Good evening, everyone.

Uh, we would like to call the special committee of health opportunity, prosperity and education.

Three present, two absent, you have a quorum.

Uh can you please read the first item on the agenda?

Item one.

In ordinance amending Article 2 of Chapter 21 of the Code of Ordinances, reforming the procurement process for PPSD purchases.

Thank you.

Just for the members, we have a couple of letters that were submitted to us from the department of one from the Department of Education.

The deputy commissioner, Drew Edgeson, and also from the superintendent, Mr.

and Dr.

Javier Montaness.

And I would like to recognize her to provide some remarks in reference to this ordinance.

Yes, I'm not going to repeat word for word what I said at the public comment, but I do want to, you know, sort of first thank the folks who did speak at public comment and sent in public comments.

I think that to the extent that they are maybe you know sort of concerned about this ordinance.

I think that those concerns simply reflect what their next steps are gonna be.

Um we may not, you know, sort of like um we we I in other words, I think that we have made a tremendous change to a difficult process.

Um and I'm truly grateful for everybody's consultation along the way.

I also would, you know, I am certainly committed, and I you know hope that uh my colleagues on the Hope Committee are committed to continue to continue to think about ways that we can change the way we do work here in Providence to best support teaching and learning in our schools.

Full stop, whatever that means.

It may not continue to relate to procurement, we may continue to think about ways to change that process.

But I would really am committed to expanding this conversation to think about all of the different ways that um we can be thoughtful about how our schools can improve and what our legislative role is in that.

So you know, I think that you know, more to come, but this is a critical first step, and I'm very grateful for the Hope Committee for hearing this ordinance and you know, would like to ask for your support.

So that this one specific but meaningful thing, buying goods and services and getting them into our schools can be a little bit easier for everybody involved.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh uh.

Is there any questions from the committee?

Uh some comments.

Uh, thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Uh, thank you so much, uh, counselor Davidson for all your hard work.

Um, to bring uh a group of folks together around the table to tackle this very important uh challenge that has uh existed in in PPSD historically.

Um that's not no surprise to anyone.

Um in the sense of uh continuing the work, uh you know, we're fully committed, all 15 city counselors.

Uh but matter of fact is uh schools is gonna start uh within a little a little more than two months, and we have the city council, the mayor's office, and the province school board uh in agreement on a very important issue uh right now in July.

So I think that speaks volume uh to the leadership and the collaborative work.

I I know Sheila and President Stevens and Courtney uh Chief Hawkins uh here uh also played a huge role in that.

Um but this is the type of energy we need to you know be pushing forward uh throughout um the return of local control.

Um while you know some things aren't gonna be perfect, uh, you know, we all need to put students and families and and teachers at the forefront of anything that we're doing, and this is uh a good first step.

Um, I also want to state, you know, we we received testimony from the Providence Public School uh superintendent and um one of the deputy commissioners uh uh right and and it has some interesting language uh in these letters.

Um and I'm really disappointed that uh themselves or no representatives from their office uh came to this public uh uh committee hearing uh to uh be available for any questions or comments.

Uh but I'll leave it at that.

You know, we we can uh you know reach out to them directly.

But this is what public service is is having these public uh conversations, having this this dialogue here in public, uh, so anyone could participate and hear.

Um, but but we'll leave it at that.

Um I just want to say thank you uh for your leadership on this.

I I'm excited to continue uh this work.

Um this has been one of uh the the biggest challenging uh situations as a public servant here in the city of Providence is uh the challenges that exist in our province public school district.

Uh, but I think you know, this is the start of a new chapter.

Um everyone's excited.

Uh we're all you know more than willing to do whatever it takes to um, you know, make sure that our students and and families and and teachers have all the support and resources uh that they need, whether it's financial, uh moral, uh spiritually, uh, you know, uh I was talking to another school board member, and he's planning on on getting uh some costumes to go to to the football games uh Hope High School.

And that's what this is all about is you know, making the tough but right decisions, uh, but also being involved in in the extracurricular activities as community members.

Um, because we all need to be giving our 150% uh when it comes to to our students.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Sanchez, Councilwoman Shelly Peterson.

Thank you.

I just wanted to echo the sentiments of my uh fellow counselor.

I think um Councilwoman Davidson, what you did in a short amount of time spoke volumes about how all of us want to make sure that we step up for the kids in our community.

And um a collective decision based on very a very pragmatic approach to this seems like the next logical step.

And so I really want to applaud you for putting this forward and everybody within that working group because the conversation around the around our schools is clearly not over.