The school board had wanted details about the consolidation plan before the council proposed putting the question to voters.
By EMILY DUPUIS
Sun Staff Writer
WESTERLY — School Committee members say their council counterparts jumped the gun with a proposal to ask voters this fall if they support more town and school mergers.
Their concern comes two days after councilors proposed placing on the November ballot a non-binding referendum question to gauge public support for future consolidation of town and school operations.
“It seems like the Town Council is jumping the gun. And I don’t think any decision should be made until we have the detail that we’ve asked for, that both parties asked for,” School Committee Chairman James Murano Jr. said Wednesday night.
The council is expected to formally vote on the proposed nonbinding referendum question, as well as a $6.5 million road and infrastructure bond, on Monday. Questions must be submitted by Aug. 1 to go on the ballot.
Murano said councilors had an opportunity to first discuss the proposed ballot question with school officials, rather than “unilaterally” make a decision that affects both departments.
He and the schools superintendent were scheduled to meet this afternoon with the town manager and council president. They plan to discuss the merger of town and school human resources duties as well as the potential consolidation of the two department’s finance operations, he said. Murano described comments made by councilors this week as “disheartening.”
“I hope we’re able to clear it up a little bit better tomorrow,” he added.
School board members said they believed the town manager would provide a more detailed proposal and list of cost savings for the finance department consolidation, following a joint council and school board meeting held earlier this year.
Murano said councilors are now skipping this step. “Once we had that information, we would then be able to chew on it a little bit better and maybe have another joint meeting and maybe make a recommendation to go one way or the other,” he said, adding board members cannot support a plan without demonstrated savings.
Schools Superintendent Roy Seitsinger, attending his first committee meeting since starting work earlier this month, said the school department had not received that information from the town.
Board member Louis Sposato said he would like to see a proposal that details employee qualifications, job duties, salaries, the selection process, chain of command, work location, work hours and grievance procedures.
“That’s the level of detail that I expect to see from this plan that’s being developed,” he said. “If we don’t get this plan, I think we’re … doing a disservice, because we’re not receiving the level of detail we need to make an informed, rational, intelligent decision in the best interest of the public.”
Murano said the public should have the same information if they are being asked to vote on the nonbinding referendum question.
Board member David Patten, who attended this week’s council meeting, said consolidation is “inevitable” as the town and school department face financial pressures. But he suggested local officials hire an independent consultant to complete an in-depth analysis and make a recommendation.
“If we’re going to do it, we need to do it right,” Patten said. “I support consolidation because I think it helps us preserve programs for the students, but I want to do it right.”
In proposing the ballot question Monday, Councilor Jack Felber said he did not want to portray a division between the council and school board.
But he said, “There were certain priorities that we felt more strongly about than the school board. Essentially, they revolve around consolidation.”
Felber proposed asking the public for direction.
Councilor Brian McCuin said school officials have “been the ones to point their fingers at us” about issues with building and grounds maintenance, following consolidations within that department that placed the care of school grounds under the town’s control.
“But I think it’s also time to say you did not implement a plan that you approved,” he added of the school department and a merger of town and school human resources duties.
Council President Diana Avedesian said “personality issues” held up the human resources consolidation, part of a plan endorsed by both the council and school board more than a year ago.
Murano said the human resources operations have not been merged. He did not explain why, but said it was “through no fault of this committee.”
edupuis@thewesterlysun. com