001Joyce Mr. Mara >> here >> Mr. Dupi >> here >> Miss Keeling >> here >> Mr. Joyce >> Miss Peza >> here >> Miss Ferrer >> Mr. out here. >> Can we please stand for the pledge of allegiance? >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Student and staff recognition. >> Sure. Can we hold off? >> We're just waiting for someone to come. >> Sure. >> Okay, great. >> Um, five. Approval of meet uh meeting minutes September 2 and September 15, 2025. >> Madam Chair, I make a motion to approve the minutes of the open meeting on September 2nd, 2025. >> Second. >> Uh, all those in favor? >> I
002opposed. Abstensions. Madam Chair, I make a motion to approve the minutes of the executive session on September 2nd, 2025. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. Extensions. >> Madam Chair, I make a motion to approve the minutes of the open meeting on September 15th, 2025. >> Can I get a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. All those in favor? >> I I >> proposed absention. It wasn't there. >> Thank you. Um, six, approval monthly bills. >> Madam Chair, I make a motion to approve the monthly bills dated September 1st, 2025 to September 30th, 2025 in the amount of $895,53187. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed extensions. >> Okay, back to the student staff recognition. Good evening everyone. Tonight we celebrate a very very special man who has
003been with us for 49 years. So Ken, this is Ken Baddy by the way. In recognition of your hard work, your commitment and dedicated service to the Foster Gloucester Regional School District in Panagans High School. We say from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. >> We wish you the very very best in retirement. And now all your dreams come true. You can travel. So, we'd like to give you a little something. >> Thank you guys so much. >> Thank you. Thank you so much. Okay. Number seven, finance update, budget and finance, revenue and expenses. >> Revenues, we are at 19.77 collected as of end of September. And for expenses, we're at 12.9%. Uh tuition bills will be going out in October, late October, early November. And that's it. >> Thank you. Number eight, approval
004of committed fund balance as of June 30th. >> Madam Chair, I make a motion to approve the committed fund balances as of June 30th, 2025 as presented in the packet. >> Thank you. May I please ask a question? >> Yes. So, how does it I know it's premature. I know it's early, but how does it appear about us you needing the $400,000 that was approved to offset the budget? >> It doesn't look like we will at this point. Okay. We're still not finalized. >> I know it's like I said, I know it's preliminary. I know it's premature, but I'm just trying to get a handle on okay, like how do we look? >> So, all right. Thank you. >> Any other discussion? All those in favor? >> I >> opposed extensions. Thank you. Um facilities
005update. >> I think we're >> okay. So, I think we're we might I think they're dealing with something in the facility. >> Okay. >> Um technology update. >> Terrific. Thanks Dave. >> CTE for all grant >> number 11. >> So I had shared a little bit at the um earlier uh in May when our school department received it. Our school district received it and now um Karen is going to give you another Oh, Karen's going to give you more detailed information as we continue to progress through it and um as we progress you'll get regular updates. >> Good evening everyone. I just wanted to introduce you to uh our latest design. We've partnered with uh an architect in the state and so I just want to take you through kind of um a little bit
006more of the vision for for this grant that we have received. So it's the green innovation lab. Um as you know it was a grant for CTE. It was part of the CTE for all initiative. Uh we were one of nine schools who are awarded this um grant of $472,151 uh with the idea that we were going to create a new CTE program. So with that in mind, we decided that we would create a green construction program. So it will be part of our existing construction management program, but um the addition will be this lab space that our students will be constructing. Uh we know that it's going to be a hands-on project. So all of our students will be involved in this and partnering with other CTE programs in the state. So if students
007are in electrical program or if they're in a plumbing pro program, they'll be coming on site to help us uh to construct this. Um it's for obviously to uh enhance advanced construction trades and certifications and our dream for this is really to incorporate other programs. So our firefighting program Chris Stanley was a part of writing this grant as well because we realize that our students will need um kind of a facility to do some of the trainings and certifications in. So we're trying to look at this in multiple ways, not just through one lens of it being solely for our construction students, but who else in our CTE programs can get involved. So, the location that we have proposed and we're working with the site architect on this is is right there on on our
008school property. These are just some exemplars of uh green construction sites that are on some schools. Uh Connecticut is leading this. Um but our architect has come forth with a design that is certainly going to shock everyone um in the New England area and this is the design that he has proposed for our students. Um so our students will be constructing this um they'll be active in passive solar and um incorporated into this design. It will be a stu twotory building again working with our firefighting students so that they can um work on how would you go in and actually rescue someone that's on a second floor and properly um bring them to an egress. Uh we'll have those tanks there for rainwater harvesting is the vision as well. That's a side view of of
009the building. And so we'll have interior on the inside. We'll have teaching and learning spaces that will have demonstration walls, ceilings um so students can just see how is green con construction technology um incorporated into a living space. Uh we'll have outdoor learning opportunities as well for students. The backside is a mural opportunity. So we'll be in incorporating the art program into this design as well so that they can um identify what type of mural would we want to um put on the back side. We'll incorporate our landscaping plant science students so we can think of landscaping opportunities for this space in the back. And we will have a community unveiling event on October 22nd at one o'clock here on school grounds so that um our students and instructors will meet with the architect during
010that time and other state leaders and um we'll have our community see what this project will be all about. >> That's great. Thank you. >> Can I >> Yes. >> Thank you so much for all the work you've put into this. You're amazing. Um, thank you. >> This is going to be a blast. I think >> we hope it will be. Yes. >> Yeah. Please, please, please let me know if there's anything I can do at all to help either with professional contacts, industry contacts. I'm happy to do that. I think this is a very will be a wellused uh program. I think it's super important not just from the construction side, but the design side as well. And there's a tremendous amount of resources out there that I I can hardly I can certainly
011help facilitate contact. >> Excellent. That's great to hear. And really the vision for this is not just for Pontigans students to be utilizing this space once it is constructed. It's really when we thought about that phrase CTE for all. We thought all students throughout the state of Rhode Island will be coming to our site and using this as a training facility to get those certifications that they need. So it's really expanding CTE and and in a way that the CTE board of trustees has never seen before. So it was really essential when we designed kind of this grant was thinking through that lens is that everybody can access. >> Absolutely. I will tell you that sending students out into the professional world uh either on the construction side, the trade side or the design side
012who are fluent in green technologies and building systems is a tremendous leg up for them. >> Yeah, >> there's a very big knowledge gap and there's a lot of catch-up occurring. Uh and it's a huge benefit to them, the industry and just the area as a whole. So that's fantastic. >> So that's that's our goal is to address the high wage, high demand areas that that we need to in the state. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions? >> Okay. Superintendent report. So, you have three appointments um two resations and then a request for um a leave without pay on my report. >> You have any questions? >> Second. >> All those in favor? I >> extensions. Thank you. 13. Approval of overnight field trip to Washington DC. >> Madam Chair, I make
013a motion to approve the Washington DC Pneita High School Music Department overnight field trip for band and chorus students as presented in the packet. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> All those in favor? I >> I >> opposed of sensions. >> Uh Mr. Sabatini is here. >> Would like to say anything? >> Any questions? >> All right. We're great. Thank you. >> Okay. Approval of cell tower funds. >> I make a motion to approve the cell tower funds request of $4,000 for the coral band students to compete at the music festival in Washington DC. The funds will offset the cost of transportation and lodging as presented in the packet. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I >> opposed extensions. >> Thank you. >> Approval of virtual instructional plan. >> Madam chair, I make
014a motion to approve the virtual instruction instructional plan as presented in the packet. >> All those in favor? I >> opposed extensions. >> Thank you. Approval of snow removal service. Um, I would like to make a motion to appoint, >> let's see, um, Coastal Companies to approve the uh, award for the snow removal service as presented in the packet. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Sure, Shel. Thank you. I appreciate that. Um when we started with us no good bid removal when we started the process we only had one facilities one facilities director we did not have an assistant so for years prior to Steve it was done because it was done in house we had a facilities director and an assistant facilities director so my question is why are we going out
015to bid and having snow removal done being brought in when we are at the same stage as we were approximately four years ago when we had two people and they did the job So why are we wasting taxpayer money with outsourcing? >> Yes. Uh I I can I can say that um the committee approved and requested that we go out the bid for snow plow removal. Um and that process has already been in place. We had you know a company for the last two years and the committee also requested that we go out early enough so we had services. I think the services um are are what we should have. I don't think it's a waste of taxpayer money. Um I think we ensure that the the parking lots are plowed and that we're not
016putting the extra time uh or the extra wear on the trucks that we purchased for other I I'm not an expert on snowplow, but I imagine that a company that does it with larger vehicles uh can come do it. And sometimes, as you know, um those the parking lots need to be plowed very early. I'm not speaking for Steve or Gary, but I do know that we had a conversation with the committee and there was a request and we've had a snowplow company for the last two years. So, I would recommend that we stay with that. >> If I may, so like I said, when we went out to bid two years ago, it was because we only had one facilities director, not an assistant. And in addition, um in addition to that statement, I
017I appreciate your response. However, for two years when we went out to bid and it went to the um it did not go to the full committee to go to bid. I think it going out to the I don't know who it went out to because it didn't come to the full committee for it to go out to bid. I don't know who it went to. Maybe Capital Projects or somebody else. It was never because I went through our minutes. It wasn't here. >> Yes. >> I think it's a committee decision. Uh you >> Yes. And at the LA at the last meeting at the September meeting, uh there was a concern that we needed to move more quickly on this. At this point, we we have an RFP that went out. We had companies
018who bid and there is um it's up to the committee whether they award the bid or not. So I just had one quick question as well. I know that there was some confusion as the last meeting as to whether or not we had a contract with the prior vendor or not. Will we be entering into a formal contract with this particular vendor and if so for how long? >> Yeah. When we sent out the award letter, we asked them to provide a contract and it's for two years. >> So this will be a two-year contract. And does that renew on its own or is it both parties? >> Um opt in, opt out. >> Yeah, I think it's we'll say that if we're um we can extend it another year if we're happy with the
019service, I believe is how we had it last time. we can make sure that it's renewable for the second year at our option. Okay. And then the last part is when we in two years time, will that come before the entire committee to either go out to bid again or to renew it? Um how are we going to avoid some of the confusion that seems to have existed this time? Whether >> I mean I think it's a committee decision. would go in front of the committee. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> And in the RFP, it does say that it's for two years with an optional third year depending on price and service rendered >> and just that was in the RFP last time too, but that wasn't that did not hold water apparently because that
020was in the RFP LA with the previous contract too. But there was there was clarification at the last meeting that we had the meeting in between September 12th that um our director of facilities reached out to the current vendor and told them Greg because you asked that question the vendor had the option to bid. Did reach out to the the current vendor and told them the bid was open and if they wanted to and the vendor from my understanding responded and said no that he wasn't wasn't interested. So I'm just going by the information that was presented at the September 12th meeting. Um either way it was my understanding and a committee meeting that we needed to move forward to ensure that we had snow plowing services. So whatever our next steps are would be
021at the vote of the committee. >> Just to piggyback on what you said before too at the building committee it must have been a year or two must have been prior to this last contract. We did have a long discussion about whether it made sense to maintain these services inhouse or to use a contract service. And that committee, I do believe, made a recommendation to the larger committee to pursue uh contract services partly because of the condition of vehicles at the time. There were questions about long-term maintenance as well as liability. Um and that that was that was we did review that as a whole committee. As far as going out to bit again this time, I I don't remember that, but I do remember um that very conversation. That was something that the larger
022committee did discuss. We can review that. To be to be clear though, like if there's a really small storm, even though we're contracted with this vendor, doesn't mean like if there was a smaller storm that we could handle that we would have to have them fulfill it. >> I I think we should be very careful with the wording in that contract. And I do believe if there's like a couple flakes on the ground, >> we should not be >> right. Like this is an open this is for us to tell them when to come and service, right? I mean, obviously there's a trigger with the >> with the right, but if there's a scenario where we don't have to use them and it's communicated effectively that we could do it in house, then that's That's
023up to the facilities department. Um and and when they send that contract, can I can you share with me? Okay. Thank you. >> Any other discussion? >> All those in favor? >> I um they are dealing with something facilities right now. That's Okay. Um, executive session, >> public comment. >> Oh, public comment. I'm sorry. I missed that. >> We could do public comment now if anybody wants to. >> Got it. Um, about your last item you guys were talking about, Shelley, I think you were mistaken. Originally, uh, Fred McCaffrey used to plow this whole place by himself. And if he got behind, because back when I was a kid, we got snow and we got a lot of it. And Fred used to handle the whole thing. He'd go two, three days without sleep, plus
024do his day job. So, I don't know why we got to hire somebody to do this. My opinion, no. I'm sure that everybody just wants to hire people. If you ask the taxpayers, that we're going to hire somebody to plow the lot, they're going to say, "No, you're not. You can do it in house. You know, new truck." So you buy a new truck, take care of the thing, give it a bath. Fred used to take it home. Joe McGovern, he used to plow everything by himself. If he got into trouble, he called the town. But see, back then, the school department got along with the town of Glouster. And when they called for help, they got it. See, we don't have that anymore. The elephant in the room is how the committee has been
025acting. The other elephant in the room, Shelley, I'll ask you with your integrity, keep an eye on this because what's coming is not a good thing. It's not a good thing. We didn't tolerate that 35, 40 years ago when I went here. You guys need to step it up. That type of behavior shouldn't be at all under any circumstance. Never. So I think you all understand that I know more than you think I do. You should know better, Beth, too. Thank you. Walter Ste quite a few months ago committee approved $100,000 for firm to be looking at the our athletic fields and I'm not sure exactly what they were supposed to be doing but that was quite a while ago. Is that money spent and did we come up with a plan? >> So, we
026can loop back with um the athletics director. We had originally had a team on site uh but we we paused some of that followup. >> So, I can loop back to see where we are. >> Did we spend the money? >> none of it. >> Uh a portion of it I think in phases. Yes. I will loop back though because I don't want to give you the wrong information. But so that project is on hold for now. >> Yes. >> All right. And where are we at the furnace in this building? The new furnace. Is that completely put in or is that still in progress? >> Yeah. So that that would come up in the building update, but the >> Well, you didn't have one last month. You didn't have one this month. Right now
027there's an issue outside with the with the restrooms and our facilities department has to go address that because we have senior night for a soccer game. So they planned on being here. They will come back if the meeting if they can make it before the end of the meeting. They are in the process they put out the A&E fees for the boiler system. We went through that process. So as you know that's a phase process and I believe it's sitting with ride as well. >> The design of it >> of of this for this building. >> Yes. both buildings. You approved both buildings at our last meeting. >> I thought this building was already designed and stuff was being audited. Do we have a we still using the old furnace? >> Yes. >> All right.
028Could Well, maybe next meeting we if they could have an update. >> Absolutely. And if they come back beforehand, they'll be able to speak about it. Absolutely. >> Yeah. I'm hearing also we're having a problem with our fuel tank. It may not have passed inspection. Uh also I'm hearing that the the boiler at the middle school needs uh probably immediate attention. So these are a lot of items and I >> So these are a lot of items. I can address some of them and I'm going to be very direct. These are a lot of items that have been issues and when our facilities team and myself stepped in four years ago, they needed immediate attention. The boiler at the middle school was in parts in August and Steve stepped in and it had to be
029um there were band-aids sort of put in place at a time. They're going through the process working through the capital projects team working through the school committee and the A&E fees were approved at our last school committee meeting. I wasn't here in July for family reasons, but it I believe it was approved before that. The A& fees were approved for us to continue the process for the boiler at both the middle school and the high school both of which thank you >> at the September 15th meeting our capital projects meeting. So as you can see they're handing me minutes right now. So Walt we are addressing the issues that have been neglected for years but it takes time it takes approval and it takes a process with the fees. >> For some reason I thought
030we were farther along at the uh high school level. Uh, I'm sure one of the people can uh can uh will better uh explain to us where they're at. Shelley Peza, Foster School Committee. Um, if the allegations are true regarding the inappropriate behavior with one of our teachers and students and if in fact students and parents have come forward complaining about said behavior and the administration did not take action to address said complaints, what kind of example are we setting and what environment are we creating for our students who need to be protect who need us to protect and have their best interest in mind with everything that we do? We have failed our students. If this is true, for a student to come forward to address a sensitive situation such as this, the last
031thing that we should be doing as an administration is be dismissive. And I'm not saying that you were. But if we were, we do not want to set this as a precedence for our student body. For the sake of transparency and for the sake of students and parents, as a school committee member and a taxpayer, I demand an independent investigation on this matter. So I can respond and you said a few things in there and I can respond somewhat. Uh you said if people came forward um for whatever uh whatever is going on or people have heard uh no reports were given no information was shared. Uh I'm hearing about it as I'm hearing about it now as as people are aware there's a state police investigation. There is a state police investigation. Yes. Um
032but no information had come to the school department and you said uh if if information had come nothing came and I am going to say um whether I should or not that that I feel like that was an attack and I feel like it was unnecessary and I feel like there's a lot of misinformation and people can say what they want and put information out there that might not be true and I have to uh remain silent as a superintendent and that's a very uh difficult place to be in because everyone else can say what they want on Facebook or judge things openly and I'm I'm challenged with that comment and that's all I'm going to say. You know, it's funny, Gary King again. When I heard the exchange with Walter about the heating system,
033do you anybody know who put that heating system in? >> Huh? >> Me. Do you know why it might have problems? Lack of maintenance. >> Absolute lack of maintenance. I installed the chip tick boiler in this building and the big boiler in this building. That boiler is a locomotive. That's a 50, 60, 70year boiler. We didn't buy cheap. What did buy cheap was your engineering and architecting firm. They bought cheap. They wouldn't let us do what we needed to do. But I did it. did the whole the building goes from that boiler room all the way to the other building. Did all the piping. I can honestly say I welded 90% of every joint in this building. There's 5,360 ft of pipe in this building and I put it all in. And my crew, we
034put that boiler in. All it takes is maintenance. the chip tech boiler. Nobody ever called me and I reached out many times. I would have come here and fixed it for you for free. Never got a call. Joe McGovern used to take care of that thing. Every Saturday he'd come in and clean it. Nobody wanted to do it because it's a dirty job. It's a wood stove. It's a wood stove. What happens when you don't shovel the ash out of your wood stove? Anybody that lives up here, fills up with ash and it burns out the sidewalls. I can only imagine what it looks like. Then the boiler that's on the other side of that chip deck, which is a wood stove, is a 500 horse fire tube boiler. I modified the front of that
035with a bracket to mount the chip tech to it. It's a regular fire tube boiler. You could put an oil gun on it. You don't have to do nothing. There's your secondary unit. When I fired that thing off, it took 12 minutes of 50°ree water. 12 minutes to send it all the way out and have it come all the way back at 180 degrees. Don't tell me that the heating system has been neglected for years. That's not the taxpayers's problem. That's your problem. as a superintendent, as a school committee, and as your maintenance people. So now the taxpayers got to pay again. $60 million for this. Think about it. If it was your money coming out of your pocket, how do you do how do you do that? Your electric bill is going to go
036up again. You're going to put a smart meter on your house. You got no say. Stuff like this ought to go to the taxpayers. let them make the decision. That's what I did when I sat on this board as the chairman. I did not make that decision to do this project. I put it to the taxpayers. We could have at the school committee done it. I thought it was too much money. I thought it wasn't right. I think you remember that, Greg. That's right. But it isn't that long ago when it comes to boilers. I am I'm a welder. Yeah, just a welder. I sat on this board as a chairman four years and in Gloucester four years. We ran a tight ship. Yeah, I pissed a lot of people off. That's what I do
037for a living. And I'm sure I'm going to have everybody in this room pissed shortly. Do the right thing. I'll come in. I'll meet with you, Renee. We'll go in that room and we'll look at it. >> Mr. King, we can meet. I would encourage that because I feel like there's a lot of misinformation out there. So, I'm going to say one more time is you know, >> misinformation about what? >> Can I if you want to meet, I would really like to meet because I don't know you. I I was the principal here when you're I don't know you personally. I'd love to sit down and meet and I'd give you the information I have because as you talk about the boiler being maintained, I agree it probably was maintained. I've been a superendent
038my fourth year. There's a gap in there of about 10 or eight or so years where there were other people involved. I can I'm not a boiler expert, right? I don't maintain it. I can tell you that if it wasn't maintained, there are issues. All I can tell you is that people come in and things are not working properly. Now, we are in the process of ensuring that the heat is on, the lights are on, the kids are fed, and we're a good educational facility. If you want to sit down with me, I'm a taxpayer as well. If you want to sit down with me, I encourage the conversation. You want to help the school department, please do. >> I always offered to help. >> Well, you and I, this is the first time we've
039>> Didn't we uh didn't you have a conversation with somebody about me coming in to take a peek at things? How'd that go? >> Right. See what I mean? >> You just said to me, it's ridiculous. >> You just said to me, Rene, you'll sit down with me. I encourage that. >> Thank you, Walt. previous superintendent was you h it >> I'm here now I'll meet with you I encourage that please help and thank you >> madam chair I make a motion convene to executive session to discuss and or vote on the following matters island general law 42-46-5A privacy of student records homeschooling island general law 42-46-5A collective bargaining unfair labor practice by the neopon and proh island general law 42-46-5A school safety approval of the school safety plan and proh island general law 42-46-5A
040legal advice/pending litigation update/investigation of allegations of misconduct either civil or criminal decision desanto versus foster glossery regional school committee and superior court decision regarding the lifetime contract. All those in favor?