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Bristol Warren committee honors state champions, approves $124,000 technology MOA and sign replacement, and introduces new staff
Summary
At its Aug. 13 meeting, the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee recognized student athletic champions, approved a memorandum of agreement to accept $124,000 for middle-school science and technology upgrades, authorized $2,465 from a facility fund to replace a school sign, approved pulled contracts, and introduced three new administrators and staff.
The Bristol Warren Regional School Committee met Wednesday, Aug. 13, and combined brief recognitions with routine business and personnel introductions.
The committee opened by recognizing Thea Jackson as the Rhode Island track-and-field long-jump and high-jump champion and welcoming the Division 3 boys volleyball state champions. Unidentified Speaker (S3) said, “I’m so pleased to be here to recognize our students tonight,” as the committee named players and coaches on the championship roster.
In business, the committee approved a memorandum of agreement tied to a 21st Century technology and equipment grant for the district’s middle school. Unidentified Speaker (S2) said the middle-school team applied for $300,000 but received $124,000 and that the MOA is required by the grant administrator; with a motion and second, the committee voted to approve the MOA. The committee did not specify additional conditions for spending beyond the MOA requirement noted by S2.
The committee also authorized use of the district’s “Colt” fund to replace a weathered school sign destroyed in a storm. Unidentified Speaker (S7) described contracting a local Bristol company to build a sustainable replica, and Miss Almeda (S6) stated the invoice showed the cost as $2,465. The committee voted to approve the expenditure and to seek reimbursement from the town council under the fund policy.
Five contracts that had been pulled from the consent agenda were then approved after a separate motion; the transcript records several abstentions during that vote but does not consistently tie those abstentions to named members. Earlier in the meeting the committee moved to seal executive-session minutes, and that motion was approved.
Before adjourning the committee announced a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for 10:00 a.m. the following day outside the auditorium at the Mahogel High School site. The meeting included brief introductions of three new district employees: Derek Swenson, introduced as chief operations officer, said he is “honored to be here” and described 30 years in education and experience overseeing school construction projects; Michael Hubert, deputy finance director, summarized his finance and accounting background and prior work with East Providence School District; and Amy Arsenault, HR generalist, said she recently joined the district from Tiverton Schools and highlighted experience in HR, communications and real-estate brokerage.
The meeting ended after a motion to adjourn was seconded and approved.
Votes at a glance - Motion to seal executive-session minutes: approved. (SEG 058–063) - Approval of consent agenda: approved. (SEG 076–083) - MOA for 21st Century technology and equipment grant (middle school, $124,000 award): approved. (SEG 085–111) - Use of Colt fund to replace school sign (invoice $2,465): approved. (SEG 113–149) - Approval of five pulled contracts: approved; transcript records abstentions during the vote but does not provide a clear named vote record. (SEG 150–163)
Next steps and context: The MOA acceptance allows district staff to proceed with the planned classroom technology and equipment improvements at the middle school; the sign replacement will be submitted to the town council for potential reimbursement under the Colt fund policy.
