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Tiverton panel approves energy contracts, reviews FY25 budget and new transfer reporting
Summary
The school committee approved a 24-month electric contract and a 12-month gas supply term expected to save approximately $65,000 per year on electricity and roughly $1,200 on gas for one year; the committee also reviewed a November YTD budget ($6.5M spent) and discussed proposed transfers and the process for approving them.
The Tiverton School Committee approved Director Andrade’s recommendation to secure a 24-month electric supply rate and a 12-month natural gas term for district facilities.
"I'm proposing a 24 month option for the electric, which is a savings of approximately 65,000 a year," Mr. Andrade told the committee. He recommended a shorter 12-month gas contract because NYMEX natural gas prices are volatile due to increased LNG exports; the gas option was presented as a one-year opportunity to capture modest savings.
The motion to accept the 24-month electric and 12-month gas recommendations was moved and approved unanimously.
Mr. Andrade also presented a FY25 budget update (year-to-date through November 2024) showing $6.5 million spent to date, with personnel costs as the largest budget component. He summarized the district’s budget composition (personnel services ~72.6% of the total budget; special-education services ~12%; transportation ~8%) and noted specific accounts being monitored (some special-education and statewide transportation accounts). The presentation included visualizations to help new members understand budget categories and year-to-date spending patterns.
Committee members discussed a new column Mr. Andrade added showing proposed intrafund transfers and asked the finance subcommittee to work with staff to develop a transparent procedure for bringing transfers to the full committee for approval. Chair Farnworth and committee members emphasized the need to reconcile this practice with existing policy and to post clear summaries for committee review.
On other finance business, the committee accepted a $3,500 ACT Foundation grant for new middle-school basketball uniforms; Superintendent Sanchioni said the grant was written for both boys and girls teams and will be used for uniforms as specified by the donation.
Committee members said they will continue to monitor the budget and meet with finance subcommittee staff on the proposed transfer process.
