Fine. Councilman Ramos, your light is on. Did you want to be recognized?
Yes. Those parents that have come out here this evening, you've shown how much you are concerned about the situation facing your little child. You need to continue to do other things, like go to this meeting and make sure that you're 457 4/19/05 - Bills 050004, 050005, 050006 - Budget heard, because I'm sure that I can say then on behalf of the members of City Council, you were concerned about this situation. We heard about it yesterday. It's my understanding that there was going to be someone else to replace it. It could very well be, though, that the younger children services will be discontinued. So we want to find out as soon as possible as well, and I'm quite sure that Tim and the rest of the folks here from the School District will get us an answer ASAP, please. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you very much. We appreciate your coming in to testify. At the moment, do we have any other witnesses to testify? (No response.)
We 458 4/19/05 - Bills 050004, 050005, 050006 - Budget are going to sit a while. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
I'd like to know -- you can't answer it today, but I would like to know how many Early Childhood Centers there are presently operating. I'd like to know the location. I'd like to know the number of students/children in those day cares, the early learning literacy centers that you're proposing to close. I'd like to know the population of the children from infancy to four.
Now, the after-school program, would they incorporate the lady who has the child, she doesn't get home until 6 o'clock? Would there be programs for her child to participate in if she can't find -- well, she needs a day care. She needs a day care from 7:00 in the morning until 6:00 at night.
Right. Again, I don't want to give inaccurate information, 459 4/19/05 - Bills 050004, 050005, 050006 - Budget so we'll give you the full breakdown. I believe there are 45 centers, and we'll give you the location and the population per center.
The other thing is, has there been any dialogue with the day care providers to see looking at the geography of where these centers are located, how they could be fed into those centers?
Yes. That I know there has been. Donna Piekarski, who was here earlier and she was asked some questions, I know that they've had dialogue with the day care center providers throughout the City in anticipation of this programmatic change.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller. Do you want Mr. Spreitzer?
Yes. 460 4/19/05 - Bills 050004, 050005, 050006 - Budget Mr. Spreitzer, I think what we need is clarity. For example, under early literacy, it says 67 new classrooms, which means additional children. However, what does 67 new classrooms mean? Where are they, whether they're going to be spread out across the City. And then in the briefing book that you gave us, it does identify where -- well, it says by numbers where they have day care centers, but we don't know where in terms of geographically across the City and which ones are going to be eliminated and which ones will ultimately be a part of this Bright Futures and then it talks about Head Start. So it doesn't really say specifically the where. I don't know how many we have in cross sections of the City, but that's important to people when they're working. I know that this Early Childhood Education program run by the School District has always been an excellent resource for parents for before- and after-school care, and we need to know more information about what's going to be available. 461 4/19/05 - Bills 050004, 050005, 050006 - Budget
And through the President's office, we will get the breakdown of the current 45 centers and then the proposed locations throughout the City.
Would they have the schools in the same geographic locations?
I believe there wouldn't be much variance to -- they would be disbursed throughout the City, you know, essentially the same. But, I mean, I think we'll get the future breakdown for you, the current and the future breakdown for the Council.
Great. Thank you. Do we have any other witnesses that would like to testify? (No response.) 462 4/19/05 - Bills 050004, 050005, 050006 - Budget
We're going to wait a while, because I think we had originally said public testimony would be from 5:30 to 7:30. So I think we'll wait, because it's still rather early, and we'll take people as they come in. Okay? Thank you. (Pause.)
This Committee will stand in recess until Thursday, April the 21st at 9:30 a.m. Thank you all very much for your patience. (Committee of the Whole public testimony adjourned at 7:00 p.m.) - - - 463 I N D E X Paul Vallas, CEO, School District........ 263 Ted Kirsch, PFT.......................... 352 Michael McGinley, Local 1201............. 370 Sharon Ward, PCCY........................ 377 Scott Yusem, Second-year literacy intern. 387 Vanette Capece, Second-year literacy intern.................................. 390 Pamela Halpern, First-year literacy intern.................................. 393 Vernard Johnson, concerned parent........ 395 Lewis Harris, Healthnastics.............. 416 Brenda Digiovannangelo, Comprehensive Day Cares............................... 420 Anur Dalwaite, Comprehensive Day Cares... 425 Lenore Shelly............................ 430 John Ross................................ 431 Johanna Lanum............................ 436 Amy Miller, First-year literacy intern... 439 Sherria Saunders......................... 441 Debra Nelson............................. 443 Latifa Simmons........................... 454 464 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on April 19, 2005, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)