[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6582938,"mediaKeyId","3145722-65583ce6eab1f1cce332c60b484fab18","parentId",3145722,"title","Teachers, parents urge council for sustained school funding as public comments call for a budget forecasting committee","audioSeconds",772,"startMs",1234000,"endMs",2006000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3145722-65583ce6eab1f1cce332c60b484fab18&start=1234&end=2006","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3145722-65583ce6eab1f1cce332c60b484fab18/thumbnail_1234000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6582938/East-Greenwich/Kent-County/Rhode-Island/Teachers-parents-urge-council-for-sustained-school-funding-as-public-comments-call-for-a-budget-forecasting-committee","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6582938-bee27e54f0637001726eccb9aaf4db40/orig.mp4?Expires=1770971553&Signature=fWfjBCVLV2lwmWQ15YLS9iWndjv4GTs56uR7NH00s55HzId-hOSG6kVmiRBslMs5FXoTwMyjDHMyXRvSI4AqrVm1P3cRyIaKy3Ae3KLsAqnpnyd~mDrz2-V4vBFAsMDYPSiV~s6MSsoyRn0udbN4c29-4nNyCHummKjORYoPO9f0LGO0dZ4ZUYsw9-WYOi2U9W03RIbb455-6UIyIM2w0nEMIayVhShfSlTdZIJtpUr34PnfM2GGwyFMOC2wvUbjUkie6fVufC0tjPyPj3ky52Gjzq5jewkxiPJQG7dmuSafFGYjYasDDhdtEL6XpROSrcstBEg3cUQhyWj8Vz96dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","East Greenwich","date","2025-04-28T00:00:00Z","article","Several residents, teachers and parents used the meeting's public-comment period to press the council for sustained school funding and to ask for stronger long-term planning.

Speakers and arguments
Donna McPhee, a resident, praised the council's proposed 4% funding increase for the schools but warned two years of near-term increases cannot erase what she described as \"20 years of systematic underfunding.\" McPhee said the district faces overcrowded classrooms, aging buildings and comparatively low teacher pay. She told the council a projected state reduction of $842,000 in appropriated aid this year has created a \"state of emergency\" for the schools and urged a collaborative planning process involving the town council, school committee, finance directors and other stakeholders.

Erin Logue, a teacher and resident, asked for a collaborative spirit between elected officials and school staff to find balanced, long-term solutions. Several public speakers asked the council to create a budget forecasting committee made up of town and school representatives to avoid repeated emergency fixes and improve long-range planning.

Council and staff responses
Town leaders acknowledged the concerns and described the municipal budget calendar and constraints that shaped the school's current budget submission. Town Manager Andy Nada and councilors explained that schools present budgets at an earlier deadline to allow the town manager to compile a full municipal budget, which the council must adopt by June 15. Councilors noted the state aid formula and the loss of anticipated PAYGO reimbursements were complicating factors, and they described larger capital timing issues tied to a proposed $150 million bond for school construction and changes in state reimbursements.

Council members also encouraged public participation in the state process: one councilor noted a House Finance Committee hearing on House Bill 5749, which aims to restore some state education funding, and urged residents to submit testimony or attend the hearing. Staff described the town's ongoing coordination with the League of Cities and Towns and said officials would keep communicating with state representatives.

Takeaway
Speakers called for sustained, collaborative planning across town and school leadership, and the council responded with procedural context and an appeal for public engagement at the state level. The council acknowledged the issues are not resolvable in a single year and described additional planning steps and hearings that residents can attend or supplement with written testimony.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","East Greenwich - Town Council - Apr 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Residents, parents and teachers told the East Greenwich Town Council that the schools face a funding crisis and asked the council to form a budget forecasting committee and engage state lawmakers to restore lost aid.","taxTitle","East Greenwich, Kent County, Rhode Island","taxId",79579,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6582942,"Council approves submission of school design-development documents to RIDE; commissioning agent contract cleared",885,6210000,7095000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3145722-65583ce6eab1f1cce332c60b484fab18&start=6210&end=7095","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3145722-65583ce6eab1f1cce332c60b484fab18/thumbnail_6210000.jpg","/articles/6582942/East-Greenwich/Kent-County/Rhode-Island/Council-approves-submission-of-school-design-development-documents-to-RIDE-commissioning-agent-contract-cleared","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6582942-63af3e6c7130434c55993c7fc0299e86/orig.mp4?Expires=1770971553&Signature=Ue61h4gfbF7qI1CNPqH1DNihr3SIAVGuQIqfV2WdEc6NOCUBo70gSN8YceI87tue5583EDtgseasgt-JOJSEURTW1quBVxQ-tI9Epb2iGI6GyL2Y0PqNxSY-~0c4bbN6mCpJn5jENbSQ1~18GY4EQ0ykK0rkoNoJxABdd9-DMIUDBfhXtoYLOpcvnkTQjv0DU5ziEKSJ-BBRtV6tA1jC5AYCvitiJ4BjWYBHS1fg0Ifce-yeGHRHWy7M60jqAc9DkYImZTa~KtbWlBxmZvDfNXl6cUWbXNOhg9jEU1Kej0jY9SdydHwkx19S~pOxdO4Jt93LiBz6lChj1XpVwPegeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The East Greenwich Town Council voted unanimously to authorize the town's professional team to submit Stage 3 design-development documents for Frenchtown Elementary, Hannaford Elementary and East Greenwich High School to the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) for review. Council members also approved a separate contract award for commissioning-agent services to NV5 (Andover, Massachusetts) to oversee verification that new building systems perform as designed.

Town Manager Andrew (Andy) Nada told the council the submittal follows approvals from the School Construction Committee and the School Committee and represents a step toward final construction documents and early bidding. Left Field, Consigli Construction and AI3 Architects presented design refinements, revised site plans and exterior materials for all three schools and described next-stage cost estimates and schedules.

Budget and schedule
Project staff said the reconciled design-development estimate produced a lower cost at East Greenwich High School compared with the earlier Stage 2 application but showed higher costs for the two elementary schools. The meeting packet compared the Stage 2 application budget (reported as approximately $157,000,000 inclusive of Meadowbrook) against the reconciled design-development estimates and a $160,000,000 target budget. Staff reported a roughly $6.4 million gap at design development relative to the $160 million target, and they identified $1.5 million in additional targeted efficiencies and a $6.3 million estimating and escalation contingency intended to cover remaining unknowns at this design stage.

Project consultants described a two-track procurement approach: early-bid packages (structural systems, foundations, site work and long-lead equipment) to be released in the fall (October) to protect schedule, with a final guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for the high school anticipated in December and for the elementary schools in January. Construction was presented as starting in January and targeting substantial completion in February of the final year with a summer move-in period.

Commissioning agent award
The council approved awarding commissioning services to NV5 for an amount not to exceed $344,250, after a competitive bid process with multiple respondents. The commissioning agent will verify systems performance, review documentation and support training for operations staff per RIDE requirements.

Design highlights and neighborhood protections
Design presentations showed a two-story addition and life-skills suite at the high school, mirrored elementary school plans with masonry exteriors, updated circulation to separate car and bus loops, and site changes intended to preserve green space. Staff said Frenchtown's enrollment plan was modeled at 560 students and that the project includes parking adjustments (for Frenchtown, the plan raised parking to about 90 spaces) and preservation of existing fields where feasible.

Consultants addressed neighborhood concerns: the project team has proposed third-party pre-construction home-condition surveys for roughly 75 nearby homes (surveyor to be contracted by town), vibration and noise baseline monitoring, dust-control measures (washdown stations, tarps, watering and street sweeping), and coordination with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) for wetland verification and stormwater permitting. Staff said the team will attempt to procure three switchgear units together to improve pricing; an order for switchgear was discussed as a likely early procurement because of industry lead times, and staff estimated approximately $1,000,000 total for all three switchgear units (estimate stated by staff during the meeting).

Council next steps
The council's vote authorizes the team to submit the Stage 3 package and continue work on construction documents and early procurement packages. Staff said they will present updated 60% construction documents and cost estimates in August and expected early bid results in October to inform final GMP decisions. The commissioning contract award and the initiation of early procurements were subject to legal review and additional contract terms to manage risk for the town.","The council authorized the Stage 3 submittal for Frenchtown, Hannaford and East Greenwich High School designs and awarded a commissioning-agent contract as the project moves toward construction documents and early bid packages.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6582947,"Votes at a glance: East Greenwich council approves school design submittal, awards contracts and repeals obsolete ordinances",394,8175000,8569000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3145722-65583ce6eab1f1cce332c60b484fab18&start=8175&end=8569","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3145722-65583ce6eab1f1cce332c60b484fab18/thumbnail_8175000.jpg","/articles/6582947/East-Greenwich/Kent-County/Rhode-Island/Votes-at-a-glance-East-Greenwich-council-approves-school-design-submittal-awards-contracts-and-repeals-obsolete-ordinances","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6582947-113885821664d2093ae171b52b518de1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770971553&Signature=m4IjhAUHakTEtu7k4V6NaADe8EWV3a1nri7~OYMN-7nTNjaXo-FyhN6okmXDIX7mNQRDE2aESUQ5PELdK9AJu0T8Kg0gjyB63juwi-BMf6B-Dkfi2pkCnuwCIIN6rfXOEbWI4GBG~QCGkiaW4Ve7OjmlIQ6NggJAreKavWizzA6gKiCttnNJc7uoVTxozYOphfObcxG3Cw8bNKKhFQsoak3bcJjBga-HH9HIqeINwEFlAx116at7hOmUboznhpjjYm~BGG3i237y6M5cvi99buV8YuXKcFqKficzqfRe-Ey88bczs0-qL~zJop9OC0C4GB0myZpWtgsgp67PDUja9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The East Greenwich Town Council on a unanimous 5-0 vote on multiple items including the submission of school design-development documents to the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), the award of a commissioning agent contract, purchases for public-safety communications infrastructure, acceptance of the town's fiscal year 2024 audit, and the repeal of three obsolete local ordinances.

Key votes and formal actions at the meeting included: the council's endorsement of a resolution recognizing May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month; a commendation for the East Greenwich Tollgate Co-op boys varsity hockey team; approval to file the FY 2024 audit report; authorization to submit Stage 3 design development documents for Frenchtown, Hannaford and East Greenwich High School to RIDE; award of a commissioning agent contract; and awards for public safety communications equipment and installation. The council also approved the consent calendar and repealed three town code sections judged obsolete.

Votes at a glance (all recorded 5-0 unless otherwise noted):
- Resolution recognizing May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month: Approved (motion carried 5-0). The council read and endorsed the resolution and invited Maria Bucci, the town's director of prevention and support services, to speak and introduce student participants. (Evidence: motion at 230.40'233.14; vote recorded 235.6'245.22.)

- Commendation for East Greenwich Tollgate Co-op Boys Varsity Hockey Team (2025 Division 2 state champions): Approved (voice vote). Coaches received certificates and spoke briefly. (Evidence: motion at 731.89'742.71; vote recorded 742.94'756.79.)

- Acceptance and filing of the Town of East Greenwich FY 2024 audit (Hague, Sahadi & Co.): Approved (motion carried 5-0). Auditors issued an unmodified opinion with no findings; the report includes government-wide statements, notes, and pension/OPEB disclosures. (Evidence: audit presentation begins 2201.04; motion to accept and file recorded 4122.56'4149.94.)

- Approval to submit Stage 3 (design-development) documents for the school construction project to RIDE: Approved (motion carried 5-0). The council authorized the professional team to submit design development documents for Frenchtown Elementary, Hannaford Elementary, and East Greenwich High School and to continue into construction documents and early bid packages. (Evidence: item introduced 4160.51'4207.05; vote recorded 7888.03'7893.42.)

- Award of commissioning agent services to NV5, Andover, Massachusetts: Approved (motion carried 5-0). Contract not to exceed $344,250, subject to legal review. (Evidence: recommendation and motion 7926.91'8106.78; vote recorded 8106.78'8154.48.)

- Award of bids for public-safety communications infrastructure:
- Cybercom Incorporated (Warwick, RI) for $1,079,402.89 and Motorola Solutions (Chicago, IL) for $259,846.46 for Phase 2 equipment and installation: Approved (motion carried 5-0). Councillors were told some hardware has ~4-month lead times and the system is intended to serve for roughly 15 years. (Evidence: item intro 8175.13'8216.78; vote recorded 8561.99'8566.90.)

- Consent calendar (minutes and one Class F license for a private event): Approved (motion carried 5-0). (Evidence: consent calendar discussion 8576.74'8615.03.)

- Repeal of three obsolete ordinances (all three passed on third reading, each 5-0):
- Repeal of Chapter 34, Article 10 (IT Governance Council).
- Repeal of Chapter 159, Article 1 (Sealer of Weights and Measures).
- Repeal of Chapter 34, Article 5 (Finance Advisory Board).
(Evidence: each ordinance motion/discussion and vote recorded in the 8658.77'8777.99 range.)

The council recorded no dissenting votes on the items above. Several votes included staff and consultant presentations beforehand and multiple council members asked follow-up questions before taking the formal vote.","At its May meeting the East Greenwich Town Council voted unanimously on a package of items including approval to submit school design-development documents to RIDE, awards for a commissioning agent and public-safety communications equipment, acceptance of the FY 2024 audit, and repeal of three obsolete ordinances.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Teachers, parents urge council for sustained school funding as public comments call for a budget forecasting committee

Council approves submission of school design-development documents to RIDE; commissioning agent contract cleared

Votes at a glance: East Greenwich council approves school design submittal, awards contracts and repeals obsolete ordinances