Smithfield committee signs off on boil-project payments, accepts special-education settlement funds

The Smithfield School Committee on June 26 approved multiple capital payments related to recent construction and renovation work and accepted a one-time distribution from a dissolved special-education collaborative.

Superintendent and staff told the committee that the boil project’s punch-list items were finished and that the project received a certificate of occupancy; retainage and a small set of outstanding bills remain. The committee approved three capital-related items by motion: an invoice to Sullivan & McLoughlin (not to exceed $2,735), a food-service-funded contract with Ardan Engineering for the high-school kitchen (not to exceed $35,675), and an invoice for project-lead services to Collier’s (not to exceed $15,749.80). Motions included language directing any housing-aid reimbursements back to the Smithfield School Committee capital fund where applicable.

Separately, the committee approved transferring $88,575.32 that was dispersed to districts after the dissolution of the Northern Rhode Island Collaborative into the district’s capital fund earmarked for special-education uses. Committee members discussed that the funds originated from special-education tuition accounts and that earmarking them for special-education capital purchases would preserve their intended use; legal counsel confirmed there was no legal caveat restricting the funds but the committee agreed earmarking is prudent.

All payments and the transfer were approved by voice vote during the meeting; exact roll-call tallies were not recorded in the transcript.