►
Description
In the very first episode of his quarterly series, Councilman Derek Green (At Large) talks school reform and public safety with Jerry Roseman of the PFT, and also hears from citizens as he addresses their concerns.
A
Hello,
I'm,
councilman,
at-large,
Derek
green
and
welcome
to
the
first
edition
of
public
comment.
I
want
to
have
this
brief
time
with
you,
the
citizens
of
our
beloved
City,
once
every
quarter
to
try
to
discuss
and
delve
into
some
of
the
latest
hot-button
issues
that
I'm
working
on
with
my
colleagues
and
city
council.
As
you
know,
one
of
the
biggest
ongoing
conversations
is
about
the
future
of
our
public
schools.
Now
that
the
school
reform
commission
has
decided
and
voted
to
dissolve
itself,
and
then
local
control
is
returning.
A
This
is
a
very
important
issue
for
the
entire
city
of
Philadelphia.
For
me,
as
a
parent
with
a
child
in
the
school
district
and
the
fact
that
my
mother
taught
in
a
school
district
for
over
31
years,
this
issue
of
the
future
of
public
education
is
one
that's
very
important
to
me,
but
in
addition
to
the
management
and
control
of
our
schools,
it's
also
important
to
talk
about.
What's
going
on
in
our
schools
from
a
physical
safety
perspective
in
a
few
moments,
we'll
sit
down
and
talk
with
mr.
A
A
Welcome
back
to
public
comment:
over
the
past
two
years
there
have
been
a
number
of
issues
at
our
city,
schools,
issues
dealing
with
mold
and
other
public
health
concerns
in
our
schools.
This
has
led
to
a
number
of
issues
and
concerns
that
members
of
City
Council
have
had
regarding
these
issues.
One
of
my
first
legislative
actions
was
to
introduce
a
resolution
regarding
the
public
safety
of
our
schools
and
the
physical
environment
of
our
schools.
A
This
resolution
is
based
on
the
unfortunate
situation
where
SEIU
member
Chris
track
Mis
lost
his
life
during
a
boiler
explosion
and
FS
Edmonds
elementary
school.
This
issue
and
other
issues
led
members
of
City
Council
to
join
with
the
Philadelphia
federation
of
teachers,
parents
Union,
SEIU
principals,
union
and
Philip
Hodge
to
form
the
Philadelphia
healthy
school
initiative
to
address
issues
regarding
the
physical
safety
and
the
physical
environment
of
our
schools.
With
me
here
today
is
mr.
Jerry
Roseman.
A
A
B
Working
in
the
early
1980s
for
the
Department
of
Health
in
New
Jersey
doing
regulatory
work,
I
stopped
doing
that
after
about
five
years
and
started
working
in
Philadelphia
and
the
teachers
union
hired
me
to
look
at
12
schools
in
which
major
asbestos
abatement
work
had
occurred
and
where
there
were
concerns
that
additional
and
an
independent
look
was
needed
and
I
started
working
in
1985.
Looking
at
asbestos
issues
and
that's
expanded
to
include
all
kinds
of
environmental
issues
today
now.
A
B
In
Philadelphia
this
is
pretty
unique.
The
teachers
union
has
funded
an
independent
kind
of
watchdog.
Looking
at
these
issues,
I
am
in
the
schools
on
a
regular
basis.
I've
done
a
thousand
plus
inspections
looking
at
mold
issues,
LED
pain
issues,
LED
in
water
and
in
safety
in
the
safety
arena,
where
sometimes
looking
at
fall
hazards
from
roofs
and
schools
and
other
kinds
of
major
safety
issues.
So
a
lot
of
inspections
now.
A
The
city
of
Philadelphia
is
very
old
or
seasoned
City,
as
some
would
say,
and
so
our
school
buildings
are
also
very
old.
So
what
type
of
challenges
and
concerns
to
that
race?
For
you,
as
someone
who's
working
with
the
Philip
er
federer's
teachers
as
an
employee
and
also
what
concerns
is
that
present
to
members
of
PFT?
Well,.
B
Older
buildings,
in
our
average
age
of
Philadelphia
public
schools,
is
about
70
years
means
that
you
have
lead
paint.
This
is
one
of
the
major
kinds
of
issues
from
a
health
standpoint.
It
also
means
that
you
often
have
limited
infrastructure
capability.
On
the
other
hand,
old
buildings
tend
to
be
beautiful
in
many
ways
and
easier
to
maintain
in
some
regards
than
the
newer
buildings
like
Munoz,
Marin
or
or
other
schools,
where
we've
seen
some
major
mold
issues
so
on
both
sides.
There
are
concerns
in
trying
to
figure
out
what
to
do
with
these
buildings.
Now.
A
I'm
somewhat
curious
because
when
you
say
sometimes
older
buildings
that
a
little
bit
easier
to
maintain,
that's
someone
could
you
know
what
you
would
think
an
older
building,
it's
hard
to
maintain
so
give
us
some
perspective
on
how
an
older
building
may
be
a
little
bit
easier
to
maintain
compared
to
newer
buildings.
Well,.
B
One
of
the
things
is
the
construction
done
in
the
20s
30s
and
40s
tends
to
be
better
than
some
of
the
constructions
we've
seen
more
recently.
The
second
is
that
this,
the
systems
in
these
buildings
tend
to
be
simpler
and
simpler
systems
can
be
easier
to
maintain
and
can
work
quite
effectively.
As
you
put
in
more
complex
computerized
ventilation
systems,
you,
you
need
more
money,
more
training,
more
resources,
and
they
can
be
harder
to
maintain
unless
they
are
watched
very
closely
and.
A
Although
our
bills
are
very
old
and
it
probably
built
in
a
more
stronger
way
because
of
the
age
and
the
building
stands
back
then
and
simpler,
as
you
would
say:
well,
they
are
still
very
old.
So
what
are
some
of
the
concerns
when
you
have
such
older
buildings?
And
now
you
know
in
you
know,
2017
going
into
2018
what
are
some
of
the
concern?
The
challenge
is
to
maintain
these
older
buildings.
Well,.
B
You
you
do
have
the
infrastructure
challenges
like
limited
ability
for
electrical
kinds
of
capacity,
and
so
trying
to
put
that
in
can
sometimes
cause
environmental
problems.
You've
got
steam
heating
systems
that
often
when
they
leak,
will
damage
the
existing
materials
in
the
building
and
in
older
buildings.
That
means
lead
paint
and
it
means
asbestos
and
those
things
can
sometimes
lead
to
mold
themselves.
A
B
I
think
that
those
three
issues
are
are
quite
common.
Unfortunately,
the
other
kinds
of
issues
that
are
being
dealt
with
frequently
or
runaway
heating
and
cooling
problems,
because
those
systems
have
largely
failed.
So
we
can't
control
hot
and
cold
temperatures
in
the
schools
and
we
often
have
rodent
infestation,
because
there
are
a
lot
of
openings
and
deterioration
in
the
buildings
with
the
population
of
children
and
staff
we
have
asthma
becomes
is
a
major
issue
and
these
things
are
asthma
triggers.
So
we're
worried
about
that.
Okay,.
A
B
My
work
is
often
with
the
environmental
management
department
and
we
have
created
kind
of
jointly
efforts
to
inspect
all
the
schools
to
create
dashboards
and
inventories
of
problems
that
we're
seeing
their
lead
exposure
assessments,
there's
a
assessments
for
asbestos
and
for
other
kinds
of
issue.
So
we
document
problems
pretty
well
we're
struggling
to
make
sure
those
problems
get
fixed
in
as
timely
way
as
we'd
like
and.
A
Part
of
that
struggle
is
that,
based
on
finances,
I
don't
want
an
issue.
We've
talked
about,
and
we've
heard
about
even
read
about
over
the
years
is
some
of
the
lack
of
funding
that
the
school
district
receives,
especially
from
Harrisburg
and
I,
having
a
fair
funding
formula,
how
does
the
lack
of
funding
impact
our
school
then
rubbish
to
maintain
in
these
older
buildings?
Well,.
B
A
B
Right
now,
there
is
a
major
lead
stabilization
project
going
on
in
older
schools,
and
that
project
is
being
done
with
too
little
public
and
union
involvement
and
oversight
and
management
and
is
resulting
in
ongoing
problems
and
extra
costs.
If
we
do
that
better,
if
there's
more
public
oversight
and
engagement
and
more
expert
oversight
and
engagement,
we'll
save
money
we'll
do
the
work
more
effectively
and
we'll
make
sure
these
buildings
are
helpful
and
safe.
So
that's
not
more
of
a
money
issue.
It's
a
better
spending
of
the
resources
we
do
have
and.
A
B
This
is
where
I
may
be
on
one
poll
of
this
kind
of
issue:
I,
think
public
engagement,
public
oversight
is
critical,
more
eyes.
More
Minds
focused
on
the
problem,
normally
means
more
perspectives
and
more
chance
for
solutions.
The
teachers
union
has
funded
this
environmental
science
effort
that
has
a
certain
level
of
expertise
and
experience
between
all
of
us.
We
could
come
up
with
better
approaches
and
I
think
that
when
work
is
handled
properly
and
communicated
properly,
the
fear
that
is
sometimes
generated
is
dissipated.
A
When
there
are
reports
or
news
stories
about
mold
and
other
health
issues
in
our
schools,
when
it
sound
like
what
I'm
hearing
from
you
is
that
we
provide
more
information
both
to
the
teachers
and
other
employees
that
work
in
our
schools
about
what's
happening,
as
well
as
to
the
parents
that
I
help
address
some
of
the
concerns
and
fears
people
may
have
based
on
when
they
read
these
news
reports.
I
think.
B
Yes,
I
think
in
my
experience,
that's
been
30
plus
years
in
the
schools,
it's
very
difficult
to
restrict
information
or
to
hide
it.
It
always
comes
out
and
then
people
are
angry
and
suspicious
you're
better
to
say
we
found
a
mold
issue
in
your
school
or
an
asbestos
issue
in
your
school,
we're
working
together
to
fix
this
and
here's
what
we're
doing
and
if
you
have
questions
or
concerns.
Please
tell
us
we'll
try
to
respond
to
that.
B
A
The
point
but
what
you
said
earlier,
that
you
actually
work
with
the
district
hand
in
hand
and
trying
to
address
some
of
these
issues
and
raising
them
raising
that
awareness,
but
it
seems
like
there
needs
to
be
a
better
way
for
people
to
inform
and
get
the
information
out
from
the
school
district
about
what's
going
on
in
our
schools.
Yes,.
B
And
that's
why
your
help
and
and
the
help
of
other
council
members
is
instrumental
in
trying
to
get
information
more
out
there.
As
you
know,
there
was
a
right
to
know,
requests
filed.
For
that
reason,
it
would
be
much
better
if
all
the
information
was
open
and
shared.
The
city
of
Philadelphia
has
an
an
open
data.
Gov
approach
and
even
the
school
district
has
open
data.
They've,
put
demographic
information,
it's
time
to
put
infrastructure
and
environmental
information
up
there,
and
that
will
open
this
up
now.
B
A
It
sounds
like
they're,
following
what
a
lot
of
other
school
districts
do,
whatever
seems
like
it'd
be
more
to
their
benefit
if
they
provided
more
information
regarding
the
physical
environment
of
the
schools,
because
that
will
help
alleviate
some
of
the
concerns
that
you
may
have
and
misinformation
it
may
have
based
on
news
reports
and
that'll
help,
not
only
teacher
as
well
as
allows
parents
as
well
regarding,
what's
happening
in
the
schools.
I.
B
Think
that's
true
I
think
we're
doing
pretty
much
what
other,
what
other
cities
do,
but
we
are
doing
more
than
many
other
cities
in
evaluation,
so
the
in
addition
to
putting
that
out
there
to
show
people
what's
happening
here
in
Philadelphia.
What
we're
doing
we
then
need
that
extra
step
of
having
more
oversight
and
control
of
this
as
well.
But
yes,
I'd,
say
it's
it's
much
better.
To
put
that
out
there
right.
A
B
A
And
that's
that's
the
essential
and
in
a
way,
that's
transparent,
that
people
know
what's
going
on
and
correct.
Okay,
absolutely
I'm,
a
parent
of
a
child
in
the
school
district
and
my
son
attends
a
high
school
in
the
school.
So
what
would
you
say
if
your
parents
who
have
their
children
in
a
school
district
or
other
members
of
the
Philip
Federation
of
Teachers
or
other
employees
in
schools,
and
they
see
an
issue
that
they
find
troubling
regarding
a
school
they
work
in
order?
They
send
it
out
there
well.
B
It's
interesting
I've
actually
done
this
recently,
with
the
school
district
at
McCall
and
at
Jackson
and
in
ebinger
with
parents
who
are
asking
just
this
question
and
what
I've
said
is
you
should
work
to
help
the
coalition
and
everybody
get
information
from
the
district.
So
you
know
what's
happening
at
your
school,
you
need
to
know
what's
happening
at
your
school
and
then
to
go
through
principals
to
go
through
the
school
district
management
Chane
and
you
can
reach
out
through
the
union
to
somebody
like
me.
B
But
the
school
district
should
be
informed
about
issues
and
concerns
and
they
should
respond.
They
are
responsible
for
telling
me
about
infrastructure
and
environmental
issues
as
part
of
an
agreement
between
the
PFT
and
the
school
district,
we're
trying
to
make
sure
that's
always
enforced,
but
there's
that
element
as
well.
Gotcha.
A
B
I
think
that
it's
a
good
thing
in
especially
in
the
sense
that
we
can
reach
you
more
quickly
and
more
directly
and
that's
very
good
I,
think
that
there
needs
to
be
public
engagement.
It's
obviously
you're
you're,
very
reachable,
as
are
some
of
the
other
council
folks
in
the
mayor's
office.
So
it's
in
that
way,
I
think
we
can
do
something
really
special
here.
It
is
a
challenge,
but
really
special.
Okay.
A
So
it
sounds
like
now
that
we
have
local
control
that
may
give
us
an
opportunity
to
do
some
of
the
things
you
talked
about
using
some
of
the
things,
the
school
districts
doing
from
an
evaluation
and
now
getting
that
information
out
now
that
we
have
local
control
as
well
as
talking
about
how
we
can
do
a
better
job
of
getting
to
those
issues
as
well.
I
think.
B
A
A
C
The
water
department's
most
important
mission
is
to
provide
top
quality
drinking
water
to
our
citizens
and
businesses,
seven
days
a
week,
24
hours
a
day,
but
it's
important
to
note
that
homeowners
are
responsible
for
the
maintenance
and
repair
of
their
home
water
systems.
This
includes
the
water
service
line
which
runs
from
the
city's
water
main
and
brings
clean
water
into
your
home.
C
If
this
pipe
freezes
or
breaks
it
can
be
costly
to
repair
during
the
winter
months,
extremely
low
temperatures
and
cold
air
blowing
through
drafty
windows
can
damage
pipes
and
water
meters,
leaving
many
people
without
water.
So
here
are
some
easy
tips
to
protect
your
home
water
systems,
this
winter
shutoff
outside
water,
faucets
from
the
inside
valves
to
drain
these
faucets
leave
the
outside
valves,
open,
wrap
and
insulate
all
water
pipes
in
unheated
areas.
This
foam
that
can
be
purchased
at
any
hardware
store
can
be
used
to
wrap
and
insulate
all
water
pipes.
C
C
Keep
the
area
around
your
water
meter
above
40
degrees,
Fahrenheit,
if
your
water
meter
is
located
in
an
area
that
is
not
heated,
wrap
its
connecting
pipe
with
insulation.
If
you
have
any
windows
that
are
near
water
meters
or
your
water
pipes,
you
want
to
insulate
them.
You
can
purchase
any
window
insulation
kits
from
any
hardware
store.
It's
really
easy
to
do.
C
Every
September
we
mail
this
brochure
with
your
water
bill
as
a
handy
guide
for
water
emergencies,
remember
to
protect
your
home
plumbing
systems
from
freezing
by
using
these
simple
steps
for
more
information
about
the
water
department's
operations
and
services.
Please
call
two
one:
five,
six,
eight
five,
sixty
300
or
visit
our
website
at
WWE
would
zorg.
A
A
Welcome
back
to
public
comment
for
anyone
has
ever
been
to
a
city
council
session.
We
have
a
public
comment
session
during
City
Council
that
allows
the
citizens
of
our
great
city
to
come
and
give
their
views
on
legislation
that
we're
debating
in
City
Council,
and
this
is
why
I
named
this
show
public
comment,
and
so
now
we're
going
to
segue
to
our
social
media
session,
to
give
an
opportunity
for
people
to
get
public
comment
and
we'll
discuss
that
and
we'll
give
those
views
during
this
session.
A
So
I
put
out
a
call
on
social
media
for
your
answers
to
the
following
questions,
and
you
wait
in
question
one.
What
are
you
most
hoping
for
as
a
result
of
the
city
regarding
local
control
of
our
schools?
Theater
Smith
writes
on
Facebook.
We
need
people
who
know
the
city
and
schools
and
they
can
make
better
experience
judgments
for
which
schools
to
close
renovate
and
add
to
the
school
curriculum.
What
are
some
of
the
things
you
think
the
city
can
do
to
help
market
itself
better
globally.
A
Going
to
thank
you
for
tuning
in,
for
my
very
first
episode
of
public
comment.
I
leave
you
with
these
words
to
ponder
from
the
legendary
football
coach,
Vince
Lombardi
the
difference
between
a
successful
person
and
others
is
not
a
lack
of
strength
nor
lack
of
knowledge,
but
rather
the
lack
of
will
I'm
counseling,
Derrick,
green
and
I'll
see
you
next
time.
A
public
comment
take
care.