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Officials weigh regionalization, shared services to reduce school costs
Summary
Officials discussed administrative and transportation consolidation with nearby Middletown as a potential path to multi‑million dollar savings, but noted legal, union and relationship hurdles and that no dedicated city funds were set aside to study academic integration.
The budget workshop turned to regionalization as a possible long‑term savings strategy. Director Gonsalves estimated shared services and transportation efficiencies between Newport and Middletown could yield roughly $3.6M to $6.5M annually over time, including transport reimbursements and consolidated administration, but cautioned savings would not be immediate.
Councilors and school leaders debated whether to pursue administrative consolidation first or plan a full academic integration. Several speakers urged caution about implementation complexities — including bargaining unit alignment, transportation zones and how to protect locally valued programs — and noted the council’s March resolution created an Academic Integration Advisory Committee but did not allocate study funds. "If you're short on funds, this city is going to have to make up that gap," one councilor said, prompting others to recommend a funded study or consultant engagement before major structural changes.
