School committee approves Troutman Pepper for land work for proposed elementary site

The Chariho Regional School Committee voted to expand its engagement with law firm Troutman Pepper to include legal services related to acquiring a site for the proposed unified elementary school.

School leaders said the district needs to secure a parcel of about 27 to 33 acres and that specialized land‑use counsel is needed to negotiate with sellers and close transactions. "This is for the Unified Elementary School. We're clearly looking for, a piece of land, 27 to 33 acres," said the committee member leading the search (Speaker 3).

A November 10 memorandum from attorney Charles Rogers at Troutman Pepper outlines services the firm would provide, including "negotiation, if applicable, of a term sheet, negotiation of a purchase agreement, advice with respect to title and survey matters (including subdivision if necessary), attention to closing of the acquisition, and all other related services." The memo proposes a fixed fee "not to exceed $35,000" for a standard transaction and notes fees would be adjusted after consultation if multiple sites, unusual seller requirements, charitable gifts or long‑term ground leases are involved. The chair read those key lines into the record before the vote.

Bond counsel in the room described Rogers (called "Chip" by colleagues) as a land‑use specialist with decades of experience and a track record on large Rhode Island transactions; counsel said that experience justifies a higher fee because specialist attorneys can be more efficient on complex land deals. "He's been working in land use for probably close to 40 years," said the bond counsel (Speaker 4).

Committee members pressed for clarity on cost exposure and what happens to fees if a bond fails. One member asked whether the fee is part of soft costs and whether the expense would be built into the bond; staff said the fees are treated as soft costs and are typically included in the bond issue. Committee members were warned, however, that if the district spends on attorney work and the bond ultimately does not pass, those costs would be sunk. "You lose that money," one member said during the discussion.

After a brief discussion the committee moved to approve the engagement as presented. The motion carried; one member (Diane Tefft) announced an abstention during the vote. The committee thanked counsel and closed the agenda item.

What happens next: district staff will work with Troutman Pepper to amend the existing engagement letter to add the real‑estate work and will return to the committee with any formal engagement documents as required.