##VIDEO ID:RGNPpCtIS1w## finance and law subcommittee will come to order Wednesday September 18 2024 roll call vote Mrs shavs present Mr VI is present Dr Dello is absent first item on the agenda is use of facilities see attach memo assistant superintendent M hand thank you Mr Vieira as you can see here we have area organizations that are requesting space within our schools some uh we are charging for fees and others we are not charging fees due to Li of uh community service and then others are because fees were reduced for staff all right any questions okay a motion would be in order to uh receive and place on file motion to receive and place on file the chair second the motion all those in favor signify by saying I I chair votes I motion passes item number two Toton High School softball field renovation project see attach memo assistant superintendent morning hand thank you again um on the memo you'll see the outlining of um the schedule that nesra engineering has put forth for the Taunton High School softball field renovation the bids are went live this morning and they will be due on October 2nd at 2 p.m. we'll be opening the bid at finance and law on October 2nd we will review the bids and contractor evaluations by October 16th we will award the bid construction is tentatively scheduled to start October 17th with a substantial completion date of March 17th completion final completion of March 24th as you can see it is close to the spring Sports so let's hope for a very nice mild winter so we won't have any issues with this project well hopefully Mother Nature cooperates and keep the snow up nor able to stay on schedule that's right exactly any questions from the committee no any questions from any others all right hearing none a motion would be in order to uh receive and place on file motion to receive and place um on file chair second all those in favor please signify by saying I I chair votes I so voted right item number three procurement card see attach memo once again assistant superintendent one and thank you on this here we'll beginning a new fiscal year for the PE card we have months of July and August being charged with July charges of $5,800 and August charges of just over $10,000 on the last page of the memo you will see the charges and how the charges were charged to for that total of 6,188 N2 we have a little over $5,800 were charged to Grants um $231 were charged to Food Services and then $10,000 was charged to the school budget questions from the committee Mr shops thank you um I'm just assuming that um and I just want to put it on the table that the flights and hotels were um conferences or PD that teachers or administrators were going to yes they are they are PD conferences that they are true yes questions from any others okay hearing none uh motion would be in order to receive and place on file motion to receive and place on file chair seconds all those in favor signify by saying I I the chair votes I motion passes okay item number four bills payable [Music] fy2 closed to be in the amount of 696,000 warrant is here for the fy2 for 696,000 as Mr Vieira stated any questions for the warrant Mrs shs thank you there are um on page four there's an improvement for building for 257,000 and I thought there was another similar one so I was wondering um yes on page 10 there was a similar one for 29,000 so what kind of um improvements to the buildings do those include so the one for on the page four for Collins construction that is The Culinary Kitchen for taon high school and then you had said here the one page 10 for landmark that is the Tiger Den patio so that has been finalized on that um for that project thank you um page seven library books from folet is that for one school or is that for multiple schools for the 17,000 that is usually a subscription for all schools and that is an annual subscription okay and the other one I had was on page eight for Jim dorsy and Sons for replacement of equipment I'm assuming that something to do with plumbing it is actually the continuation and almost done of the HVAC Grant project that we had amongst three schools so we're just about done back okay okay and as you can see that is Grant funded has the first two numbers yeah I'm done thank you wonderful excellent uh questions from any others okay so a motion would be in order to approve the bills payable in the amount of $696,000 sign um a motion to approve the [Music] $696,000 question um with the um the ERS company that instructional software for 161,000 it is um when we're putting in we're actually trying to make all of our schools having the same technology that's what we've been doing and this here is the continuation of um installing um projec is in the auditorium I don't know exactly which one that was but it is the auditorium Auditorium okay thank you of course that's it for me thank you chair well any questions from any others okay here none uh motion would be in order to approve FY 24 bills payable in the amount of 291 61843 a motion to accept at the um at the amount of $291,400 Mo motion to adjourn chair second all those in favor I I we are adjourned great job everybody thank you all right welcome everyone thank you for joining us I call the meeting to order if you could please join us in the Pledge of Allegiance iedge Al to the flag of the United States of America to rep can you see by the dawn night what so proudly we at the Twilight gleaming who's brought stripes and bright stars through the per fight or the real parts we watch were so gly stream and the rocket R glare the bombs bursting in air gave prove through the night that our black was still there oh say does that star spangled then I wave or the land of the free and the home of the [Music] brave Mrs fan will lead us in the invocation Lord as we begin this session let us acknowledge your goodness and mercy and ask your blessings on all our deliberations we thank you for this opportunity to be of service to our community and to the young people entrusted to our care and if everyone could please remain standing we have um some people that we want to just honor their lives first one is Mary Bliss who was born in 1922 at St an's Hospital in Fall River uh she has many she had many child she wrote her own obituary before she died so I'm so for those that you that know where probably weren't surprised by that there many happy childhood memories attending where grar School taught in High School class of 1939 and the University of Vermont 1943 gave met way to many new friends and Sisters of the Delta sority and she talked about her life as a last Latin teacher was a labor of love and laughter was spent in Sudbury Westport d and Taun in high schools for 42 years talks about sharing her life with her wonderful husband B Bill Bliss and their three their five children one who predeceased them Mary Lynn and she talked about all her grandchildren and her parents and her classmates and her cherished six grandsons and her only granddaughter but she all ended up with great granddaughters and great great grandchildren because of her long life she loved dogs travel foreign lands people languages plants trees bicycling poetry hymns and TV she loved to read God's word at mass at St Joseph's Church now St Nicholas of Maya and at and at lelet Shrine and she especially like to teach in the English is a second language literacy program and she thanked for the family everybody who attended her Services um our our sorrow goes out to their family and I hope that they keep you uh you keep them in their thoughts and in prayers but what a nice long life she lived and I know that people that had her everybody who knew her said that she was a real hot ticket I guess that's a nice and a wonderful teacher too the next one is Richard Allen Paca Richard Paca passed away on September 5th with his lovely family at his side it wasn't that long ago that I did um I did one of these obituaries for his wife Rosemary who was also known as is Dolly par who passed away in March um he was known as Richie he met his future wife at Rosemary at Cohan at school he was a star athlete at Taunton High School and he did all kinds of odd jobs starting at the age of eight selling newspapers at the dog track working at a local grocery store and at at sank ice cream shop Richie and Dolly were married on February TW 20th 1960 and had three children Lori Richard anony and Donna Louise who we know as Donna lorano from our business department and his family was complete he always put his children first and he had so many things he loved doing as a hard work he was a hard worker worked at the Foxboro Company by attended at the Portuguese American Civic Club he also liked liked all types of fishing saltwater fishing off chadam freshwater fishing he loved to make clam boils and clam cakes and had a large vegetable garden and was famous for his tomatoes and he particularly loved having his his six grandchildren he loved being their grandfather and his he had a first great grandchil Landon Parker who was born to to a grandson Matthew lurra who's a police officer and tarton and his wife Ashley last year uh he stayed very close to his adult children and his grandchildren and he was as I talked to his daughter Donna he was very heartbroken when he lost his wife he that she was the love of his life and he told his children that every day he wanted to be with his bride and his family is happy to know that they are now together so I just want to extend my sympathies and all of our sympathies and and keep them in our thoughts and prayers I got to know him uh years ago he I'd see him every day in church he said I come to church every day he I he said do you know why I said no he said I survived pancreatic cancer so I I just knew him from that and talking to him what a what a nice man he was so our sympathies go out to the to all the people that that were you know his children and his friends and everybody who really loved him the last person is majie Sweetman Yugo who is the mother of christen gagnan who works in a business um office as a you know this is was her mother she was born in C Canton Mass she when she married 18 she became the mother of six girls that must have kept her busy but she became a seamstress she worked as a skilled seamstress in barrows Fabric and C for many years working on custom draperies as a specialty Girl Scout leader the pr proudest moments for her life was being a mother of her six girls and devoting her excuse me her life to her her girls her and her for love and care as a parent spending time with their grandchildren she enjoyed making home-cooked meals she made mean Italian dishes her brownies never sat on the table long for someone always had to have a second serving and she truly had a love and neck for serving that even would make her grandchildren's clothes as they were growing up she also designed a patent for quilted bags she had an incredible vocabulary was an Avid Reader and the P family thought this was important she was a devoted Watcher of the five and a big fan of Greg Gutfeld so I'm sure he'll happy to know that she was also a proud supporter of Maga she'll be greatly missed by her beloved daughters and family and those her who knew her so she she survived by her daughters including um Christian gagnan she was the nanny to 11 grandchildren and is survived by 15 great-grandchildren and one great great granddaughter she was preceded in Death By Her Seven siblings and leaves behind several nieces and nephews so please keep this family also in your thoughts and prayers and we have a moment of silence for these three wonderful people who we lost thank you everybody thank you Mrs Fagan all right could we get the roll call please yes Mr Reus present Mrs shards present Mr palowski present Miss Santos present Mr Vieira present um Mrs Fagan's present and Greg Dello is absent and as well as um Mr Laura and mayor oon thank you um could we get a motion for approval of the minutes for September 4th 2024 so move second Motion in second if there's discussion um all those in favor I I opposed none opposed so voted and we have with us tonight Natalie Duncan for the student advisory committee report welcome Natalie hello my name is Natalie Duncan and I'm a member of the student advisory committee the 2024 school year has been off to a great start I am entering my senior year at TA and high and I glad to report that I have seen Improvement every single year over the summer the THS guidance Department Department held a college boot camp to familiarize students with the college application process students received feedback on their college essays instructions on how to use platforms like the common apppp and Naviance and other Guidance the eighth graders are settling in smoothly and a main reason for this is the link crew the link crew is new this year and it is a group of 70 mentors who have already made a positive impact on our school to welcome students back to school we have been holding a welcome week Spirit Week organized by our student council members welcome week kicked off last Friday with neon during this week I have observed the most student participation I have ever seen for any Spirit Week in my 5 years of being at T High tonight the student council is hosting a party as a fun introduction to the school year last Friday tan High hosted the first football game home football game of the season the bleachers were full and the spirits were high students voted during the week to elect their senior Kings of the Jungle who lead chance and boost morale in the student section the Tigers were victorious against dery with a final score of 24 to 14 leaving them with a record of 2 all four all fall sports are starting strong and there are a remarkable 410 students participating in them clubs like Key Club interact Club Deca and student council hosted their first general meetings dual enrollment classes have begun so our high school students are working diligently on College work to receive college credit credits I'm enrolled in the introduction to the College of Arts and Sciences course through um Dartmouth and I've already found it to be tremendously helpful and insightful last week drama club ran their auditions for the upcoming show Guys and Dolls and the class list was released tomorrow there will be a college fair for seniors in the cafeteria with representatives from 50 colleges visiting there was such a high demand for this event that it had to be separated into two cohorts senior's transcripts gpas and class ranks were were released this afternoon in their school brains portal on October 9th the THS guidance department will be hosting an informative session to help families plan for Life After High School whether that means tackling College applic are Exploring Careers starting today and extending through Friday seniors are getting their pictures taken for the yearbook in their school ID the library Renovations are almost done and the furniture will be installed on Monday 50 freshmen are currently enrolled in early college classes meaning by the time they graduate from toen high they will already have accumulated 30 college credits our nationally recognized Esports team led by Mr bores is adding a new video game to their lineup Logan rebello a skills USA Massachusetts state offers from toon high will soon be traveling to Washington DC to have a one-on-one conversation with a white house representative lastly our Tiger Den will be adding a commercial fridge in the kitchen thank you all so much for having me I'm looking forward to another great year thank you Natalie sounds like the Year is off to a great start I hope you're not missing that student council party tonight I all right well thanks for joining us and for the information is there any public input this evening no public input so we have the superintendent's reports Mr Bara evening anyone on behalf of superintendent cpra would like to send his regrets he's actually attending a conference in Chicago where he was uh asked to attend by the Secretary of Education in Massachusetts so just as much as Natalie talked about what's really going on out and exciting uh superintendent cabal cabal's first comment is looking back about the school opening and he'd like to thank all the teachers par professionals administrators uh everyone who opens up the school that goes unknown noticed and just think of a drop of a hat the doors open up and especially to assistant superintendent moan Mark frus along with all the custodial staff who really make these buildings pristine as they actually dance around the summertime dealing with summer programs so it's not as easy as saying we're going to go in a building and clean they're cleaning as movement is going on and as uh customary superintendent cabal visited every single school and our last meeting took place the day before our prek and K students showed up and I I think Miss moan can attest to this it really adds a unique flavor to a building when you know everyone is in house and there's something really magical about seeing kindergarteners walk the building for the first few days and having their teachers show them here's the restrooms here's the main office here's the nurse's office and the eyes that light up of wow this is what school is like so it's really exciting especially here as superintendent cabw and the support of this committee opened up a new prek class which is located around the hallway and seeing those students students who navigated their first fire drill because to public school of schools worked with fire department through their drills and seeing them go out in March and locks that like everybody else so it's it's a great feeling to uh welcome all the students and typ of normal type of how School business is held so that's first uh comment from Super attendent cabal the second has to deal with Taunton High School completed last spring an athletic program assessment is part of a pilot program now we're used to having our entire District reviewed by Department of Elementary second Ed High School gets thirds through Nas every 10 years and it's a whole ongoing process this new process actually looks at not so much the academic component but also the athletic component looking at the experiences of student athletes and how to professionalize that program this was a pilot program one of only two districts in the Commonwealth that took part in it sponsored by Nas the New England Association of school colleges uh the Massachusetts school administrators Association Massachusetts inter Scholastic Athletic Association which known as the MIAA they looked at standards just as much as we look at teacher evaluations administrative evaluations in schools they looked at the administration resources Equity student safety all with the goal of enhancing the student athlete experience and I know members here and especially I'm I'm trying to not catch Miss Fagan off guard here but she's the chair of the athletic uh subcommittee would you like to mention anything about the process at all you talking about we met with them yes yeah I thought it I thought it was really interesting they they're really trying to to do a lot of what and I I always thank Mark aivanelli for having the foresight to do teaching these kids how to be um referees and things during a game because a lot of them have been hired to do that because it's a big problem now in all the sports getting people that will do the refereeing and what I liked about it is is they really want to set a high bar for athletics you know they want the behavior under control and I just thought these people all of them were just really sincere and and really concerned about having athletic events be something that everybody can be proud of that we don't have the bickering and things that have gone on over the years and I was I was really impressed with them as a group the way they looked at things and I was I was really glad to be it was nice to be part of it but they they were an interesting group of people and you know the more we can get things under control I think the better off we are but I think a lot of times you know they they see a lot of violence in in you know like football and stuff like that I know there's some been some violent things going on during the games and I I think we have to change that thought process that we can we can be civil and play a sport you know so that's what I I like the most about it and and the product of that visit was a final report which will eventually be placed on our website and again I'm glad you mentioned athletic director mark adav velli because he always believed our programs could do better our students should be allowed and afford the opportunity to do better and Raphael Dow our new athletic director is this cut from the same cloth and having this as sort of a a baseline assessment as Mark transitioned out and Raph took over will allow the district then to examine the recommendations and and make an impact and make those changes that they feel uh could really Elevate our student athlete performance so having said that that concludes uh superintendent cabal's uh report all right thank you Mr bar receive and place on file is that we do with those sure Motion in second all those in favor I opposed none opposed so voted next we have administrative business and number one is the Staffing report I don't know if there's any business with that or any comments on the Staffing report received and placed on file second motion and second all those in favor I opposed none opposed so voted and the tunon public schools Staffing update same procedure Motion in second to receive and place on file all those in favor I opposed then opposed so voted okay we have subcommittee reports long range planning is first with Mr Vieira thank you Madame mayor on Tuesday September 10th 2024 4:30 p.m the longrange plan and subcommittee met at EO Elementary School in attendance from the subcommittee was myself Mr Reus and Dr deell committee members also in attendance were Christine Fagan school committee secretary Taunton Public Schools administration was John cabal superintendent Brenda moan superintendent of finance and operations Mark frus director of facilities long range plan and subcommittee meeting was called to order um I as chairman uh express my intentions for the subcommittee to direct the superintendent to notify the city council city council public property subcommittee and the City of Taunton superintendent of buildings Chris carmichel rarden urgent need for the roof repair at the flal elementary school I emphasized that the roof was in immediate disrepair and that the request for the building department to address the issue uh in a timely manner on discussion Mrs Fagan and Dr demelo noted that the condition of the roof had previously been raised at a city council meeting back in January Dr Dello referen at the meeting also shared that community members had discussed the roof's poor condition on a local radio program there was additional discussion regarding a portion of the roof had been replaced if additional repairs were made who was physically responsible for the repairs the city or taught in public schools it was answered that the city is physically responsible for the repairs also during the discussion Mr Rea stated that due to the building's condition fund should not be allocated to repair on the roof and that the building should be turned over the city chamman VR stated the building should continue to be considered to address future space concerns were Tau and public schools build has served as Flex space in the past during renovations to the Alternative High School motion to notify the appropriate City entities was made by DR Dello seconded by Mr Vieira the motion passed two to one with Mr enus voting in opposition and the meeting was adjourned at 5:15 that concludes my report thank you for the detailed report uh if there's no discussion motion to acort the report second Motion in second all those in favor opposed not opposed so voted uh rules committee Mr enus uh the rules committee met on 9:11 at 3:30 p.m. uh present were myself and Mr palowski um we use the rubrics to um evaluate the legal bids um we adjourned probably about an a half hour and we submitted our results to um assistant superintendent mam that's it thank you motion to AC motion to accept the report Motion in second all those in favor opposed none opposed so voted Committee of the whole Mrs Fagan the committee of the whole met this evening at at 5:15 to discuss the aforementioned rubrics that went along with the legal services RFP summary uh everybody had some input into this conversation everybody had thoughtful input and we unanimously voted to um nominate the The Firm of Stoneman Chandler Miller LLP as our choice to um to go forward to represent us in that regard motion to accept the report and adopt the recommendation of the committee of the whole meeting Motion in second all those in favor I opposed none opposed so voted and finally we have finance and law Mr Vieira thank you Madame the finance law subcommittee met today at 5:45 myself Mrs shavs Dr D was absent the administration assistant superintendent Brenda moan assistant superintendent Chris Bara other members and attendants were Mr enas Miss Santos first item on the agenda was uh the use of facilities uh discussion was around uh Community Partners who reserved the space and hold meetings uh in our facilities and discussion was had about which fees were waved and which fees were applied committee voted unanimously to accept the report second item on the agenda was Toton High School softball field Renovations which is excellent excellent news we received the communication from NZ and Jerin they provided us the Milestone schedule for the softball Renovations uh the key dates are as followed the bids are due on Wednesday October 2nd at 2 p.m. opening of the bids at finance and law subcommittee meeting on Wednesday October 2nd bid review and contract evaluation is Wednesday October 9th notice of award is Wednesday October 16th start of construction is Thursday October 17th completion sustainable completions Monday March 17th and final completion weather permitting and and God willing will be Monday March 24th that was um the report to us on the high school softball field renovation and same action to not then we received in place on file accepted item number three was the procurement cards July there was an expenditure of 5,876 44 August was $1,324 and the year to date $16 16,18 92 so the year dates the fiscal year which is July and August that way would plan on January to September all so the fourth item discussed was the bills payable FY 25 and the amount is 696,000 the question by Miss shabs was raised on page for uh expenditure in the amount of 257,000 assistant superintendent moan let us know that it was for the improvements the commercial kitchen page 10 29,000 for uh Improvement to buildings that was for the tigers den uh patio page seven library books and response was subscriptions page eight Jim dorsy that was HVAC Grant to approve HVAC and three of our schools the motion was made and seconded to approve and it passed to nothing FY 24 uh the amount of $291,400 question was asked about uh instructional software and the amount of 161,000 the response from assistant superintendent monan was uh we're working towards adding the same things in all schools this was in regards to projectors that way everybody has the same software to use and it was done in five of our schools and that was the cost Associated we voted two to nothing to approve the FY 24 bills payable that concludes my report thank you on on discussion is there a second motion and second on discussion I'm sorry I should have second I apologize I was just wondering um Mrs moan if you could if they you could just fax over a copy of what the progress is going to be on the softball field to Head Start because they just so they just to keep them a breast they they were concerned about the infringement on their property but that's all going out the other way so just to let them know because they're right next door to that so that's okay with everybody suggestion okay so there's a motion in a second to accept the report all those in favor I opposed not opposed so voted there is no new business listed did and seeing no others we'll move on um unfinished business action items update do we have so superintendent Cal would would like to recommend the following to the committee to consider the first is the 10522 THS awning uh they completed if it's the will of the committee to uh take that off the action item list that is completed that is completed so MO motion to remove uh set action item from the list Motion in second to remove 10522 th awning from the list all those in favor opposed none opposed to voted and the second to consider the 9 2023 the action was to refer the Hopewell roof rep Paris of longrange planning the memo which was included in your packet that school Committee Member Vier just read out has been completed in such I guess superent cabal was wonderers what is the will of the committee to remove it or retain it on the action items motion to remove it and the the action was to send a letter that's correct okay well I'll second the motion okay motion and second to remove the letter uh that particular from the action item on discussion yeah do we have to do that right now or can we just hold on and see what if any what what they want to do with that school I mean we can the item is specific to the roof so I guess you want to wait for a remedy to the roof we well I'm just concerned about you know I know we're going to be tight for space and I'm just curious as to if that's something that we could do anything with I I I really don't want to remove it at this point but it's up to it's up to the committee if CH wishes I'll withdraw my second okay okay uh so Mrs fan has indicated she would like to leave that on until there I guess there's a response um yes with does the maker of the motion wish to withdraw the motion did you make the motion Mr but he withdrew a second so it would so oh it does okay gotcha gotcha okay all right we're all set then and um is that it that is it thank you we will move on okay there is no press here this evening and I will take a motion toour second Motion in second to adjourn all those in favor I opposed then opposed so voted thank you everyone