2026-09-28 - Committee of the Whole

12:25Call to order the claim uh the committee

12:28of claims and pen and suits

12:30>> F531. Oh, committee of a hole, please.

12:33Sorry.

12:38Call RO, please.

12:48The committee on claims

12:53Rubio

12:54>> here.

12:56>> Russo

12:56>> here.

12:58>> Moreno

12:58>> here.

13:00>> And for the committee of the whole

13:02President Mercer

13:03>> here,

13:05>> Dr. Russo

13:06>> here.

13:07>> Dr. Codair

13:08>> here.

13:09>> Dr. Greger. Dr. Moran

13:11>> here.

13:12>> Dr. Moreno

13:13>> here.

13:14>> Dr. Rubio

13:15>> here.

13:15>> Council SC

13:16>> here.

13:16>> Council Wilder

13:17>> here.

13:18>> Eight in attendance.

13:19>> Do we have any public input?

13:22>> Please stand up.

13:26>> If anybody's currently waiting online to

13:29public input button,

13:36>> seeing none, councelor Roujo, could you

13:38take up number two, please?

13:40>> Yes. Um, communication from Frank J.

13:43Milos Jr. Squire city solicitor in the

13:45article to the honorable Terrence E.

13:47Merca city council president Vavano

13:49versus city of Pucket CA number

13:52PC-202-3852.

13:57Um motion is to take this up.

14:00>> Motion made by councelor Arouel, second

14:02by councelor Moreno that we take up

14:04committee of claims of the whole and

14:06committee on claims of pending suits.

14:08>> Um Rick, we call a roll, please.

14:12Oh, do we have the Okay. Do we need

14:14executive?

14:16>> We're going to executive. Yes. I didn't

14:17make a motion to go on executive yet,

14:19right? So, um you want to go on

14:21executive?

14:21>> Yes.

14:22>> Okay. I'm sorry. So, I

14:23>> No, no, no, no. Let's

14:24>> Okay. So, now I would like a little bit

14:26communication uh to take that up. Uh, a

14:28portion of this meeting may be held in

14:30executive session pursuant to uh,

14:33subsection 42-46-4

14:35and 42-46-5A2

14:38of the general laws of state island

14:40regarding pending litigation. Uh, I make

14:43a motion that we uh, June go into

14:47executive session

14:48>> at 5:343 p.m.

14:50>> 5:33 p.m.

14:53>> Wow.

14:57And let's see. So we got chairman

15:00chairman Lubio

15:01>> here.

15:03>> Moreno.

15:04>> Yes. Free yourself.

51:15Well, you know, yeah, we were supposed

51:17to do the executive session minutes

51:19unmuted. Correct.

51:20>> Yeah. Do it again.

51:21>> I'll make a motion that we um seal the

51:24executive session minutes. Second.

51:26>> Motion's been made by council, second by

51:28councelor Moreno that we seal the

51:29minutes of exe executive session. Rick,

51:32will you call a roll, please? Chairman

51:34Rubio. Yes. Council Rio. Yes. Council

51:36Moreno. Yes. Three to zero. Bill

51:43>> number three.

51:44>> So

51:45>> item number three.

51:46>> We do or do we have to go back, right?

51:48So you have no it's finance and the

51:53claims committee. So councelor Rubio can

51:55continue to run the meeting.

51:58>> All right.

51:59>> All right.

52:00>> Chilford.

52:02>> Item number three. And the three uh

52:04committee of the whole finance committee

52:05and committee of claims impending suits

52:07of communication from Frank J. Milo

52:09Squire, city solicitor, attorney

52:12honorable role ter

52:14president, buy a truck manufacturer,

52:16antitrust litigation, legal services

52:18agreements. Um, I make a motion that we

52:22take this up in also to adjourn into

52:26executive session as a portion of this

52:28meeting may be held in executive session

52:30pursuant to subsection 42-46-4

52:33and 42-46-5

52:36A2 of the general laws of the state of

52:37Rhode Island regarding pending

52:39litigation

52:40>> at the time of

52:42>> 6:11 p.m. 61

52:47Rubio.

52:48>> Yes. Council. Yes. Council

52:49>> Moreno. Yes. Three to zero.

53:04>> Also, you all have

53:06>> Are we entering

53:07>> executive session?

58:55Make a motion to seal the executive

58:57session nets. Second.

58:58>> Motion's been made by councelor Rio,

59:00second by council Moreno that we seal

59:02the minutes of executive session.

59:04Regular call ro please.

59:08>> Councelor Arubio. Yes. Councelor Rio.

59:10Yes. Council Moreno. Yes. Finance.

59:12Council Wilder.

59:13>> Yes.

59:13>> Yes. Council Rubio.

59:14>> Yes.

59:18>> Will you surf the meeting?

59:20>> Thank you.

59:22>> No problem.

59:23>> Taking care of business, boss.

59:25>> Taking care.

59:27>> You want to invite everybody in or do we

59:30want to just let them drift in on their

59:33own?

59:34>> One at a time. Want me to go tell?

59:37>> I imagine Terry might have just

59:40ready for

59:42Look at her sweat.

59:44Here we go.

59:47>> Wow.

59:48>> See, same honey that way. To be Julian's

59:55>> happy happy.

59:57>> Yes.

59:57>> I guess we'll get started. Let them all

1:00:00kind of move you in.

1:00:01>> Uh, councelor Rubio, you want to read

1:00:03number four? Item number four, a

1:00:07contract between the Pucket School

1:00:09Committee and the Pucket Teachers

1:00:10Alliance Local 930 AFT AFL CIO for the

1:00:14period beginning September 1st, 2026

1:00:17through August 31st, 2029. I move to

1:00:20take this up. It's been moved by

1:00:22councelor Rubio and seconded by

1:00:24councelor Moran that we take up the

1:00:25contract between uh school committee and

1:00:28the pucket teachers alliance local 930

1:00:31aft AFL CIO for the period of beginning

1:00:35September 1st 2026 to August 31st 2029.

1:00:40All those in favor taking up I

1:00:43>> now we'll extend an invitation to people

1:00:46come to talk to us.

1:01:01Not yet.

1:01:13>> Yeah.

1:01:26Hello.

1:01:27>> Hello again.

1:01:42>> Who?

1:01:44>> I don't know. Is he here?

1:01:47I saved that seat for him, but I'm too

1:01:50>> You can stay right there.

1:01:52>> Or you can really just move right here

1:01:54next to me.

1:02:06>> Let's see the table there. Mr.

1:02:07Controller,

1:02:09>> you need more?

1:02:11>> We don't need any more.

1:02:12>> We need a couple more chairs here. Sure.

1:02:16More chairs.

1:02:19>> All right. Couple chairs here, guys.

1:02:23>> You're good.

1:02:39>> All right.

1:02:40>> You've already

1:02:42>> Oh, no. No. I was just yawning.

1:02:44>> Oh. Are we waiting for council?

1:02:46>> I'm not going to. But uh

1:02:49>> you mean you're not going to have a

1:02:51>> that's his stuff. I got my stuff at the

1:02:53top.

1:02:54>> All right.

1:02:54>> So,

1:02:56so chairman, we've already called the

1:02:57meeting together. So, um welcome back.

1:03:00Uh

1:03:02and I guess we're going to go through

1:03:05the questions that we had turned around

1:03:07and uh put out to your group last week.

1:03:14So, who would like to start? The CFO.

1:03:16Let me see if I got it straight instead

1:03:19of the instead of director. Uh,

1:03:26>> you want me to just go through the

1:03:27answer?

1:03:28>> Or at least for my right now. Council

1:03:30president's not here. I'm sure he'll

1:03:31have some uh qu his questions. We want

1:03:33to get council Rubio is here, so she'll

1:03:36be more than happy to have you answer

1:03:37hers, too. So,

1:03:40>> are they divide up your question?

1:03:42>> I'll tell you what, we uh Rick gave them

1:03:47>> give them the uh sheet so they can

1:03:49follow through.

1:03:54>> Okay.

1:03:57>> Question.

1:04:00>> Sure.

1:04:01>> I know we asked how many

1:04:04employees we have.

1:04:05>> Hold on. Hold on. Sad.

1:04:08here

1:04:08>> want to make sure I know is go ahead.

1:04:11Thank you. CFO

1:04:13>> the first question that I have on the

1:04:14interest list was total 50 employees. We

1:04:16have 106 each

1:04:20employees covered by the proposed EPA

1:04:22contract there's 715 teachers certified

1:04:25licensed by members.

1:04:28>> Okay. current surplus of global funds um

1:04:32and that was in regards to um the fund

1:04:36balance as it is right now correct the

1:04:39um general fund. So our current

1:04:42estimated fund balance is approximately

1:04:4517,822,591

1:04:48based on the FY2425

1:04:51close.

1:04:51>> Can you repeat that one?

1:04:53>> Yep. Uh 17,822,591.

1:04:59That's based on the FY 2425 closeout.

1:05:02Um, so just keep in mind that in this

1:05:04budget, the 20 well the 2526 that we

1:05:07haven't closed the audit on yet,

1:05:084,60026,991

1:05:14of that fund balance was used to support

1:05:17the general fund. So remember that's

1:05:18going to come out. So approximately

1:05:2213,195,600

1:05:25before the FY2526

1:05:28audit closing starts. So that's why I

1:05:31say all that with them because as we

1:05:33close our audits, if there's um any kind

1:05:36of deficit or surplus that's done, then

1:05:37I move it up or down.

1:05:39>> You just closed out the audit for 24.

1:05:42Correct.

1:05:44>> 2425.

1:05:46So at the end of that audit,

1:05:50you're saying the number is 17 million

1:05:52or 13 million?

1:05:53>> 17. But then in the 2526 year, you use 4

1:05:57million of that surplus as part of the

1:05:59budget. So that the real number that we

1:06:01know right now is 13.

1:06:03>> Okay.

1:06:08>> Okay.

1:06:09>> Next question we have was the fiveyear

1:06:11financial projection. Do we have one?

1:06:13Um, I would love to have one and I I

1:06:16plan to make one. Um, but we wanted to

1:06:18really see where we're where we were at

1:06:20right now and we just closed the audit.

1:06:22So, now that we know that and I can

1:06:24project into 2526, I can project into

1:06:27the end of this year and then I can

1:06:29start moving forward to give a fiveyear

1:06:31plan. The answer is no at this time. But

1:06:34we don't know how to move forward. We

1:06:37don't know where we're at. So, right now

1:06:39we're trying to figure out who where we

1:06:40were at.

1:06:41>> Okay.

1:06:44Next question was

1:06:46over the three-year term approximately

1:06:4817 million additional costs are

1:06:49projected. How will PSD fund or absorb

1:06:52the increase? The in administration will

1:06:55incorporate anticipated contract costs

1:06:56into multi-year financial planning and

1:07:00operating budgets or evaluate available

1:07:02reserves, existing budget capacity,

1:07:05state and local revenues and other

1:07:07allowable funding sources while

1:07:08monitoring expenditures, enrollment and

1:07:11identifying efficiencies.

1:07:13There'll be a funding mix

1:07:16established each annual budget process

1:07:18based on actual revenues, expenditures,

1:07:20enrollment and financial conditions.

1:07:22Could

1:07:28I just ask a question?

1:07:32>> All of those things contain that answers

1:07:34out of what any reasonable accounting

1:07:37department would do,

1:07:39>> right?

1:07:41What's your comfort level in

1:07:44being successful?

1:07:49asking what you mean

1:07:52I'm just I'm asking it correctly those

1:07:54are all you know identify what we can do

1:07:57what we monitor yeah we expect to do

1:08:01that all the time but that's an answer

1:08:04to the question it doesn't give us a

1:08:08comfort level of success you have a

1:08:11comfort level

1:08:13>> and I don't mean to put you on the spot

1:08:14but

1:08:15>> in my personal opinion

1:08:19I think there are some hard decisions

1:08:21that are going to have to be made. Um,

1:08:24expect some challenges and I think

1:08:28some decisions are going to have to be

1:08:29made surrounding um items that maybe

1:08:32weren't made before that were pushed off

1:08:34in order to move forward positively. I

1:08:37also think there was some um areas that

1:08:41weren't being in full control and now we

1:08:44can control those items and

1:08:47make changes, do the appropriate things,

1:08:48use money wisely,

1:08:51make sure we're not overexpending in

1:08:53certain areas. What can we pull back on?

1:08:57There's been years

1:09:00thanks I wasn't here where a lot of that

1:09:02been going on. I think there's a lot of

1:09:04hard decisions to be made in order to

1:09:06move forward and make this happen.

1:09:10Phil's point, you know, I'll share that

1:09:11this, you know, this agreement does

1:09:12present some significant budget

1:09:15challenges that um you know, there are

1:09:17some financial adjustments

1:09:20need be done to things strategically now

1:09:22most recently on closing around.

1:09:34Um what is the intent requirement and

1:09:36fiscal implication of section 24?

1:09:39>> Correct.

1:09:40>> So section 24 establishing protections

1:09:42for certified licensed personnel from

1:09:44defying harassing or abusive conduct

1:09:46connected to their personal duties

1:09:48including conduct through school

1:09:49department email or other authorized

1:09:51current communication systems. It

1:09:53requires appropriate

1:09:56action and provides the employers are

1:09:58noted to remain in meetings where

1:09:59prohibited behavior occurs. And I know

1:10:02we talked about what would the fiscal

1:10:03fees look like for

1:10:05>> um there's no reoccurring dollar amount

1:10:08really be fluent if something happens

1:10:12and the legal team has to get involved.

1:10:14So I don't really have an answer on what

1:10:15that looks like it's fine in case

1:10:17there's a grievance or arbitration

1:10:19exposure.

1:10:20>> Well maybe that's and and you and I had

1:10:22this discussion last time that you're

1:10:24more financial than you are language

1:10:26stuff and I I could appreciate that. So

1:10:28maybe maybe one of the committee members

1:10:30could explain that more in depth on what

1:10:32it what they see as the potential issue.

1:10:35And God knows we all know with parents

1:10:39and individuals

1:10:41we in this day and age we go through a

1:10:43lot of the you know my father would have

1:10:45allowed you to slap me and you get away

1:10:47with it you know so it this day and age

1:10:49it's that's not happening anymore. Um,

1:10:52and I understand the protection for

1:10:53teachers and and it should happen uh to

1:10:56that to that point. I just didn't

1:10:59understand the language is like was it

1:11:01directed at a parent teacher conference?

1:11:03Was it directed at uh some type of

1:11:06meetings that take place inside the

1:11:07school and then the teacher says I just

1:11:11don't feel comfortable about this. I'll

1:11:12see you later and walk out.

1:11:14>> So,

1:11:14>> so what kind of resolution does that get

1:11:16to the problem at hand? So, it's

1:11:18primarily if a parent continues to

1:11:22harass

1:11:24um I don't like that grade. You got to

1:11:27do something about that grade. I don't

1:11:29like the way you look at my kid. I don't

1:11:31like the way you talk to my kid. I don't

1:11:33like I don't like I don't. And when it

1:11:36comes to that, usually we're on you're

1:11:39on Kinbo, which is an inhouse

1:11:42um

1:11:45communication system

1:11:47>> with parents and teachers. So at some

1:11:50point when it gets to the point where

1:11:53it's become a harassment,

1:11:56it can be turned off and they'll be

1:11:58directed to contact the administrator

1:12:02of that. and then from the administrator

1:12:05it'll go to the superintendent.

1:12:08>> So it's just an action to be able to

1:12:10turn it off. Is that all that is?

1:12:13>> So that's a beginning action. So

1:12:15>> you're saying no. There's also there's

1:12:18also a point where if they're in your

1:12:21base,

1:12:22we have to responding um to you know

1:12:27this behavior has to stop and if it

1:12:30requires legal action or

1:12:35go ahead.

1:12:36>> No, I would have gone more. This is the

1:12:38whole the the union. We actually had to

1:12:41um go back and forth quite a bit on what

1:12:43they asked for and what we came up with

1:12:45and actually a lot of it had to deal

1:12:47with our labor union. No

1:12:50>> legal. Our legal team actually assisted

1:12:53us greatly with the wording of this

1:12:56because we had to make sure even though

1:12:57I know they're in the room, we can't

1:12:59have if a parent sees a teacher at

1:13:02Walmart

1:13:03out in public. That's that's their

1:13:06one-on-one. That's a private area. First

1:13:07amendment, right? We're not infringing

1:13:09on uh children's parents rights to say

1:13:13hey I don't like what you're doing but

1:13:15this is the Kimbo the we had examples

1:13:18several examples last year alone of

1:13:21parents it it would have came in my

1:13:24opinion especially with the background

1:13:25coming it definitely brought me to the

1:13:27line of harassment. What this language

1:13:29now does it puts the onus on the

1:13:31administration administration you have

1:13:34to do something about this. They were

1:13:35afraid to actually address, you know,

1:13:37hey, this parents reached out to me 30

1:13:40times on Saturday over a grade from a 30

1:13:43or whatever the situation was, right? We

1:13:46should have the ability that this parent

1:13:49communication has gone into the

1:13:51harassment study or the harassment side.

1:13:54Now, it has to go into administration.

1:13:56We're not going to ignore or cut off

1:13:58parents of this community. That's not

1:14:00what this is going to do. But to attack

1:14:02a teacher personally do their devices in

1:14:06their and I think it's worded worded

1:14:09work issued or workrelated emails or um

1:14:14I don't think you give out cell phone

1:14:16but their work related uh Kimbo or

1:14:18Kimbo. So it really is very specific. It

1:14:22is only if they are harassed on school

1:14:24grounds or using a protective school

1:14:27department, school issued or school

1:14:30technology that a parent is harassed.

1:14:32And it's to give the administrators a

1:14:34little more, hey, you know, these guys

1:14:37do a lot. We administrators, I'm having

1:14:40this person reach out to me. That's what

1:14:41this language is supposed to do.

1:14:46>> Presuppose if it's a family member or

1:14:48mother, papa. What if it's not? Whether

1:14:51it's your uncle, what if it's just

1:14:54somebody who's harassing either at

1:14:57school or on

1:15:00>> you know a device or something like

1:15:02that?

1:15:02>> Yeah. Mainly

1:15:03>> what if it's a school committee?

1:15:04>> Yeah. True. Mainly these things are are

1:15:07um you know primarily folks who have

1:15:10direct access to that students

1:15:12information. So there are some folks who

1:15:14we couldn't share student information

1:15:15with anything. Right. So you refer to

1:15:17like a home world. they may not have

1:15:19access to that student information. Uh,

1:15:21one of the things that we've seen over

1:15:23the years is an uptick in parents uh and

1:15:26you know entities really um points um

1:15:32these harassing of teachers you know who

1:15:36you know message um these are some of

1:15:38the things that we've already done. Some

1:15:39of the language you see here in the

1:15:40harassment language in terms of

1:15:42administration. These are things that we

1:15:44had in practice but they impacted

1:15:49you know

1:15:54abundantly and we supported that

1:15:56particular teacher by uh removing the

1:15:59teacher from the process and

1:16:00administration handling in terms of

1:16:02communication uh that happen with

1:16:04parents and so I think my my perspective

1:16:06of of understanding is looking for some

1:16:09language in terms of protections uh so

1:16:11that their members

1:16:12uh membership weren't exposed to this

1:16:14repeated um

1:16:20>> is the wording of the contract specific

1:16:22for Kimbo because I know some teachers

1:16:24still use like class dojo or does it

1:16:26just say school communication

1:16:28>> you worded it go ahead I don't have it

1:16:30in front of me I apologize but we

1:16:31>> yeah I'm just looking

1:16:32>> if you wouldn't mind reading it off if

1:16:33you have it you know just because

1:16:34counselor Rubio would ask the same

1:16:36question

1:16:37>> we we

1:16:39authorized parent communication system

1:16:42Other than Kimbo, some will use um dojo

1:16:45for example, but there we know that

1:16:46there are multitude of of systems to use

1:16:49including email. Uh so this now gives us

1:16:52the ability to do that.

1:16:54>> Thank you.

1:16:56>> Yeah. Anything that we as a city offer

1:16:59for parents to communicate with their

1:17:01teachers.

1:17:02Like what we can't control is Facebook,

1:17:06Tik Tok.

1:17:11>> You can control it by deleting it.

1:17:13>> I don't have it, so I don't worry about

1:17:15it.

1:17:17>> So um continue on. CFO

1:17:22financial risks obligations.

1:17:25But beyond the financial commitments

1:17:26outlined in the three-year contract, the

1:17:28question was, are there additional

1:17:29financial risks of obligation? Potential

1:17:32risks to monitor include actual

1:17:34enrollment and staffing needs, class

1:17:36size implementation, special education

1:17:39staffing, substitute coverage costs,

1:17:41right to read compliance costs,

1:17:43healthcare experience, and other

1:17:46operating

1:17:50absences sub

1:17:51>> before you head down to there. Um,

1:17:57one of the the questions I had and it's

1:18:01and I know from when I negotiated

1:18:03contracts and I had to listen to the

1:18:04people that I negotiated for, but I also

1:18:07listen to the people that were a part of

1:18:09the administration because they were

1:18:12turn around and saying, "Well, I hope

1:18:13you negotiate a good contract because we

1:18:15get a percentage a higher percentage

1:18:17when you guys do better." Is that the

1:18:19case with the uh the administration? Is

1:18:23there some type of uh recognition that

1:18:27you've got a teacher making this salary?

1:18:30So, there's automatically something

1:18:32thrown to the administration that isn't

1:18:35put down as a a cost.

1:18:39>> I was going to say we're not directly

1:18:41tied because then we wouldn't have been

1:18:42able to be in the private negotiations.

1:18:44that one of the other school districts I

1:18:47worked in we got removed from it because

1:18:49we weren't direct. So wherever the uh

1:18:53would get we would get so it seems a

1:18:55little it's great but it seems a little

1:18:58>> I think but the shared not so much

1:19:00administrative downtown it's it's

1:19:02principles and vice principal I think

1:19:04there is something

1:19:05>> there is a place that says they

1:19:08>> they get a bump

1:19:09>> that is correct

1:19:10>> to retain the the discrepancy between

1:19:13two classes.

1:19:13>> Yes sir. So there's a policy uh and I

1:19:15believe it's uh

1:19:18don't don't quote me but that policy

1:19:20does say there should be a Steven being

1:19:23the highest teacher

1:19:27policy

1:19:29that would be once contract correct

1:19:32>> yeah that wouldn't be

1:19:33>> at all times but just as this particular

1:19:35>> yeah it wouldn't be baked into this

1:19:36number but it it is a cost nonetheless

1:19:44continue. and stop here

1:19:50asked what is the annual fiscal impact

1:19:52of teacher absences including

1:19:54substitutes and what is the teacher

1:19:56absentee rate compared with the

1:19:57statewide

1:20:0025 substitute cost was1,843,81

1:20:06coverage cost was $354,639

1:20:10uh there were 95466

1:20:14six days used representing approximately

1:20:173 3,730,371

1:20:20in salary value. The latest public

1:20:23absence figure available is 24.3% and

1:20:26that was in FY24

1:20:30>> 24.3%.

1:20:37But that's how much of that is

1:20:46entitled.

1:20:51I don't know if that's contractual.

1:20:53>> Yeah, some of it's contractual. When the

1:20:54state looks at chronic absenteeism, they

1:20:56don't necessarily look at at that per

1:20:58se, right? It's the same as uh if you're

1:21:00sick from school but but has a excuse

1:21:03that's still considered part of your

1:21:08language

1:21:12person.

1:21:18>> So I want you to understand

1:21:21personal days consider considered absent

1:21:24theisms not just safety correct. Yeah,

1:21:27that's understood, but that's across the

1:21:29board, right? So,

1:21:31>> where does that 24.3%

1:21:33fit statewide?

1:21:36>> So, uh last year's public data and we

1:21:38only have last year I believe that the

1:21:41state average is around 8%

1:21:44average about 8%.

1:21:46>> And ours was 24%.

1:21:50That's good.

1:21:54425

1:22:03>> and then there was a question regarding

1:22:04right to read. How many students

1:22:07currently have outstanding right to read

1:22:08requirements? How will training occur

1:22:10and what is the fiscal impact?

1:22:13So there is 64 teachers currently with

1:22:16outstanding requirements. 46 require

1:22:20proficiency training, 18 require

1:22:22awareness.

1:22:23Training could require up to eight days

1:22:25per person depending on the

1:22:26requirements.

1:22:29>> How much?

1:22:29>> Um the total cost is

1:22:32>> the lack of how many days?

1:22:34>> Eight days.

1:22:39>> So we're talking around 520 coverage

1:22:41days $25.

1:22:44So 65,000 and then material is $22,500.

1:22:49So approximately $87,000

1:22:53that $65,000 number exactly

1:23:00class coverage costs.

1:23:04Sorry we're seeing this number go down

1:23:08someifications to their membership.

1:23:11There were folks who had this for four

1:23:13years, three years now and was never

1:23:18by

1:23:22that strong

1:23:25essentially saying

1:23:34those 60 something down. I think the

1:23:36first I think you said 42 or 43 the

1:23:40other day right but

1:23:42that should have been taken care of

1:23:45during paid professional development

1:23:48right and

1:23:51some 60s something people to some

1:23:53varying degree just did not do that now

1:23:57the expectation is they will do it

1:23:59during the paid school instruction time

1:24:04to essentially do remedial dealing

1:24:07with the number one, right? And there's

1:24:10a cost associated with that. Well, I'm

1:24:12doing what I should have done during my

1:24:15PD four or five or six different times.

1:24:18I am now doing on school instruction day

1:24:22and my students are

1:24:25elsewhere while I'm doing what I should

1:24:27have done real

1:24:30that's

1:24:32some circumstances some of

1:24:47Does the proposed year to increase

1:24:49account for the approximate 4.1 million

1:24:51medical reserve? If not, how is that

1:24:53reserved in suggestions? So that I only

1:24:56um threw that out there for the first

1:24:58year of the proposal and that would have

1:25:00to go to school committee. Um and I

1:25:02would not be taking anything near that

1:25:04amount. I was going to suggest if it was

1:25:06a committee's will

1:25:111.8 million to be taken out um that

1:25:13would offset our medical cost by

1:25:161,444,000

1:25:19and the other 20% would come off the

1:25:21premiums for the uh individuals who

1:25:24work.

1:25:30Is this regarding the the the three

1:25:33million of the medical um surplus which

1:25:36about 75% that you

1:25:38>> was able to be used but I wouldn't

1:25:41>> you're indicating that you'd only use

1:25:421.8 million of that.

1:25:44>> So that 1.8 million then if you use that

1:25:47for fiscal year 2526

1:25:50come 2627

1:25:52you'd have to come up with that 1.8 8

1:25:54now is now a structural deficit for

1:25:572728, right? So, you're looking at a

1:26:00$5.4

1:26:01million um that year 2 will cost and

1:26:05then you're looking at another 1.8 which

1:26:07will bring my uh my SHA to 7.2 million,

1:26:12right? Um so, you know, there's a

1:26:16concern because with that big number,

1:26:18our max tax is only 4.72.

1:26:23Now when you're negotiating with the

1:26:25with the membership, my concern is are

1:26:28you going to be able to keep this

1:26:30commitment to that those members that

1:26:32you know you negotiated with have enough

1:26:34money to pay to that contract without

1:26:37making any significant cuts whether it's

1:26:39through closures or layoffs because

1:26:41that's a lot of money to try to come up

1:26:43with uh adding that 1.8. Originally it

1:26:45was 3.1 when we were discussing it last

1:26:48so that's a little better. Um and that

1:26:50was going to bring it to 8.4 4 million,

1:26:53but it's still a $1.8 million structural

1:26:56deficit. And my concern, you know, we

1:26:58pay here to protect the taxpayers and

1:27:00the children, but also the membership

1:27:01who you promised this contract to, are

1:27:03you going to be able to owe that? That's

1:27:05a lot of money. That's a concern. Where

1:27:07you going to come up with that extra

1:27:091.8, you know?

1:27:13>> Yeah. So, what else? And like I shared

1:27:16before, we know that there is going to

1:27:18be

1:27:20we also know that each year at the start

1:27:23of our district

1:27:30whether we get that or not, that is part

1:27:32of our job as district leadership.

1:27:35Now that appropriation is not solely

1:27:37responsible for this particular

1:27:43district.

1:27:48He would theoretically definitely know

1:27:50that we would like to ask

1:27:55not only this to support the needs of

1:27:58>> understood but again you know our tax

1:28:00light was $118 million. So 1% of that

1:28:04is, you know, 1.18 times that by four.

1:28:06We're at 4.72 is the max that we can go

1:28:08up. Yes.

1:28:09>> And we had other services uh to take

1:28:11care of as well. So there's a concern of

1:28:13taking care of those other services and

1:28:16having you be able to, you know, um make

1:28:20this whole commitment to that contract

1:28:22that you're negotiating, right? Because

1:28:24it's only fair to do that. So it's just

1:28:26a big number.

1:28:27>> Superintendent, you you talk about

1:28:29appropriation. Um, and I think that's

1:28:31something that uh we also affects us

1:28:35because yours is not the only contract

1:28:37that comes before us. And that

1:28:40reflection onto all the other ones that

1:28:42we negotiate, we by no means are rubber

1:28:44stamp in this committee or this council

1:28:48for for that fact. Uh, we go to great

1:28:52lengths [snorts] to try to figure out

1:28:54how we can operate a city. And it's it's

1:28:57always been I've always heard the story

1:28:59that, you know, we underfund the school

1:29:01department. $33 million is not

1:29:03underfunding. We've we've put out we put

1:29:06out things to um work with the school

1:29:08department in the past. We haven't been

1:29:11we've been successful in some aspects,

1:29:14but that was years past. And when we've

1:29:16tried to make other offers, it haven't

1:29:19been receptive. And

1:29:22I know the discussion has gone back and

1:29:24forth with the school committee to turn

1:29:26around and say, "Well, then use your

1:29:28surplus and good luck to you." Uh, but

1:29:32the aspect of people turn around and

1:29:34thinking that we just write a blank

1:29:36check here and then you can turn around

1:29:37and do what you want with it, that's not

1:29:39what we do on this side. Um, at least

1:29:41while I'm sitting in this chair. Um, and

1:29:44I have been for a while unfortunately.

1:29:46Um, so I and I want to make sure that

1:29:50everybody clearly understands that, you

1:29:51know, that we've got not only and I

1:29:54think it's one of the reasons why I

1:29:56asked on how many employees you had

1:29:58totally because we've got to turn around

1:30:00and consider what we're doing with fire

1:30:02and police, what we're doing with 1012,

1:30:04what we're doing with everybody else,

1:30:05but what we're doing with this contract

1:30:06also. And and it's I I've had other

1:30:10examples.

1:30:11I turn around having my paperwork. I got

1:30:13them add them here. We just settled one

1:30:16contract for $2.2 million. We took

1:30:19another one for another um $252,000.

1:30:25Uh you know, when we look at these

1:30:28things and we take them very very

1:30:30seriously. Here's the other one was 2.8

1:30:32million that we a contract that we

1:30:34settled with.

1:30:36The number that

1:30:39is given to us is a significant number

1:30:42and a lot of times uh in the past we've

1:30:45asked does the school department know

1:30:47what their numbers are when you don't

1:30:50have a true concept of knowing what your

1:30:51numbers are and I know again as chairman

1:30:54of finance I just got the audit the

1:30:56other day

1:30:58uh my clerk was happy to send it to me

1:31:00and I started to read it over the

1:31:01weekend which as I'll give uh one of my

1:31:04past colleagues uh all those numbers

1:31:06does make my head hurt. So, it's it's to

1:31:09try to decipher this stuff and make sure

1:31:10that it works. And I'm not so sure that

1:31:13this works. U as councelor Rujo said,

1:31:17you've got to consider the taxpayer, the

1:31:20children, uh your own employees, whether

1:31:23or not we're going to be able to afford

1:31:25this. And u at this point, I I don't I

1:31:28don't think we can uh unless we knew

1:31:31exactly where the money was. Council man

1:31:33asked the question at the last meeting.

1:31:35Are you sure you have the money for the

1:31:37next three years that you can you can do

1:31:39this? And I didn't hear any definitive

1:31:41answers. We're going to try. Well, we

1:31:43all know when we try and can't find it,

1:31:46you come back looking for sources

1:31:47somewhere else, whether it's from the

1:31:48state, whether it's from the city, or

1:31:50whether it's within your own regard, you

1:31:53know. Um, and it gives me serious

1:31:55reservations about what we're doing

1:31:57here.

1:31:59Um, I'll open it up for anybody else if

1:32:02they have any other questions. Uh before

1:32:04I continue on,

1:32:07>> president

1:32:09back on on what you said. You know the

1:32:11numbers of different union contracts

1:32:13vary but so does the size of the

1:32:15>> correct the body the members. Um

1:32:20it's and it's not just numbers you know

1:32:24it's

1:32:28I'll ask you you know in this contract

1:32:31very first thing out of the state CFOs

1:32:35the other night was we got and

1:32:41you tell me one other thing that the 10

1:32:44minutes that

1:32:46is required by state law that cost us

1:32:48$750,000 to get last year in addition to

1:32:51three additional school days. Can you

1:32:54tell me what else what other deliverable

1:32:59you got in this contract?

1:33:02>> I 10 minutes.

1:33:03>> We had a total of 20

1:33:09minutes other than minutes.

1:33:13What's on your side of the ledger?

1:33:18And those minutes

1:33:21are

1:33:23mandated by state law and those minutes

1:33:27at least in the first year if I'm not

1:33:29mistaken in elementary. Right.

1:33:32>> Correct. So all along

1:33:35>> all along

1:33:36>> all along secondary was working as long

1:33:39as they were science

1:33:42>> and

1:33:44so

1:33:47we talked about it that was you know

1:33:49we're not jumping up and down that we

1:33:52got 10 minutes

1:33:5420 minutes overall three of

1:33:57instructional time that should all but

1:34:01you're telling me That's what we've got

1:34:05in exchange for $17 million over the

1:34:08course of it and two more categories of

1:34:14>> longevity.

1:34:18Can't tell me

1:34:21what else we've got.

1:34:24Give me not jumping up and down about

1:34:27getting I I had a book that used to call

1:34:30that the steam off, right?

1:34:3310 minutes originally, 20 minutes total

1:34:36is really to see about the best. You

1:34:38know, I don't know if it's you

1:34:42and chair, you know, the chair, but you

1:34:46can't tell us what else you got in five

1:34:49months of negotiation.

1:34:52>> Sure. But do you mind if I answer

1:34:56to the chair? Do you mind, President, if

1:34:57I

1:34:58>> No, I

1:35:00do. You know, I I don't want to put

1:35:02anybody on the hook. Let anybody off.

1:35:04>> No. And I don't mind saying I appreciate

1:35:05this process. If you want to know the

1:35:07truth, if you want me to get brilliant,

1:35:09I appreciate the process. I appreciate

1:35:11the questioning of this contract. I've

1:35:13had two stints on the school committee

1:35:14from 4 to 10 in whatever year until

1:35:16whatever day this is. Um this is the

1:35:19first time this has been a very thorough

1:35:22look at the contract and it's fair for

1:35:23the taxpayer. It's fair for the um um

1:35:26Mr. Councilman Roujo, you said it fair

1:35:29for the employees. Can we do this? We

1:35:32had 13 meetings with the teachers, but

1:35:34we met for months on this. And I'm sorry

1:35:37to drag it out. This is what we got. We

1:35:39extended their school day. The ride

1:35:42demands that we get five minutes from

1:35:43them. We're 15 minutes over what ride.

1:35:45We are now going to be one of the middle

1:35:48of pack to upper pack of the Blackstone

1:35:50Valley school district for school time.

1:35:52We reduced their class sightings. We got

1:35:55language inside the contract that I

1:35:58turned to this gentleman and said,

1:36:00>> "So, are you saying reduce class size is

1:36:03a win management

1:36:06or win for the membership win for

1:36:08district?" I'm getting a little high in

1:36:11because we are going to

1:36:14they're going to kill them. We are going

1:36:15to raise test scores because they kept

1:36:18saying our class sizes are too big. our

1:36:21resources inside our special ed

1:36:22classroom. We don't have enough of. We

1:36:25keep pulling our teacher aid. Now

1:36:27listen, as a school committee member

1:36:28that's done it for a little bit and as

1:36:30two members that have sat on the school

1:36:31committee, we shouldn't be in the

1:36:32dayto-day, but we should be listening to

1:36:34what they need from the day-to-day. And

1:36:36when I hear that special a classrooms

1:36:39are not being supplied with the proper

1:36:41personnel, we're making sure that the

1:36:43personnel are inside there for the

1:36:45teachers and for the students. But

1:36:47reducing class sizes to me I think is a

1:36:50holistic win for the city. Time will

1:36:52tell on that one. But you're asking for

1:36:54right now. We extended the school day.

1:36:56We reduced class size. We got language

1:36:58inside the we fought tooth to nail and

1:37:01language. And I turned to the

1:37:02superintendent and said you have the

1:37:04words inside there. Hold them

1:37:06accountable. You were talking about we

1:37:08wrote down the absenteeism.

1:37:10We went back and forth at a few meetings

1:37:13about well I would like to have the

1:37:15word. We got them. They they wanted a

1:37:18half day or to use a half day instead of

1:37:20a full day. I look at it a win for us

1:37:22because the lack of substitute teachers.

1:37:25Why have a full day? Do I have a teacher

1:37:27leave for a full day for a doctor's

1:37:29appointment at 9:15 in the morning when

1:37:31they can come back in the second half?

1:37:33If you see abuse in it, it now is in the

1:37:36contract that his administrators, his

1:37:39vice principal principles are to report

1:37:41it. They have to do their job. the

1:37:44administrators, the people that making

1:37:45the big bucks need they now have the

1:37:47teeth inside the contract. So there was

1:37:50language wings inside there. So those

1:37:53are the things that I can hang my hat on

1:37:54on what it does what it says and I'm not

1:37:56throwing anyone under the bus on this.

1:37:59We went around can this be done? Can

1:38:01this be We're going to take and it's up

1:38:04to the chair on the leadership on it. We

1:38:06need to take some tough decisions. We

1:38:08had to take tough decisions last year

1:38:10that as a committee we punted. I punted

1:38:13personally because of process. We didn't

1:38:14we didn't we didn't have time correctly.

1:38:16They didn't do us correctly. We have to

1:38:18do it correctly this time around. We do

1:38:20have the ride keeps coming into our city

1:38:22for some reason. They they they're

1:38:24renting an apartment out. They are in

1:38:26the city every day. They're telling us

1:38:28that we have 31 class 31 deaths that are

1:38:32empty or something like that. They up to

1:38:33that high. I don't know where they're

1:38:34coming up that number. But we found two

1:38:39because of your support. We have two

1:38:41beautiful class school buildings that

1:38:43were built $50 million each that are

1:38:46sitting not half empty but one, you

1:38:48know, twothirds empty. We need to fill

1:38:50those schools up properly, guys. We have

1:38:52to redistrict our city. It's going to

1:38:54take some pressure from us. You might

1:38:56hear some of it. You might hear some of

1:38:58the um shrap metal of it, but us

1:39:00committee is going to have to take these

1:39:02tough.

1:39:06>> Oh Okay. We need to do our job.

1:39:10>> You're dropping another bomb in our lap.

1:39:11Thanks. Appreciate that.

1:39:13>> But to write something that's been we've

1:39:15been kicking the can for too many years

1:39:18and we have to make the decision.

1:39:20>> But I want to work together with you and

1:39:22the new administration. Obviously, I

1:39:24don't want to I'm not kicking in with

1:39:25the chair chair what direction she

1:39:27takes. But all can aside that's my

1:39:29vision of how this contract is going to

1:39:31go. Listen, we just announced that we

1:39:33have a $13 million surplus. That doesn't

1:39:35cover the whole contract. I'm going to

1:39:37be coming up here the finance year be

1:39:39knocking on your door whether we got 0%

1:39:42of an in of a raise for them or a 5%

1:39:45raise don't get any ideas but no matter

1:39:48what the increase was going to be I was

1:39:49going to knock on the door and say we're

1:39:51going to advocate for an increase not

1:39:53for salaries not for just the contract

1:39:56but for the holistic district of the

1:39:57school which you guys have funded $33

1:40:01million

1:40:02>> every single year you didn't hear me

1:40:04screaming that you guys fund

1:40:06I I I don't want to speak for the chair.

1:40:08I don't think she has either. I don't

1:40:09say that with you on the fund, but we

1:40:11will come up knocking on the door and

1:40:12seeing what we can do. I think we have

1:40:15the right CFO, the CFO team especially.

1:40:19It really is a team. It been phenomenal

1:40:20the way they've talked to us and the way

1:40:22she talked at the last meeting. She has

1:40:25a game,

1:40:27guys. I mean, she found out we don't do

1:40:29dayto-day. meeting on fault that I

1:40:30should have been on top of the other

1:40:32CFOs before. The amount of people that

1:40:34were on our on medical that shouldn't

1:40:35have been on medical.

1:40:37He's finding is there's not millions

1:40:40being saved, but every sooner or later I

1:40:42think you've said this before, sooner or

1:40:44later when you get down to the real

1:40:45money, it's actually going to add up to

1:40:46something real.

1:40:47>> $30,000 here, 30,000 here.

1:40:50>> All right, we're at aboutund $100,000

1:40:52savings because we knocked three people,

1:40:54four people off the medical that they

1:40:55shouldn't have been on. That's what's

1:40:57happening in your administration

1:40:59building right now. It wasn't being

1:41:01done. We are doing it now. So, um that's

1:41:05not the wins inside the contract. The

1:41:07wins inside the contract is we heard

1:41:10that your our classes are too full.

1:41:13Underpaid, no matter what job you do,

1:41:15they were all underpaid and we don't

1:41:17have enough time to teach the subject

1:41:19matter. We extended their school day. We

1:41:21reduced their class sizes and we gave

1:41:23them a pay raise to respect the job that

1:41:25they do. I'm not saying anyone's

1:41:26suggesting that you don't respect them

1:41:27by your question. You're not

1:41:29misinterpret what I'm saying. That's how

1:41:32I negotiated it and that's what I

1:41:33believe you did.

1:41:35>> Glad you answer

1:41:39more.

1:41:39>> Anyone else have any other questions?

1:41:41>> I just want to follow up on on your

1:41:43original.

1:41:48We are taking this back facing the first

1:41:51term on the on the

1:41:54many it didn't come

1:41:55>> right

1:41:56>> now it's problematic because you guys

1:41:58have no idea

1:42:01you have no idea on your end where the

1:42:04revenue side is on right you guys have

1:42:08no authority no responsibility tax mayor

1:42:11has no authority

1:42:13tax we have the responsibility

1:42:17to make

1:42:18it work. So it's not but by getting at

1:42:21it's not just our concept but it's the

1:42:24holistic approach to it but you know

1:42:28three years ago

1:42:31the contract came to us it was uh

1:42:34chairman sh at the time and I've had

1:42:36conversations with them since and it was

1:42:38like it passed fast pass right probably

1:42:41the first robust opportunity we had to

1:42:45dig a little deeper but we did pass it

1:42:49Right?

1:42:50You realize three years later that we

1:42:53had passed something with too few

1:42:55instruction. Right?

1:42:58And that

1:43:00that is why we know we have to look

1:43:02hard. That's why we're doing our due

1:43:06diligence here. This is all the same

1:43:08stuff that we do with the city side

1:43:10contracts but to a lesser extent because

1:43:12the people who negotiate those contracts

1:43:15are the people responsible for revenue

1:43:17as well. the director of administration,

1:43:20city solicitor. Um, you know, it's very

1:43:23valuable to have your city solicitor,

1:43:25your attorney in in your uh negotiating

1:43:29negotiating sessions, right? So,

1:43:32we're not doing our job. You would just

1:43:34send it to us.

1:43:36Sure, no problem. We'll deal with the

1:43:38consequences. We wouldn't be doing our

1:43:41job and we wouldn't be we could almost

1:43:44do that as a one year at a time, right?

1:43:46But when you're looking at three years

1:43:47and everything no matter what it is

1:43:50fired union teacher union it is how

1:43:53right one builds on two or

1:43:57more. So,

1:44:00we're not doing our job if we're not

1:44:02asking hard questions and trying to head

1:44:06off.

1:44:09A taxing problem

1:44:12said

1:44:134% tax revenue increase

1:44:17at 4%. What did you say?

1:44:20>> 44.72 million. Right. That's across the

1:44:24board. that's across the entirety of

1:44:26operating the city. So, you know, I know

1:44:29every teacher sitting back there. This

1:44:31is this is not a matter of uh whether

1:44:35individually or collectively we value

1:44:37teachers. We don't we have the same

1:44:40knockdown drag out with police and fire

1:44:44that there it's negotiated by

1:44:47[clears throat]

1:44:48the administration. a very new situation

1:44:52and the voters identify voters were the

1:44:54ones who said wait we can't keep doing

1:44:57it this you know uh so I appreciate your

1:45:01your passion I just and I appreciate you

1:45:05appreciating that we're being as

1:45:06thorough as possible um I just want to

1:45:09explain that that's that's why we are

1:45:14by charter obligated to

1:45:20I'm sorry. That's no problem.

1:45:25>> Yeah, I I think Mr. Chal, you know,

1:45:27mailed the

1:45:30but I think we

1:45:33look through the lens of overall

1:45:34investments for students rather than

1:45:37what the school get versus what

1:45:41they can look those same I share that

1:45:43that philosophy that that

1:45:48instructional time which is our our

1:45:50biggest but five of those 15 minutes

1:45:52gets us to

1:45:58secondary for lower class size although

1:46:01that's not traditionally a win um point

1:46:05if we can increase test scores by those

1:46:08lower classes

1:46:10is a win because that is the goal

1:46:11student outcomes here is know we

1:46:13struggle historically with our tempor.

1:46:16Um and so you know he we are hoping to

1:46:19see uh some dividends pay

1:46:24for specific class sizes right

1:46:28staff teaching their classroom

1:46:32related service right now we had case

1:46:34loss last year up to 80 80 students on a

1:46:38case load. So we lowered those. And so

1:46:40again, if you look holistically, you

1:46:42look and say, well, you know, the

1:46:43teacher union got that, but there are

1:46:45things that will help our educators,

1:46:46help our student, that it helps us, not

1:46:48only school department, but the city. I

1:46:50think about requiring safety uh care

1:46:52training, most specific language to

1:46:56ensure that the staff who has to protect

1:46:58and and and take care of of our some of

1:47:00our most challenging kids have this the

1:47:02right training that they need. That

1:47:04language wasn't necessarily.

1:47:07>> All right. Thank you, Superintendent

1:47:08Head. Is that the crux of your comments?

1:47:10Because I did want I did want to let you

1:47:12uh speak because I know I gave everybody

1:47:14an opportunity to speak last time uh

1:47:16here. Um

1:47:19I have real concerns as I've indicated

1:47:21in the in the beginning our last meeting

1:47:25when we talked to the CFO uh she

1:47:28indicated and I think it was a question

1:47:30around the table that whether or not we

1:47:32could afford the first year. Yeah, I

1:47:35think we can do the first year. Um, but

1:47:37I didn't I got a bunch of heads shaking

1:47:39when it came to the second and third

1:47:41year. Uh, so that doesn't make us

1:47:43comfortable that we end up uh putting it

1:47:46putting through a contract that we don't

1:47:48know how it's going to get funded. Um,

1:47:50and we're not sure that it actually can

1:47:52get funded. Um, and I I share your uh

1:47:56commitment too about the appropriation.

1:47:57I know it comes to us in the budget

1:47:59hearing all the time and we get told

1:48:00what we can afford to do and what we

1:48:02can't afford to do. We we look at those

1:48:04numbers all the times, you know, trying

1:48:06to give the support that we can, but

1:48:08also to turn around recognizing the

1:48:09burden that it also puts on our

1:48:10taxpayers if we do that. So, uh, with

1:48:14that being said, I'm not going to

1:48:16entertain, um, this committee turn

1:48:20around and putting out a recommendation

1:48:22to approve this to the full council. I

1:48:24am going to recommend that it goes back

1:48:26to the school committee and offer you a

1:48:29proposal

1:48:31uh based on the point of view that your

1:48:34CFO put out that if you were to turn

1:48:37around and submit and I'm I told you

1:48:40before I was I'm fortunate to have the

1:48:42breakdown that you gave us and you broke

1:48:44it down in in three years. give us the

1:48:46one-year breakdown and we'll turn around

1:48:49and submit that to the full council uh

1:48:51for consideration because you said you

1:48:53can do that. So, if you're willing to

1:48:56bring that back to this committee, I'm

1:48:58willing to uh address it and and put it

1:49:00back out on the floor to the full

1:49:01committee. But at this time, I I will

1:49:04only that would be my recommendation to

1:49:06the school committee.

1:49:08>> Chair,

1:49:09>> just so I know, are you saying break up

1:49:11year one? [clears throat] Year one

1:49:12equals this, year two equals this, year

1:49:14three. Is that what you mean? Break it.

1:49:15He already has it broke down on the on

1:49:17the work sheets that she gave us.

1:49:23>> Did you just say to God

1:49:26>> because because the the she said the

1:49:29first year in the in the breakdown

1:49:31>> it says you can we've had the discussion

1:49:33that she can cover the first year.

1:49:35>> Yeah.

1:49:35>> And at that point there well then I'm

1:49:38asking you to go back and get that as a

1:49:39one-year contract. send it to it and

1:49:41then you can work on the other two years

1:49:42and figuring out how how you're going to

1:49:45about make that work for everyone.

1:49:48I am happy I asked that because I

1:49:49thought you wanted to show we can afford

1:49:51year one afford year two can afford

1:49:54>> and you might you might end up bringing

1:49:56that back to me in that frame but I'm

1:49:58telling you right now recognizing that

1:50:00you negotiated a contract teachers are

1:50:04do something and that if you send it

1:50:06back to us we would turn around and put

1:50:09it on the floor and I would make the

1:50:11recommendation that it goes from day one

1:50:12from the school year they get

1:50:14retroactive from the day one of the

1:50:15school year

1:50:16>> so your You're you're suggesting as the

1:50:19chair you are sending the threeear

1:50:22because it's it's one unit. You're

1:50:23sending the three package

1:50:24>> threeear package back

1:50:25>> to them.

1:50:25>> Correct.

1:50:26>> To

1:50:28reconsider.

1:50:30But if they were as they're

1:50:32reconsidering,

1:50:33come back with a

1:50:35>> one-year proposal.

1:50:36>> Do the first year as proposed

1:50:40retro to day one of

1:50:43>> correct?

1:50:44Well, it would be the contract date,

1:50:46which is September 1st.

1:50:49>> September 1st.

1:50:51>> Well, I'm I'm amendable to that, too.

1:50:54Again,

1:50:56>> just so I'm understanding

1:51:00you, as the chair, you're sending the

1:51:01whole thing back.

1:51:02>> Correct. Because I'm not willing to

1:51:03recommend it to the full council

1:51:05>> to the school department. That's your

1:51:06prerogative as the chair.

1:51:07>> Correct. You're saying that while

1:51:09they're doing that, you would look

1:51:12favorably if they came back with a

1:51:15request or a proposal for the first year

1:51:18to be approved

1:51:21and you will look favorably on that

1:51:24>> and and submit that to my committee and

1:51:26with a recommendation that I think we

1:51:27should approve based on the input that

1:51:30we've had through these meetings.

1:51:31approved then I guess I'm just trying to

1:51:33wrap my head around that if that were

1:51:34approved that would be retro for the

1:51:38first paycheck thereafter

1:51:41be a catchup pay right

1:51:44>> from the September date or whatever a

1:51:46date was indicated

1:51:48>> yes

1:51:49>> first pay let's say it was August 20 or

1:51:52something like that right um

1:51:57first year 3% right so it would be all

1:52:00of the categories

1:52:03>> had a couple

1:52:04>> I think in the first year you would

1:52:07entertain moving that fairly quickly

1:52:10while they talked about

1:52:12years two and three

1:52:15that would make so that would make the

1:52:17teachers whole

1:52:18>> forial

1:52:21>> right now

1:52:21>> minutes they're working right now

1:52:24>> it would make them and that would be

1:52:26retroactive in one paycheck and all

1:52:28likely payroll right paycheck back to

1:52:30then and then from that catchup payroll

1:52:34check everyone there forward would be

1:52:37what it would have been if we get it out

1:52:39of a three-year package that

1:52:40>> correct

1:52:41>> because if it came back as a three-year

1:52:43package then I probably I wouldn't be

1:52:45supporting it because I again it's

1:52:48whether we can afford it and and I'm

1:52:50being told that in one aspect of it we

1:52:52can afford this section of it we're

1:52:55really not too sure about the other one.

1:52:57Well, then maybe we got time to continue

1:52:59to turn around and have the discussions

1:53:02about that and have the more thorough

1:53:04discussions about that and whether or

1:53:05not they're realistic.

1:53:08>> That makes a lot of sense.

1:53:10>> Time frame on it like

1:53:12>> No, you can bring it back to this

1:53:13committee and I can promise you to the

1:53:15next day that I you will try to turn

1:53:17around and I'll work with the clerk.

1:53:19>> Yeah. Not time for my new but you want

1:53:21to hear back from us.

1:53:23>> No, you could take it again. I told you

1:53:25I'm I'm not sending a recommendation out

1:53:27of here. I'm waiting for you to come

1:53:28back. So when you come back, whenever

1:53:30you see fit, that's fine. But

1:53:32>> I would say as soon as soon as you again

1:53:36that that's up to you. But as far as me

1:53:38being chairman of the committee.

1:53:40>> Who's

1:53:42superintendent? I don't know if you my

1:53:45colleague had a question. She's been No,

1:53:47the other guy down the room.

1:53:49>> Just to clarify, so we're on the same

1:53:50page. I totally understand what you're

1:53:52saying. looking for in terms of the

1:53:54following years or are you looking for

1:53:57potentially you saw that?

1:53:59Superintendent, I am I am putting out a

1:54:02proposal as chairman of finance to say

1:54:04that through the discussions that we've

1:54:06had, your CFO has indicated that you

1:54:09think that you can make that work. And

1:54:12I'm saying that if that gets sent back

1:54:15to us, then I'm saying that I can I can

1:54:18promote that to my colleagues and have

1:54:21them put it all in place. So that takes

1:54:23place of this year, but then it also

1:54:25allows you to have more discussions

1:54:28about following years and whether or not

1:54:30those discussions are realistic as

1:54:32councelor Rujo uh alluded that if it's

1:54:36not realistic then are we facing layoffs

1:54:38are we fa and and that eliminates

1:54:40teachers that eliminates job it's not

1:54:42good for them it's not good for the city

1:54:44it's not good for the children so I'm

1:54:47again I'm putting it out as a proposal

1:54:50the believe me I've I've done these

1:54:52things enough where I can I I get told

1:54:54stuff it. Uh and that's not a problem

1:54:56either. But I also know that what I was

1:55:00presented with I can't swallow either.

1:55:02So I know what my what my feeling is

1:55:05about it. You might get a different

1:55:06feeling out of eight different members.

1:55:09That's fine. But as chairman of finance,

1:55:12I have the right to turn around and

1:55:14determine what goes to the committee and

1:55:15what doesn't. And at this point I don't

1:55:17think in this structure this is

1:55:20something that we should be responsibly

1:55:22taking up.

1:55:23>> But I was going to add real

1:55:24superintendent if you don't mind. If you

1:55:26feel though that you can propose three

1:55:29years on top of the one let's say the

1:55:31one comes back and it's approved right

1:55:34if you for some you know you do your

1:55:35research and whatever you need to do if

1:55:37you feel you can go for three more on

1:55:39top then certainly go for it if you feel

1:55:40like you can prevent that. Are there

1:55:42other provisions uh that that you as a

1:55:45committee are concerned about the dollar

1:55:47amount? And so from hearing currently

1:55:50obviously what I hear from the

1:55:51collective committee is that you have a

1:55:53strong feeling that we can support

1:55:54financial a year one. However, I hear

1:55:56that there's some concern about years

1:55:58two and three. Um is the ask of the

1:56:02committee and the school department is

1:56:04it around the fiscal specifically this

1:56:06fiscal aspect of years two and three.

1:56:08Are there other provisions in two and

1:56:10three that are baked into it? I think I

1:56:11think this the as we pointed out to your

1:56:14CFO, we're mostly concerned about the

1:56:17fiscal aspect of it. Like she's

1:56:19indicated that that's her job. She needs

1:56:21to focus on fiscal. We understand that

1:56:23the the language part that's that's your

1:56:26realm. I again we asked for certain

1:56:29questions about clarification just so

1:56:31that we understood it a little bit

1:56:33better. Meaning that we read through it.

1:56:35Yeah. We read through it and then we

1:56:37just wanted to understand it better. And

1:56:39at this point here, our main objective

1:56:42is fiscal to make sure that it it's

1:56:44fiscally responsible for the school

1:56:46department, it's fiscally responsible

1:56:48for the the city, and it's also fiscally

1:56:51responsible for the taxpayer in this

1:56:52city. So, um, and again, I I don't put

1:56:57it out light-hearted again because I've

1:56:59had years of experience negotiating

1:57:02contracts. I came from a side that the

1:57:05only reason I'm in this realm was to pay

1:57:08tribute to my dad and then recognizing

1:57:11and and what my dad did. He he was on

1:57:14the school committee for years and did

1:57:16these things. what always taught us that

1:57:19you do what's right. And and that was

1:57:22the the biggest thing is that he he

1:57:26taught us that also when we were union

1:57:28members, we negotiated for our contracts

1:57:32for for those members and that was our

1:57:34obligation.

1:57:36Now, the taxpayers are our union members

1:57:38and we have to negotiate realistically

1:57:40for them and make sure that we're not

1:57:42overextending ourselves because believe

1:57:44me, I've been through the industry, not

1:57:46this industry, but in our own industry.

1:57:49I've seen it over the years, we've had

1:57:50one of the better vacation pays in in

1:57:52the industry. Then all of a sudden, as

1:57:54the years roll around, here's what you

1:57:57got. Take it or leave it, you know, and

1:57:59and it's changed over the years. And

1:58:01that that aspect has changed for us too.

1:58:03Here it's more difficult. We understand

1:58:06um it's more difficult to get employees.

1:58:09It's more difficult to retain employees.

1:58:11Uh so we listen to that aspect

1:58:13sometimes, but it truly is the fiscal

1:58:17aspect of what it's going to do to this

1:58:19city and what it's going to do for us

1:58:22around budget time when you come and ask

1:58:24for your appropriation, you say, I need

1:58:26four or five million. And as councelor

1:58:28Roujo pointed out that that's that's our

1:58:30whole whole ask to run the city. Uh, so

1:58:33it makes it more difficult to turn

1:58:34around, put us in a in a position that

1:58:36saying, "Well, we we really can't do

1:58:37that." But that's we signed up for that.

1:58:40So we're we we're accepting of it. We we

1:58:42deal with whatever we have to deal with.

1:58:44>> But um but and that's the reason I put

1:58:48out the proposal the way I put it out.

1:58:49So that I think it it it turns around

1:58:52and it allows you to uh sit down in good

1:58:55faith with your teachers to turn around

1:58:56and and say that we we really need to

1:58:58focus on realistically what this is and

1:59:01how to do it. and and this and the city

1:59:03council well I'm not going to say the

1:59:05city council city finance chair has

1:59:08extended this because he thinks it's

1:59:10right he thinks it's fair you know my

1:59:12colleagues might think I'm all wet and

1:59:14I'll hear about that later but uh at at

1:59:16this point

1:59:18they appointed me as chairman so I get

1:59:20to I get to rule that while I'm here but

1:59:23uh I might not be here very very long

1:59:26but that would be the uh I don't want to

1:59:28take up a lot of your time you know but

1:59:30that would be my proposal proposal uh

1:59:32and and how I see we should proceed

1:59:34going forward.

1:59:36>> Do you have any question?

1:59:38>> Um

1:59:40process. I'm big on process.

1:59:42>> Yep.

1:59:43>> Two two bodies negotiated to where we

1:59:45are.

1:59:46>> Yep.

1:59:46>> We're going to have to bring it back to

1:59:47them. We were very close to had an

1:59:49impass. Not not crying on your

1:59:52shoulders.

1:59:53>> Um they can they have the right you know

1:59:56your background. They have the right to

1:59:57tell us go pound saying we're not going

1:59:58to open up. Correct. I will report back

2:00:00to you. Correct.

2:00:01>> I do want a clarification, council me,

2:00:04but for you also chairman, you just said

2:00:08if we So you guys are okay with the one

2:00:09year and then if we negotiated three

2:00:11years on top of the

2:00:13>> No, no, no. Two and three.

2:00:15>> Yeah. I just I

2:00:16>> he put much like he shouldn't have spoke

2:00:18until he got recognized. But he he

2:00:21turned around threw something else in

2:00:22the mix to say, "Hey, you guys want to

2:00:24extend it out after that?" Fine. All I

2:00:26want to do now at this point

2:00:27>> just one, two, and one. we're taking

2:00:30care of one. We're we're addressing one

2:00:32and then allowing you to do two and

2:00:34three in in another period of time, you

2:00:37know, so that it doesn't feel like it's

2:00:39getting rushed and you're looking at it

2:00:40in in in a perspective that is this

2:00:43fiscally responsible for the city. And

2:00:46that's that's the charge you got from

2:00:48I'm going to say me uh because I won't

2:00:51blame any of my other colleagues for it.

2:00:53We got input on it and and I think this

2:00:56is the best path forward. Now,

2:00:59I'll I'll bow to my colleague because

2:01:01he's been here for 45 years. If if he

2:01:04chooses, if you so choose that you guys

2:01:07sit down and say, "Okay, you know what?

2:01:08We got the first year out of the way.

2:01:10Let's let's do another three years, but

2:01:12do one that's realistic that the city

2:01:14can afford and the city will will

2:01:16approve.

2:01:18If you if you do that, that's up to you

2:01:21guys. That's in that's in your charge.

2:01:24I'm not going to tell you how to go back

2:01:26and deal with the people on your side. I

2:01:29all I'm telling you is what the proposal

2:01:31is from our side and that we can I think

2:01:34we can make that work and we can make it

2:01:36work rather quickly just so the

2:01:39standpoint that everybody turns around

2:01:41and and and feels comfortable to the

2:01:43point that we hear them all. I I think

2:01:46the teachers deserve everything they

2:01:47get, but I also think that the taxpayers

2:01:51don't deserve everything they get

2:01:52sometimes. And then we've we've been

2:01:54faced with that a number of years. uh

2:01:57the the last I think three years we went

2:02:00over the tax uh levy uh last year, maybe

2:02:03the year before, and then there's been a

2:02:05max almost every time I sit down with

2:02:07the mayor, there's a max tax increase,

2:02:10and I've got to tell him, you shave a

2:02:12million dollars or I will. So, this is

2:02:14the structure that we're going to follow

2:02:17and and put it out there. I hope the

2:02:20school committee hears us. I hope the

2:02:23teacher union hears us and actually puts

2:02:26it into perspective. This benefits them

2:02:28now and you'll be able to have further

2:02:32conversation on how we proceed in the

2:02:34future with it. Okay.

2:02:37>> This may be a bit rhetorical. Uh is the

2:02:40council having a number they have not

2:02:46>> I will leave that up to you

2:02:47superintendent uh because you drive the

2:02:50bus over there. uh while while you

2:02:52answer to the school committee uh you

2:02:55know what you need to run the school

2:02:56department and and again and how to

2:02:58retain people and how to try to keep

2:03:00incentivizing people and stuff and u I

2:03:03really do sympathize again we don't do

2:03:07language but article 24 or section 24

2:03:11when the things that I've seen just when

2:03:14I watched the school committee meeting

2:03:15in Providence the other day and said

2:03:17these people are nuts uh I I don't

2:03:20relish My my own sister is a teacher and

2:03:23I don't relish the fact that we had to

2:03:25put in police into a school in order to

2:03:28have law and order in the school. Years

2:03:30ago it was Bud Moran and nobody wanted

2:03:34you know it and nobody said nothing

2:03:36about that's how you got done.

2:03:38Excuse me. That's how you got stuff

2:03:39things done. It's a day it's a different

2:03:42day and age we're dealing with and I

2:03:44know you guys are dealing with parents.

2:03:46We deal with constituents. They're

2:03:47always right. You're always wrong. And

2:03:51unfortunately, we've got to try and find

2:03:53a better path forward. And I I commend

2:03:55you for trying to do that through your

2:03:57language. Um I just don't see this at

2:04:00this point in time how it's sustainable.

2:04:03Um and until I get reassured that yeah,

2:04:06we can do it. I'm willing to agree to

2:04:09what we can do. I'm not willing to agree

2:04:11to what we can't. So

2:04:13>> So language is from what you've heard

2:04:15language you're not asking to take back

2:04:17change in language. 20 article point

2:04:19doesn't

2:04:19>> no no finance finance is it when

2:04:23somebody turn again I told you I settled

2:04:25two other contracts one for 2.8 8

2:04:27million and one for 252,000. Now, I know

2:04:30it's a difference in numbers and people

2:04:32and stuff, but and that's one of the

2:04:34reasons why I asked the question. I do.

2:04:35I want to put things in perspective so

2:04:37that we know and I know teachers are in

2:04:39a different category with their degrees

2:04:42and everything else. Don't get me wrong.

2:04:44I worked in a factory all my life. I had

2:04:46a choice. Continue school or go to work.

2:04:48I went to work, you know, and and God

2:04:50bless all the people that that take the

2:04:51time to do it because it is not like it

2:04:53used to be. It was so much easier. I was

2:04:56afraid of my teacher saying something to

2:04:59my father or mother and then they held

2:05:02me accountable. That doesn't happen

2:05:04anymore. And I and I recognize that. But

2:05:06that doesn't mean I can afford to just

2:05:08throw money at a problem and then say,

2:05:10"Here, it's all going to go away now."

2:05:12It doesn't go away. It exa It

2:05:14exacerbates it and it makes it more

2:05:16difficult to deal with the whole

2:05:17picture. That's what I'm trying to do

2:05:19here is deal with the whole picture. and

2:05:22if he's done with his meeting out here,

2:05:23you people can all go home because I

2:05:24know you've had a long day. So, thank

2:05:26you very much for coming down. I

2:05:28appreciate it.

2:05:36>> It's a proposal. It's not a motion.

2:05:43>> What the hell?

2:05:44Gary, I hate to do them together.

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