The meeting is set to start at 7 pm. I am here and will covering it.

7:05 and people are still trickling in. The Norwalk-outers are here, as is Carvin Hilliard, Joanne Romano, Doug Hempstead, Rick McQuaid, Nick Kydes. BOE members Tom Vetter, Bruce Kimmel, Roz McCarthy, Tom Vetter, Rob Polley ar here as well. It looks like more people are here than at the previous Council Meeting, but not necessarily from the parents side of the equation. Phyllis Bolden arrived late.

Moccia sets the ground rules, enforcing the 3 minute limit. Public participation.

Ok Tom Vetter, David Park and John Lombardi ended up speaking and then yours truly … I will post what I said later. Laurel Lindstorm is speaking now. I should add that I missed saying that Kelly Straniti is here. Moccia announced that Mike Coffey was interviewing a trial witness and was running late, Hebert Grant was out of town and Fred Bondi is still recuperating.

UPDATE: I didn’t note down what the other speakers said because I was busy writing what I was going to say, so I apologize to the speakers, and if they have their notes to send me I will post them. That offer, btw is extended to any speaker who wishes for a more “official version” of what they said.

UPDATE:
David Park: Said that high taxes are driving people out of town. Hold the line on spending.

Lindstrom is still talking about the history of the budget and that the finance committee is setting a more realistic cap. Parks, and the other guy spoke in favor of the cap, Vetter spoke in favor of raising the cap.

Mary Pugh is up now: Supports the cap, “it is inexcusable that the school systems are failing…”

UPDATE: And Here it is, thanks Mary!
My name is Mary Pugh and I am a registered democrat who lives in South Norwalk.
I support your decision to cap the spending on the 2007 Norwalk Budget and I have several suggestions to find ways to find savings, not cuts.
I respectfully suggest we instigate some financial controls over BOE spending- consider re-hiring a financial director who can review spending and is responsible for controlling cost.
I suggest the BOE set up a results based accountability task force review the capped budget, roll up their sleeves and find savings. I find it difficult to believe that the BOE requires increase of $8MM to maintain the status quo.
Finally, I recommend that we do a survey of our educational stakeholders: the parents, parents who have taken their children out of the Norwalk school system, the administrators, the teachers, past teachers who have left, the students, and yes, the public, to see how they each feel we are doing in terms of providing the best education for our students.
Tax payers deserve to be able to educate their children in adequate schools- are the schools adequate? Apparently not in the eyes of many parents who have removed their children and in the eyes of the federal/state scoring system who gives Norwalk failing grades- year after year.
It is inexcusable that our students are scoring below the state level and below similar schools. The BOE has handed one person, Dr. Sal Corda- the control to over $140MM and he thinks it is not enough and wants closer to $150MM.
My question is simple. Who is watching and holding him accountable? The budget is an unwieldy complicated document laid out by school. In this day and time with computers why doesn’t he present an easy to understand total budget that drills into multiple cross sections so people can easily see how the money is planned to be spent drilled down to by student, by school, by teaching hours, by objectives, etc. With no financial director and an undifferentiated BOE that apparently provides little discussion, little to no questioning and preciously little analysis, the public has reason to be worried.
Telling us “Trust me” does not work when the budget increase is so large and past results so weak.
We must cap the budget and trust the BOE to find a way to do more with less. Let’s see some results before we pour money in.
The bottom line is this. We do NOT have to accept substandard management of our school system.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my concerns.

(I’ll try and get her text, she typed hers, …)
ha funny exchange next …

Moccia: That’s amazing 3 minutes on the dot

Pugh: That’s my Columbia Mba.

Joe ???: Letters about this very informative. Was a teacher, and says is concerned about spending the money. Money is nto the answer, opposed to increasing the budget because there comes a time that we need to put hold on it. I want to hold the line.

Corda: This room is as familiar as the one next door. A lot of opinions are expressed that individual who have not spent the time to investigate … I am in support of the raising the cap. (I am paraphrasing here because he takes too long)
1. When one talks about exercising financial controls, they finances are audited every year. At least in maintaining the requirements are. I am not saying that are approving the expenses, but that the accounting standards are followed. We talk about a finance director, we had one we eliminated it because we thought we could monitor the controls and save the city 100k a year. We have not exceeded our budget. In 5 out 6 budgets, we have come under the budget. We don’t spend money irrespective of whether we need it. The newspaper record of the student performance, if we examine it in the last 6 years, we have improved the performance in the last 6 years. Many other districts have also not met the standards too. We are making progress, the progress is documented. Across every group you will see improvement. The issue before us is this. Whether we can manage within the budget that is approved. The existing programs under the proposed increase of 3.8%, we can’t find that savings under postage or travel, we will have to cut programs. If the intent is to keep the tax rate at 3.8% we have proposed a solution to the BET. Using the contingency balance. I have another suggestion that will require an increase to the cap. The 11th hour proposal is this: There’s 4 million in the budget under the title of contingency. Half of that is to deal with contract settlements, which will leave $2 million there. The contingency is there to set aside for events that estimates are not accurate….[(I mangled this)] I suggest half of it 1 million, move it over to the BOE budget, it just reallocated the dollars. 2. look at the revenues, see if there’s any room for any modifications. Is the conveyance tax is lower that it needs to be. It still could b raised by 1/2 million and still be an estimate. 3. We also know that the State budget is coming in, use the low number of $200k, and use that. If part of the contingency is used and an increased revenues means an increase to the cap of $1.1 million, will not cause a significant impact to anyone’s tax bill. If there is a level of service that we think we ought to support this is what you should do.

Joe Begin: Corda’s budget has caused the entire city to blame and accuse each other for each other for our supposed financial crisis. It is time for the council and out citizens to see this as a well planned diversion to tkae away attention from how and where all our taxes are spent.

Jack Chairamonte: Cna’t find meeting minutes of conversations of where the budget was discussed. Corda does not have a finance degree, but he fired the finance director. He hired a purchasing agent who ran a deli. Presents the June 2006 financial audit,
timely balance not filed, trial balance was not completed …not adequate records, Lists schools that that have not filed accounting systems correctly.

Bob Wagman: Members of the CNNA have not endorsed this just yet. Our preliminary findings are viewed, DRG groups cites DRG groups only Stamford spent more per pupil. Looked at proficiency levels , cited the different rankings. Keeps returning to to the ranking by spending. 4 cities that spent less than Norwalk scored hired. We do much more poorly compared to cities with similar populations. This report is publicly available; it is difficult to justify raising the cap.

Daniel Stevenson: Father of 2 at Brookside. Increase the cap because I know you can’t wait with kids, you spend more time and money on recovering for that lost. Reach a compromise in the name of our kids. Let’s do that and get a finance director. At same time, risking that our education system could suffer, under threat of sanction of NCLB, take the finance committee recommendation.

Sharon Cadden: Overwhelmed by comments. Finance committee says raise the cap, many meetings what is coming back to you and it is a resolution to raise the cap. When those “experts” come back with a resolution, this is where we trim the fat, we need to listen to that. People aren’t paying attention to the experts who are reviewing things. (runs the Norwalk parents for Norwalk high school website)

????: Starts with budget review of Jan to March in 200? 6 Assistant principals haired without any discussion. That the budget that is submitted is not the one that is planned. I urge you not to approve any increase in the cap, force the BOE to address the real needs of the schools.

Bruce Kimmel: Set the record straight, I was not on BOE then on the finance committee … there was a long discussion over 9 that went on for several months. That was a hot and heavy debate between a lot of people. You shouldn’t get the impression that it was done in secret.

Moccia: That concludes the public participation.

Back From Recess:

Nolin: Charter requires 10 affirmative votes to amend the prior cap. The current resolution does not ask for that.

Miklave questions Nolin.

Nolin: You advise former Mayor Knopp, he wrote the resolution.

Miklave: Are you saying that this is illegal?

Nolin: Your resolution does not ask to amend the cap.

Miklave (testy) The 2 opinion letters that I have last week, is it the only letters that it has in its files concerning resolutions. [(there’s more here but I couldn’t follow it either]

Nolin: I don’t understand what you are asking, you are not speaking english.

Moccia: I know I don’t have anything in my files

Miklave: Did not asks for opinions
Nolin: I can’t give you an opinion
Miklave: ????
Nolin: Send a written a request
Miklave Did Coffey ask for an opinion
Nolin: No he asked for any letters in the files concerning the resolution
Miklave: Can I make the same request?
Nolin: No
Moccia: Can I have a motion?

Hilliard makes a motion to increase the cap.

Moccia: I think you need to read the resolution

Hillaiard: reads the resolution

[ it looks like there’s some legal wrangling going on over specific requests that are lagal in nature. Nolin and Miklave are in a pissing contest, and it looks like Nolin won. They just made Hilliard to read the resolution, but it doesn’t ask to raise the cap.]

Miklave: (To Moccia) Do you have a recommendation about this cap. [says that he is on the BET and BOE]

Hempstead: Point of order: Mayor is the chair of the meeting, this is the council ..[went on to explain how the meeting should and is to be conducted]

Moccia: We’ve been through this before where you’ve grilled the mayor before DO you vote to raise the taxes to raise this cap?

[Answer my question back and forth …]

Moccia ignores Miklaves question,

Miklave: [bloviates some more on gimmickry] events of last week are distasteful to me. The council had a resolution to raise the cap it was tabled; those are fair questions to ask. It is appropriate to ask these questions, the appropriateness of that resolution should have been debated and discussed…. [Damn he sounds like corda]

Miklave:It was obviously orchestrated. The tortured efforts to prevent debate, have to stop. We should not be afraid of informed debate. Last week there was a passionate debate in the finance committee. I would hope in the future, before we stop people from expressing their views.

Miklave: Now I do support increasing the cap. I believe we must do all we can to keep taxes low, its an important responsibility and i take it serious. I don’t think raising the cap will result in a tax increase. I believe we will have more revenue in tax conveyance and that the state will provide more number.

Miklave: I don’t agree with those who say by increasing this cap will raise taxes. This debate is about risks, the risk of paying for a cup of coffee versus the certainty of disrupting the programs and services.

Miklave: i do not agree with the simplistic approach to keep the taxes increases to the level of inflation.

Miklave: This council has not abided by that standard at any time over the past few years.

Miklave: It doesn’t reflect the increases that the city has experienced. Utilities and energy costs, ….. to adopt an arbitrary number ….
Miklave: we are not doing it as a council, we haven’t held the line to 3.8%. Last week we approved 2 labor contracts where the average labor contract of over 5% there. We approved the mayor’s salary higher than the rate if inflation.

[continues to list more budget approvals cites parking authority increase]

Miklave: PA increased expenditures by 11% were made, to make up cuts done in prior years.

Miklave: Not saying that any of those percentage increases are irresponsible decisions. They are not 3.8, they are not an arbitrary number.

Miklave: I believe the debate, passionate as it has been. There have been many positive suggestions to begin to work together (council boe, admin)

[Now lists those suggestions.]

Moccia: You say the council has stifled debate, you are here at a special meeting debating here. [Cites a teachers contract that Miklave voted against a teachers contract because it didn’t balance the needs of the city.]

Hilliard: Finance committee debate was spirited. I had a change of heart, I support raising the cap. I put the children first. when you talk about cutting programs that’s not what we want to do. I heard a lot of points about test scores not being where we want them increasing class sizes are not going to get us there. This would be a negative impact on the city. …. my point is looking at the overall negatives, I decided to fund them. last year the BOE gave 2 million back, is an act of good faith. I think we should recognize it on the city side.

[lost connection]

Krummel: 2 components. One to raise the cap and 2 to recommend to the BET. That decrease in the cap was handled by decreasing the allocation in the city and education. We are not talking about what was taken from the city departments, particularly the flooding and public power. I’d like to propose at some appropriate point, restore the money for flooding, waster program and the program for considering the feasibility study for public power. I would like to make the motion now, but I don’t know if that is the best thing to do at this point.

Moccia: Mr. Krummel you have a resolution for the amount, you have to raise the resolution to a higher number.

They take a recess.

During recess Miklave and Slapin confer in the aisle next to me. Then Stuart joins them and Miklave leaves.

Krummel: will not make a motion.

Bolden: mentioned at the last meeting, did not support an increase at the time. Was not happy with the achievement gap studies, high school counselors failing to deliver. i’ve heard form so many parents in the past week, regarding their concern to approve this increase. A lot of those reasons were really good. I have to say … I didn’t like Dr. Corda’s first presentation. He has to do a job, I believe he’s doing it to the best of his ability. I appreciate what has happened the last week. I would like to see better accountability, and all of students dong better, and at risk students doing better. I support the increase.

Briggs: I stand on Phyllis’ shoulders and her remarks, I think the school system is … I see no reason in the world to stop now when we are just on the cusp of achieving what we all want.

Poruban: $50 doesn’t cover the aspirin and antacid going over this … (laughter)

Moccia: It covers a cup of coffee

Poruban: I have seen an improvement in my children who attend the school system. I did an investigation, of personal in central office, 5 people are covered by grants. I don’t see the fat. I don’t see the 3.*% increase is the correct formula to use here. I went to a website about the CPI data, widely published averages don’t match individuals experience. I don’t think it is an applicable figure there. I took the time to look at it, don’t know if any one else did.

Miklave: In reference to Mr. Nolin’s concerns, if there are any words that would make the resolution.

goes into the dealings of the words, reads from the resolution … making an amendment

“To amended the council’s action of Feb. 27 2007, and to set the (with remaining text to be same)

They vote on amending the text of the resolution:

There is much confusion

3 abstentions McQuaid Straniti Kydes

Now they vote on the amended resolution

Hempstead: There should be a voice about the increase talks about process of asking questions. yes I’m the one who came up with the 3.8% in committee. It was based on Fairfield County cost of living increased. Under the charter, the BET goes line by line to over the budget. On the city side, there’s lots of debate, and lost of detail. Certainly it provides more detail. The BOE budget is more loosey goosey. When it cam back to this council, the BOE budget, it came back intact exactly as it left. Moving forward, we had a finance meeting, a public hearing. Which was lightly attended. That passed on a 4-2 vote to move to the council. Because it was a snow day. And no one on the third floor works on snow day. (audience groans) I agree with Mikalve, that we should have the debate. At this point, we are talking about …. [missed part] there is not … [missed part] the governor proposed 2 million out aof a democratic vote 200k out of the budget. This is after New Britain got 7 million than they got last year, part of our funding process is to wake up the state to return the money to Norwalk. We spend more money per pupil than Darien and Wilton. That’s where we have t=be be responsible. High taxes chase people out too. $5.8 million dollar increase is a lot of money, is a lot of coffee.

What are we doing to try and manage our costs. Every company looks to become more efficient. Have we engaged the teachers, and the other schools . What best practices are they using? That’s not our job, nor is it our job to say how to make a better education system. That responsibility falls on that elected body. THe silence from those BOE members, that silencing in deafening and telling, that they did not come out and defend the kids.

Kydes: Resents comments form other side that we are turning our backs on our students. We have always support students and BOE of Norwalk. The political pawns, or our children should not be used. While Miklave, Poruban, and Sutton, their position was that the teachers contracts were extremely high and the city could not afford the contracts. Now we hear the same voices saying increase teh taxes on the taxpayers of Norwalk.

Kydes: We are supporting the schools and the students. we are increasing the budget by 5.2 million. All the meeting that we had which were all public, maybe the issue is not to throw more money at it. What good practices can we learn from the other towns?

Straniti: Regrets decision to table the motion last week. The problem is not under funding its schools, but that with this percentage increase we are still better funded than our wealthier schools in Darien and Wilton. It was in the Hour today, it will be in Advocate tomorrow (laughter) I was elected to represent the residents of Norwalk and this includes our flooding problems etc … (reads form letter in the hour) …

McQuaid: I’ve been here 13 years, I have received emails accusing me of putting my kids in private schools. I work for the schools, my kids are in the schools, to send previous students to come back to the school to say why are you doing that. I am not turning my back on the schools. Reads from March 28 03 Citizen News article … Mayor Knopp says BOE using scare tactics … half day kindergarden, knopp said costs savings that don’t affect children are avaialble … That’s teh same argument today as we are ahving

Joanne Roman: The numbers that Doug was looking before was Meriden, 56k people, 52 million under ECS. Norwalk 8 got 8 this year, 8 next year. Are we asking the wrong people for some help, I think so. Kelly’s and Corda’s letters got it, you can see it on yourct.com [(thanks for the log there Joanne, and I’ll try to spell your name right Ok I’ll put the link here] Don’t tell me I don’t care about kids. I’m tired of every year we face the same issues. Sports programs help the kids. Special Ed programs they can’t cut any of those. I don’t agree with NCLB, but we have it and they can’t cut it.

Sutton: Speaking as a retired individual who is on fixed income, who has no kids in school and uses lots of medications. THen had made more money, used less drugs and had kids in schools. But will support the raising of the cap, because kids are the future.

Miklave: I deeply appreciate the comments of my colleagues of Hempstead and Straniti for this council to encourage debate. My comments about last week should be taken as a learning experience. We are deprived of having the wisdom of council members that were here last week, instead of this week. I hope that we don’t replicate that problem again. I also appreciate Hempstead’s comments about 3.8% are consistent. But not to the items under the 3.8% (under the cap) I don’t agree that we need an arbitrary standard, [lists a bunch of examples] and yes as I have, as i said at the beginning of the debate to engage the BOE with respect to teachers contracts and finance issues. Teachers contract vote was most vocal …I stand by that decision. [get confused about who is paying for what .. saying that contracts have to paid for, and that someone else is paying for … wtf]

Miklave: makes claim that Darien and Westport have better home environment and that’s why their test scores are better. [plays the race card here, classy there matt, Meriden and new Brittan, Danbury and Stamford are just like us … try again]

Poruban: [goes on about the cpi … doesn’t understand math ok, I am running low on battery power and the room is really hot … too much bloviating going on]

Hilliard: To compare the kids of Norwalk to the kids of New Canaan and westprot is a joke we all know that socioeconomics are different.

Straniti: To clarify Norwalk pays more per pupil than 8 of the 9 cities in our DRG, which is the same socioeconomic demographics.

Moccia: There have been emails that stepped over the line

The Nrowalk outers vote for it plus Phyllis and Hilliard

McQuaid, Kydes, Hempstead, Straniti, Romano vote against it

7-5 it fails because 10 votes 9 (a super majority) were needed.

Update: SInce this first posted I have tried to correct typos, misspellings and areas where I made comments instead of the speaker which are marked off by brackets []. Any errors are unintentional and if you see something please bring it to my attention.