001Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is the call to order a special meeting of the policy and personnel committee. Uh today is Thursday, August 21st, 2025. It is now 5:37. We're here at uh conference room at 3:5 at 45 Lion Paris, Bridgeport, Connecticut. We thank you again for your attendance. Um uh with us uh tonight uh uh Marissa Esther Himenez, board uh committee member and also vice chair and committee member Joel Tuscal is online. Also we have um An Woodson is also online. Thank you for sharing with us. And my name is William Medina and chair of committee. With us is uh superintendent uh Dr. Avery and Chris from >> that's >> Sienna. Thank you very much. I was trying to find it from HR uh the office. Um so first item on the agenda
002will be approval of minutes dated uh special meeting of July 15, 2025. >> Motion to approve the meet meeting minutes from July 2025. Second. >> Uh hearing a motion and sec properly seconded. Uh any discussions? Anything that you guys saw that was missed or anything? >> Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. Any obstensions? >> I'll abstain. >> Any oppose? Hearing none. Motion passes. Uh next item uh is referral possible referral to the full board uh the following amendment slashrecommended policies and we have uh A through F. So we'll start with a uh P300 concept and RO roles in business and non-instructional operations. >> Dr. here. Uh with policy 3000, uh what we did is looked at uh if we had a 3000 and a lot of these policies, we tried to make
003sure that we if we had a policy kind of, you know, we tried to look at what Kate recommended in the policy and try to marry the two. Uh and with with policy 3000, it's just the concepts and rules of business. This is basic. It says the board shall have responsible for securing adequate funding for the school district via it uh improving an annual budget, securing grants and for the evaluation of school expenditures, fiscal management of Bridgeport public schools shall be the joint responsibility of the board and the superintendent and the chief of staff uh and the school administration. Uh the board shall have control and management of educational appropriations and shall as such funds as and shall use such funds as it deems necessary and proper to support the mission and goals of the
004Bridge public schools for the non-instructional operations. Uh the policy reads, "The operations and maintenance of school facilities, equipment and school property shall be based upon high standards of safety to promote health students, staff and visitors to reflect the important management of the visible available resources and to support environmentally the efforts of the staff to provide a good education. Uh, and so really want the board to kind of, you know, see it's it's in draft. So whatever the board wants to do to enhance that, take away from that. But and that's kind of why we're here today, just to kind of work through that. Uh, if you're okay with the draft, then we will uh share it with the full board um on Monday to get a final vote to see if you guys want to
005move it forward. Marissa, please. >> Um, Dr. Avery, were these policies that were suggested by CABE during their assessment of our policies? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. And this is a regular CABE um policy that >> Absolutely. >> Okay. and and and what you're going to see as we start, you know, researching the policies, the current policies and recommended policies from CA, uh the district over the years have have changed the policies. Uh again, the board has the authority to to change the policy, you know, yes, you know, but I think over the years the policy has changed, but it has not been addressed and made legally sound based on the recommendations. So recommendations from K we share and look at what was recommended because things changed over the years but may have not changed
006yearly from the board's perspective in the policies that we currently have and so it's just more of a check and checks and balance and then the board can change whatever you know things that they feel is necessary. >> Okay, >> very good. Thank you. um through myself I guess I was going to say through the chair again. Uh one of the things that I uh that I saw and that I was expecting and I am expecting today is to see what are the contrast between uh what we actively have and what is being recommended to cave and understanding that recommendation from CA is just something to see if there's any laws uh that change and any uh uh state or federal that they will put it in that way we are uh covered in the
007sense that it it will show us what state or federal mandate are there that way we are in compliance. So that's one of the things I would like to the board and this polic this uh committee to do is to see what are the changes to the wording. That way we can um address it and comply with all the state and federal mandates but also make it Bridgeport make it who we are that it will you know uh support our uh our move forward in education in Bridgeport. U Mr. Scott. >> Yes. Actually, I actually actually love this. It addresses um a lot of stuff that they were talking about in the fiscal audit about the board having more control. It makes more clear that the board is to be involved in the planning process,
008which we currently really have no control. We got to work out how to that won't be worked out in the policy, of course, but the details of administrating a policy will need to be worked out between the board and the superintendent. But that makes it very crystal clear that we ought to be more involved in the budget in the planning process as well which we traditionally haven't had over my entire tenure. We I mean we always just brought if we're brought in earlier in the planning process it could be maybe we circumvent a lot of the hard difficult conversations that become harder if had we been able to nip it in the bud and have our opinions heard earlier. And I I I recommend um pushing these forward basically without changes. >> Okay. Seeing though,
009go ahead. >> I I just wanted to second what Mr. Sakalic was saying. I cross referenced the old policy with the new policy and I really love these. They're very comprehensive and I think this is really the path forward. So with that being said, I too don't have any changes. And through the through the chair, I want I want the board to understand my job and my team's job is to make that comparison. We've taken the audit. We've looked at what we need and my job is to recommend recommend to the board to make sure that we're in compliance. Like Mr. K said, that is correct. We have to be clear about what we do. some of the policies that you have on book, they've changed it. They took wording out. They've added their own
010spin to it and it doesn't it's not meaningful for the work that we have to do moving forward. So capes will the recommendation that they give us is going to get us back into line to what needs to happen. So again, my job is to to give you a recommendation. I think your job is to know the policy. You have a lot of them, but the board needs to be into the policy. You you made the comment earlier, what's the difference? I think it's the job of the board to know what they currently have and what we're and understand what the differences are and be able to have a deeper discussion with us because we're having to do the work based on what is in policy and sometimes what policy states may not give us
011everything that we need to do the work. So that is the the the the joint effort of of policy revision that's important. Right. So, uh, I appreciate, you know, that you you've looked at the differences and been able to kind of move it forward. So, that's a great point. I'll entertain, uh, I also want to welcome, uh, Mr. Benny Albert Benham Graales and also board chair Jennifer Perez. I just see that she just popped in. So, I just want to recognize them and welcome them. And I'll entertain a motion. That's where I was leading towards. Motion to refer to the full board policy P3000 concept rules in business and non-instructional operations. >> May I offer a friendly >> Yeah. May May I offer a friendly amendment uh to just uh wave the first and second
012read for immediate implementation since there seems to be no contention on this issue. It seems to be unanimous. So >> I would Yeah. I would Yeah. And you'll take You want to take your second back real quick? >> You didn't second. >> All right. No. Okay. So take your >> withdraw my motion. >> Okay. And I'll entertain a motion on uh P3000. >> A motion to approve P policy 3000. >> First be first, sir. I'm sorry. >> Yes, sir. Refer policy 3000 to the full board with bypassing a first and second read for immediate implementation. >> Second. >> Thank you. >> F take a vote. All in favor say I. >> I. Any oppose? Any abstension? Hearing none, we'll move this forward to the full board or waving on the first and second read. uh
013make sure that we'll get those notes to miss uh madame chair. Moving forward to P3010 uh goals and objectives. Again, this is actually you know from K's recommendation of just the general goals and objective about you know the business and and non-instructional operations. The recommended policy reads um the board of education recognizes excellent fiscal planning as a key factor in attaining the district educational goals and priorities. The board shall engage in thorough advanced planning of the budget. Explore all appropriate sources of revenue. manage expenditures so it so as to achieve the greatest educational returns given the district's available resources and expects the highest standards in accounting and reporting procedures. Budget planning is a cooperative process and shall involve administrative staff, professional staff, employees, associations, community organizations, and the board. So it just it just broadens
014out who should be part of that and it doesn't detail exactly how it's supposed to be done, but it's just more of being that building that transparency. Again, one of the one of the areas of the of the audit talks about transparency, community involvement, all those factors as well. Any comments or questions for anybody hearing? that I will entertain a motion. Uh and again I I read both and everything and they they align and they cross more teeth and dot more eyes. So I would entertain a motion uh including the waving of first and second read. >> So move. >> I'll second it. Um we'll take a vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any abstensions? Any opposed? Hearing none, motion passes. Uh, next is P3011, uh, internal controls. Again, looking at the
015recommendations from the audit and also making sure that we also as a district sum up our internal controls when it comes to the finances of the district. And so, uh, this is a pretty lengthy, um, you know, policy, but it it really to me enhances the internal controls that need to be established in the district. Uh, and making sure that we we have things that we're going to do. And then it gives the board, board chair, you know, everybody has that approval process that will be able to kind of add value to making sure that we're doing it. You have the auditing processes that you can that you can do to have more control over annually. Doing things that's going to uh make sure and hold people accountable internally to get the work done. Dave
016Hill. Um I'll start with Madam Chair. Oh, I'm sorry. I apologize. He the one now I'm learning about these little ones. Mr. Joseph Holliday, vice chair. >> Yeah, thank you. Uh this this one I've got a a concern and a suggest one suggested exchange. Um one of the concerns is um this employees just reporting to direct supervisors and and the superintendent. I think they do have another section that addresses if it involves the superintendent. But however, I would like to see a little something that um protects uh whistleblower status and as far as if they contact the board on something, if the supervisor or the superintendent does not address their concern, for example, if I know you're the current superintendent and we got a current chair, this is not reflection on either of you, but
017in the future superintendent, if somebody brings an issue that say my principal's doing A, B, and C and we need this address and the superintendent ignores that. There seems to be no redress in that portion where they could contact the board. >> And if you if you go to paragraph one, two, three, four, five, uh, Mr. COC in the event >> in the event the concern or complaint invol involves the superintendent the concern should be brought to the attention of the board chair who shall be employed to contact the board's legal council insurance agent auditing firm and any other agency to investigate the concerns or and or complaint >> right absolutely yeah okay yeah I didn't connect those two but that's actually the part I want to change a little bit is um rather than
018just uh contacting the chair I I mean, leave the part where the chair will be empowered, blah blah blah, but um they should contact the entire board because that'll leave more of a check check and balance. I mean, because if the we we've seen we we've seen in the past the chair and the superintendent working in concert to keep certain information from the board as an >> Thank you. Go ahead. >> I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you on that. I think it's important that if you involve the whole board, if something actually comes down, you guys won't be able to hear anything because everybody knows about the situation. So when you when you when you keep it into to one person, I think that's the best practices. That's why it's recommended, you
019know, because when everybody is aware even even when you hear grie grievances across the district, you don't tell everybody at the board because no one can hear the grievance. If you if you have knowledge, you have to, you know, reduce yourself from it because you know about it. So, this policy is written specifically for making sure you have safeguards. But y'all can do anything y'all choose to do. I'll, you know, I will make that note. Uh, if you guys, you know, prove it that way, >> right? >> That's but that's what what it's designed to do. So, but I I'll keep listening, >> right? Let's bite it back and forth a little bit to vet it a little more if you don't if nobody minds. Um because this this is not really a disciplinary issue.
020We're talking about basically a crime basically potential crimes that might be brought to our attention and if it again again the same concern like where where they elevate and escalate we might not hear about it. I mean we don't have to hear we won't get all the details. If somebody says like the same principal example, the principal in a building obsconds with funds or something like that and it's a friend of a chair or a superintendent and they have a working relationship because I I've sat on this board for a while and I can say through various chairs, no reflection on the various chair, the current chair or the current superintendent that have withheld vital information from the board, be it a legal opinion and what have you? So, I would just like um a
021little more leeway for that. I mean, at least for reporting requirements. I I don't know how the rest of the board will feel, but that's just my thoughts. >> Thank you, Joe. Um Madam Chair, again, you have your hand raised. Um, I don't have any comment on that. So, I don't know if anybody else wants to comment like go back with Joe on that and something else. Just a a regular question. >> Okay. Thank you. I'll be right with you. >> Yeah. >> Yep. I'll be right with you though. Yeah. Uh, Miss Brena had a comment or a question. >> Yeah, it's my comment is unrelated to this, but to go back with Joe though, I I do have a thought. So in that same paragraph um there would be some check and balances because
022it's not only the complaint being sent to the chairperson, it's also the board's legal council, insurance agents, auditing firm and any other agency. So it wouldn't just be going to one person, it would be going to multiple. >> May I? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I I see that. I see that as well, Miss uh Mr. Um but however, it's within the chair's sole authority to contact those individuals and we as a board cannot if we don't hear about it and the chair does not act, we cannot compel them to act because we have no knowledge of the whole situation. Do you see that? >> Well, I don't read it that way. The first sentence um in the event the concerns or complaint involves the superintendent, the concern shall be brought to the attention of the
023board chair chairperson. So that means that whoever the staff is can contact council and the board chair person. So it's up to the person putting forth the complaint to include those agencies too. >> Right. I just want to kick I want to bring forward real quick to everybody's you know u frontal lo if I would is that we're talking about internal controls uh and when we talk about in that paragraph number five uh if the concerns or the complaints meaning of the internal controls any fraud or anything that's done wrong with the finances let's say or their internal controls has to do specifically with the superintendent meaning his actions or lack thereof then Those concerns shall be brought to the attention of the board chair. That way she can seek legal counsel because it's technically
024with all due respect to the board is against the superintendent. Anything else with any other administrator, staff or any other personnel, it is a responsibility of our superintendent to make those referrals to their lawyer to find out, hey, listen, this happened. I did not approve this. This was wrong done wrong. is my responsibility to be that whistleblower and say, "Hey, this got to get fixed um or you know brought forward." So that's way I'm understanding both of that language real quick. And I understand your point uh Joe, but that's not what it's that paragraph is saying is if it's against him, then they're saying that it should be brought to the to the chair. That way she can seek legal console and speak to everybody and anybody she needs to fit whether it's insurance, the
025auditing firm or any investigative you know uh powers that be to fix and to investigate the matter. We all as board members can investigate stuff that's in another policy. I'm sure that I read it and and and looked it over. Um, but this is specific to internal control. I just want to make sure because I need that to in everybody's >> Yes, there you think there's whis policy in another section of your policies that addresses just what you're saying. But again, the policy is for the internal controls, things that are happening with funny money, messing with the money, that kind of thing. And once somebody has that the superintendent has done something, they're that person, this policy is saying go to the chair, you know, let the chair know and then go from there. Uh
026because again, the board still has to investigate, you know, and those types of things. >> Right. The board got to um I'm sorry. Did I cut you off? >> No, no, no. You're good. Go ahead. >> Yeah. Yeah. The board the board got to launch the investigation. We're not we're not going to be doing the forensic order and all that stuff all that stuff ourselves. However, um just just again, if the if it involves the superintendent and only the board chair is involved, we can't leave it up to the superintendent subordinates to push forward and make these things get done because I'm not pissing off my boss if my job's in jeopardy. Is that that I mean that's I mean to leave it on the employee to make sure it gets done after that. I
027mean rather than just inform the board. Anyway, this is just something I want to percolate on for a few minutes. So, if you're going to push it to the full board, I would like to recommend that we don't do so with the waiver of first read because I'd like to have a little more discussion on this and and if we don't mind. >> So, we could do either both. We could do either one. Either that, Joe, and I'm comfortable and I think the superintendent is comfortable to my understanding of some discussions or tableing it that way we can bring it back. My next meeting will be September 10, which will come out next week when we have our board meeting. So, we can touch on it then and bring it back to me uh to
028us at that date because I don't see in the portal, respectfully so, I don't see the old and the new in the portal right now. So, I can't I couldn't gravitate to both of them and I had a personal emergency myself, but um so what would you want to say? Okay. Okay. All right. So, I'll entertain a motion to move it to the full >> MA. >> So, with this and I'm not sure if this is the proper policy to put it in, but I did have a comment um about kind of trying to address even further the feedback that we got from the state um and incorporating some checks and balances. So, I did want to put in here some sort of language that said that the board may ask from time to time
029data or andor financial reports to ensure the oversight of the controls that are being upheld and that they're working. >> So, we will have to uh discuss that. Uh you have a comment on that, Miss uh Perez, Madam Chair? Yeah, I just um I would I have two things. Just just I guess to um comment on Joe's um uh question. Um I I get what he's saying, but also I but on the other side of things, um if if a complaint does come to the chairperson, myself or whoever is in that role, um it only like benefits us to go straight to legal counsel, not hold on to that information. And so that would eventually come before the board because if if we hold on to that information without getting um counsel that that's going
030to come out event like that person might end up complaining and and you know it's a bigger issue. So that's where like personally I'm going to go straight to council on an issue like that but that's personally me as a chair. I know that somebody else might be sitting in that seat next year. Right. Um, the other thing I had um was just just a um it's it's not a question, just a I guess um the the school district's auditing firm is crossed out because we don't have one, I'm assuming. And so it it it would be probably I'm just asking Dr. A. This is probably something that we would want to get an auditing firm on because we don't have the personnel to do that. We do have an auditing firm firm that we're
031required by law every year. We have the same auditing firm that did the forensics audit for us to say >> we we hired >> I guess I'm just wondering why it's crossed out the school district's um auditing firm. >> Maybe I'm on the wrong >> Yeah. The one the one I have >> the line is crossed off. Yeah, the one that I had is not crossed out, but >> Okay, >> that we have >> Yeah, it should it shouldn't be it shouldn't be crossed out. >> Okay. I was just wondering if that if there's a reason if that maybe we don't have our own and it's probably easier to get an outside agency. That's what I thought it would be. I'm just questioning why it was crossed off. >> Yeah, >> but no big deal
032for me. >> Thank you. M Mr. Albert, >> thank you Mr. Millina. Just a simple question. Are this going to a fed or it's going to be okay with the unions? >> Say that again. >> This going to be okay or it's going to be um affected or going to be with communication with the union. >> Yeah, this has nothing. Yeah, this wouldn't affect or have anything touches uh the union or any contracts or anything like that. So, they have no to my understanding no say or nothing about it. they just wouldn't touch that has nothing to do with that. >> All right. Thank you for clarification. >> Just so in the second paragraph addresses your question that you b you so the board has control over all the internal controls. So you can tell
033the superintendent and the chief financial officer to do some of those things that you had in mind when you spoke a couple minutes ago. like you can designate those kind of a you know you can say I want regular audits through the board through the superintendent and CFO. That second paragraph gives you that control that you can tell them if you have concerns, you can have them report to you. And th this policy gives you that control to be able to do that. That you're taking internal control of the whole process and you can designate the superintendent and the chief financial officer to do what you want. >> Thank you. I just >> the Yeah. The board has a whole not individual, but the board has a whole. Yes. >> Absolutely. Yeah. >> And again,
034this is why there's clarity that needs to happen because >> it just it just need to make sure that you know because once you read it, you read it, you read it again, then you get a whole different perspective, right? Uh and so I'm glad you kind of had a >> Yeah. >> second perspective. >> Thank you. Thank you for that. So I >> So I will entertain a motion at this one. >> Go ahead. Please. >> Yeah. Make a motion to move policy 311 business non-instructional operations internal controls for the to the full board for a first read. >> Second. >> All in uh discussion or debate hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. No. Motion passes unanimously. So we'll move over to D that is policy 3110 uh budget and planning.
035Here we go. Once again it's 3110. This policy is just really kind of giving you a what the Connecticut General Statute said you have to do when you put when you plan. So this is it spells out as a prelimary part of the development of the budget. The board of education shall study school programs in relation to to the present and future needs of students and the community. In an effort to make the budget a comprehensive reflection of the financial needs of the school system, steps shall be taken to involve representative of the community, students, uh, certified and non-certified staff and administrative staff in the budget process. It's it's really a extension of the 3000 policy that that you have that that you move you wave first reading. So basically that's what this is. Any
036questions or comments? Hearing that, I'll entertain a motion considering waving also the first and second read. >> My mic. So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you for that second. So line D uh policy 3110 um we're voting on waving the first and second read to move to the full board. All in favor say I. >> I. >> That passes unanimously. Um I just want to write that down. And next will be letter E policy 311 and that is concerning uh the fiscal uh year fiscal year. This policy 311 this this states when the fiscal year for the school district begins. It starts July 1st and ends June 30th. Uh and so that's just making sure it's clear. Some districts do it different or some uh municipals do it different but our district follows July 1st
037and June 30th. Any comments or concerns? Seeing no hands, uh I'll entertain a motion including passing or waving the first and second read to moving it to the full board. >> So second. >> Thank you. We'll take a vote. Any discussions or debate? Hearing none, seeing none, uh we'll take a vote. All in favor say I. I. >> I. >> That passes unanimous. Uh next will be have uh policy 3541.2 uh walking distance transportation administrative guidelines. under that. >> As you know, we've we've had issues across the district between because we changed the actual walking distance, but we've changed it back to the original walking distance. But I would like to recommend to the board that we change this policy to say student enrolled in elementary school grade K through 8 is one mile up
038up to 1.5 miles. And then for high school student road in grade 9 through 12, it's two miles up to 2.5 miles. So that we don't have to come back to the board to change the policy. Uh if we have to go back and revert back to uh reducing or increasing walking distance for our children. I didn't actually make the recommendation but I'm making a recommendation tonight at this meeting. >> So So it's changing what is on our portal right now. Then if I understand that is correct. It's the maximum walking distance from home to school or to to a prescribed bus stop or as follows. Students enrolled in elementary school K through 8 is one mile and I would like to I would like to for it to extend to say up to 1.5
039miles. >> We're going back remember we're going back now to one mile. We're going back to two miles. But but up to 1.5 miles and up to 2.5 miles in the policy. Otherwise, you got to come back every year to address this policy. It just safeguards us having to do. We know where we need to be at the one mile and the two mile and we will try to keep it there as well. This is my suggestion for the park. Any questions or comments? Joanna. >> Yes, sir. I like the thing. Um the the the suggested revisions aren't in the portal. Correct. >> Correct. >> That's correct. >> All right. Yeah. Yeah. Well, well, since we still got to write it, we can bring it for a first raise uh a first read as is,
040but we got to have the amended language. Um I don't think it's that pressing. Maybe we can bring it back to committee. I'm not sure what the committee wants to decide to do with it, but I would also like to include a piece of language to make it clear like that it's subject to budgetary constraints. >> If that makes sense. >> He's taking those bills. He's got to get presented to us for the wording. uh get a feel really and um we'll take note of that and then um I mean it's up to us. You are part of this committee Mr. Sab. So you said it's up to the committee and you are part of it. So we can decide whether we want to >> Yep. We can decide whether we want to move it
041forward first read >> or table it for the next meeting and make sure we it gets presented to us the right way and >> then we can Right. It would it would depend on the flavor of the board. If the board if the if the whole committee is in line with the suggestion and if the superintendent thinks it wouldn't be too difficult to add that language if he's in agreement and doesn't have any um alternative view on it to include it by the next meeting, then we could go ahead and put it on the agenda. Then I would suggest we put it on the agenda. But if there's any impediment to that, >> I I agree with you, Joe. I think that's a that's a that's a based on what we've been dealing with. I
042I feel very adamant that that probably needs to go there. It safeguards the district, safeguards the board as well. >> Right. And would it be a problem to have that language added before the next regular meeting? >> We can make it we can make it happen. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Our entertainment motion um can we also recommend deleting B from the policy? defines one mile >> to take care to take out that that that hole. So in line B it speaks about the one mile walking distance and it gives you know measurements and it goes into feet and everything. So we're considering at this moment actually also omitting that and changing that one basically moving everything up. So getting rid of B making you know hazard B and so on. So if there's
043no uh objections to that then it will be presented to us or through the whole uh board on the next meeting with that also omissioning and and change and again it's just the the wording of uh the the distance into feet. So I will entertain a motion. >> Oh sure no hands. Go ahead. Hazard has city director of public safety highlighted. Is there a reason why? >> I think I was looking I needed to double check the title of that person. The person retired last year. So I'm not sure if it's the same title. So uh and I hadn't had a chance to review I don't think it's called the city's director of public safety. So I will I can make sure they as well. >> Yeah, we have time. Right. >> Yeah. I think
044that's an easy just going in and implementing it later. >> Yep. >> Just we wanted to bring it today because we didn't know we had class. >> Our policy on next Wednesday, Thursday we start school. >> So it it's not a pressing >> policy, but I think it's just we just need to refresh it a little bit. >> We'll go from there. Again, we'll entertain a motion um to move to the full board for the first read, including uh changing uh the mileage that we think uh the range from one to 1.5 and the two to two 2.5 range uh including also uh the omission of line B meaning moving everything forward and leaving that whole word uh verbiage of the feats out and including uh the mayor verifying uh the city director of public
045make sure that position is in safety it's the right uh title for that role and he'll also uh check if there's any other title I don't think there was any other titles um so I'll entertain a motion to move to the full board >> motion to move move to the full board policy 3541.2 two with the recommended changes disc as discussed >> for the first read. Okay, I'll take it. Oh, wait. >> For the first read, I'll second. If there's there any other discussions, comments hearing none, we take that to a vote. All in favor say I. I. >> I. >> That passes unanimous. Thank you very much. Uh so we have um A B uh and D and E moving waving the first second read and then F and C moving forward for first
046read to the full board through the chair and vice you know the the superintendent. Uh that brings back go now into uh number three. Item number three, discussion and possible revision for referral to the full possible referral to the full board on the following bylaws. That'll be 9110 uh code of conduct of the board members and board decorum. I believe Miss Jen >> I'll speak to that. Um so some some of the bylaw um agenda items today have to do with um you know some of the action items we we we said we accomplished this summer. Um and uh we had tabled some of these items earlier in June. Um so we do need to bring them back um now. We're going to on a a deadline here. So um I don't know the the
047actual date now, but we do have to present something. Um and one of the um items was um the code of conduct and how to um address board members who violate that code. And we we had talked about in June um that we already have established in our bylaws uh require standards. We have uh you know what happens when you violate that in terms of censorship. Um but but you know one of the recommendations that in talking with uh K um you know they there were recommend the recommendations had to do with uh putting in place systems that would prevent us from even getting to that point. Right. So like we had a code of conduct in terms of the expectations um and in one of our uh trainings they they actually gave us a
048sample of of something like this. Um and so this is definitely a working document. Um you know uh uh I would love for it to go without a first second read but I understand that there's a lot in here that um I'm sure the board wants to go through. Um but we do need to we this is something that is urgent so we'll have to go sooner than later for approval. Um and uh so so it's specifically the code of conduct has to do with just our our own behaviors um as individual board members um and and what we will hold our ourselves to um you know and and this is stuff that we've been working on already. So, uh, that was written down, right? So, uh, you know, I I'll leave it at that
049to take any questions, but it goes over our meeting protocols and and, um, just more detail of what we already have in place. >> Any questions, comments, guys? I I will say another thing in terms of waving for a second read that um when I spoke with Nick earlier this week, he said um you know just because you wave for a second read doesn't mean once you improve it. It has and the conversation and they're we're just getting something in place and we could always go back to and revise as we've done with our bylaws in the past too. So um you know that's something that we can work on in in the future on committee level. Uh, but I also don't I also know that there's a lot in here and I want to
050just push it on you guys to agree to everything out there. So, this is a working document right now. >> Yeah. Now, did you send this to all to all the board members yet as far as to I thought it was in the portal, but I didn't know that when you said it was to work and document like, you know, have they already been able to I don't know if anybody else saw this until it >> this is kind of the the um some of the recommended language that K has been used in other like um districts. >> Then I was going to be my dad. I see the cave logo on top. Usually I find it with cave logo. I'm like, oh, I wonder where she found this at. Okay. So, they told me
051that they they >> I can go through all this and and check this out. >> So, I'm going to take that. Okay. Go ahead, Mr. >> Yeah. Um, from my from my recollection, the state said we need to have a code of conduct, which we already do, and the issue wasn't as of having it really in the past year and a half. And I think everybody recognizes that it was just a matter of its enforcement and holding ourselves accountable to it. That being said, I have no no disagreement with delineating some of the things in there. But like you said, it's a lot to digest that one moment. And I would like to suggest when we do discuss and add this that we put it um as policy like A or B or whatever attached
052to that policy just to further define it rather than have it sticking somewhere else like what what whatever number it is now 90 was it 90 9010 A and then we'll define all of our things that we're looking at. And >> this one is 9110. I don't think it has any letters in it, but they're checking. They're checking right now. >> Yeah, it does. >> Yeah. Ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra rather than because if we shift and put a new number everything else got to shift so like be right behind it. But that that being said I do believe it bears more discussion since there is a lot in there um that we
053should um just talk about it and we do we are following um the state. Does any did anybody remember differently that this that the state said we got to define what the policy means or we just have to have a policy in place? There's a lot of stuff >> they I'll let you know they want more specific than what we have. So what kind of like the model that that was just sent to you? Yeah, the model that we have right now is very just >> it's more what when I was talking with Jod about this with cave um you know one of the things it's uh it's a it's a way that we're proactive so that we're not getting to the point where we lose the quorum and uh you know we get to
054the point of this person that one that like we're holding ourselves accountable um you know uh there's going to be you know I want to work with you guys on future like um language in terms of even like our own training like holding uh ourselves in kind of by doing like the retreats or our own professional developments where we do our own justice and stuff but that's that's not incorporated this right now. Um but um but yeah, that's kind of this is kind of like a a first like a first document of it and we can always we have it there and then if we were like you know this is not going to work for us this specific thing we could always go back. Um but >> well I seen it and the one
055that we had before almost what she's trying to say I think is you know it was reactive to what we have. This one's more proactive to try to do the things ahead of time that way it doesn't get to being reactive. So, >> it kind of So, I'm sorry. It kind of spells out our policies already. Like, it kind of spells out what our breaks down. >> So, it's just it's like in our our current one, it says adhere to all board policies, but this kind of spells out kind of what we're doing. Um, so it's a little more um detailed than what we have, >> Mr. Yeah. Um, say it reads much like Robert's rules and what we're supposed to be doing anyway. So, I really, but I would definitely like some more time
056to vet it and go over it a little bit more. But, um, as far as as far as holding ourselves accountable, these rules and regulations and policies and all that, it's only good as the board that's implementing them and enforcing them. We could just ignore them just like it was ignored in the past year, whatever protocols we had in not the last year. I apologize that in the past um on various boards and timelines we've been on it's dependent upon the chair and the willingness of the board to enforce and hold itself accountable and it's all going to be subjected to the same the same forces that were there before. So basically impassing is it's really just a placebo because if we're not going to enforce it, we're not going to enforce it. And if
057we're going to be selective in enforcing it against certain individuals, if there's a majority of one group or another group, it's still going to be possible through selective enforcement. So I I I just want to have a little more time to read it and work on it and just >> I'll entertain a motion then to move into it to the full board not bypassing the first read just for a first read then. Um >> so move okay second by Miss uh sorry I got to read it Jimenez. Uh any other discussion? Uh Joe, take your hand. Unless you have another statement. >> No, I thought I put it down. It went back up. >> Any other debates or anything? Hearing nothing. Seeing nothing. All in favor say I. >> I. Any oppose? Any abstensions? I
058didn't hear your vote. I'm sorry. >> Oh, sorry. Approve. >> Okay. I that unanimous to the full board uh for first read. Uh, next on the agenda is uh B will be 9160 uh meeting uh conduct public address. >> I think you actually >> did you want to Yeah, we did. >> Yeah. So, I know we we we've we've heard about it. We've we've spoken about it a little bit. It was somewhat discussed and thrown out there uh concerning public comment. Just try to see if we can uh expand it a little bit. So, I would like to entertain a motion to uh expand it to three minutes the public comments for public comments. Uh this was something that was brought up uh by the public and some of the board members and everything. So,
059I wanted to speak about it and see what everybody's opinion is and hearing that I was like go ahead. I was waiting for >> I was waiting for um my only concern is the time. So three minutes I do I do think three minutes is what the state gives per per um >> public comment city. Um however um that brings us to 45 minutes of our our board meeting um going public comment getting um on top of too long of a board meeting. Right. So, um, I'm not saying no to it, but I'm saying if we if we can if we can still do the 30 minutes of public speaking, giving people extra time. People need extra time most of the time anyways, right? So, you're still giving them time to say anything they need
060to say. Um, unless we have like major um issues happening, we're not getting 10 speakers anyways. Like most times the past year, we had, you know, a handful of that. If we had five, that's a lot the past year. um except for the major concerns that we had. Um and we also have in our bylaws that if after the 15 the current bylaws 15 figures are done um we can still address them at the end of the meeting so that we can carry on the business and still hear the public. So >> it gives us it'll give us um you know um and unless we unless we both start the meeting earlier because at this point we're going to carry on longer um do it that way. >> You have control of that as far
061as starting. >> We have control of that. It's in the bylaw. So, um, >> so, um, so yeah, if I'm by concerned, it's a just I I think that three minutes is a is a good time, but we would I would I would recommend we shorten it to 10 speakers at first and then, >> you know, they still they can still speak at Yeah. And if it's a pressing issue, we voted to to let them be writing. I'm going to suggest but yeah we bypass the bill those bylaws pass and we voted on that for those major issues that we can count people from we always wanted questioning say that way but you know what I mean like >> so what I'm hearing from you >> not I wouldn't limit them in a sense we're
062still be able to speak >> so if I'm hearing you correctly you're you're you're somewhat in agreement to do it to to change it to a three minute but considering to keep it for the 30 minutes so then that'll be in maximum people under the policy that we have still the 30 minute but we're going to change it to 10 people meaning the 30 minute and then still keep the same language that if we decide to go to you know more people or is that we >> no in the balance it's over they can go to the end of the meeting >> yeah we can choose >> okay so we want to be >> last time we push them up anyway so >> so you're okay with that okay uh I don't see the numbers
063okay Mr. Um, Graanes. Uh, >> can you please go where your member first, Mr. Jo? >> Yeah, I'm okay. >> Okay, no problem. I just want to roll, you know, follow the rope. Um, for so many years, I'm waiting for this and I'm very glad you bring it because we had to listen our parents. Sometime we are seek and parents outside waiting for us. So for me give it three minutes is okay because I know we they have a sometime a lot of concerns and two minutes go very fast understand what Miss Paris say but remember we elected because the parent vote for us we have to listen to them and we work for them so I'm very glad that you guys decide for three minutes I support this 100% because we have to listen
064our parents is only the mother to say thank you Mr. Chair >> thank you uh Mr. Sullivan I see you here Mr. Wood give me a minute Mr. Mr. >> Yeah, I agree with Mr. Benahan and I agree with extending the time limits. However, I disagree with Madame Chair and the state, the city, whenever there's a big big thing, they have a community forum, community outreach, public hearing that lasts hours. We've all testified before state representatives on important issues and been waiting six, seven hours at a time. These are not frequent occurrences. Um, every single time we've sought to extend public speaking because there was a reach outreach. Um, I believe probably everybody in this room voted to expand public speaking and to hear the public speaking that they came out to speak about the
065issue that they were par that they were passionate about. So I I would dis I would agree with keep putting the three minutes but um not limiting it to 10 speakers because it's it's very infrequent and we need to encourage people to come out and speak and give them their voice. They're only in front of us twice a month to speak. Now perhaps at special meetings we could do do that. At the special meetings we stick it to the agenda items only as they're supposed to be. That'll limit comments to the agenda items. But a regular board meeting, I would not like to see us coming up on budget cut season and having cuz next cycle could probably be 17 to $20 million we need to raise for the next cycle and people are going
066to have a lot to say at that time and they should really be giving their voice and the opportunity at that point. >> Absolutely. They'll be coming to the other meetings that we'll be doing about budget because they'll be including this time. This year it's going to be totally different. So, but I agree. Thank you. Your voice was heard. Uh, Mr. Woodson. >> Oh, yes. Thank you, Mr. Medina, for letting me speak. Um, I think we need to keep in mind that there are people with jobs and families that attend these meetings that are not the part of the public. You know, no, the the the administration, Dr. Avery and his staff, they put in long hours. Some of these meetings that go on without public comment for till 11 12 o'clock you know we
067need to be we we we need to be mindful of their time their family I have I I have a job you know I I I have a family you know although you know this is public service means a lot to me you know my family and I'm sure everybody else's family and their time means a lot to them. Thank you. >> Understood. All right. So, I'm hearing a few, you know, discussions about it and, you know, how everybody uh feels. Um I don't think it's very myself, I don't think it's very uh egregious or disrespectful to add a simple 15 minute to the meeting, understanding that it's just adding one minute for 15 people as a regular thing uh of 15 people. It's only an extra 15 minutes. U I do agree and I
068will consider and I think we could move it to a vote for the board. Uh even if we have to, you know, start the meeting a little early instead of 6:30, make it six o'clock. If people can make it, then that'll definitely protect that 15 minute that we're trying to add and still add another 15 minutes that we're saving. Um so we can do it either way as a board together. Um, I would love to hear public comment about this. So, I would entertain a motion uh to move to the full board uh this policy 9160 meeting conduct to add uh instead of it two minute to add it to three minute including uh possibility of either changing it to 10 people or keeping it to 15. So, I want to have everyone's opinion and
069options uh open to that. I will second that. So we'll move this to the full board for consideration. >> I move the as as >> to add the three minutes >> but also considering um whether we're going to keep it at 10 or 15 because I want to hear from all the other I mean I would say you know to keep the option for us to decide as a board together. We can vote on one or the other when we're before with each other together. Um debate, but >> I have a comment. Um we are not waving second and third legal is correct. >> Uh no we're not. >> Okay. Because I may have some other edits. >> So all in favor say I. >> I. That passes unanimously. Um and I'll write it up
070the ways you know we can >> yeah for us to discuss it more over here and take that consideration my iPad just died. And the third one and final one besid work is uh 9280 uh committee structure and I think Jen >> I put that in just a second. >> All right. So this is um this is just a conversation right now because um another item that uh we need to um give me a second I'm trying to look. All right. Um trying to um another item that was supposed to be defined already was the subcommittee structure. Um there's another item that we table back in June. So, uh, this is something that I kind of want to get ideas from from board members on, um, you know, we talked about, um, having creating, uh,
071our committees as standing committees, um, in the past and, um, kind of implementing more of a structure like in our training with K, they kind of showed us like, you know, the finance community should be doing X, Y, and the you know this commit like kind of laying it out that way. So I just want ideas on this cuz I do want to send it some legal for the to flush out for us so we can have a vote on it in the next by the next policy committee um or bring it to the next policy committee I should say. Um so I kind of wanted to get some ideas on on the structure of the committee. We uh based on what we have it's it's very it's it's not there's not much dialogue right
072now. So, um, kind of your your ideas based on the trainings we've had. You know, >> I know right now we have four committees. Um, and I know we've been talking about, you know, making sure that we can secure each other and back each other up, especially with what happened uh in the past to make sure that I don't keep with our bylaws and and and things that were mentioning that, you know, are we stating communities? Are we not are we a special committee? Then what are we? So I think we need to >> define it. >> Yeah. Define it truly define it. That way we have uh we can say and I think K can come up with if we asking the right question that we come up with questions specific to share. Um
073you know we do have a conference coming up in November. I hate to wait that long but >> Oh, we're not being >> No, I'm saying but I'm saying we can settle the questions that we have on what is you know what do they look at and other district for example to make sure that we are defining it correctly to what we want to be working as. >> Yeah. Um one of the documents that K brought to us that Jody gave us uh Senator Dury defines it for us. So if if if we want to start doing that, we can define what standing committees are um in in the bylaws based on the case recommendation. Um and then we also talk about the ad hoc committee. So like you know not necessarily needing a personnel
074committee but when when needed like it could we decide we just we talked about possibly doing committee of a whole ad hoc or um you know and I think at one point we talked about facilities being ad hoc committee but like uh we can I'm not saying that right now but just just something like that right so defining that because we don't have any language about adopies um or it's very minimal um and so that's kind of like um something that um I know Mark can help us with um in terms of uh draft think a bylaw um revision for us. >> Definitely. I think we should reach out to them and find out exactly what they see especially because we are a bigger district than most if not the biggest to find out because
075we want to have something that works for all of us. Uh, one of the main things that I also want to make sure that it is within those questions or guidelines is when for example our this committee here if we go into a segment session for any reason for example we just had an interviews of some personnel that I would want uh the rest of the board members also to be able to be there to listen and to be involved. That way we can uh have an understanding before we make any presentation to or recommendation to the superintendent. I would like it to be the board's uh thing, not only the committee. >> Yeah, that's true. So that's another thing is like um you know really the whole board really getting involved in in being
076invol involved in discussion at least um if they want to be right um they join the committee then and sitting here while we're you know waiting for us to get out there they can be a part of it. We can even define it to the point of you know if they're present those that are present can come that way yeah we don't damage it by having another room and then a certain thing I don't know that whatever works for us for the theme uh Mr. Mr. >> Yeah, I agree. We definitely need to define the committees. Um I think we should probably start with the committees we have and just getting uh quick. Um thank you for lowering my hand. Whoever did it because I keep forgetting. Uh yeah, that we should define the current
077committees that we have as of right now. And as far as the personnel issues and the the personnel should be the the as uh I believe chairperson Perez said uh committee committee of the whole that'll circumvent the whole need for the committees and in some convoluted way to get around it because it's it would satisfy it would satisfy the rule where we can't go into executive session unless we're part of the committee if it's a committee of the whole because all of us are included. Um, and as far as far as the definitions of the other ones, I don't think we're prepared tonight for those, but they seem all pretty self-explanatory, and we do need to explore an at least an additional committee for miscellaneous matters, for catchall, for things the other committees do not
078address. I don't know if anybody agrees with that, but that's my take. Um I think um in terms of like what you said defining the committ we have I I remember in that training that K actually has a lot of that written out. So we can definitely use that um and and send to our legal uh our council just so that it works for Bridgeport. Um, and uh I'm on I'm at the I I don't necessarily think we need miscellane matters because I feel like we brought everything through committees this past nine months and haven't had the need to figure out what to get through committee. So >> that's my opinion. But >> no, once they defined it with us, like you said, they already have these. We already gave it to them and they
079can help us define it and to make sure that we can work within the parameter but that we know and everybody knows where these committees stand you know that way we can you know uh follow make sure that foyer there's no confusion or any doubt on what kind of committee it is or it isn't then we comply with all state laws and foyer laws and things like that. So um so we look forward to hearing back from those questions too and then send it to the whole board. >> Yeah. So what I'll do is I um I'll take those and ask questions but I'll send this over to to see what we we compile the people at the board. >> Go ahead Mr. Scott. I'm sorry. >> All right. Yeah, no worries. So I put
080it back up. Um yeah, as far as as far as a mis it doesn't have to be a miscellaneous matters, but four I think four committees is entirely too small for our district. Um there's work that gets piled up. These committees have sometimes 11 12 agenda items on it because there's no place else for anything else to fit. And the fifth meeting will free that up and free rather than churning out policies, protocols, things going four or five hours in one committee and having the last item just basically looked at because everybody's bone tired to have another fresh committee to alleviate some of the other issues where it could be a little more defined for a fifth committee to take on some items. And that's just my opinion of >> I think that'll work because
081again by getting the definitions and seeing those kind of bullet points of what they do, what they don't do, what they we'll see if we're missing any pieces that we would like in our committee and definitely pass it over to uh Dr. Avery. that way he can see and maybe he'll give us a little input because again he's worked with uh with boards before and he you know can maybe have definite input to uh to help us guide us a little bit and put something else in our minds. I'd say personally I would rather be in one long committee versus multiple committ. >> Thank you. >> But that's because I'm on multiple committ but I probably would rather be on one long committee than have you know than nine of us divided by you know
082whatever but >> you know some of us have to be on two committees right now and I'd rather do one long committee like I said >> once a month over >> I hear. Yes sir. >> I think when when you guys talk about these things, I think the biggest part of it is if you're going to do the work, spend the time doing the work. Doesn't matter how many meetings you have. The less is better. But we're doing double and triple work because we go to committee, we spend five hours, we go to the board, we spend another three hours and then sometimes we fight and we don't get anything done, you know. But so if we if we have meaningful committee meetings, bylaws to drive the work, keeping everybody intact on what needs to
083happen and the end goal is to get something that's going to work for all of us. So we're we're not efficient enough in this district regarding everything that we do. We're just not efficient. Even if it's technology we can't do, we just got to get better at that. I think that's part of why we're in the policy development process right now to figure out how we tweak it, how do we make it better, how we make committees work for us to make sure we streamline the processes. And so that's the work that has to get done done differently and everybody has a voice, but you know, have that constructive criticism about what we're doing. And when we get there, and this is the hardest part, right, is re re recrafting our our work, right? And
084so that's what I'm hoping that we're going to be able to do moving forward. And um these things that you guys are setting forward, it's really a good way to be able to bring it all together. We're doing internally, we're doing the same things as well because we didn't do we didn't we didn't work the way we did work efficiently, right? So uh and that's that's tough work, too. And I think we'll see the change definitely like you said we're grabbing these apples and putting on the right places and the way I call it where we're putting the aces in the braces and defining things there that way it can work like you said more efficiently and we can probably get more work done and you've seen it. It's been working like you said go
085back to what you said last nine 10 months it has been working at 10 times better. We've gotten more work done. I mean, how many policies we did over this this, you know, the end of the school year um with a crunch, but still they got done and it got specific and we streamlined it. When we went to board meetings, it was a lot quicker even though we had seven or eight. So, um so let's uh let's bring this. So, I'll entertain a motion. Um >> this might necessarily want to go into work. We don't have a document yet. >> Okay. >> So this is thank for the discussion. >> I'll bring a referral back to back to you. >> Back to us. Okay. Things. So I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn if there's not
086anything else. >> So moved. >> All in favor? I second. Can nobody say I'll second it. Uh all in favor say I. >> I. Thank you very much. Good night folks. Uh this uh concludes our meeting. It is now 6:50. Thank you very again Mr. Woodson. Thank you very again Mr. Albert Benales and the rest of the team here with me. Thank you. >> God bless you guys. Take care.