The City of Wauwatosa’s Financial Affairs Committee rejected a proposal to use the pandemic aid budget to pay for a cellular COVID-19 testing site for the Wauwatosa School District.
At their Nov. 30 meeting, committee members unanimously rejected a proposal that would have used $17,078. 93 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to pay for a cellular trailer in the fisher Building’s east parking lot to be used as a control site.
The trailer would have included electric power and heating so it could run throughout the winter. The investment would have included an available ramp under the ADA, a recurring monthly fee, electric power, as well as the installation and dismantling of the trailer, according to a memo. of the Wauwatosa Department of Health.
Committee members who spoke about the proposal, as well as Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride, who attended the assembly via Zoom, said they opposed the assignment because it would only be presented to the district’s students, staff and families and not to all city citizens. .
Kofroth also said it doesn’t make sense for the city to spend its ARPA budget in such a way that the school district has its own board, ARPA budget and budget.
“Possibly I wouldn’t do it because I think it crosses all the dividing lines between us and the school district right now,” Kofroth said at the meeting.
According to the city’s website, Wauwatosa earned $24 million in ARPA’s budget. The city planned to hold a network assembly at 6 p. m. on December 2 at Wauwatosa West High School for citizens to comment on how the budget would be spent.
Finalization of what the city’s budget will look like is expected to take position at a Wauwatosa Joint Council workshop assembly on January 18.
The city’s online page noted that ARPA’s budget can only be used for public conditioning needs, such as COVID-19 mitigation efforts of investment, addressing negative economic impacts, replacing lost public sector revenue, offering a bonus to essential workers, and making an investment in water or sewer infrastructure.
Wauwatosa School District Communications Coordinator Sarah Frittitta said in an email that the district will continue to offer on-site COVID-19 testing for students and staff who get sick during the school day, in partnership with Summit Labs. the district’s school buildings.
“If a student or staff member becomes ill during the school day, a Summit representative will stop at its construction and administer a COVID-19 test,” Frittitta said in a follow-up email.
Frittitta also said the district’s number one purpose is the educational success, social-emotional fitness and physical well-being of students, and said that’s how the district intends to use its pandemic aid funds, namely the Emergency Relief Fund for Elementary and High Schools. III. (ESSER III), which is legal under ARPA.
“Please note that the district has used a portion of its ESSER I and ESSER II for PPE and other mitigation strategies. The school recovery and intellectual aptitude of our students is our greatest fear with any additional investment from the federal government,” Frittitta said.
In a Nov. 30 memo to the Financial Affairs Committee, Laura Stephens, director of the Wauwatosa Health Department, said the school district has opted for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ school-based COVID-19 testing program for teachers and students. , staff and families for the 2021-22 school year. The school district partnered with Summit Clinical Labs to conduct the tests.
The testing program is conducted through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the state’s DHS program “is designed to provide practical and reliable testing so that schools can operate safely and focus on delivering quality education. “
Stephens said in his note that while the district’s testing program offers optional on-demand testing for academics and staff, only those in poor health during the school day have them.
While Summit provides the tests for free, the school will have to provide a place for testing.
Stephens said the district has been searching for more than two months to identify a site for further verification, which has been difficult. These additional checks would come with students or those who have become symptomatic before the start of the school day or other people who want a negative check to return from quarantine. The district also hopes to conduct normal screening for students in high-risk activities, such as marching bands, choir and close contact sports.
Stephens also said in his note that the district and fitness branch were looking to have a testing site at a district school to prevent those with symptoms from spreading the virus.
The Committee’s proposal and advice are expected to be presented to the full Joint Council on 7 December.
Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec. johnson@jrn. com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.
Our subscribers make this report possible. Support local journalism by subscribing to the Sentinel Journal in jsonline. com/deal.