School Committee: March 17, 2026

Transcript captured from YouTube auto-captioning. No speaker labels; proper names and dollar figures occasionally misheard. Click any timecode to jump to that moment in the source video.

0:06 Okay, it’s preparing on. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. » Okay. I might as well um we can call the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. » Okay. The only problem is we have this echo.

0:27 Oh, you know what I do is I go to the YouTube window and mute the video. Below the video, there should be a little option to mute that. And it still streams it, but you don’t have to hear it. » Okay. How is that? » Um, » okay. I’m not hearing it. Okay. So, we’re live streaming and I’m not hearing the echo. So, that’s great. » Good. [clears throat] That’s the goal, right? All right. So, I I called the meeting to order at 10:01. Mike isn’t here yet, but we did have uh Oh, well, I guess I’ll open it up for public comment. I’m the only one in this room. And » um don’t see I think it’s just the two of us. Let’s see. » Yeah. So, » no, I don’t see the attendees. Okay. » So, we’ll move on to the consent,

1:13 action, and agenda items, which are the meeting minutes from uh July 24th, September. » Were those on the agenda? Yes, I have them on the agenda. » Just give me one second here. One minute here. » Yeah, we’re not in a rush. » Um I didn’t think I saw Hang on one sec. I’m just pull up the agenda.

1:41 » Hey, » Hey, today 16th. Um, oh, sorry. Yeah, I wasn’t tabbed in front. Sorry about that. Okay. Yep. Uh, do you want me to make a motion or » Sure. I will. I did want to add you had one question on them » and what I what I saw was that the vote to assign the chair was made at our October 30th meeting. » Oh, okay. Oh, god. I didn’t realize it was that late. Okay. All right. So then, [clears throat] yeah. [laughter] » Um, okay. So, yeah, I was questioning because you had me down as chair. Okay. So, that no change there. So yeah, the the draft should be fine. » Okay, good. So do you want to make a motion and I’ll » um Yes, I will make a motion um to approve the consent agenda um meeting

2:32 minutes of 712 724 uh 2026 95 I’m sorry 72425 9525 11525 and 313. » You know what I will note this is a typo on my end. It’s 213 are the actual minutes. » Okay. So, so uh two and 21325 for the facility subcommittee » and I’ll second that motion. Um we’ll call a vote. Um Jen » in favor. » Henry in favor. The motion passes two to zero. And Mike is here now. » Hi Mike. » Let me um » hi Jen. How’s » make sure » how are you? » I’m good. All is good. » To a panelist here. Mike is raising his hand.

3:18 » I get your attention. » I might have to mute Mike.

3:30 » All right. Good. » Okay. Good. Well, just in time, we approved the minutes and we’re moving on to the discussion items. Starting with capital requests. » The only thing I would mention, go back for a second. probably in the agenda. Henry, we probably ought to put the year on there. You know, I mean, just like because I think you put the month and the date, but » Oh, for the agenda, we should Yeah. Just so there’s no confusion. » Sure. » Yeah. Um Um All right. So, » in the future is nothing. » Yeah, I got that. Thank you.

4:07 the capital request. Are you uh just to clarify what we requested from the town for FY27 capital? » I can’t hear you too well. Mike, if you can just » Oh, maybe I might be able to hear. » Hello. Can you hear me? » Yeah. » So, um on capital request, what is the the intent here to uh what we requested from the town for capital for 27? Um, I think last time we met, I should have been a little clearer there, but last time we met, we talked about um coming back and revisiting the um town meeting warrant placeholder that we had for capital requests. » Oh, okay. » Um, which, you know, that issue did it feels like it got a little more complicated since we were talking about

4:55 it last time because of the, you know, budget situation. Mike, have you had any update on the town side in regards to the capital request? Is there going to be one? » Um I Yeah, I don’t know enough about it. Originally, when there was talk of um potential overrides, there was talk of doing an a specific override that would be dedicated to capital and it would just say it was a and I don’t know the amount, but just say it was a $100,000 or a million dollars or whatever it was, it would be an override for that, but it would always be there for future years. Like it wouldn’t necessarily ever go back into the general fund. It would always be allocated for capital. And I don’t know

5:41 where that falls with their discussions about a any potential overrides. » Well, in in before we get to an override, typically every year in the budget there is or in the in the warrant there is a separate vote for an appropriation from the operating from the general fund for FY27 for capital and you remember last year we we got we had certain amount and then they pulled it back. Is have they zeroed that out or is there is there going to be any kind of are you aware of any uh capital expenditure to be requested from the general fund? » I am not aware of any capital. No. » Okay. So maybe what we should » but I agree with what you’re saying. Yes. Usually there’s a line in there for capital. I don’t know if that has been zeroed out. Let me just be clear about that. I don’t

6:26 » So you must have given you gave a list to Alicia sometime earlier in this this year. I assume » uh late January, early February. » Correct. » Yeah, I think approved that last approved by school committee. Correct. Yeah. » So, yeah. So, it sounds like, you know, we maybe we need to find that out. Um if that’s something you can inquire about in your various discussions with Alicia. Um because it’s possible they’re not zeroing it out. They may just, you know, they may just have a few hundred thousand or, you know, who knows? Um, and because we have have it as a placeholder on the warrant already, um, you know, we don’t have to vote. We we will have to vote what we’re going to do with that before town meeting. Either request indefinite postponement or

7:13 actually request an amount of money. Um, but we don’t need to decide that today. I think heavy maybe what we ought to do is at the next school committee meeting at least maybe brief the committee, you know, unless we already have. I don’t remember if we did or not. um that you know we’re waiting to find out from the town if there’s going to be any capital requests and if there is are we part of that and depending on what that answer is is this is the is it the will of the committee to go forward with a separate vote for a debt exclusion override for our capital » right » okay I we can do that in our subcommittee updates I don’t believe we’ve had that exact update yet so » I don’t think so either » yeah so I’ll mention that um » okay good just to yeah just to give the committee a heads up. I mean, I have no idea what the, you know, thought.

7:59 Obviously, there’s a lot going on. Um, but we don’t need to even decide that until even actually on the floor of town meeting, we will be convened in open session. So, we um we could even would not be ideal, but even, you know, uh late April meeting, we could we could make that decision. » Yeah, sounds good. I I think this was more of a quick check-in on on the capital press. So yeah, the only thing I would mention is that typically, well, not typically, as a matter of practice, the finance committee would be voting um on that warrant article um at their at their warrant hearing whether they recommend or don’t recommend our request. So, we probably also want to give the

8:44 finance committee an an update um because they I know their budget uh hearing is going to be March 28th and I believe their warrant hearing. You you don’t happen to know that do you Mike? Sometime after that, probably early April. » I don’t. So, we might want to just give the finance committee or not, whatever a heads up um because they will they will need from us what we’re asking for at town meeting which is either indefinite postponement or amount and they’ll want that at their warrant hearing which is again sometime in April. So we I guess we need to find out when that meeting is and we would need to vote before that if we want their recommend you know their their support. » Yep.

9:30 » Yep. » Yep. Um I can reach out to the finance committee and get that date. » Okay. » I will I will take care of that after this meeting.

9:54 Um, so I I did send a text off really quick to Alicia just to ask if there was any capital in the FY27 budget. Uh, she said, “We are requesting 1 million in recurrent capital needs.” Um, then she went on to say that she’d be happy to take our request if we have it. I thought I already sent it to her. I’ll have to double check that. [laughter] Um, but I I said this was an override, right? Because I don’t think there’s a million in I don’t think » it might be. It might be in their general fund budget. You don’t know. I mean, usually it is. » Oh, I know it is, but I just think with this situation this year that there was there was uh I don’t know. I I knew there was talk of override fraud. I had heard a million dollars, but I didn’t want to say that earlier, but now that she’s confirmed that number. » Okay. Yeah. So, » then the question is go ahead. Go ahead.

10:41 They didn’t signal in the in the um select board meeting. They didn’t seem to be signaling that they were going to have a million dollar in capital to play around with. » Well, we I you’d have to go back to their presentation of their general fund um » um uh budget. » Yeah. I mean, I guess I was just saying it didn’t seem like cutting that was on the table to try to save all these other things that they were cutting. But yeah, we I we don’t I guess we don’t know for sure. » No, we don’t. So now I’m thinking too, does this involve the budget subcommittee? Probably. No, typically it would like our budget subcommittee, but we got so much going on and you know, so um

11:26 » well, let’s I mean, we’re meeting Thursday. We’ll we’ll bring this up in our updates and and see. I mean, we’re not going to be making this decision on our own anyway, so we can see what the full committee » No, but I think Yeah. The only reason why I was wondering whether Well, yeah, we’ll let Melissa will be there. So, she’s on this budget subcommittee because we pro what we if we were decide to go forward if we were going to decide to go forward with an override for our capital. I think we would need to have some discussions with Mike um prioritizing those like how much are we going to ask for? What is it? or or maybe we’re asking for nothing which is a quick conversation but if we are going to go forward we would probably need to prioritize the requests and determine you know what we really think is

12:11 imperative that we we go after. » Yeah. And I think we already sort of had that discussion of focusing on I think it was like the top eight items or something. I remember there that you had a prioritized list and [snorts] um and we were really focused on you know health and safety of that’s sort of where we did the cutoff and originally anyway » Mike do you have that or I can dig it up but if you in your spare time » can forward that to us maybe » uh the list of capital » requests that we approved in the school yeah » and in are they in priority order. » They are. » Mhm. » Okay, great. Okay.

12:57 » Um, so I’m multitasking here. Um, so I I checked in with Fincom. Finom said they believed it was pulled out of the general fund. Uh, but » it was what? I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you. » The person I reached out to from FINCOM said they believed it was pulled out of the general fund. » She will confirm that tonight at uh their meeting. They have a meeting tonight. Um, and another text message that I was I hit two people at the same time. Uh, it would be an override scenario, the million dollars that they were talking about. Um, so I am » but we don’t they’re asking if they’re actually going to ask for it. They just know that if they were, it would be as an override scenario. Right. So » yeah, because I haven’t heard any

13:44 discussion of that in any of the, you know, select board meetings. Maybe I missed it, but » Right. » Okay. » All right. So, we can move on to the next thing. I think Mike’s sending out that list. » It’s already Yeah, it’s already done. All right. So, uh tree plantings. Um, Jen, you wanna » Yeah, just to I mean, I had um I did send an email out um in regards to this, but we were not for deliberation, just for information, but we were approached by the tree warden for two potentially two separate projects. One would be to plant he’s going after a gr a grant. So, it it depends on getting the grant. um to do plantings at the high school parking in the high school parking lot

14:31 in some of the um hardscape areas that uh I was looking have some plantings but not not very many trees. And the purpose is this is to you know eventually have a canopy there for heat purposes and to try because there’s a lot of asphalt up there and try to you know mitigate um that that is a you know heat source. Um and then there’s another project um that he’s looking to do out of his own uh donation fund which is to do plantings on the access road to the village school between Jersey Street and Village Street. Um so I let Mike know that um you know the sort of the issues around this are well we appreciate that and I feel strongly we would want to you know be the recipients of that. do have to

15:18 commit um as a district to um once they’re planted to water and and do the work to maintain and make sure that they um those trees take. So that involves you know Mike and his um you know his area. Um so that was sort of the only um what’s the word? Not glitch but just you know issue we need to address. I thought the other one that came up was leaf removal in the » in the fall that that » we would need I mean it’s not a big deal but yeah » well leaf removal Mike I don’t know if you want to jump in here I believe is park and wreck » not our crew » so then nothing to worry about there. Yeah. » Yeah. I mean, I think the the concern is

16:04 um you know, a past tree project on one of our properties, we met resistance from the our custodial group that that was outside of their scope of work. » Um » watering watering trees. Correct. Um, so I I did have a conversation and that still seems to be a concern, but I think John was having conversations with maybe our attorney uh as far as interpretation of the contract and whether it truly was a outside of their scope of work. » So I know at least at Brown Park and Wreck maintained like their they maintain the field up there, right? Like » so they cut the grass. They pick up the leaves » and the water. » Yeah. When it works.

16:50 » Yeah. Um trying to think. So we’ve had some issues with Brown’s irrigation system. » Yeah. » And I can’t recall who was called for that. I I’d assume it would be Park and Wreck. » Uh it is. Yeah. So my wife does the garden up there. So she’s, you know, » so I believe Park and Recre handles irrigation of the lawns. Um you know obviously » well if I mean the park and rock might handle the irrigation but we I mean it’s in our building. Do they go into our building to is get to the controls and all that or is that our our team? » I don’t I can’t speak to that intelligently. It’s honestly it it’s almost never working up there. So » oh » controls are not » I did not know that. Okay. I was unaware of that.

17:36 of that. of that. » Yeah. I mean, I think I think there’s bigger conversations that have to happen with Park and Ruck around theouou and what is and isn’t in theou and how often and » and » well, I do I do think that the idea of watering the trees is probably not going to fall to park and wreck would be my guess. » Yeah. Well, that’s where I was headed. So, yeah. » Um, so my question was, you know, it’s it I it’s simple. I think it’s simple. We need to just look at the what the CVA says, what the contract says. » Yeah. Um, and is that within the scope? Again, I just looked at it. I’m not an at I’m not our attorney. Um, it the only thing that in the contract that’s has any reference at all to tasks is just like one line that says, um, read the

18:22 job description, which I have asked for and haven’t received. Um, so I would think it would, you know, it’ be in there and then we would just, you know, there would need to be some discussions. Obviously, we’re not, you know, looking to um have this become a, you know, issue with the with the staff, but I think we should just understand what the facts are around the contract. And if, you know, if this is within the scope, then we shouldn’t have a problem. And if it’s not, then we might, you know, we might need to discuss how we’re going to handle this if we want the trees. I think we ought to do everything we can to get the trees. It seems a shame uh that we can’t work this out if » Yes. Um I’m requesting the job descriptions right now. » Thank you.

19:08 » Um so John and I also had conversations about watering and you know one of the concerns was hoses and running hoses and whatnot. Um so we did explore a a relatively inexpensive option to running hoses. I’m gonna just share my screen really quick. » Well, you can also have water bags. I mean, that’s the other thing they do, right? » Yeah, but the water bags still need to be filled, you know. Um, and so maybe we will have water bags, but also this is uh how I share my screen right here. Request. Yeah, I only need to share like 10 seconds, but just to give you guys an idea of what we’re thinking. Get request. Thank you. debit permissions

20:14 » Um, so this is a sub $200 option that would fit into the back of our pickup truck or possibly trailer. uh allows us a lot more portability for water, especially on the village entry road. Um but I could see that it would be highly effective also um at the high school high school versus running hoses from the buildings. I mean that » hundreds of feet of hose um you know wrapping it up every night when you’re done it just that just seems like it would be something that would be a great deal of work to run hoses all over the place. So this would be a 275galon. It’s um you know this this particular one is $170. So uh it’s a reconditioned refurbished previously used tank. Um you know they have hundreds » and we’d only need one, right? We could

21:00 move it between the two buildings. » Yeah, it it weighs I think um the weight was 135 pounds » without water. » Yeah, without water. » Without water. Without water. And that actually might be shipping weight. So um » you know by the time you take the pallet, you know, looks like it’s on its own pallet of sorts. But yeah, I mean it’s easy enough to move around 135 lbs. You know, if you can leave it in the pickup truck during watering season and then very simply remove it out of the back of the pickup truck. Uh or leave it filled with water so you have some weight for plowing. » Yeah. » Oh yeah, they do. It’s good. » You know, there’s a place on Highland Avenue in Salem that I think gives these things away or sells them for very cheap. like a a fish supply company or something. Yeah,

21:46 » maybe we can look for a donation or something. Just trying to see like Yeah. » Well, I don’t think that’s going to break the bank. » No, it’s $170. » You can connect a hose to it. It’s got a spot. Um this particular » And then you just water the tree trees. » Or fill the bag. Fill the bags or water the trees. Either one. Okay. » Yeah. Yeah. » The bags are nice because it I I believe the bags water over an extended period of time. » Yeah. like kind of like a drip irrigation but but to some » okay » so so I just wanted to share that with you that we are looking at options I just didn’t think hoses were the best option » okay so I have a call I owe a call to the tree warden he called me a couple days ago I haven’t called him back so I got a I think he’s looking for an update um so I’m not sure what we want to tell him

22:31 » uh unless he can spend that money on our budget um you know if that tree money can be transferred to our local budget for you know » a teacher but um » system so uh yeah I mean I you know John and I I think we need to answer the qu custodian question or the maintenance guy question maintenance person question uh to see if what their ability » is that so can you clarify is the is that preventing us from going forward for accepting these trees is that we don’t know that if our staff are going to water the trees » um I would say that That would be the one thing that I would be concerned about committing to trees and then finding out that we don’t have a way to properly irrigate them while they’re » okay. » While they’re getting

23:16 » I’ll let the tree warden know that and he might, you know, he may choose to move on to a different location. » All right. And maybe something very quickly that we can resolve, especially if it doesn’t mean that they have to lug hoses and and whatnot if if it’s a more convenient » way for them to do it. But I think if we put it in the back of one of our trucks, um, more than likely it’s going to have to be a maintenance person versus a custodian or, you know, because the maintenance guy. » Yeah, I would think so. » Yeah. » Um, and and I don’t I mean I guess the other option is do we talk to park and wreck? But I would be very surprised that they would consider this part of theirou. » Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you know, again, they’re all in the same union um for the for the custodians and maintenance and bus drivers, but you know, even in the summer with the hot heat, you know, our bus drivers would probably have usually

24:02 they go into our buildings and help clean, but um you know, a couple of them already drive the pickup trucks to plow, so they’re familiar with the equipment of driving. So, » yeah. No, but I’m saying Parker Beck, they’re not in our the same. » They are not. No, » correct. Okay. So, we’ll hope for a quick and positive answer to that and hopefully we can pass that information to the tree warden. Um, I have on here the next agenda item, facilities department updates. Now, this is sort of related to um the position of facilities director. » Facilities director. Yeah. So, uh, John and I have had discussions. Um, I think we are

24:48 we are we are looking at the job description and the job posting before we post it to review it. Make sure that it’s um current. You know, it’s been at least what, five, six, seven years since it was last filled. So, we want to make sure that it’s uh represents the the position to its fullest extent. Uh, but there is, you know, is our intent to post for that position. So, uh, it will probably be posted within the next week. » Okay. Good luck. » Thank you. » Yep. » Yeah. I will not be applying, but yes. » Yeah. Good luck filling the position. » Uh, then final item on our Jen, are we ready to move on? Just » Yeah. Okay.

25:33 » Uh, final item on our agenda is the Eveth site discussion. Um, John’s not here. Um I don’t know that you’ve had time to think about the Eveleth site with with everything else you’ve had going on. » Uh no it’s so um you know Eveleth site is um the outdoor space we do have um the farm co-op that uses it once or twice a week or three times a week just for a few hours every day. uh a few times a week. Um a small, you know, they don’t require any indoor use. They don’t require any water or any electricity. So, it’s really just a parking lot rental uh that

26:21 we give them for uh a few days a week from kind of like now through October, November, uh through Thanksgiving, I think, is their time frame. Y » um I know that the town uses a couple rooms for uh document storage and uh whatnot. Um, other than that, the building is, as you know, unoccupied. I do not believe there’s heat. » I believe the park and wreck um has it in the summertime for rain is rain. » I think it’s a rain location, right? And and I think that’s going to be critical this year because they they certainly will not have access to the high school because of the right there. » Okay. Um, I guess one of my concerns is that with all the talk around the town budget and it’s going to continue that

27:11 what is our response when people say that why hasn’t the school returned the building to the town so that it can be you know an asset to offset these budget costs and I think the I mean the answer is that the buildings in use by the town anyway. I mean, we’re not using it. If if they were to sell it, they’d have to clear out of it anyway, but we’re still exploring uses for that building. » Yeah. So, the Ellen School is under the care, custody, and control of the school committee » and the school district as are our other buildings. Um and when I and if the school committee determines that the a property is no longer necessary for

27:56 educational purposes, um then typically um the committee would be tasked with voting to um to turn that over to um uh to request to turn to turn that over to the select board. That has to be approved at town meeting. Um so at this point the school committee has not determined that this property is not of educational value. Um we talked earlier this year and did an initial survey on the early education center. Um I also briefed this committee that I had a conversation with the chair of the select board and the chair of the park and wreck. um they are looking to explore um jointly with the school committee um a possibility of an educational type of building um that

28:42 would work with park and recck for extra you know I guess extracurriculars um as well. Um so we are as we sit here today you know the school committee has not made that determination that that property is not of value educationally. Um, so that’s that’s the answer to that. And during this time, we are making use of the building. Obviously, » yeah, that was not the case with the coffin school, but with the EVO school, we are making use of the building. » Yeah, I think some of the proposals that we’ve been discussing are going to be helping to offset our budget and some of that out of district. I I believe we had talked about offsetting some of that out of district money or preschool maybe sort of paying

29:29 for the program in the in the building. So I know early Yeah. » Yeah. I mean I think that in our earlier discussion around what options there might be from early education or alternative education um keep in mind there would be a significant necessary investment in that building. Yeah, absolutely. » Necessitate a debt likely a debt exclusion override. So, it would be, you know, it would be a big project. Um, and that would be something that would takes multi-year. » I personally think from where we sit today, like so the Evelyn school, you know, site is not going to solve the town’s problems [laughter] like neither is the Coffin school site. No. » Um, and remember, we still have property at Green Street, I think. I don’t » I think that’s still under our purview. Maybe not. Maybe that went to the select

30:17 board. I can’t remember. Um, I think at this point, » I know John’s not there, but I think it’s fair for this committee, uh, maybe we make a I’ll make a motion to do it, that we ask John to come forward with a recommendation for next steps on the determination of this property. Does he want does he think we should be going for or recommend that we go forward pursuing this idea of an early education center? Does he recommend that we or and or we we um further discuss the um opportunities with the park and wreck? I mean, it’s really up eventually going to be up to the administration to tell us what they you know what they think um uh is for the ne needed for the future. » Yeah. So, is Jen, you may not we may

31:02 need to investigate this, but I don’t know the answer to this. Is the school department are they permitted to lease the property? Um » just I’m just YMCA or um one of those other programs that would like to run an after school program or maybe » Yeah. I mean we do that with the YMCA now at the at the Brown School, right? Yeah. So I mean I believe as long as it’s for educational I mean we we actually can I believe that we have the care custom of education. So if for all of a sudden we want to kind of rent it out to McDonald’s you know I I don’t I there might be a bylaw against that you know I don’t know. Um but I think clearly if we are using it for educational purposes um the the way and

31:48 manner in which we do that um is is the under the purview of the school committee. Right. Yeah, I think at a minimum we’d have to at least look at the heating system in that building if we were to look to do something like that. But » right, » look at I’m sorry. Say that again, Mike. » We’d have to look at at least the heating system at a minimum. » Oh, I don’t think that building is like, as I said, we’re going to need a feasibility study. You’re not going to be able to do anything with that building without a feasibility study. And a feasibility study has its own cost. We’ve talked about this. And we’ll also determine, you know, we’re not, none of us are sitting here as subject matter experts to determine if that building can it be renovated, can it be retrofitted, can it be rehabed, or does it need to be um uh raised and and rebuilt. Um and that would I think come

32:34 out of a feasibility study. » So I think at this point I’d like to try to get this wrapped up by the end of this year. Um, you know, it’s it’s too late at this point to go to and it would wait premature to go go to this year’s town meeting with a request for funding for feasibility study, but I’d like by the end of this year, by the, you know, by the end of this school year to have sort of a plan on what we’re doing to determine because by next year’s town meeting 27, there ought to be some kind of recommendation at town meeting for that site. Either we’re giving the school committee determines it’s not necess needed and gives it back to the town as a recommendation or there’s a recommendation to go forward with some sort of a plan. » Yep. I think that makes sense.

33:20 » And listen, a feasibility study may come back and determine it’s not fe or well anything’s feasible but you know that like Mike that it may determine that the costs you know will just forever outweigh it would just be so ownorous. I mean, I you know, I I sort of doubt that because you you do a debt exclusion override for 20 years. You you build a building, you lease it out, you make sure you know it pays for itself. You need to make the numbers work. But what we wouldn’t want to do is have I don’t think is to construct some sort of a building for educational purpose for I don’t want to say alternative but you know non-K12 um purposes and uh have it add in any significant way to the operating budget. I don’t think that » Yeah. And I think what where we ended up

34:07 with that survey was that there was general interest but also sort of confusion about what exactly we were asking about what we were proposing. » So we did say like well let’s come back with a more of a proposal. Now, I don’t want I I think John and Mike are busy right now with very important things, but it you mentioned making a motion for John to come back with recommendations for the site. Do you want to put a timeline on that so that so that we’re not saying, you know, drop what you’re doing and figure out the Evaleth site right now? But if » Well, um you know, it’s part of the job. » Yeah, exactly. I agree. um you know Mike Mike um so let’s see so town meeting is May

34:55 4th I mean we could ask you know by um you know by the by like the May 21 is it reasonable by the May 21st school committee meeting to have some kind of a recommendation to the subcommittee as to what the administration would like to see what what the plan would be for next year going forward um to determine what to do with this site. That’s all I’m asking. It’s just a recommendation is what is » I think let’s that’s a great place to start. Yeah. May 21st school committee meeting to have a » Well, actually it would really come back to the subcommittee. » Yeah, but I the goal is for the May 21st school committee meeting to have a recommendation made to the subcommittee that we can bring to the school committee. » Right. So, that would need to be » So, we need to schedule that that

35:42 subcommittee meeting. But um » well we could do it for like say May 19th. That’s a Tuesday. » What do we meet on Tuesdays? No, we meet on Mondays. May 18th. » Oh, we can meet on any day then. We need to I » We were meeting Tuesdays. The Monday just happened to work this week. So we do you want to shoot for May 19th and then you know we have a recommendation and then if we agree with it we present that to the school committee um or up I’m sorry update the school committee. » Yes I will » and then over maybe it’s over the summer that you know some of this stuff starts to gel. Mike Mike thoughts. » Yeah, I’m just uh making a note to make

36:27 sure that we uh so the recommen the facility subcommittee is looking for a recommendation from the superintendent on the Eve school uh to be presented to the full committee. » No, no, to present it to the facility subcommittee on May 19th » and the full committee on the 21st. » The subcommittee on May 19th. » Yep. » Yeah. with an update to the school committee. Can I just make clear I want to make clear my you may not agree. My feeling is I’m not looking for a recommendation like this needs to be an you know a 40,000 square foot or just it’s really just a plan like a timeline to determine » what’s going to happen next year » in determining what’s going to happen to

37:12 this like you know I want to do some more surveys I want to have a conversation I I don’t know or you know like I really don’t feel that an early education center makes sense something » yeah yeah I think that I agree with that Jen I again we don’t need concrete plans, but some direction that we can focus on would help. » Y

37:39 » Mike, does that sound reasonable or » I can’t speak for John, but sure, sounds reasonable. [laughter] » Okay. » All right. So uh subcommittee I’m just I had Jen originally but subcommittee subcommittee would like a recommendation from the superintendent on the eveless school to be presented to the subcommittee on 519 with an update to the full committee on 521. Not concrete plans but more along the lines of next steps. » Next steps. Exactly. Perfect. » Good. » Thank you. » All right. Excellent. That was our last item. Is there anything else? Anybody? » Do you want to set another meeting? » I think » you want to wait and see. » I’m going back in my notes here because we did have a schedule and I don’t

38:26 I don’t I don’t » I’ve emailed it. I I have it in emails. » Okay. » I will get that meeting on the calendar. » My next one is schedu for April 14th. » April 14. I was just going to say I think it’s this I think it’s the um second Tuesday. » Yeah. » Is that vacation » April 14th at 10 a.m. » It’s not school vacation week. » It’s not. Okay. They should know that. Okay. April 14th, 10 a.m. facilities. » That’s what I have on my calendar. » Great. Let’s let’s stick with that then because we know this room is open. So, » Well, yeah. Just let Lisa know. » And then I have I have a May 12th. You guys just said May 20. May 19th. » Do you want to stick with May 12th? Do you think you can do that or does that not give you enough time?

39:13 » No, just Yeah, let’s stick with May 12th. Okay. » Okay. So, just » April 14th and then May 12th. Yeah. » 10 a.m. » You added those to the Google calendar, right? So, there » uh I didn’t put I just » Or I don’t know. » I put them on here and I I think I scheduled them and let me just look at it. I was the organizer and emailed you, Jen, and John. Okay. Yeah. So, » great. » Thank you. » I put it on your calendar. So, » motion to I’ll make » Wait, wait, wait. One quick thing. Um, we, uh, you know, for understandable reasons, we rescheduled our walkthroughs. » Um, do we want to reschedu those? » Yes.

39:59 » Yes. » Yes. » Yeah. So, um, Oh, but we want to be in there when there’s students, right? So vacation, » I don’t know that we necessarily need to be in there when there’s » Yeah, you don’t need to be in there when there’s students. I think uh we sent out an email to the staff when we originally scheduled them saying um the facility subcommittee was going to be walking. They were not observing teaching and learning um that they would be observing only um facility related issues uh which could be in the learning spaces, but if there were students in in that in that area, we would not stop in. Um if we if we saw staff who maybe um did not have a class or a prep or duty at that time and and maybe had two minutes, we might say, “Hey, how’s the building?” You know, “How’s the heat?

40:44 How’s the windows? How’s the you know, type of stuff like that, but we would not be uh requiring any interaction with the with the staff unless they were willing to talk to us.” » Yeah. » Well, except for the maintenance staff and the custodial. » No, no, the I’m talking more the education. » Okay. Yeah. » Yeah. Um, do we want to schedule those between our May 14th or our April 14th and our May 12th meetings? Um, because I don’t know that I’m available during April vacation. » I’m not available during April. » Yeah. And I think that Yeah. » And you and you don’t want to do it. Yeah, that’s fine. Yeah, that’s that’s fine. » You have a suggestion? I mean, » no. Well, I’m not available until after April 2nd anyway. So, when is vacation?

41:30 The week of the 20th. » Uh, correct. Yes. Oh, we could do the week » we could do the week of April 6th. We could do a couple that week and then the and then um like the week of the 6th and the 13th. I mean, » yeah, I’m trying to Oh, yeah. So, we did we had planned to do Brown and Glover in one day, high school in one day, village in one day, and vets in one day. So, it was a four-day for five schools. Okay. Yay. [laughter] » Um Um do like I mean there were four days I think there were you know » Yeah. We did it wasn’t it was » 9 to 11 and 12 to two for Brown and then 11 to two was high school when we had the time.

42:18 » Do you want to do like April 6th? Um, » I would I would lean towards So, we typically have a meeting on on the Monday mornings. » Sorry. » Um, April 7th. » No, we could do six. It just wouldn’t be in the morning. » Okay. Want to do um So, if we’re going to not do the morning, we would probably do one, but we could do the high school. » Sure. I mean, we could start at probably 11:30. It probably be the earliest. I would say this is the seventh. Yeah. Uh, sixth. » No, the sixth. So, we want to do the high school on the that day. 11:30. 11:30 to what was that? Uh two you want three hours said we had we had three hours originally. » Oh really? » Last time we » can we get on the roof? » Uh yeah we can. You seem excited.

43:05 » I do. I want to see the damn roof after all that. » All right. Sounds like » Do we have to be harnessed? » Um yeah. You’re gonna need a hard hat and a vest. I have » I have a hard hat and I have a vest and I probably have two I can bring. » Yeah, I don’t know that you need those. I was being a little » Oh, I’m gonna wear them now. [laughter] [snorts] » All right. So, that’s the sixth. Do we want to try to do something on the 7th? » Yeah. I mean, I’m happy with all of these dates. These these all are fine for me. So um so John has a um admin meeting till 11:30 on the 7th. So that would be all principles would be in that

43:50 meeting. So uh kind of available after anytime after noon on that day. » So why don’t we do the vets on the 7th? » Vets we had scheduled for two vets and village we had scheduled both for two and a half hours. » So what if we did do they are they back by noon, Mike? » Yeah, they should be back by noon. Yeah. » Does that mess them up for like dismissal? The principal’s not going to be with us the whole time. I can’t imagine. » That’s a choice, right? Yeah. I mean, » if I were a principal, I wouldn’t want to walk through with us, but you never know. But, I mean, I don’t want to mess up their dis the dismissal. If we go from 12 to 2:30, but why don’t we put it down and, you know, if SC if um um Matt pushes back, then we can deal with it. » And this is Henry. » Yeah.

44:35 » Yeah. » Yeah. » 12 to 2:30. you and Scott Lavoy. Got it. » Do you think that’s enough time after the admin meeting, Mike? I don’t want to be, you know, I want anyone to so we can start and you know, Matt can catch up. » Wait, Matt. No, that’s VATS. » Yeah. » Matt, Matt. Yeah. I’m sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Um, so then we have possibly the eighth. » Yeah, the eighth. Um » if that day whichever day is more open we had essentially 9 to 11 at Brown and 12 to 2 at Glover. So that was that was the long day. So » can we do that Wednesday?

45:26 » 9 to 11. Can we do Yeah. So 9 to 11 at Brown? » Yeah. And then what? 12 to two at Glover. Yeah, that’s what we proposed last time. Jen, Henry, John. » Oh, John’s coming, too. Oh, lovely. » Just put I just put on his calendar. Um, » I would be shocked if he has the time to This is Mary Maxfield and Chris Peter. I’m sorry, Peter. » Thank you. Okay. So, save that one. And then, so that was 9 to 9 to 11. I just made it

46:12 for 12. I’m going to cut that back. I don’t need three hours. » Yeah.

46:23 » That one. And then I was 12 to two. » 12 to2. Glover. Glover. Yeah.

46:39 and that would be M, Henry, John, Frank, and

46:58 that only leaves village, which you know, may as well do it on the 9th if it’s available. We had » So, we have a high school I have a standing high school roof meeting with the contractors at 11 that morning. » Okay. » So, um yeah, we did put two and a half hours. So, » you want to do um you want to do Friday the 10th? » I could do Friday the 10th. Yeah. Great. » Time you want to start? » 9 to 11:30. Yeah.

47:43 John John SC. So, Henry, this also brings us, you know, close to the end of the uh fiscal year » and um I will not be on this next year. So, I’m going to just suggest that you consider, you know, maybe trying to stay on this subcommittee. I mean, obviously the committee will change and maybe change its mind, but you know, I think it would make sense to have you with some continuity for next year after we spend time. Yeah. » Yeah. » Especially, you know, found my feet. So, yeah. » Yeah. Yeah. If again, who knows what the will of committee will be, but we’ll see. » I would strongly urge that.

48:29 So you guys you should have five emails from me. » Okay. » Awesome. Great. » All right. I will make a motion to adjurnn. » All right. Uh seconded. » Um okay. Motion made by Henry, seconded by Jen. Uh all um Jen » in favor » and Henry in favor. Motion uh meeting is adjourned at 10:49 a.m. » Thanks, Henry. Thanks, Mike. Thank you Jeff.