School committee accepts consent items, approves transportation and preschool fee increases and moves to executive session

The Northbridge School Committee on April 14 accepted routine consent items, approved increases to transportation and preschool fees and voted to move into executive session to discuss strategy for nonunion personnel.

The committee unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included previously distributed meeting minutes and a $500 donation from the Northbridge Police Department to the district robotics team. The chair thanked the police department “for their generous donation, $500, given towards the robotics robotics team,” and named parent advocate Erin Donahue for her role in securing the gift.

The committee then voted on changes to user fees for next year. Members voted to keep student-based fees and club fees at current levels, and to increase transportation and preschool fees as recommended by the budget subcommittee. The motion specifically kept parking and club fees “as is” and applied the agreed increases to the transportation and preschool lines; the committee separated time‑sensitive items (transportation and preschool) from the other fee discussions and took action on those tonight.

After the fee vote the committee approved a motion to enter executive session under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 30A, section 21(a) to discuss strategy in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel and stated it would not return to open session. The motion passed by recorded roll call.

Votes (roll-call recorded in meeting): Jonathan Canoy — yes; Carl Cowan — yes; Heather Alden — yes; Shannon Canoy — yes; Jill Leonard — yes.

The committee did not return to public session following the executive-session vote at the end of the meeting.