2026-10-28 - Education Committee

44:55You ready?

44:56>> Yes. You are

45:01supposed to bounce like that. See your

45:03new strength.

45:07>> Good evening all.

45:10The name of Border Walders Education The

45:13Education Committee of the Board of

45:14Walders will meet in person on

45:16Wednesday, October 28th, 2026 at 6 p.m.

45:20in the Border Balders chambers located

45:22at 165 Church Street, second floor, New

45:24Haven, Connecticut to hold the following

45:26workshop

45:28workshop on the New Haven border walls

45:29with New Haven Public Schools regarding

45:31update on requested recommended high

45:33priority action steps in facility

45:36maintenance plan. per order. Honorable

45:38Gary Vee Hogan, chair attest honorable

45:41Mark Michael Smart, city town clerk.

45:43These items are on file and available in

45:46the office of legislative services, city

45:47hall, 165 church street, second floor,

45:50New Haven, Connecticut 06510.

45:53For accessibility related

45:54accommodations, please call 2039467651.

45:59For voice, 203

46:02[clears throat] 9468582

46:05TTY TDD.

46:08Call to comment. Testimony may also be

46:09submitted via email to the public

46:11testimony at new havenct.gov

46:14for 2 pm on the day of the meeting. This

46:16reading will be viewed on the New Haven

46:18Board of Would YouTube page.

46:22Starting my name is Gary Hogan, chair W

46:2428 starting to my left. Will the holders

46:26of the committee please introduce

46:27themselves?

46:28>> Alder Theodore, Ward One,

46:30>> Christine Kim, W seven Melinda, W three.

46:34Frank Predent, Ward 15. Vice Chair

46:36>> Sarah Miller, Ward 14.

46:39>> Seeing that there are no colleagues in

46:41the audience, um we will certainly begin

46:43with the workshop with the uh board of

46:46education.

46:56Dr. White, welcome.

46:58>> Good evening.

46:59>> You have a very feisty chair today. He

47:01has blue hip and he's ready to get

47:02started. I saw that. I was like, I'M

47:05GOING TO BE HERE FOR $5.

47:07>> I'll honestly say that [laughter]

47:08I was invited to the Hill House track

47:11team ring ceremony yesterday

47:13>> and they got some

47:15>> some beautiful rings [clears throat] and

47:17what what wonderful young ladies I was

47:19able to sit amongst in the fieldhouse

47:22yesterday. Thank you for for Dr. White

47:24and Coach Moore providing me. That was a

47:26wonderful experience.

47:27>> Thank you for coming. I should have worn

47:29my ring today. I got one.

47:31>> You have one as well. I tell you how to

47:32take a picture. [laughter]

47:34Um just so that we're clear on the

47:36agenda, I did u talk to Dr. Way

47:39yesterday and again earlier today. We

47:40were going to review uh the items in the

47:42letter that was sent to the board of um

47:45board of education and then also talk

47:47about the upcoming plan to be submitted

47:50um that has been submitted to the board

47:52for the finance team to review.

47:57>> Okay. So I guess we'll start with names

47:59and addresses, right?

48:00>> Yes, ma'am. Dr. Maline Negro, 70 College

48:03Street. You live in Connecticut.

48:04>> Dr. Paul White, 170 Osman Avenue. You

48:08live in Connecticut.

48:16>> Does anyone need a copy of the letter

48:18that was sent to the

48:23>> Um, so thank you again for the

48:25opportunity to come before you. Um,

48:28tonight, like we did last time, Dr. is

48:30going to be um doing much of the leading

48:33here as he's been leading for um school

48:37operations which part of that includes

48:39our facilities. Uh we will be honing in

48:42um framing everything around the new

48:45staffing model to ensure that

48:47everybody's familiar with that because

48:49this we believe will address many of the

48:52concerns that we have been discussing

48:54and then followed by some updates

48:56related to your recommendations.

48:59Um so uh with that I'm going to turn it

49:02over to Dr. White.

49:03>> So the flow of the presentation actually

49:06started with the staffing plan and then

49:09uh we were concluding with updates. Um

49:17so next

49:21so as always want to uh

49:27okay uh as always want to uh draw

49:30attention to the scope of my

49:32responsibilities

49:34uh in these departments as well as uh I

49:37supervised two or both schools. So a

49:39framework of that because at sometimes

49:41it does become co-mingled that

49:44facilities is the only department and so

49:46just always want to keep that at front

49:48of mind. So as we look to restructure

49:52the department uh the guiding principles

49:55remain to be we can move to the next

49:57slide uh maintain repair and replace

50:02uh because we're splitting out the

50:04groups of things. One we have to and

50:07these are all areas we have to improve

50:09our maintenance of our buildings the

50:12repair and then of course our to replace

50:15what has to be replaced across our

50:17buildings. One of the things that we are

50:21looking to do is bring in an executive

50:25director uh to help oversee this looking

50:28at certifications and different pieces

50:31of the work that go into that and we can

50:34move into the next slide.

50:37So this is the what uh the mayor

50:40presented and I believe is in front of

50:43the finance committee now to discuss in

50:46terms of positions and structure. So the

50:50orange represents the maintaining group

50:53which is our custodial work with a new

50:57position looking at property managers to

51:02break down the structure. as as it was

51:04noted, I [snorts] am one man or even

51:07when we will first look at our structure

51:10for

51:11uh directors having all all schools

51:15reporting up to one uh there needs to be

51:17some additional layers of supervision to

51:20get better accountability and get better

51:22attention to the work at the different

51:25layers. So, one of one of the new

51:28positions, it's hard to see, but

51:30anything outlined with the blue box, the

51:34teal coloring around the box are the new

51:37positions. So, the property manager

51:39position would be breaking down our

51:41portfolio of schools almost the same way

51:43we break down our networks uh across the

51:47assistant superintendent.

51:49So there's a smaller amount of schools

51:51that are managed by the individuals and

51:53maintain that staff is in the buildings

51:57daily looking at what needs to be done

52:01in the building keeping track uh making

52:04sure that one on a custodial side things

52:07are happening interfacing with our trade

52:10staff on anything that needs to be done

52:14in terms of um the trade work to get

52:17done. making sure that those things stay

52:18a priority. Of course, throughout all of

52:20this, we maintain safety and security as

52:24our first priority in all of the work

52:26that we do. Um,

52:30go to the next side. So, this gives

52:33gives a little look of just zoning in on

52:36that part. Uh, one of the areas we're

52:39also looking at is uh restoring a

52:42grounds team, which was something that

52:43we had previously in the district. So,

52:47uh, this eventually would be a team

52:50particularly working on the grounds of

52:53the school, making sure playgrounds are

52:54in good condition, um, working on

52:57tending to the grounds around the

52:59schools on a regular basis. Uh

53:03at some point we will see about the

53:05possibility of pilot with snow removal.

53:08I know there's been discussions about

53:10that but again that's something we have

53:12to look at what the investment of

53:15equipment and such and maintenance of

53:18that would be to do but again this is

53:21areas of work and this would also

53:23include seasonal employees to do that

53:26portion of the work.

53:28Uh again uh we talked about it briefly.

53:33Property managers fully responsible for

53:35their portfolio

53:37or district supervisor supports a pro uh

53:42the property managers. Uh we have

53:44brought in uh Chuck Tomaso is currently

53:48our day custodial supervisor coming in

53:51with 26 years of experience in the

53:54district and has been incredible in

53:58working with our custodians about this.

54:01uh he was a custodian building manager

54:04of Bishop Woods and in terms of the

54:08maintenance outside of the log things um

54:12build uh Bishop Woods is a exemplar of

54:15uh of a building that's taken care of

54:17and maintained well and he'll [laughter]

54:20be bringing that expertise to the rest

54:22of our district night of course we as we

54:26have both a day and evening team the

54:29night the night custodian will be

54:31supervising them and I've talked briefly

54:34about the grounds before.

54:40So

54:43the couple

54:46we don't use the steam fitter title

54:48anymore. We have plumbers and HVAC tech.

54:51So that'll we just have to clean that

54:53up. But again, these are trades people

54:57to who do the work of fixing our

55:00plumbing, handling, fixing the doors in

55:02our buildings. Uh the electricians will

55:05be covering the the outlets and the

55:08things we've worked on. Um the custodial

55:11engineers are one of their primary tasks

55:15is the changing of HVAC filters

55:19throughout the system. So again that is

55:21part of the work that they will be

55:23continuing and so the trades uh they

55:28work extremely hard and take great pride

55:30in their buildings a in the work that

55:32they do and it's like anything else it's

55:35the volume and so it's always trying to

55:38increase the support for to do the work

55:41for that

55:46and I pretty much covered this in the

55:48discussion The tech hrack techs will be

55:52working with are controls technicians.

55:54So someone who will be particularly

55:56monitoring the building controls. Now

55:58our facilities asset manager has been

56:01doing that role as well as we work with

56:03one of our vendors. One of the key

56:05things about that is when you when

56:09possible the control system can solve uh

56:12if it's too cold or too hot in the

56:14building can do the adjustments or we

56:17could see what the problem is and see if

56:19that's something one of our techs can

56:21handle or if we need to have uh our

56:24vendor primarily Tucker Mechanical come

56:26out to handle. [clears throat]

56:30And again this is um to reduce the cost

56:34over time by less cost to vendors but

56:36more and getting more to our

56:38preventative work.

56:40And then finally we are in the replace

56:43area. Uh we've hired a facilities

56:47management uh facility asset manager.

56:53Yes, we did bring him over from ABM.

57:02um multiple tabs opened at the same

57:04time. But he is does have a

57:08bachelor's in engine mechanical

57:10engineering and holds certifications

57:14in uh facilities as a facilities manager

57:19management administrator.

57:21uh the BO BMI certification

57:25and certified engineering operations

57:29executive certification.

57:31>> Dr. White, when you say replace, I'm

57:33assuming that's for large systems moving

57:35HBA, not necessarily doors and door

57:38locks. Right.

57:38>> Exactly. That is the work. That is the

57:41repair. That is the work of the repair.

57:43>> Okay. Just want my notes.

57:44>> Yes.

57:44>> Thank you.

57:49And so

57:50that would be really focusing on our

57:52large projects like the current roof

57:55repairs uh as we get our HVAC projects

57:58going and the work that we'll be doing

58:00there

58:06pretty much explained what they've been

58:09working on u

58:12coordinating all of these projects and

58:15working then with our property manages

58:17to make sure that we are moving along

58:19with projects. And one thing that

58:23uh is missing from this is one of the

58:26key things is making sure warranties are

58:29enforced because that that I do know has

58:33been a gap previously. So if as we do

58:37the replace if things fall break down

58:40and it's still under warranty we will we

58:43do want to make sure we have people

58:45focused on pursuing that.

58:51>> Uh now to some of the updates.

58:54>> Can we um before we move to updates um

58:57just entertain some questions on the

58:58plan that was presented already. Uh I

59:00know I have a couple and I'm sure the

59:02committee hasn't. Then we'll move to the

59:03updates in a second. Um,

59:06with regards to the new jobs that are

59:08being hired that would be in the

59:10maintenance and uh repair area, are the

59:14job descriptions in place? Are they

59:16civil service jobs? What is the time

59:18frame for hiring that you have based on

59:20your plan? Um,

59:22>> okay. Are the some of these job

59:25descriptions have to be created? So

59:28working on those now

59:32and then they will be shared with the

59:34unions. Um

59:37the majority of these are civil service

59:39positions.

59:45So working on the job descriptions now

59:48so that uh in conjunction with approval

59:51of funding we'll be po um ready to post

59:55because one things nothing can be posted

59:58without funding source. So we we will

1:00:02post uh but we'll have the job

1:00:04descriptions everything ready and what's

1:00:06okay ready to go post um civil service

1:00:10process into make sure we get the right

1:00:13people into these roles to focus on

1:00:16again that level of expertise and

1:00:19accountability. So, if I heard you

1:00:21correctly, I'm going repeating my

1:00:23understanding is the job descriptions

1:00:25are being drafted. Once they're drafted

1:00:26and approved by board of education

1:00:28leadership, uh then they go to the union

1:00:31for approval that the positions can be

1:00:33added to the union or if they're not

1:00:35already added. Um then there will be

1:00:38well hopefully the funding will be in

1:00:39place at that time. Uh then there will

1:00:41be a civil service test given to those.

1:00:44So we are not looking at a 2026 hire

1:00:47necessarily

1:00:48in the next 60 to 90 days. Um will those

1:00:52approvals be moving along faster?

1:00:55>> Like [snorts] is there are you kind of

1:00:56expedite?

1:00:57>> So the idea with some of the positions

1:00:59have you seen because they were already

1:01:01part of the funding source that we had

1:01:04when we converted and transitioned from

1:01:06ABM to those have begun to be pulled in

1:01:10right like Dr. White mentioned. um with

1:01:12the other ones you are correct that it

1:01:14has to be the whole process of the job

1:01:16description being created. Uh that's why

1:01:19we anticipate that knowing all of those

1:01:23pieces

1:01:25particularly around civil service right

1:01:27to make sure we follow that exactly how

1:01:29we have to uh we would anticipate that

1:01:32then by the time the funding goes

1:01:34through this layer hopefully gets

1:01:36approved by then we'll be ready to

1:01:38launch and do all that process with job

1:01:40descriptions so that there's no hold up

1:01:42there. We're probably saying that maybe

1:01:45um we'll be able to have people right in

1:01:47place come like January. That's what

1:01:49we're aiming for because we know all of

1:01:52those layers have to happen.

1:01:54>> So I guess it will behoove the board of

1:01:56wers to move the funding proposal as was

1:01:59uh submitted or with some

1:02:01recommendations. We are hopeful for that

1:02:04right because without that we cannot

1:02:06move on this

1:02:09uh staffing model again that has been

1:02:12guided by principles from the industry

1:02:15right the experts that know all about

1:02:17property management. One more question

1:02:20on this. Um, is there a percentage or or

1:02:24a requirement or a guideline to hire

1:02:27residents [clears throat]

1:02:28in in your proposal?

1:02:31>> Like I I know in years past there's been

1:02:33points for someone took a civil service

1:02:36test that might

1:02:37>> to my to my understanding uh you do get

1:02:41points for being a New Haven resident

1:02:44uh in civil service. Again, that would

1:02:47be some for the civil service

1:02:48commission, but from what I had seen

1:02:50some of the ones we already went

1:02:52through, there were points for for that

1:02:55that it's a question and ask and I

1:02:57believe they gain points.

1:02:59>> Any questions for committee on the

1:03:01staffing plan? Any questions from the

1:03:03committee on the staffing plan?

1:03:06>> All the

1:03:08Thank you, Chair Hogan. Thank you both

1:03:10for your hard work on this and and

1:03:12coming before us. Um can you describe to

1:03:14me the difference between a property

1:03:16manager, a building manager and an

1:03:18assistant building manager?

1:03:19>> Absolutely. That that's uh they uh are

1:03:22building managers and assistant building

1:03:24managers are custodians. That is their

1:03:26title. The c lead custodian of every

1:03:30building is the building manager, the

1:03:31day custodian. The assistant building

1:03:33manager is the evening person. So that's

1:03:37so they those are our staff that is

1:03:39currently in place that we're still

1:03:41hiring for um and that was described in

1:03:45uh previously but the way it works is

1:03:49staff comes in as custodial floaters.

1:03:54So during that time uh it's their

1:03:56probationary period but they're trained

1:03:58under trained building managers and then

1:04:01they do float work either between day or

1:04:04night after they conclude their that

1:04:08time uh when the union organizes their

1:04:12time to do a bid or wait for people to

1:04:15bid into open jobs whether uh someone

1:04:18has retired or left the then uh people

1:04:22bid in. So what you generally happens is

1:04:25assistant building managers bid into

1:04:27building manager jobs and then the

1:04:29floaters

1:04:31go into existing

1:04:33now open assistant building manager

1:04:35positions and so they they are the chief

1:04:39custodian and then there's the part-time

1:04:41staff that joins them to work on

1:04:43cleaning the building down.

1:04:45>> Got it. And so just to clarify there

1:04:48will be six property managers in the

1:04:49district. Each of them oversees six six6

1:04:52and seven and seven and seven buildings

1:04:54and then there's one building manager,

1:04:56one assistant building manager per

1:04:57building. [clears throat]

1:04:58>> Correct.

1:04:58>> Got it. Can you give us a sense of where

1:05:01we're at in hiring for those building

1:05:03and assistant building manager

1:05:04positions?

1:05:05>> Uh we're at about 12 that have been

1:05:08offered positions. We're still uh we

1:05:11have another five that were offering

1:05:14and the [clears throat] challenge the uh

1:05:17is from the time offer is then they have

1:05:20to complete pre-employment before they

1:05:23appear they can they can start. So of

1:05:25course background checks because it's um

1:05:29custodial physicals uh a variety uh drug

1:05:33testing all all of those things. So

1:05:37generally from from the time of a

1:05:42point um an offer to

1:05:45coming in it could if someone acts very

1:05:49quickly it could be as quick as

1:05:52two and a half to three weeks to as long

1:05:54as two and a half months.

1:05:57>> Got it. And so are there some buildings

1:05:59right now that don't have a building

1:06:02manager or an assistant building

1:06:03manager?

1:06:04How are you spreading out resources for

1:06:06the

1:06:06>> So that's where

1:06:07>> time being

1:06:08>> that's where the floaters and overtime

1:06:10come in. So uh in sometime if a building

1:06:15doesn't have an assistant building

1:06:16manager sometimes the building manager

1:06:18does both shifts and as well as also we

1:06:23now as we bring floaters as they

1:06:25complete their training they start

1:06:26filling in in these slots and then

1:06:29additionally we have the part- timerrs

1:06:31and in extreme extreme cases we do have

1:06:36the part-time staff if they some of them

1:06:38have been here part-time long enough in

1:06:40in a building long enough that they can

1:06:42cover for a day in that room.

1:06:45>> Other theater, I just want to thank you

1:06:46for that question. Um because again, as

1:06:49Dr. White mentioned, right, a lot of

1:06:51these vacancies

1:06:53have a financial impact because we still

1:06:55have to have people taking care of our

1:06:58buildings and that as Dr. I mentioned

1:07:01has been driving the overtime cost that

1:07:04we are continuing to mitigate and that's

1:07:06why it's so important that we are so

1:07:08aggressive around um hiring people and

1:07:11getting people through this process as

1:07:13quickly as possible.

1:07:15>> Got it. That's helpful to hear. Couple

1:07:17more questions. Um

1:07:22>> will the property managers is that like

1:07:23an office job? Is that a job that they

1:07:26are going around to the building and

1:07:27fixing things themselves as well? They

1:07:29are in buildings. They are not that's

1:07:32not an office position. It's looking at

1:07:35things in at that moment in the moment

1:07:37with something's going on. Reaching out

1:07:40to appropriate to see um what's the

1:07:44update on this? Where are we with that

1:07:46or can something be done? And obviously

1:07:48if it's an emergency then that those are

1:07:50the all hands- on deck moments

1:07:52>> and these will be people who are capable

1:07:54of you know generally skilled with

1:07:57facilities. Okay. Um,

1:07:59>> that's part of get crafted the right job

1:08:01description.

1:08:02>> In terms of the grounds keepers, I I'm

1:08:04really compelled by this idea. People

1:08:06know their building, they have ownership

1:08:07over that building. Is that the model

1:08:10for the groundskeepers at all? And what

1:08:12was the if that's not the model and

1:08:14people are kind of like working in all

1:08:1744?

1:08:18>> No. again uh again trying to it is

1:08:21pretty much similar model where the the

1:08:24grounds team has a particular group of

1:08:27buildings that they work with.

1:08:29>> Those are my questions for now. Thank

1:08:31you both. Thank you chair.

1:08:32>> All the

1:08:33>> Thank you Mr. Chair. Um and thank you

1:08:35Dr. White and Dr. McRan for coming out

1:08:37yet again on another evening with our

1:08:39education community. Um I I do not

1:08:42profess I know anything about school

1:08:44operations so please forgive me but I do

1:08:46know something about organizational

1:08:48management and institutional design and

1:08:52usually you know um form should follow

1:08:55function and um I understand that this

1:08:58is the form that's been presented but um

1:09:02for me previously in years past before

1:09:05many of us were here ABM was sort of

1:09:08presented as the form firm that would

1:09:10help uh with the functioning of the

1:09:13maintenance of the schools and the

1:09:15repair. Um in in addition, I'm wondering

1:09:19I'm most interested and I think all of

1:09:21us are most interested in the the and

1:09:24performance and the results. Um and so

1:09:27how does this organ and this new

1:09:30structure and new funds get us to the

1:09:34results and performance that maybe

1:09:36previous forms did not. And so how does

1:09:40like a like performance and and uh like

1:09:46you know goals objectives sort of

1:09:48overlap

1:09:50with this organagram like and and the

1:09:52people that are there. So that was just

1:09:54it's just a more general question about

1:09:56that. So thank you.

1:09:58>> Okay.

1:09:58>> Thank you. So what this offers

1:10:02differently is staff that one more

1:10:07groups on the ground working in building

1:10:10with expectation of accountability and

1:10:13again a change to report and work on

1:10:16that accountability. Uh what it offers

1:10:18again also differently from ABM um were

1:10:23managers who were more in the office

1:10:25office office format and you had a few

1:10:29people who were running in in schools

1:10:31but there were a lot of office work uh

1:10:34include at one point someone who was

1:10:36working from another state. So again,

1:10:39the the work that we're trying to do is

1:10:43an accountability that also comes with

1:10:47them being employees of the district as

1:10:49opposed to a contractor is one of the

1:10:52areas where there we have people who did

1:10:57work work hard but also

1:11:00in at some point in the day it's

1:11:04yes we are the client but they also

1:11:07working for their own for their company.

1:11:10So this is how we we are work these are

1:11:14New Haven employees held to

1:11:16accountability standards held to

1:11:19expectations and if if not performing um

1:11:24we do follow all personnel policies.

1:11:28>> Dr. I think also it might be um

1:11:33uh helpful to actually walk through

1:11:35right if we think about a a property

1:11:37manager. So let's say that that property

1:11:40manager is responsible for

1:11:44uh let's say like like right fame fair

1:11:47hayen

1:11:48um Martinez right so they will be in

1:11:51this uh close proximity

1:11:54part of that day also right that

1:11:56individual is responsible for knowing

1:11:59first of all how is the inspection going

1:12:01on of those buildings in terms of

1:12:03maintenance right are they clean so

1:12:05they're doing their balance to see it

1:12:07being in during the day and night. But

1:12:10not only that, also checking because

1:12:13they will be the ones responsible too.

1:12:15What does the work order look like in

1:12:17terms of all the things that are coming

1:12:19in for those six buildings and then that

1:12:22person will be the one because they know

1:12:25what's happening intimately in all those

1:12:26buildings working with those set of

1:12:29people to go back and be like where are

1:12:32we on this?

1:12:34What's the holder? A person may be,

1:12:37well, we're still waiting on a a

1:12:40contractor to show up or we're still

1:12:43waiting on supplies, right? That would

1:12:45be the person that immediately like

1:12:48troubleshooting all that bottleneck to

1:12:50ensure that they have what they need to

1:12:53continue to move the flow of everything

1:12:55that's coming in. So ultimately each of

1:12:57these people are the ones responsible

1:13:01because now they are assigned right to

1:13:04be the experts of their six buildings in

1:13:09and out everything that's happening when

1:13:11now right when folks who run property

1:13:15managers who looked at our current

1:13:17structure said this is impossible. I

1:13:20don't care who you have you cannot have

1:13:22one person being an expert in 39

1:13:25buildings. there's no way. Um, so that's

1:13:28where that whole accountability

1:13:30and I believe efficiency will come in

1:13:34because you're giving ownership. Now

1:13:36it's like where's the ownership right

1:13:40now? You have a name assigned to who who

1:13:43is responsible for that, who owns that,

1:13:45who is supposed to be moving that work

1:13:47forward.

1:13:50>> Just a followup question. So what I mean

1:13:51are there going to be performance

1:13:53metrics for each position um saying you

1:13:56know making sure that 90%

1:14:00maybe not 90 but like 70% of work orders

1:14:03are filled are com or checked off or at

1:14:05least you know taken care of within a

1:14:07certain amount of time or um that you

1:14:10know all all buildings are inspected in

1:14:13a certain amount of time and and just

1:14:14more of the like what they actually will

1:14:17get done um versus just what they're

1:14:21there to do

1:14:22>> and I would say yes right that that

1:14:24would be what would u be the

1:14:26expectations just like we do with any

1:14:28other um position right so I can give

1:14:31you the example of right now I only have

1:14:34Dr. Right?

1:14:36We sit down, we do goal setting. Goal

1:14:39setting right now is we've taken a look

1:14:41and say okay we've been tracking right

1:14:44situation since we open to say okay if

1:14:47we are here right we are expecting that

1:14:50the level of completed projects is going

1:14:52to go up. The uh amount of time between

1:14:57a work order being filed and being

1:15:00assigned will be reduced. that the time

1:15:03between a work order being assigned and

1:15:06a work order being completed will be

1:15:07reduced. But that will be the level of

1:15:09specificity in terms of goals for

1:15:12accountability. Right? So right now um

1:15:16that's the way that we're building our

1:15:18ability to be able to look at our data

1:15:22um which again is going to help when

1:15:24these project managers come on board so

1:15:25that we can give them the tools that

1:15:27they need in order to be successful in

1:15:29what we're asking them to do.

1:15:31>> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

1:15:33>> Alderman Miller.

1:15:35>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for the

1:15:36presentation and the information. Um,

1:15:39you mentioned best practices and peer

1:15:42organizations. Can you give us some more

1:15:44information on what those practices are,

1:15:46what the peer organizations are that you

1:15:48consulted to develop this? Uh this this

1:15:51was uh done with our city engineer and

1:15:56his department was very uh his staff was

1:16:00very uh crucial in helping design this

1:16:03looking at what happens when management

1:16:05on the city side of five houses

1:16:08buildings and such and the ratios that

1:16:11require that was that was

1:16:14>> okay so city staff not peer school

1:16:16districts for example

1:16:18>> body and the and Dr. I know in one of

1:16:20the initial um docs that they gave us

1:16:22was we didn't bring for us they did site

1:16:25some of the other um places that they

1:16:28had looked at as they were doing

1:16:29research to look at the best practices

1:16:32and that's why they became key right

1:16:34because we are not this is not our area

1:16:37of expertise they were pulling research

1:16:41>> Joan primarily and um I always flunk on

1:16:44his name

1:16:46>> Jim

1:16:48So they were kind enough to like help us

1:16:50on this project to do a lot of the

1:16:52research to then be able to bring about

1:16:54like this is what we see is out there as

1:16:56best practice and that's how um this

1:16:59particular staffing model ended up being

1:17:02produced for those.

1:17:05>> Okay. So our city engineer developed the

1:17:08the practices.

1:17:09>> Okay. Do we look at any other school

1:17:11districts?

1:17:12>> They they cited some information. Dr.

1:17:15Wright, you sat through those meetings.

1:17:17I don't know if they looked at other

1:17:18districts.

1:17:19>> No, but uh in some of the work you look

1:17:22at some of the other districts

1:17:24uh we have a different model in general

1:17:27because uh a lot of [laughter]

1:17:31>> uh that a lot of work is it's one city

1:17:37department that does both board of ed

1:17:40and so so that that's somewhere where we

1:17:42are different in the work that we do and

1:17:44so we could so

1:17:47stepping aside from that. It's been

1:17:48developing with with it being standalone

1:17:52department on our side.

1:17:55>> And in terms of best practice, is it

1:17:58your position that the way we have it

1:18:00set up with separate facilities

1:18:03maintenance on the board of ed side is a

1:18:05best practice?

1:18:09That's

1:18:10that's hard to say for sure just because

1:18:13again um we have different structures

1:18:17different city structures and we are at

1:18:20we are where we are right now so it's to

1:18:23pursue that if if there was something to

1:18:25go in a different direction for that

1:18:27that's that's talk with

1:18:31other department

1:18:32>> I understand it's a bigger question I

1:18:33just were you're proposing a complete

1:18:36reinvisioning of the department.

1:18:38>> So, it is striking to me that

1:18:41you're saying other school districts are

1:18:42set up differently, but we didn't look

1:18:45at whether the way other districts are

1:18:47set up might be applicable for us both

1:18:50in terms of their own structures if and

1:18:52when they have they are independent or

1:18:54what it might look like to be combined.

1:18:56I'm not advocating for it to be

1:18:57combined. I'm just saying if that's the

1:18:58way a lot of other districts do that do

1:19:00it,

1:19:01>> are we looking at why and whether that

1:19:04would make sense for us before we go

1:19:06down this road?

1:19:14Well, again some of that work was done

1:19:17um like again I give I can give water as

1:19:21example um that has they set up a civil

1:19:26soc

1:19:28department for facilities is is the city

1:19:31staff they cover everything public works

1:19:34or all that and so it's high as that But

1:19:37it does the challenge I believe in that

1:19:42model has been

1:19:44sim similarly uh enough staff to get to

1:19:47all the work done. So having a separate

1:19:49department helps keep the focus on the

1:19:52school buildings as opposed to um for

1:19:56lack of perhaps being diluted because we

1:19:59also do the senior center something at

1:20:03the firehouse.

1:20:06>> Okay. I mean, I it just seems like

1:20:08that's pretty important information to

1:20:11know how our the other major cities, at

1:20:13least in Connecticut, do it and whether

1:20:16they're happy with the results or not.

1:20:19So is there any plan to look into that

1:20:21or you guys are

1:20:23>> I think at this point I think at this

1:20:24point um we're feeling confident by the

1:20:27work that was done by again those two

1:20:30individuals with a lot of knowledge and

1:20:33looking at the um

1:20:37approach to property management

1:20:40uh which is basically the model that

1:20:41they brought in which when we look at it

1:20:44and we consider where we are and where

1:20:47[snorts] we want to

1:20:49uh we we feel very excited and confident

1:20:52with this model. Um but again that's

1:20:55right we are looking at them with the

1:20:57research what they brought and to

1:20:59[clears throat] us at this point again

1:21:00we feel like it makes a lot of sense. Um

1:21:04again relying on the research that the

1:21:06two of them have done.

1:21:08>> Okay. I I just it it it is striking

1:21:13both of those people work for the mayor.

1:21:15They're not exactly independent. Was

1:21:18there anybody outside of the city or the

1:21:22school system who was consulted by you?

1:21:26>> No, in this plan it's all been BOE and

1:21:29the city.

1:21:30>> Okay. Thank you.

1:21:33>> Um I wondered if you could just speak

1:21:35briefly about the there was a hire

1:21:37recently. I don't know which of the

1:21:39positions on the chart was hired and you

1:21:42also mentioned somebody who came over

1:21:43from Bishop Woods. If you could just

1:21:45>> Sure.

1:21:46>> clarify where in this chart those two

1:21:48people are.

1:21:48>> Uh so one was the district custodial

1:21:53supervisor. Uh that is person who has

1:21:57been with the city for 26 years. So

1:22:01uh in his capacity he

1:22:04exactly that his supervisor custodians

1:22:06uh works on

1:22:08>> that's the sorry to interrupt you that's

1:22:10the box like in the middle the district

1:22:12custodial supervisor day is that okay

1:22:15>> right so that work includes

1:22:19um so I'm very early in the morning with

1:22:22me and

1:22:24uh handle call out to make sure schools

1:22:26are covered each day um dealing with

1:22:30visiting schools to see about

1:22:32cleanliness. If there's an issue, um if

1:22:34a principal or staff says there's

1:22:37there's something wrong with like I

1:22:39don't feel my building is being look

1:22:41into that, he'll just have a meeting

1:22:43with the custodian, work on whatever's

1:22:46happening. If there's obviously if there

1:22:47are patterns, do do corrective action.

1:22:50Uh also, uh this includes

1:22:54uh the technical parts of the job of the

1:22:57time sheets, making sure things are

1:23:00ordered, working with the warehouse

1:23:01staff to make sure everything is in

1:23:03place. Uh so that schools have their

1:23:06soap, toilet paper, dish,

1:23:10soap, and anything else that goes into

1:23:13that.

1:23:14And then

1:23:16>> so sorry to interrupt. So that person is

1:23:17the person who was in Bishop Woods.

1:23:19>> Yes. Okay.

1:23:21And then you want to show the matter of

1:23:23the second higher too.

1:23:25>> Yes. And the second one uh just slide

1:23:29up. If we go to the uh replace page go

1:23:34[laughter] down

1:23:37>> he's got the magic

1:23:40>> I think you've been scolded for touching

1:23:41the story. [laughter]

1:23:42>> He has not

1:23:44>> one one more.

1:23:46>> Yeah. So facility asset manager

1:23:49>> the most recent hire.

1:23:50>> Yes. Uh that was a hire coming over from

1:23:53ABM. Uh that's who I said who has had

1:23:56the experience that actually is

1:23:59certified in facilities management and

1:24:02uh work on one of the focus of him

1:24:05coming over is uh he's been writing

1:24:07through some of our major projects

1:24:10already. So this was particularly around

1:24:12continuity of where we are midstream on

1:24:14certain things and keeping those things

1:24:17going.

1:24:18>> Okay. Okay. And thank you. That's

1:24:21helpful. And so you mentioned Bishop

1:24:24Woods as like an exemplar school. Is

1:24:27that

1:24:28>> uh in ter in terms of um maintaining the

1:24:31parts that is custodial maintained? Yes.

1:24:35The we do still have challenges like you

1:24:37had like a leaf. He'll he'll do all the

1:24:40cleaning up of that, but the leak is a

1:24:43lot of

1:24:45>> in terms of maintenance.

1:24:46>> Yes.

1:24:46>> Okay. So, I mean, I know we've received

1:24:48reports of mold and not mold not

1:24:52remediated at bishops.

1:24:53>> Um, mold was remediated there, but

1:24:56please uh follow, please show me.

1:24:58>> We're going to let your new build

1:24:59custodial day supervisor. No, [laughter]

1:25:01but please let us know because again um

1:25:04we did have do know of two if not three

1:25:08rooms at Bishop Woods. Uh they were

1:25:11remediated that rooms remediated. Um

1:25:14they do have to be closed back up but uh

1:25:18those rooms were

1:25:20>> okay. Thank you.

1:25:21>> And if something new please let me know.

1:25:23>> Okay.

1:25:25Um

1:25:26I just want to make sure I'm

1:25:28understanding

1:25:30the kind of hierarchy and the

1:25:31distribution. So of the new positions

1:25:34that are proposed, how many of them are

1:25:37management positions

1:25:39and how many are you know trades people

1:25:42like people boots on the ground that are

1:25:46in schools making repairs? I I noticed

1:25:48the trades in particular.

1:25:52Um

1:25:53how many of each of these do we have

1:25:55now? And like it seems like how many

1:25:58there's like one painter or something.

1:26:00Two painters. [laughter]

1:26:01>> So just wondering

1:26:03is that is that the right distribution

1:26:06of management versus workers and how was

1:26:10the current distribution arrived at

1:26:15>> or the proposed distribution? [snorts]

1:26:17Well, the while the title is manager,

1:26:21[clears throat] the uh the expectation

1:26:23is that they are boots on ground living

1:26:26in the buildings doing and helping

1:26:29assisting with any work. So while it is

1:26:31a man manager type that has some

1:26:34superision supervisory responsibilities

1:26:36it's not um it's not the office work

1:26:41going into and uh with our

1:26:45trades can always use more absolutely no

1:26:48matter what because again the size of

1:26:51our portfolio but this is this is

1:26:53bringing bringing up our number right

1:26:55now to get get work done across our

1:26:59bills because this a combination of the

1:27:01work we do, but then there's still the

1:27:04level of some work that has no matter

1:27:06what would still need to be contracted

1:27:08out by some of our work on doors. They

1:27:10will they'll start on some of the work

1:27:12on doors, but some will have to go out

1:27:14if if it's a uh one of our co- doors, we

1:27:18have to go to them to get that work done

1:27:21for that.

1:27:23>> Okay. Okay. That's that's helpful. I

1:27:25just had one other question from the

1:27:27letter that we sent to the board of ed.

1:27:30Um,

1:27:31>> and we're going to be covering some of

1:27:32those updates.

1:27:33>> Oh, okay. Great. So, I just there was a

1:27:35there [clears throat] was a

1:27:36recommendation around qualifications

1:27:40and so I'm wondering what qualifications

1:27:44are being requested or sought at the

1:27:47different levels in terms of

1:27:48>> well,

1:27:49>> experience and certification.

1:27:50>> Sure. Well, there are a couple things

1:27:52because there were some of these were

1:27:55existing job descriptions that we

1:27:57started working with. Uh some of these

1:27:59are going to be rewritten and

1:28:01particularly around the property

1:28:03managers. So that again uh we'll look at

1:28:08the certain level of expertise for that.

1:28:10Same thing with the executive director

1:28:14again. [snorts] So that again we have

1:28:16staff who have certifications have the

1:28:19training who can also do inspections and

1:28:22look behind far behind both vendor work

1:28:26and trade work to see that things are

1:28:27done properly. So that that's where

1:28:29that's coming.

1:28:32>> Okay. So so to be determined. So some of

1:28:34the certifications that are familiar in

1:28:37the field

1:28:38>> yes

1:28:39>> maybe like specific will be okay.

1:28:42>> Okay. Um my related question just one

1:28:44more if I may Mr. Chair is about hiring.

1:28:49Um

1:28:50so kind of we heard there was some

1:28:52difficulty in hiring for some of the

1:28:54leadership like the asset manager role.

1:28:57We saw there was somebody very publicly

1:28:58hired and then left. Do you anticipate

1:29:02challenges with what what have been the

1:29:04challenges and do you anticipate any

1:29:07problem filling these positions based on

1:29:09your experience to date? that one of the

1:29:10challenges um has to do with the salary.

1:29:15When you compare these salaries to

1:29:17similar roles out in other fields, it

1:29:19doesn't compare. So [snorts] that always

1:29:22holds people back. Even though we've

1:29:23come across people that are highly

1:29:25qualified and we're like you, you could

1:29:28be part of making a difference. Um

1:29:30they've thought about it but say no like

1:29:32salary doesn't work and like well this

1:29:35is as far as we can go. So that

1:29:38definitely becomes a limitation.

1:29:41>> I don't know if [clears throat] you know

1:29:42I know that one personally because it

1:29:45and then um we have a civil service

1:29:48list. So we have to go through that list

1:29:52and follow follow the guidelines and

1:29:56um

1:29:58I and then if someone's not chosen they

1:30:01have to agree to be take themselves off

1:30:04the list for us to go further down the

1:30:06list.

1:30:07>> So again you have to have to follow the

1:30:11rules.

1:30:12>> Okay.

1:30:13>> And it's only it's whoever applies.

1:30:16>> Got it. And just on the salary front

1:30:18because we look at board of head

1:30:20salaries and they look pretty good. So

1:30:21what like what is the constraint around

1:30:23>> but again compared to the field like if

1:30:25you look at that director of facilities

1:30:27job I think it pays one

1:30:30>> 130 when in the field like those people

1:30:32are making like 180 right um for that

1:30:36top layer now with the infrastructure

1:30:39like as high as speaking was 180 those

1:30:41people making a lot more you know spaces

1:30:46>> I can speak at the senior vice president

1:30:49of fac reason well I don't want to say

1:30:53what my salary was but it was less than

1:30:55150

1:30:56>> and I can understand because people that

1:30:58were not keeping job we're looking at

1:30:59180 or better in other areas

1:31:02>> particularly in in the private sector

1:31:04colleges

1:31:05>> yeah even at southern pace level

1:31:08>> and we are constrained

1:31:09>> not to try to get

1:31:10>> we are no no I'm just saying we are

1:31:11constrained by what by

1:31:14>> we don't have money

1:31:15>> no I understand that but we you know

1:31:17we've set high salaries for other

1:31:18positions in the district to be

1:31:20competitive So why not do

1:31:21>> even I would argue that those salaries

1:31:23are not competitive either. When you

1:31:26analyze roles across districts and

1:31:29populations like the ones that we serve,

1:31:31they're not competitive. They may feel

1:31:33high, but they're not competitive.

1:31:36Um so that continues to be a struggle

1:31:39for us and we have to operate within our

1:31:42means. So that's what we're doing now

1:31:44like doing the best with the means that

1:31:47we have.

1:31:48I'd like to move on. We have three other

1:31:50questions. Go ahead. I would like to get

1:31:51the updates. Alderente, Alder Melendez,

1:31:53and then Alder Kin the updates.

1:31:56>> Thank you, Mr. Chair.

1:31:58>> Uh, thanks Dr. White, Dr. Brown for your

1:32:00presentation. I'm actually encouraged by

1:32:02this model. Um, it reminds me of what we

1:32:05used to have in school buildings

1:32:0820 [clears throat] years ago um when

1:32:09things got done. Um, I have a couple of

1:32:12uh personnel questions.

1:32:15Um, I'm also very encouraged by the the

1:32:17new district custodial supervisor having

1:32:1926 years in public schools. I think

1:32:21that's a good um

1:32:25so let's let's think into the future.

1:32:28Say this um

1:32:31property manager position works. Is

1:32:34there a plan to expand and decrease the

1:32:36number of schools per property man?

1:32:40Cuz I mean seven worrying about six or

1:32:42seven buildings is a lot. I mean, I'm at

1:32:44Fair Haven. Just one school. That's just

1:32:46that school alone is one man's job. So,

1:32:49I'm a little concerned about somebody

1:32:50having six buildings.

1:32:52>> Well, I think the reality is, right,

1:32:53that this is this is part of the plan.

1:32:56This isn't the entire plan,

1:32:58>> right? Shortterm plan was all the

1:33:01projects that we're doing now that you

1:33:02heard me mentioned before, roof, HVAC.

1:33:05Um, this is more staffing, but longer

1:33:07plan, right? We said to you, we're going

1:33:09to bring you a comprehensive plan that

1:33:11is on track to be brought by the end of

1:33:14this year. Um, that has to really talk

1:33:18about conditions of buildings,

1:33:22uh, sustainability.

1:33:24Does that mean that there's a 10-year

1:33:25plan that speaks about consolidating?

1:33:28So I think in the future you probably

1:33:31are looking a lot less just because of

1:33:32that because we we have to be very

1:33:35serious about where we are which

1:33:37buildings and enrollment and all that

1:33:39good stuff.

1:33:42>> Um so as we move to in-house staff I

1:33:47noticed that we still have some

1:33:49part-time subcontracting custodians plan

1:33:52to phase them out eventually. Uh

1:33:55let's get through this transition first

1:33:57because that's uh that's another layer

1:33:59of bringing in approximately 185 to 200

1:34:03part- timers is what brings happens now

1:34:06and that would be the whole core of HR

1:34:11just in that management structure. So

1:34:13we're getting through this piece first

1:34:15and then looking at what what we could

1:34:17do what makes the most sense in terms of

1:34:20that. But it would be ideal to have all

1:34:23every single person in HBS staff but and

1:34:27there we

1:34:30uh there isn't the capacity to get that

1:34:32done at this time.

1:34:34>> And one further question, Mr. Ch.

1:34:37>> Um

1:34:39sorry my glass. Um we talked about mold

1:34:43remediation, water damage, stuff like

1:34:45that. Um, the company that you use for

1:34:48remediation, is it a local company?

1:34:50>> Uh, it's TRS. Um,

1:34:53I

1:34:55t excuse me. I don't know if the here in

1:35:01New Haven, but they're local to the

1:35:03state obviously, but and respond

1:35:08almost immediately once we ask her. For

1:35:10example, when we had

1:35:11[cough and clears throat] we had the

1:35:12leak and bassid issue overnight uh by

1:35:168:30 that morning, they like we had the

1:35:19the remediation team there working on

1:35:21the wounds.

1:35:23>> And and the reason I ask is because the

1:35:24city uses a local um company

1:35:28like based right here in New Haven, the

1:35:30Pro Clean Cleaning and Restoration that

1:35:31[clears throat] does all the city

1:35:32building. So, I was just wondering why

1:35:34we're using a separate contractor that's

1:35:36not local.

1:35:37>> Okay. Uh this this had gone out to bid.

1:35:40This was a bid of the previous year. So,

1:35:43>> this before your tenure. Sorry to

1:35:44interrupt. Yes.

1:35:46>> And it was something that was managed

1:35:47under ABM. This was one of the things

1:35:49they they were responsible for.

1:35:54So, um I don't know off the top when we

1:35:59it when the contract comes out for me

1:36:02bond. Again, that's something to

1:36:04consider because at times we do for

1:36:06certain things we do uh piggy back on

1:36:08the city or state for but I I don't know

1:36:12the history on this piece, but it's a

1:36:15possibility.

1:36:16>> All right. I I do have some other

1:36:18questions, but I can do that off

1:36:20>> out of the committee. I'll do it through

1:36:21the chair. Thank you. No [clears throat]

1:36:23further questions.

1:36:24>> Um, thank you both for coming. Number

1:36:27one, I want to commend you on the fact

1:36:29that we are here working together and

1:36:31moving forward and you put a plan in

1:36:33place for us to look and go through, you

1:36:35know, um,

1:36:38it speaks that we're moving forward in

1:36:40trying to remedy the problem, right?

1:36:42>> Absolutely.

1:36:43>> Okay. So on the property manager piece

1:36:47[clears throat]

1:36:50is his job um so full disclosure

1:36:55I was probably [laughter] manager

1:36:57authority so I'm kind of trying to

1:36:58figure like what his piece is going to

1:37:00be because as for me my piece was budget

1:37:04materials work orders um you know

1:37:08compiling data to report back to the

1:37:12uh you know asset manager director

1:37:14director director of asset management.

1:37:15Um I myself didn't know how to plaster

1:37:19anything, right? But I could manage a

1:37:22crew, right? And you have to do like

1:37:24discipline, you know, take care of all

1:37:27the all the

1:37:29supervisory needs, but also the

1:37:32functions of the job, know them and be

1:37:34able to um delegate and follow up and

1:37:37make sure if that's something that is

1:37:40that like we don't have job descriptions

1:37:42in front of us,

1:37:43>> so you know, it's kind of blindly.

1:37:47>> So it's like second bullet under the

1:37:49maintain kind of gives you a little

1:37:50glimpse of that. Okay,

1:37:52>> I know it's not there, but it reads, you

1:37:54know, fully responsible for portfolio

1:37:55properties.

1:37:56>> Yeah,

1:37:57>> one more

1:38:00over time tonight.

1:38:02>> This is just like big picture, right?

1:38:04>> So, notice there, right? Like they're

1:38:05doing daily walkthroughs.

1:38:08>> They're Yeah, they're the ones that have

1:38:10to coordinate with those vendors, right?

1:38:11To remove those barriers from the people

1:38:13doing um supporting those building

1:38:16managers,

1:38:17>> which again are custodians. basically

1:38:19communicating with the school community,

1:38:22right? So that's why like they're doing

1:38:23things like hands on deck supporting a

1:38:27lot of it is like you're talking about,

1:38:28right? Evaluating, monitoring, right? Um

1:38:34so but again the job desript description

1:38:37will be fully flush because the whole

1:38:39idea is that right they're centralized

1:38:41in schools

1:38:42>> so that they become experts on

1:38:45everything that happens in village

1:38:47>> and most of our budgeting function are

1:38:49centralized so it uh they won't be

1:38:52responsible to budget again

1:38:54>> somebody else says that

1:38:56>> okay and um the facility asset manager

1:39:00>> is that more like like you said on there

1:39:03for grants. Um

1:39:07>> you can go up. Yeah.

1:39:12>> So this is the one um first bullet.

1:39:16>> Yeah. First

1:39:17>> the

1:39:18>> And that's just a quick overview.

1:39:21>> The top

1:39:22>> the first bullet.

1:39:23>> All right. Can you explain that to me?

1:39:25>> Sure.

1:39:25>> Okay. [laughter]

1:39:27>> So for example, right now

1:39:29>> Yeah. Just the roof. Yeah.

1:39:32>> [laughter]

1:39:32>> So uh we are working on the roof

1:39:36projects right now. So uh Jeff is

1:39:40working with Silver Petraelli who is

1:39:43preparing our construction documents so

1:39:45that we can put together the full bid.

1:39:49Um we are uh he's worked with city to

1:39:53also see about we're looking at whether

1:39:56we could go off a state contract to

1:39:58reduce the time to get uh get the uh

1:40:03contractor for the bid uh coordinating

1:40:06um well he and I together are

1:40:09coordinating with DAS to make sure

1:40:14on the front end we are doing everything

1:40:17correct because we we don't want any uh

1:40:23ineligible costs because that that's

1:40:26something that's coming to some of our

1:40:28projects. Some of the closeouts as you

1:40:29know we've been presented with things

1:40:31were done and then it was determined

1:40:33that that was in ineligible for. So to

1:40:36make sure everything is done, uh

1:40:38following up with our vendors and

1:40:39contractors on that and again with his

1:40:42surface, working with them to make sure

1:40:45things are happening on time in the

1:40:46correct way.

1:40:47>> So he'll be doing like the bigger

1:40:48picture things like the roofs, the

1:40:49parking lots, the billful doors or you

1:40:52know things like that and ensuring right

1:40:55the the timeline like we stay on

1:40:57timeline.

1:40:58>> So monitoring the contracts almost like

1:41:00a contract.

1:41:02>> How much?

1:41:04Yes. Monitoring contracts, make sure all

1:41:06of those things are happening. Yes.

1:41:08>> And I have something to tell you.

1:41:10>> Okay.

1:41:11>> Jim Wankawix.

1:41:13>> Yes.

1:41:13>> The facility asset manager was the one

1:41:15who helped along with your body

1:41:18in the city on this.

1:41:21>> Yeah.

1:41:22>> That's all I have.

1:41:23>> Thank you.

1:41:24>> Last question to update.

1:41:26>> Just I'm so sorry. Can you bring up the

1:41:28big Graham?

1:41:30>> Okay. Um, [laughter]

1:41:32>> you're gonna become a pro.

1:41:34>> Probably didn't go up. Yeah, whatever.

1:41:36>> This one, right?

1:41:38>> Yeah, this is good enough. Okay, thank

1:41:40you. Um, so again, thank you for

1:41:44bringing this plan and generating a plan

1:41:45so quickly. I I do understand it's the

1:41:48short-term intermediate plan hopefully

1:41:49to get us on back on a better track. Um

1:41:54from a lot of the testimony from our

1:41:55past workshops, my understanding is that

1:41:59although there has been issues with the

1:42:02actual work getting done, another issue

1:42:05was the communication of the work and

1:42:08the interface with the users. meaning

1:42:10like the teachers, the students, um

1:42:13parents even and the principles where

1:42:15the principles sort of became almost

1:42:18like building managers themselves trying

1:42:20to prioritize how much. So how does this

1:42:24organog

1:42:26work to improve

1:42:28that interface with how like if a

1:42:32teacher finds an open in an electrical

1:42:36outlet that is busted and you know

1:42:38frayed wires or they find mold or pet

1:42:42infestation

1:42:44like who would be responsible

1:42:47for them to go to? Is it does it still

1:42:50just go into this like work order box or

1:42:54do they talk to one of these people that

1:42:58are much um that's just it's just I know

1:43:01that that was a a a major issue for a

1:43:04lot of the staff and the students and so

1:43:08how does this organog interface with the

1:43:12people using it in terms of um putting

1:43:16in um or raising issues but also knowing

1:43:19where that issue has gone and if it's

1:43:21resolved or not.

1:43:23>> Okay. So generally the best place uh for

1:43:27staff to start is with their building

1:43:29manager uh putting in the work order.

1:43:33But also where this comes into play more

1:43:36is the followup on that where it is

1:43:38parking managers will be looking at

1:43:40that. And also at sometimes it requires

1:43:43going in and getting clari because uh

1:43:48someone may put in a work order and say

1:43:52uh the girl's bathroom needs to be fixed

1:43:55at cross.

1:43:57There are it's like okay let's get

1:44:00specific. Is it the second floor

1:44:02bathroom things like so that once a

1:44:04trades person there I'm going to the

1:44:06correct place to do the work or so that

1:44:09specificity and then also follow like

1:44:11saying hey this hasn't been assigned or

1:44:13what's going on with this we need an

1:44:15update so that one we can get get

1:44:18information back to teachers quicker. um

1:44:22certain things um building manager

1:44:25should be elevated up very quickly and

1:44:28if when when those things are so that we

1:44:30can address them and deal with them like

1:44:33there is going through the work so that

1:44:35we ultimately know it's there but then

1:44:38there are times you have to take steps

1:44:39like obviously if you have a broken door

1:44:43don't just put the work order call up so

1:44:46that we can make sure we're deploying I

1:44:49mean like a broken entry

1:44:52So that again we're deploying to take

1:44:54care of those those sorts of things and

1:44:57the manager will be given the updates

1:45:00and given be being able to interface to

1:45:02give the timeline like okay um we have

1:45:08uh we had an issue at a school uh metro

1:45:12uh we turned around the PO the

1:45:14scheduling for the work was scheduled

1:45:18for tomorrow. So again, they're being no

1:45:21this happened, it happened on Monday,

1:45:23but Thursday is when someone's going to

1:45:25be coming to take care of it. And then

1:45:27after that, behind that, it's yes, it

1:45:29was taken care of or no, they needed

1:45:31more parts or that. So that again adding

1:45:34that giving them additional information

1:45:36on where it is in the process.

1:45:39>> Great. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

1:45:43>> Thank you for the u presentation. uh it

1:45:46would be helpful for us to um as a

1:45:49committee discuss you know what our

1:45:50recommendation will be to the full board

1:45:52about the pending funding um resolution

1:45:56that was presented. Um I'd like to move

1:45:59to the update of the letter that was

1:46:01sent to the board of education not

1:46:04necessarily to Dr. White and Dr.

1:46:05Negrron. Um that letter was addressed to

1:46:08the chair of the board of education

1:46:11committee and we don't see any board

1:46:13members here. So will you be presiding

1:46:15and and and for giving us an update as

1:46:18you

1:46:18>> we our intent was to come uh forward

1:46:22today

1:46:23um sort of answer the the question that

1:46:27we heard loud and clear like what are

1:46:30you going to do about it?

1:46:32What do you need? Right? So hopefully

1:46:35tonight shows this is what we're going

1:46:37to do about it. This is what we need.

1:46:40glad to hear that um you're going to be

1:46:42discussing then what this party's

1:46:44recommendation will be to the full

1:46:46board. We looked at the um communication

1:46:51that was sent to the board event. Um

1:46:54there are some pieces that we have

1:46:56already been working on and tonight we

1:46:58are taking the liberty to give you some

1:46:59updates on where we are with them.

1:47:02be happy to hear that please.

1:47:04>> Uh so

1:47:06our whole u or citywide stewardship

1:47:10committee meeting uh will at least some

1:47:13dashboard information at least in a very

1:47:16rudimentary form. We're still looking

1:47:18into a broader way of what can be

1:47:21presented

1:47:23uh and also just have the structures to

1:47:25be provide updates. Right now it's

1:47:28showing what work is being put in,

1:47:30what's getting closed, and eventually

1:47:33we'll get that to be something that can

1:47:35be public person once we once we

1:47:37complete that.

1:47:39>> So um to reiterate on that one in the

1:47:42meantime, right, Dr. one knows that with

1:47:46a lot of the structures that they've

1:47:48built already to better track where we

1:47:51are for example

1:47:53how many work orders are coming in

1:47:56what's the status of the work order also

1:47:59even looking at things by school so in

1:48:02this school like this is what we got um

1:48:05he knows that that will be like a

1:48:07standing report that he's going to be

1:48:09providing on a monthly basis to citywide

1:48:13stewardship. Um again, as he continues

1:48:16to explore what's the best tool out

1:48:18there because eventually we do want all

1:48:20of that populated and be like check our

1:48:22website.

1:48:25Um

1:48:27in [clears throat] terms of a few safety

1:48:29and uh environmental quality, um we

1:48:33haven't uh brought in a new pest

1:48:35management company that was in the works

1:48:38that um that was bid out. We got a new

1:48:42contract with them and already started

1:48:44working with them. Um this so that we

1:48:48could have better

1:48:50one uh continuity of service. So one one

1:48:55contract ended the other to start the

1:48:57next day so that again there was no

1:48:59break in service. uh we had the use of

1:49:04uh CT pest is the company we're working

1:49:07with now and management and making sure

1:49:10the keeping the laws get the regular the

1:49:13baits uh to deal with pest infestations

1:49:17and we've been dealing with them as I

1:49:19come there there's a general treatment

1:49:21across the district and then places that

1:49:23we need to do additional work have been

1:49:26done um one school that we had an issue

1:49:29with as the end of the school year. Um

1:49:33there have been no reports with the

1:49:36building manager, the union repet,

1:49:40there's been no issues. So very happy

1:49:42with that successful treatment and

1:49:44everywhere else continuing right now.

1:49:47One of the big pieces of work around

1:49:49pest management is making sure we're

1:49:52controlling as best we can door sweeps

1:49:54and entrances, especially as the weather

1:49:56changes. Granted, we're going through

1:49:58three seasons a day every day right now.

1:50:01But

1:50:02>> uh but making sure that we do it as the

1:50:04weather continues to get cold. Um we've

1:50:09uh we don't have them posted as yet, but

1:50:11we completed all of the

1:50:15uh indoor air quality testing for all of

1:50:17our schools.

1:50:19uh as you know as we ended the year

1:50:21there were 20 20 plus schools that we

1:50:24did and the rest scheduled to be done

1:50:26through September and October and so

1:50:29those reports will come in and those

1:50:31will get posted to to the website as

1:50:34though as they come in and then we do

1:50:36additional testing when we have mold

1:50:39sightings or any other issue uh through

1:50:43a connection from the teachers union and

1:50:46looking to work with

1:50:49uh Connecticut with Yukon's air quality

1:50:52initiative. Uh I've had a really good

1:50:55meeting with connecting with them where

1:50:58um we are partnering with them to have

1:51:01include this will be the equivalent of

1:51:05purifiers in as many classrooms as can

1:51:09go into and then um cost effective ways

1:51:13of being able to maintain that. And like

1:51:17I said, we had our initial meeting

1:51:18following up and working with how soon

1:51:21we could start getting some of that down

1:51:23here into our schools. Do appreciate the

1:51:26the connect made and now following

1:51:30through on that. And another piece that

1:51:32working on still still in the initial

1:51:35phases but um over the summer met with

1:51:41our environment who who does our testing

1:51:44when we have issues while increasing to

1:51:47do quarterly surveillance. uh the

1:51:50presenting gone through the proposal and

1:51:54um contracting phase but uh to do

1:51:57quarterly surveillance of air quality in

1:52:00addition to the annual air quality

1:52:02testing that's done. So again other ways

1:52:05to monitor in a closer fashion.

1:52:08>> Was that an increase in your contract

1:52:10value? Uh it will because it's a central

1:52:12contract uh because right now the the

1:52:16contractor to do the testing then we pay

1:52:19for emergency testing when something

1:52:21comes up.

1:52:22>> Mr. Tannon would be happy about that.

1:52:25>> Yes. And so we continue they've been

1:52:29working with our schools uh for 30

1:52:32years.

1:52:33Um

1:52:36and then next slide. Thank you.

1:52:42So, and of course, uh, we've saw

1:52:46been going through our building

1:52:48inspections and and these ones that have

1:52:51included the fire department, the

1:52:52building department,

1:52:54um, health department as going along

1:52:58with them. So,

1:53:00uh, as we do

1:53:02and as best as we can, we've had our

1:53:05trades people with us. So we were

1:53:07following through like when there have

1:53:09been issues in schools like for example

1:53:12uh the magnets that are supposed to

1:53:15release when the fire alarm goes off

1:53:17they were broken our

1:53:20our

1:53:21trades coffers were going behind trying

1:53:23to fix those trying to keep up as much

1:53:26as possible but between that and other

1:53:28work. So those that's just a small

1:53:31example of some of the work that we're

1:53:33trying to do. Um we are doing we have

1:53:38been doing school blitzes of

1:53:41working on the bathroom door stalls

1:53:45fixing fixing things. Uh, one of the

1:53:48challenges is and eventually we hope

1:53:51again as we develop dash reporting the

1:53:54repair time but also time that has to go

1:53:57back to repair something again. Uh, we

1:53:59do have a couple locations where we do

1:54:02deal with a lot of vandalism and try to

1:54:05work through that. But again, the point

1:54:07is about trying to get things fixed and

1:54:10then uh working with the uh citywide

1:54:13student council and other student groups

1:54:16to work on how we build primal buildings

1:54:19and avoid issues um people damaging

1:54:24buildings and working together that we

1:54:26can restore.

1:54:28Um again with our work work orders we

1:54:32are prioritizing building safety

1:54:36security

1:54:37um with our asset manager again um

1:54:41checking work orders increasing the time

1:54:44of decreasing excuse me the time of

1:54:48assignment. So multiple times they look

1:54:50at all the work orders trying to parse

1:54:52out what needs to go where so that we're

1:54:55decreasing the time that it's just

1:54:56sitting and sitting and uh cleaning up

1:55:00the work work order system in such a way

1:55:02so that again we're getting real

1:55:04information and working out

1:55:05[laughter and cough] things.

1:55:06[clears throat]

1:55:06Uh

1:55:07>> since we started this dance would you

1:55:09say there's been a vast improvement in

1:55:10work order closure? U have you noticed a

1:55:14reduction in certain types of work

1:55:16orders? If so, what kind? Okay. So, one

1:55:19of

1:55:20>> there's a slow pitch by the way for you

1:55:21to talk up what you all did.

1:55:23>> Yeah. So one of the things was as as

1:55:26we're transitioning to

1:55:28in-house management one of the things

1:55:30was changing expectations discussion

1:55:33about that that one of the things that

1:55:35is used to happen is some work orders

1:55:37would be completed but let's finish that

1:55:40by going in system closing out the work

1:55:43order if we work has to be transition if

1:55:46it goes has to go from you to alter

1:55:49dente to finish the work uh that gets re

1:55:52as something not closed. So that again

1:55:55it's more accurately looking at it so

1:55:57that you don't suddenly see something

1:56:00all the does see hey they closed this

1:56:02ticket that work wasn't done while the

1:56:05person's communicating behind scenes

1:56:06saying they change that. So those are

1:56:08all the sorts of things that trying to

1:56:10fix in the [clears throat] system now.

1:56:13And then also that like I said first

1:56:15that expectation of so I'm allergic to

1:56:18something uh you also forgot the part

1:56:21where you're reclassifying work orders

1:56:23that were mclassified.

1:56:25Yes, that was that was

1:56:27>> Dr. [laughter]

1:56:28Try to remember try to remember all look

1:56:31so many things are going on but again

1:56:34that was another thing reclassifying

1:56:36work orders so that again we are looking

1:56:38at real information so that we can

1:56:42uh true work and also our trades are

1:56:46showing the work that they do. So for

1:56:49the committee, I got had an opportunity

1:56:51to sit on the stewardship committee

1:56:53meeting where they presented the

1:56:54dashboard. Um I'm the only one that

1:56:56seemed to have the time during the day

1:56:58to see these and thank you all for

1:56:59allowing me to do it. But it it uh gave

1:57:02u me an opportunity to ask questions

1:57:04just like this about work order closure.

1:57:06And I got to say that there's been some

1:57:07improvement in how they're classified

1:57:09and how they're being assigned. Now,

1:57:11with regard to how they're closed, we're

1:57:13going to get to that part and we're

1:57:14going to, you know, as part of that

1:57:15establishment, but there's been

1:57:17significant improvement from when we

1:57:18started this dance back in last April.

1:57:20>> Yes. And that's and and that's a big

1:57:24part of again um having meeting weekly

1:57:29with other trades, meeting with you just

1:57:32avatar about what what they need to get

1:57:34their work done, following through and

1:57:36help them again understand them uh

1:57:40better compute so that they can go in

1:57:41and do their work orders update and

1:57:43things like that as well. and then

1:57:49uh working on our funding uh did meet

1:57:53with DAS uh to have a to understand

1:57:58fully what's needed for our HACA grants

1:58:01so that

1:58:03uh to improve the opportunity that when

1:58:07we start putting them in we can put them

1:58:09in correctly on first go and to get

1:58:12funding so we don't have to delay

1:58:14waiting. So a couple of things. So it's

1:58:17very similar to what has to happen with

1:58:18the roof grants. The big the biggest

1:58:21bottlenecks in this is we need real cost

1:58:25estimates. It can't it can't be a

1:58:27thumbnail sketch. It's so um hiring

1:58:31professionals to do a full assessment of

1:58:33how much how much it's going to cost.

1:58:36Then uh the other other place is just

1:58:41procedurals of once we get a number we

1:58:45have to ask the orders for the 22.7%

1:58:51match uh to for the project no projects

1:58:54funded fully but uh here in New Haven

1:58:57why it's 77 and so so it's the other 22

1:59:0137% that would have to have to come and

1:59:05not only is

1:59:07saying yes, we're going to do this. It

1:59:09needs to be had done through the

1:59:11meeting. It has to be then certified

1:59:15notes, all of that to go in to put the

1:59:17package in and so

1:59:19>> is there an actual funding cycle? I

1:59:20don't know much about the VA.

1:59:22>> It is monthly.

1:59:23>> Monthly.

1:59:24>> Yes.

1:59:25>> So you can in essence put a application

1:59:27in every month.

1:59:28>> Yes. as well as trying to get the people

1:59:32to fill the design

1:59:34>> and also the commitment each time for

1:59:42>> Sorry for the interruption.

1:59:43>> Oh no, not at all.

1:59:47>> We are ready for questions.

1:59:54>> Alvin, you heard a update to the letter

1:59:56that was sent to the board of

1:59:59um education and board of education

2:00:02staff has presented an update.

2:00:06Any questions?

2:00:08Dente.

2:00:10>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question is

2:00:13about pest control.

2:00:14>> Yeah.

2:00:15>> So, we have um some buildings throughout

2:00:17the city that have severe pest problems.

2:00:19We know this. Are there any plans to do

2:00:22any building shutdowns throughout the

2:00:23summer in order to address pest testing

2:00:25issues? Well, that was one of the things

2:00:28that made uh the example I was given

2:00:31very successful because with the

2:00:33building completely shut down uh you can

2:00:36use different

2:00:38uh you can use full bait in traps to

2:00:41attract insect. So yes, so that that

2:00:45helps uh reduce population which

2:00:48absolutely led to the success. So as we

2:00:50look around, we'll always have to look

2:00:52at what we where we can close where we

2:00:54can do so that we can do uh the full

2:00:58full type of treatment that can't be

2:01:00done when students are in buildings.

2:01:02>> Perfect. Thank you. That was my only

2:01:04question, Mr. Chair.

2:01:06>> Thank you.

2:01:10>> All [clears throat] the I'm sorry.

2:01:12>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you both

2:01:14again. Um, I'm really glad to hear that

2:01:16you met with DAS about the grant

2:01:18applications. Can you reiterate to us

2:01:22again what hiring are we doing to make

2:01:25sure that we can get those grant

2:01:26applications out? Are those jobs that we

2:01:28think we won't be able to fill until

2:01:30January or is there any chance we can

2:01:32expedite that hiring? Um, what are we

2:01:35doing to make sure we get some grant

2:01:37applications out as soon as possible and

2:01:40on the first try?

2:01:42>> Okay. Uh first we're hiring the

2:01:45professionals to give us the the correct

2:01:48prices. So that that is contracted work.

2:01:51Our facilities asset managers work. This

2:01:54is part of their the work on making sure

2:01:56we get grants and such. So that person's

2:01:59in place. So those are so

2:02:03>> the purple

2:02:04>> purple

2:02:05>> and we already have that person,

2:02:06>> right? So the work is being able to get

2:02:11the real numbers and then come before

2:02:13you to say it will call again just

2:02:17throwing out a number. It's going

2:02:20to use the one of the school exams. So

2:02:23cost it was 7.5 million we getting 5

2:02:29something million. So it's asking

2:02:32the board the [snorts] alers say okay 2

2:02:36million is needed to complete this uh

2:02:39alders von certifying that and then as

2:02:42soon as we have all those pieces

2:02:44together first of the month submitting

2:02:47the application.

2:02:49>> So we have the person on the district

2:02:50side who will oversee the applications.

2:02:52Now it's about hiring the contractors to

2:02:54give [clears throat] us the estimates.

2:02:55>> Yes. And most likely I'm still going to

2:02:57have my hands on now that I know what's

2:03:00now that uh took a couple routes but got

2:03:03went three for three, I'm going to still

2:03:05be involved and make sure we get these

2:03:06in correctly.

2:03:08>> In other words, theater, I want to

2:03:09reiterate um sort of like the title,

2:03:13right? So even though it opens on a

2:03:17monthly basis,

2:03:19we have to follow right this meeting

2:03:22schedule here because I don't want uh

2:03:25people to lose track that without we may

2:03:28have the design, we may have the cost

2:03:30estimates that are required for the

2:03:31application but without those official

2:03:35minutes that say yeah city has voted

2:03:39they committed to the whatever the 22%

2:03:42is without that that application cannot

2:03:46be processed.

2:03:47>> If Alex is still here, he knows we've

2:03:48hounded for those minutes each time in

2:03:52his cycles for that

2:03:55>> and appreciate his support.

2:03:57>> Got it. Uh I had one question about this

2:04:01plan. Is that all right to ask right

2:04:02now? Thanks, Mr. Chair. Um

2:04:06Dr. White, I'm hoping you can describe.

2:04:08So engineers Z in was there the

2:04:12>> Jim

2:04:12>> Jim who Alderman Mendes mentioned was

2:04:15there in the crafting of this plan was

2:04:17for example the district custodial

2:04:19supervisor who we just hired was that

2:04:21person helping make this plan I guess

2:04:23I'm just curious to get the scope of

2:04:24like what did the team look like who

2:04:26made this?

2:04:27>> Uh no he was not part of it. Uh it was

2:04:30initial meeting uh Dr.

2:04:33myself

2:04:34>> [snorts]

2:04:34>> uh mayor uh city staff and saw it from

2:04:39there. Then it came down to uh coming

2:04:43back with information from uh engine Zen

2:04:48and Kim and starting to put all this

2:04:51together. The district so it was was

2:04:54three days into the job. So

2:04:55>> Got it. Have you gotten I guess have you

2:04:58turned to anyone for feedback on the

2:05:00plan? Uh yes like talk to them about of

2:05:03course the

2:05:05people have been generally the feedback

2:05:07I've done has been okay this is good

2:05:09this is what we need to get the job done

2:05:12so the trades of course they uh sat with

2:05:16them explained what was happening how it

2:05:18was going to work and and been they've

2:05:21been supportive of it custodians

2:05:24um a brief discussion with the union

2:05:28about the structure the the additional

2:05:31work that's going into it and working on

2:05:33from there.

2:05:35>> Okay. I'm glad it sounds like they're

2:05:37optimistic about it. I guess I just

2:05:39>> wonder if it there's value in bringing

2:05:42folks like that in sooner, but I know

2:05:43there's a lot of

2:05:45>> perspectives to manage. You're trying to

2:05:47move quickly. I understand that.

2:05:48>> Absolutely. We're focusing on the

2:05:51urgency to get get moving and say what

2:05:54we needed and what what what can make

2:05:58move the needle quicker. Got it. Thank

2:06:00you guys. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

2:06:06>> Question.

2:06:08>> Thank you. Um, thank you for the

2:06:11information. On the fundraising plan,

2:06:14were there any sources of funding

2:06:16considered? DS is a great start, but

2:06:19there's many other sources of funding.

2:06:21Are there other sources being looked at?

2:06:24uh that those are some of the tasks that

2:06:27our asset manager is going to be on like

2:06:30this has been the first month we we are

2:06:32fully in house so it's been make sure we

2:06:36keep the wheels on the road so we will

2:06:39be developing that as as we complete

2:06:42this

2:06:43>> okay I mean I just I think it's

2:06:45important to say that there's a lot of

2:06:47public and private funding for this kind

2:06:50of thing I would think but but um DIS is

2:06:54a good start, but certainly

2:06:55>> No, it's not the end all be all, but

2:06:58absolutely anyone who hears of anything,

2:07:01uh that's part of how the IAQ

2:07:05partnership came. So,

2:07:06>> correct. Okay. Um I wanted to ask about

2:07:10a couple other things. I'm not going to

2:07:12go through everything that was in the

2:07:13letter. I would like to request through

2:07:15you, Mr. Chair, if we could just get an

2:07:17actual written response to the items in

2:07:19the letter, that would be helpful. But

2:07:20there's two two items that I want to

2:07:23flag in particular. One is about

2:07:25response time, response and correction

2:07:27timeline. It's something we've heard a

2:07:29lot from school staff that they submit

2:07:33something and they have no sense of what

2:07:35is a reasonable amount of time within

2:07:36which they would expect to get a a

2:07:38response and b a correction. And so I'm

2:07:41wondering if there what is the process

2:07:42for establishing some standards for

2:07:44that? Well, that uh that's one of the

2:07:47tricky ones and that'll come with the uh

2:07:50as we develop the dashboard because one

2:07:52of the one of the challenges is the

2:07:57the goal ultimately is that we get to a

2:08:00point uh and I think all the D table

2:08:03members when there be a day the trade

2:08:06team would take a building and be like

2:08:09the next two days are doing all ticking

2:08:13off everything off the less in in a

2:08:15building. But what the reality that

2:08:19comes with that is that if the toilet in

2:08:23the multiple disabled room at another

2:08:26build is um plumbers now pulled off to

2:08:28do that. So

2:08:30try to establish and this is something

2:08:32actually going to work with the trades

2:08:34on

2:08:35are the major things like what how long

2:08:38would it normally take and [snorts]

2:08:40if you're not back what what happens if

2:08:42you're not backlogged this is what would

2:08:45normally take and then of course you you

2:08:48have to accept the un unexpected

2:08:53>> I understand there's a range

2:08:55>> um but it it seems like not unreasonable

2:08:59that there would be

2:09:01a remount amount of time to receive a

2:09:04response,

2:09:05>> right? And that

2:09:06>> maybe the and that response would

2:09:08indicate a time frame for the

2:09:10correction,

2:09:11>> right? Well, that's where uh using

2:09:14better tools within the work order

2:09:17system of the of signing but also really

2:09:21putting in notes saying

2:09:24um something [snorts] XYZ's order should

2:09:27be in and such. So try to increase that

2:09:30information but again this is something

2:09:32with working with those who do the work

2:09:35to develop that.

2:09:37So, is there any is there a particular

2:09:39higher or any other like benchmark that

2:09:42you feel like you would reach to be able

2:09:44to to accomplish this to have a response

2:09:47time?

2:09:48>> Because right now, you know, the

2:09:50perception is black hole,

2:09:51>> right?

2:09:52>> And so, we're trying to figure out how

2:09:54do we get beyond the black hole

2:09:55experience and what is what are the

2:09:59combinations of positions or the

2:10:01position that that person is going to be

2:10:03able to figure this out for us. I think

2:10:05through the dashboard right because also

2:10:07we don't want to get in the business

2:10:08that we got to come to the 21st century

2:10:10right now we rely on text emails right

2:10:15we have to have a system where people

2:10:17electronically can see like in terms of

2:10:20workflow where is my request at

2:10:23>> so who up here is responsible for the

2:10:25dashboard

2:10:27>> building managers like we mentioned will

2:10:29have a role in that um director of

2:10:32facility will have a role in that

2:10:33there's a lot

2:10:34people that are going to touch that.

2:10:37>> So, who's going to be the person who

2:10:39that person's going to be in charge of

2:10:40it? And once we get that person in

2:10:42place, then we're going to have a

2:10:44dashboard within six months or whatever.

2:10:49part of that work um [snorts] would be

2:10:52would happen primarily within the

2:10:54facility asset team like we're because

2:10:58right now in the absence of trades bus

2:11:00this is who's helping sign

2:11:04now that's great

2:11:05>> so those that's work and again this is

2:11:08this was where I saw with what was a

2:11:10rudimentary one about this and then

2:11:13again through work with the trades get

2:11:15better answers for that so that we into

2:11:17this.

2:11:20>> Okay. So, we have a person now.

2:11:22>> No, they're better than me because I

2:11:23heard you say we have the personnel. We

2:11:25have the facility as a manager

2:11:27>> who is supporting that work right now

2:11:29because you see the highlighter blue. A

2:11:31lot of that will be that building trace

2:11:33manager too that's supporting with that

2:11:35which we don't have right now.

2:11:37Okay. So, I'm just going to ask you what

2:11:39would be the what is the role is there

2:11:42what is the role that is key to being

2:11:44able to have some kind of a dashboard

2:11:48with some sort of standards around

2:11:51response time and correction time

2:11:55communication back to the person who

2:11:56makes the complaint.

2:11:57>> Okay.

2:11:59Uh that would be a combination of our

2:12:03buildings trades manager and our

2:12:06director facilities.

2:12:08>> So you have director facilities now?

2:12:11>> No. So both of those are positions to be

2:12:13hired,

2:12:13>> right? But that hasn't stopped the work

2:12:16on trying to develop the dashboard.

2:12:21>> Okay. Thank you.

2:12:23Um the the other so we'll look forward

2:12:26to those being hired in share with

2:12:28students once you know once this works

2:12:30through. The other uh topic that I feel

2:12:33like is really timely as it gets colder

2:12:35is around temperature and humidity

2:12:37standards. I understand there are some

2:12:41national standards for this. Like what

2:12:46um who is that is that in the chart as

2:12:49well or is that something that we can do

2:12:51on a faster timeline to have some

2:12:54standards about what is what is too

2:12:56cold, what is too hot, what do we do

2:12:59when a certain temperature is reached

2:13:01rather than telling people just bring

2:13:02their coats and figure it out.

2:13:04>> Right.

2:13:05uh with with in terms of the specific

2:13:08temperatures uh CTO

2:13:12uh has established uh low temp there

2:13:16would been nothing set for uh

2:13:19>> yeah as high temp.

2:13:23So, so

2:13:24>> does that seem right to you to not have

2:13:27any? I mean, if a classroom is 90

2:13:28degrees, we're not gonna

2:13:30>> No, but those those are things if a

2:13:32classroom's 90 degrees, if the first

2:13:35thing uh at the building level, there's

2:13:37somewhere to move kids to, that's the

2:13:40first thing that should be done as we

2:13:43try to work on solving the issue. So

2:13:45that's so it's a combination of working

2:13:47at the building level and

2:13:50like as we've done in the past when

2:13:52there's been an entire building failure

2:13:55there have been uh take kids to field

2:13:59house or when we had um last year there

2:14:03was a day we had multiple schools with

2:14:07failures but at the same time we we do

2:14:11want to it's not the ideal educational

2:14:14environment but we do more kids in

2:14:16school for multiple reasons obviously uh

2:14:19the education but also reduce

2:14:23multiple meals for families the

2:14:25surrounding social statuses. So what

2:14:28would be the process for establish? Do

2:14:30do you think it's appropriate to have

2:14:32upper temperature and humidity

2:14:35standards? And if so, what would be the

2:14:37process for establishing?

2:14:39>> Again, I will say because this is an

2:14:42ongoing conversation, we're going to

2:14:43continue to follow the community. That's

2:14:46where we're going to go and we're going

2:14:47to continue to um problem shoot around

2:14:51building specific issues. Uh, we know

2:14:54that the better we get at dealing with

2:14:56our HVAC system, the better things are

2:14:58going to be. So that eventually all of

2:15:00our buildings have the air conditioning

2:15:02that they need, right? But for the time

2:15:05being, I just want to be honest and

2:15:06transparent and we're going to follow

2:15:07these Connecticut Ocean standards.

2:15:12And we're going to work with again work

2:15:14within [snorts] our schools like

2:15:17if the rooms on one side or problematic

2:15:20then we'll look at what we could do

2:15:23moving to the library or to think of

2:15:25space. It's not it's not ideal but again

2:15:29it's what we can but with

2:15:33>> yeah I mean that I think that's just a

2:15:34concern. I think we nobody wants to be

2:15:37in a classroom. I think PE staff and

2:15:40families deserve to know if the

2:15:43temperature in my kids' room gets to

2:15:45this level, they are not going to be

2:15:46there anymore. And so figuring that out

2:15:49feels pretty important.

2:15:51>> Just one more question, Mr. Chair. Um

2:15:54yeah, just one

2:16:00>> going back to I think the spring we

2:16:02heard a lot about a new study a facility

2:16:05study which was going to be

2:16:07>> take my question.

2:16:08>> Okay. Either you can add to it if I can

2:16:11I don't remember it's the date but it

2:16:13was I think in the spring and there was

2:16:15going to be a new study. We couldn't

2:16:18really understand how it was different

2:16:19from the old study, but it was going to

2:16:20be a study and either the RFP or

2:16:22something was going to be done by the

2:16:23end of the year. And so we're wondering

2:16:27what's the status of that and how does

2:16:29it relate to all of this? Um we are

2:16:33working with Perkins Eastman who uh who

2:16:38worked worked with us through our

2:16:41we fit in for Wexler to go into making

2:16:45Bassid uh worked with us and we had

2:16:48already engaged them in work and this is

2:16:51completing that work in terms of looking

2:16:53at what the 10year plan can [snorts] be

2:16:57and

2:17:00then we'll have for community

2:17:01engagements. Uh I meet with them weekly

2:17:04to work on the progressional plan, work

2:17:07through things and

2:17:09make this that's that's my Thursday

2:17:12morning meeting.

2:17:14>> That's the one that I referenced earlier

2:17:15where he is um Dr. White continuing to

2:17:18meet to ensure that we're on track

2:17:20>> to bring you that um plan right that

2:17:25we've been talking about.

2:17:27>> And how does it relate to this? Like how

2:17:30does it relate to the staffing plan?

2:17:32They're going to be operationalizing.

2:17:34>> Yeah, the no that other plan is more

2:17:36about talking about again what should a

2:17:39capital 10year plan look like which

2:17:41needs to discuss

2:17:44uh major like renovations,

2:17:47consolidation, those types of things.

2:17:50>> Okay,

2:17:51got it. Just a follow to Alder.

2:17:56It was my last but I do have this

2:17:58decision.

2:17:59>> There was kind of two plans in place.

2:18:01>> Yes.

2:18:02>> One was the they were taking the

2:18:03assessment from 2020 to 2023

2:18:06>> taking that data making a master plan on

2:18:08capital improvements which we were going

2:18:10to see we thought we would see before

2:18:12the capital improvement budget came out.

2:18:14But then we got more detailed and got

2:18:16into the weeds with the department and

2:18:17then started want to know about work

2:18:19orders which created a secondary plan.

2:18:21But collectively they should talk to

2:18:23each other at some point about how they

2:18:26interact and help integrate if I if I

2:18:30>> and that's part of the weekly meetings

2:18:32about this like the plan and then the

2:18:36structures needed around it.

2:18:39>> I believe Walder Miller had part C to a

2:18:41question. Um, I just wanted to quickly

2:18:43follow up on all of Theodore's question

2:18:45about who was involved in shaping the

2:18:47plan and I'm looking at this building

2:18:49trades manager position

2:18:52and

2:18:54have we spoken to anybody in another

2:18:56district or anywhere in a role like that

2:18:59and said you have this number of staff

2:19:02underneath you, you have this number of

2:19:04schools. Is this going to work? because

2:19:07it seems like a very small number of

2:19:09trades people, one painter for the whole

2:19:12district, two carpenters in the whole

2:19:14district.

2:19:16Like has anybody who's actually in that

2:19:19position weighed in and said that that

2:19:23looks good. I can work with that.

2:19:26>> Uh that's

2:19:30>> all right. Thank you.

2:19:31>> Thank you.

2:19:32>> Only one question.

2:19:33>> Part A, no part,

2:19:35>> part B or part C? No parts.

2:19:36>> Gavl you out with

2:19:38>> um in the past we've

2:19:41as a city have bet on different models

2:19:45of building maintenance from not or

2:19:50having in-house to parsing it out to

2:19:52contractors and we are looking at this

2:19:57plan this new plan the master plan plans

2:20:00plan. what is our backup plan in case

2:20:02this doesn't

2:20:05work out and how when like when do we

2:20:08expect to know I mean I I think it is

2:20:10it's it's great and you know I know

2:20:12there will be uh onboarding time etc

2:20:16[snorts] but when do we sort of say okay

2:20:21this is how we're moving forward because

2:20:22we're about to allocate a couple more

2:20:24million dollars to the board of

2:20:27education's budget which we don't claw

2:20:29back really Right. And we have to be

2:20:32accountable to the taxpayers and to our

2:20:35students and the community. And so just

2:20:39want to know if there is a

2:20:42backup plan in case this plan is not um

2:20:47as fruitful as we hope it will be just

2:20:50because we have to also be accountable

2:20:52to

2:20:54the spending of this. Well, that as a

2:20:57taxpayer of this city as well, it is

2:21:00absolutely the expectation that we make

2:21:03this work where we have to change

2:21:06people, we will uh where we have to do

2:21:09the work. Whatever work needs to be

2:21:11done, that is that is the goal to get

2:21:13this going the way it is because we want

2:21:16this to work. U every single person in

2:21:19the room wants this to work for our

2:21:20kids.

2:21:21>> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

2:21:23>> Last question for Alderente. Well, thank

2:21:25you.

2:21:26>> Thank you. Just I need some

2:21:27clarification on something. Thank you,

2:21:28Mr. Chair. Um going back to the

2:21:30remediation contract we talked about

2:21:32earlier. Yes.

2:21:33>> You had said that ABM was the one who

2:21:34selected the

2:21:36>> Yes.

2:21:36>> And now now that ABM is no longer here,

2:21:40it will be your staff that will be

2:21:42handling these bids.

2:21:43>> Yes.

2:21:44>> All right. Just something to to just put

2:21:46in your your brain about these bids. Um

2:21:49because I do have these bids. I have

2:21:51been looking at them. Um it seems like

2:21:54the winning bidder um came in at a

2:21:58difference of $14 between the first

2:22:00bidder and the second bidder. However,

2:22:02all their numbers in their bid were

2:22:04unrealistic. They literally put a dollar

2:22:06for materials. They put a dollar for

2:22:08equipment. They put zeros for equipment.

2:22:10And then I noticed that as we were

2:22:12dealing with problems um throughout the

2:22:16last couple of years, I heard a lot that

2:22:18[snorts]

2:22:19people would go to ad ABM management and

2:22:22say, "Okay, you guys got to fix this."

2:22:23And they would say, "But who's paying

2:22:24for it?"

2:22:26That happened a lot with the locks with

2:22:27the doors. They were like, "Well, you

2:22:29guys got to go fix these [clears throat]

2:22:29locks, but who's paying for it?" And

2:22:31that came from emergency management, the

2:22:32ones who told me that. Um, so I just

2:22:35want to make sure that going into the

2:22:36next cycle when we pick these bids that

2:22:39we're really scrupulous, really looking

2:22:41at these numbers

2:22:44>> to make sure that make sure that we're

2:22:46not only selecting the proper bid, but

2:22:50that the numbers match so that we're not

2:22:52going back going back and forth with

2:22:54them about, oh, well, this wasn't given

2:22:55to us, this wasn't paid for, we need

2:22:57more money,

2:22:58>> right? And that's uh one of the things

2:23:00we've been working with the city on is

2:23:04uh better bid processes uh working

2:23:07through Oakland gov uh making sure that

2:23:10work through all the specs and then

2:23:12following up we now have a procurement

2:23:15also who works on the board side so that

2:23:19we're looking through everything the

2:23:20specs make sure that we complete that

2:23:22that helped us to get better specs out

2:23:25for snow removal rather than we only had

2:23:29a couple more companies apply in. But

2:23:32again, that's that's the structure we're

2:23:34going for.

2:23:36>> Thank you, Mr. Chair.

2:23:41[clears throat]

2:23:42>> Alador, are you you good? Okay.

2:23:45[laughter]

2:23:47>> Uh first, thank you for for attending

2:23:49tonight. Uh we've had a very interesting

2:23:53past three months and how our

2:23:54interactions have been. Uh, I thank you

2:23:56for coming for us with somewhat of a of

2:23:59a plan on the staffing part, somewhat of

2:24:02a plan on the money part. Now, we have

2:24:04the materials as we said before,

2:24:07staffing, money, materials. Um, it's a

2:24:10good start from where we are, from where

2:24:11we from where we it's a great start from

2:24:14what we came from, but there's still

2:24:16work to get done. Uh, we do have a

2:24:18conundrum though. Um the conundrum is

2:24:21our next meeting will be the night

2:24:22before Thanksgiving in November and the

2:24:24meeting in December will be two nights

2:24:26before Christmas. So I will work with

2:24:28legislative services staff not to have a

2:24:31meeting in December, but to try to

2:24:32squeeze one in as a quick update in

2:24:34November, obviously not during um the

2:24:37week of Thanksgiving. Um, but more

2:24:40importantly is if you if you can provide

2:24:42us with a uh a written response to our

2:24:45our letter prior to our next scheduled

2:24:49meeting at least a few days ahead.

2:24:51>> Um, Hogan, I think um because the

2:24:54correspondence was addressed to our

2:24:55board of education. I'm going to speak

2:24:57with my board chair.

2:24:58>> I can do

2:24:59>> to see how pre to see how he wants to

2:25:01tackle that.

2:25:02>> Not a problem.

2:25:03>> Maybe we'll get them here.

2:25:04>> We'll take them.

2:25:05>> I'll take care of that.

2:25:06>> Like to see him across the table.

2:25:10Thank you for that response, Dr. I will

2:25:13reach out directly to to the board

2:25:15chair.

2:25:18[clears throat]

2:25:20>> Um, thank you again. Um, and um, have a

2:25:23good evening.

2:25:24>> Thank you all.

2:25:25>> U, is there anyone from the public wish

2:25:27to give testimony this time? Is there

2:25:29anyone from the public that wishes to

2:25:31give testimony tonight?

2:25:35Thank you. Thank you,

2:25:37>> Mr. Costa. Start out with your name and

2:25:39address

2:25:41>> or you don't know me by now.

2:25:43[clears throat]

2:25:45[snorts]

2:25:47>> Name, address.

2:25:50>> My name is David Austoa. I live at 431

2:25:53Orange Street. I made two requests of

2:25:56this committee. I requested that the

2:25:58committee request the 504 data from

2:26:02NHPS.

2:26:03That's all of the things they have to do

2:26:05for students who have disabilities. And

2:26:07I also requested that you request ADA

2:26:10compliance audits. It doesn't look like

2:26:13you requested either of those.

2:26:16>> I don't recall hearing that request be

2:26:18late.

2:26:19>> No, you were out of the room. Actually,

2:26:21you stepped out of the room. So, can we

2:26:24do that, please?

2:26:27>> Um, they use the wrong air quality

2:26:30standards. They use ocean limits.

2:26:33for the air quality tests and the limits

2:26:36for students who have disabilities

2:26:37learning or respiratory disabilities are

2:26:40much lower than the limits for OSHA. So

2:26:43if NHPS used the OSHA limits to say okay

2:26:47these classrooms are okay for these

2:26:49students

2:26:51violated their rights because they will

2:26:53suffer. Um just one example carbon

2:26:56carbon dioxide OSHA says you're going to

2:26:59have 5,000 parts per minute. Children

2:27:00[snorts] who have learning disabilities

2:27:02will suffer at about 1500.

2:27:05So if they use the OSHA women, they have

2:27:07kids in rooms that they can't be in. Um

2:27:12we think we've determined I talked to

2:27:15Dr. White earlier. We think we know that

2:27:17no one is responsible for the ADA

2:27:20compliance of polling places that are

2:27:22inside schools.

2:27:24On November 3rd, fewer than half of our

2:27:26polling places will be accessible to

2:27:28voters with disabilities.

2:27:30number of systemic patterns of

2:27:32discrimination a whole lot to create

2:27:34that that's just outside we don't know I

2:27:38I looked at the photos that we all saw

2:27:41and

2:27:43uh those are those are not ADA compliant

2:27:46facilities where the phone places are

2:27:49what the the access routes to them we

2:27:52have no idea it's quite possible that

2:27:56six or seven of our phone places will be

2:27:59accessible to voters who have

2:28:01disabilities on November 3rd will not

2:28:03be. This is a massive voter suppression.

2:28:07[clears throat] Um, and we don't know.

2:28:10No one has any idea whether or not the

2:28:13the voting places in our schools that

2:28:15are are accessible. [snorts]

2:28:18So, we really do need to get data. I

2:28:21thought the EPA because they use the

2:28:24wrong air quality standards. They don't

2:28:26respond. So anything that they do NHPS

2:28:30will know what EPO is involved. They

2:28:32will bring in the US Department of

2:28:33Education they will contact me and then

2:28:37I will have to tell them well I asked

2:28:38the board of the education committee to

2:28:41get that data and they didn't get it and

2:28:42I would rather not do that. the

2:28:45Secretary of State's office will be

2:28:46coming in and I'm looking at vulnerable

2:28:47request access and again [clears throat]

2:28:50I really would fight to not have to tell

2:28:53them well I asked the education

2:28:55committee for to request ADA compliance

2:28:58audits and they didn't request it. I

2:29:00would rather not have to tell the

2:29:03secretary of state's office that I don't

2:29:06have to. So request that data

2:29:12gets some idea of

2:29:14really more important than any of that

2:29:16is are we harming students who have

2:29:18respiratory disabilities? Are we harming

2:29:20kids who have learning disabilities?

2:29:22We're making it harder for them to learn

2:29:25because

2:29:27we use lower quality standards.

2:29:30>> So,

2:29:33>> yeah, we'll take it under.

2:29:34>> Well, I just think for some

2:29:35clarification, you said that the chair

2:29:37was out of the room when you made that

2:29:38request and that request would have to

2:29:40go through the chair.

2:29:41>> Yeah, I was I was testifying that's

2:29:47>> You all get it. I understand and make

2:29:50mistakes, but I'm doing what I have to

2:29:53do.

2:29:54>> But in all honesty, I there's a in a

2:29:57discussion that a couple others have had

2:29:59with the air quality control

2:30:02company that you explaining to us. Um

2:30:06those standards are kind of I hate to

2:30:09say the word loosey goosey, but it's

2:30:11kind of vague and it is

2:30:13>> but I will follow up on it. But every

2:30:16student who has a disability will have

2:30:18an individual education plan. I that's

2:30:22private. We can't know what those are.

2:30:24Only the parents can know. Um

2:30:29>> I don't know how to determine whether or

2:30:31not we're compliant.

2:30:33>> Look at the facilities.

2:30:36They had to move [snorts] 1400 children

2:30:40and they didn't move 1400 children. So

2:30:42somebody

2:30:44>> that's a care question of care request.

2:30:46The air quality in this room would be

2:30:47far different than the air quality in

2:30:48the men's room or in one of the meeting

2:30:51room. So we'll certainly find out what

2:30:52the standard is.

2:30:53>> Yeah, there are hundreds and hundreds of

2:30:55individual disabilities taking into

2:30:57account. So

2:30:58>> thank you Mr.

2:31:00>> Yeah, it's my job.

2:31:04>> Yeah, people have disabilities. So it's

2:31:06what I do.

2:31:08>> Thank you. Appreciate Thank you.

2:31:10Is there anyone else who wishes to give?

2:31:15Please come to the table. Change your

2:31:18mind. [laughter]

2:31:23>> Hi, Jenny Graves, New Haven Federation

2:31:25Vice President, 22 George Street, North

2:31:27Haven. Um, I just want to make just

2:31:30quick comments about the presentation

2:31:32tonight. Um,

2:31:35I appreciate the fact that this was put

2:31:38together in response to the advocacy

2:31:41that my union and this this entity has

2:31:44has pushed the district to do. Um, I do

2:31:48understand that Dr. White cannot do this

2:31:50by himself. He does not oversee just

2:31:54facilities. He's overseeing eight, nine

2:31:57different departments and facilities

2:31:59just happens to be one of them. So I do

2:32:01understand that we need to build new

2:32:04structures of who's going to be

2:32:05responsible for what. I really

2:32:08appreciated Alder Miller your emphasis

2:32:11on the workers and I think where we

2:32:15differ is

2:32:18this model is very heavily management

2:32:22supervisory.

2:32:23We federation of teachers believes that

2:32:26workers solve the problems. And so like

2:32:29we'll take today as an example. 29 work

2:32:31orders according to the FMX maintenance

2:32:34system were put in today. One of them

2:32:37was finalized.

2:32:3967 of them were for plumbing. Six seven

2:32:42of them were for electricity needs. So

2:32:45I'm looking here.

2:32:48There's two right now. There's one

2:32:50plumber.

2:32:52So one plumber had to deal with six

2:32:54different issues today. None of them

2:32:57were finalized.

2:32:59Tomorrow that is going to build. Six

2:33:01more are going to put in. Now there's

2:33:0312. And it just compiles over time. And

2:33:06so without more trades people, without

2:33:09more workers, the property managers can

2:33:12make sure that

2:33:14but the problems are not going to get

2:33:16solved any faster without more trades

2:33:18people.

2:33:19And so like I do appreciate the work

2:33:22that went into this plan. I do

2:33:23understand that like the whole idea of

2:33:26property managers to help the building

2:33:28managers. Yes. And I think we need to

2:33:30build the workers first. Just and I'm a

2:33:34prek specialed teacher. I'm not a

2:33:35facilities management expert either, but

2:33:39I do know that one painter cannot solve

2:33:45the problems of 40 schools. So, thank

2:33:49you all of you for your continued work.

2:33:52um on this for our kids and our teachers

2:33:54and our school staff.

2:33:56>> Thank you. Is there anyone else who

2:33:59wishes to give public testimony? Is

2:34:01there anyone else who wants to give

2:34:03public testimony?

2:34:04Is there anyone

2:34:07else

2:34:08to like to give public testimony?

2:34:10>> Mr. Chair, I make a motion we

2:34:12>> second discussion.

2:34:15>> Discussion discussion.

2:34:18>> Yes. I I just Thank you, Mr. Chair. I I

2:34:21just want to say it feels

2:34:24I was really startled that there was no

2:34:26consultation with any other school

2:34:28district. Um I called other school

2:34:32district leaders in an effort to

2:34:34understand what other districts do. So,

2:34:37the fact that our

2:34:39superintendent and the lead on her team

2:34:42didn't do that to inform this process is

2:34:47is very concerning that we're being

2:34:49asked to outlay funds on a plan that is

2:34:51not informed

2:34:54by the most basic amount of comparative

2:34:59analysis.

2:35:01Um

2:35:02and this question of how many trades

2:35:05people do we actually need to solve this

2:35:07problem doesn't even seem to have

2:35:10occurred to them um to ask

2:35:14superintendent are part of

2:35:16superintendent networks. They like it

2:35:19would not be difficult to assess what do

2:35:22the 10 other largest districts in the

2:35:25state do and how is it working out for

2:35:27those superintendents. And I would like

2:35:31to see that information before we commit

2:35:34dollars to this plan and potentially see

2:35:38like other scenarios for how this amount

2:35:40of money could be spent in service to

2:35:43the goals that we all share. So that

2:35:46that's just

2:35:49my perspective

2:35:50>> for the discussion.

2:35:51>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I share those

2:35:53concerns. I understand that we needed to

2:35:56move fast and I appreciate their

2:35:58urgency, but I think we have

2:36:02neglected the work being done in other

2:36:05places. And also I'm startled that we

2:36:09aren't bringing in the district

2:36:11custodial supervisor or the facility

2:36:13asset manager to that planning, the

2:36:15people who at the top of this chain of

2:36:17command and making sure that they feel

2:36:20confident in this um and that we're

2:36:23instead presenting a final plan and

2:36:24saying this is what we're doing. And

2:36:28I don't know, I wonder if

2:36:30over the next couple weeks we can

2:36:32workshop the plan with other school

2:36:34districts and I imagine we could make an

2:36:36amendment before we vote on it on the

2:36:37floor. Um, and so I hope that, you know,

2:36:42depends how other colleagues feel, but

2:36:44if there's a way that we can encourage

2:36:46the district to do some of that feedback

2:36:48gathering and revising over the next few

2:36:51weeks before our final vote, I think

2:36:53that would be really that would instill

2:36:55more confidence in this process than I

2:36:58have right now.

2:37:02>> Kim,

2:37:02>> thank you. I too am hopeful but

2:37:05skeptical um for the success of this

2:37:08plan. I also didn't feel very satisfied

2:37:12with their answer on where uh the not

2:37:18goals but results and what has to be

2:37:21done

2:37:22>> performance measures

2:37:23>> for sure performance measures metric

2:37:24metrics in relation to the people being

2:37:29hired and um and we're we're betting a

2:37:32lot

2:37:35million.3

2:37:36>> sorry 1.3 sorry um million dollars on

2:37:40this

2:37:41new plan. Um and I would like to see

2:37:46where the performance sort of really

2:37:50relies on this like who

2:37:52is the executive d like are all of these

2:37:55managers right are they tracking that as

2:37:58part of their job um as part of their

2:38:01role and how does that all work together

2:38:03and how does that work with the

2:38:05stakeholders and the users for the

2:38:07system. So, I really do hope because we

2:38:10need we need it. Um,

2:38:14but I I like like Alder Miller, I'd like

2:38:16to see I mean I think the best practices

2:38:18I mean they took the uh the city

2:38:20engineer gave them the industry best

2:38:22practices of how to manage various you

2:38:25know like firehouses in the city etc.

2:38:27And this is how they set up the human

2:38:30resources plan. But even you know um Mr.

2:38:33Dylan when coming said well when you're

2:38:36doing a thing you actually take you know

2:38:40part A and you add part B and then you

2:38:42consult with C and make sure it's going

2:38:43against these things and that part like

2:38:45the performance and the results is is

2:38:49still I think I would like to hope and

2:38:53know that that part is there because

2:38:56that is also industry best practice that

2:38:58I'm not sure that they went a step

2:39:00deeper to include um Just like another

2:39:04best practice is do your due diligence

2:39:06and see what com peers are doing. So

2:39:13I don't want to just cross my fingers

2:39:14for our schools, right? So So thank you.

2:39:18Thank you, Mr. Chair.

2:39:20>> Well, thank you, Mr. Chair. Appreciate

2:39:22them.

2:39:22>> Um, so yeah, I mean, I agree with what's

2:39:25been said. Um, there's still a lot of

2:39:27work to be done on this plan. Um, but I

2:39:30do like the plan because it does

2:39:31resemble what our schools look like

2:39:33before privatization. There are some

2:39:36some differences like the seasonal

2:39:38groundskeepers I'm not crazy about. Um,

2:39:42but we've never had robust um trades

2:39:45people in the board. I mean, this is a

2:39:48step in the right direction because it's

2:39:49more than what we have now. It's a

2:39:51start, you know, and I think when we

2:39:53talk about um other school districts, I

2:39:57don't think there's another school

2:39:58district like [clears throat] ours. I

2:40:00don't think any school district has I

2:40:01mean, Waterberry has a lot of schools,

2:40:04but they're not in any close to the

2:40:06condition ours are in. Like, we've got

2:40:0944 buildings. Only 39 are being used.

2:40:12You know, I don't think there's another

2:40:14school district that's comparable to

2:40:16ours. So, I think relying on other

2:40:18school districts

2:40:20may not be helpful. Um,

2:40:23but maybe seeking out other industry

2:40:26professionals might work. But again, I I

2:40:29I'm encouraged because they're doing

2:40:31something, you know, as opposed to where

2:40:33we were a year ago, two years ago. I

2:40:36think it's a step in the right direction

2:40:37and I think we're the people to make

2:40:39sure that it's tweaked properly and that

2:40:42we get it to work. So

2:40:47I'm behind it for now. Um let's see

2:40:49where it goes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

2:40:52>> So

2:40:54the work we've done over the last five

2:40:56to six months has culminated to a plan.

2:41:01If we didn't ask for such, if we didn't

2:41:03push, if we didn't have teachers and

2:41:06students and parents and concerned

2:41:08citizens um coming in letters uh coming

2:41:13before us and the power of the gabble

2:41:15that we have possessed as the education

2:41:18committee, far more relevant than in

2:41:20past years, we've gotten this far. While

2:41:23not the best plan, we've got a team

2:41:26behind us to make the plan even better.

2:41:29Let's call it what it is. They don't

2:41:31know how to build a facilities plan.

2:41:34It's plain and simple. But they did

2:41:36present something that is really close

2:41:38to making an improvement. The way I read

2:41:41the plan is you have some property

2:41:42managers that are now going to oversee

2:41:44several buildings that should be based

2:41:46on work orders. You know, not so much

2:41:48the condition, but what work orders

2:41:50being generated built. You now have

2:41:52custodials and night custodians that are

2:41:54going to be doing some of the work. You

2:41:56may not have the same amount of trades

2:41:58people you'd like to have, but this gets

2:42:01us somewhere in early 2027 with trying

2:42:03to resolve some of the work. The very

2:42:06thing this committee has asked them to

2:42:08do. [clears throat] I'm not a big fan of

2:42:11the plan, but I am going to try to

2:42:14support it the best we can. So, we have

2:42:16a plan.

2:42:18One of the things I believe is everybody

2:42:20on this committee is strong. [laughter]

2:42:23We have strong opinions. We have strong

2:42:25influences and we will change the plan

2:42:28as we need to. I think we'll impact

2:42:31financing. I think we'll impact how work

2:42:33orders are being done. We've gotten into

2:42:34the weeds about everything. I don't

2:42:36think there's ever been a committee that

2:42:38has gotten this far with the board of

2:42:40education. Not even the board of

2:42:41education gets this deep at their

2:42:43meetings. So, I trust that while this

2:42:45may not be the best plan, it's something

2:42:47that we can kind of step behind just a

2:42:49little bit. And there's more to be done.

2:42:52There's more to be done. There's more to

2:42:53be done. And I don't disagree with Alder

2:42:55Miller, Alder Rede, Alder Melendez, and

2:42:59Kim or Theodore. For the record, I think

2:43:01that we can make the changes we need to

2:43:03and we'll have the blessing and more

2:43:05information that that we'll get from our

2:43:08supporting body and community. So, would

2:43:12I support the plan as is somewhat?

2:43:14There's still questions. I still like to

2:43:16see more boots on the ground, so to

2:43:18speak, but I don't think we'll get

2:43:21performance measure in place. I don't

2:43:24think we'll have goals and metrics or or

2:43:26what work order completion numbers.

2:43:28That's going to take some time because I

2:43:29just don't think they know how to do

2:43:31that yet. Uh, and there's still staffing

2:43:34to get to that point. And quite

2:43:36honestly, as we get that information and

2:43:38we meet the director of facilities,

2:43:40there's nothing wrong with us calling

2:43:42him here, too. So I believe that we are

2:43:45have a little bit more to work on but we

2:43:47certainly have the ability to make

2:43:48change as we've already made just in the

2:43:50last 180 days. So

2:43:55>> any other discussion?

2:43:56>> One more request through you Mr. chair,

2:43:58which is I since they haven't provided

2:44:00it, I wonder if we could ask committee

2:44:02staff to

2:44:04provide a list of the 10 largest

2:44:07districts in the state and how their

2:44:09facilities

2:44:11um what their facilities operational

2:44:14structure looks like. that you

2:44:17>> um to ask our committee staff to produce

2:44:21a list of the 10

2:44:22>> largest

2:44:23>> largest school districts in the state,

2:44:25the number of schools

2:44:28that they are servicing and what the um

2:44:33structure looks like for facilities

2:44:35operations.

2:44:36[snorts]

2:44:39>> Hearing no further questions, no other

2:44:41discussion. Motion to adjurnn.

2:44:44>> Second.

2:44:45>> All in favor?

2:44:46>> I

2:44:48>> I'd like to thank everyone that came on

2:44:49today.

2:44:50>> I haven't hit it yet because I haven't

2:44:52yet. I know you given it to me. I know

2:44:53how gavl works. Um I'd like to thank

2:44:56everyone that came on this this evening

2:44:58and in previous meetings and have a

2:45:00wonderful evening. Thank you.

2:45:02>> We are g work. I just wanted you to do

2:45:05it. I know you know how it works. I want

2:45:07you to hit the table.

2:45:08>> Mr. Sure. I wonder if we could also ask

2:45:10staff to look at if there are any

2:45:11exemplary models across the nation of

2:45:13major turnarounds like districts that

2:45:15were

2:45:17really short.

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