001agreement. We're live. >> Good evening. >> This is the meeting of the finance committee. Today is Wednesday, October 29th, 2025, and it is 5:32. We are um at city hall 305. First item on the agenda. Well, I'll take minutes. I'm Jen Perez, the committee chair. Um, committee member Marissa Esmez is online. Uh, board members Joseph Kovic and Ben Gonzalez are in person and Dr. A with us on staff. Um, the first item is approval of the minutes from September 17, 2025. I'll make a motion motion. I'll make the motion if you second it. >> Thank you. Um any changes? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Here we go. All right. Um the first item or the next item is referrals to the full board for the approval of the agreement between VPS and
002the Carver is that thank you foundation to carry out activities associated with the classical studies magneties upper school extended hours program >> thank you everybody and since 2018 19. Uh the festival has been partnered with public edition a nonprofit who's worked with us since uh for the last few years. Uh what they do is they support us in creating a program where we have our teachers certified teachers provide two and four days a week with strong ELA and math mentoring and then on the other two days enrichment such as robotics, cookery, um science exploration. Harvard have been very good over the last few years and brought you know approximately you know $700,000 to the table to create this program with us in association with Bridgemore public schools. We want to continue that for our families
003have a bit of program so we're hoping that you know we'll be able to continue this partnership with Carver uh this year and hopefully into the future. They came to the table often for us and uh they're still coming to us and for one of the schools in Bridgeport with that partnership. The impact it makes for families is very large. They hold multiple night families of participating in activities with their children at academic level and also just a level of social emotional learning. So we're really hoping that this make it through our program starting as soon as possible. Um, Mr. Mayor Himenez, do you have questions? >> No, not at this point. >> I'm interested in questions. >> Same program, same setup as the last few years and um >> yes, so extended extended the
004grant that we schools from that. Yes. >> Right. So, so it's an awesome program. and hear good things about it and I always ask it's impossible to expand throughout all the schools. I don't know that we met with Carver. >> Right. And one of the things that we uh we we've talked with uh the campus about is the funding source has to have an opportunity to the way it's been it's it's been funded for the last few years. You know, a lot of the money was going to one campus. uh and the allowable the grant the original grant opportunity is for multiple schools in the district. Uh when that happens each each entity that receives the dollars will get a lesser amount of money. So that's that's going to be the u the true direction
005that the district is going to need to go is to provide more campuses, more kids access to those dollars. Uh, and uh, that's that's a conversation that, you know, we when I had Hannah initiate the grants this year, we we talked about getting more kids involved, but when that happens, you you reduce the number of dollars allocated to each uh, of those uh, campuses that will receive the grant. And Hannah, you can kind of give me a little bit more detail of the requirements of the money. Uh although the district never really utilized that way of funding, they just funded in one location and that was to um uh his school. So uh we have to be mindful of that. Right. I I mostly talk about like expansion as far as getting them more grant
006dollars to expand that particular program and that particular style of program into some of our schools that are currently operating on the lighthouse because sometimes I hear some of those places have a lot to be desired and and this is definitely unique. And well, when you say that though, the the the amount of dollars that that gr that funding source provides the district is a lot of money to where we wouldn't be able to do that or to even replicate that on our own. So you we look for, you know, grant grant funding opportunities to to to do just as you said. uh lighthouse is one that is a a a state funded you know opportunity that we have to because if we don't get it's going to go to another district. So historically we've
007we applied for those grant for that grant money for the lighthouse. Uh and we've received that. So, so again with these dollars, I I want Hannah to kind of talk to you a little bit about what these funds are, but as we look forward to next few years, we have to find additional to add to it in order to make that expansion. >> And that that's along the lines of my thinking to give you little historical pro little historical uh perspective. The lighthouse program is cityrun program and the city partners with lighthouse and the board of education. The board of education can partner with any group to go after that same gr that same grant. It's not a lighthouse grant. It's an after we had that conversation. So >> absolutely sir >> potentially partner with
008the car foundation so they could get access to those dollars to expand. I think that's a possibility but that's that's something to explore in the future because the program is so >> you you want to add to that? >> Sure I can. Yes. First I want to note the name. Um so Harvard did change it name now they're just the car. Yeah the carver the name the car they want to go by the carver this time. Um so you're correct after school grant open to whoever partnered with the district. Bridgeport historically, well I should say each city can have three applications. Um historically Lighthouse has been Bridgeport's three applications. And so that's something that Dr. Avery and I are working together as we consider next year's round of school applications. what does it look like
009in terms of expansion for more competitive opportunities um rather than the the one approach um for this specific grant that principal Cunningham is talking about the extended school hours grant or ESH it's part of the priority school district funding so you have alliance priority ESH um that's what those dollars have historically been used for like Dr. Avery said historically only four schools received funds as part of this grant. Um, one of the things that we're looking forward that we did this year is they expand it. So rather than giving to those four programs that have historic historically gotten it, we opened it to all campuses. They did a competitive application process. Um, and I believe um, all of the schools that applied received funding. Um, so there are eight or nine schools um who are
010receiving ESH grants this year um and their community based organization partners. Because you have eight or nine schools apply, they're each receiving about 28,000. So the remainder of the funds that this is not covering for this program um is from our title 45. And so that's why you see that difference here. You'll also notice under attachment two and the budget um this was completed by the Carver. So they give a total which is 143,000. So that's what they're saying to do this program in Bridgeport. It's about 144,000. Um but they are providing um 54,000 in their own grant funding. So there are opportunities for further grant partnership with them. Um they're already shown you know we're going to secure this money to make this program happen in your district. Thank you. >> Thank you to
011my um Mr. Medina committee members joined and Mr. Woodson has joined the uh teams. Um do either of you have any questions about the Carver um after school program for classical studies? Say none in there. A motion to move it to the full board. >> I'm trying to pull up the agenda. >> Here you go. Um motion to refer to the full board for approval of the agreement between Bridgeport Public Schools and the Cardboard to carry out activities associated with the classical studies magneties upper school extended school hours programs seconded. Um any further debate on that? All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Any extensions? I abstain. >> Thank you so much for >> All right. The next item on the agenda is a referral to the bull board and the agreement between
012VPS and mission CIT LLC for EMT training floors at Brisb Military Academy. >> Good evening, finance committee. Um my name is Jayen from principal military academy. We've had the arrangement with Mission CIT for the last three years. Uh the mission CIT provides a certified uh emerging uh medical technician instructor to instruct our students at school. It's something that we're we're currently farming out to um this company. In the past, they used AMR uh which is a little bit more local. Uh but uh Mission CT comes down and does their training for the staff or for the students. We have a staff in the classroom. We also um provide them they also provide the u end of course assessment. So they'll go through and teach the course some of it's online some of it's on person
013in person. There's also practical skills that they have to have demonstrated with a certified instructor. This is a uh one of the key pathways to my school. We have about a dozen students enrolled in that right now. Um I have a senior class which is about 65. It's um it's a it's a um capstone class for that pathway. We have a preparation classes emerging medical science which is going to go through the language and things they need to know and that vocabulary to do well on the EMT test. Um the cost for it is $27,900 up $900 from last year. um long-term planning. Uh I would I just put a regret for hiring for a naval science instructor um who has been an EMT before. If he's still current, uh you have to be an
014EMT serving for a year, but if he's current, I can put him through an instructor program. It would cost about $6,000, but it would save the district in the long run more money. And then also, I would have to have a teacher in there with the admission CT thing. But for right now, this is really unfortunately our only choice. Uh but I am trying to mitigate the overall cost then to make it a little bit more homegrown. >> Good. >> Thank you. The funding source. >> Oh, sorry. The funding source is the school improvement grant. Okay. So, it's actually we had some money left over from last year. >> Uh and then we're using that money uh from from last year with some of the money from this year's school of river grant uh because
015we're a focus school uh to do that. opening next year. In a way, it's a good news or bad news that will come out of the focus school program because our we're we're doing a little bit better. Um, in which case it's going to be a lot more creative for us to be able to do this. We also contract out, not related to this, but we also contract out um a firefighting training program for that other other pathway besides the naval pathway. Um, and that's a little bit less expensive. Um but it's we're partnered also with um the Y and Wakeman's to make that program work because they did that program. We're adding another course for that program next year. So it's going to be more interesting. But for this program works well. They have
016a good relationship and they do the hands-on training. Uh it's actually takes place at the Bassic High School. So we need to have a ticket uh for that with the state. Good >> question. Uh Mr. Medina. >> Uh yes. I would just like uh if there is no other questions, I would like to make a motion to move to the full board approval of the agreement between Bridgeport Public Schools and Mission CIT uh LLC for the EMT training course at the Bridgeport Military Academy. >> Okay. Any further questions? >> All in favor say I. >> I thank you very much. Have a good night. Thank you. So now we stand by updating resources Dr. Can paid leave and the potential impact for our non-certified district. >> So good evening. Um on October 1st, a new
017Connecticut Connecticut law took effect called Connecticut paid leave, which provides additional paid sick time to Connecticut employees. Um there are some employees that are exempt from it and one of the exemptions are municipal employees. So in consultation with the city attorney and our board of ed attorneys, we wrote to the state and said Bridgeport board of ed employees are operate under the city of Bridgeport employee identification number. So our rationale is that we're municipal employees. So we're exempt. The state wrote back last week and said, "Not so fast. You're a board of education. You employ your own board of education people. So you are you do need to participate in Connecticut paid leave." So I'm here to tell you that there's no financial impact to the board of ed. However, one of the requirements to
018fund Connecticut paid leave is that there's a 0.5% deduction from all non-certified employees to fund this program. So, it does not apply to any certified board of ed employee. So, they're exempt from this. But all of our non-certified employees, so um clerical, custodial, um food service, those employees that would be considered non-certified under the law, we need to take an additional.5% deduction out of their paychecks each week to fund this paid leave for Connecticut. And then they can apply to withdraw the sick time. and that's how the sick time would get paid. So it's not the Bridgeport Board of Ed or City of Bridgeport that's paying their additional sick time. It's coming out of their own contributions to this fund throughout the state of Connecticut. So most other school districts have already had this set
019up um for October 1st. So, we're we're going to see if the uh state department can work with us on an extension, you know, to get this set up for our employees because we need to develop a communication program to our, you know, work with our labor relations department and management. But, I just wanted to give you guys an update because I know you'll probably be hearing about more of it in the next couple weeks as we roll this out. And you know, we'd be happy to provide you with any other information as we get started, but that's essentially um the law that was to take effect October 1st. >> Mr. Medina, >> yes, thank you. Um I don't see any of that of that information. I'm not sure if you passed out anything right
020now uh to us. Uh can we >> I'm sorry. >> We don't have any um information on that. Any documents that So, if you can forward that uh to us uh the information that you read, uh if those employees that are not non-certified, the way you describe them to be um uh are they are they part of any union? I just want to make sure the non-certified districts. >> Yes, most of them would be part of one of another union, but there there may be some unaffiliated non-certified people that would be affected as well. >> Okay. Can we get that data on how many are part of the unions and the number of employees and those that are not also and then um have this this been discussed with the unions yet? We have initially
021we discussed it but when we made the approach to the state that we would be exempt um we were going to wait and see what the state said and unfortunately the state said that we have to do this even though our rationale was that they're municipal. So the law is is pretty public. They have a couple websites ctpaidle.com and things like that for general information, but we will absolutely roll out and give you guys access to the communications that we put out to our employees and um as we work with Nester and the finance department, we can get you some numbers on the on the impact, how many employees would be impacted, but we can we'll get it's going to take us a couple weeks to kind of get this up and rolling for stuff.
022>> Okay. Thank you very much. Yeah, because if it's a state law, it's something like like taxes or whatever. I mean, it's a matter of just like you said, putting into the payroll and those deductions are for their benefits to make sure that their benefits are covered under this new law. We don't, you know, we just we just got to apply. It shouldn't, you know, not sure how difficult that is, but it's just a matter of a payroll deduction that's got to be made and um it shouldn't be that uh time consuming as far as that's concerned. But thank you. Keep us updated. I appreciate it. Thank you chair. Mr. Medina to just to add to that. I mean there there's there's there is a lot of you know maneuvering that has to go on
023because there there are like you said there's a lot of um of non-certified >> unilated >> unaffiliated you know you know uh individuals that work in the district that does not require certification for a position that we have to figure we have to figure out which which of those individuals law impacts you know so maybe like you have a person in HR although they have a certification but it doesn't doesn't mean that it's a certification it's not a professional certification like you would have as a teacher or a principal so there's a lot of that that has to be you know um you know you know massage to make sure that we're not leaving anybody off that it's a financial impact on every every non-certified person in the district. So, and paying for regular insurance
024and all the other things that they're paying for, when you take that 0.05% off, again, another deduction from their salaries, it could make an impact on an individual uh that's not certified. there's it's a it's a um very we have to you know move cautiously before we actually do whatever. So I I wanted um Dr. Siana to kind of give the board an update on what that law is all about and then we'll we'll provide you some some additional you know background information. There's a couple of Q question and answer documents that uh has been sent to my office as well. Uh, but I wanted them to I wanted him to get this to you guys as quickly as possible. Uh, just just him conversating about it. So, I appreciate the the questions. I see
025uh Mr. Wood has has another question as well. Uh, but we we we there's a lot more communication that's going to go forward to the comm to our school community so that that our staff members know exactly what's happening. >> I definitely appreciate that uh Dr. Avery and Dr. to Seattle for for the update. I with K when we had the last training that they did in Hartford and Mr. Sakalovan and I went some of this was being discussed and was being addressed and all that stuff and by by no means I was >> trying to or insinuate that it was that there isn't going to be an impact when it comes to an employee having another deduction out of their pay. Yeah. But we don't make we don't make the laws. This is the
026law. >> Absolutely. >> I'm sorry. Absolutely. >> Yeah. This is a law that is thing and we just of course we want to do it um as quickly as possible because then take advantage of their own benefits that they have. Um but definitely I I understand by no means I was trying to minimize the impact of what it is for an employee to have now another extra especially under this new administration above that you know it's it's going to take a toll uh on a family having to pay a little bit more money taken out of their checks that they're not getting into their pockets to take care of their families. So I no way I was trying to dimminize that impact. I'm just saying that as far as for us having it done, we
027don't have no choice in the matter. uh that sir Dr. Seattle said we don't have the choice. We tried to get a an out on the way of he was checking with the state as far as how they're classified with us. They gave us their answer and now we just got to step in and you know let them know about their new benefits but also how it's going to impact their their pay. Um but thank you. >> Thank you. >> Well said. Thank you sir. Well said. >> Let the record show Miss Cers join the call. discussion here. >> Um, I just kind of wanted to second what Mr. Medina just said. A lot of people live paycheck to paycheck. So, even if it's a $10, $15 difference, it it it makes an impact. So,
028communication is key here. So, I really like what you guys have outlined and I appreciate that. >> Yeah. And we realize that and that we tried to argue that as a municipality we could exist, but it didn't. We we tried I think because of that reason that we knew that there would be a financial impact to hard service. >> Do Mr. Sullivan then Mr. Lson. >> Yeah. Um I know a little bit about this bill. I was asked to testify. I'm not sure if I did or not because it was like so I was so up in the air about this one because well it um appears to have no financial impact on the district when people call us sick which they're going to be encouraged to do because I'm sure when I was living
029paycheck to paycheck and I wasn't getting paid for my sick times I would come to work sick. So if you're going to get paid and you get a deduction coming out they're going to call us sick then we have to replace that employee from day. So there will be some impact. Uh however, everybody deserves to be able to stay home when they get sick and it's financially prudent for them to do so because if they come to work sick, they get other people sick and then you get more people out sick which causes an extra burden financially and even human beings actually getting sick and being under the weather. So, so I was up in the air about this one because I knew it would have an impact on our employees and I didn't even
030think that our employees would be able to have an exemption as far as that rational. But the point of that makes me think is um those are definitely our employees. We all know this, but we don't negotiate their contracts. A lot of them a lot of them is negotiated on the city side. So, um are we re are we are we reaching out through the union to the employees? Um we did. So, we're in discussions with labor relations um with the city and board of ed because you could have city members of a union that don't get this deduction and a board of ed member in the same union that will get the deduction. So, we're working with labor relations on on those kind of issues. And >> that's that's that's crazy to say the
031same the same job function like the security down sitting here versus the security guard school treated separately. Correct. But however, isn't there some sort of exemption not just for certified state but if their contracts language stupid and vendors benefit like if they get 12 sick days a year incorrect. So bargaining units can have this part of their bargaining unit, but this caught everyone after a lot of all of us have negotiated our contract. So it's districts are facing the dilemma of next goround there's probably going to be a lot of districts that negotiate this kind of thing into the contract so we don't have to participate with CTP. How many bargaining units contracts don't have paid sick time as part of their contract? >> Well, no, they do, but this is this is an extension.
032So, what essentially the state is saying is that you're you now you're getting additional paid sick time. So, a collective bargaining unit can say we'll add in sick time to cover this and not participate in CT paid leave. So we'll give you additional sick time in your contract so that it's paid already without having to participate take the deduction and go into the state land. But because this caught districts by, you know, in their negotiating cycle, we couldn't negotiate this at this time because we already were in the bargaining year. So this is an additional sick time to your paid time that you already get under your collective bargain. you're paying into a fund that you can collect up to a certain number of days depending on how long you work and how many you
033know that that's I'm gonna have to look at this again because >> it's confusing >> if if uh bargain the unit gets how many how many six how many sick days is five correct >> depends on the bargain >> yeah but if if a bargain the unit got 12 sick days we can put the five on top of it they now get 17 sick Some districts could potentially the the state gave districts an out that if you want to bargain this type of thing into your contract, you can do that. Otherwise, you're stuck in the 16 days leading fund. >> I think if we got any situations where they got 12 sick days or more comprehensive sick days, I think that'd be easy one for them to just >> jump on to cost that money
034for really no benefit. >> It would be a bargaining pitch for sure. Thank you, >> Mr. Woodson. >> Sorry, I have no question at this time. Thank >> Mr. Ban. >> Um, when they do the change all the stuff like that like you, they let another staff like as soon as possible because we don't want the stats, huh? >> Wow. You know, >> on the next couple weeks, we have to develop a communication plan and be able to allow staff members to ask questions and those kind of things. and and to Mr. Medina's point, make sure we cover we notify everyone that needs to be part of this one. >> And this is the first time this happened or they happened before too. So this is the first >> new October first. >> Yeah, >>
035it's a new >> random new brand. >> Knowing the economic is terrible smacking, >> right? What a lot of districts argued with the state, can you start this on July? Like why started October 1st? some data. So, but October 1st was the effective date. >> All right. Thank you, Dr. Thank you. >> Any further questions? Thank you for sending. Um, seeing no further questions, um, we can take a motion to >> motion. Second by all in favor. >> We're joining one. Have a good night. You got a good night, guys.