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ready. I'm going to open up the regular
meeting of the Nisha Regional School

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Committee at 6:30 p.m. tonight on June
10th, 2026. This is our organizational

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meeting. It's actually the first meeting
of the next session. Um and we will be

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introducing new members shortly. But
before we do that, uh please join me for

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the pledge of allegiance

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to the flag of the United States of
America and to the republic for which it

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stands, one nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice

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for all.
Probably the second time for most people

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today.
Okay. So,

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uh, moving on. Uh, we are going to our
agenda. Basically, the way that it's

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going to work is that we need to do our
reorganization first.

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There's no telling how this will, um,
how long this will take, but we'll do

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our best to move swiftly. So, just
because we have new members, um, what I

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would like to do first is just give them
a moment to introduce themselves. We

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have three to four new members actually.
Um, and so we'll start over here. just

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introduce ourselves yourself, tell us
where you're from and and anything else

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that comes to your mind, but don't feel
free, you know, feel compelled to go on

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and on.
>> Okay, perfect. Hi, I'm Lexi Fton. Um I'm

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from Lancaster. I have kids that are
five and eight [clears throat] um in uh

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Mary Rollinsson and I'm excited to be
here.

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» Uh

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okay. Hi, I'm Lenny Goldner. I'm from
Stow. Um, I've lived in Stow for more

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years than I can even remember. I've
been on other town boards, but this is

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my first foray into the school
committee.

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» Welcome.
>> Hi everyone. I'm Joel McCarthy. I have

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uh two kids, a first grader and a fourth
grader here at Florence Sawyer.

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» And we do have a new student
representative who we're going to talk

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with a little bit later, but just a
quick introduction.

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» Hi everyone. Um, I'm Libby. I am from
Bolton and I'm going to be your new

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junior representative. Uh, yeah.

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Okay. So, just so that everybody knows
who's here in the room, we do have new

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members. Um, so what we're going to do
next is we're going to use this fancy

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tool
that Alita has hopefully given all of

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the voting members.
So, um, the first, uh, position that we

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are going to nominate and elect is the
chairperson. The regional agreement does

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call for the previous chair to run this
operation at first. That's why I'm

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talking. Um, the next position that we
will vote on is the vice chair and then

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we will vote on the secretary. And the
job of the secretary, just so everybody

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knows, is to basically manage our
executive session minutes. Um,

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historically, we have tried to have the
leadership of the school committee

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represent the three towns.
This is probably good practice, but it

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is not necessarily mandatory. It is not
in our bylaws. because it's not required

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by law. It is just a practice that we
tried to abide by. We thought it was

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good practice. It's not mandatory. Just
want to put that up there. So, when we

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vote, we are going to vote by secret
ballot just to avoid any kind of um

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uh I don't know convincing your neighbor
to vote a certain way. So, we vote by

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secret ballot. But it is very important
that you put your name on the ballot.

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Everybody understand what I mean?
Because after we are done voting, we

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will send the votes to Alita. Is that
okay, Alita? Um, we're going to send the

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votes to Alita. Alita will announce who
uh won, but she also has to announce who

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we all voted for.

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So, uh, the way that this works is we
can take nominations

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and we will take the nomination of as
many people as need be. So it doesn't

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have to go one at a time. And so um
nominations for chair are now open.

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» So I I'll nominate Leah Vivarito to be
chair first again.

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» I accept. Thank you.
>> Do you need a second?

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» You do not. Thank you.
>> Uh any other nominations?

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Feel awkward asking.

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» Okay. Well, going once, going twice.
So, at this point, you guys can vote.

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Make sure you write your name and the
person you're voting for.

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» And then you can pack them to your right
or left depending on where it is for

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you.

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Yeah.

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[clears throat]

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» Yeah.
>> So, yeah, take you can take your time.

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voted for Leah.
Leah voted for Leah.

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Joel voted for Leah.
Lenny voted for Leah.

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Lindsay voted for Leah.

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Scott voted for Leah. Jillian voted for
Leah. Shant voted for Leah.

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Lexi voted for Leah. Sharon voted for
Leah. to count.

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» All right. Thanks, guys. I will continue
to work for you and for everyone. Best I

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can.
So, uh, next we will open up nominations

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for vice chair.
Matt.

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» No. So, Matt would then have to accept.
>> Um,

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» you don't have to.
>> Uh, no. I'm okay. Thank you, Mr.

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Appreciate Lindsay. [laughter]

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» So, I'd like to nominate Jillian Shuda
for vice chair.

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» I would accept.
>> Okay. Any other nominations?

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» Nominate Scott Powell.
>> I was also going to nominate Scott

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Powell. [laughter] I was very flattered
that Scott Powell was going to nominate

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me.
>> That was very like it's truly an honor

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to be nominated. So, thank you.
>> I'm open to it.

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» Yes. Okay. Any other nominations?
>> Uh, may I may I now present my

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acceptance if you wish?
>> Only because I really feel like I feel

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like Scott I think Scott. All right.
Maybe next year though.

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» Any other nominations?
All right. So, super ballot. I know it's

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ridiculous, but go right now.

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And

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then pass on down when you're ready.

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Thank you.

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Lenny voted for Scott.

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Scott voted for Scott.
Jillian voted for Scott.

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Leah voted for Scott.
Lindsay Scott.

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Matt for Scott.

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Sharon for Scott.
Shawn Dart for Scott. Lexi for Scott

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for Scott. All votes are counted.
>> Wonderful. Congratulations. Thank you

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for taking up the mantle. Thank you.
Appreciate it.

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» Um, okay. So, the last position is
secretary and I'll open up nominations

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now.
And I'm going to nominate Shondor to be

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secretary. Shandra, do you accept?
>> Sure.

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» Thank you so much. Are there any other
nominations?

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» Going once, twice. Okay, here we go. So,
go ahead and place your votes.

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controversial.
>> I do appreciate Alita giving us many

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ballots.
Maybe

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» we would need those.
>> They were run off. [laughter]

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» Exactly. There was one year.
>> Oh, really? [laughter]

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Secretary Leah for

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Lenny for Shandor.
Joel for Shandor.

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Lindsay for Shandor.
Shandor. Sharon for Shandor.

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Lexi for Shandor. Jillian for Shandor.
Shandor for Shandor.

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Scott for Shandor.
And

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Matt for Shandor. all.
>> All right, congratulations on uh the

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committee leadership is now in place for
the next year. So the three of us will

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take the lead, but you guys are equal
and very important powerful members. So

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um always remember that uh I think of
myself as kind of the organizer and

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chief. That's just like my job is that I
organize. So anytime you guys need

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anything, you know where to go. Um so
moving the agenda now to the next item.

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As you guys can see, uh, it is public
comment. I understand that we have some

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friends in the gallery. If the camera
cannot see it, we have quite a few

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people, maybe 30 people. I'm not
counting, but, um, it might feel like we

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have a lot of people to speak, but I
think that we've narrowed it down to

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just a couple or maybe three. So, if you
guys want to come up each of you at a

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time and feel free to take up your three
minutes, um, explain to us whatever you

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want to know. And um I don't like to cut
you off. So if you're at like 3:20, I

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won't. But if you're at like 6, I'll
have you. Um so the other rule of our

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policy is that if you if you begin
repeating information um for no

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particular reason, that's where we try
to ask you to just move the agenda to

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the next person. Um but I'm sure you're
very organized and well prepared. So

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I'll turn it over to you guys. Whoever
wants to be first can feel free to step

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up, state your name and the town that
you're from.

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» Okay. Hello.
>> Hi. Hi.

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» Um, thank you all for having us. I am uh
Ruth Merrick. I am from Lancaster. I

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live in Lancaster with my husband and
our three children. Um, as of next year,

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my next year, I'll have one at Marie,
one at Luther Burbank, and one at the

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high school. So, um, I am also the cook
for Luther B [laughter] and Mary. Yeah,

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Mary and Luther. So, um, tonight there
are a few points that, um, we just

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wanted to address and call your
attention to, um, about the RFP and, um,

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the witness proposal. So, um, the
cafeteria is currently running at a

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surplus. Um it um what they're trying to
do is um we made $2.1 million in um the

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school district makes $2.1 million in
revenue and we spent about $1.8 million.

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uh the profit that they're proposing of
saving from the cafeteria is onetenth of

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1% of the school budget of going full
wetins if we all stay in the positions

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we're in. Um we

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currently the food service staff um
majority of us are made up of community

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members. Um those that are not living
directly in one of the three towns live

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in one of the surrounding towns who have
served in our kitchens for 25 30 plus

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years. We are
we love this community. We are part of

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this community. We are parents. We're
retirees in town. We know your children.

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We know what they like, what they don't
like. We work with community. We work

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with teachers. We work with staff for
friends kids who need special

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accommodations or special things. Things
that Witson's isn't going to know or

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isn't going to understand. You ask a
Wson's employee when they are just a

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revolving door. What does the bird lady
coming mean for the second graders mean?

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They know nothing of what that means for
the kitchen staff that we have to shut

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the doors and be quiet and we try to be
respectful of what's going on. They

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don't know that kind of stuff. They
don't know what's happening when we say,

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"Oh, hey, reminder. There's the great
birth festival going on. We need to

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accommodate less meals for less kids."
So, those are some things that

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we are
when you pluck out

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part of the community and you turn it
over to a company. We're not a company.

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We're a school and we are part of the
school community. And I thank all the

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support of the teachers,
the unit A members, unit C members who

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have come to show that we're one
community and that we are here all for

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the same purpose, to serve the kids we
love, to feed the kids we love, and

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having this company come in that pays
less for their employees. They pay their

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employees $15 an hour. We're already the
lowest paid employees in the district,

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the kitchen staff. And so when you're
looking at trying to save onetenth of 1%

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of the budget based off of the food
service department and you're bringing

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in people who aren't going to know any
of the things that we know in this

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community and they're not going to they
care about the money, they care about

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the dollar. we care about the kids and
about the community and the things that

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are going on. Um,
so it's immoral to me that we're saving

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money at the expense of our future
employees. Somebody asked me, "What does

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it mean if
um like how does it look different if

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we're hybrid? You all get to keep your
job, but the new employees don't get the

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benefits that we get. the new employees
aren't going to be part of the union.

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That could become a revolving door. It
could become like they're and also

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you're breaking the divide
of the food service being part of the

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community of the staff like and we are
no longer

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members and we get emails from parents
that of special you know accommodations

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that their kids need. They mail Lori
right now in our school. Other schools

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they email the managers. Well, Witson
takes over. They that's broken. They

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email Witson. Anything needed gets
emailed to them. And so, just when you

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consider this, I just wanted you to see
a face and know that we're all here and

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we want to serve our community. So,
thank you for your time.

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[applause]

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Um, good evening. My name is Tiana
Nelson. I live in Lancaster and I have

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two kids in the district, one of Mr.
Burbank and one MRE. I am also one of

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the food service employees at the high
school and I've been following this

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discussion of privatizing our jobs with
a lot of concern and honestly confusion.

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Um, I was told originally that the
impetus for this move was to try to save

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money. Um, in the last meeting that I
was here about, the superintendent said

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this was the putting out the RFP was due
diligence to make sure that the district

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is saving money where we can. And I get
it. I too have to budget. It's expensive

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to be around here these days. Since that
time, as Ruth mentioned, um, I've heard

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that we are actually making money. We
are not a drain on the school district.

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We are a
um we're members of the community who

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care about our schools and our kids and
want to make sure that they have fuel to

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get through their days. Um many of us
are parents who have or have had

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children in the district. And we're not
doing it for the money. We're doing it

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for our kids and our community. And we
would like to continue to work for our

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kids and our community and not a
for-profit company whose biggest concern

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is by nature the bottom line. Um that's
not who I want in my kids cafeteria. Um,

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additionally going through with this
plan is going to create an inequality

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indications. New employees, again, as
Ruth mentioned, will have lower wages,

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worse benefits, and no rights or support
to bargain for better. Um, starting

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wages at Witson's are the state minimum
wage. We can do better in fast food

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right now, and our new colleagues
deserve to be on the same footing as the

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rest of us. We should be raising
everybody up, not creating a second

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class of employees who have to give up
more to get even less.

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Um, finally, this does honestly feel
retaliatory and anti- labor and honestly

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petty. Um, the RFP was issued after the
NRA filed for arbitration on our behalf

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and the district is not living up to its
responsibility to bargain. It's telling

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us that we're not bargaining even though
we're going to the meetings and not

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00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:38,559
getting information back. Um, we're at
this asking for concessions from the

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lowest paid employees in order to scrape
a few extra dollars into an already

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00:28:40,399 --> 00:28:47,600
existing surplus. This is not who I want
to be as a district. We can and should

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do better. Um, as a parent and community
member and lunch lady, I am opposed to

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this very much.
[applause]

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» Good evening, members of school
committee. uh newly reelected

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chairperson Vivivero, Superintendent
Downing. Um my name is Kevin Keveny. I

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am president of the NREA which is the
collecting bargaining um unit A and C.

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I'm also resident of Bolton. Um two of
my children have come through Sawyer

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00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:36,320
Emerson and the high school and they are
now paying taxes

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00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:41,679
um and uh taking good care of themselves
thanks to the education they got in this

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district. Um, as the final piece, um,
the final comment, I I I just have some

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00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:50,320
points to bring out about what we've
been dealing with and going through. Um,

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you've heard from Ruth and Tiana about
the situation, about them working in the

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district. I would like to address from a
union perspective what we've been

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dealing with. Um, and the first sentence
that came to my mind is I don't get it.

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What game is the district playing with
food services? We sent a letter, the

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NREA sent a letter to demand a bargain
over changes in working conditions to

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food services and extended day on
December 1st, 2025. And the district

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lawyer um legal counsel, Mr. Mike
Macaro, reached out to meet us to for a

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meeting on May 12th, 2026.
That's 6 months after our initial um

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letter sent to the chair of the school
committee. On February 9th, the extended

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staff are no longer to be going to be
outsourced for an email from

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Superintendent Downey.
The school committee was scheduled to

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vote on the outsourcing of food services
on May 13th, 2026, but the vote was

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postponed by the superintendent to avoid
the unfair labor practice charge

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00:30:47,919 --> 00:30:55,120
deadline imposed by the Massachusetts
Department of Labor Relations um of May

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14th. The reasoning was since the school
committee had not voted to outsource

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00:30:56,640 --> 00:31:03,840
food services at the time of the
investigatory meeting, the investigator

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00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:09,600
decided that the OP hinged upon the vote
of May 13th. On May 12th, our MTA

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00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:14,480
representative Travis Bab was contacted
by Mike Macaro to discuss the situation

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00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:19,679
with food services. As a result, the
school committee vote was postponed May

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00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:23,039
13th because we were now in discussions.
With no vote by the school committee,

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the unfair labor practice complaint
expired on May 14th.

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Tonight, the superintendent will
introduce a measure to outsource food

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00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:34,320
services, making it necessary for you,
the school committee, to create an extra

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00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:38,720
meeting to vote on this issue once the
school year is over. This creates an

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00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:43,519
extra demand on your time to vote and
decide the fate of food services. Early

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00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:48,559
this afternoon at 12:48 p.m. the
district lawyer emailed um me and Travis

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00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:53,440
and claimed that the NRA and the
district were at impass. We responded to

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00:31:51,679 --> 00:31:57,840
the district's initial proposal. They
asked for concessions on June 2nd. Yet

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00:31:55,919 --> 00:32:00,960
there have been no formal proposal.
There was no there's been no formal

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00:31:59,279 --> 00:32:05,279
proposal by the district except that the
current UNCC food services staff can

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00:32:03,279 --> 00:32:09,679
remain and through attrition will all
become Witson's employees. Food service

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00:32:07,919 --> 00:32:14,240
is one of five units within the entire
UNCC contract. Pulling them out would

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00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:18,880
take deep negotiations that would have
ramifications on the secretaries,

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00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:23,279
custodians, instructional assistants,
and extended day providers. These are

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00:32:21,679 --> 00:32:27,760
all games. It is clear that
superintendent wants to outsource food

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00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:34,559
services for what reason? To increase
profits that are already up at 127,000.

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Food services consists of employees who
live in our communities and contribute

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00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:42,080
to all our school communities. They know
the students and their dietary needs.

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00:32:40,399 --> 00:32:46,000
Under Witson's, they would become at
employees who would be placed anywhere

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00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:50,399
in the district or even outside the
district. Look around the room. Look at

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00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:53,840
the people who come to support our food
service employees. We are truly a

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00:32:52,559 --> 00:32:57,519
community and we are colleagues
committed to caring for our students. It

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00:32:55,919 --> 00:33:02,320
doesn't add up that the motivation of
the district is to squeeze a larger

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00:32:59,279 --> 00:33:08,480
profit than $127,000.
um to um out of by outsourcing food

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00:33:05,679 --> 00:33:11,760
services. The RFP allows for Witson to
replace our UNCC employees with their

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00:33:10,159 --> 00:33:15,120
own employees who will not be part of
our community. They will come in at

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00:33:13,279 --> 00:33:19,360
their appointed start time, do their
work at less pay, and punch out at the

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00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:24,880
end of their shift. Is this the kind of
school committee you want to support? So

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we and others strongly urge you to vote
against the RFP with Witson's and the

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00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:36,168
ultimate outsourcing of our food
services staff. Thank you for your time

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00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:36,168
tonight. [applause]

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00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:52,320
Sorry.
So, I just want to let you know that

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00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:56,399
we're at 15 almost at 15 minutes, but
I'm going to give you the floor, sir.

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00:33:54,880 --> 00:34:01,279
So, just introduce yourself, but please
keep it to 15 minutes if you don't mind.

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00:33:58,159 --> 00:34:06,159
So, you can keep the not the meeting.
>> Sure. Thank

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00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:10,480
uh my name is Ross Wolski. I'm a parent
from Lancaster. Uh, I came to the

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00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:14,639
meeting tonight to speak about the food
services contract. That's item six on

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00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:18,399
your agenda tonight. I've been following
the request for proposal process and I'm

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00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:23,359
very concerned about how it was
conducted. As you know, there's only a

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00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:27,280
single proposal from a single vendor and
it's from the same vendor that's been

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00:34:25,119 --> 00:34:31,599
providing the limited cafeteria services
for the past few years.

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00:34:29,359 --> 00:34:36,800
When your board authorized issuing this
RFP on November 5th, you were told that

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00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:43,839
the RFP would be drafted, reviewed by
the dees, and posted before the end of

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00:34:39,599 --> 00:34:49,440
2025. That did not happen. I contacted
the DS dees and obtained their records.

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00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:55,359
The dees was only starting its review in
January and continued through March 5th.

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00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:59,119
During the review, the dees raised a
number of concerns about the drafts.

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00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:03,920
They were concerned about the
requirements that preferred vendors with

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00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:09,040
existing contracts and about the length
of time the district was allowing for

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00:35:05,839 --> 00:35:14,000
vendors to develop proposals. Still, in
the finalized RFP, the district allowed

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00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:19,680
only one month for vendors to respond to
the RFP, which is the minimum allowed by

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00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:24,720
the TESSE. Though it took more than five
months for the district to prepare and

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00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:30,480
release the RFP, vendors were allowed
only a single month to become aware of

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00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:34,720
the RFP, to review the RFP, to ask
questions, and to make a proposal for

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00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:38,960
managing the cafeterias in four
buildings across three towns for 5

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00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:44,880
years.
The RFP was released on Combi's website

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00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:48,720
on a Friday night at 700 p.m. Hopefully,
vendors found it very quickly because

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00:35:46,720 --> 00:35:53,280
any vendor who wanted to respond was
required to attend a mandatory

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00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:56,560
conference at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday.
There was no reason for the mandatory

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00:35:54,960 --> 00:36:01,920
conference to be three business days
after the RFP was posted. And this isn't

307
00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:05,920
typical. When the district posted an RFP
for the before and after school

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00:36:03,359 --> 00:36:11,040
programming in January, they allowed two
weeks between the posting and the

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00:36:07,839 --> 00:36:15,839
meeting instead of three business days.
If vendors had any questions again about

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00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:21,440
operating four cafeterias across three
towns for 5 years, vendors had just 5

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00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:25,680
days to ask them and then just two more
weeks to finalize and submit the

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00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:29,839
proposals. This extremely condensed
timeline favored just one vendor,

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00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:35,440
Witson's, who as you know was already
providing services to Nishoba. They were

314
00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:40,160
certainly aware that the RFP was coming
that they had access to data on the

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00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:44,960
district that no other applicant did and
they had the inside track to preparing a

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00:36:42,240 --> 00:36:49,520
proposal. As you know, Witson's was the
only vendor who responded. They surely

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00:36:47,839 --> 00:36:54,160
were quite certain that their proposal
would be the only one in front of you.

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00:36:52,240 --> 00:36:58,320
No other vendor had time to drop the
proposal and anyone who cared to try

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00:36:56,560 --> 00:37:02,400
knew that Whitson's had the inside
track. I'm going to assume that you're

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00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:07,520
going to closely review the track record
of this vendor and you'll hear some

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00:37:05,119 --> 00:37:11,440
things that will be concerning. Just two
years ago, the Boston Public Schools

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00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:16,320
chose not to renew their contract with
Witson. Their concerns are about food

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00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:20,960
quality and freshness.
Just last year, Burlington Public

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00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:24,720
Schools ended its contract with Witson.
They chose to terminate their contract

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00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:29,760
after just two years and go back to
in-house cafeteria services

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00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:33,040
this spring in Melver, New York, because
if you haven't been told, Witson's is

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00:37:31,359 --> 00:37:37,599
not headquartered in Massachusetts.
They're headquartered 200 miles away in

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00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:42,240
Hot Rod, New York. In Melbour, New York,
they met with parents to to discuss a

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00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:46,320
survey regarding food concerns.
According to their local paper, the

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00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:50,640
surveys results included complaints
about spoiled milk, inconsistent food

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00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:54,960
tastes and quality in the different
buildings, as well as a lack of vegan

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00:37:52,960 --> 00:37:59,920
options and a desire for friendlier food
service. Remember, this is going to be a

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00:37:57,440 --> 00:38:04,480
5-year contract for the only cafeteria
option our children will have 180 days a

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00:38:02,720 --> 00:38:08,960
year.
Finally, you'll surely be told about an

335
00:38:06,320 --> 00:38:13,599
incident at Long Meadow High School. The
head coach hired by Woodsons was charged

336
00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:18,000
with sexual mis misconduct on the job in
the school's cafeteria. When asked about

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00:38:16,079 --> 00:38:22,800
the incident by a local paper, the
administr administration pointed out

338
00:38:20,240 --> 00:38:27,200
that it's Witson's job to handle that
employee.

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00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:30,960
It took 5 months to draft an RFP.
Vendors were allowed just 30 days to

340
00:38:29,119 --> 00:38:34,800
respond. And you may tonight just be
given seven days even to make a

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00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:40,240
decision. We'll all be stuck with that
decision for 5 years. As you consider

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00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:43,520
this new contract, you're simultaneously
reviewing a settlement between the

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00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:48,079
district and its food services and
extended day staff regarding unpaid

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00:38:45,599 --> 00:38:52,640
overtime. Do you think that the workers
as individual Witson's employees would

345
00:38:51,040 --> 00:38:57,040
have successfully litigated that
settlement or do you think they'd be out

346
00:38:54,560 --> 00:39:01,359
of luck? Members of the school
committee, please ask yourself. Are you

347
00:38:59,440 --> 00:39:05,200
making a decision on a food services
provider because it's best for the

348
00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:08,640
staff? Because looking behind me, I
don't think they're here to be fans to

349
00:39:06,720 --> 00:39:12,720
me. I don't get the impression that
they're here to tell you that. Are you

350
00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:17,119
considering this contract because you
think the individual towns asked the

351
00:39:14,720 --> 00:39:20,720
district to consider this? That is what
you were told on November 5th. It was

352
00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:23,920
suggested that this came out of
conversations with the towns.

353
00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:26,960
» So, I'm going to call time.
>> I have literally three three paragraphs

354
00:39:26,079 --> 00:39:29,760
left. Can I
>> You're at six.

355
00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:33,747
» All right.
>> We understand though. We appreciate you.

356
00:39:31,520 --> 00:39:35,767
We appreciate your POINT OF VIEW.
>> [applause]

357
00:39:42,917 --> 00:39:47,760
[applause]
>> EMAIL OR COMMENTS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO

358
00:39:46,079 --> 00:39:51,359
DO THAT if you'd like to enter them into
the record. That's another way for us to

359
00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:55,280
hear everything that you had to say. Um,
but we appreciate everything that was

360
00:39:52,960 --> 00:40:00,240
brought to the table and we understand.
Um, I do want to let you guys know that

361
00:39:57,440 --> 00:40:03,839
from an agenda perspective, we are going
to move to the student representative

362
00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:08,960
report. Then we have to move into
executive session for other matters and

363
00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:13,359
then we're going to come back and hear
the presentation about the food services

364
00:40:10,720 --> 00:40:16,880
contract. You are definitely welcome to
come back into the room at that point in

365
00:40:15,119 --> 00:40:19,599
time, but during executive session,
everybody just has to leave. So, I just

366
00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:25,200
I wanted to give you a little process
update. Okay. Um, we expect that

367
00:40:22,400 --> 00:40:30,480
executive sessions could wrap up around
8:00 PM at the latest.

368
00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:35,040
Okay, so thank you for that everyone.
Um,

369
00:40:32,240 --> 00:40:38,720
till later. Uh, and interesting news
over here. We have our student

370
00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:42,880
representatives and Maria, I'm going to
let you give us your report if you have

371
00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:44,880
anything to share other than introducing
your new partner.

372
00:40:43,839 --> 00:40:47,359
» Everything to share about what just
happened

373
00:40:46,320 --> 00:40:49,440
» or just like
>> you can give your you can give your

374
00:40:49,040 --> 00:40:54,040
reporting.
>> I don't know. I don't know if you want

375
00:40:50,240 --> 00:40:54,040
to map into this.

376
00:40:55,200 --> 00:40:58,319
» Um, so
>> your report is your report.

377
00:40:58,243 --> 00:41:02,960
[clears throat]
>> Hi everyone.

378
00:40:59,920 --> 00:41:08,319
» So unfortunately unfortunately or
fortunately for some of us school is

379
00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:14,240
almost over and I don't have much to
share besides finals is coming next week

380
00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:19,680
starts on Friday and it's Thursday next
week. So good luck to everyone. We're

381
00:41:16,640 --> 00:41:24,720
all tired. We all
um so obviously just introduce herself.

382
00:41:22,640 --> 00:41:28,640
Olivia gonna be the upcoming junior
representative and do you have anything

383
00:41:26,720 --> 00:41:33,000
to say or
I'm just really excited for summer?

384
00:41:33,920 --> 00:41:40,873
» We have a lot of teachers in the room so
they agree.

385
00:41:38,853 --> 00:41:40,873
[laughter]

386
00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:46,768
» I haven't started your essay so
[laughter]

387
00:41:48,319 --> 00:41:54,480
So, um, just so that you guys know, at
this point, we normally open it to the

388
00:41:52,480 --> 00:41:58,960
floor for the school committee to ask
the school the student representatives

389
00:41:57,280 --> 00:42:01,680
about anything kind of within our
purview, anything that you would want

390
00:42:00,240 --> 00:42:06,880
more elaboration on. And I'm going to
start to set a good example or hopefully

391
00:42:05,040 --> 00:42:13,359
uh you said you're entering finals.
>> Yes. We I believe implemented a new

392
00:42:10,079 --> 00:42:16,400
system that happened during midterms and
now you're seeing [clears throat]

393
00:42:14,400 --> 00:42:18,240
through finals I think. Have you started
yet?

394
00:42:16,880 --> 00:42:21,760
» Uh no, it starts on Friday.
>> Friday.

395
00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:28,000
» Um how are you feeling about the new
schedule change on that? I personally do

396
00:42:24,720 --> 00:42:32,400
not like it and I don't I've we've
talked about this with the

397
00:42:29,119 --> 00:42:40,400
superintendent and within our student
advisory group and I just I mean

398
00:42:37,440 --> 00:42:46,000
» can you difference Maria? Oh yes, of
course. So, normally our old schedule,

399
00:42:43,520 --> 00:42:49,839
old schedule, we would have the morning
off and we would start around, actually,

400
00:42:48,079 --> 00:42:50,640
I don't know what time we started. Start
>> 9:40.

401
00:42:50,319 --> 00:42:56,560
» 94.
>> 9:40. Thank you, Miss Hara. Um 9:40 and

402
00:42:54,000 --> 00:43:03,440
then we would have a period of our exam
and then after a period of just review.

403
00:43:01,119 --> 00:43:08,480
And now we starting in the morning at
7:40 and we end at 11:00. So, we're

404
00:43:05,920 --> 00:43:13,040
having an early release. And in my
personal opinion, I just think there's

405
00:43:09,839 --> 00:43:17,599
more um cons and pros of the new
schedule. I would understand why some

406
00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:23,520
people would like it. I just I just
can't I I just think um me and Olivia

407
00:43:20,240 --> 00:43:28,560
are actually talking about this. Um a
lot of kids do study until late night

408
00:43:26,880 --> 00:43:34,560
and then waking up early and having to
go straight to an exam is it's just not

409
00:43:31,440 --> 00:43:39,200
the best. And also I personally study
better in the morning. So going into

410
00:43:37,040 --> 00:43:45,599
school early and having that time to
study, like it just helped me so much.

411
00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:51,839
And you can't do that now. I can't go in
early and study. Nor can people sleep in

412
00:43:48,960 --> 00:43:55,359
till later. So, you know, there's Do you
do you have anything to

413
00:43:53,520 --> 00:44:00,240
» Yeah. Um I also I really appreciated
last year coming in as a freshman. Um I

414
00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:05,040
remember I went to see Dr. Tollson the
morning before my physics exam because I

415
00:44:02,480 --> 00:44:08,720
was very confused on our velocity unit.
And so it gave a really good opportunity

416
00:44:06,880 --> 00:44:12,640
because the school library would be open
in the morning like in the morning. So

417
00:44:10,480 --> 00:44:15,520
if I needed assistance for any like from
any of my teachers, they would be there

418
00:44:14,160 --> 00:44:19,760
and they would be available for the
help. So I could feel my like my best

419
00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:23,040
and most confident in that moment. Um, I
also don't I don't want to draw any

420
00:44:20,960 --> 00:44:27,599
conclusions, but I do also know that a
lot of students will draw more towards

421
00:44:25,599 --> 00:44:32,400
energy drinks and more artificial
caffeine um as a stimulus for themselves

422
00:44:30,000 --> 00:44:36,400
during exams. Um, cuz I know like me
personally, I agree. I'm 100% a late

423
00:44:34,720 --> 00:44:40,800
night studier. I like that's when I'm
most active. And if I have to wake up

424
00:44:38,240 --> 00:44:44,720
early to go and study before like a
quick review period and then go to my

425
00:44:42,319 --> 00:44:50,319
exams, I'm going to get a lot more like
groggy and just not fully awake enough

426
00:44:47,359 --> 00:44:54,079
to take a a very important exam. Um, so
I know I personally have asked my dad to

427
00:44:52,400 --> 00:44:58,880
provide me with energy drinks to get
through these days. Um, and I know how

428
00:44:56,640 --> 00:45:03,200
awful they are for everybody. And I I
feel like having a later schedule might

429
00:45:01,520 --> 00:45:06,880
provide the students a with better
confidence in their abilities as well as

430
00:45:05,200 --> 00:45:11,599
access to a healthier body during their
exams.

431
00:45:09,359 --> 00:45:14,079
» I appreciate that answer. I would tell
everybody or just remind everybody that

432
00:45:13,040 --> 00:45:17,599
this not something that the school
committee is in charge of. It's like an

433
00:45:15,520 --> 00:45:22,000
operational matter, but um we do
interface with the school uh student

434
00:45:19,520 --> 00:45:26,720
council. So maybe this is something that
you guys can put on your agenda for

435
00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:33,200
September to talk with the student body
and see if there and Dr. Buon obviously

436
00:45:29,920 --> 00:45:36,560
to see if there are ways to improve the
deficits that you see.

437
00:45:34,880 --> 00:45:38,079
» Do you guys have any other questions for
them?

438
00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:40,400
» Madam Chair,
>> yeah,

439
00:45:38,800 --> 00:45:43,520
» Maria, I believe we're already doing
that

440
00:45:41,599 --> 00:45:48,319
» from our advisory meeting last time. We
talked about that. Going to bring it to

441
00:45:45,839 --> 00:45:50,800
the student council first meeting.
>> Excellent.

442
00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:54,306
» Yay.
Um, anything else that you guys want to

443
00:45:52,560 --> 00:45:58,040
talk about or ask or wonder
[clears throat] for next year?

444
00:45:58,319 --> 00:46:05,119
All right. So, remember that they're a
resource for you all? They are here

445
00:46:02,560 --> 00:46:10,160
pretty um consistently which we really
appreciate and they do normally provide

446
00:46:07,760 --> 00:46:14,800
um a pretty comprehensive report as it
going on at the high school and the

447
00:46:11,440 --> 00:46:17,599
district and we appreciate that. So, if
there are no other questions for the

448
00:46:16,000 --> 00:46:20,400
students, when we move to executive
session, you guys will step out

449
00:46:19,196 --> 00:46:26,400
[clears throat] and you do not need to
come back unless you really want to.

450
00:46:23,119 --> 00:46:29,040
That is an allowance [laughter]
to

451
00:46:27,920 --> 00:46:32,960
love having you here at the full
meeting, but they go along. So, it's

452
00:46:30,640 --> 00:46:38,160
always up to you if you can stay or if
you just need to go. That's great.

453
00:46:35,520 --> 00:46:43,920
All right, everybody. Um, so I am
actually going to move us into executive

454
00:46:40,720 --> 00:46:49,960
session and Alicia sent me the motion
and I just want to get it absolutely

455
00:46:45,839 --> 00:46:49,960
right. So bear with me.

456
00:46:53,200 --> 00:47:01,440
» Um, all right guys. So, next agenda item
requires that I move us into executive

457
00:46:58,160 --> 00:47:06,720
session at 7:07 p.m. pursuant to Mass
General Law Chapter 30A section 21A3 to

458
00:47:05,200 --> 00:47:10,319
discuss strategy with respect to
collective bargaining or litigation if

459
00:47:08,720 --> 00:47:13,839
an open meeting may have a detrimental
effect in the bargaining or litigating

460
00:47:11,920 --> 00:47:19,440
position of the public body of the chair
players which I do. This will be for

461
00:47:16,240 --> 00:47:23,280
both unit A and unit C. collective
bargaining uh executive session will

462
00:47:21,920 --> 00:47:26,400
include the school committee,
superintendent Downing, assistant

463
00:47:24,640 --> 00:47:30,240
superintendent Ross Malcurren, assistant
superintendent friend, director of

464
00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:35,040
student services, director of human
services Jessica Murdoch, and district

465
00:47:32,319 --> 00:47:40,560
legal counsel Mike Mccurro. This meeting
uh or executive session will return to

466
00:47:37,680 --> 00:47:45,440
open session at the conclusion of that.
Do I have a second?

467
00:47:42,480 --> 00:47:48,720
» Hi, Matt. Got it. Um any discussion on
the motion?

468
00:47:47,359 --> 00:47:52,839
All those in favor, you can just raise
your hand.

469
00:47:49,839 --> 00:47:52,839
» Oh,

470
00:47:52,960 --> 00:47:56,560
helping the veteran here figure it out.
Joel,

471
00:47:55,920 --> 00:47:57,280
» yes.
>> Matt,

472
00:47:56,880 --> 00:47:58,160
» yes.
>> Lenny,

473
00:47:57,839 --> 00:47:59,280
» yes.
>> Lindsay,

474
00:47:58,800 --> 00:48:00,319
» yes.
>> Scott,

475
00:47:59,760 --> 00:48:02,960
» yes.
>> Myself, yes. Sharon, yes. Shandra,

476
00:48:02,560 --> 00:48:09,319
» yes.
>> Jillian, yes. And yes.

477
00:48:05,119 --> 00:48:09,319
» All right, we are in executive session.

478
02:14:18,320 --> 02:14:23,800
All right, we ready to practice.

479
02:14:31,657 --> 02:14:36,800
[laughter]
>> We're going to rock and roll any. All

480
02:14:34,159 --> 02:14:41,199
right, here we go, guys.
So, welcome back everybody. We are going

481
02:14:38,719 --> 02:14:46,320
to move the agenda now. Obviously about
an hour behind schedule. Sorry for that.

482
02:14:44,079 --> 02:14:49,440
Um we have our finance and operations
report.

483
02:14:47,920 --> 02:14:54,239
And what we're going to be looking at
next is the food services management

484
02:14:51,360 --> 02:14:59,400
contract and rock has a presentation for
us.

485
02:14:56,000 --> 02:14:59,400
» I just did

486
02:15:03,760 --> 02:15:06,400
that. All

487
02:15:13,280 --> 02:15:16,639
right. So, Ros, your presentation is
being pulled up.

488
02:15:16,239 --> 02:15:20,639
» Yep.
>> And I'll just let you

489
02:15:18,400 --> 02:15:22,800
» Sure.
Are we all set with Nikki?

490
02:15:22,400 --> 02:15:29,040
» Yeah.
>> Okay.

491
02:15:25,360 --> 02:15:32,800
» Um, so, Billy, last fall we shared our
intent to issue a request for proposals

492
02:15:30,960 --> 02:15:37,599
for food services. Our primary goal is
to explore potential costs of new town

493
02:15:35,199 --> 02:15:41,360
assessments. At that time, committee
members raised important questions about

494
02:15:40,000 --> 02:15:45,599
the impact on our staff and the
wellbeing. So now we're here to review

495
02:15:43,119 --> 02:15:50,000
the RFP results and discuss how
potential uh contracts affect our

496
02:15:48,639 --> 02:15:55,760
current employees, our budget, and our
towns. They help uh guide us, our legal

497
02:15:52,719 --> 02:15:59,119
counsel, Mike Macaro. Attorney Mike Maro
is here with us tonight and has been

498
02:15:57,360 --> 02:16:04,159
involved with us throughout this entire
process. Uh we appreciate your guidance

499
02:16:01,520 --> 02:16:08,480
attorney Marorrow as you're with us. So
I will turn it over to assistant

500
02:16:06,239 --> 02:16:11,520
assistant superintendent Karen to share
an update with you at this time.

501
02:16:10,239 --> 02:16:16,800
» Thank you and thank you to the school
committee uh for your time. Uh so within

502
02:16:14,880 --> 02:16:21,119
this presentation we'll be providing
important

503
02:16:18,320 --> 02:16:24,760
need to know I am not
>> Did you turn it on

504
02:16:24,880 --> 02:16:30,520
the side?
>> What would we do without it?

505
02:16:31,199 --> 02:16:37,599
So
with the assistance however so thank

506
02:16:35,760 --> 02:16:41,200
you. Uh so within the presentation we'll
be going through uh the important need

507
02:16:39,920 --> 02:16:46,319
to knows for the school committee about
the status of the RFP um and the

508
02:16:43,599 --> 02:16:49,880
potential uh benefit to the district uh
based on the response.

509
02:16:50,080 --> 02:16:57,840
So just as a uh review of the process.
So our process began with notice to the

510
02:16:54,960 --> 02:17:02,399
district community about the RFP. So in
December uh through February, we used

511
02:17:00,719 --> 02:17:06,639
the state's mandated template to build
our RFP which was posted at the

512
02:17:04,719 --> 02:17:11,519
beginning of March uh right after we
received approval from DESIE. There's

513
02:17:08,880 --> 02:17:16,000
back and forth on evaluative criteria um
and other things that we were adding

514
02:17:13,200 --> 02:17:20,719
into the RFP in addition to the template
that is pro that is mandated uh by the

515
02:17:18,479 --> 02:17:24,240
state. So after that we did have our
pre-proposal conference. I'll talk about

516
02:17:22,719 --> 02:17:30,880
that a little bit more in the site
tours. Um and then proposals were due in

517
02:17:27,359 --> 02:17:34,880
April and they were evaluated. So um
currently and last month uh there's

518
02:17:32,960 --> 02:17:41,120
ongoing NREA bargaining meetings with
our legal council and then currently

519
02:17:37,120 --> 02:17:46,240
we're here in June uh for an update.
So

520
02:17:42,719 --> 02:17:51,439
uh we had four potential uh submitters
attend the pre-proposal conference in

521
02:17:48,800 --> 02:17:57,120
tours. uh one food service company
submitted a proposal that was Woodson's

522
02:17:54,080 --> 02:18:01,200
um so the non-pric proposal so it's just
as a review for the committee at the RFP

523
02:17:59,439 --> 02:18:06,719
you're going to get a non-pric proposal
on qualitative and then you're going to

524
02:18:03,120 --> 02:18:13,120
get a price proposal and uh the way that
the uh desi template and process works

525
02:18:10,639 --> 02:18:18,800
um is if you have more than one rated as
highly advantageous across the board uh

526
02:18:15,840 --> 02:18:23,439
you then have to look at the price
proposal

527
02:18:20,000 --> 02:18:27,359
So price proposal is stated as a fiscal
guaranteed return and the guaranteed

528
02:18:25,679 --> 02:18:32,639
return is essentially what the expected
revenues are less the expenses that are

529
02:18:30,160 --> 02:18:37,519
based within the RFP and data and
information available uh to the

530
02:18:35,040 --> 02:18:41,920
submitter. The guaranteed return is for
life of contract which is a three-year

531
02:18:39,359 --> 02:18:47,800
contract. You have to go out every 3
years. Uh you can't extend beyond that

532
02:18:44,319 --> 02:18:47,800
uh with the state.

533
02:18:48,719 --> 02:18:54,559
Superintendent D.
>> So when we talk about what the impact is

534
02:18:52,399 --> 02:18:58,479
on the employees based on the terms of
the contract,

535
02:18:56,479 --> 02:19:02,880
um employees have the choice to remain
employees of the show regional school

536
02:19:00,399 --> 02:19:08,559
district. So no employees will be at
risk for losing their current services

537
02:19:05,840 --> 02:19:14,000
positions with the NOA Regional School
District. Um those employees do have uh

538
02:19:12,080 --> 02:19:17,840
the choice to work for Witson's and the
programs for which are outlined in the

539
02:19:16,080 --> 02:19:22,880
RFP.
um and Witson's will have the right and

540
02:19:20,160 --> 02:19:28,439
the responsibility for the new hires uh
due to attrition as part of the RFP

541
02:19:25,439 --> 02:19:28,439
contract.

542
02:19:29,599 --> 02:19:36,240
So going back to what the guaranteed
return is. So a logical question at this

543
02:19:34,960 --> 02:19:41,840
point is what happens with that
identified uh maximum return?

544
02:19:39,280 --> 02:19:46,559
uh those dollars have to stay within
food services and our investigation of

545
02:19:44,240 --> 02:19:50,479
how other districts mostly regional
school districts use these funds.

546
02:19:48,000 --> 02:19:53,680
They've shared some methodologies uh for
charging utilities or the hours a

547
02:19:52,160 --> 02:20:01,120
custodial position assigned to the
cafeteria um as examples. So we provided

548
02:19:58,160 --> 02:20:06,240
some of those examples here um based on
that 375

549
02:20:03,040 --> 02:20:10,720
maximum there's a potential of uh food
service utilities and custodial staff.

550
02:20:09,040 --> 02:20:16,240
We would have to use those methodologies
to be more specific. um as we open the

551
02:20:13,760 --> 02:20:22,000
books on FY27.
Um but obviously that still allows for

552
02:20:18,960 --> 02:20:26,560
approximately 125,000 to be applied to
equipment repairs, annual maintenance um

553
02:20:24,640 --> 02:20:32,720
to avoid that those costs end up in the
operating budget.

554
02:20:29,359 --> 02:20:36,720
So again, as we said, brief update and
we're ready for questions and

555
02:20:34,240 --> 02:20:44,240
clarifications that may come.
>> Thanks, Ross. Ecker,

556
02:20:39,920 --> 02:20:48,640
» uh, what questions do we have about this
proposal? Go ahead, Julian.

557
02:20:46,880 --> 02:20:51,600
» So, we
as a [clears throat] school committee

558
02:20:49,520 --> 02:20:55,120
have not actually seen the contract, but
that will be made available to us.

559
02:20:53,120 --> 02:20:59,520
» Yes. So, we will, right? So, as to not
get ahead of ourselves, right? Um, so a

560
02:20:58,000 --> 02:21:01,760
draft contract would have to be
generated on the DESIE website.

561
02:21:01,280 --> 02:21:08,080
» Okay.
>> That will be provided to you all uh for

562
02:21:04,960 --> 02:21:11,760
review and then prior to
questions or whatever the process may be

563
02:21:10,479 --> 02:21:15,040
based on the chair's agenda
>> and then we could ask questions. Yes,

564
02:21:13,439 --> 02:21:20,399
» that would be I don't want to say yes.
Uh Mr.

565
02:21:17,120 --> 02:21:26,960
» That would be up to the chair. Correct.
>> Thank you.

566
02:21:22,800 --> 02:21:30,800
» Question. So the savings the $375,000
savings would that all have to stay

567
02:21:28,960 --> 02:21:36,479
within service?
>> Right. So for example, uh Mr. Mr.

568
02:21:33,359 --> 02:21:41,080
Golder, we could not say use that to
offset the cost of our bus contract.

569
02:21:43,439 --> 02:21:48,399
» Any other questions?
>> I have just one more. Keep going. Feel

570
02:21:47,920 --> 02:21:55,520
free.
>> Um, so the $375,000

571
02:21:52,880 --> 02:22:00,960
guaranteed return. Um, I feel like I've
heard like maximums and minimums. So, is

572
02:21:58,399 --> 02:22:03,760
this this is a flat number guaranteed
return or

573
02:22:02,080 --> 02:22:08,880
» correct? Okay.
>> When we say return, that's right. So

574
02:22:06,399 --> 02:22:15,520
that's based off of expected revenues
>> and the the the presentation of what our

575
02:22:13,200 --> 02:22:19,040
costs are within the district and their
application of what they know about food

576
02:22:17,120 --> 02:22:24,160
services within schools, right? So they
have to build their assumptions,

577
02:22:20,880 --> 02:22:28,479
» but they say guaranteed 375. Where we
end up applying that over the costs that

578
02:22:26,080 --> 02:22:30,880
we identified in the RFP are up to us.
It just has to stay within food

579
02:22:29,840 --> 02:22:34,720
services.
>> Okay.

580
02:22:33,439 --> 02:22:40,720
I have I probably just one more
question. Do not apologize.

581
02:22:36,800 --> 02:22:43,760
» So, we only received one bid,
>> correct?

582
02:22:41,920 --> 02:22:48,479
» Is that
typical? Do we know why the other

583
02:22:46,160 --> 02:22:51,359
companies who came to do the tours opted
not to bid?

584
02:22:49,439 --> 02:22:54,640
» Um, I don't know cuz that wouldn't be
something I would ask them. I wouldn't

585
02:22:52,960 --> 02:22:59,439
seek that information. I think there's
some

586
02:22:56,640 --> 02:23:06,160
uh procurement gray area there to reach
out to somebody and say, "Why didn't you

587
02:23:01,520 --> 02:23:11,200
Um, so I would say that I don't I I
don't know why they they would not have.

588
02:23:08,399 --> 02:23:17,359
I mean, we're
>> okay. My concern and the reason I ask is

589
02:23:14,399 --> 02:23:23,040
with a single bid, I just wonder how
much insight we really get into

590
02:23:20,479 --> 02:23:26,080
sort of is that fair market rate? How
advantageous is that really? You know,

591
02:23:24,560 --> 02:23:30,160
we don't have another vendor to compare
it to. So, how are you assessing that?

592
02:23:28,399 --> 02:23:34,800
So I would say it's close to our
previous guaranteed return. Now our

593
02:23:32,880 --> 02:23:41,040
previous guaranteed return was built off
of sort of assumptions long ago as we

594
02:23:38,000 --> 02:23:45,680
were self off. So we also expanded our
schedule. So our our part of that is our

595
02:23:43,280 --> 02:23:51,040
staff were were were paid more and
taking on new processes. They were

596
02:23:47,760 --> 02:23:55,359
allowed to to use more time. So that's
now changed. Um and that's built into

597
02:23:53,520 --> 02:23:58,720
the RFP now. So I think it's still a
fair number.

598
02:23:56,160 --> 02:24:03,200
» Okay. Um, yeah, if I felt like it wasn't
a fair number, I would say so.

599
02:24:00,240 --> 02:24:07,120
» Okay. I have other questions, but after
I think a lot of them would be maybe

600
02:24:04,640 --> 02:24:10,479
answered having the contract. So, I
pulled off, but I guess for now

601
02:24:08,880 --> 02:24:16,560
» because the contract has not yet been
written it if and that would but that

602
02:24:13,600 --> 02:24:22,479
would be negotiated by you, Ross.
>> So,

603
02:24:18,240 --> 02:24:27,920
the two there's a two-part, right? So I
would take the information in the RFP

604
02:24:25,040 --> 02:24:32,560
response, put it into the Desi template
system. It would generate a draft

605
02:24:30,160 --> 02:24:37,280
contract. You would see that contract.
We would follow a similar process as

606
02:24:34,560 --> 02:24:40,880
last time if the the committee so
chooses in which you would be

607
02:24:38,960 --> 02:24:45,600
authorizing the school uh the
superintendent

608
02:24:42,399 --> 02:24:50,160
with legal counsel to enter into
contract finalization.

609
02:24:47,680 --> 02:24:54,000
And can you talk just a minute about
timelines at all?

610
02:24:52,160 --> 02:24:59,439
» So typically you would want the contract
to be done by July 1 because that's the

611
02:24:55,840 --> 02:25:04,000
start date. Um that that's typically the
start date. Y

612
02:25:00,479 --> 02:25:09,760
» okay. Um so
I obviously can see the date on my

613
02:25:06,160 --> 02:25:14,720
computer right now. Um you know we have
an obligation. We have a multi-tiered

614
02:25:12,640 --> 02:25:20,000
obligation here that the school
committee is responsible for

615
02:25:18,000 --> 02:25:27,040
» to look at this from every angle. So
that's ongoing um in various forms.

616
02:25:24,399 --> 02:25:29,600
» If we weren't to hit the July one
deadline, is it like what does that

617
02:25:29,040 --> 02:25:36,800
mean?
>> So I've already notified Jesse um school

618
02:25:32,640 --> 02:25:40,720
nutrition that we're not there yet. Um I
didn't hear a response. I would do the

619
02:25:38,960 --> 02:25:44,319
same thing to say here's our next
timeline. Let me know if this is an

620
02:25:43,040 --> 02:25:47,840
issue and I would certainly communicate
it back to Superintendent Downey who

621
02:25:46,000 --> 02:25:54,200
would share it with you uh as the chair.
>> But we're trying to move at a at a fair

622
02:25:50,560 --> 02:25:54,200
rate [snorts] nonetheless.

623
02:25:55,520 --> 02:26:05,359
» Any other questions? I know I do have
one last question.

624
02:26:01,120 --> 02:26:10,720
If you know I think about um sort of
busing for example as you know a vogue

625
02:26:08,800 --> 02:26:13,920
toward outsourcing this you know when I
was growing up all that stuff was done

626
02:26:12,319 --> 02:26:18,640
you know in house and we can move it
out. We've obviously seen transportation

627
02:26:15,840 --> 02:26:23,120
prices um really deeply impact our
budget. It's hard to bring it back in

628
02:26:20,319 --> 02:26:27,760
house once you've taken it out. I wonder
if you have

629
02:26:25,280 --> 02:26:32,319
an idea or a plan if this didn't go
well, how do we exit if we've, you know,

630
02:26:30,640 --> 02:26:36,640
we have heard of other districts. I also
did that research and saw that other

631
02:26:33,680 --> 02:26:38,640
districts have ultimately decided that
it's not a good fit.

632
02:26:38,080 --> 02:26:42,560
» Um,
>> so if there was ever a concern with any

633
02:26:40,800 --> 02:26:49,040
contract, I would reach out to legal
counsel to discuss. Most legal count uh

634
02:26:45,439 --> 02:26:51,920
contract things you can work out within
>> I guess

635
02:26:49,760 --> 02:26:57,120
» with the provider with the vendor but
I'm talking about contracts that might

636
02:26:53,520 --> 02:27:00,560
be about for software licensing or you
know other things. I I think in this

637
02:26:58,640 --> 02:27:03,200
case we'd reach directly out to
>> I think my question is more

638
02:27:01,520 --> 02:27:06,479
philosophical in the sense if we can
look at the three-year budget and say we

639
02:27:05,280 --> 02:27:11,680
get this guaranteed return that's
wonderful. Is there a risk in the longer

640
02:27:09,040 --> 02:27:15,760
term fiscally if we you know cease
getting guaranteed returns but we've

641
02:27:13,359 --> 02:27:19,680
lost the institutional knowledge to
continue offering those services inhouse

642
02:27:18,080 --> 02:27:24,000
do you know what I mean and we've become
sort of beholden to our vendor

643
02:27:21,840 --> 02:27:27,920
particularly if we only have you know a
single big procurement we don't have

644
02:27:26,240 --> 02:27:32,800
other vendors who really want to come in
it might be hard to say well you know uh

645
02:27:31,280 --> 02:27:36,160
Aramark wants to come in and take this
with him so you better be doing a good

646
02:27:39,120 --> 02:27:48,800
Without speculating,
>> I would say um that you know for the

647
02:27:46,640 --> 02:27:54,399
reasons identified and and spoken to by
Superintendent Downing that we did not

648
02:27:52,160 --> 02:27:57,920
execute an optional year on the current
one, right, in favor of producing

649
02:27:56,800 --> 02:28:01,680
something different.
>> We would want that to go the full three

650
02:27:59,520 --> 02:28:06,240
years and then put that out. Maybe that
was a factor in why there was only one.

651
02:28:04,000 --> 02:28:10,080
uh and we would see a different result.
I think typically and I could maybe

652
02:28:08,640 --> 02:28:14,000
follow this question up at the next
meeting uh by talking to other school

653
02:28:12,160 --> 02:28:18,800
districts. Typically on a three-year
full cycle, you'll see more.

654
02:28:16,399 --> 02:28:24,319
» Oh, that's good.
>> I promise that wasn't my last.

655
02:28:22,160 --> 02:28:28,479
» Oh. Um what I've heard you say, Ross,
and I've heard you say it a couple of

656
02:28:26,000 --> 02:28:33,840
times, is that
adopting this contract would not require

657
02:28:31,439 --> 02:28:38,720
any of our employees
to leave.

658
02:28:36,880 --> 02:28:44,560
» Correct. So, Superintendent Downing
covered that uh slide. So, yes. So, I'll

659
02:28:41,920 --> 02:28:49,439
put it back up. So, they're not at risk
for losing their food service position.

660
02:28:47,200 --> 02:28:53,920
Obviously, uh they would stay NHOA
employees

661
02:28:50,960 --> 02:29:00,160
uh under the unit C contract. the the
RFP is stated and therefore the contract

662
02:28:56,479 --> 02:29:05,760
would be stated that new employees
um would be hired by Witson's and work

663
02:29:03,200 --> 02:29:13,280
for Witson's.
>> How um how usual is this? So I don't

664
02:29:09,439 --> 02:29:18,880
know if uh Miss Murdoch has the sort of
return on or the the the total number

665
02:29:15,680 --> 02:29:22,319
but um we do have a significant amount
of employees that have been with us for

666
02:29:20,399 --> 02:29:29,600
a while but we've also seen that on the
low on the less experienced end we've

667
02:29:24,800 --> 02:29:33,760
seen more turnover. So I think about
I don't want to quote exact numbers but

668
02:29:31,359 --> 02:29:37,200
I would say 30 to 40% of our people have
been with us for five or six years or

669
02:29:36,560 --> 02:29:40,720
less.
>> Yeah. And I think about a quarter have

670
02:29:38,640 --> 02:29:44,080
been with us for two years or less in
food services.

671
02:29:41,920 --> 02:29:48,160
» And how many districts are moving in
this direction in our area like our

672
02:29:46,240 --> 02:29:51,040
comparable districts? Is this kind of a
methodology that many districts are

673
02:29:50,319 --> 02:29:55,920
using or
>> so comparables is hard uh because size

674
02:29:54,399 --> 02:30:02,640
location
budget. I will say regionally um around

675
02:30:00,080 --> 02:30:07,359
us Harvard, Berlin, Boilston and
Northro, Southborangquin

676
02:30:04,720 --> 02:30:12,319
have all within the last 5 years moved
to uh a contract specifically whether

677
02:30:09,920 --> 02:30:17,439
they've kept their employees or not uh
or done an attrition model. I don't know

678
02:30:14,560 --> 02:30:20,080
the nature of their contracts, but
>> those are available on

679
02:30:19,520 --> 02:30:24,080
» what's that?
>> Those are available those contracts.

680
02:30:22,319 --> 02:30:25,920
» Yes. It' be easier just for me to ask
though.

681
02:30:24,720 --> 02:30:31,520
» Yeah. Y
>> okay. Um yeah, I mean I think that that

682
02:30:28,560 --> 02:30:35,600
anecdotal information might be useful.
>> Y I I do know that GR and Dunville made

683
02:30:33,600 --> 02:30:40,000
this change the way we're proposing
within the RFP

684
02:30:37,760 --> 02:30:43,600
six or seven years ago. Um maybe a
little bit less and they do still have a

685
02:30:42,000 --> 02:30:47,439
handful of employees that still work for
the school district.

686
02:30:44,479 --> 02:30:52,800
» Interesting. Y and and to follow up on
Leia's question about you know the um

687
02:30:50,880 --> 02:31:00,399
status of the employees that are you
know with the town would that in any way

688
02:30:55,520 --> 02:31:04,800
affect their salaries benefits union uh
protection any of those things

689
02:31:02,560 --> 02:31:07,840
» if they stay with the region school
district if they stay in the employees

690
02:31:06,640 --> 02:31:11,280
they're still under the unit city
collective bargaining agreement

691
02:31:09,600 --> 02:31:15,359
» and any and any iterations of that
moving forward y

692
02:31:13,120 --> 02:31:19,280
» until retirement
or they decide to leave

693
02:31:16,960 --> 02:31:23,680
» or they're no longer Yeah.
>> So there's no like expiration date at

694
02:31:21,760 --> 02:31:30,080
this moment in this contract that
doesn't expire by virtue of this RFP.

695
02:31:28,080 --> 02:31:36,280
» No, because our No employees that are
covered by the UNC collective bargaining

696
02:31:31,600 --> 02:31:36,280
agreement would stay covered by the Yes.

697
02:31:37,600 --> 02:31:46,720
» So this is an important um first look
especially because some of us are brand

698
02:31:41,840 --> 02:31:51,120
new but um this was helpful.
I'm sure you guys still have questions.

699
02:31:48,240 --> 02:31:55,760
If if something percolates, as always,
send them to me. I'll compile them and

700
02:31:54,160 --> 02:31:59,760
bring them to Kirk so that he can get
answers for you in the interim.

701
02:31:58,359 --> 02:32:03,439
[snorts] Um, but obviously, this is
something that we're going to continue

702
02:32:00,800 --> 02:32:07,520
to discuss and and that the nature of
this will require us to have additional

703
02:32:05,040 --> 02:32:11,600
meetings into the summer.
Okay? So, I'll be communicating with you

704
02:32:09,840 --> 02:32:15,040
guys about that.
Just want to ask attorney Maro if you

705
02:32:13,840 --> 02:32:18,040
wouldn't mind sharing sort of next
steps.

706
02:32:22,800 --> 02:32:31,840
» Good evening. Yeah. Uh so next steps
right now uh as you've heard um we have

707
02:32:28,479 --> 02:32:38,240
been meeting with the NREA uh members of
the UNCC. Uh we've shared with them the

708
02:32:34,960 --> 02:32:42,640
information about the RFP uh what the
response was. We've had a few meetings

709
02:32:40,000 --> 02:32:46,640
with them already. Um, as you heard from
some of the members of public comment.

710
02:32:44,399 --> 02:32:51,920
Uh, there's communication uh today to
try to schedule uh further meetings. So,

711
02:32:49,520 --> 02:32:55,439
uh, those are ongoing discussions. Uh, I
imagine we'll be scheduling those. Um,

712
02:32:54,080 --> 02:32:59,520
and there's a group of us that have been
meeting with them and we'll continue

713
02:32:56,720 --> 02:33:04,720
those negotiations. Um, as they proceed,
we'll dictate, you know, where we come

714
02:33:02,240 --> 02:33:07,359
back and what we share with you. So,
>> so how hard to pin it down and and

715
02:33:06,560 --> 02:33:10,000
that's appropriate.
>> Yeah. I can't can't give you a time

716
02:33:08,560 --> 02:33:16,760
frame right now. I don't think we have a
date scheduled yet, but uh we're talking

717
02:33:11,920 --> 02:33:16,760
with the union about uh another date.

718
02:33:18,720 --> 02:33:25,040
» All right. Thank you for your
presentation. We appreciate it. It's

719
02:33:22,080 --> 02:33:29,920
good information for all of us.
Um so guys, we're going to move the

720
02:33:26,479 --> 02:33:35,040
agenda now to just some housekeeping. Um
we have the school committee kind of um

721
02:33:32,640 --> 02:33:39,040
calendars and subcommittee assignment
surveys, stuff like that.

722
02:33:37,520 --> 02:33:45,920
Let me start with the meeting calendar
first. So I think Alita has produced as

723
02:33:41,600 --> 02:33:50,240
she always does a draft of that for us.
Um she asked me to look it over and I

724
02:33:48,080 --> 02:33:53,920
did. I think that there was just one
change and that was in the month of

725
02:33:51,600 --> 02:33:58,319
November.
Um

726
02:33:55,520 --> 02:34:01,439
so what that would do is again put a
meeting

727
02:33:59,840 --> 02:34:06,160
um while you're at the conference the
superintendent conference.

728
02:34:03,280 --> 02:34:09,520
» Yes. Yes. And there were the
restrictions was around like Veterans

729
02:34:07,760 --> 02:34:11,920
Day was preventing it from any other
way.

730
02:34:10,000 --> 02:34:17,920
» Yeah. And
what I am

731
02:34:14,800 --> 02:34:23,771
in court is the mask conference is going
to be in Devon I think this year.

732
02:34:21,359 --> 02:34:31,280
don't have to go to hyenas. So,
[laughter]

733
02:34:25,200 --> 02:34:36,080
so um I have um I have been um selected
to be on the NASS executive board next

734
02:34:33,760 --> 02:34:43,439
year and so we have executive board
meetings. Yeah. So we have executive

735
02:34:39,200 --> 02:34:46,960
board meeting on that evening of the
conference. It's always the annual

736
02:34:45,200 --> 02:34:51,359
executive board meeting is always that
evening of but since it's in Devon who

737
02:34:49,600 --> 02:34:55,600
knows maybe there's a way to
>> I think it's rejected it's in

738
02:34:54,240 --> 02:35:02,000
» Oh dang
>> Danver was it still not as far as Hayana

739
02:35:01,520 --> 02:35:05,120
» sorry
>> I was hoping for evidence I was

740
02:35:03,680 --> 02:35:09,840
» I'm more fixated on the on the fact that
you were chosen to be on the executive

741
02:35:06,560 --> 02:35:13,920
committee. Well, Madam Chair, and and I
have been uh as of this morning,

742
02:35:12,000 --> 02:35:17,120
selected president of the Worcester
County Superintendent.

743
02:35:15,520 --> 02:35:21,040
» All right, Kirk. Congrats.
>> We'll be doing some good work with

744
02:35:18,479 --> 02:35:23,359
Worcester County and engaging with our
our state leaders through that network

745
02:35:22,800 --> 02:35:27,120
as well.
>> Wonderful. So, hopefully that allows you

746
02:35:24,960 --> 02:35:33,200
to still attend our meeting.
>> Yes. [laughter] Yes. But but that

747
02:35:29,680 --> 02:35:36,560
November uh meeting uh I may not be in
attendance, but we have two amazing

748
02:35:35,040 --> 02:35:40,960
assistant superintendents that can
certainly

749
02:35:38,720 --> 02:35:44,960
set my place for that one meeting.
>> Um so guys, just glancing at this

750
02:35:42,800 --> 02:35:49,280
calendar. Um I did look it over. It
looked good to me, but do you guys see

751
02:35:46,479 --> 02:35:52,399
any issues?
So I just want to make sure the reason

752
02:35:50,800 --> 02:35:56,640
we're doing the we're swapping the
virtual and live meeting in November is

753
02:35:54,479 --> 02:35:59,840
because of the
>> um because we have two backtoback

754
02:35:58,880 --> 02:36:03,760
virtual meetings. Yes.
>> Right. Normally we do the live one first

755
02:36:01,520 --> 02:36:10,160
and the virtual which is swapped in
because

756
02:36:06,240 --> 02:36:14,240
» but I when I learn of my obligation to
that one

757
02:36:11,760 --> 02:36:18,479
» we can inform you and you can shift it
back at the beginning of the year as you

758
02:36:16,160 --> 02:36:23,120
see fit. So, the governor's order does
still allow public bodies to meet

759
02:36:20,160 --> 02:36:26,960
virtually. While that is still allowed,
this is the method that we're using. I

760
02:36:25,280 --> 02:36:30,399
think it probably works best for us busy
people. Uh, but this is something that

761
02:36:28,720 --> 02:36:35,520
we could discuss at the workshop in
August as well.

762
02:36:32,560 --> 02:36:41,520
» If I may point out for our new members,
uh, after January 1st, it or meetings,

763
02:36:38,720 --> 02:36:45,600
we we pick up the rhythm a little bit.
So, our workshop on the 13th, followed

764
02:36:43,520 --> 02:36:51,280
by the 27th,
the 10th, and then the 24th.

765
02:36:48,640 --> 02:36:55,680
Then there's the public hearing for the
budget on the 3rd, and then the next

766
02:36:54,319 --> 02:36:59,760
school committee meeting to vote the
budget on the 10th. So, it's a condensed

767
02:36:57,600 --> 02:37:06,800
time. And so, I'm just forecasting that
for you um on the calendar.

768
02:37:04,080 --> 02:37:10,880
» All right. So, this can always be
changed, but we want to try to move it

769
02:37:09,120 --> 02:37:16,880
or do I am I at liberty to just
establish it?

770
02:37:14,240 --> 02:37:23,600
» So, be it.
>> All right. So, um, now we can move the

771
02:37:20,880 --> 02:37:28,000
agenda again to talk about subcommittee
assignments. So,

772
02:37:26,399 --> 02:37:32,880
I'm going to send you guys all a survey
by email. I'm the only one who has

773
02:37:30,560 --> 02:37:38,000
access to the spreadsheet.
you can identify your top choices for

774
02:37:35,439 --> 02:37:42,560
subcommittees. I will also in that
survey attach the subcommittee

775
02:37:40,399 --> 02:37:47,600
explanations
so that you can try to use your skill

776
02:37:44,800 --> 02:37:51,520
set and your interest level to put
yourself strategically on two of the

777
02:37:50,080 --> 02:37:55,760
subcommittees. That's kind of where
we're at right now. So, we normally

778
02:37:54,000 --> 02:38:00,240
serve two functions outside of the
regular meeting. Subcommittees meet once

779
02:37:58,399 --> 02:38:04,560
a month and so they're and they're all
virtual. And so you would then it would

780
02:38:02,479 --> 02:38:08,800
then put you on a one week one meeting
per week schedule.

781
02:38:07,200 --> 02:38:11,680
So that survey will come by email.
Please be on the lookout for it. You

782
02:38:10,000 --> 02:38:16,399
want to fill it out because in August
you'll be you'll be kind of alerted to

783
02:38:13,760 --> 02:38:20,640
what subcommittees you're on. All right.
So that's up. And then the planning

784
02:38:18,240 --> 02:38:24,800
calendar. So
Alita, do you have that?

785
02:38:23,200 --> 02:38:28,319
You could pull up. So we have this
really fabulous tool that actually some

786
02:38:26,720 --> 02:38:33,840
of the subcommittees have adopted as
well. Um and even um I feel like the

787
02:38:32,399 --> 02:38:39,120
student council we talked to them about
adopting it as well. So this planning

788
02:38:36,479 --> 02:38:44,399
calendar is is very useful. It projects
out what we have scheduled um across all

789
02:38:42,319 --> 02:38:50,160
of the meetings and then because there
are some things that are statutoily

790
02:38:47,200 --> 02:38:54,800
required or just things that we normally
do at a certain time already baked in

791
02:38:52,720 --> 02:38:58,160
because Alita just does this great copy.
And then we have this parking lot on the

792
02:38:56,560 --> 02:39:00,800
left where we can kind of register the
things that we don't want to forget

793
02:38:59,280 --> 02:39:04,800
about, but we're not totally sure where
they should go. So Alita, if you scroll

794
02:39:02,880 --> 02:39:10,000
down a little bit, you can uh show the
committee this document. And Alita, I

795
02:39:07,680 --> 02:39:13,359
think, has has this publicly shared.
It's on the website on our school

796
02:39:12,240 --> 02:39:17,600
committee website because it's not just
for us. It's also for the public. And we

797
02:39:15,920 --> 02:39:23,280
add to this Kirk and I do it our weekly
Wednesday meetings. anytime you guys

798
02:39:20,319 --> 02:39:30,640
want something on the C on the on an
agenda. Um, every single uh meeting

799
02:39:28,399 --> 02:39:35,520
always has an agenda item that says
items for next agenda. So, you can bring

800
02:39:33,040 --> 02:39:38,720
it up at a meeting or if it just comes
to you or you talk to a constituent and

801
02:39:37,359 --> 02:39:42,880
they have something that you that they
want to add or have you talk about,

802
02:39:40,479 --> 02:39:45,520
reach out to me. And I normally just put
it on the planning calendar either in

803
02:39:44,240 --> 02:39:48,720
the parking lot or I'll say, "Oh, that
could totally fit in the April meeting

804
02:39:47,200 --> 02:39:51,120
because
um if it's something that's outside of

805
02:39:49,840 --> 02:39:56,479
our purview, then we'll have that
conversation so that you understand why

806
02:39:53,359 --> 02:39:59,680
it might not be appropriate." Um and
that's basically the planning calendar.

807
02:39:58,080 --> 02:40:04,640
Any questions?
>> I think uh this year planning calendar

808
02:40:02,399 --> 02:40:06,960
is linked on the website, not that one.
>> Yeah, the next one is

809
02:40:06,319 --> 02:40:11,520
» we shall fix.
>> No, yeah, I didn't put on until last.

810
02:40:11,120 --> 02:40:15,520
Yeah,
>> you're the first to know.

811
02:40:14,000 --> 02:40:21,120
Alita will fix the link and then the new
one will be up there. The old one's also

812
02:40:17,840 --> 02:40:26,479
useful. Do you want to bookmark?
Um, we're almost done. Can I get another

813
02:40:24,720 --> 02:40:30,000
8 minutes or so out of my committee
here? Thumbs up. Everybody's okay with

814
02:40:28,560 --> 02:40:33,520
that? Okay, great. At 9:00, we have a
norm that we'll just take. Some people

815
02:40:31,840 --> 02:40:38,080
actually vote to leave and do leave and
that's fair. Um, but I like I love what

816
02:40:36,319 --> 02:40:41,359
you say.
So, that is kind of school committee

817
02:40:39,680 --> 02:40:44,240
management.
uh my email and my cell phone are always

818
02:40:42,880 --> 02:40:49,680
available to you. So just let me know
over this next um few days if you have

819
02:40:46,560 --> 02:40:55,840
questions. Next item here is the consent
agenda and I'm going to make a motion to

820
02:40:53,680 --> 02:41:00,080
approve.
I'm going to move to approve the consent

821
02:40:57,439 --> 02:41:02,319
agenda of June 10th, 2026. Do I have a
second?

822
02:41:00,479 --> 02:41:08,880
» Second.
Any discussion on the consent agenda?

823
02:41:06,240 --> 02:41:12,760
All those in favor?
Any opposed? Abstain.

824
02:41:14,399 --> 02:41:21,520
» Did you vote, Lenny?
>> Yeah. Um, can I vote? Was I Was I?

825
02:41:19,359 --> 02:41:26,000
» Yeah, you can actually vote. Even though
the consent agenda is addressing things

826
02:41:23,359 --> 02:41:29,920
from meetings prior to your joining, you
can still vote. If you reviewed the

827
02:41:28,160 --> 02:41:33,200
materials and you feel confident, you
can also abstain.

828
02:41:31,520 --> 02:41:35,359
» I'm not sure what's in the consent.
>> No, that's okay.

829
02:41:33,840 --> 02:41:38,880
» So, maybe I should just let you play it
safe and I

830
02:41:37,600 --> 02:41:43,040
» Fair. Okay.
>> Yeah. So, the consent agenda materials,

831
02:41:40,800 --> 02:41:46,399
I think Alita
will put them the the meeting minutes,

832
02:41:44,960 --> 02:41:50,319
the draft meeting minutes will always be
in the materials, but some of the other

833
02:41:48,720 --> 02:41:53,680
things you might not be aware of, like
the adopted rubric for classroom teacher

834
02:41:52,000 --> 02:41:57,600
evaluation that was at the previous
meeting.

835
02:41:55,359 --> 02:42:00,880
So, we adopted a procedure to just tuck
everything into the consent agenda

836
02:41:59,120 --> 02:42:04,640
that's not controversial that we can
just do a blanket approval at the

837
02:42:02,880 --> 02:42:07,680
following meeting.
Uh, anything, by the way, that you want

838
02:42:06,000 --> 02:42:10,640
to ever pull out of the consent agenda
because you think it is the

839
02:42:08,800 --> 02:42:13,920
controversial item, all you have to do
is ask for something to be removed,

840
02:42:12,560 --> 02:42:16,640
we'll pull it out and then we can
approve the consent agenda without it

841
02:42:15,359 --> 02:42:21,439
and then we can have a separate vote on
that more controversial thing.

842
02:42:19,280 --> 02:42:26,080
All right. So guys, I have no further
update. We do have one small new

843
02:42:24,319 --> 02:42:30,240
business item which we're happy to bring
to you and that is the audit advisory

844
02:42:28,720 --> 02:42:34,240
presentation.
Um, and and is that a good

845
02:42:32,160 --> 02:42:38,399
characterization? Sure. [laughter]
>> Very exciting.

846
02:42:36,399 --> 02:42:42,240
» This is by the way mandatory in the by
the regional agreement that we have this

847
02:42:39,920 --> 02:42:46,399
committee this advisory that Scott Ket
is in charge of. He has members from the

848
02:42:43,840 --> 02:42:50,560
public who join to help us and it
basically is an oversight element to

849
02:42:48,479 --> 02:42:53,600
make sure that our auditing processes
processes are up to date and being

850
02:42:52,640 --> 02:42:57,439
managed.
>> Have specified obligations in the

851
02:42:55,600 --> 02:43:02,640
regional agreement that spells out what
we're supposed to be doing. And um so on

852
02:43:00,080 --> 02:43:08,479
May 27th, the audit advisory meeting met
for the fifth and final time in fiscal

853
02:43:04,479 --> 02:43:12,080
year 2026 where our um ad auditor Mr.
Tony Rosselli, the head of Rosselli

854
02:43:10,160 --> 02:43:17,840
Clark, uh provided information to us
about our audits and based on that

855
02:43:15,439 --> 02:43:22,720
meeting, I developed a statement which
the other members of the committee have

856
02:43:19,359 --> 02:43:26,800
approved. The statement goes as such.
The audit advisory committee has

857
02:43:24,640 --> 02:43:32,560
reviewed the required elements of the
public financial health report including

858
02:43:29,520 --> 02:43:38,640
audit results, auditor performance, cost
trends, and overall financial stability.

859
02:43:36,240 --> 02:43:43,120
We confirmed that recent audit findings
were appropriate, recommend continuing

860
02:43:41,280 --> 02:43:49,120
with Roseli and Clark for the upcoming
cycle, and endorse a $50,000 audit

861
02:43:46,240 --> 02:43:53,680
budget for fiscal year 27. Based on
multi-year data, the district's

862
02:43:50,640 --> 02:43:57,279
financial health remains stable.
>> Well done.

863
02:43:55,040 --> 02:43:59,920
» Thank you. Audit advisory committee and
the chair

864
02:43:58,560 --> 02:44:03,439
» presentation of the year.
>> Yes.

865
02:44:01,279 --> 02:44:09,520
» While [laughter]
um are there any questions from the

866
02:44:05,040 --> 02:44:13,359
audit advisory uh audit advisory?
>> Okay. So again, the audit advisory is

867
02:44:11,680 --> 02:44:16,479
another one of those subcommittees that
if this is something you're fascinated

868
02:44:14,640 --> 02:44:20,800
about, one time we had an auditor who
sat on the committee and that person was

869
02:44:18,479 --> 02:44:25,359
very well suited to it. Scott has picked
up the mantle and is doing a fabulous

870
02:44:22,319 --> 02:44:30,964
job. Um, so if anybody else is looking
to take it over, you could wrestle away

871
02:44:27,600 --> 02:44:33,840
from Scott, but just make him do it.
[laughter]

872
02:44:32,160 --> 02:44:38,000
» He's doing a great job. Thanks, Scott.
Um, so we have no unfinished business,

873
02:44:36,800 --> 02:44:39,600
so I'm going to move to adjourn. Do I
have a second?

874
02:44:38,560 --> 02:44:43,520
» Second.
All those in favor.

875
02:44:41,840 --> 02:44:47,319
» All right, guys. You made it your first
meeting. Well done.