Public Participation

Transcript (~6 min @ 0:30)

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▶ 0:01 Peter D. Mortimer: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It's May 15th at 7.33 in the evening. This is the Committee of Appropriations. It is a committee of the whole. I am the chairman, Peter Mortimer. The vice chairman is Alderman Jacqueline Byrd. With us also we have Alderman Inferna, Alderman Tramontozzi, Alderman Medeiros, Alderman Boisselle. Alderman Wright has had severe surgery, so he's absent this evening with a very good excuse. Mary Beth, Alderman McAteer-Margolis, Alderman Lemmerman, Alderman Forbes, and President Kahn.

▶ 0:48 Peter D. Mortimer: The first order we have before us is order 2015-154. It is order-

▶ 0:55 Speaker 1: Motion to open for public participation.

▶ 0:57 Peter D. Mortimer: Yep. Second. Okay, and this is the general budget. This is the order that's before us tonight, along with various departments. So any comments would have to be limited to our agenda items this morning, this evening. We have a motion to open the floor for public participation by Alderman Inferna. It's already been duly seconded by Alderman McAteer-Margolis. Thank you, Alderman Boisselle. All in favor of opening the floor for public participation, please say aye. Aye. opposed hearing none we are open for public participation ladies would you please come forward state your name for the record and please write your name

▶ 1:43 Speaker 2: and address on that sheet before you good evening I'm Elizabeth Christopher I live at 81 Prospect Street in Melrose and I'm Lisa Lewis and I live at 18 Pine

▶ 1:53 Speaker 2: Street in Melrose and we're here thank you as board members of the Melrose Education Foundation and we're going to share a statement on order 2015 154 Department 152 specifically the portion dedicated to the city's innovation grants this statement has been signed by myself Lisa and five other board members

▶ 2:19 Speaker 2: of the ed foundation as board members we are pleased to offer our personal view on the importance of the innovation grants and the ongoing successful collaboration with the Melrose Education Foundation as you know the Melrose Education Foundation incorporated as a 501c3 nonprofit organization in June 2013 our mission is to empower educators to pursue their best ideas for inspiring students and improving classroom learning the foundation raises private funds to provide grants to educators and sponsor forums on topics in education including a lecture just last week by dr. Michael J Thompson with which was co-sponsored by the middle school and high school PTO s to carry out our mission we are grateful for the many donations from Melrose families organizations like the amazing grace golf tournament and local businesses and especially for the hundreds of hours of volunteer time from our board and committee members this year was even more successful than last with over $23,000 in grants supported by privately raised dollars as in previous years this fall the foundation was proud to administer the city's innovation grants program at the same time as the foundation's own fall grant cycle by partnering with the city of Melrose we were able to offer one efficient and centralized grant making process open to all Melrose public school staff one online application one review process during the fall grant round this year the mayor was represented on the grants committee by Mike Lindstrom and the superintendent was represented by Brent Conway the middle school principal John Maynard the Winthrop school principal and Kim Talbot the foreign language department chair the process works well and runs smoothly interest in the grants was stronger than ever in both the city's $10,000 innovation grant allocation and the $17,000 provided by the foundation during that round it is important to note that although one process was offered easing the way for teachers to apply the funds awarded as innovation grants were approved by the mayor and dispersed directly from the city not the foundation in all the grants directly impact students at every school in the district from the early childhood center to the Melrose high school these grants support implementation of new ideas professional development expanded curriculum materials inquiry based learning and new technology pilot programs you can read summaries of the grants and see videos of the funds in action on our website which is Melrose ed foundation org why vote to continue this program first it will demonstrate the city's commitment to a vital cadre in the city's workforce our public school educators and to their ideas and ongoing developments and second and perhaps most important it recognizes the city's interest in partnering with nonprofit organizations to effectively and efficiently leverage and extend public funds for the public good on that front we were pleased to report that just last month the foundation announced an additional fifty two hundred dollars in mini grants to Melrose educators all from privately raised funds as parents and residents devoted to high quality public education we believe that this vote sends a message that the best investment we can make together is directly to our classrooms for the benefit of all students in all our schools for that we thank you for your support and your

▶ 5:51 Peter D. Mortimer: leadership thank you is there anyone else in the gallery wishing to come forward for public participation seeing none motion to close public participation alderman Forbes has made a motion to close public participation thank you Thank you, ladies, and that motion was seconded by Alderman Boycelle. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed, hearing none, public participation is now closed. The first department we will consider tonight is planning.