Board of Aldermen Page 20
June 14, 2016
R-16-037
Endorsers: Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire
Alderman June M. Caron
Alderman Ken Siegel
Alderwoman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman Tom Lopez
Alderman-at-Large Brian S. McCarthy
AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF UP TO $1,146,336 FROM THE SCHOOL CAPITAL
RESERVE FUND INTO CAPITAL PROJECT ACTIVITY “SCHOOL HVAC IMPROVEMENTS”
FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPROVING HVAC SYSTEMS AT VARIOUS SCHOOLS
Given its second reading;
MOTION BY ALDERMAN DOWD FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF R-16-037
ON THE QUESTION
Alderman Dowd
There are several schools that have been complaining about the air quality in the schools and this is
going to do a significant amount of work at Mt. Pleasant, Fairgrounds and one other school. This will be
to improve the quality of the air, the temperature of the air of the schools so that the students can
continue to learn better. It’s not the final solution which would require a project.
Alderman Moriarty
The school HVAC improvements, we have been doing a lot of them over the past years on the average
of $6 million and $9 million per year. It’s a lot of good work has been made and this school capital
reserve fund, in my belief, should be devoted towards not maintenance but | had the impression it was
for special capital improvements and so | am going to be voting no on this.
Alderman Siegel
| am somewhat astonished, there’s a problem in this school where students and teachers are literally
having trouble breathing and functioning so | think under those circumstances one has to be a little bit
circumspect about how one defines how funds are used. Presumably they are used to better the health,
safety and welfare and education of our students and given that they are having trouble breathing and
functioning, | would suggest that this would be one of the highest profile things we can do.
Alderman Moriarty
| will just repeat that we are spending between $6 million and $9 million per year for HVAC
improvements. We are not punishing the children by voting no on this.
Alderman Siegel
If a majority of this Board agree with that statement, that we are not punishing the children then in fact we
will be punishing the children and the staff. Again, | would urge passage of this.
Alderman Dowd
This school is not slated for one of these HVAC projects that he’s talking about that does an extensive
renovation of the school and this school is going to take a unique renovation to do the final correction.
These are interim steps so the kids can go to school and be able to breathe when it’s really hot.
