Click 
to view the entire meeting or click any video icon below to jump to that section of the meeting.
WORK SESSION
JANUARY 4, 2023
At a JOINT WORK SESSION of the Town Council and School Committee of the Town of South Kingstown, County of Washington, in the State of Rhode Island, held at the Town Hall, in and for said Town on the 4th day of January 2023 at 6:30 PM.
PRESENT: Town Council
Rory H. McEntee, President
Michael K. Marran, Vice President
Patricia A. Alley
Deborah D. Bergner
Jessica L. Rose
School Committee
Paula Whitford, Chairwoman
Michelle Brousseau, Vice Chairwoman
Melissa A. Boyd
Katherine M. Macinanti
James L. Restivo
Carol A. Vetter
School Committee member Christie L. Fish is absent.
Also present: James M. Manni, Town Manager; Brian Silvia, Finance Director; Mark Prince, School Superintendent; and Raquel Pellerin, Chief Financial Officer, School Department.
The Pledge of Allegiance is given. The Land Acknowledgement Statement is read.
James M. Manni, Town Manager gives an overview of the six-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The first year is considered the Capital Budget, the annual funding element or Pay As You Go. A summary of changes in the six-year plan will be presented.
Raquel Pellerin, School Department Chief Financial Officer presents the School’s proposed Capital Budget adopted by the School Committee for the Town Council’s consideration.
The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) defines a Capital Improvement Plan as a long-range plan, typically 5-6 years, which identifies capital needs in a district and provides a funding schedule and timeline for implementation. The capital improvement plan allows for systematic evaluation of all projects at one time so that a district can anticipate future needs. It does not include routine maintenance but should include required upkeep of the facilities, including but not limited to roof repairs, heating, ventilation systems, and window and door replacement.
It is noted that beginning in FY 2021-2022 capital projects and purchases approved by the School Committee and Town Council are accounted for within a separate Capital Improvement Fund. This improves transparency within the School Department budget, and aligns with other districts reporting of per pupil expenditures in both the operating and capital budget. The School Department will continue to review all proposed capital improvement projects, including defining what is an operating or capital expenditure, researching sources of revenue to fund capital projects or purchases, and assessing School facilities and development of a master plan.
Doug Snow, Director of Technology presents the School’s technology requests for FY 2023-2024 in the amount of $452,087, noting they are seeking State funding for network upgrades and wireless access points. Proposed purchases include support staff laptops, lease of 750 laptops, student computer initiatives, wireless access points at the High School, network hardware, and Cisco phone replacement. The total six-year proposed budget request for technology is $2,394,716.
The Pay As You Go portion of the Facilities and Maintenance budget is proposed at $375,000. Brian Mahoney, Director of Facilities reviews the projects requested for funding including the High School fire alarm panel; robotics room, gym floor, bathroom and kitchen upgrades, and parking lot safety improvements at Broad Rock Middle School; district defibrillators, security camera upgrades, and panic buttons; HVAC controls, and the vehicle replacement program.
Discussion ensues relative to the bathroom renovations, Halo vape detectors, kitchen upgrades, whether the upgrades will be done before school starts, review of security upgrades by the Police Chief, and the number of students anticipated at Broad Rock Middle School next year.
Mr. Mahoney presents the 6-year plan for facilities, noting that it was developed by in house staff using historical data, and Studio JAED. Planning is based on closure of Curtis Corner Middle School (CCMS) and Wakefield Elementary School but excludes consideration of new school facilities being reviewed by the School Building Committee (SBC). It includes some overlap of deferred maintenance listed by Studio JAED. It does not include items for the current High School except for pay-go for the fire alarm panel. It includes track resurfacing and the field house at CCMS in FY 2024-2025. The current plan is subject to change based on the SBC Stage 2 submittal and a bond vote.
Mr. Mahoney presents a summary of the CIP long-term major projects. Facility Assessment and Capital Master Plan: Studio JAED has prepared a 5-year facilities plan and Stage I submittal for a school building project with RIDE. The SBC continues work to define a plan for the schools to be proposed to the School Committee and Town Council for approval, with the timeline for Stage II submittal having been recently extended. Capital Improvement Long Term Projects include the Stage II submission in Spring 2023 with a potential bond vote in Fall 2023. Current buildings will continue to have deferred maintenance needs.
Discussion ensues relative to the Stage II submission, bonding legislation, RIDE review and feedback timeline and a school bond referendum. The Town Manager notes that RIDE assured the SBC that the timeline would work when the extension was granted. There is a deadline to have a signed contract in place by December 30th. Discussion ensues regarding the turnaround time for RIDE approval of the Stage II submission. Brian Silvia, Finance Director notes that RIDE will be done reviewing most requests before the Town’s is submitted so they should be able to review and approve in less time than usual.
Mark Prince, School Superintendent reports that the School Committee last night voted to support siting of the High School project at Columbia Street, and discusses swing space needs during construction.
Discussion ensues regarding the implications of the CIP budget for FY2023-2024 School Operating Budget.
Council President McEntee asks how the Capital Improvement Program affects the School’s operating budget, and if the School’s Capital Budget funding requested for FY 2023-2024 in the approximate amount of $800,000 will come from the Property Tax Transfer to the School Fund.
Raquel Pellerin, School CFO responds that is a discussion that they will have to have with the School Committee. Some revenue is expected from the FCC’s E-RATE program to offset the technology request, around 40% reimbursement for the equipment. With the facilities, there are a couple of different things to look at. One would be the $139,000 that was earmarked in a previous year fund balance for security cameras. They are also exploring an option to use a balance from the School lunch account to offset the kitchen upgrade/repairs, subject to approval by RIDE. Once they look at all their funding sources, they can determine their request for a Town appropriation when they do present the budget. The School Committee will adopt their budget by February 14, 2023.
Council President McEntee inquires whether the School has a plan for funding future debt service, to share the expense with the Town. Superintendent Prince responds that they anticipate some savings from school closures, however they are not in a position at this time to put a number to it, there are still unknowns from the State that will be worked out before February 14th.
Councilwoman Bergner inquires where the pre-school will be relocated after the Wakefield Elementary School building is closed at the end of 2024.
Superintendent Prince responds that is a three-part conversation: the school building aspect that still needs to be flushed out, a discussion with the School Committee and administration regarding the actual program, and the ongoing conversation within the State around universal pre-K and what that means. It is part of a bigger conversation about early learning.
Council President McEntee invites public comments.
Dorald Beasley is present and comments that more money will be needed for school facilities, maybe $150 million which at 55% State reimbursement will be a $71 million cost to the Town over a 20-year bond, and suggests using savings in per pupil costs to help fund facilities improvements.
Laura Erban is present and comments that she agrees with the idea of right-sizing the School district, and supports a facilities plan.
Greg Sweet is present and asks how many employees would need to be cut if schools were right-sized.
Superintendent Prince responds that he has no information at this time, and will follow the directives of the School Committee.
Dorald Beasley comments on the cumulative losses in enrollment, notes that schools need to be brought back to a higher level to maintain the student population, and suggests geothermal systems be built for new schools.
Jennifer Demetrick is present and comments that teachers and transportation are the main school costs, the need to support our teachers by giving them what they need to do their job, and suggests that the School Committee make a plan and put the right amount of money towards it.
Dorald Beasley comments that South Kingstown has the highest average teacher salaries in the state but only has 2, 3 and 4-Star schools; and comments on the value of the CCMS, South Road School and High School properties.
Council Vice President Marran notes that at the School Committee meeting last night they voted to support any High School facilities plan locating at Columbia Street.
School Committee member Vetter comments that declining enrollment over the last 30 years requires consolidation and leads to loss of staff but is a necessity. Mrs. Vetter notes her support for teachers and staff, and the need to promote affordable housing so families can afford to live here.
School Committee Vice Chairwoman Brousseau notes that Rhode Island teachers pay into their pension at the highest rate in the country.
Adjourn at 7:52 PM.
ADJOURNED,
Susan M. Flynn, CMC
Town Clerk