School Committee approves mediation agreement in Habashore case, seals executive-session minutes

The Warwick School Committee unanimously approved a mediation agreement in the case Estate of Gerald J. Habashore by Administratrix Beth A. Zielinski Habashore v. City of Warwick (Case No. 202307297) during its April 17 special meeting. The motion to approve the mediation agreement was moved, seconded and carried 5–0 in open session.

At the meeting’s start, the Chair moved the body into an executive session under the cited Rhode Island open-meetings exemptions; legal counsel referenced R.I. Gen. Laws provisions when explaining which matters fall within the closed-session exemptions. After that executive session, the committee returned to open session and voted to seal the executive-session minutes; committee members said no formal votes were taken while in executive session.

Why it matters: The committee’s action resolves the mediation agreement for a pending estate-related claim and preserves confidentiality for sensitive discussion that the committee judged appropriate for closed-session consideration. The committee also took the procedural step of sealing the executive-session minutes, a common practice when discussions fall under statutory confidentiality exemptions.

Committee action - Motion to approve the mediation agreement (Estate of Gerald J. Habashore v. City of Warwick, Case No. 202307297): moved and seconded; vote carried 5–0 in open session. - Motion to seal the executive-session minutes: moved and seconded; vote carried 5–0. Committee members explicitly stated that no votes were taken in executive session.

Next steps: Administration and counsel will follow through on settlement steps as appropriate; the committee recorded that the sealed minutes will remain confidential as required by the cited open-meetings exemptions.