All right.

It is 6 30.

We will start the meeting.

And I will start with roll call.

We are on.

Let's see.

Starting at 6 30.

Meeting call to order.

680 PM.

Representative Goldberg, I saw you.

I am here.

No.

Hello.

Representative Gross.

Do we have him online?

Okay.

We'll come back.

I do not see him right now, no.

Okay.

Representative Vikyo.

And I am present.

Representative Price.

Representative Sylvester.

Present.

Hello.

Representative Walston.

Present.

Hello.

Hi.

Representative Weirs.

Present.

And Representative Yeager.

Present.

Thanks.

Welcome everyone.

Jumping right in.

We have item number one, chess 32.006.

Review CBD C D BG program review overview of the CDVG process.

The chess committee's role and responsibilities and the potential program, year 52 calendar.

Do I have a motion to take up item one?

So moved.

Motion and a second.

All in favor.

I alright.

Aye.

Okay.

We have Moira on.

I probably should have checked before I opened up that item.

I'm here.

Hi.

Hi.

How are you?

Welcome to the chess committee.

Thank you.

Thank you.

It's nice to uh be here.

Thank you all for having me.

I know some of you are familiar with uh some of our work.

Um, and I've worked with you before, but uh I appreciate the time you guys allow me the time to introduce myself.

I'm Maura Sach, I'm the CDBG administrator here in the city.

Um Nita Carpenter is on with me also.

She's our grants officer.

Um but yeah, I just wanted to introduce myself, introduce our program to you, and sort of give those of you who are not familiar with the program an overview because you are um part of your duties on this committee is to be pretty involved for a few meetings with how we run this program.

So um I I hope I'm not telling you too much information that you already know.

Uh if I am, let me you know tell me to stop and move on.

But uh so I just want to talk about our community development program for a few minutes.

Um so we are tasked with administering administering programs that support Stanford's low and moderate income population.

We get funding from HUD, the uh housing urban development.

Uh they set aside community development funding to local and state governments to support neighborhood revitalization, housing stability, economic development, um, other programs like that for our low and moderate income residents.

And then we here in community development, distribute that funding to our nonprofit partners to address the needs of the community through the city.

Uh so the two programs, the two primary programs that we fund are the community development block grant program and the home investment partnerships program, which we call home.

Home uh focuses on expanding the supply of affordability of affordable housing, sorry, and our CDBG program funds uh public service, public infrastructure improvements, housing rehabilitation, a few other things like that.

Uh we are tasked, we must follow the national objectives as dictated by HUD.

They are benefiting low and moderate income residents, uh aiding in the prevention and elimination of slums or bright and meeting a particular need if we have one that has particular urgency.

The last five years or so, HUD's allocated approximately $950,000 each year to of CDBG funding to Stanford.

Uh and our office has been working with the committee and its prior iteration, the HCDSS committee, to address the priorities that have been laid out in the city's consolidated plan.

Those priorities in the consolidated plan are investing and improving in public facilities and public infrastructure to support our low and moderate income families or neighborhoods, sorry.

Expand and improve affordable housing and public services and quality of life programs that support our vulnerable residents, and of course, ensure that the program is administered effectively.

So the CDBG program, we work in conjunction with this committee.

You have a big say in determining how the project distributes those CDBG funds, what programs get funded, and how much each nonprofit will get.

So I'm just going to share my screen for just a second.

I'm going to show you.

I have a couple of uh here.

Uh some of the other programs that we have been funding over the last few years, just so you get an idea.

So some of our public service projects have been we funded a van, a mobile food pantry van for person-to-first person, bringing food, fresh food, and other items to uh elderly and low-income families where they are meeting them at where they are.

Um we have funded a salary for a food service manager at the food bank.

We have funded a warehouse manager's salary at Wheel It Forward.

Um, that's if you're not familiar with them, they're a lending library for durable medical equipment.

So you can borrow a wheelchair, a uh hospital bed, things like that for the time that you need it instead of uh having to purchase it.

Uh with silver source, uh, we funded medical expenses for seniors that weren't covered by their insurance.

Uh at kids in Crisis, we funded a 24-hour support hotline and emergency shelter for unhoused kids.

That became very important as families have recently been children have been separated from their children in given a few recent incidents.

Uh we have funded long-term counseling for victims of trauma at the Rowan Center.

Uh, we have funded mental health counseling and rehab programs at liberation programs.

Um, and we've uh helped to fund the Veterans Resource Center here in Stanford that running several programs at the Stanford's Veteran Resource Center.

Um, so that's a new.

And then some of our public improvement projects recently.

We use CDBG funds to help install a new playground at uh the CLC location, which supports they provide a whole array of services to families with young children.

We have funded uh generator here over at Asparicus headquarters over on Franklin Street, um, which they needed.

We helped to pay for a new roof on ARI's administrative property.

We are currently funding new classroom cabinetry over at CLC to make it more accessible.

This is in the preschool preschool classrooms to make it more accessible to the students, especially students with special needs, wheelchair-bound, etc.

Um, so that is how we some of the things that we have done.

And I will stop sharing if I can.

There we go.

So and then a little bit about the mechanics of the program and how we will work together.

Uh, we refer to our program cycle by the year that it's been in existence.

So we're currently in our 52nd year of CDBG pro with the CDBG program.

So we say we are in program year 52.

This has been going on for a long time, and we're hoping it continues, but I will be honest, HUD has they have been talking about canceling it for the last two years.

Uh, we have a competitive procedure where the applicants have to submit a pro uh an application, and the committee members will need to grade each application.

Uh, there's certain objective criteria that you are asked questions on to determine which requests will get funded and in what amount.

I'm sure you all understand.

There are a lot of applications, uh, roughly 30 to 40 each year.

Uh, we don't have that much money.

$950,000 does not go very far.

Um, and there are certain requirements imposed on us by HUD.

We have a public comment period, several of those thrown in there.

Um, so our timeline is critical and it's important, and we have to adhere to it as best as we can.

So again, let me just share what the timeline is so you know, and then I'll be done.

So we have this currently, we have an application portal.

We have been using Zoom grants.

We started using that uh about of last year, really, full time.

So this will be our second year.

I think it's been very successful.

All the application, all the applicants submit their application through the Zoom grant.

The portal's now open for year 52.

It closes April 5th.

Uh once it closes, the staff will review it here.

Uh about April 15th, we will open the applications for the committee to review.

You will be asked to read through each application and get a little familiar with it because at the April 21st meeting, we will have to have a public hearing at which all of the applicants make a presentation.

Um it's very helpful if you're familiar with what it is they're asking for prior to that.

Um we give each applicant about three minutes to to make their presentation.

You get to ask questions, clarify what it is they're asking for.

Um you know, just so you know what we're what it is they're they're asking for and what it is you're tasked with giving them.

Um at the start of this meeting, we have to give the public time to speak.

We will have posted notices of what applicants came in so the public can come in and say, we like that, we don't like that.

We don't usually get very many people from the public, quite honestly, but we must do that.

It's HUD regulations.

Um we usually break those presentations into two categories.

We start with uh public improvement and then we move on to public service.

Um after the presentations, we ask the committee members to go back and review and then score each application.

There's about eight different questions currently on which you're asked to review, give them each a score of some are zero to five, some are zero to fifteen, total of a hundred.

Um we'll ask you to get that back to us by May 9th.

Then staff will compile all the scores.

While that's going on, the mayor's office is also considering each application and giving it, and they're uh grading it and uh giving us a score for that.

Uh or not a score actually, but they they will be asked to to uh weigh in on what they think is appropriate.

Umwheren in the spring, we hope to find out from HUD how much they will actually give us, you know, so we know what we have to work with.

Uh, like I said, the last five years, it's been approximately $950,000 a year.

20% of that is set aside to help to run the fund.

And then there's another breakdown internally as to what we can spend.

We're limited to 15% to public service.

That's the all we're allowed per HUD to give to public service requests, which is not a lot.

Um, then once we get those that dollar amount from HUD, we'll submit an appropriation to the boards of finance and representatives so that they can appropriate the funds properly.

Um at the next meeting, which is May 19th, assuming we've heard from HUD what our appropriation is, uh, we will meet again.

Uh again, I believe we have to have the public speak on each app on the applications if they want.

Then the mayor's office will make its recommendations.

You as a committee will determine, we'll discuss each application and to take the mayor's recommendations into consideration, any public comments, and then you guys get to vote and say, you know, who gets what?

And uh I know for the representatives who have been through that, it's a lot of bargaining within yourselves.

Um, we have to make those allocations in accordance or reflective of the scores that that each applic application receives.

Um, we have to be able to go back to HUD and say, you know, we all thought this program was better, and that's why we gave it, you know, proportionally more funding.

Um, you know, we can't, it has to be objective.

We and we have to be able to support that.

I know we all have favorites, but but we can't have HUD come back and question it.

We can't have a nonprofit come back and question it and not be able to defend our our decisions.

Um then once you vote to allocate your funding, we submit that to the board of representatives.

Once they approve it, we put it into our annual action plan.

We submit it to HUD for approval.

Once HUD approves it, they at some point will send a funding agreement to us that the mayor will sign.

We get it back to HUD, they will sign it, and then we can start.

We can allow we can start drafting contracts and uh start working on the actual projects.

And that's it.

So it is I it is a little bit of work on your part for a few weeks, a few months, springtime.

Um, but hopefully we can all work together.

We've been pretty successful the last few years, and we'd love to continue that.

So that's it.

I'm sure some of you have questions or just want to get on with your night.

Thank you, Moria.

That that was lovely, and it's a great overview, even for some of us who have done it four times.

That really helps.

Um I will open up the floor first for any questions.

Uh it looks like representative weirs.

Do you have the floor?

Yes.

Um thank you, Moira, for for your presentation.

This is actually really exciting.

Um and uh very proud to have the opportunity to be a part of the process.

Um, so is there it's probably different every year, the number of applicants that we get and how many awards.

It sounds like if I'm understanding this, that we can choose however many winners there are and and the allocation of what percentage of the funds or what dollar amount goes to all of them.

Is that am I understanding that correctly?

That is that is correct as a committee.

Um, I will say we have asked at the past that we we've put in a requirement this year, and I think last year, while we don't want it and any applications for less than $10,000, and we would like to keep that as the minimum uh allocation awarded.

That's because there's a lot of paperwork for every allocation, and that it's not less paperwork if it's a smaller allocation.

So it's it's a it's a big job on the part of the nonprofits to fulfill all the requirements.

They have to show proof of what they have spent the money on.

It's a reimbursement program, and then they have to give us um uh uh show us the results, and there's we have to fill out demographic information, how many of all various types?

It's it's a lot of paperwork.

So to do it for a small program just becomes kind of cumbersome.

But yes, you get to decide.

And there must be minimum requirements that they have to satisfy in order to even make it to us.

Yes, there are, you know, they have to submit a lot of paperwork, they have to show that they can appropriately use the funds, um, that they have the financial backing to use it.

And it's a real as I said, it's a reimbursement.

So if they don't spend it in a certain amount of time, uh we have sometimes clawed money back, um, which we hate to do.

And do we lose it?

We lose it if it's not spent in a certain period of time.

Um, but you know, we we need them to show that they are using it so that you know, otherwise we'll give it to, you know, because there are always unfortunately losers in the in the lottery of who gets money, so we'd rather fund somebody that that could use it than somebody that won't.

Thank you very much.

This is exciting.

Sure, thank you.

Do we have any other hands up?

Oh, over in the room.

Sure.

Representative.

Thank you very much.

Um this presentation, I I thought it was an incredibly informative.

Um, I had a couple of questions.

Uh first being you mentioned that around that April 21st meeting or sometime thereafter, uh, the committee's expected to review and score uh the the applications for funding, and that the mayor is also reviewing that those scores are then compiled, and then the kind of the process kicks off again when the mayor makes recommendations with respect to which applications are moving forward for funding.

Uh so I guess my question is does the mayor receive a compilation of the scores from this committee or a report.

The scores are public.

So in that regard, yes, yes.

Um, you know, I mean, I when I say public, it's not that we post them anywhere, but they have to be public.

Um but we you know, we don't, I don't think we um necessarily, you know, but but they are involved, they don't have a say in what you fund.

Um, I do see a need of does I don't know it's my place to do that, but I think no, yeah.

I'm just gonna chime in because um, so the the the committee, you know, does all of their work independently.

The mayor will certainly take a look at what the committee is is this deciding or looking toward, and then the mayor will make their rec her recommendations.

Um, and then um she may factor in what you all are recommending, she may not.

Um, so that is her independent objectivity, and then you just get to take into consideration what the mayor's recommendation is as you're making your decisions.

So she can see the cumulative score.

She doesn't see your individual scores, but she sees that cumulative score for each organization on what you've ranked them as a group.

Got it.

That that is very helpful.

Uh and then the other question I had is you know, we've talked about some of the requirements, uh like the public comment um and some others, and I'm wondering if the sources of requirements, uh sources of these requirements that influences the process is from the code of ordinances for the city, federal regulation or or a combination of both.

Federal regulation.

Okay, got it.

So there isn't any codify ordinance or part of the charter that influences this process.

There is a part in the ordinance that unfortunately has not been able to be followed.

So according to the ordinance, we should be doing, we should be much further along in the process.

We found that that was not terribly helpful because we don't know how much money we're getting from HUD.

So past practices, there were several more meetings because they were doing it much earlier in the in the year.

Um got it.

Okay.

So yes.

So is with respect to timeline.

Yes, because HUD does not, you know, last year, HUD they usually give it in the spring.

Last for program year 51, I believe they didn't announce it until June or July.

So, you know, deciding to when to who we're giving, you know, if we assume we're getting a million dollars um in April, and then in June, they tell us, oh, you only got half a million dollars.

That's a huge disappointment, and we wouldn't know.

So we we've sort of been going a little bit past what the ordinance said says, but we do still need to, whenever we do it, we still need you know, 14-day waiting period for this particular thing for public comment.

There's a few of them in there.

That's that's helpful.

And my my last question, at least for now, is um you had mentioned that unused funds or excuse me, funds that were allocated, but maybe the target or recipient organization failed to use them or failed to satisfy all the requirements to demonstrate they've used them.

Uh though those funds are lost if not of not used by a certain time period.

Is there a process where we can reallocate if an organization has failed to demonstrate by a certain point?

Yes, yes.

So we we work extremely hard that that I've only been doing this for uh about three years now, and that's only come up once.

And it was a program that was affected by COVID.

They um and they were not well, actually, yeah, I guess that was it, it was not affected by COVID.

They could not follow through.

We couldn't, where we gave them oh months and months and months and months to try and figure out a way that they could use the money.

And if they came up with a different plan, we would have come back to the committee.

You have to approve it.

We would have come back to the committee and said, hey, this uh program, or this nonprofit can't do what they wanted, but they'd like to do it this way, and you could uh say, okay, we'll make a change from say, you know, counseling to food services, you know, providing food, something like that.

Just just coming up with ideas.

Um so we could do it that way, or in that the case that we had, they couldn't come up with a new program.

So we reallocated back into the general pot the following year, and we just added that dollar amount into last year's funding.

So, you know, we tried for several years, you know, to help them, and when they couldn't, we finally went to the committee.

First, the committee had to approve pulling it back, and then at the next uh I think it was the next cycle, the next grant cycle.

So a few months later, we took added it in and you uh allocated to a new program from the next year's applicants.

I I see.

So if the funds are unused in a particular annual cycle, it can be added to the subsequent year's cycle.

Yes, that's what we've done.

We have we have, I believe it's seven years from HUD to spend the money.

Oh, I see.

You know, we don't want to we don't want to give a nonprofit, you know.

We also have once a program is allocated to a nonprofit, they have two years in which to spend it.

Um, and then it goes back.

We we pull it back to the pot.

And and I'm sorry, I don't know who your name, I'm sorry.

All right, my name is Michael McKewan.

Representative McEwen hi.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh that was all the questions I had and I really appreciate your your explanations of new to the process so I appreciate your your patience and your time and your presentation.

Sure.

Thank you.

I have two hands up first I'm gonna go to representative gross and then I see your hand representative Walson next and I'm just gonna add real quick I know it's a lot and through each step we will be notified of the process and they do help answer questions too but by all means this is a great overview.

Go ahead representative Burr the floor thank you madam chair um so I'm I'm trying to sorry I missed the beginning so I'm sort of just trying to wrap my head around the process but um so these are essentially the these are this is a grant that the city is applying for and then we get the money from HUD and then we we essentially put out a process for nonprofits to close very close.

So HUD has uh HUD allocates these funds we are considered in what they call an entitlement program I believe an entitlement city um so there's four of us in Connecticut so HUD we don't have to necessarily apply for it each year they give us the funding but then yes the rest of your your supposition is correct right so individual organizations aren't applying to HUD but like we we get the funding at as an entitlement yearly and then so then the process we're putting out is something that's run by the city essentially yes it's run by this office.

Okay.

And um I guess what is what is your office and what is your community so I I'm uh I'm the community development administrator the department is community development or the group there's a few of us and then we're part of the grants office.

I see okay and then um is the is the process by which like we are allocating this the funding is that set out in an ordinance or in the charter how it wears though.

Uh the process is it's it's set out in the uh code of ordinances the timing I don't know if you were here for my explanation of that we've sort of moved away from the timing that's uh written out in the ordinance um and then we have to follow the rules of it as well that are set out by HUD the federal regulations so it's a combination of the regulations and how we how the city has decided to do it.

I see okay thank you that's a question uh representative Walston you had your hand up before uh can you hear me uh lightly oh my gosh can you hear me now there's an echo okay but we could hi it's good to see you okay I'm listening to this dog off rang well just give me one moment let me just turn it down I'm I'm listening to all of um the rep's questions and I know that uh Maureen and I were familiar with the process from last year I was wondering if by chance if you still have our information like you know just to give everyone like a sample of what you know what they need to fill out because you're asking a lot of questions and I know I was up to late last year if you recall um you remember I do yeah but you did get the paperwork in oh I did I did it it was tough but you know just to before everything comes out just so that they could all see a sample of how you just any kind of sample you don't even have to put like the name of the nonprofit or anything just so they can see the form what they I could figure I could work on figuring something out to get that to you.

That's a great idea yeah yeah um I'm hearing a lot of apprehension you know from the reps right now and I know at one point I had to keep reading I'm like oh my gosh I don't think I did this right and you were up what 38 a.m and I'm still up at three I think that was Anita answering your emails in the middle oh my gosh that was crazy yeah so you know just to kind of make it easier on them um just to help them out I think that's a great idea I don't possibly I'll send a link to one of last year's applications.

Yeah um well yeah that's a great idea I'll I'll get that out and I'll get that to Angie and I do have to shout out to Angie she is a rock star with all of this.

Yeah thank you Angie thank you Angie but yes I that's a great idea and it's not I don't think I think the representative Walston and Representative Pollock I think last year was it was the first year we used the Zoom grants portal which is new prior to that everything was done by paper and pen.

And it's not, I don't think I think the representative Walston and Representative Pollock, I think last year was it was the first year we used the Zoom grants portal, which is new.

Prior to that, everything was done by paper and pen.

Um, so I think it's getting a little bit easier, but I can definitely send that to you.

And it's just the the questions.

There's last year we had eight questions.

I think we'll keep the same questions.

Um drop down menus.

Um, but it but reading all the applications and understanding what it is they're doing is it's very helpful because it is a big decision.

It's and you know, a lot some of these organizations, it's it's an enormous part of their annual budget.

Okay, thank you.

I yield.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Great suggestion, uh, Representative Walston and Mira, feel free to send it over, uh Angela or Angie to the whole committee.

And would it be possible for you to include the timeline that you shared in the beginning?

That would be wonderful.

And I recommend that everybody put in their calendars, just a little heads up review before the 21st.

It really helps because sometimes it creeps up on us, but it's a beautiful process.

You know, I'm sorry, can I just add one other thing that I forgot?

I don't think I really stressed one of the things we can also fund, and sometimes we have in the past, are um city projects.

So in the last few years, we did a traffic calming on the west side, which was um I think a huge uh boon to the city.

Um we've done, I think we're doing some crosswalks, some hawk lights, you know, the flashing lights when you're crossing a busy street.

So I don't think I just realized I didn't include any of those in my brief overview there, but we we can do use the funding to fund city improvement projects as well.

So and you know, we've used uh scholarship funding that the city's uh Stanford School Readiness has used.

So sorry, just wanted to throw that in.

Thank you.

I I see two more hands that were raised.

We'll wrap up with those.

Representative Goldberg, you have the floor.

Thank you.

Um I was just curious about the Zoom process you were referring to.

The last time I did this, we were still on paper.

So do I understand that it it sounds like by inference the Zoom process is a is a um digital platform that we can read and score and is a workspace for all of us as opposed to the spreadsheets and paper that we used to have to shuffle.

Correct.

I didn't realize you were familiar with the program.

Yes, that is that is true.

So it's not Zoom as in what we're on now.

It's zoomgrants.com, it's a different website.

Um we will send you all a link to log in.

Um the representatives who've used it last time uh can use the same login or should use the same login.

Uh it's it, you know.

Well, the all the you can look at all the application information there.

The applicants put in a budget, they put in um, you know, anything they want really, they have to upload all sorts of documents.

Uh, but yes, it's a digital platform, no more pen and paper, no more emailing, everything back and forth.

Though you can email us any questions, of course, or anything like that.

But right.

And and does that mean since it's a digital platform that everything's more or less uniform, so the budgets are comparable.

Because one of the one of the issues I had the last time I did this, but it was it was difficult to sort of compare grant request A to grant requests, say V because they had different financials.

Is it more uniform now or not so much?

Uh well, each program has a very different financial setup and and they're asking for different things.

So you know, they're you've answered the question already.

Yeah, you know, I mean it's it's you know, if somebody's asking for 10,000 for um, you know, food services, and another one's asking for 50,000 for counseling.

It's it's it's sort of I can't, you know, they're definitely apples and and you know ice cream.

Okay, thank you.

That was helpful.

I yield.

Uh Representative Wears, you have the floor.

Thank you.

Um Angie did send out an email earlier today um that was forwarded with information on um, you know, uh, I haven't dug into it too much, but on Zoom grants as well as the application link and encouraging us to get, I don't know who received this, but I received it.

Um I don't know if it went to the whole board or just this committee.

Um my question was uh was what what is done to get the word out to the community or letters going out to every organization, what kind of marketing outreach?

Yes, so so part of it is any all the representatives.

I think Angie sent a I asked her to board a note last week or this week, I forget, to the full board saying applications are now open.

We have sent out uh notice to all the applicants that we've had uh applications from over the past uh I don't know how many years, but and then some that have just contacted us, but an email went out to about 50 organizations last week telling them the portal is open now.

Um that those those are really the two main ways.

It's posted on the community development page.

I think it was posted on the city's main page, but I'm not a hundred percent sure on that, only because we had some software issues or some uh technology technological issues.

Um if it's not, I'll get it back up there.

Um yeah, so but we we sent, you know, in the email and applications are already been coming in.

I've already been answering questions from various organizations.

We just opened it um Friday, I think.

Great, thank you.

Sure.

Thank you, everyone.

I was saving my questions for the end, which was great because most of them were answered.

Um, in terms of the where to apply, you mentioned, and I know a lot of people have asked in the past and they find out about it after it's closed.

Um would you mind also forwarding, please uh to me the message that you send out so we can afford people as well with the links.

Um that'd be wonderful.

Thank you.

And then lastly, I know that some of we could work out some specifics later, but if there's any applicants, I don't know if you could put this in marking it.

There were some projects where if they didn't reach a certain threshold, they weren't able to do the project, and we weren't able to find that out until after when we were in the allocation stage.

So I don't know if there's any way for us to include uh if the benchmark, if it's 150,000 ask and they don't reach 60% of it, they won't move forward with the project, for example.

So if we could include some sort of preliminary benchmark.

I don't know.

So um so well, so we um yeah, I mean, we have a $10,000 minimum, but I'm not quite sure I'm quite understanding the question.

Um, but if they can't, if if their whole there is a match that we require for each application, and if the applicant can't, you know, if they if they have a hundred and fifty thousand dollar project and they only, you know, they're asking us for a hundred thousand of it and they don't have the other funding, and we only give them 50,000.

Um, you know, I think uh I think they know with the application process, this is a competitive grant.

I see Anita could probably jump in and save me.

Yeah, well, no, I you were headed in that direction as great.

And I think because the application's gone live, um, the only thing we might be able to do at this point is once the application gets submitted, is follow up with a question that asks, what's the minimum?

You know, like if this project is going to be able to move forward and you're not fully funded, what's the minimum amount that you can work with in order to make this project real?

You know, a better, better phrasing, but but I think we could ask that question just to at least get that answer.

What I don't want them to think though is that we're gonna then frame it so that we can lower it so that we're only giving them the minimum.

So we'll have to be very careful with that that uh question.

Thank you.

I know you guys will be sensitive with that, and I don't think but maybe there was one or two that got a hundred percent of their ask.

So I just remember it being an issue.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Um again, we look forward to the fund process.

Oh, we have another question.

Sure.

Representative gross.

Real quick.

Um, just that is are there like requirements for which organizations can receive this money?

Um, you know, any nonprofit is that have to be housing related.

The the um main focus of Stanford's uh uh not comprehensive plan, um blanking on the phrase.

Um, but our plans is affordable housing and improving like the the life or loan moderate income.

We do have to have, I believe it's 80 or 90 percent has to go to Stanford, or maybe it's just the there's a portion of it that must be funded to Stanford residents.

So for instance, person to person in is located in Darianne.

They send their uh they fund it for uh Stanford residents.

They use their funding for Stanford residents as opposed to residents from other areas that go in there.

Um I have to meet the national objectives if you want to do that.

Yeah, which are yes, which is the national objectives are.

I always forget those three.

Uh low moderate income persons, prevention of elimination of slums or blight, or particular urgency.

Right.

So it does sort of have to be housing focused.

No, we do public service.

We do a lot of uh uh mental health counseling, crisis intervention counseling.

Uh uh we provide money to the food bank, we provide funding to United Way, which uses it for uh after-school programs, uh like scholarship programs, we fund scholarships for um uh CLC students.

Um there's public service.

The the issue is with that, and and public improvement, like uh Boys and Girls Club, we funded an HVAC unit there.

Uh we have funded um uh what other sorts of local generators, media generator, uh the accessibility, right?

Veterans Resource Center.

So it's not necessarily housing.

Uh we are doing, I know I've spoke to another committee.

Um, we are using funding right now for a low-income home rehabilitation program that's sold CDBG money that I'm really excited to get up and running.

Um so that that would be considered how more towards housing.

So it just has to be funding that is benefiting primarily low-income Stanford residents.

Correct.

Okay.

And does it have to be nonprofits?

Correct.

Okay.

And then uh just if you could share these slides with the committee, I would appreciate that.

Sure, absolutely.

Yeah, and on top of it, um, she will share in the presentation what she went over, but on the application, it goes through all the requirements, and you can always see what we've done in the past, which is great.

Uh again, thank you so much for coming on.

Do I have any other hands closing out this item?

And we'll move on to the second one.

No other hands.

Thank you again, Moira.

Thank you again.

I appreciate your time, and I look forward to working with you next month.

It'll be fine.

Have a good evening.

You too.

Okay, since there's no voting under review, I will be moving on to chess 32 dot zero zero three, which is item two, and it's approval DBI projects, LLC contract for owners representative services at Rippleam Indoor Quality.

It's a project.

Uh, let's see, our people don't have to read that.

And do I have a motion to approve?

Do you have a second?

Sorry.

All in favor.

Well, we have to have to go to discussion first.

So we have a second, we're moving on to discussion.

Right?

We don't get to skip everything and just approve it.

Okay.

Well, I want to tell you about it.

Yes, you've been waiting.

You've been waiting.

Okay, so no, all in favor.

Moving on to discussion.

Um you like to share with us?

Sure.

Um, good evening, chair, members of the board.

My name is Catherine Lobalbo.

I'm a registered architect, and you're director of school construction.

Um, I saw some of you yesterday evening when I made a very brief quick cameo late in the in the night to talk about um our budget request uh this year for capital improvements.

I call those capital improvements small capital, but um small doesn't really do them justice.

Um these are projects that have huge impact uh on a daily basis.

And uh the two projects here tonight are um Ripper Walm's Indoor Air Quality Project and Newfield Elementary or Air Quality Project.

If it's all right, I'll just I'll discuss both of them.

Um representative at Parliamentarian.

Since we have two items, is it okay that she is discussing both items together?

I just want to make sure you're right, you would have to suspend the rule.

Yeah, two thirds.

Yeah, I was gonna I was gonna say the same.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, that's up to you if you want to call for that kind of motion to consider these items jointly, but then is it difficult for you to do them separately?

Not at all.

And our questions, maybe I'll preface when we have questions.

Um we'll keep it together if that's okay.

Yeah, I'll I'll stay on topic.

All right, so Ripple Warm, uh River Warm is a four million dollar um project that is uh 60% grant funded.

And so this evening I'm here seeking approval for a contract of an owner's representative services.

Owners representatives are a team of people.

This is a successful uh model for project management that's encouraged by the state of Connecticut.

It is uh there, these fees are 60% reimbursable, as is the construction for the project.

Um what do contract what is an owner's representative do, right?

Um so again, it's a team of people, each of them have very specialized skill sets.

They assist with documentation, budget management, schedule management, on-site construction administration management.

So they help support our in-house team during this very high volume period of time.

This isn't a resource that I request on every project, but on this project here at Ripple Wam, we're requesting it because the state is actually new to authorizing reimbursement for HBAC.

It's something that they've realized that the air quality is it has a huge impact to our community, and after COVID, uh they started implementing a new policy.

So it's important that we when we are um we have to file a significant amount of paperwork for for our reimbursement.

I guess nothing, you know, nothing comes free, right?

And so we um doing all this filing and so on and so forth, we um really want to make sure that we have very clear set of documentation um and things like that, that we're we're ready for um for an audit because at the end of the project there actually is an auditing process, and also that we have an advocate with us there uh when we have to discuss some of these items.

So um if uh that's kind of that, and that would be kind of fit in a nutshell for for these folks, and I'm happy to take it the questions.

Right, thank you.

So we'll open it up for any questions from the committee first.

Do we have any hands?

Okay.

Thank you, uh could you like just give like a like layman's terms what the project is sure uh this is uh rooftop units.

Um believe it or not, some of our schools still don't have air conditioning in certain well, they have air conditioning in all the classrooms.

Uh actually that was a very strong initiative from this administration, but some of our larger spaces, so here at Ripple WAM, the gymnasium doesn't have the uh air conditioning.

So we need to add that.

Um it's important it as unfortunately seasonally gets hotter and schools, you know, right now because of the long winter, we're swinging a little bit closer into the summer months.

We want to make sure that we keep our condition spaces cool.

Um I hope that was layman.

Yeah, of course.

So adding air conditioning in the gym primarily or the gym, uh, but also in some administrative spaces or Apple's prepay or at Ripple Wall.

Okay.

Um, I didn't, and I'm apologize.

Also the auditorium.

And the auditorium.

Okay, that's good to know.

Um and then you had mentioned that this you're hiring essentially this company is like sort of supplementary, supplementary to the to the in-house team.

Do you describe what an in-house team is the in-house team is what they're doing?

Yeah, happy to.

So uh we work with our grants department, Anita Carpenter.

Right up there on the screen.

Uh when we go for reimbursement, we have a uh board of ed dedicated, we have a dedicated project accountant resource.

Um, we have a project manager assigned from engineering.

Uh items uh under operations, so I'm part of every project team.

We uh also work with our Stanford Public Schools partners, so the facilities managers at each schools.

Um we work closely with the Stanford Public Schools, so that's part of our in-house team.

And we often have um a clerk uh of what is called a clerk of the works who's also assigned for additional oversight.

So it helps keep the you know, keep some kind of balance.

Right, thank you.

Um then I just had a question in the contract itself.

Yeah, um that's a hold on.

Sure.

All right.

Um with the um the fee that we're paying to them for for the project.

It says 255,000, but it looks like it only adds up to 250,000.

I'm just trying to understand the discrepancy.

5,000 is likely in reimbursables.

Um, so that's in a second set, that's in a separate section.

So we could go to 2.1.

So that's that's just added right as like anticipated reimbursements.

Yes, right.

Don't give them that's not like a you don't spend it, you don't get it.

Okay.

You don't get it either.

Yeah.

Okay.

Nothing.

Um, and then just a quick question on um the uh indemnification clause and 7.5.

Um I just moved from the attorney.

Oh, sure.

I don't know.

Uh do we have Chris Delva on the line?

Is that possible?

We have corporate counsel.

That's okay.

All right.

The question is is that there's a difference in the indemnification clauses and in the two contracts, it seems in this one.

Each party is indemnifying each other.

I'm just wondering that are you referring to the two separate items?

Right.

I have to keep on the second.

Yes, items you have a question there.

Right.

So what is the uh can you direct me to the actual section?

7.5.

Okay.

What is the logic behind each party indemnifying each other?

Uh rather than just them and then indemnifying the city.

Usually with if so, so I'm not a lawyer.

I will do my best.

So my understanding of this typically is this is uh usually discussion between the risk department, the legal department, uh, with each individual and their insurances and liabilities.

So if you see a difference, it's likely because it was a discussion between legal purchasing and risk.

The reason you indemnify one another is so that we're not fighting they are uh that we're not fighting with each other, I guess so to speak.

Oh they're not coming after us, we're not coming after them, or it's a partnership.

Right.

Yeah, I hope I'm not I don't know.

I don't know if I'm doing that that that's that does make sense, yeah.

Okay.

And I just try to catch the the nuances here in the contract post.

I would be also happy to see a question that might help clarify.

Sure.

Um I love having attorneys in our committees.

Oh, if you do have questions.

Can I ask you maybe a question?

Has our corporate council reviewed these contracts?

Yes.

So I don't know if that helps, and then if we have further questions, but you think it determines whether we should approve or not.

Of uh questions you have in the contract because corporate council looked at it.

Oh um, no, I mean I'm sure they reviewed, I'm sure it makes sense.

I'm just trying to understand it researching.

Yeah.

I could also ask them to send you some information on that.

If you'd like to indemnifications, yeah.

A fun one that I think is best explained by a lawyer approximately.

Yeah, thank you.

Um thank you.

Can you hear me, folks?

Oh, oh look who's here.

Um yeah, sorry, I I guess I was muted.

I love I'm sorry.

This I good evening, everyone.

This is Christella Selva.

I'm an assistant corporation counsel for the city.

Thank you for joining us.

Would you like to my pleasure?

Did you hear it from before?

I you know, I didn't because I was texting feverishly and emailing, trying to figure out why no one could hear me.

So I didn't hear the question well.

I know it involves the indemnification clause.

I have the agreement on my screen and I'm looking for that now.

Can you if you can give me the section, that would be helpful.

Yes, yes, yes.

Absolutely.

It's uh section 7.5.

Got it.

Hold on.

Okay, so I got it.

What's the question?

The the question was I I was just wondering the the reasoning or the logic behind the sort of each party indemnifying the other rather than just them indemnifying us, I think.

So uh well, I I think it it takes into consideration uh the possibility that you know both parties can uh uh be responsible for some careless acts or omissions.

And so it the the uh uh DBI in this case is willing to hold us the city harmless for for any third party claims that may be brought against the city that are a result of DBI's negligent acts or omissions, and uh the city is willing to do the same.

So, you know, it's it I guess it's dictated by fairness if if a third party is injured in some way, either damaged in person or property, and they bring a claim, they they typically do so in a shotgun approach, right?

They they just sue everybody and and it and rightly so, because you don't really know whose fault it is usually until you get deep into discovery.

And and so what what you know what this provision provides is that it, you know, if it's if it had something to do with the city, like something like a defective premises, that wouldn't be something that the owners uh rep should be responsible for.

So for things that of that nature that uh that are uh resulting from the city's careless acts or emissions, the city agrees to hold the DBI uh harmless and indemnify it from from third party claims.

We're not we're not holding them harmless and demnifying them for claims that we may have against them.

That's not what this says, if that was your concern.

So the we essentially can't join in with another party suing them.

We can or can't, is that what you asked?

Us being in the fence.

If the city is damaged in some way by uh DBI's, you know, careless, reckless or intentional acts or omissions.

We can absolutely bring a claim against them.

And also for breach of this contract.

Right.

Right.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

You're welcome.

I I'm very happy when legal counsel answers legal questions.

I just wanted to steer it away from that.

But that was great.

It was done.

Yeah, thank you so much, Burns.

Thank you.

Uh Representative Wears, I see your hand up.

Uh yes, this is just minor, but it's probably an important detail on um exhibit B.

Part D.

Um, which has the financials.

Um, it refers to Rippleam as an elementary school.

And I believe it is a middle school.

I'm not I don't know if that is referenced in any of the other documents or whether that even matters, but I just thought I'd point it out.

Thank you.

Are we able to note that Angie?

Just in the minutes, I want to make sure that's in there.

That's a great catch.

What what I'm sorry, what did what did you want to add?

Representative Weirs just made a notice that Ripperwom Middle School is listed in the contract as Ripperwam Elementary.

Just wanted to make sure that's noted.

Okay.

I'll change it.

It's on exhibit exhibit B Part D.

Oh, that yeah, that's those are not our documents.

So that would yeah, that would be on okay.

Yeah, do I see I are you finished?

Uh Representative Weirs.

Yes.

Okay.

Speak up if I don't see you.

Okay.

So now since discussion is finished, I will take it up for a vote.

And is everyone okay?

I would like to do voice vote since we have everyone in the committee on right now.

Let's try it and see how it goes.

Um for approval of 32.003.

All in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Opposed abstentions.

Okay, that passes 900.

Okay, and moving on to chest 32.004 item three, and it's approval of a proposed contract with Arcadus US Inc.

for owners representative services at the Newfield Elementary School Indoor Air Quality Project.

And I will wait.

Do I have a motion to take this up for approval?

Motion to approval.

So move.

Second.

Second, second.

I will open it for discussion.

Kathan, would you like to do us the honors?

Thank you.

So this project is a HBAC uh indoor air quality project.

It is for um the gymnasium or the gymnasium, cafeteria spaces.

This is uh uh full HVAC C classrooms refurbishment project.

Um the classrooms are currently being served by in-unit air conditioning, but the unit delivery is uh will provide a more balanced environment um and a better envelope, less likely for exposure for when we deal with uh like high humidity days and things like that during again because our swing seat seasons are becoming our seasonality is becoming a little bit different during the schooling year.

So these HVAC projects are are really high value to us.

This project is um set up approximately two phases over two summers.

Um Arcadis is a um very arcadis is actually assisting us with um Roxbury K3.

They have uh 45 years experience in Connecticut.

They have dozens of projects they've successfully delivered um through the state audit process.

They'll be doing uh very similar tasks for us.

Um we uh trying to think of what else I can tell you is value to the project, but I I'm happy to to take a few questions again.

This is this is the a big improvement that the the students and the staff will feel um, you know, although we won't be taking them up to the roof to see it, but we're looking forward to them feeling the difference in this.

So I really I really hope they they're not the they're not the the shiny new school projects, but again, these really are like the heart of us taking care of our infrastructure.

This is what it means when it means that we're committed to our long-term facilities plan and we're committed to our buildings or in our building, building health and building occupant health.

So thank you.

Um representative.

Thank you, madam chair.

Um, I just had a quick question, and it's maybe a selling one, um, admittedly.

So it sounds like, unless I've misunderstood that the projects related to 32.004 and 32.003 are are similar in in nature or scope.

Okay.

Is uh so out of curiosity, is there any reason why, or I guess the two vendors, DBI and Arcade is would they both be able to service both types of products?

And if so, is there a reason why they are not servicing both?

One is not servicing both.

That's that's an excellent question.

So we debated whether or not um the selection committee debated whether or not we should go with the same for both or different so both.

Um each or service, where's representative team?

Because we do have a few of them.

We also work with Collier for Westel High School.

They have their own um interesting tools for project management.

And we felt that the the DBI team brought up it's like a little bit of a different flavor and style, and it was really well suited to the RIPWAM project, um, particularly because of the type of HPAC that we're gonna be installing there, that they had uh specific mechanical specialist that was familiar with the style that we seem they are going with, which is a little more energy efficient.

Um, but it can't be implemented.

It's not always something you can do everywhere.

So uh yes, you are right.

Absolutely.

Uh on their on their face, they're they're similar.

They're not holistically the same.

Got it.

Newfield, because uh they probably will both span two summers.

Um, but Newfield is a larger dollar value and it's a little larger.

And so you know we are a little more familiar with Arcadis as a team, and we you know, and so I think all there are many different factors like this, I couldn't put it down to a bunch.

Sure, but I think we're liking to take this opportunity to learn all the tools that everyone has and see what they you know what they can bring to us.

And uh again, like I said, we don't use the project management this this delivery on every project.

It's not like I would use this on every HVAC project because it's new and a little bit different.

This seems like a really good opportunity to have those advocates and to build kind of uh inventory of tools, other not calls it out.

Looking forward to data binding them, but yeah, that's a really long way of saying I want to I will we think that there's there's um there's talent out there and we want to build you know build our bench and totally too that makes sense.

Thank you.

Yeah, um thank you again.

I know this has been a long standing issue that has come up for many years.

So I'm grateful it's at this point.

Do we have any other hands or any other questions or comments?

Yes.

Representative.

Thank you.

Um just gotta see if they have a they have a national office in Colorado with a little state office in Middletown, is that right?

Yes.

So we use um, I might defer to our lawyer again, but this has to do with what's on their insurance, and that's how we fill out the documentation.

I've I've never worked with their Colorado office, but they do have they're working out of their local office.

Okay.

But you want to it's the pre up the question.

Uh no, that's that's fine.

That is, I was just wondering because I see the two different locations.

Yeah, we're not working with, I mean, nobody's in Colorado.

And they're here all often physically.

Yeah.

Um then uh I'm just wondering with like the because there is a difference in the indemnification clause again uh in 7.5.

I'm just wondering why the difference between this contract and the prior.

Um, I think I can in this one, it's only them indemnifying us.

Right.

And that gives us more leeway.

Our contracts are we have a standard contract.

Chris, jump in if I if I navigate, but we do put out a standard sample contract.

Um mutual demification is an industry standard.

Right.

They didn't ask for it here.

Um that's a business decision of theirs.

Um again, they're maybe maybe because I can't read the lines, right?

Maybe because they're already working with us, maybe because the this isn't be a smaller size project for them.

Yeah, I can't tell you why, but if they don't ask, we're gonna that makes perfect sense.

So thank you.

Okay, I appreciate the thoroughness.

Of course.

Uh representative Rears, you have the floor.

Thank you.

Um so this question, I don't know if this is a naive question or not, but I'm gonna ask it anyway, just for an understanding this item as well as the last item.

Um why are they on approval items on this committee's agenda as opposed to board of education or on another committee?

Um, I know it's it's the E in chess, but um is that an appropriate question to ask just for clarification?

I also I'll jump in on third one.

I also asked that question when it came in front of steering, and we didn't know and we didn't get the answer, but we will make sure I ask moving forward before submitting and sistering that it's on the appropriate committee.

So it fits in here.

We're going through it and we'll come in front of the full board as well.

But I agree with that question.

We just don't have an answer.

Okay.

Thank you.

Can I give that a try?

Yes, have fun, representative Goldberg.

Okay, I think the reason it did is because the in the past this would have gone before the education committee, and because education got consolidated into chess, that's why it's here.

It also got talked about uh in the in the physical committee, as is those of you that sit on physical know we had this conversation last night, same briefing.

There, the focus was exclusively on the physical ramifications tonight.

It's because the education aspect of chess has board of ed kind of if you will, oversight, or we're the last stop.

I think that's how it ended up here.

Because in the past, this would have gone before the education committee.

So with that, I'll yield.

Thank you, Representative Goldberg.

Uh it makes sense.

I didn't see approval items come in front of the education committee before, but I could be mistaken.

I was only on it for half of the session.

Um, but it it all makes sense, and we'll make sure it's on appropriate committees if it doesn't fit here in the future.

Thank you.

Um we have any other questions, comments.

I do not see any.

I will again try to take this by a voice vote.

Uh please let me know if any members have left the meeting.

And we are taking up item three.

Uh let's see.

That's my okay.

Um sorry, my wife decided to talk in the background while I was on mute.

That's okay.

Hello.

Um, let's take it up for a vote.

All in favor of approving chess 32.004 item three.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed abstentions.

Matt passes.

900.

Good evening, everyone.

Good evening.

Who's speaking?

Thank you.

That's Chris Belisel again.

I'm saying good night.

Well, thank you for joining us.

I appreciated you being here.

Thank you.

Chris, I don't have my cell phone on me.

I can't get any any text messages that left it upstairs.

Oh, you missed 70 from me when I was trying to get into this meeting.

Realize now.

Thank you again.

Apologies.

Do we uh I just want to make sure, do we know who's presenting item four 32.005 before we move on?

Is you you were gonna be doing it?

Yes, great.

Okay, I am uh do I have a motion to approve chess 32.005.

So moved.

Okay.

We have a motion and a second.

I'm opening up for discussion.

We are going to have Catherine present for the resolution authorizing a project labor agreement PLA for the Roxbury School Construction Project.

Sure.

Absolutely.

So before this evening is a resolution for project labor agreement for the Roxbury School Construction Project.

That is a approximately $130 million total project budget authorized by the state for 60% reimbursement.

That's Stanford's new going reimbursement rate.

Well, although some projects, including West Hill actually received 80%, but our standard is approximately 60 now.

With the new construction that the city is undertaking at Roxbury, there's an opportunity for workforce engagement facilitated by RCM.

Project labor agreement is the metric for you all to signal that you want to take advantage of this opportunity to make to make this investment.

We uh this is a tool that is used by municipalities across the state of Connecticut, uh including peer communities such as um Norwich High School.

Um interestingly enough, they used a PLA agreement for their um most recent project.

Um their high school uh that they've just built in Norwalk, or that they're they're it's under construction, it's under a thing right now.

Um it is also one that um oh uh ONG is familiar with.

They are our construction managers uh at risk.

Um again, a uh well, a construction manager at risk is a um a project delivery method.

Uh we bring on a construction manager early in the design project to assist us with estimating constructibility reviews.

Um, and with your authorization this evening, we would be able to go out um and uh generate interest um for skilled workforce uh to strengthen the local construction workforce and apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs.

Um I think I I'll kind of leave it there at that and be happy to take uh any any questions.

Um I will call your attention to the the program is specifically targeting a hundred program participants uh with Stanford residency with a priorization on disadvantaged youth uh making good faith efforts to achieve hiring goals of uh 60% minorities, 40% women, and 10% veterans in that 100 program participants.

Um I I also do just want to say um, you know, this is an opportunity that in the construction field or in fields like mine, architecture, design, and construction management.

Um it's very important for people to see um see it and to see themselves uh doing it, uh, to see that that door uh cracked open to them.

Um there are a lot of women in construction.

Actually, it was Limiting Construction Week last week.

Um so uh they're in all parts of the trades.

They're not just in a desk or behind an office, they're out on site.

Um we had masons at Northeast, uh the masonry masons, we have electricians, uh we have you know a variety of opportunities um make a real um living wage and and even more than that, a real career out of what you want to do in construction.

Um I think it's a wonderful pathway and as personal note.

I'm really looking forward to um being able to you know engage our even just our student population, but this is this is one step further than that.

So all right, I got personal, sorry.

No, it's that's that that is, but that's you know, that's what that's that's what this is speaking to.

Yes.

Um I have a question, unless anybody else has one first.

Um I also don't mind going out to you, chair.

That's that's fine.

Um can you also share with us how the process is for the community or how will the community uh be engaged through the PSA process?

Yeah, sure.

Yes, thank you.

Yeah, yeah.

So um through the PLA workshop, um there are things like career fairs, um, and again, apprenticeship programs.

So there are also established like apprenticeship formal uh apprenticeship trade labor um opportunities that are set up, but it's also those things like the career fairs and bringing uh there is engagement written in here with Stanford High School, West Hill High School, ATE and JM Wright, other technical and kind including UConn uh to make sure that RCM is actually doing public outreach.

So they'll set notifications, they'll do more than just you know um then just the career fair.

So they're it they're trying to send out notifications and work into the fabric of what's happening in the Stanford community.

That that's the that's the goal here.

Yeah I hope that helps it it does I just wanted to highlight that part of that being the mean and potatoes of it.

It's an exciting thing that we can do with a resource like a construction manager.

A lot of our bids are structured as general contractor bids um that means we don't have the construction manager partnership up front it doesn't always make sense to use one model all the time just to clarify but but um in this case we're really leveraging we're leveraging an asset that we have that we have already invested it so we're leveraging it to get a little bit more thank you.

Uh representative yes thank you madam chair uh the question I had is I think more so with respect to process so in reading through the the resolution and the cover letter that Director Kinonis included um the resolution authorizes it seems the entering into uh a project labor agreement does the agreement itself come back before this committee for approval or is it sounds like the answer is no it does not so the the agreement is between the construction manager and the the subcontractors effectively so when we go out for some of this lies in the description of a delivery method um so each trade package is individually bid so when I talk about electricians or when I talk about demolition or when I talk about HVAC those are all individual trade packages so the um the construction manager needs to take this directive and structure it into their bidding so I see with process I see okay that that is helpful thank you not you yeah representative Bruce thank you manager um just to be like abundantly clear so is this essentially saying that you know the labor that we use on this project has to be through the Bearfield County Building and Construction Trades Council.

I believe it is right so it does have correct union labors okay it has to be right and correct just to make that abundant I agree and uh that's uh very important um and I'm just wondering I think since we have you know this you know great uh resolution before us I'm wondering is there going to be one for the West Hill project?

There is not West Hill already went out to bid uh we had a very positive bid day with bids trending on estimate estimated and trending actually below estimate so um we if we you have to do this you have to set this up before you go out to bid right and if your follow up question to that is like why not Catherine I think there West Ligh school there are a lot of other um opportunities we can take advantage of but there's there's also a lot of other challenges that we frankly faced during that project so um you know we had a we had budgetary I don't know if you're how familiar length with the project but there were times that we had some budgetary issues we ended up reconciling that with uh with the state legislature we ended up coming back and um we know the timing didn't work out I guess that's probably the fairest way to say that I mean I guess I'm kind of speaking from my opinion of the project but the timing wise it wasn't something that we had we were able to take an opportunity of this right okay also I'm yeah yeah I think I'm just leaving with that yeah okay thank you and I'm kind of just speaking for me but that was my representative wallston you have the floor I'm coming I'm coming here I go again hello hi I was wondering um I know it's a disadvantaged youth who um the third party contractor would be hiring um what about like those um students at uh right tech wouldn't this be like an excellent opportunity for them to kind of you know get to learn a little bit on the job training you know like I I don't know um how they're yeah no one week I think it's education and next week is shop or something like that was that ever considered those students isn't right check written into the uh I believe it's on set um section four I don't know it's a disadvantage and minorities uh well uh I want to go down to therefore be resolved and includes jail right second

You know, like I I don't know um how they're yeah, no, one week, I think it's education and next week is shop or something like that.

Was that ever considered those students?

Is it right check written into the uh I believe it's on section four?

I don't know.

It said disadvantage and minorities.

Uh well uh I want to go down to therefore be resolved and includes Jay Wright second floor high school.

Is that right?

Is that the same?

Uh it looks like it on mine.

Yeah, so a second page, it is included in there.

Okay.

Um so down in the uh now in in the resolutions, it includes um development of local apprenticeship pipelines in partnership with JM Wright Technical High School.

So the technical high school.

So it's it is included.

Okay.

Um I'm I'm I'm I'm just going to be a little bit plain.

I've seen uh when you say minorities, who are the minorities.

That would be black, Hispanic, Asian, as designated.

I don't know.

I would uh we would probably look up the definition.

I would have to look up by because there's a long list.

Yeah, I can probably keep going.

I apologize.

Indian Native American, I could probably keep going.

Um, but yeah, I think it would be by the federal regulations of the definition.

I know the reason I asked that is because usually if a quota is met when it says minorities.

Normally I'm just going to say, I'm just saying, I'm just going to be a little bit plain.

Uh it normally doesn't include like people who look like me.

We're watered out, but you have other minorities who you know, then you met your quota because you have people who aren't who look like me, but you have other minorities.

So I'm just really concerned about that.

And uh that that's it.

That's it for me.

I'm sorry.

Thank you.

I appreciate you bringing bringing that at to our attention.

It's uh little, it's um yeah, it's always great, Representative Walson, to highlight the importance of making sure underrepresented people are represented.

Oh, we're very much underrepresented here in Stanford because I see the construction sites who are working at the construction sites here in Stanford, and it's not many people look like me.

And I'm yield, thank you.

Grateful that you noted that.

Um we could also follow up and look to see what the city uh descriptions are.

Yeah, we could be happy to provide that.

Think um representative Wilson, did I hear you say that you yield the floor?

I just want to make sure before I move on.

Okay.

Yes, ma'am.

Yes, ma'am, I yield.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Uh Representative Weathers, I see your hand raised.

Do you have the floor?

Yes, hello, good evening.

Can you hear me?

Yes, we can.

Um, I just wanted to say that I agree with um Representative Wilson and I have the same sentiments.

Noted and agreed.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Okay, so we'll we'll look that up as well.

Do we have any other hands raised?

Okay.

Uh we will be moving on to a vote.

So um, let's see, sorry, lost my space for item four, chess 32.005 resolution authorizing the project labor agreement PLA for Roxbury School Construction Project.

We'll try again via voice vote.

Uh all in favor, say aye.

Oh, no wait, I heard uh at the same time I said opposed.

Do we have any opposed?

Okay, no, and abstentions.

Representative Walton abstains.

Okay.

Noted.

All right, that passes eight zero one.

Noted while sin for the abstention.

All right, thank you.

Thank you for coming and joining us and presenting all three items.

Yes, you know, that's great.

Um, as a committee, you all asked wonderful questions and I appreciate your diligence of this.

Um I get to go to a lot of different committees, so I feel like I'm an expert on that.

Thank you.

I I mean it.

This was great.

I'll say they've got I had the contract so that's the way.

Well, thank you for your presentation.

All that you do.

You're welcome.

I think I have my phone to that.

I'm sure another well, my husband's next signature.

Um, I will move on to our final item, item five, chess 32.007.

It's a review item and it's a state legislation, Connecticut House Bill 5283 regarding municipal authority to prohibit the state the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet shops.

And uh, do I have a motion to take on this item?

So moved in a second.

We're not, but we have to bring it for discussion, is what I was told.

So I'm taking it on.

Sorry.

But we're not voting.

We got the motion.

Take up an item level.

So I'll just move on and take it on.

All right.

Well, then I am taking on the slide.

And I submitted the item.

So the purpose of the submission is part of state and commerce, but I just I really think it's important for all branches of government to work together and know what's going on.

And this bill has been a very important item for I could easily say everybody on this board.

And while we're going through the process, it's I think important for our state reps to come and share with us what they're working on.

And we have a wonderful invited guest, Representative I should.

Would you like to share what you're working on, what the steps are, the process uh for this bill voting forward?

Yeah, great.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you so much for inviting me tonight.

Um, can everybody on the call hear me?

Okay, great.

Alice Collins, Maine.

I'm the state rep for the 146th district, which is downtown Stanford.

It's comprised of Chapan, the South End, and um and Harbor Point.

And I'm one of the lead co-sponsors on this bill regarding pet shops and the sale of pet shops.

In fact, um working together with our chair, both of us ended up at the library getting interviewed by Channel 12 to talk about the impact of this bill, um, particularly as it pertains to Stanford.

I want to call out my con my colleague Jonathan Jacobson, who's also a state representative and has been a real advocate for this bill.

Um, it's bill 5283.

You can follow the progress on CGA.ct.gov at any time, or you can also always reach out to me.

Can I say that one more time?

Five.

Uh C G A C G A.ct dot gov.

Thank you.

It's got everything.

What was the number?

Sure.

Sorry, it's it's it's bill number 5283.

5283, thank you.

Yeah, I also want to say before I dive in, it was great to hear um, is it Catherine talking about the Roxbury project and the West Hill project?

You know, me and the delegation in Stanford, along with our mayor secured over 350 million dollars for those projects.

Very excited to share that.

There's also a branch of our executive government that is called the community investment fund.

And just as an update, they meet to provide funding for uh underserved um economic projects or underserved communities.

And Senator Pat Miller sits on that board.

It's run by Speaker Matt, and last week they made a recommendation to move forward with the six million dollar project for St.

John's Towers, $7 million for the Child Learning Center, and it's another smaller grant for the liberation programs.

So we are making progress.

Again, we work so closely with our mayor, as I know you do as well.

Um, so just some quick updates.

Um, right now we're in the short session, which is um a complete misnomer.

It's there's nothing short about it.

It's the intense session.

So we we just got through what's called JF, which is joint favorable.

So there's 30 committees giving you a high-level view.

Um today I had both higher ed and commerce at the same time, and we were approving as a group bills that we want to um JF, joint favorable or JFS joint favorable substitute language, um, that then get put into the funnel for things that can hit the floor.

And the reason I'm bringing up this like Schoolhouse Rock is because so many of the bills that each of the 30 committees pass actually never end up being um taken up by um the legislature in the House in the Senate.

It's got to go through each.

So I want to set expectations.

And when you look at where we are with the particular bill, first of all, there's no bill that can make it out of committee that doesn't have a public hearing.

We did have a public hearing.

Most of the conversation was favorable.

This law does not is not a state mandate, as you know.

Stanford's been very involved in this.

The mayor had to veto the board because she needed the state to pass legislation so that then the city wouldn't be subject to potential legal um challenges, which was fine.

And that's what we're supporting it.

And it gives the power to the municipalities, right?

So we have a handful of pet jobs here, then the it would be in the hands of the board.

Um so right now it's been through public hearing.

Um and it was filed with the legislator, um, the legislative commissioner's office.

And as of this afternoon, it was referred to the Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis at five o'clock.

So that is a lot of like, what is she talking about?

Um so basically now it means that it's being taken very seriously.

It means that they are looking at the legal language, um, they're looking at the legalities, they're looking at the impact fiscally as well as legislatively.

So those are all positive signs.

We've passed so many bills out of committee that that's all it says.

There, you know, so here we have the a bill that looks like it is really um in motion.

Um, and so um, so that's kind of where it sits.

Um, JF deadlines are this week for most committees.

We have a little bit of a lull, and then April until May 6th, we'll be in the chamber most days until midnight or so voting on uh the bills that come to the floor.

Um, I'll pause there and see if anybody has oh, some questions.

Yes.

Um I I think I saw Representative Wilson's hand up.

I don't know if it was from before, and then I see representative Camporelli.

Representative Walson.

No, my hand is not up.

I can't get it down.

Okay.

You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I first want to thank you for bringing this item to your committee.

I really appreciate that.

And then I want to thank the state representative for taking this on.

Um and just ask what chance do you think this has of getting passed.

Thank you so much for your question.

That is the million dollar question.

Um, and um I am unable to answer that question simply because of all the priorities that we're facing in a short session.

Um, the bills that are being passed out of committee that are related to affordability.

Um this particular bill has a better chance than others because there's no fiscal note attached to it.

And by that I mean we are a two-year budget state government.

So we passed the budget last year.

So this year we are not allowed to pass bills that have a fiscal note because the budget's been set for two years.

This one does not have a fiscal note, right?

It's simply a matter of very straightforwardly giving the um power to municipalities to make their own decisions.

So I think I think that holds well for the bill.

I will be um honestly, Karen, we are doing vaccines, we are doing homeschooling, we are doing um some pretty big um uh in higher ed, for example, there's been federal cuts to research.

There's been federal cuts to loan programs for graduate school.

Um, the federal government has decided that nurses, fiscal therapists, social workers are not professionals, and so they no longer qualify for those loans, loans, not grants, loans.

So, like that's a big bill that we want to see um some action on just because everybody works on three committees, but I'm the last person to go tonight, so I'll make it short.

Um we're we're working really hard to get this to be a priority bill.

Um, you have the mayor's support.

Uh, she submitted testimony on behalf of it.

We work very closely with our mayor.

Um I happen to work really well with her, and of course, she was a state representative.

She made she enjoys really strong relationships up at the legislature.

Um, but there's no there's no way to answer that question except to say that it's in the right pipeline.

And so far it's it's um it's making its way to well, I know you're working really hard to get it passed, and I just want you to know that we're all counting on you.

No pressure.

Thank you.

Thanks for all the all that you do.

Thank you.

I yield.

Thank you, uh representative Camp Forelli.

And uh to follow that.

Um, would you also like to add on just a little bit on there?

The high hopes.

I know you can never say what's happening, but I know after the interview, uh, maybe some of the stats of how many people, like the astronomical amount of people who came out and support and public hearing and the pressure, and I know you mentioned it before a little bit, but there are some things that are very encouraging because many times you were saying that it gets dropped and pushed off, and the fact that it's making it down the pipeline is a good sign.

Yeah.

Um, I will tell you one thing that I've learned in my first term, is that public hearings really matter.

And madam chair, you're to be commended for making sure that anybody who wanted to submit testimony from our board of reps got very simple to use instructions via text.

A lot of people don't really understand just how important public hearings are.

Um, for example, on the topic of vaccines, whether you're for or against them, over 2,000 people submitted testimony, over 550 people testified.

Everybody gets their three minutes.

So that committee, I happen to watch till the end, was you know, well past midnight.

Um, so it does matter, it does make a difference.

I've seen public testimony, um modify bills to make them better, uh, kill bills because people don't want them, or refer them to other committees.

And in this case, this bill has had all the right markers in terms of not just the amount of public testimony, but like I said, the lack of a fiscal note, and that there's there's really um strong support for it.

Is that into your question?

Absolutely.

Thank you.

Uh Representative Goldberg, you have the floor.

Thank you.

Um, I'm just curious, are there any representatives locally, uh, either in Stanford or Greenwich, Darien, can you cane and you know the the local folks are is there anyone uh that represents the towns around Fairfield that are against this actively that we should be reaching out to um so nice to see you, Emil.

Thank you.

No, um there's so the way it works is if you look on the website, you'll see who are some of the co-sponsors are.

So Savage Constantine from Wilton, Jonathan Jacobson and myself from Stanford.

Um if you're actively against a bill, you wouldn't necessarily be identified in any public way unless you were also doing your own social media or or the like.

So I think um because again, this is a bill that gives power to municipalities.

Um that it's it's not particularly um high level in terms of a big giant public dialogue about it.

But but I can't be any more specific than that.

I hope that helps.

Well, I guess what I'm trying to get at is what would be the arguments against this.

I mean, I certainly understand that it doesn't, you know, there are things that take priority over it because they are just more important.

I mean, vaccine policy is obviously you know, I know that some people will find this difficult for me to cut to say this.

My brother amongst them as an animal lover, but you know public health vaccine policy does seem like it might be a more important item.

Um so if we put prioritization to the side, what would be the argument against adopting this?

What are the arguments you're hearing for not doing it?

Yeah, it's a great question.

Um most of the time, in my personal opinion, it's when people change the topic away from the bill itself, which is to give municipalities the power to make their own decision versus actually being about animals and the condition of pet shops and things like that.

This bill is not about that.

So we did get testimony from people who wanted to testify on behalf of pet show owners that they do take care of the pets.

And then there was a dialogue about you know, through others that said no, they don't.

And um, that testimony is fine and it's legitimate and people have their opinions.

I happen to be a dog and a cat lover.

I've got two over my lifetime, I've had two adopted um, you know, cats from kill shelters, and I've had two black labs from breeders, right?

So, but it when Amelia when when people start to change the dialogue away from what the bill specifically does, which is why I think this bill has a good shot at passing, because it did come up for it did come up last year and it didn't, it died.

It died in the um it died because of prioritization, not because it's bad public policy, right?

Exactly.

This version, this has been even further refined to give the power to municipalities, which is a pretty um acceptable um threshold of saying okay.

And in that situation, especially when we're trying to be um good with time, sometimes bills will get grouped together into similar topics, and there might be four or five bills within a bill.

Let's say it's on affordability, let's say it's on municipal control.

And then those conversations might go much more quickly.

So there's a lot of um of um work that happens at Matt Ritter, Speaker Manager's level.

Um the deputy minority chair, Vincent Candelora, um, our majority chair um Jason Rojas, and they they work in the in the back room, essentially negotiating what's going to actually happen along with the chairs of the committees.

So um, I wish I could be more specific, but um, you've been really helpful.

And that's what I was afraid you were going to say is it's just we have a five finite amount of time.

I I just I'm struggling to think of why anyone would think this is bad public policy.

Uh uh, so I get that you've got a finite amount of time and there are things you got to get done, and you run out of time.

I just wanted to make sure there wasn't something we're missing that isn't obvious.

Like why would this be bad public policy?

I just can't fathom it.

It's a great question, and I can certainly follow up on that with the committee chair as we get closer, you know, working with my colleagues.

Um, you know, um, it's coming out of um, I believe it's coming out of judiciary, and and um we've got some some strong advocates from Stanford.

Um Matt Glimonthal used to run that committee, now he runs GAE, but anyway, point being is that we do have people on the judiciary committee.

So committee chairs are also very powerful in terms of actually what comes out of comes out to the floor.

So stay tuned.

We have to be done by yeah, just keep us in the loop so that when somebody brings up an argument that we need to be aware of and jump on, we can do that.

Thank you so much for your leadership on this and for spending a little time with us this evening.

I know we want to talk about cats and dogs.

I hope the chairman will have you back to talk about other things that are going on and in the legislature and give us just an update with your colleagues because uh that's one of the things I really missed when I moved off of the state and commerce committee last time was hearing what's going on in Hartford.

So thank you once again.

I yield.

I appreciate that comment, and I'm more than happy to.

Uh, one correction is actually coming out of the planning and development committee.

Yes.

Um, so sorry for that um mistake.

Um, we're we're gonna be doing a mid-session legislative update, most likely at the Ferguson.

Um, but we're happy as a delegation, we all work together um to address your committee in any way that you see fit at any time.

And I love to have coffee.

I have coffee like it's my job.

So I think it is my job.

So um, so yeah.

No, that's wonderful.

Um, I don't see any other hands up, but I would also like to follow you have one.

I was just gonna add on to that conversation.

Uh you you can uh find on the CJA website all the testimony I was submitted for and against uh the bill, and that there do seem to be a good number of anonymous submissions opposing the bill, so perhaps worth looking through briefly, but I'm just pointing that out for um my fellow uh committee members.

So I'm sorry, uh you broke up just a moment there.

Could you say that again?

There's some anonymous what's I was just saying that you can you can look at all of the written testimony submitted on the CJA website for and against a certain bill, and there do seem to be a lot of anonymous submissions opposing this particular bill.

Um proposing could be worth looking through if you're interested in some of the arguments.

So great, thanks.

Uh yeah, I I like to speak at the end just to give everybody the opportunity.

But one last thing to wrap it up.

I appreciate that you everything that you're doing, and that you've updated it.

I'm more than happy to share things in our committee via email and invite you back on if there's something substantial.

But anybody in the public that's listening, things for us to guide our constituents that are very, very passionate about this, and it's a high priority for many people.

What are some things that we can do now?

Yeah, the doing is kind of done.

Um reaching out to anyone.

You know, you you yes, of course you can.

Um, and you should all know who your state rep is and who your state senator is, um, and let them know why this is a priority for you.

Um, encourage your constituents to do that as well.

Um the the points of influence, the most important one is is the public hearing.

Um and then um, for example, with the chair, Alani Cavros de Grasse, she's the chair of the planning um and development committee.

Um if you look on the site, you'll see all the committee members.

I don't know them by heart, but there's probably 15, 20 people.

Anyone that's on that committee, if you want to um express your, you know, your strong advocacy for this bill, of course.

This is why I had 540 unopened emails yesterday.

So yeah, but can you that that's we're representative government?

There's 151 state reps.

That's for a reason, right?

So we can serve, I have the fastest growing district in the state, but I still just have district, you know.

So I think that advocacy um and speaking up is really important as part of our civic duty.

You guys already do that.

You already serve your city until 8 30 at night and later, allegedly before you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I just wanted that again for anybody who's listening.

Uh I know a lot of people feel like our job's done and we keep doing it, but uh reaching out to your state representatives and the chair of planning and development committee and keeping that passion going, it it does have an impact.

So and also our mayor and the mayor's team, you know, Laura Meyer's our legislative liaison, and so she keeps all of us informed.

We meet regularly with her, make sure that we're touching base on municipal issues that we should be representing um in the legislature.

And we have a very good, just like you and I do, a very good back and forth in terms of batantas.

Um, you know, I work great with my board of rep members when something is about municipal issues or state and vice versa.

So we should just we should continue to do that um because it makes a difference.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Thank you for all you do.

Oh, the love best in this committee is the best.

Okay.

Um, since we're not taking any vote on this, I will entertain a meet uh to adjourn.

But second.

And a second.

All right.

Well, thank you, everyone.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks very much.

I mean to be continued.