Detailed Discussion
The Cleburne ISD board of trustees passed a provision to the district’s premium pay policy in response to COVID-19 during a Monday night meeting.
Under the provision, nonexempt employees who are required to work during an emergency closing for a disaster, as declared by a federal, state or local official or the board, shall be paid at the rate of one and one half times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked up to 40 hours per week.
Andrea Hensley, CISD human resources assistant superintendent, said the provision will allow the district to seek reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“As you know, in the event of a federal disaster districts can submit a reimbursement request to FEMA, and then FEMA determines eligibility of those requests for public assistance,” she said. “They are often things like for people who actually have to come into work during the disaster.”
FEMA normally requires that a premium pay provision be in place before a federal disaster is declared to be reimbured, but Hensley said both the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Association of School Boards are suggesting, that because of the magnitude and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, that it may be waived.
“They suggest that you go ahead and put this provision in place for that reason and just in case you might seek reimbursement from other entities that will provide reimbursement for this kind of thing in the event of a disaster,” she said. “So for these reasons the TEA recommends that every district have adopted a premium paid provision in their policy.”
CISD Superintendent Kyle Health said it is possible for the district to be refunded from FEMA up to 75 percent of the policy.
“It is actually for the whole period that we are not having active face-to-face instructional school,” he said.
Not all expenses will be covered by FEMA, but other funding streams may be created through the CARES Act and other future funding allocations. The TEA suggests districts track all costs related to COVID-19, including staff time, such as:
• Distance learning expenses, including purchasing electronic devices and communications infrastructure.
• Cleaning and sanitizing schools.
• Additional online learning and communication platform licenses.
• Communication and public information costs.
• Curriculum development.
• Supplies for paper distance learning packets and delivery costs (where online learning is not feasible).
• Expenses to continue food assistance program services.
In an online vote on March 30, the Glen Cove City Council accepted a proposal to purchase 200 test kits for Covid-19 antibodies that would return results in 15 minutes.
The 200 test kits, that will be provided for the city’s first responders, would cost $6,600. As of Tuesday, the test kits were being held at customs in John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens.
Councilwoman Dr. Eve Lupenko Ferrante said that the City Council was able to vote online on the matter instead of at a City Council meeting because Mayor Timothy Tenke declared a state of emergency in Glen Cove. The matter will be up for an official vote at the April 14 Council Meeting.
“We jumped on that opportunity to make sure we get [the tests] and take any measure we can to keep our first responders safe,” Councilwoman Marsha Silverman said. “Any incremental costs relating to the pandemic, we’re not going to cut corners that would risk anyone’s health. You can’t put a price tag on health and life.”
That’s exactly why the Federal Emergency Management Agency urged officials on March 19 to take appropriate actions out of interest for public health and safety by reimbursing 75 percent of Covid-19 related costs.
Under the federal Section 502 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, state, territorial, tribal and local government entities, along with certain non-profit organizations, are eligible to apply for public assistance from FEMA.
“The city is in the process of applying for FEMA assistance related to unbudgeted expenses incurred as a result of containing and avoiding the spread of COVID-19,” said Shannon Vulin, the city’s public relations officer. “These incremental expenses are primarily personal protection equipment (PPE), sanitizers, disinfectants and other cleaning supplies, certain computer equipment to assist with working remotely and COVID-19 tests for our first responders.”
The controller, Michael Piccirillo, will keep track of Covid-19 related expenses. The expenses would appear in a separate fund line, not included in the adopted budget, which would provide transparency to the public, Vulin said.
At a cost of $6,600, the test kits will cost about $33 each. Henry Schein Inc., an American distributor of health care products and services based in Melville, will be supplying the test kits.
The company announced on April 1 that it would serve as an exclusive distributor rapid test kit.
According to Henry Schein Inc’s release, the company, was able to make the test kits targeted for health professionals by working with Becton, Dickinson and Company, a global medical technology company, and BioMedomics, a clinical diagnostics company based in North Carolina.
The test analyzes blood, serum or plasma samples for the presence of Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies associated with the coronavirus test. The test is done by collecting a few drops of blood into a test cartridge, followed by two or three drops to buffer. The results are then ready to be read in 15 minutes.
“The BioMedomics serology test has been validated in numerous hospitals around the world and will be a critical tool to detect current or past exposure to Covid-19,” SAID Dave Hickey, the president of Integrated Diagnostic Solutions for Becton, Dickinson and Company.
That current guidance from the Food and Drug Administration recommends that results from antibody testing should not be used solely to diagnose or exclude coronavirus infection. And the test has not been reviewed by the FDA. However, the FDA did permit the test kit for distribution and use under the public health emergency guidance issued by the agency on March 16.
Lupenko Ferrante did state at the pre-council meeting that she was inquiring about purchasing antibody test kits at a more competitive price.