TIVERTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE

TIVERTON, RHODE ISLAND

 

JOINT WORKSHOP

with the Tiverton Town Council and Tiverton Budget Committee

 

 

Date: January 14, 2025

 

Place: Tiverton High School Library

   100 North Brayton Rd.

   Tiverton, RI 02878

 

Time: 6:00 pm Open Session

 

JOINT WORKSHOP MINUTES

 

Board Members Present: D. Farnworth, D. Pallash, E. Pavao, J. Sherman, K. Paquette

Administrators Present: Dr. Sanchioni, S. Kraeger, B. Andrade

 

 

·         Discussion on Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Budget

 

·         Chairman of the Town Council, Edwards, outlined the timeline and key deadlines for the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 budget preparation process:

 

·         March 19, 2025: Budgets must be submitted to the Town Administrator.

 

·         March 26, 2025: The Town Administrator will submit the complete unified budget to both the Town Council and Budget Committee.

 

·         April 15, 2025: The Town Administrator will provide final non-property tax revenue estimates to the Town Council and Budget Committee.

 

·         April 25, 2025: The Budget Committee will finalize and present its proposal for the unified budget, including any proposed legislative language, to the Town Council.

 

·         May 13, 2025: The Town Council will adopt the unified budget ordinance and schedule a public hearing.

 

·         Additional deadlines or updates will be determined depending on the progress of earlier meetings and submissions. Once the unified budget is approved, it will be posted on the Town's website within two days to ensure transparency and accessibility for residents.

 

 Board Member D. Farnworth emphasized the school department's readiness to begin its internal budget discussions later that evening. She confirmed that the school department is committed to meeting the March 19, 2025, submission deadline, if not earlier. However, she highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by the school system:

 

·         The department has been relying on one-time funding sources for several years, resulting in a persistent structural deficit.

 

·         The deficit has required significant budget cuts in the past, including the elimination of 16 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions in FY25.

 

·         Additional cuts are anticipated for FY26, which will likely exceed those made in the previous fiscal year.

 

Farnworth stressed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between the school department, Town Council, and Budget Committee to navigate these challenges collaboratively.

 

 

 

Adjournment

 

A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by D. Farnworth

Seconded by D. Pallash.

The motion passed unanimously with a vote of 5-0.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

CA Mendes