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Concerns over water bottle filling stations in schools and OMB's Directive 10
1:51:54
ยท
98 sec
Council Member Brewer raises concerns about the installation of water bottle filling stations in schools and the impact of OMB's reinterpretation of Directive 10. DOE officials respond to questions about the limitations and their efforts to address the issue.
- OMB's reinterpretation of Directive 10 has created limitations on using capital funds for water bottle filling stations
- Many schools need and want water bottle filling stations, but exact numbers are not immediately available
- DOE has advocated for more flexibility in interpreting Directive 10
Gale A. Brewer
1:51:54
Because we wanna do more.
1:51:56
Okay.
1:51:56
And then also my question is, drinking fountains.
1:51:59
We OMB came up with this crazy idea now that they can no longer pay for drinking fountains in schools.
1:52:06
And I don't think it's correct, so we're fighting them on that.
1:52:10
This directive 10, I know it well.
1:52:12
I don't think it is applicable here, but I wanna know how many have a water body filling station in schools.
1:52:19
How many times do you hear that students want more?
1:52:23
If we tell people to drink water, then they have to have a place to drink it.
1:52:27
So how do we get more water bottle filling stations in schools?
1:52:33
Many of them are broken, by the way.
Emma Vadehra
1:52:36
If you have specific ones that are broken, obviously our facilities team is I'm glad can do the trend,
Monique Scales
1:52:40
but I
Gale A. Brewer
1:52:40
also want new ones.
1:52:41
Do you have any sense of in other words, you can only put one in according to OMB's crazy new idea if it's a brand new lobby, you know, etcetera.
Emma Vadehra
1:52:49
Yes.
1:52:49
So I think you're talking about OMB's reinterpretation of Directive 10 I am.
1:52:55
Which has created some limitations in what we are able to use capital funds for.
1:53:02
It also impacted our cafeteria enhancement program looking towards the next year.
1:53:07
That is their standing interpretation at this point, and we've obviously advocated for more flexibility in a variety of ways.
1:53:14
But if it's not part of a larger project, I don't have the number of how many schools have and need.
1:53:20
Most who do not have would certainly like.
1:53:22
You're right.
1:53:22
We hear about this all the time, and we'll get you that number.
Gale A. Brewer
1:53:24
Thank you very much.
1:53:25
And then +1 972 Yes?
Daniel Weisberg
1:53:31
Yes, ma'am.
Gale A. Brewer
1:53:32
Yes.