| | CITY OF EAST PROVIDENCE RHODE ISLAND JOINT CITY COUNCIL - SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING SEPTEMBER 17, 2002 | |
The City Council meets in the Council Chamber on Tuesday, September 17, 2002 in Special Session with the School Committee and is called to order at 7:18 p.m. by Mayor Joseph S. Larisa, Jr.
Present: Mayor Joseph S. Larisa, Jr. )
Rolland R. Grant )
Peter F. Midgley ) Council Members
Norman J. Miranda )
Patrick A. Rogers )
Paul E. Lemont ) City Manager
William J. Conley, Jr. ) City Solicitor
Valerie A. Perry ) City Clerk
Helio Melo, Chairman )
Mildred Morris )
Edna Snow ) School Committee
John Amaral )
Dr. Isadore S. Ramos )
Dr. Taras Herbowy ) Superintendent of Schools
School Committee Chairman Helio Melo thanks the Council for the meeting and says it is his hope that more of these meetings can take place in the future.
City Council Liaison to the School Committee Patrick Rogers makes a few opening remarks.
Mayor Larisa asks if anyone would like to comment on any non-related budget issue.
Chairman Melo speaks of a couple of issues that have arisen that are not part of the standard operating budget of the School Department. He says one is Martin Middle School, and the other is a mandate by the N.E. Schools and Colleges Accreditation Committee to improve and expand the library at the high school because of the number of students that have been added with the addition of the 9th grade. He says if the expansion is not done, there is a risk of losing the accreditation of the high school.
Mrs. Snow speaks about the problems of flooding that have arisen at Martin Middle School. She says that something is going to have to be done before November, and they cannot wait until the vote on the bond issue.
Mayor Larisa responds by saying that they can’t let happen what happened with Waddington School, and he asks the School Committee to go out to bid right now. He says that once a month, he will put the item on the docket to check the status. The bid will say subject to funding and subject to referendum approval.
There are no objections to going out to bid now, but Mrs. Snow states that they cannot cancel the bid if the bond doesn’t go through.
Dr. Herbowy speaks and says he does not the Mayor to take advantage of this meeting. He says he will take care of the bid and he will give a report.
Bruce Bird, Superintendent of Maintenance at the School Department, gives a report on Martin Middle School. He says the leaks are new.
After further discussion, Mr. Melo states that the intention of the meeting has gone adrift, and says what’s past is past, and we need to go forward. Councilman Rogers agrees with Mr. Melo. He says the repairs to Martin won’t do it, and hopes that plans for a new Martin will be put into place. He states that he would like to see two schools built, one in the northern part of the City, and one to replace Martin in the middle of the City.
Mr. Amaral speaks about the possibility of co-pays for health insurance.
Mrs. Morris states that if the Talent Development program is taken out of the budget, she will not vote on it.
After further remarks about the meeting not going in the direction it was intended, Councilman Midgley speaks and says the direction of a meeting like this cannot be predicted, and he goes on to say he admires the Superintendent for standing up for what he believes.
The joint meeting adjourns at 8:25 p.m.
Attest:
Valerie A. Perry, CMC
City Clerk Approved: October 1, 2002