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Council Member Brewer inquires about Division of School Facilities payment system changes

3:19:45

·

100 sec

Council Member Gale A. Brewer questions Deputy Chancellor Emma Vadehra about changes to the payment system implemented by the Division of School Facilities (DSF) last May. The discussion focuses on the impact of these changes on projects, particularly those by New York Sunworks, and the overall effect on the process efficiency.

Deputy Chancellor Vadehra explains that the changes aim to improve processes and maximize capital funding usage.
Brewer expresses concern that the changes might be slowing down the process.
Vadehra acknowledges that while transitions are taking time, the changes should ultimately improve the process and lead to more funding for school projects.

Gale A. Brewer

3:19:45

Thank you.

3:19:46

Thank you very much, madam chair.

3:19:47

My question has to do with the, division of school facilities.

3:19:52

Can you provide details, if they are relevant, on changes to the payment system implemented by DSF last May.

3:20:00

Because New York Sunworks has 90 projects in the pipeline, and I believe they were supposed to be built last summer, but they didn't get built apparently because of the changes that d f f made last May regarding a payment system.

3:20:15

And I guess I'm just trying to find out the status of this situation.

3:20:20

What will the projects move, etcetera.

Emma Vadehra

3:20:23

So on the specific vendor you mentioned and the specific projects, will check and we will get back to you today.

3:20:29

More broadly, there are a series of changes DSF has been doing in conjunction with our finance team and with SCA to make sure, quite honestly, make sure we can clean up our processes and to make sure we're using capital funding for as much of our projects as we can and maximize that spend.

3:20:46

So there's a series of changes we've made contracts through this that we'd be happy to, you know, do a fuller briefing on if helpful, and I'll check on New York Sun.

3:20:55

Sorry.

3:20:56

Sunworks in the meantime.

Gale A. Brewer

3:20:57

I appreciate that.

3:20:58

I don't know if the changes are making slow process or if they're improving the process.

3:21:05

That would also be something to find out because it sounds to me that it might be slowing down the process.

Emma Vadehra

3:21:10

I think in the long run, these things will dramatically improve the process and make sure we're maximizing capital funding, means more money for school projects.

3:21:18

I do think in the meantime, some of the transitions are taking time, and we're working through that.

3:21:22

But I'll check on the specifics.

Gale A. Brewer

3:21:23

Thank you very much.

3:21:24

Thank you, madam chair.

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