001We are live. >> Thank you. >> Good evening everybody. This is a call to order for the special meeting of the Bridgeport Board of Education. The time is now 6:50. Pardon the delayed start. We had a bit couple of technical difficulties getting everybody on. Um in attendance is myself, Mr. Willie Medina, Mtor Jim, Mr. Albert Benahan and well, Mrs. Joanna Bur Jennings. Uh, we do have a quorum. We got Dr. Avery and his staff also present and accounted for. The first item on the agenda is public comment. Has anybody signed up for public comment? >> No, there were no one who signed up. >> Thank you. >> Moving right along. The approval of minutes for the special meeting date is December 15, 2025. Do I have a motion to approve the minutes state? >> Mr.
002Benales. >> Have a second. >> Second. >> Any discussion, edits or corrections? >> I do have some edits to page seven. Um, >> so on page seven, line, paragraph 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Um, it references assistant and I believe it should say assist. So, it's super minor edits. And then the very last paragraph, it says, "Miss Russell, it said Mr. Garcia's team is a building capital improvement project. The A should be removed." >> Is that all? >> That's all. >> Anybody else? Mr. Mloud, did you catch that or whoever's editing? Daniel. >> Okay, thank you. That is also um all in favor as as edited. I >> I >> motion motion carries. Next item on the agenda is approval of the building operations 5year 20 fiscal year 27 to 2023 to I'm sorry fiscal
003year 2027 through 2031 capital plan. >> Who's taking that on you? Good evening everyone. Thank you for having us on this evening and uh having a special meeting to get this approved. Um Jamie, if you could bring up the PowerPoint. So as part of the process, as you guys know, we like to take you through the investments that were made in the district. Um not only through capital, but also grants and other means. In the past, it's been ESSER. Um, we like to share the whole picture because I think it's important uh for folks to understand the investments that are being made in the district. Um, the effort that's being put into um the work that's being done in building operations and also how we're stabilizing and making the district healthy and safe with every
004project that we embark on. So, um, Jamie, if we could scroll right right into it. So, some of our completed projects, um, the first one is the Fairchild Wheeler HVAC HVAC core replacements. We're straight piping those. It was a design flaw or a design that uh hasn't really held up to the test of time in terms of the the functioning system over at um Fairchild Wheeler. Uh we've been working with the city council and we've gotten $200,000 a year to start to get these um pipes straight piped uh for resiliency. Um our second project is carry out school. We've done major investment in carry out a complete roof replacement HVAC upgrade um from end to end and then uh gym floor resurfacing. So we were able to capture three things in in this work that
005was done. One is we're able to button up the envelope of the building, make it watertight. Two, make sure that the environment was addressed and that they have have a healthy um environment with exhaust, AC, heat, and then the gym floor was unsafe due to roof leaks. So, we're able to address that. Also, Marin School, uh we did hallways, stairwells, cafeteria. We replaced all of the ceiling tiles. Um they were the old ceiling tiles um that were made of um I forgot the name. Mike, what is the name of the ceiling tiles over at Marin that were that were in place before we replaced them? >> Uh they were a tectum ceiling tile over there. >> Yep. So the Tectum ceiling tiles, they're great for sound absorption, but they're terrible in collecting dust. So for
006the years and years that they were in place that needed replacement, we were able to get that work done. um JFK JFK administration building elevator modernization. Um you know we're always looking at ADA and making sure that ADA standards are up to snuff. As you guys know, elevators are a big hindrance um due to the fact that a lot of the parts that are needed have to be manufactured. They're long lead items. So we're trying to get ahead of the curve by modernizing them. So these parts become a lot easier to access. The Dunar elevator modernization was on this page, but it's hidden by the photos. >> Okay. And also we did uh Dumbar modernization, which was a complete um forklift of the old and a whole new elevator put into Dumbar. Um JFK playground
007expansion. Um we had done the multicultural playground in the past. We've completed the High Horizons playground. that has solved some safety issues um in the field that we were having with the pre-existing playscape. The outdoor classroom over at um Fairchild Wheeler. This replaced the uh outdoor classroom that was destroyed by the tree that had fallen. And then we have the Beersley School parking lot which was sprawling um spalding and we were able to replace the entire parking lot with fresh new striping. Howland school restroom upgrades. We were able to upgrade the first floor restrooms. You know, we hear a lot about the restrooms. We we heard loud and clear when the the the the students had come to board meetings and had concerns with restrooms, so we've made that a priority. Um so, we're able
008to upgrade the first floor. Um we also did the JFK pool room roof painting. Um, you know, we we unfortunately had to close the Blackham pool. So, we have doubled down and have done endto-end renovations at the JFK pool. It is solid as a rock at this point. New heaters, um, new HVAC system, painting of the roof. We've done a lot of work there. Uh, we want to make sure that we we wrap that investment up nice and tight and it's in good standing order at this time. Central High School for all the hill toppers in the house. Um we had torn out the old floor uh the existing floor and we had uh replaced it with a new floor um to include modern um emblems. It's a beautiful beautiful um rendition. Um when they
009did the construction of central one of the ve items which is value engineering which is things that are taking out of a program based on budget was the gym floor. The gym floor was starting to come apart. There were some roof leaks that we had buttoned up. So now we've we've got the envelope nice and tight and the gym floor is replaced. Um there was an unveiling a couple weeks ago and folks are ecstatic. It is the largest emblem of any high school or college in the Northeast. Basic High School, as you guys know, we opened up the new BASC. Um we started to decommission the old BASIC. is something that we really need to have a conversation. Um, you know, I I envision us either taking this into another committee or creating an ad
010hoc committee um to to discuss how we're going to exit BASIC. Um, right now we have done everything we can in terms of decommissioning. There's a few items left. The biggest issue we have is that we're burning around $500 a day. Correct, Mike? Or is it a week in fuel? uh last month was $14,000 in fuel. >> 18,000 >> $18,000. Okay. Sorry. >> So, as you can see, the >> the carrying cost alone in just gas is astronomical. Um you know, these are things that we have got to really um figure out what we're going to do and have some next steps here. I'd love to turn this over so we can we can stop the bleeding. Um but, you know, when you look at the old BASIC, we transitioned into the new Basic. The
011opening was uh spectacular. The building is state-of-the-art and the students, they love the facility and you could tell just by the climate when you walk through the building. Projects in progress. Um playgrounds. So we have attacked playgrounds systematically because playgrounds is one of those things where is one of our greatest liabilities. Um, we're gonna be doing Reed Park City Magnet School, Madison School, Hooker School, Barnum School, and Cler PE preK surfacing. Uh, you guys had approved those projects. I believe all the contracts are done and we're in progress now. Um, we are also doing the JFK 6 to6 is our responsibility when it comes to capital. We're modernizing their elevator. Uh, Hallland School restroom upgrades. We're going to start the basement, the second floor. That will complete all of the restrooms this summer at Allen
012School. There's been tremendous investment made in Allen. New parking lot, new sidewalks, new gym, uh new cafeteria flooring, um new furniture, now um upgraded bathrooms, and then the cross HVAC controls. It's one of the last schools that is not controlled remotely. Um so we'll be doing that work in the near future. We're starting to create our next bid list for projects. Um Bryant School, uh the playground and site work. Bryant school is in dire need of site work. Um as you guys know, the playscape has been decommissioned. The lot is in terrible shape. Um the retaining wall that holds our property um against our abutters is failed. Um the fencing is in terrible shape. Um the sidewalks are old ashfalt sidewalks that are coming apart. There's liability after liability after liability. Um we were able
013to piece this together through capital and through some state funds which we'll you'll see in in a in a couple slides from now. Um and we'll be able to reconstitute the entire site. Columbus Mason Street the front steps and the sidewalks the front steps are starting to come apart a bit. It's becoming a liability. So, in in in in advance of uh creating a massive liability for ourselves, we're going to be replacing the entire front steps of Columbus School. Um the HVAC, we're going to be replacing a unit ventilator. Once again, environmental. We want to make sure that these students have the proper exhaust. Black Rock School exterior doors. I can't stress enough when we look at things, we have to look at things from from a 360 lens because um Black Rock School was
014rushed to get done and um when the budget came and we started doing the work at Black Rockck, there were shortfalls and a lot of that fell to the old existing building. So, the original doors are still on the existing building, creating envelope issues. So, we're going to be replacing those existing uh excuse me, exterior doors. We're going to um as part of our housekeeping and things that we do regularly, we're going to be doing the Hooker School boiler replacement and the Hallland school boiler replacement to ensure continuity and resiliency. So, grants um we're working through the Department of Energy um grant that $3.6 million. had a chat today with Hannah. Funds are in. Um that is specific to two buildings, Marin and Johnson. We'll be creating smart schools finally with the changes in government
015and and the stopandgo nature of things. Um this has been a prolonged grant, but now we have received this evening the 100% specs for the project. U Mike Zurkl and Jamie have been running point on this. Jamie on the fiscal end working with the University of uh Connecticut and Yukon, Mike in the field. Um so we're at a point now where we can start to look at this from a different perspective, get RFPs out and get this thing going. We're excited. This will be the beginning of a new bridgeport in terms of how we manage our buildings and how we look at our buildings from a from a very finite lens. Drip funds. So there was a grant that was given to us um called drip. It's three point uh one point almost $1.4 million.
016We've already programmed that all out. We're working now to do the details. That'll be the south end um HVAC control. So, the current BMA building. It's one of the only dispirit buildings. It's a BAS uh uh BV BA Mike, what is the system in there? Sorry, got a lot going. >> It's the BMS system that we going are going to uh upgrade. So, we're going to be upgrading that to unify that with the rest of our HVAC systems. Mike has total control of the systems remotely. Um, he's able to dial in hallways, change the timing of when things are on and off to save a nickel here, a dime there. Um, you know, making sure that we have continuity across the district when it comes to HVAC. Um, the Bryant playground site work. This is
017the the the residual cash needed to make this all happen. the Dumbar playground and fencing. That is the um the prek 2 playground out in front. We're going to be redoing that. Pour in place, new playscape, new fencing. Um we have the Howland and Hooker School HVAC units. Now, those are smaller boilers for extended areas where we can't get enough enough um utility to. So, we're going to be bringing in smaller boilers to be able to make sure that we have continuity and that the climate is the same across the whole entire building. And then we get into our 2027 to through 31 capital requests. So, as you can see, what we wanted to do here is we have been working closely with public works along with the with the team to sort of weave
018the needs of the district into the five-year plan. There's a reality and then there's the facts, right? So, the reality is that the city is only going to be able to bond to a certain extent this year. They typically tell us what they're going to be bonding to and then we sort of um will tailor our yearly that that year's plan based on what they're going to what they are going to fund or what they're going to bond for. Um because what ends up happening is we could put a wish list together and we're going to have to dismantle that wish list, do the work again, go through the whole entire process. So we want to be as accurate, do it one time. So like that, you know, the the the work and effort that's
019being put in can be put in across the district, not tied into one thing because as you can imagine, things like this take a long time. But this year we have done dual paths. So the plan on the left is the plan that the city um is looking to bond for. The plan on the right is purely based on the facilities master plan, priority needs, priority ones. Um Jamie, go to the next slide just so I can give them a bit of a breakdown of how this all works out. Let's go one more. >> One more. >> Yeah. So what we've done is we've taken the um facilities master plan data right um because this is a living document right this document is going to change um you know we've already this document has already
020changed drastically by some of the work that we've already done um you know depending on some of the recommendations and things that we we may want to do into the future the document will change. This is a document that is it's it's like when we would come to you with recommendations based on what the needs in the field are. This is a third party verifying all of that because as you guys uh some of the senior members on the board will remember we've been talking about the same things for the last 5 years since I've been back. We've just validated it with the third party. What we've done in the five-year plan was we took the priority ones, the stuff in red, right? some items in yellow and we've weaved those into the five-year plan
021because these are the most critical needs that need to be done. A lot of them immediately but a lot of them over the first one through three years. But we're going to take it into a 5-year chunk understanding the magnitude of the dollars and investment needed. So Jamie, now let's backtrack a couple slides. I just wanted to give them a sense of how we got here. So this is our plan. Um, as you can see, we weaved year one in, uh, based on what the city was saying they're going to bond, cuz there's only so much capacity for the city to bond when the grand list doesn't grow and, you know, other other elements and, uh, conflicting needs outside of the educational sphere. You know, we want to make sure that we're getting as much
022as we can. Now, as you could see with the work that's already been done, there's substantial work that's happened. There's substantial work that's in progress, and there's substantial work that's being done by other means and other funding sources. We are not going to rest on our laurels. Like I said, I was on the phone today with Grants talking about different opportunities and if there's anything else out there and some of the needs that we see. Um so year 1 it's 12.6. So this is this year's this year's plan, right? And then um we go on from there. Um this year's plan we we're taking into account it's best disabatement at $100,000 that's needed for different projects that we have to do. So with a district of this vintage, typically when you're touching something and you
023have to replace a major component, there is a very high cost in terms of asbestous. So we have to have abatement done and it takes a a tremendous amount of work with containments and all that good stuff. Um we've been able to bucket some things. So we have districtwide building maintenance. So we have restroom upgrades program for blackham. Um we have cross new emergency generator. Um, you know, we're talking about resiliency and safety. Marin exterior door replacements. There's been a tremendous amount of investments made at Marin and this is one of the final investments to get that building up to about 90%. That building is going to be in tremendous shape. That's been a lot of work over the last 5 years. Um, the JFK locker replacement, we were able to replace through Wester the
024first floor lockers. This is the second floor lockers. That 50,000 is part of the issue with those locker replacements. there's some asbestous that needs to be uh handled within that. And then Bryant exterior doors. Um you know, as part of Bryant, we understand that, you know, we want to continue to push in a direction where our buildings are solid as they can be. Um we we get the the site reconstituted and then we get those doors done. We button up that envelope and we'll continue to make investments as needed, but it puts us in a solid place and it addresses some safety issues. Um then we get into districtwide masonry. Roosevelt. So, there's a cut through at Roosevelt uh between the um the center and our building. They cut up through there and it's becoming
025unsafe. Um so, we're going to create a a stairwell there because folks are cutting through there and it's it's just a accident waiting to happen. So, that work is um is programmed in here. Um we have the black rock pavers. So, there's a system at the new at the black rock the new building side. They're pavers that float on pillars. The pillars are made of foam. So, they're starting to degradate and now we're having issues where it's an unsafe uh unsafe situation. So, we're going to bring in solid pairs and redo redo that whole entire prominade area at Black Rock. Um and then playgrounds. Um, we'll do the final playscape over at Reed and then we'll do the surfacing on the larger playscape at Dumbar and that'll solve those schools will now have new playscapes
026and we can take those off the books in terms of safety. Um, sidewalks caral the pavers out in front of c of kale. There's a lot of issues with those pavers now that are becoming unsafe. So, we're going to swap that out to concrete. That's that work. Um and then we have a cost share here for um Central High School. This is for the chiller replacement. Believe it or not, the new chiller from the new construction, which was a chiller, a smart chiller, which I don't know why I was speced. I wasn't here when they did that project, but um it's failing. So, we have to replace that chiller. So, we're going to go at this. We're going to go after this not only with capital funding, but we're going to go we're gonna um
027embark on a non-priority list with the state. So, this will be state money, city money, 1.7ish, I believe, million dollars um to get this work done. Um but that is the cost share for that. We want to do the hall uh roof and that will make that building complete, right? with all the the other investments that we've made in the building. Um we want to get that rooftop done and then once again um the Fairchild Wheeler chill beams at $200,000 that we've been doing a year. Um it's like a 10-year project, believe it or not, to get those all done, but we've had several failures. Um when there's a failure, glycol um will spew out of the system and in some instances do tremendous damage. We've had to reconstruct rooms, offices, and classrooms due to
028this. So, you know, this is budding up that issue. Um, right now our focus is on critical infrastructure or critical areas to make sure that any that we we mitigate against failures in places where it's going to be a larger expense if there's a failure. Um, the east end school. So, there's been talk and it's a hot topic about um the east side of the city of Bridgeport. As we know, there are several schools in that area that are in the 90 to 100 year old range. Um the city wants to start the conversation of um the potential of building a new school. There's several different things that need to happen in order for that to happen. This is one of many steps. Um this is just saying that, you know, they would put up
029the money. I'm not sure if they'll bond immediately for it, but they'll have authorization to bond for it. It gives us the ability to continue to work. Um so with that said, Jamie, if we go into the next slide. Oh, wait, hold on. Let me let me touch on on this other this other tile here. So this tile is 2027 purely taking in the facilities master plan and plugging those numbers on the priority ones. As you can see it's an astronomical number and we know that the city is not going to bond $33 million. But within this there are some opportunities if we build the east end school to shrink those dollars. So, um, we'll go on to the next slide. So, I could talk through some of that con conceptual stuff that we'll be
030diving into once we get into the facilities master plan, which I would recommend we create an ad hoc committee to take on the facilities master plan. There's been so much going on in the district that there's a lot of things that keep getting lost in in in the process, right? So, we have our budget that, you know, has been a heavy lift last year. We're moving into a new budget cycle, which is a heavy lift. We've had the state, you know, so there's been a lot of documentation and work that we've had to do with the state. One of the biggest issues is that we don't have a large team in facilities. There's three of us that sort of lead these major projects. And as you can see, it's a lot of work, tremendous amount
031of work that's happening. So, there's only so much capacity before you start to burn people out. And one of the things that we see is that folks have been leaving, right, because of the amount of work and stress. And we're at a point now where we we need to start to think about where we spend our time, right? Because there's people's well-being, right, that we have to take into account here. But with all of that said, our team does not rest and we will do what we need to do. But, you know, we wanted to just frame that a little bit because it is becoming more and more difficult for everyone across the district, not just facilities. But with that said, we've looked at the district, we've looked at the facilities master plan, and we
032wanted to give you a bit of a snapshot on how some of this can sort of come uh, you know, how there could be some clarity or how we can shrink some of these major numbers. So, we know that the plan says that there's $700 million worth of needs to make this district a healthy district, a safe district, a district that has a chance, a fighting chance to deliver the school um environment, an educational environment for these children to succeed. Right? So, with that said, we have to look at it from a different perspective. We've got to put the work in. Right? So, we have the Winthrop renovation that is currently underway. Uh we are in design documents. I sat in an RFP for five hours today uh for the commissioning agent of that project.
033That project now is moving forward. We've got a site design. Um you know, if you want to see what that site looks like, it's on our website, the facilities website. Um you know, we're still early in the infancy of this cuz you know, we'll be getting um the public more involved. We've had the parents group at the school already engaged. We've had a meeting with them, shared the design, uh, shared the design with them, started talking through what some of the nuances and needs are because we want to understand what the community has to say in all of this. Um, so that project is is is on its way. Um, and it's a $80 million program. Uh, the city's funding all of it. It was a 78.57 reimbursement. But one of the things that, you
034know, when when talking to Dr. Avery and through his leadership is we need more prek, right? PreK is a is is a need across the district. You hear me say this non-stop cuz I'm at these schools and I talk to these parents and I know what their needs are. And um you know what we've done is we've been weaving a heavy element of prek into these buildings. So not only did we get the 78.57% from the state, we also got a 15% kicker on top of that. So that program now is at 92%. Right? Um for reimbursement. Now we also added the SCE program to that. So the square footage in the SCE program is reimburseable at a higher rate also. So although we're not putting any money out of pocket here, my job is
035to ensure that there's a larger return on investment for our residents because I don't look at this as just us versus them and them versus us. I look at this as a former resident of city of Bridgeport. How do we get the biggest bang for our buck? The SCE winter program is doing that and that'll be uh 2028 opening be a spectacular project. Another project that's been funded and will start work on after the first of the year is a special ed center. That special ed center is going to reside at the old SCE property. Um you know we've been talking about that internally in cabinet. Um I know that they're excited about um you know finally having a specialized center to really start to ramp up special ed. Dr. Avery has been passionate about
036that. Um and we're making that happen. We're going to ensure that this is a state-of-the-art one-of-a-kind facility in an urban school district that is going to be the class in terms of a special ed center. Um so that project will kick off after the first of the year. Um and then you know more details to come on that. Um, so then we start talking about what does the future look like. So there's been a lot of conversation and last year there was an effort and the potential of the East End school, we'll call it now, right? Of that being the bonding that might have been the bonding money that we had got, but we had pivoted to the special ed center because we need to stop the bleeding. The special ed center gives us the
037opportunity to stop sending kids out of district, right, which cost us a ton of money and it gives us the stability in terms of special ed that we need. So with that said, the better investment up front was for the special ed center. So fast forward to now. Now we're looking at what's next. And when we look at the district and we look at where the needs are and where the priorities are. Jamie, if you go on to the next real quick, as you can see, Beersley Hall, Park City Magnet, Edison, that's the um elementary school capital needs per square foot, right? On the right side, elementary capital uh elementary school capital needs per student. It's all the same, right? So, we know where we're spending the most money and not getting the biggest return
038based on data. So Jamie, let's go through some of the next slides just so to get a sense of what it looks like. So for instance, this is your your overview. This is a executive summary of what the cost for Bearsley will be to get it up to a healthy state, right? This is not building a new school. This is just purely fixing what's broken, making sure the environmental situation works, which there isn't any cuz there aren't any ventil unit ventilators. There's no ventilation in in these buildings or anything of that nature. They're not ADA compliant, but it's $26.9 million just to get it fixed, we'll call it. Let's go to the next slide. And here we have Edison School, $13.5 million. Same thing, no new spaces. It doesn't get us ADA compliant. um you
039know, we're not getting anything that's going to bring it up to the 21st century schooling that we need, right? That we should be getting our children. Let's go on to the next. And then we have Hall, which is $17.8 million. Same scenario. So, let's go back to the to the construction. So, with that said, you're talking about $58 million in needs. So, we'll call it 60 million. When you're all said and done with with design cost, soft costs, everything else that goes into projects of this magnitude, we're talking about at reimbursement rate of 68.57%. A 30 million a uh $40 million investment versus the $60 million. So, right off the bat, you're you're better spending your money on a brand new building, state-of-the-art. The intent will be to build a KA. >> Yes. I'm sorry,
040Mr. Garcia. Um, >> I kind of gonna have to interrupt you a little bit over there. >> Uh, I was just looking today at the reimbursement rates. The general construction reimbursement rate for 2025 is that's 78%. >> Um, >> not 68%. >> Yep. Yep. You're right. We we need to be acting acting with our accurate numbers here. >> You're right. You're right. That's a typo >> because because I I looked at some of this because I do not see the numbers here. And this is what I was having issue with earlier. Um those numbers like we like it like you did for like you did for um the east end new east end school and you computed the city cost. We should have those very same costs for the city and everybody to look at.
041If we were to redo all those general construction schools, it would cost us approximately 1213 million for the city side at re at that reimbursement rate. So we could compare basically apples to apples even though it's not a new school. It will be a functioning school if we do all the 10 years work in the same time. >> With that said, we wouldn't be eligible for the reimbursement rates of new construction or renovation based on the size of the the site itself. So, in order to um in order for us to put application in, we have to have a minimum of 6 acres per site. Um those acres are less than two acres per site. So, we wouldn't be eligible for uh renovate as new or uh renovation or new building on those sites. So,
042we would be paying the whole sum of the $58 million. So we can never we can never replace a roof or anything there and get capital. >> we can replace a rooftop. We can do those things but we bear the total cost. Now rooftops non-priority stuff we can do. Priority stuff we can't. So the kind of work that's needed is priority, right? Because we need to reconstitute the whole building. The state's not going to give us um you know $26 million for Beersley. They're going to tell us, "Look, you need a new school based on the vintage, based on the fact it's not 88 compliant and things like that." With all of this said, right, let's just take the East End school for instance, at the 78.57% reimbursement rate, right? We are going to be
043adding a whole wing of pre of preK and we intend on building one of the most efficient buildings in an urban school district in this nation. We're not sitting back saying we're just going to build a building. We're going to show what Bridgeport can do and we want this to be a teaching tool for our students. So, we're looking at the potential of kickers of 15% on top of the 78.57 which will get us over 90%. Now there's another way to look at this and if you look at this long term and it's something that we'll be discussing in an ad hoc committee potentially for the um facilities master plan is that other districts throughout the state have gotten enhanced reimbursement rates Windsor for instance was at 20 they're at 50 currently Stanford was at
044like 50 they're at 80 or 90% reimbursement for 20 years our delegation is on board and working the channels to potentially look to get the reimbursement rate to 90%. 10 cents on a dollar for the resident to give us state-of-the-art buildings. So that 39 that that 125 million at 90% is 12.5 million. With soft cost, you're talking $16 million for a state-of-the-art 750 student um school in an area where there is not enough space to build a school. If the city had sold that site to the hospital, we would have no site in that area to build a new school. There's not enough acreage. We looked at every single zip, every single address in the zip codes in all three of those areas. So with that said, the reason why I go through this long
045form of explaining some of this is because as a whole, the board of education as a whole, we have got to start looking at things differently. If the city and the delegation want to fund at 100% cost, because there's no cost to us state-of-the-art facilities for our children to have a fighting chance, then we need to have that conversation. Um, so with that said, we even projected out what the next recommendation on the facilities master plan was and and that's the the magnet campus which encompasses several things. Now, this is something that we'll go back to, but we wanted to give you a framework for why we're looking to have that allocation in this year's plan for the capital. So, Jame, let's go back now. So, here we are. Um, five-year capital plan. Year 1
04612.6. Year 2 12 uh 26.2. Year 3 17.8. Year four 24.6 and year 5 34.7 for a grand total of 116 million. That is going to change every year. This is going to change based on the fact that we're out there actively looking for grants, finding new ways to to make things happen, whether it's through utility reimburse uh uh rebates, um through savings and utilities, what have you. But this will constantly change just like the facilities master plan will change based on activity. So, this is the 5-year plan that we're looking um for approval this evening. I will take any questions. We have any qu anybody have any questions? Mrs. Jim Henez, >> thank you. I have a few um questions. Um just two questions. So, you were mentioning the HVAC controls and exterior door
047replacement, Mr. Garcia, and I wanted to know if you had reached out to Energize Connecticut because they can give you rebates for the HVAC controls for sure, but they might be able to give you custom incentives to the exterior doors. Um, so that that can help put some money back into our pockets. Um, so that was comment number one. Um, and andor question. And then the second one was around the Roosevelt. Well, actually, you had a number of projects that had masonry included. And um I'm not sure I'm sure you know, but Buller Havens has a masonry department. And I'm wondering if we can leverage them to do the work. The juniors and the seniors would do the work and that would you would still have to pay for materials, but labor would be free.
048I'm not sure if that's an option. Okay, I'm going to take that one first because I'm passionate about that idea. Um, we've had an internship program in the department with youngsters for years. Um, years ago, we would get some youngsters from Bullard Havens to help out because obviously the trades they line up well. Most of our tradesmen graduated from Buller Haven. So, there's there's that link in that lineage there. Um, the only issue we have on a project of that scope is the timing. So, where, you know, most folks look at a project in a 12-month calendar, we look at major projects in a two-month calendar. Um, we only have the summer to get this work done in most instances. So, you know, we've got to figure out the fastest, leanest way to make it
049happen. Um, but with that said, there are other opportunities to engage Bullard Havens. Um, so I like that idea and we will circle back on that in another um, facilities committee because there's some ideas that I want to pitch to the board in terms of expanding our internship program this upcoming summer. Um, to question number one, um, EnergizeCT is a partner. They're one of the partners in that Renew America grant. They paid for the upfront uh, commissioning work that needed to be done for us to submit. We've gotten $80,000 for work and boilers. Uh we've got reimbursements for HVAC work. Um we've done the uh all of the LED lighting at no cost out of pocket. That's a million dollars a year we save through that program. Um we've also um Mike had just got
050um Mike, what was your last project with the heating that you just got done at zero at minimal cost? >> That was a steam trap. Oh, well, the replacement of failed steam traps at Park City Magnet Reed Blackham and I can't remember the fourth school off the top. >> We are so plugged in with any place that there's a dollar because we know we're not going to come to you and say we need money. We're going to make sure that every single leaf is turned and we looked at every single corner before we come and say we need something. But thank you for those questions because you know it it it runs perfectly in line with what we're trying to accomplish. >> Awesome. And my last question I totally miss. So I know there was
051emails going back and forth about the Dunar ceiling and I didn't see it on here. Is it because it's not a capital investment project and it's more like repair and maintenance? cuz I I know you guys are working on it, but I didn't see it on here. >> So, it's a Dumbar roof project and you're talking about over the gymnasium, correct? >> The cafeteria. Um >> there was uh in the cafeteria there was um mold right under the the auditorium. >> Tisdale. Tisdale. That's the one that um that we have that spot over the the stage. Um that one Mike is working with Tesla right now because they've got to remove 40 panels, 40 solar panels in order for us to get to that. Um more than likely that's going to be a summer project
052um just because of the scope of work that needs to be done. >> Gotcha. Okay. I was just wondering, yes, totally got the name of the room um school incorrect, but it was Tisdale. We did a board forum um this this past summer there. Um okay. Excellent. That's all the questions I had. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Ben. >> Thank you, Mr. Garcia. Hello. How are you? >> Thank you for Thank you for your presentation like always. Very professional. You and your team, they always do amazing job. Love it. >> Um question. You say about the school, the blackham school, the pool is closed. They want to be future or something like that that we fix it, you know, later on. I would love to I would love to reconstitute that at one
053point. Um, you know, one of the recommendations is a complete renovation of Blackum at that point. I think that we would embark on that. Pools are very expensive and the reimbursement rates are kind of tricky, but um, you know, if our delegation can can get us to a point where reimbursements make sense and the city's willing to expend the dollars, um, I I see that as a project that would make a ton of sense uh, providing that kind of amenity to the students. But that said, there's a philanthropist group that we're working with now. Um, you know, through Dr. Hvery's visionary uh wisdom. We started talking with some phil philanthropist um to the for the potential of some I I won't let the cat out the bag, but one of the things that that are
054on the table is a pool in Bridgeport um funded through outside source and the city paying 20% of the cost. So, you know, we are actively looking at this from end to end. No, I I understand. I'm not talking about something now. You know, we got another project. But I I have a feeling you. I know you you don't have to do the numbers. I know how you do everything. Also, when you talk about the bathroom, I know some bathroom when I went to business school, they not look like a handicap. Especially when parents, you know, they go to the bathroom, they're not look handicapped. And I worried about that one. Do you check some bathroom handicap um visitors or especially some students? >> Yep. So, so that's one of the issues that we have
055because of the vintage and the age of our schools. Uh, many of our schools do not have the most up-to-date standards in terms of ADA and there's no way for us to overcome to get those up to the current standards. um you know, wherever we can, we're making the the the the changes that we can make, but in all instances, we can't make all of those modifications due to the current state of the the the the facilities themselves >> because I don't want later, you know, some parents or or or visitors or students come look, I'm a handicap person, I'm a disabled and I cannot use the bathroom and you know, after that there will come like we say drama and we don't want that. That's why I want to really be sure that the
056school know or the school have let's say they can use someone of the staff or the the principal you know bathroom so they can know if you cannot use that bathroom at least they have another one they can use it don't worry about it. >> No I I totally understand and it's it's a priority for us as you can see we started with we did JFK a couple years ago we're moving on to blackham this year so you know we're trying to chip away at everything we can from end to end. We're trying to show as much love to as many schools and address all of the safety safety and health issues first because, you know, we want to reduce our liability and make sure that our children are in the best environment they can
057be. >> Thank you. And you talk about the old BC High School. What um I know last time I asked you what the locker room, you know, all this metal thing. I know the last time you said they're going to be in bed, they're going to sell it. What what was the the update of that? >> So, we did the auction. The auction yielded was it $15,000, I believe. Uh somewhere in that range. Um 8,000 of that we've already expended uh for the removal of chemicals which was completed I believe last week. Um you know we have some funding left left over but you know I mean there's there's a heavy lift there. Um you know we've gotten everything out that we can through auction. Um you know there's desks old desks that you know
058probably have to be um disposed of. That's one of the things I want to discuss with the city side if we could leave those in place being that they're minimal. Um, but you know, that's that's that's a conversation that we need to we need to have because we need to turn this building back over. We don't have the money to continue to hang on to it. There was a break-in um over the weekend. That's the fourth or fifth breakin. It's a matter of time before they start ripping the utility out, creating an unsafe environment. We have one custodian that's in there every day. Our management team is cycling through. We don't have the resources for this and we need to turn this back over for a host of reasons that we can really dig into
059in a meeting. No, I I agree with you. I know that last time they are some antique stuff. They they already remove all the antique stuff for the new Bass High School. They're going to keep moving stuff. >> Um the stuff that was um so Dr. Raola puts a teacher in charge of that. They removed all of the reic the relics that needed to be removed. Um I believe they've already started putting those out in the new Basic. They haven't completed that process yet. So it's a work in progress. But as you walk through Bassic, it's the new BASIC is changing every day as uh you know, we start to really get our feet under us in that building. You know, things are starting to be taken out of the archive and put up and
060you know, it's going to be home. >> And you say something about the for the gas last month, $18,000. I agree with you. I don't know what we waiting for to give that building back because right now we spend a lot of money. Like you said, something's broken, any pipe or anything. Uh there can be the boiler, there can be anything because I know we I see I was witness that going to cost us money, not the city, right? So >> we don't have the money. >> It's as the BOE we still have that building. We don't give it back. So I don't I don't know why we're waiting if they'll give that building back. >> And what I can't what I can tell you without a question of a doubt is that we do
061not have the funds for any of that. uh you know we are we'll be talking about our budget soon you know and right now we will we cannot we cannot withstand any catastrophe in that building >> that's the reason we have newbass high school so you know we have to give I don't know we have to give that building back I I want to give that building back and also um the playground of Dumbar school that was um I know was a very terrible um last year they already fix it they did something >> so there's been minor repairs done that are not holding holding up the the the the playcapes themselves need to be replaced. So now we have a path for both the prek playscape which is you guys approved for us to
062get the contract signed by Dr. Avery that'll happen in the spring. Um and then we will be doing the larger playscapes um pour in place based on funding that we were able to reallocate in and old capital. So we always look at our projects. See our goal is always to come in under budget if we can. So, we work hard at that because if we're able to save a dollar, we're able to take that dollar and reinvest it. And a lot of projects that we've been able to do that are on our project in progress list are projects that are being done with dollars that we saved in other projects. So, if we don't work at that level, then we can't create, right? And in order for this district to move forward, we have to
063create every single day. And that's what we're doing. >> Great. Thank you. And the last thing I'm going to say I say I'm going to say like always I told you thank you you and your team because you're doing an awesome job. I know it's not easy. You guys go you know day and night weekends you know to be sure you do an amazing job. I know you're short of staff. You're short in money but you spend that money you spent your employees. I know one employees sometime have to do four or five job at the same time. Nobody see that. I see that and I know my colleague they see that in the cabinet. But I would say thank you. I would say thank you. Thank you to your team. You guys do an
064amazing job. We're very lucky to have you in our district. Thank you, Mr. Vice Chair. No more questions. >> Uh before I go again, I'm going to ask Bannings, do you have any questions? >> No, I'm pretty clear on everything. Thank you. >> You're welcome. And Mr. Medina, >> hey guys, how you doing? Uh thank you very much. to cheer. Um, how do I wrap myself around this real quick? Um, so you had uh 200 you mentioned that I'm going to go way back, George. I apologize. You mentioned in the beginning about Fairchild Wheeler that was 200 uh K a year for those um replacements of those coils. Correct. Um what we're replacing is a shark bite fitting that has a tendency to fail and we're straight piping that now. U fair triheeler has an
065exotic I'll call it um HVAC system. It's a chilled beam system. Um not really made for this end of the universe, but they put it in. Um so we're we're resolving issues that come along with that by straight piping at $200,000 a year. And it'll take uh I think we're into year three. So we have another seven years of this. The council is well aware. We've educated them. We showed them some data um when we do the capital presentation. So, they've been funding that for us. >> Thank you. And Maren, you me there was a presentation part of it that said hallways and stairwell stairwells. Um but there wasn't I didn't see any identifying work that that was said as was done there. Then >> ceiling tiles >> all of it was ceiling tiles. So
066that whole three sections. Got it. >> Yep. All those sections were done. What we did was uh once again, you know, you never know what the bid environment is going to come back at. So, we did um add alternates. So, you know, we had our base and then we had two alternates. They bid on all of them. Thank god it came in under budget. So, we're able to do all of the work. And I had a question about the Halen school restroom, but you answered it, I think, in the next slide that the other floors are being worked on. Um now the pool at JFK is that officially open and functioning and being utilized at this moment or not? >> Yes, it is. So um there was some work done that we needed to uh
067redo. We did some rubber um uh treads uh when we did that work. There was some humidity, so the treads started to uh to come up a bit. The company came back out on the warranty and did that work um about a month ago. So we're up and running >> now. Also, I I didn't see anything that I that was illuminated or or highlighted the black. What's happening with black room school? I thought that was something that they were due for a re uh uh reconstruction or renovation as new or what's happening with that? I didn't see anything under Blackum that I that I saw. >> So, Blackum is in the facilities master plan. And once again, I can express I know you guys want to and I want to also dig into this facilities
068master plan. Um that is one of the recommendations on the road map for schools that need to be renovated is new. Um so that one is out. Um you know you have Winthrup special ed um potential East End potential um magnet um campus and then I believe it is um Blackum after that. Blackum is a bit of a trick because it's large it how do we break up the population? So there's a lot of moving pieces to that one. So >> no but we have a theory. Well, a way I just knew that it was, you know, it was up before and all of a sudden got bounced out. You know, I graduated from Blackum, so it's part of my uh my family tree, let's say. Um, that being said, I don't see two things
069and maybe I miss I'm missing it, but I don't see in the capital request for 27 to 31 anything for John Winthra. So, was that already there's nothing being done from 27 all the way to 31 for John Winthrop or >> building. We're building the new Winthrop. >> So, that's why there's nothing in here for that. >> Mhm. >> Just >> we're going to we're going to we're going to we're going to deliver a state-of-the-art building to that to that uh school population >> along with a state-of-the-art SCE program. >> Yeah. I just didn't see anything. Then you actually mentioned in your presentation with all due respect, you know, you you're adding and you have added uh the East End school and the East End school, respectfully so was never mentioned in the facilities master
070plan, but all of a sudden it's being referenced here regarding the facilities master plan. And I just wonder what's what's happening with that and why is that being projected as is it was part of the facilities master plan? because >> it it is that's um one of the next recommendations in terms of the recommendations that are in the plan. Um that is one of the recommendations >> master plan. >> Yes. So everything that we're doing we're basing it on a facilities master plan as a guiding document. Um because obviously there's been a tremendous amount of work. We have all the details. It's substantiated based on outside engineering. Listen, we could have we could have did that study ourselves because we know who our problems are. But you know we have that outside agency come in
071verify everything and that is on the roadmap that um the the magnet campus the renovation of um blackham I believe reed school is on there JFK is on there it projects out south for 10 years in terms of construction recommendations cuz everything is a recommendation. >> Well absolutely I look forward to uh stepping on the side and uh and you revealing that for me directly. So that's not a problem. Uh, now Curial, I just want to mention it because I know it was something that came up before. Uh, Curial School now has a functioning AC. So, >> yep. I believe we just closed that project out. Correct, Mike Jamie? Final building and everything? >> Yes, the project has been closed is has been completed. The new air conditioning system to air condition the entire school.
072>> So, that is working right now. that's being utilized at at the school now. >> It will be come summertime. >> Yes. The air conditioning is not running today. >> I want to these folks out. >> Uh I was looking at something and I think I found the answer, but I'm going to still jump into that. Um can we go to slide uh let me get you guys going here. So, it's the one after all the colors. The one that uh that says uh the one after the figure 425 with all the graphs. The one after that. That after that one, please. Yep. That one there. >> Yep. >> Now, I see for example, um it says that interior architect is at uh uh you have it at 43%. >> Yes. So, this is the
073outside engineering firm. This all of this data is based on a facilities condition assessment, the FCA. Um, this was done by architects, engineers, MEPDS, they do all of this work. Um, you know, it's not influenced by us cuz obviously we want to understand what their take is on everything. So, this is the data that they've provided to us in the facilities master plan. >> And this is only Beersley school, correct? This data that you're showing, >> this is just purely Beerley Beersley School. This is uh if you extrapolate there's probably 60 pages of information, detailed information for every single subcategory. This just gives you the overall view so it's easier to consume. >> Okay. Yeah, I just asked because I know I'm in the involved in the facility master plan and I saw that interior
074architect number at 30% but this one says 43 and that's why I said I think I pulled it out that it's probably because it's just specific to business school and I wanted to ask that question cuz all those numbers don't match for me even the one in the bottom the primary justification of project you know >> in the so it it can it so Depending on how you're looking at it, if you're looking at the detail, the numbers will not that when you add them all up, they'll be the same, but depending Jamie, go back one slide. Depending on the priorities, so there's the priority one, twos, three. So like let's say um you know, it's a priority one, you know, uh a chunk of that work is priority one, but another chunk is priority
075five. When you add them all up, the aggregate number will be the number the total number. But if you're looking at the party ones, you're going to just see the party $1 month. I understood what you said, but that doesn't work with my my head right now because I'm looking at the facilities master plan and I'm looking at those numbers and this one's got the 10-year forecast by priority just like you said. So, it's got all of them. The immediate, the high one to three, the medium four to five, and the low 6 to 10. It's got all the numbers here, but just the numbers thing. And I thought the simple answer in answer was, "Oh, this one's just specifically to be barely school, but there might be more to it, but okay. >> Yeah,
076because you have a range, right? There's a range. So there's the low, there's the high range, right? Because we don't know where we're going to end up. So they give us a range. They say this could be the ult could be the the lowest amount this will cost you, but it should not exceed this amount." So there's a lot of variables. This is why we need to have a meeting purely on facilities master plan so we can go through the theory and ideology and how we ca how how they came to these numbers and everything and you guys will understand it once we dig in um to the theory behind all of this. >> Thank you. Look forward to that meeting too. >> Session member Jimnz. I just have um two quick questions. Um they're
077kind of um based on what something Mr. Graales Ben Graala said. And so when we give back a building to the city and let's say what happens after let's say my concern is do if we give the building back to the city, right? Can we reuse it? Let's say there's a a need all of a sudden for a school on the west side. Can we get it back or once we give it back that's that's it? >> So in the in so we'll take Harding, right? Harding the the property stayed available, right? And we just lucked out that the sale with the with the hospital never happened and we're able to circle back. um you know, it's in the city's best interest to to to have something lined up for these buildings or you're going
078to have another Harding, right? Because that's that's what happens. Um but in the instance of BASIC, because the costs are so enormous, I think it's like almost $90 million. Um you know, it's in our best interest to give it back. um in that area. There are other opportunities and other parcels that if we needed to do something and the city wanted to fund it, we can find sites. Um you know, our enrollment in that area is kind of low. We know that we have plenty of space at Curial if we needed to add an addition or do something there. Um you know, we have opportunities in that area. The east end of Bridgeport, there are no opportunities. >> Gotcha. And then my last question is about the RFP. Um, so how does the RFP take
079place? Is this something that goes through the city's procurement department and then released out to a number of biders? How how does that work? >> So, so the city through economic development, their OPED department will put out a solicitation for RFP and then folks will respond um you know and then they go ahead and go through that process. It's their process because it's their ultimately it's their facility. Um, what they want to do now is we start early because under my watch I'm not going to have a Harding. You get what I'm saying? That's not going to happen because the number one thing for us is to be good stewards because we want to build a bridge in a partnership that's sustainable and that's going to last into the future. We don't do that if
080we give them something that, you know, we didn't take care of. That's why this is so important to us. This is why Joseph Kolivic himself was part of the original group that put together the the draft for how we decommission a building because we want to ensure that we have a itemized list with signatures and making sure that we crossed every every tea and dotted every eye. Um because once again, it's easy to let things slide and then have bigger issues. That's not fair to the taxpayer. >> All right. Thank you. That's all my questions. I'm going to ask a couple questions now myself before I go back to you Mr. Medina. Um right, you mentioned the energy bill at Bassic. Um do we got a new updated number because I'm trying to get a
081handle on um the new Harding has uh has a bigger um electrical cost than uh the old Harding. What what what was the difference in the bills between the two? Did we ever get that? >> Uh no, but we could whip up an analysis. We have that data. Mike and Jamie are very good at keeping the details so we can uh get you a comparison old versus new. >> Right. Right. >> We can do both. >> Do we have the bill for the BA for the new Basic? Yeah. >> I think it's easier for us to do BASIC because you know we have all that data is accessible. So we'll give you a comparison new and old BASIC. >> Yeah, I'd like to see that too. Okay. Um now the six to six magnet. So
082I I just want to make sure I heard you right. 66 Magnet School. >> We have to do all of the capital work. >> We have to do all the capital work. And this is the school children. This is the school that we send our children's to that we have to pay the state tuition to attend in a building where we have to fund the capital costs. >> Yes. Because the city owns a facility um and because we're stewards of of the work in the educational fair, we manage that work. So we're, you know, the city funds it obviously we manage it. >> And does the city get any reimbursement for the state for the use of the building to charge us rent to occupy? >> Um there there had to be some kind of
083aou that was created at one point. The details of that I'm not sure. Um >> yeah, I know that's beyond I know that's beyond your scope. I'm sorry. Yeah. If Dr. Avery, if we could look into that because that seems very very very very very unfair because I'm almost sure there's probably no compensation coming our way through that. And if there is, I would like to see some documentary evidence of that because we need every dollar we could get pension pennies. Um, all right. Now, let's see what does Lilia as that one. >> Thank the chair. Uh George, let's circle back on that tomorrow. Let's I need to wrap my head around that as well. If we can find an MLOU, that would be great as well as we as we do a research. >>
084Between OPAD in the business office and attorneys, I'm sure there's something somewhere. We'll we'll we'll track something now. >> Got a lot more confidence than I do. and through you. Um I do every um quarter do a report on utilities and expenses for six to six that I send to the business office and grants department. I'm not sure if we get a reimbursement for that, but I I do believe there is some structure to that. I do do the report and send it. >> Thank you. Yeah, that'll be that'll be very helpful to make sure we're getting every dollar we can back out of what we sending out. Um, now now I want to circle back to the Black Rock School and indoors. Black Rock School was renovated in 2015, correct? >> Yes. >> And
085it was um whole new building. How big is the Black Rock site? >> I have the facilities. >> I have the stewardship report. So I did send a stewardship copy of the stewardship report to the chairs. Uh both vice president and president um may want to distribute it just has the data of the district. So Black Rock 67,000 square ft on 1.6 acres. >> 1.6 acres. And what's the acres that the state requires renovation and new construction on to reimburse us? >> Six. The city paid above average, I believe, on that project. >> And what would that percentage be? >> I'm not sure. That's why we ran out of money. They couldn't do anything in the old building. So, we've been literally there's two systems. >> There's a system in the new building. >> Mike,
086was anything done in the old building? The library and science classroom in the old building were renovated with the new construction because the walls actually abided in were I believe removed from the science room and the library of the old building and new walls were built to accommodate the new construction. >> Right. So new >> I believe that was the only modifications in the old building, >> right? So so theoretically in 2015 they did new construction slash some overhaul renovation and did get reimbursements in 2015 on a psycher that's less than 6 acre on a site that's less than 6 acres. But sometime between 2015 that changed to make that an impossibility to ever pull off again. >> It's not an impossibility. It's just um the city's going to fund that project. You know, you're
087not going to >> we're not going to be able to u So there's a checklist of things that have to happen in order for you to be able to apply for a state grant, a DS grant. I'm not sure uh the details on Black Rockck because I don't think I was here for that project. Um that was one of my hiatuses away. Um but once again that project was slapped a new building slapped onto a old building. Here we are holding the bag on this new on this old building. Now there's two issues there. That was underfunded because probably they had to pay a higher reimbursement rate I'm assuming. And the systems in the building don't even work. We've had to modify Mike had to design because we didn't have money. Had to design a
088heating system which failed. The AC and the heat in that building have failed. the VRS systems. Um, so what we're doing now is we've been catching up the older building, right? Trying to do what we can with a limited dollars. We've done some VC um some some LVT in the lunchroom, in the hallway, in the in the teachers room. Um, now we need to do those exterior doors because things are failing and they're becoming unsafe. Right. This is why it's important to get moving on this facility master plan because these questions should be should have been answered by now within this discussion because right now I'm don't because right now I cannot really approve. Right now you're giving me first it was impossible to do something under six acres. Now they there was a way
089and there was reimbursements before but we have no numbers to compare if we could pull off a black rock style. You're gonna do that three times. >> New construction in Hall Edison and it wasn't Brian, we moved Brian. It was um Beardsley. >> So >> on those on those school on those properties if we could do new we have no no idea of the cost. We have no cost comparison data for keeping neighborhood schools which is preferable to people because kids could walk to the school. They could walk out their house across the street. Uh and we have no cost comparison. We what what we got is really nothing that I can make an intelligent decision on to approve this plan this evening. And and that's because we've been dragging our feet on this facilities
090master plan. This might be more settled in my head. If we were to do the responsibility thing and have these conversations about this facilities master plan and make these decisions because as you know once we put this in we are predicating this on closing three schools and boarding them up and having them sit in the neighborhood dormant until the city could get rid of them which the city has not shown a good track record of economic development and using the properties once we turn them over either because Harding is still sitting boarded up. So, so these are all the considerations that go beyond monetary, but the monetary portion has a piece in it that's not even fully fleshed out because it hasn't really been looked at. >> So, I want to address the dragging our
091feet thing. >> No, that that >> because because we're not dragging our feet because what I can tell you is that we have been non-stop working on every single angle to address the needs of the district. the facilities master plan. >> I'm sorry. I apologize. You took that as a directed towards you, but that's more directed towards the board because we are the ultimate surveyor. We could say Dr. Avery right now, three of us. I think I think maybe I should just like if we don't get start moving on this start having special meetings to dive into this because this has been sitting down without the board having a fingerprint footprint the discussion asking for more information about and able to do any kind of intelligent debate or dissection of this to look for alternatives
092that lies squarely on the board. That is not your perview. You've been asking to get this on to your credit for a while now. And that was not directed at you. That's directed at the board because we tend to shy away from the hard conversations. And these these are hard conversations because we're talking about new versus old. We're talking about closing schools. We're talking about a ruckus that's going to be pos potentially happening. We're closing these schools. And we haven't even got a cost analysis on increased transportation costs for god's sakes. and we're ready to approve this thing right now predicating and we don't haven't even got this out. The community doesn't even know there's since now you say it's not an impossibility a possibility to renovate them as new or do new construction on
093these sites. >> So, so I think I think the conversation that we need to have is within the facilities master plan. I think the approval of this evening is not saying that we're going to build this building. Disapproval is saying the city is taking a first step in a commitment. Right? At any time the board can decide that they don't want to do something, right? Because at the end of the day, you have to approve the next round of bonding because this is not all of the bonding for the project. This just shows commitment. You have to approve the ED specification, right? So, you have opportunities to go ahead and and and and do what you see fit. But what we what we should be cautious about is that we don't take action, right? Because
094I'm going to have a hard time explaining to folks why we didn't take a first step, right? Because at the end of the day, we know that there's an issue. And can you add a can you add a an addition to those buildings? Absolutely. But the city's going to be paying a lot more. And when you think about it, you add uh an addition to Edison, where are folks going to park? Where are the kids going to play? These are these are things that we need to discuss in a meeting revolving around the facilities master plan this evening. What we're asking for is for the city to have the ability to commit something so we can continue the conversation. If we don't, then we're pretty much saying that we're going to live with what we
095have and figure it out. But I don't see the city funding three different sites at the magnitude that we're going to need because it's not going to be the uh Jamie go to go to um go back to the construction slot. It's not going to be the 60 million. It's going to be more than that because this 60 million just fixes your issues. Now you have to add cost to add to that. Right? So we're talking about I don't know hund00 million1 150 $200 million versus 16 million. >> Yeah. Yeah. You you just gave a three million. You see again you just >> said the overall number. >> However, if we we need the reimbursement rates. Where can I find a primary document that says we cannot anything DS website or you can reach out
096to Michelle Oro and she can forward it all to you. >> Okay. Thank you. because I I find it hard to believe. I I'm also I'm going to reach out as well for the >> if you reach out directly to DAS, they can also I'm sure to have a chat with you about it. >> Okay. >> The technical team is also well verssed. I know that uh Ed Abram uh knows it inside and out. Awesome. >> Awesome. Yeah, I'm a paper kind of guy. I I like to read it myself. You know that. I hear you. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Medina. Thank you. I'm just trying to lower my hand and unmute my mic. Um, I want to piggy back and help my colleague uh just understand a more direct answer to her
097question, Miss Marissa. Um, regarding when we give up a school and Mr. Garcia and anyone could uh elaborate or correct me if I'm saying anything wrong. Marissa, when we give up our school, this is why I'm very adamant about having main discussion because the minute we give up our property, when we give up Bassic High School, that property, that is it. We don't have access to that property anymore. We don't have nothing. What George, how George answered the question respectfully is he was giving you a answer. would give you an example of what happened with the Harding site. So once we give up a school, that's it. It becomes property of the city. We don't have access. We can't really ask for it back and say, "Oh, now we need it." No. Whenever we stop
098using a property for educational purposes again, I've been doing this for the 15 years. That's it. The building belongs to the city. We don't have no access to it. And what George mentioned was that Harden was a special scenario where the city was planning to sell it to the hospital and there was some bidding things. The hospital didn't want to pay for certain things that had to be done. So that's why it just stood there and it is presently and has been deemed available. But the minute we give up that prime property of Bassic High School, that is it. It is done. I'd rather keep personally I'd rather find out what the the true cause of of everything have those meetings as a IHOP committee and sit down and say you know what if we
099need to tear down those buildings to keep it as an empty lot and keep it under our thing that's fine that'll take care of all the cost and we're ready to build something on there we have the land but I don't think that's possible in that scenario but we need to have a a plan for that site and I think you know adult education is a wonderful wonderful uh avenue to discuss like I mentioned before multiple time but Marissa once we give the property away to the city that is it doesn't belong to us the cost doesn't fall on us neither nothing belongs to us it goes back to the city we don't have access to that unless we get >> uh surprised or blessed like with the hardy site that is still available that
100the city can give it back to us in a sense so I want to make sure you understand once we get rid of it it's done it does not belong to us >> um >> thank you >> now as far as the numbers, George, like we went back to the summary of finding for the projectwide. I I see that you have it here in that page that you're is presently on the screen that 702.5 basically. Um I see the SCE, I see Sheridan, I see the Hall, Edison, Beersley, Park City Magnet, I see uh Maplewood, I see St. Peters estimate yearly lease. I see those things, but I don't see any of the reimbursements for those things. I see the total cost for the possible renovations and things that the facility master plan had assigned
101to that particular uh school but I don't see any other reimbursements. So to me this data is not really giving us the proper numbers uh like hall needs 17.7 but out of that 17.7 there is some reimbursement that can't be had. Correct. No. Well, reimbur uh when we're talking about the the the the need, the $17 million, that is a total number that the city will have to fund. There's no reimbursement rate for that because you can't do a renovate as new on that project on on that site. So, the city is going to bear the cost. So, this is where when you look at the current I mean, they're 100y old buildings. The bathroom is in the basement of that building. you know, we we got to start to come to some sense of
102reality in terms of what we're dealing with and the inequity that is created because of that, right? So, you have a brand new school. You let's just take let's take Marin, which is 20 plus years old, and put it up against one of those schools. It's not even in the same stratosphere in terms of what you can do educationally because you start taking into account the program you have to run when you have a kid on the third floor. Just shuttling a kid from the third floor to the bathroom in the basement. How much time does that take? What are you taking away from the day when you're educating a kid? And I'm not an educator, but you know, I look at these things because it's my job to ensure that I'm giving you the
103best information and the best recommendations that I can. I've been doing this for 30 years and what I can say is that these buildings have far exceeded their use for life. I built schools around the nation and around the planet at this point and I can say that these buildings have no value um in terms of the the the process. We need to do better for these kids and I understand we want neighborhood schools and we want to do best we can with that stuff but there's a breaking point in everything right now. The total numbers that are in the FC are numbers that the city would have to bear, right? And end of the day, I'm here providing a recommendation. That's my job. End of the day, you guys are going to set policy
104and we're going to do whatever you guys want. But when we look at this, we got to start to think differently, right? because the children at daycare and the taxpayer at the end of the day because these are high these these these these numbers I mean they scare me and I tell you all the time there's going to be one thing that happens in one of these buildings is going to cause us to shut them down you know there's going to be one one catastrophe away of trying to figure out what we're going to do with hundreds of kids >> I understand that point Um, so my last question real quick just in case because I'm a fish. I like to fish. So I see in the in the Yeah. No, I see in this
105thing like I mentioned I see SC Sheridan and this list that we have before us right now on the screen. They let you know. Yeah, that's screen. Um, and I see Park City Magnet, Maplewood, St. Peters. I see all the other school. But as far as moving forward down the line on this presentation, I only see Bearsley school and numbers in Brley school. Uh I see Edison school and I see Hall School. Why am I not seeing the other schools that are mentioned in that page, but I'm only seeing those particular three on this report? Or what you're asking us, I guess, to approve something uh which I'll get to that in a minute. Why I only see three out of all the schools that are listed on that report? >> I'm and I'm kind
106of confused. So the east end school piece >> you see you see you see the school the the notice in front of you right now the the one that's on your screen >> on there it talks about skain needs Sheridan needs hall needs Edison Beersley Park City Maplewood and St. Peters, all those schools are lifted there. >> Whoever's controlling the screen, can you go down two more pages down forward please? >> Then there you have Bearsly next please. Then you have Edison and then next one after that, the last one is Hall. the reason >> the only three that are shared, but the other schools that are in that first initial thing, I don't have no that information >> because what we're doing is we're showing you the data on the schools that that are
107in the request that you're going to be approving for this evening. Right? So once again, um you know, we're looking for approval of this plan and in this plan there is that East End school. We wanted to give you the data so you can understand the impacts. So within the facilities master plan that's on the website you can see every single school. We wanted to depict we wanted to give you a snapshot of how things can lay out. I mean you know there's there's a lot of work that's gone into this and if we laid out every single scenario and every single detail I mean you're you're not going to have any employees to work here in the district. No, I'm I'm just saying you you only gave the things for the act. So you're
108saying is the only reason those three are uh kind of like highlighted in this report is because they have to do with the is staying school. >> Yes. And that's on if you can see the bottom line right here what Jamie is highlighting that $10 million is a portion of the cost share. Right. So we wanted to show you the data that's in that report. Right? We wanted to just take that out make it simple so you could see the numbers. to the chair. I really I give it back to you, Mr. >> No, no, I give it back to you. I'm just I'm I'm done with my questions right now. >> I just went through a loop. >> Dr. Avery. >> Uh thank you, uh Mr. Chair. I think I'm going to be very
109brief. I think what George I think I I I would want to personally thank you and your team. I you you've done a really good job of of bringing, you know, a very complex, you know, scenario of the things that we're faced with in this district on the financial side into perspective. So, I appreciate that uh your your articulation of how it went down and making sure the clarity is there as well. Uh and there's there's decisions that's having to be made and one of those tonight is to to provide this capital overview and approval. Um this is the first portion of our budgetary process of this district. Uh and if we if we you know postpone this, it's going to postpone everything else in our general budget uh budget development process that we are
110having to work with the state on. Uh again, I you know, Moker, I I I I understand your your your disagreement with with me on that, but it's important that, you know, the board will consider a vote on this and you can wherever it falls where it falls and I and I will respectfully, you know, understand that. But I think we need to keep it moving. Um, we're going to have a whole lot of uh difficult conversations moving forward in the next three months that, you know, not everybody in in the room is going to agree to. Uh, but I think it's important that my job is to kind of keep this thing moving and I'm going to do that to the best of my ability. Uh, you know, and um I I'm going to
111respectfully, you know, agree and disagree along the way, but you know, my job is to make sure that we have great opportunities for children in this district. and I'm going to do everything I can do to make that work. And I understand you, a lot of you may disagree with me on it, but I'm okay with that. But I'm going still make those recommendations because the state is watching every single thing that we're doing and they want to make sure that we're going to be able to come together as a as a as a as a team to make difficult conversation, difficult decisions. And I think we're we're we're at that pivotal point right now to be able to do that. And I think we just need to keep it moving. So, uh, thank you,
112chair. I'll turn it back over to you, >> Mr. Ben. >> Thank you, Mr. Vice Chair. Um, I make a motion to approve the Bridgeport Public School building operation for the year 2027 2031 31 capital request. >> Second. >> It's been a proper motion. It's been properly seconded. Is there any other further questions? Any other further debate? Well, besides myself, I've got a couple of more thing points and questions before we move on. Um, one one one thing I want to address, Dr. Avery, is that the operating budget and the capital budget are two separate entities. If this is in fact denied or delayed in any shape or way, that does not mean that the work on the operating budget should ground to a screeching halt. And I would have some really big concerns if
113we were not able to handle those both things simultaneously. Um, I would have really big concerns about the district and I would probably encourage the state to actually take us over and replace us all if we can't get that done at the same time because it's so it's it's how it's been done all the time and throughout the districts we do not grind to a halt just because one thing's not done. This is not a linear process. It's a holistic process that needs to be happening all at the same time. And what else was I going to say? Yeah, I just have a lot of concerns and just because this is like it's becoming a common theme with us on this board as it was last time. We got to get moving. We got to
114get moving even though we don't have all the information in front of us. This upset us as a board to no end over the last two years. And this never this kind of pressure has never happened prior to three four years ago. and to keep putting this pressure on this board, it's unfair because um if things are brought to us in time, if we have proper documentation in time, if the board comes together and calls meetings and puts things on the agenda and the chair puts things on the agenda and demands that we hear these things, we could get these things done. I will not be forced as a board member to make a rash decision based on lastm minute information based on information out there just because the state is watching. Because if the
115state is watching and they truly care about the city of Bridgeport, they want decision makers like me to take these things into consideration. They want the whole board to consider all these things and exercise that kind of authority. As they said, the board never has its hands on the budget enough. The board never has it hands on the budget enough. Now, now we're starting to put hands, starting to have questions. So, some of us are anyway, and the push back is, oh, we got to make a decision because the state's watching. No, the state's watching to see if we follow their recommendations to be a more hands-on board to have more input in the budget. That's all I have. Uh, Mr. Media. >> Yes. So, as far as this document and what we're trying to
116get approved, I just want a little bit of clarity on we're doing this year we're doing this whole plan. So, that's for a BOE total of 116,51 and uh sorry, $116,51,479. Is that correct? >> Yes. 70. >> So, it's the fiveyear you are approving the five-year plan. >> Thank you. I just wanted to check that. Yep. That's the only question I have right now because again I I I I I feel some kind of I feel that again in everything that I've read with the facilities master plan this is this een school is being highlighted in this particular uh thing as part of it and I don't think it was and I don't you know we'll talk about that later and this is why I'm having some reservation because I want to make sure all
117the deals are are correct because I don't want to approve anything that's trying to say that we're closing down schools or anything and it's forcing us and I know you partially answered that Mr. Garcia and you mentioned in your comment this doesn't put us in any binding agreement of of doing this that such work but I just uh I have my reservations but thank you back to the chair >> Mr. Wood uh Mr. Benahan >> thank you Mr. I share um I want to go back with Mr. Medina talk about the building I I agree with him but you know what I would love to keep that building I would love to do uh uh do education parent con center a lot of things for our parents but you know what's the worst it was
118the bad thing we don't have the money and we had the money I know Mr. Garcia would let us know long time ago. I wish I can win the the lotto and win the million dollars. I can say let's buy the building for public school. But you know me to do it right now. But you know something I know is the reason we don't have the money and I agree with Mr. Medina about everything we can do in that building but we don't have it >> and go back to you Mr. Sullet. I know the state is watching you know saying and that Mr. Ever said and everything but guess what who elect us? our community, our people, they the one our parents that they're watching us that's the people we had to answer them
119and work for them. A lot of people they watching us all around but guess what I agree with what you say but it's the people let us so we have to work and give answers to the people whoever is watching us welcome let don't don't don't watching us come and help us and put the money in the table thank you Mr. Vice Chair >> thank you uh I see Mr. Woodson, you popped on. I saw your hand up initially. Do you have a question? >> No, no question. >> All right. Uh, does anybody else have any questions, comments, concerns before we put it to a vote? Hearing none >> as a roll call? >> Yes, please. >> Miss Himenez. >> Yep. Uh, Mr. Benahan Graales. >> Okay. And we had what's the subject you know
120is about um please. >> So yes. So we are taking a vote to approve the building operations 5-year capital plan. So with that I'm just going to go down the list. Uh Mr. Benahan Graales. >> Yes. >> Okay. Mr. Woodson. >> Yes. Uh, Miss Perez is not present. Mr. Jose, >> I'm a no for the aforementioned reasons. >> Thank you. Miss Burks Jennings, >> yes. >> Uh, Mr. Daniels is not present. Um, me, I vote yes. Uh, Mr. Rob Traber is not present. And then Mr. Medina, >> I'm in no for weeks as I mentioned before. >> Okay, so that puts us at two four four yeses and two nays. >> Motion carries. Thank you. And there's no more further bid. That's the last thing on the agenda. Current? >> Yes, it is. I will
121entertain a motion to one more. >> Yeah. I'll make a motion to adjurnn, sir. We have second. >> So move, Mr. Van. >> I second. All in favor? I >> I. All right, everybody. Thank you. Good meeting. God bless you guys. Have a great night. >> Happy New Year's again to everyone. Okay. Happy drinking tomorrow.