been told and informed of when that meeting was scheduled when the city council was told because the city council knew and it got published in the Tribune and this body has yet to get an email saying when that meeting is and so I'm a little bit disappointed that this body has been shown a lot of disrespect in that aspect because we should have been in the in the knowledge of when this meeting was being scheduled and not finding out from Teddy. >> Any other discussion? If not, we'll move on to the busing update for member Shabilia. >> That was covered

236during our busing contract. >> Okay. Any other business from the committee? >> Do we have a motion to adjurnn? >> Some moved. >> Second. >> Motion from member Shabilia. The second is from the vice chair. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor? >> I >> opposed. Uh, actually, you know what? Uh, we'll take a roll call on adjournment. >> Why are we roll calling a journ? >> I believe we're supposed to, and I don't think we have been doing that. Oh. >> Oh, that's interesting. >> Member Daglio. >> Yes. >> Member Donovan. >> Yes. >> Member Keegan? >> Yes. >> Member Maxwell? >> Yes. >> Member Shabilia? >> Yes. >> Member Wlette? >> Yes. >> Mayor Bora? >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> The time is 9:17 and we are adjourned. >> Good night.

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