Board of Aldermen 10-12-2021 Page 16
the Board, the past Board President Brian McCarthy could not vote for this because his wife like my wife,
Diane, worked as a Paraprofessional. My wife worked up at the Broad Street preschool for over 20 years.
She did not get a pension because the hours that she worked with did not count as a full-time job in the
preschool environment. Her duties there was to assist the teachers because these were special needs kids.
They needed a lot of attention. The teachers had to do work and sadly another issue that's out there is
sometimes teachers kind of sit down and just do the paperwork. So who fills the void and does the work? It's
the Paras. The work that my wife did even into potty training some of the kids that came up. So as they
moved on and perhaps maybe hopefully they went to Harvard or somewhere else, they can have their potty
training experience from my wife. That's her educational legacy. But the thing is to have qualified people to do
this at such a low rate of pay - | was very fortunate in my occupation to do the wife and it’s what we both
agreed to. Yeah she could have gone out — she’s college educated. She could have done something else but
my daughter was born with Cerebral Palsy so we understand the needs. Our daughter received a good
education because of the Paraprofessionals. So | can speak highly. I'm very happy to give my vote for this.
This is one that | think the first time so that | could do so and it gives me such pleasure to do it. Thank you
Madam President.
President Wilshire
Thank you for sharing your story Alderman O'Brien. Further discussion?
Alderman Cleaver
I’d just like to mention that we need to raise the pay over the next year or so. The next contract should do
much better for these people. They do an outstanding job.
President Wilshire
They do. Thank you. Anyone else? See no one, would the Clerk please call the roll.
A viva voce roll call was taken which resulted as follows:
Yea: Alderman O’Brien, Alderman Klee, Alderman Dowd, Alderman Caron,
Alderman Clemons, Alderman Lopez, Alderman Tencza,
Alderwoman Lu, Alderman Jette, Alderman Schmidt, Alderman Laws,
Alderman Cleaver, Alderwoman Harriott-Gathright, Alderman Wilshire 14
Nay: 0
MOTION CARRIED
Resolution R-21-173 declared duly adopted.
President Wilshire
Thank you to all the Paras. out there.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS — ORDINANCES - None
NEW BUSINESS — RESOLUTIONS
R-21-174
Endorsers: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
