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Westerly School Committee OKs $2.88 million FY26 capital request; seeks town release of remaining field funds
Summary
The committee voted to approve a FY26 capital request totaling $2,883,739 and gave consensus for district staff to ask the town council to release the remaining $119,443 of a previously committed up-to-$500,000 for a field project after updated actuals showed the balance due; committee discussion clarified RIDE MOA funds had been fully utilized and would not cover the shortfall.
At its Sept. 18 meeting the Westerly School Committee approved the district’s FY26 capital request and gave staff permission to request remaining town funds for a field project.
Finance staff presented updated field-funding actuals and asked the committee for consensus to ask the town council to release $119,443 — the remainder of a previously publicized, up-to-$500,000 town commitment for the field project. Committee members were told RIDE (Rhode Island Department of Education) reimbursement would not cover the remaining amount because the district’s MOA with RIDE had been fully used on earlier capital items. A committee member said earlier messaging that RIDE funds were forthcoming had been inconsistent and said the lack of RIDE reimbursement left local taxpayers responsible for the balance; others said the town council controls release of town capital funds.
Finance staff then presented the FY26 capital request, noting a total proposed request of $2,883,739 and that the district’s FY25 town capital was approximately $2,764,109. A motion to approve the FY26 capital request was moved, seconded, and approved by voice vote. The committee also approved a routine consent agenda later in the meeting.
The committee did not record a roll-call vote with tallies by name in the transcript; actions were recorded as motions and the chair announced the motions carried.
