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Bristol Warren committee approves contracts, bids and programs; Chartwells, Alphabest actions among approvals
Summary
The school committee approved multiple routine items June 15 including continuing interim work with Chartwells pending contract finalization, approving audit and budget items, authorizing bids for Colt Andrews electrical and cabling, and awarding a before/after-school provider to Alphabest to expand capacity.
At its June 15 meeting the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee moved through routine business and approved a series of financial, procurement and program actions as the district closes the fiscal year.
Finance and contracts: The district distributed the FY25 audit and reported year-to-date expenditures of about $47 million to May 31, with year-end payroll accruals to be reflected in the FY26 closeout. The state selected Chartwells as the food-service manager for the next five years; the district voted to continue working with Chartwells on an interim basis and will present a formal contract and a proposed 10-cent meal-price adjustment in August. The committee also approved the second-year engagement of its external auditor (CBiz) and approved updated terms of engagement for the district—s attorney (hourly rate increase described as modest by the budget subcommittee).
Bids and capital work: The board rejected a sound/safety/intercom bid that produced no acceptable vendors and authorized a re-bid with revised specifications. Separately, the committee approved bids to complete electrical upgrades and low-voltage cabling at Colt Andrews as preparatory work for a future intercom/audio system. The board approved add-alternates to remove old cabling and complete required scope as part of the Colt electrical package.
Student programs and services: To expand capacity for before- and after-school care, the committee awarded a contract to Alphabest, a third-party vendor that will supplement the existing vendor Cozy and provide additional seats where space and minimum enrollment (Alphabest requires at least 15 total students to run) permit. Alphabest will run from available classrooms; if minimum enrollment is not met the vendor will not operate at that site.
Other approvals: The committee approved a write-off of negative lunch balances recommended by the budget subcommittee, authorized capital fund spending to replace window blinds at Hugh Cole for security reasons, and approved a request to use Colt fund money to replace an exterior door at Colt Andrews (the town—s historical commission and three quotes are required before final town council action). The board also approved school improvement plans for FY26—FY27 and completed final reads of several policies in a combined motion.
What to watch: administrators said the district will monitor the SAT-prep intervention—requirement as it is applied to roughly 50 students and will continue to report on how interventions affect proficiency; contract details for Chartwells and proposed meal-price changes will return to the board in August for formal approval.
Votes at a glance: the meeting record shows voice approval or recorded votes on: sealing executive session minutes (approved), consent agenda (approved after pulling item B), approval to continue interim work with Chartwells (approved), FY25 audit distributed (informational), auditor second-year engagement (approved), attorney engagement terms (approved), negative lunch-balance write-off (approved), rejection of the intercom bid (approved), approval of Colt Andrews electrical and cabling bids (approved), approval of Alphabest before/after-school vendor (approved), approval of blinds capital expense (approved), approval to request Colt fund use for door replacement (approved), final reads of policies (approved), and adjournment (approved).
