approve minutes from 6/19/2020.
By: Norman Barnum Seconded by: Yvette Jones
There was no notable discussion on the motion.
Bricolage Academy
Finance Committee
Finance Committee Meeting - Wednesday September 23rd, 2020 @10:30 AM
Meeting Minutes
Attendance Summary
| Name | Status | Arrival Time | Departure Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merritt Lane | present Treasurer | On Time | At Adjournment |
| Yvette Jones | present chair | On Time | At Adjournment |
| Melissa Carollo | present member | 20 Minutes Late | At Adjournment |
| Harlan Bush | present member | On Time | At Adjournment |
| Norman Barnum | present member | On Time | At Adjournment |
| Carolyn Chandler | not present member |
Welcome and Call to Order, Merritt Lane
Public Comment Expectations, Merritt Lane
Requests for public comment will be made prior to every vote taken by the Committee Members. Members of the public are invited to sign up to speak for up to two minutes and are required to keep their comments limited and relevant to the agenda item the board is voting on.
Our meetings are open to the public and public record. As such, if your comment is about a private matter, please contact the Committee Chair, Merritt Lane at mlane@bricolagenola.org
Approval of Minutes, 6/19/2020
Review of Employer 401K Match and Employee Benefits, Troave' Profice/ Anne Chapman
Discussion:
- Troave' Profice, CEO, provided an overview of the comprehensive changes to this year's employee benefits plan.
- Meetings were recently held with staff members to facilitate discussion specific to the communication, rationale, and impact of each of the changes.
- Anne Chapman, CFO, provided an update of the current financial picture given updated information specific to revenue and expenses.
Reconsider the decision to change the 401K Employer Match from 6% to 4% for the Fiscal Year 2020-21.
There was no notable discussion on the motion.
Reaffirm the decision to change the Retirement Employer Match from 6% to 4% for the Fiscal Year 2020-21.
By: Yvette Jones Seconded by: Norman Barnum
- Public Comment (Shannon Rainey): Joined the Bricolage staff at the very beginning of the organization and now is only two (2) years away from retirement. Has already developed a retirement/savings plan based on the previous match. A decrease in match, plus a salary freeze, and no additional income from working with the after-school program has an immediate and size-able impact.
- Public Comment (Nikki Minor): Bricolage Academy is not an average school, and making decisions to align with the industry average contradicts who we are as a school. When decisions are made with the average in mind, they sacrifice the uniqueness of the individual. Current change to benefit plan lacks specificity as to when the changes will end or be revisited.
- Public Comment (Brittany Scofield): Staff members are placing themselves at extreme risk (especially those teaching co-curricular courses) by exposing themselves to ~100 students each day for prolonged periods of time making their work more dangerous than store clerks and some medical professionals. No hazard pay is given to educators and this is not an appropriate time to cut health benefits given the environment.
- Public Comment (Harry Alper): Provided details regarding the fiscal impact this has on an individual over time. Would like a mindset shift to occur - one that would place teacher compensation as a non-negotiable similar to how SPED services and student transportation are treated.
- Public Comment (Justin Smith): Agrees with the concerns of his colleagues. Is a career changer and previous career made investments into their staff to increase productivity and longevity. Encourages this field to do the same.
- Public Comment (Whitney Whetstone): Career changer who appreciates the benefits offered. Changing the benefits plan mid-stream makes it difficult for a career changer to catch up.
- Public Comment (Mariel Aken): Mother was a career educator. Aken spoke to the positive impacts on education when taught/serviced by career educators. New Orleans is often viewed as a transient city, but Bricolage is not like that. Bricolage should align benefits with a plan that encourages educators to establish themselves here.
The Meeting was Adjourned
The meeting adjourned at approximately 12:00 pm
Motion to adjourn
There was no notable discussion on the motion.
Adjourn Meeting
adjourn meeting.
By: Norman Barnum Seconded by: Harlan Bush
There was no notable discussion on the motion.
The Meeting was Adjourned
The meeting adjourned at approximately 11:08 am
Motion to adjourn
By: Norman Barnum Seconded by: Harlan Bush
There was no notable discussion on the motion.