NEW HAVEN, CT — The Board of Alders Education Committee took no vote Wednesday, Oct. 28, on a proposed $1.35 million transfer to create 39 school facilities positions, the New Haven Independent reported. Alders questioned how heavily the plan leans on management hires. Paul Whyte, the district's chief of school operations, presented it with Superintendent Madeline Negrón.
The Plan Adds 39 Facilities Positions
The proposal would add six property managers, each overseeing six or seven buildings, and place them inside school buildings for daily walkthroughs. It also calls for five full-time groundskeepers, 15 seasonal groundskeepers, two HVAC technicians, a controls technician focused on indoor temperature and air quality, and an additional plumber. Four administrative roles round out the list.
When the school year began, 17 of the 39 building manager jobs were unfilled, the New Haven Independent reported; the district is filling them through the union's bidding process. The restructuring followed the district’s split with outside contractor ABM by several weeks. ABM had managed school facilities.
To pay for the rest of this fiscal year, Mayor Justin Elicker's administration wants to move $1,348,710 out of a salary reserve, if the transfer is approved as proposed. That money was set aside for raises that union contracts might bring. The new jobs are estimated to cost $2,189,000 for a full year. Last fiscal year, the district paid ABM $1,997,816 under a contract covering 14 management positions, the Independent reported.
Alders Want Comparisons With Other Districts
Fair Haven Alder Sarah Miller asked whether the plan has the right balance of managers and frontline workers. Whyte said "building managers" is the district's title for custodians and that the trades can always use more people. Miller then asked whether leaders had studied how other districts organize school facilities. Negrón and Whyte said they had not done that work personally.
Miller said she was startled that no other district had been consulted and called the lack of comparative analysis very concerning. East Rock/Downtown Alder Christine Kim said she was hopeful but skeptical and urged leaders to look at what peer districts do. Downtown/Yale Alder Elias Theodore said he shared those concerns and suggested workshopping the plan with other districts over the next couple of weeks, with a possible amendment when it reaches the floor.
Negrón and Whyte said the plan was shaped with help from City Engineer Giovanni Zinn, Facility Asset Manager Jim Wankowicz and Elicker. Theodore asked whether NHPS employees with firsthand knowledge had been involved. Whyte said the group included himself, Negrón, Elicker and city staff.
New Haven Federation of Teachers Vice President Jenny Graves told the committee the model is too heavy on supervisors and that the problems will not be solved faster without more tradespeople.