| | CITY OF EAST PROVIDENCE RHODE ISLAND JOURNAL OF JOINT CITY COUNCIL & SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING JANUARY 7, 2008 | |
The City Council with the School Committee meets in the Council Chambers on Monday, January 7, 2008 Chairperson Mildred Morris calls the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.
| Present: | Mayor Isadore S. Ramos | | |
| | Robert E. Cusack | ) | Council Members |
| | Bruce DiTraglia | ) | |
| | Valerie A. Perry | ) | |
| | Bryan P. Silva | ) | |
| | | | |
| | Richard M. Brown | ) | City Manager |
| | William J. Conley, Jr. | ) | City Solicitor |
| | Virginia B. Nunes | ) | City Clerk |
| | | | |
| | Dr. Jacqueline Forbes | ) | Superintendent |
| | | | |
| | Chairperson Mildred Morris | ) | School Committee |
| | Vice Chairperson Robert Faria | ) | |
| | Eileen S. Lovett | ) | |
| | Steven E. Santos | ) | |
| | Stephen A. DeCastro | ) | |
The invocation is read by Councilwoman Perry and the Salute to the Flag is led by Mayor Ramos.
Ms. Morris calls for a report of the Superintendent and Staff and announced Eileen S. Lovett is ill and we excuse her from this meeting.
Dr. Forbes distributed a Legislative Report provided by Andy Andrade – Legislative Liaison. On January 4, 2008 eight bills were put in at the State House I would like to bring to attention the ones that are important to education. #7043 to provide reimbursement of extraordinary services to school department, any expense in excess of $50,000 90% of that would be reimbursed by the State, #7014 impact diabetic students, #2012 deals with electronic bullying, #7013 legislator monitor that, but does not have enough information it to expand the scope of the binding arbitration process, #7036 increase fines for willfully trespasses within school buildings. Last Friday I and Mrs. Morris attended the Regions Hearing on Collective Bargaining process. My testimony is as follows. As a Superintendent my focus should be on education, not spending 95% of my time on labor and management issues. I would like one statewide negotiation team. Additional we have two year school committee terms.
Mr. Faria stated evaluation system, funding formula it’s in the Providence Journal I think in February.
Councilman Silva was interested in Mr. DeCastro reporting back after he submitted program to School Department.
Councilman DiTraglia stated we were looking at $3.2 million dollar deficit now we are looking at more. You will never see statewide school departments. State reneged on their commitment.
Mr. Brown stated move administration functions in some of them and still free up the space at Burnside Avenue.
Mrs. Morris addressed Dr. Forbes I would like to go back to Waters School; I would like to see some movement. Like Mr. Faria says we keep talking about this and we never do anything about it. I would like to see something happen this September. Take those 20 kids find room for them to go to the high school and get some money out of that school.
Dr. Forbes stated she had meetings with the boys and girls club for alternate space; I’m meeting with head start to see if we can find other space.
Mrs. Morris stated she would like to see that happen this September.
Mr. Faria asked about setting up meetings, talk of putting the 6th graders back to elementary schools.
Mrs. Morris stated you have to do all of that before the job fair.
Mr. Brown stated he was going to suggest a three prong approach. One for the short term try to meet the current deficit as predicted that the School Superintendant, I and our finance staff get together. The second is a long term financial analysis not just looking at what we might be able to negotiate in contracts in future years, but also means looking at the demographics of our employee group and as our older more experience more expensive employees retire and we replace them with younger less costly employees what’s the effect on the financial structure of the organization and perhaps a long term approach is to look at the funding formula and lobby for a coherent formula at the state level, look at the legal issues on expanding the classroom, maybe some of the structural issues and presenting some long term options. Also the physical plans that we are going to be making with the decline of students to reduce the number of facilities that we are operating and maintaining.
Mrs. Morris stated she also spoke with Dr. Forbes to look at the Platt-Waters situations. Those two buildings perhaps we could get some leasing to put that money towards our deficit.
Dr. Forbes stated that was option E, the one that was acceptable by the school committee and the community and I would like to work with Mr. Brown to relocate the administration office.
Mr. Faria stated we’ve been talking about that for years. Do you have any idea of the measurement?
Mr. Brown stated 7500 square feet.
Dr. Forbes stated she needs 25,000. We can be flexible. She passed out a list of needs.
Mr. Brown asked if it was square footage.
Dr. Forbes stated no, but we could look at the concept of splitting up administration, using our space in the school wherever we have excess space perhaps putting certain officers.
Mr. Brown stated that this wasn’t productive to do at this meeting but we need to put square footages with these things. If we are talking about closing school facilities and close building then maybe we can reorganize the space in the existing buildings.
Mr. DeCastro stated the state is now level funding school always got an increase in state aid. If you’re not going to get any more money from the state the only place you’re going to go is to the local taxpayers.
Mayor Ramos stated at the Legislative meeting the state is $400 million dollars in deficit and $3 million dollars in the school department there’s no money and we have to go to the taxpayers, well where are they getting the money from it’s a major problem.
Mr. DeCastro stated we have to think out of the box and I have something on the school committee docket tomorrow night and one school committee member told me they are extremely upset about and that is privatizing some schools to see whether it’s legal. Zero percent pay raise; eliminate the buy back, get the co-pay you want to get and you still can’t stay in the 3.5% cap. That’s important to know. Let say we were successful are we still facing a projection of not enough money for next year.
Dr. Forbes stated yes.
Mr. DeCastro asked do you know how much?
Dr. Forbes stated I don’t have an exact amount on that, it’s hard when you talking about potentials, but with everything we looked at with bargaining unit it’s still not enough to eliminate the deficit. Closing schools would not have eliminated this projected deficit only particularly help us. When I talk about structural deficit it’s going to continue until we address at least a four prong approach, salaries, health insurance, pension and special education tuition.
Mr. DeCastro stated as we can assume we have no control over the health insurance increases, we have no control over the pension increases, no control over special education tuition increases, where is our breakeven point. What would we have to get in salaries, buyback and co-pay so that we could live with the 3.5% cap? That’s an important number that we need to know especially when we enter into negotiations.
Dr. Forbes stated she met with the Audit General on December 19, 2007 he said we need to develop a plan by consensus. He said it must be less than five years and we must meet jointly and share a plan with him. She read the Memorandum of Understanding Agreement of May 2, 2006.
Mayor Ramos asked Mr. Conley to update on the buyback arbitration.
Mr. Conley stated the matter was assigned for a decision in superior court on the formal special clause calendar unfortunately the Judge that received the papers suffered a stroke we reassigned it on the calendar I’m back in court on Friday not for the decision but for assign to a new Judge.
Mr. Faria stated concern about overdue bills 2007 over $2.5 million, some to June.
Mr. Brown stated this is a reoccurring problem, allotment plan if more money is needed let us know anticipated note, but this is a onetime fix.
Mr. Santos what is the deficit amount.
Dr. Forbes we don’t have an exact amount.
Mr. Capron stated not only late but account system can only enter so many bills.
Dr. Forbes, Mr. Brown, Mr. Capron and Mr. McDonald will meet.
On motion of Councilman Silva, seconded by Councilwoman DiTraglia, it is voted to adjourn.
Mayor Ramos adjourns the meeting at 9:15 p.m.
Attest:
_________________________________
Virginia B. Nunes
City Clerk
Approved: February 5, 2008