Council asks school department to justify $2.5M request after manager level‑funds transfer; audit was delayed but unqualified

The town manager said he level‑funded the local tax transfer to the school department after the district submitted a $2.5 million request that, in the manager’s view, lacked a clear explanation of priorities. "First off, we really could not pin it down exactly what their priority was and where this money was going," he said.

Council members pressed for an explanation and asked the school department — which the manager said had requested the $2.5 million at its school‑committee meeting — to present itemized, program‑level justification at the council’s next meeting. Several councilors said town funding that becomes a new baseline in the operating budget should be transparent and that the schools must explain which programs would be cut without added funding.

Separately, the finance director explained the school audit was late because the school accounting needed to tie out certain state reporting (RIDE UCOA) and the municipal transparency portal entries; the delay did not change the audit opinion. The independent auditors issued an unqualified opinion, but administration said the late filing created timing and transparency concerns. Council members requested clearer backup data so they can evaluate the school department’s supplemental request at the Monday meeting.

Next steps: the school department is expected to appear at the council meeting on Monday with more detailed financial backup and an explanation of the $2.5 million request; the council said it will review that material before deciding whether to increase the town’s appropriation.