All right, uh good good evening, folks.

Everybody hear me okay?

Uh good evening.

Uh thank you for all for coming tonight.

Um and I want to thank uh take a moment to thank the uh Middletown Town Council and uh my uh my constituents here on the City Council of Newport uh for getting together tonight on such a uh important topic and subject that we've been dealing with uh for quite some time in our community.

Uh so uh before we get this uh meeting going, I want to turn it over to uh our city clerk, Loris Dispack for a roll call, please.

David Carlin.

Here Lynn Underwood Segley, Charlie Holder.

Here, Sykamps of Ourovong.

Here, Jean Marie Napolitano here, Alan Pinock.

Yeah, Stephanie Smythe.

Yeah.

There is a quorum present, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Thank you, Charlie.

Uh welcome everybody, and thank you.

As Charlie said, it's uh this discussion in my opinion is long overdue, but uh here we are tonight.

So uh thank everyone and thank the sit city council, city of Newport for uh being open to having this conversation with us as well.

We appreciate that sincerely.

Um said that, Wendy, would you please call the role?

Council President Wall M.

Rodriguez here, Vice President Thomas P.

Welch the third.

Counselor Peter D.

Conerton Sr.

Councillor Christopher M.

Logan.

Counselor Charles R.

Roberts.

Here.

Counselor Dennis B.

Toronto.

Here, Councillor Barbara A.

Von Villis.

Here we have a forum, Mr.

President.

Thank you, Wendy.

Um we don't have a flag, but we're gonna do Pledge of Allegiance anyway.

So please join us in the political Pledge of Allegiance to the flag the United States of America and two problems for which one nation, other God, liberty just want to start uh with some opening remarks.

Um so while I understand that there have been many discussions in the past on regionalization between our two communities, I feel it's important that we continue to have these talks due to the ever changing landscape of our schools and of our students.

As an elected council, it is my duty to constantly look for ways uh in the best interest of my constituents on things such as this.

In the matter of school regionalization that we are discussing tonight, there are many factors involved that can have an effect on all residents, whether you have students in school or you're just a taxpayer as well.

So I'd like to take this moment to address the unfortunate situation we have going on concerning an incident among students at Rogers High School.

Uh the Newport School Committee and not the Newport City Council has jurisdiction on this matter.

Uh as sure many of you have known they uh there is some outside council that is looking into the into this case.

Uh and in respect to them and to the integrity of the investigation.

We ask that if anyone wants to ask about the undergoing investigation, I kindly wait until the information from the investigation is completed, which we hope will be in the near future.

Uh so at this time, as uh the Newport City Council, uh, we don't have any comment until again all the information is in.

So uh out of respect to that, we hope you follow along as well.

Uh so now saying that, um, I want to turn it over town uh manager Sean Brown to discuss the timeline on uh possible regionalization vote uh thank you.

Uh there we go.

Thank you.

Um over the past couple weeks, myself and Colin have been looking at the timeline related to potential regionalization.

Originally, I think the discussion was to try to have uh a special election in April, and that that really isn't uh an opportunity right now.

So looking at the timeline we've laid it out so that um if these discussions were to be successful, we would be looking at the ballot being actually on um election day being November 3rd, 2026.

So uh I'm gonna start from today, but uh we're gonna end up on that November 3rd, 2026 date.

Uh the first key date that we're working towards or we would need to work for towards is March 1st.

Uh that's a date that was provided to me by Senator De Palma, and uh it's the date that we would need to submit enabling legislation to the General Assembly for approval.

Um there probably is some wiggle room with that date, but logically it makes sense because the General Assembly would be coming back from their winter break.

Uh so that would be uh an important milestone and really sets uh a very fast pace for us between today and that March 1st date to have that legislation drafted.

I think an important part of that discussion is uh if there are we would use the legislation that was was used the last time as a foundation, if there were going to be any changes, um we'd try to identify those as quickly as possible so that those could be um thoroughly discussed between the town and city council so that ultimately it it ends up as a component of that legislation.

Um and and again, I think that's part of what you'd be exploring tonight is having that discussion of what areas that you agree upon and where there may be some differences or issues that that require uh additional uh conversation.

Um between now and that March deadline, um probably one of the most significant items which should come up tonight is uh the newport proposal for the academic integration advisory committee.

Uh that that resolution was passed some time ago.

Uh but but basically there's two components to it.

One is the appointment of the membership, uh which would need to occur quickly.

And in the resolution, that committee has a 90-day window to establish a uh plan or course of action as well as the resources that are necessary for its work.

Uh so that would basically give them between December, February, February, March, to have that that first step completed.

Uh from there, they basically have until I would say June 15th to get a report um to the town council, city council so that there could be the discussion that the city of Newport identified should happen before any discussion about regionalization continues forward.

So that is on a another tight timeline.

Uh that takes us to that that June time frame in July, both the town council and city council, assuming that the legislation gets past legislative council review, uh ride review, and and general assembly approval in July, the town council and city council would be passing resolutions to put the ballot on the uh the question on the ballot.

Our board of canvassers would be certifying the ballot question, and we would be submitting the question to the Rhode Island Secretary of State no later than August 5th.

Umce that happens, the next big deadline would be September 21st, and that's when the mail ballots would be going out.

So I think from a planning standpoint, you don't have until November 3rd of 2026 to start educating the public about what regionalization is about.

Um, really the election starts in the end of September.

So one of the things that's been discussed is the need for uh public education.

So the planning for that would take place somewhere probably towards the springtime, late summer, so those materials could be prepared and you would start to have those discussions over the summer.

Uh we do know from the last round of regionalization that was very challenging.

Um a number of people here spent a lot of time meeting with people and uh trying to provide as much information as possible, but it it is very difficult to make you know our message penetrate um to everybody during the summer when when you know tourism's at its peak, people are trying to enjoy the the good weather.

So um we'll have to take that into consideration.

But uh to summarize, March 1st is the first critical date.

We have to get the legislation to the General Assembly.

August 5th, we need to get the question to the Rhode Island Secretary of State.

That means the city council, town council have passed a uh resolution supporting it.

The uh Board of Canvasers has certified it, and then uh we really want to be in full gear selling the proposal by September 21st when the mail-in ballots go out.

So I think those are the critical dates.

Thank you, Sean.

Um Paul, did you uh want to start off on on your side with some opening remarks?

Yeah, I should I should have you do that before Sean.

So I can't.

Yeah, no, it's it's fine, Charlie.

It's just you know, I like I said um at the beginning, I think the conversation, at least discussion, is is long overdue.

Um, we've always been of the mindset, or at least we should be of the mindset, my opinion is that you can't have a discussion if you're not at the table.

And you have to be at the table whether you agree or disagree on on issues or ways to get there or not get there.

And that's kind of what we're gonna try to accomplish tonight.

This with these three three agenda items is you know, what is you know, what is administrative regionalization.

We'll talk about the endowment and you know, you know, is there an appetite for a path forward?

Um between both communities, really.

Um and if there is, then we then we set another meeting, we start working towards that.

And that's uh that's really what it's about.

And it's um, you know, I I personally think there's opportunities for both communities.

Um, you know, some things you do well, some things we do well.

But at the end of the day, you know, I talk to Gene a lot, it's about the kids.

And and you know, that's really where for me the biggest opportunity is the the reimbursement piece gonna speak for itself.

I don't want to talk about that.

I think it's more, and I think that's kind of where um we failed last time was we didn't we didn't we couldn't talk, we didn't have enough answers about the educational piece.

What would there be the benefits for both communities?

And uh I just say that, and I hope I don't offend anybody because sometimes I'm good at that unintentionally.

Um, is that it's not the kids, it's it's it's us and the parents.

That's what stands in the way here.

So but again, you're gonna do what's right for for your community, what you feel is best for your community given the given the facts and that are in front of us, or that maybe maybe in come in front of us if we continue this discussion.

Um so we'll start off on on the uh the first item.

Uh we're gonna talk about the review of the Newport City Council resolution number 2025-146, which discusses administrative regionalization.

Um, I I know that there's a has been a lot of discussion and back and forth on what is regionalization.

Uh some people have the uh the opinion that it is it's either 100% full student region or it's nothing, or some people want just the administrative uh regionalization, which would call for basically one school committee body, one superintendent, uh, one finance board.

Um, you know, there and there's there's no right or wrong answer to that, you know, not just whose opinion is what doesn't necessarily mean everyone else is wrong.

Uh a situation like we have tonight, and that we've been discussing for for quite some time is is getting this dialogue going, you know, getting that conversation going, you know, without digging your heels into the ground and being like, no, if you don't listen to me, then I'm not gonna listen to you.

You know, that that type of of uh communication just does not work.

And for our communities, um, and speaking from uh obviously Newport's uh perspective, you know, the it's changed the the landscape is changing so fast.

And we see the newport with uh uh a decline in student enrollment like quickly.

Uh this is not just uh uh a handful of of students, we're talking hundreds at a time each year.

Um and it's like that, and it's not just Newport, it's it's like that in the state as well.

Um, so how do we go about fixing fixing that?

I know a couple of years ago when we've had this uh the the original administration of administrative regionalization, you know, we were just in the process of okaying of getting a new high school built.

You know, we now we have the high school built, so now we understand the financial part of it.

We also understand what kind of room that we have uh for students and the needs that they have.

Um so how do we go about addressing that?

And I think as Paul said, you know, the most important thing that I don't that I want to make sure that doesn't get lost in the conversation is we want to find out what is the best situation for our students, and I mean all students, not we're not just talking about the high school.

Uh we have we have kids in in the middle school, kids in in the in the uh in in Pell School, you know, K through through uh five, that we want to make sure that we're setting them up to be successful.

Now, does that mean everyone's gonna go to a four-year school and graduate and get a degree and move on?

Probably not.

There are other options is as well.

There are trades to be discussed.

There are there are other other avenues besides going to four-year schools.

Uh CCRI is working on some great programs for a lot of our our uh our young kids to to do things that they might not have thought that they could um really really grasp, you know, a couple years ago.

Um but to do that, there needs to be a uh a financial aspect of it, and then there needs to be an education aspect of it.

We can't do one without the other.

They have to we have to do both, and we have to do them in congruent.

Um so uh I know we're talking about administrative regionalization, so that might, in my opinion, I think that is the first step we take.

And then I I would like at this point, I don't want to hug the microphone from my uh counselor, so I would like to open it up for any discussion.

So Charlie, I guess the question I have is when that's re administrative regionalization proposed, what does that mean?

I think that that that needs to be answered.

Is it, you know, where do the kids go?

What does it look like in the not today or tomorrow?

What does it look like in the distant future?

What does that mean?

What what's that difference between last time and this time, I guess.

Mr.

Chairman.

Yes, Council Carl.

Appreciate that, uh, Mr.

President.

That's a great question.

Yeah.

And uh I know that you and Councillor Napolitano have done great work on this with regard to meeting with the Rhode Island Department of Education and well beyond that.

There is no definition of administrative regionalization.

That's an absolute fact.

Uh the definition of regionalization includes something as expansive as all integrate or integration of all students, all components of the delivery of education, that is to say, career technical, etc., sports activities, et cetera, the requirement for professional staff and others, et cetera.

Or it could be as limited as I think what we all have been thinking of, but perhaps not explaining well enough, that is to say a regionalization that includes only an administrative function, a combination of the Newport School Department and the Middletown School Department with respect to one shared superintendent, one shared finance director, and perhaps one other administrative function.

That's what we've been talking about.

That's what we voted on in 2022, which was rejected.

That's what the bill doesn't contain, unfortunately, but allows.

So there needs to be as a first step, Mr.

Chairman, Mr.

President, an explanation to the public, uh, as the president said, what are we proposing?

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you, Council.

Council.

Um my understanding and as um going back to the 2022 uh proposal, which is essentially it's very similar to this one.

The process would be to merge two school districts into one district, and it's governed by a regional school committee.

Uh the structure of operations, finance, and educational program would be established by a regional governing school committee.

Uh there's an entire process laid out by title six in Title 16 of Ride's uh regulations.

So there are some very specific um hurdles that have to be overcome.

Um we have to figure out what regional leadership would look like, uh, how many um board school board members from Middletown, how many from Newport, and then whether or not there would be a f different financial board.

Um, and usually that is the opposite number of the uh the school committee.

So there's a lot of work that has to be done in that regard, but uh according to Ride, regionalization can be can start off as administrative.

I mean, that's always been the way I've looked at it is um that this is just a baby steps to uh integrating both schools completely with the students.

But um, but there is a very technical uh method that that Ride has set out.

Okay.

So I mean I just want to make sure, I mean, we've heard from a couple here from Dave and Lynn is that is that how is that how the board does the the city council feels as a whole?

Um you know, is it because right now you built the school, right?

We've built we've built the school.

Now we're talking about buildings, uh facilities.

Um what I heard, and and correct me if I'm wrong, is that it would just be, you know, your children go to your schools, our children go to our schools for now.

Um superintendent.

Um I think what you guys had proposed last time was very fair as of how the how the district uh the regional school board would be set up and then a regional finance committee with the with the uh equity of um I hate to use the word power.

It's not power, it's equity or fairness of uh positions on those on those committees.

So I I I want to make sure that's what I'm hearing.

That's all.

Well that not just me, everybody.

That's what I'm saying.

I can I can see that that uh would be the the way we we would develop a formula for this combined school committee.

Um there would be um at large election and the three top vote getters from Middletown and top from uh three from Newport would win the seats, and then the seventh member, seventh member um is the one that has gets the highest vote.

So whoever get the high if if Middletown gets a higher vote than Newport, then they had the majority on that school committee.

And then the finance committee would be the exact opposite.

Correct.

Yeah.

And just uh it's just uh I think it's fair when it's three-three.

Um you have a lot more voters than we do.

So chances are that it would be the school board would be controlled by Newport, probably majority of the time.

And that's an assumption, but it could be based on the number of voters, because that's what's gonna be.

Well, what and then Greg McBrown.

So that setup was we'll say for the first year, say say it's 2026 in November, we vote.

There's four Newport uh school committee members, three Middletown, and then the opposite for finance.

The following two years later would be the opposite.

Okay.

So Middletown would have four Newport have three on the school, or however, however it played out.

Yeah.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Mr.

Chairman, Mr.

President, with respect, where where are we seeing this?

That was obviously laid out in the 2022 legislation, but that was certainly not laid out in the resolution that the council passed by a five to two vote most recently.

Uh with respect again, I would suggest to us uh as a mutual body or at as mutual cooperators that we're doing uh based on the timeline that I'm seeing here, uh we're doing at least one thing uh in the opposite way that we should be doing it.

I note that the suggestion is by the timeline that the councils on July 1st or around July 1st approve placing the resolution on the ballot.

Uh we should be essentially writing the bills or the bill ourselves, submitting it to uh Senator De Palma uh and Representative Carson, if they will be the prime sponsors again, getting that done early as the administrator mentioned, though with respect to Senator DePama, municipalities can enter legislation up till the last minute of the last day of the legislative session.

They have no restrictions on introductory deadlines, so we can do it whenever we need to, as late as we need to, the earlier the better.

But we should be voting first on what to put on the ballot, and then go through the process, because if we've gone through the process and wasted the time of the Rhode Island Department of Education, the to be appointed members of the academic committee, the voters and residents of the town of Middletown and City of Newport by coming to around July 1st and then having a majority of either council say, No, I'm not voting to put this on the ballot.

That would be an embarrassment to both of us, Mr.

President, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you.

Yeah, and then that's exactly why we're we're having these discussions now in these meetings, so we can you know get together as opposed to you know Newport doing having our thoughts and putting our resolutions together and having Middletown doing theirs.

We can hopefully, or maybe maybe we don't, but hopefully we come to an agreement on how we're gonna move forward.

Um, you know, this is just one step.

And then you know the next step will be if say at the end of the tonight, both councils agree, like, yeah, we we like what we're doing, we feel good, we're gonna move forward, and then now we get school the school committees involved, and then you start working on you know, more in depth on the educational aspects.

So when we get to the point of this is what we want on the ballot, this is how it's gonna work, we're both in agreement on it, and then we move forward that way.

As opposed to like you said, Carl, which I agree with you.

We don't want to do it backward.

Okay.

But there is a there is a specific um uh formulation of creating this administrative regionalization through Ride.

So we have the framework which was already put in the legislation the last time.

So except for tweaking it here and there, uh I and you know, things that perhaps we have to agree on, um, most of that information is already out there.

It's what we we did in 2022.

So the the um the framework hasn't changed.

Um, you know, I I think that uh the educational piece needs to be looked at at this with this advisory committee, um, and to look at the perhaps you know the disadvantages and the advantages of of having a combined uh systems, but um the framework from the legislation is the same.

I agree with you.

Um did we need to read this in?

I think we needed to read this in, right?

Correct.

Right, Charlie.

Do you want to read you want to read yours in first or number one?

I mean, we're talking about it already, but I think we're uh procedurally, it needs to be read in um and received, you know.

Uh sure Mr.

Chairman, Council Garland.

Uh may I move to uh please and I look for a second, uh skip the motion, uh skip the reading and move to receive and I have a second, yeah.

We have a motion and second, any discussion?

All is in favor?

All right.

Okay.

Um, number two.

Okay.

Motion begin review newport city council resolution five dash one creative, but all in favor.

All right, okay.

So is any other councils have any other questions or comments about um the administrative uh regionalization piece.

I think uh Ellen's gonna thank you.

Um, Mr.

President.

So um you asked a few minutes ago if all of the counselors thought that that definition of regionalization was adequate, and I'm actually on the other side of that because I feel like regionalization is um focused on our learners and their outcomes and putting them first and then combining them in one location, whether it be Newport or Middletown.

Administration regionalization only doesn't feel like the complete story to me.

And as someone who spent 20 years working in schools with kids and families, I feel like um their voice has been missing for quite a while in this.

Um and I also feel like the regionalization that we're talking about here, administration only doesn't address a lot of the achievement gaps, um, access to resources, long-term stability, and I feel like if any proposal um doesn't censor those things, then you know, me personally and maybe other people feel the same, we need to question it the value.

Um, and this has to focus on student outcomes and not administration convenience, um, in my opinion.

And I feel like there's an obligation um to make sure that any shared system doesn't deepen the inequities that we know exist currently um in our schools.

I don't know much about Middletown, um, but I do know Newport very well.

And I'd be a little bit um concerned about like resource allocation, and I'm sure we'll cover that stuff later on as we move forward.

But you know, I am worried about the very specific outcomes for our students, and I often hear that this is like the first step to full regionalization.

Um, but this resolution that was voted on very specifically says that teachers and students will remain in their respective communities for the foreseeable future.

Um so if people are in support of regionalization, I think that the definition needs to be cleared up, and I think people need to walk away with an understanding of whether or not this is the first step, or if this becomes something that makes it so kids are never in the same place at the same time.

Makes sense.

Yeah.

Thank you, Ellen.

Dennis, yeah, I'd like to say something.

So I want to thank everyone for coming out.

It's really an important topic.

And just I'd like to respond, Ellen, to your um statement, because uh education is very important.

I've been uh sharing education after school programs um the last seven, eight years.

And I believe if we can't give our children a better education, then we're wasting our time.

Okay.

Um we are working together currently.

Yeah, we have programs that are going on in Newport and Middletown where our students are together.

In the school in our sports.

A lot of them are together.

So and then there's classes that we offer that your students can come here and then we go to your schools to take CTE basically career tech.

I'm sure there's some other maybe advanced costs and some other areas.

I don't see that going away.

I think we need to do more of that.

Whether we vote for this or not, we gotta be getting the education system that works for our students, combining it.

Well, let's say it doesn't pass.

We still have to work together and get our children a good education.

So if we march to that drum a little bit and realize we still are gonna call it what you want, regionalize we need the state is incenting us to do after school programs.

Our ed our kids are together already.

So I think we can overcome that hurdle.

I think that's I think as our children get older, and they may be seniors and juniors and so on, we need to be pointing them in the right direction.

So they're ready to fly when they graduate, whatever direction they do decide to go in.

They want to go pursue an education, great.

They want to pursue career tech, great.

Great.

If they want to go in the military, great.

But they all should be aware of what their options are, and we can do that together.

Whether they come into Middletown to go to a class, well, we're gonna have to work on transportation.

There's no doubt about that.

And I think we gotta work on offering different classes at different times.

Something to look at.

Hey, I can't take Spanish during the week.

There's maybe not enough space.

Well, maybe we offer it on the weekend.

Maybe they do it virtually.

So these are the things that we can talk about on the education, but also I look at education, and I don't know how much time we're gonna have to spend on that just because we have schools that are functioning right now.

What's coming out?

I don't know how much is coming out.

Let's say nothing comes out.

They're gonna continue doing what we're doing in our schools, and how much more are we gonna add?

I think where they're gonna get their chances are to have an opportunity to take different types of education, and we need to transport them there and get them to where they need to be and focus on that education and that the end result.

So I think we need to do that whether we regionalize or not.

So that's just my thought, and I appreciate what you're saying.

I'm hoping they're going back and forth and they're finding ways to work together.

Okay, thank you, Dennis.

Um, my my opinion, and this goes with with Ellen's comment.

Um what what's not I want to make sure it doesn't get lost is that it's just the administrative aspect or just the financial aspect that we're talking about.

Um at the end of the day, if we don't regionalize both schools as far as kids, then we're we are wasting our time.

And this is and that's not what I want to do.

I have believe me.

Myself and I I know plenty of the other council on both sides have a lot of other important matters that we deal with on a daily basis.

But we would be doing a complete disservice to everyone in both communities if we don't keep at this and keep looking to having these discussions.

But and and just because again, as I mentioned earlier, if one of us doesn't get our way, it doesn't mean this thing should be dead in the water.

You know, that we have too much at stake right now.

Um the the point we do have as Dennis said, you know, we do have a lot of things that the the the kids on on that side that are doing dealing with that are together on a lot of things is great, but it it's it's not enough.

You know, it's not enough.

We're we're dealing with with also so many different families that that are struggling to just to make ends meet and struggling to get their kids to school and struggling, you know, kids are kids in school are all working second jobs for kind of out loud, just just to help themselves out.

And we're not doing enough, in my opinion.

We are not doing enough as representatives of of these people to make their lives better and to give their kids and the opportunity to to be better in in all all regards.

to just to make ends meet and struggling to get their kids to school and struggling you know kids are kids in school are are working second jobs for kind of out loud just just to help themselves out and we're not doing enough in my opinion we are not doing enough as representatives of of these people to make their lives better and to give their kids and the opportunity to to be better in in in all all regards so I'm I'm in the boat that we need to regionalize and I know we can't do it from day one so I think this is this is our best step forward right now is to combine our administrative our administration uh forces and and become better that way I I just don't I don't want to stop this because we we feel like the students might get left out because that is that is not the goal and shame on us if that does happen because um I know from my perspective I'm not gonna I'll I'll be the first one to tell you I'm not gonna sit up here and be like this is these are the education kind of curriculums that we need that's not my strong suit that's not my jurisdiction and I I will leave that to the school committee people this school administration and all those folks um and but that's what I want to get to so and I I hope we can all you know agree to to go in that direction Mr.

Chair I I just I think that this two school departments would be stronger together and I'm worried about our AP classes I'm worried that we won't have enough kids to even support those classes I mean I mean how is it that we would allow us to shortchange our kids if they can't take AP classes or you know even just a regular physics classes or it just it seems to me that if we can come together we're we're losing so much because we're losing students and we don't just don't have the the the student population in order to create what they they need to have.

So I see this as being stronger together I don't I and if we have to start out with what you call administrative regionalization well so be it.

But I look at uh Warren in Bristol I me their students go to their own elementary schools right and then they come then and I believe believe the same I think their middle schools are um separated and then they come together for high school so maybe we're a couple of years away from that but um it's we we will shortchange our kids because we don't have the predictable funding we don't we we just don't it's just it's it's very sad but you know this is this is a uh national trend of people aren't having the same number of child children they once did and um and it's just uh a sign of the times that declining enrollment is uh is our future we need the kids thank you um in theory I agree with regionalization um I think that I I have property in New Hampshire and I think if I went there and said we had 600 kids in two communities next door to each other and we were doing it our own way they'd laugh you out of the out of the town hall it's it's silly um however I also feel like I need to say that because we're trying to represent the not only the students but the parents and the and the taxpayers and I I know the regionalization things the ball's gone back and forth a couple of times but the last time it got voted down we had to to revamp and we're now I mean we're building schools just like you guys you know you're ahead of us right so we put a a ridiculous amount of effort into trying to figure out how many students like you know Charlie's talking about how many kids it's gonna be in five years from now and and the whole rest of it and how big to make the building and how to lay it out and all those things and you know we're everything's going well so far I I expect it to continue that way and to kind of dump the box out and to some degree and and say that well we might and I realize that it's down the road but to start to think about we're gonna send kids this way and send kids that way when we didn't even get to finish our building yet I so I agree with continuing the discussions this timeline concerns me.

I mean is it possible I suppose it's possible but it doesn't sound plausible for us to be able to I mean last time I stood there like many of you with a sign to try to pass regionalization and all the reasons why and it seemed it seemed pressured then and we didn't do a good enough job of of explaining all the educational benefits I get that I think we definitely need to do that this time um I don't see that I can't see us doing the best job we can in this time frame so am I willing to sit down and continue to bring the school communities and all that absolutely but to try to get it done by November so that we can vote on it at this point I'm not in favor of that thank you else Charlie thank you Mr.

But to try to get it done by November so that we can vote on it.

At this point, I'm not in favor of that.

Thank you.

Chris, Charlie.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Mr.

Mayor as well.

Um, you know, I I travel all over the country for work, and you know, I've been around the country quite a bit too.

And and I think this this idea of regionalization is is been going on all over our country for a long time.

And I think sometimes in Rhode Island in New England, we we tend to, you know, we love our towns, we love our borders.

We don't like to do things like this.

And but I I'll say it all the time, and I've heard it here tonight that kids are already doing it because they are.

Um they're they're all doing things together all the time.

They all know each other already.

It's a common thing.

Um, but there are a lot of successes to this.

And and I see, you know, I don't want to go into this telling our voters that we're just doing administration, you know, regionalization.

We are regionalizing school districts.

That's what we're doing here.

And I think that's important for us to start off that way is to say we we're gonna come up with a learning plan for all the students in the school district, not just the middle town kids and the newport kids.

You know, yes, right now we have buildings, it doesn't make sense to bus kids in middle town all the way over to Rogers High School right now.

It just doesn't make sense.

But maybe five, ten years down the line, we we're building something else, you know.

That that's the benefit to this that that ride is offering us.

But you know, I I want to get this out to voters.

It it it it passed pretty pretty good margin in Middletown.

I want to remind people the last time, and it wasn't far off from this.

I I know there's a tight timeline here, but we make some tweaks here.

It's even some of the things one of the hot topics that I heard was that Middletown wouldn't have control of the committee and and so forth.

If we can agree to split that each each voting time, what what's wrong with that?

I mean, that solves that problem right there.

Um I just I listen, I see it.

Our school is making some great progress right now.

We got a great superintendent, we got great principals.

We're making a lot of progress, but I don't see it sustainable in our town.

I just don't see the way the populations are going that this is here, and I think it helps both communities.

Um, but I think we need to really go into this to say we are regionalizing school districts.

I don't I don't think there has to be this major push to say we gotta get all the kids into one high school right away.

I don't see the point in that.

Um but they're already gonna be swapping.

There's gonna be kids from Middletown going to classes in Newport, Newport kids coming to Middletown.

We have great programs.

Your guys' school is unbelievable.

Unbelievable.

And I just toured our school, and it's gonna be unbelievable.

And we have uh your programs that you offer for kids that don't want to go to college.

We're gonna have a program where kids can graduate from Middletown or the Newport Middletown Regional School District and with an LPN and go out there and get a real job in in the real world.

So I I for one, I want to get this to the voters again.

I don't want to make the decision myself.

I think we can tweak this.

I think we can add some things, have some discussions.

We got to work at it.

And and I'm willing to work it.

I know there's other people as well.

Um, but we owe it to the kids of both communities.

I I I don't see a downsize to this myself.

Thank you.

Thank you, Charlie.

Any comments?

Gene.

So I would just like to follow up on a couple of Charlie's comments.

I think um, I think for the most part, he's pretty much spot on whether you agree or disagree.

Um, you know, uh our part of our job is to make sure that we maximize every opportunity for every child, every taxpayer.

Um, and I I don't I don't say that just to say it.

I say it because I think we all mean it.

And we all want to get there.

We may see different ways how to get there, but we need to get there.

And and you know, I think one of the things he said was, and it was proposed last time was that you know, when you get to that high school level, the the the child doesn't matter what community they come from, that child will follow that program if that that's what they want, or that's what they need.

That that's what should happen.

Um because if you have these resources that are accessible to us, and we have these resources that are accessible to your children, what are we doing?

I mean, it you know, and and again and again, I was one of those guys back in 2016 or whatever it was.

I was one of them.

For sure.

program if that that's what they want when that's what they need that that's what should happen um because if you have these resources that aren't accessible to us and we have these resources that are accessible to your children what are we doing I mean it you know and again and again I was one of those guys back in 2016 or whatever it was I was one of them for sure um but you know as you as you see things change and um you know and evolve um and you start to see the opportunities and you open your mind to those opportunities of what could be because look our job is to and I'm not telling you anything you don't know our job is to we're not making decisions just today we're making decisions for 10 20 30 40 50 years down the road you know at least get it in the right direction or get it directionally correct um whether it's educationally whether it's financial it doesn't matter that that's what we do and so um and you know one of the words Charlie used and I use it all the time it's it's sustainability we're not going to be able to survive the way we should be able to survive if we don't work together on something whether it's this or you know I've had people in my ears about uh memorandum of understandings or whatever it is we need to figure this out because at the end of the day it's not about us it's about the children and it's about the taxpayer and it's about sustainability 10 20 30 40 50 years down the road that that's what it's about we keep going in the direction we're going the new schools we built you built and the one we're building we're gonna be in the same boat if if we don't put our heads together and work together in in some way shape or form so I feel your pain council Toronto uh I was very disappointed the last time when we didn't really fully explore the regionalization process uh I've been on the council a long time the number of students has steadily declined in the last five to ten years it's the same is true in Middletown we have needs that we can't meet in Newport I am convinced of that if I won the lottery I think I'd give it to the high school I'd want you to consider me too well maybe a little I just think our kids deserve a quality education not only my kids or my grandchildren now but all our kids no matter where they are in life and they certainly um I I know having Rogers the new high school it is beautiful it is great but we've got a lot of work to do there and we should be able to help them out and I'm talking from the city's uh standpoint particularly they don't want to talk about money just too much money involved we need to talk about it we do not have some of the teachers that we need we don't have some of the proper instruction we don't have certain services for certain kids so yes it is important and we this is the first time I've been on council for 30 years this is the first time that we have been offered something more than 20% reimbursement on our schools the schools up in the Providence area were getting 70 80 sometimes 90% we were getting 20 percent 25% it wasn't until Joe Eva gains pushed with Pell School to get 35% in and it's very helpful and I think we should remember this is something that I'm proud of the people in Newport and the people in Middletown who have voted to build these schools that's the taxpayers and they certainly deserve a school that we can be proud of and the students deserve a school that we can provide all the things that we should be providing.

So I you know obviously you know I'm in favor of regionalization doesn't mean necessarily all of a sudden all these kids are going to go to Middletown and all these kids are going to go to Newport but that may happen eventually we will have two relatively new schools schools that are safe dry and warm and the kids are well educated and can offer the programming that possibly we can't offer now because of the lack of funding so I appreciate the comments I understand people think I I just can't imagine going through another year of this if we don't do it it's we'll have a nice new high school but I'm not sure how well the students will survive in it.

People think I I just can't imagine going through another year of this.

If we don't do it, it's we'll have a nice new high school, but I'm not sure how well the students will survive in it.

Okay.

Yes, ma'am.

Yep.

Oh, Chris, sorry.

Oh, Barbara.

All right.

One of the things that concerns me is the fact that if we try to do too much too soon or at the same time.

One of the problems that we had with the last election, the last time it came forward, was we didn't, we did not give enough information to the parents to have them support it on an academic level.

Most of you know that I've been an and a supporter of the of academic regionalization for forever, forever.

My personal experience is that I have been an administrator in four different regional schools in three states, and I have scheduled kids in each of those schools as a part of my administrative responsibility.

It's not easy.

One of the things that concerns me is that if we try to do too much too soon, we will end up screwing it up and we will not have it again.

My opinion is we ought to do step by step.

The first step is I hate to say this because it's so against the way that I think.

But from my perspective, the most important thing right now is the money.

I'm sorry.

I don't want to I don't want to say that.

I have said it for years and years and years that I'm all about the kids.

But in this particular case, I think you need to resolve the money issue.

Okay.

After you have resolved the money issue and the which would involve the administration, then I think you need to make stream efforts to address the educational aspects.

And I can tell you as a person who has scheduled, scheduled schools, regional schools, ranging high schools from 300 to 3,000.

Okay.

I have schedule them.

It's not easy.

And we're talking about kids in two different schools when we're talking about the high school.

There are a lot of things that we can do, but we need to do it right.

We can't do it hodgepodge.

So from my perspective, I can support the financial push at this point, which freaks me out, quite frankly, because I am a school person, okay, and kids.

But we need to resolve that.

Once we resolve that and get that off the table, so we're working in a way that that works for both communities.

Then we can take the time to do the other piece right.

That's my opinion.

Thank you, Mrs.

Von Willis.

Okay.

You want to move to number two?

You want to continue to discuss this?

No, this I mean that's a good thing.

Mr.

Chairman, but Mr.

President, with great respect.

Uh part of item number one, uh, which is extraordinarily concerning to me, uh, is a discussion on the endowment.

Um where did I see that?

That's it.

I'm sorry, item number two.

Uh we just explained as best we could and discussed how regionalization would work.

Uh there's another bullet about an explanation and and discussion of how the endowment would work.

Uh as Charlie earlier alluded to, you don't throw the the baby out with the bathwater.

Nobody can get everything that they want uh in a democracy.

This is the way we do things, it's a give and take.

Uh so as a result, I did not vote against Councillor Napolitano's resolution.

I didn't get everything I wanted, uh, but I didn't vote against it.

However, one of the components of counselor Napolitano's resolution is that uh we resolve as a town council, and hopefully with the Middletown Town Council according to uh the councillor's resolution, we resolve to create an endowment uh to prioritize and commit, or I'm sorry, we will prioritize and commit the use of state reimbursement funds to the tune, presumably of 82.5 percent for Newport potentially.

That's a great overall goal, no question about it.

But the city of Newport went to the taxpayers of Newport and asked for approval of a bond uh in December or I'm sorry, November 2022.

The taxpayers of the city of Newport approved said bond.

Uh it was for 104.5 million roughly.

That was to include about 98 and a half million dollars to build a new Rogers High School and about uh six million or so.

Sooner or later we're talking about real numbers here, Mr.

President.

Six million or so for uh the expansion of Pell School.

We have committed to date 131 and a half million dollars, uh, which will be on the backs of the taxpayers of the city of Newport.

31.6 million of which, I'm sorry, 31 minus 4, 20, about 27 million of which will not be uh reimbursable by the Rhode Island Department of Education.

So if we are going to get a reimbursed or if we are going to get an increase uh in the reimbursement rate that the state of Rhode Island gives to the city of Newport, our first obligation is to go back and reduce that bond obligation.

Our first obligation as a city council is to go back and reduce that bond obligation on the part uh of the the voters, the residents, the taxpayers of the city of Newport, because we didn't say to them, look, we're asking you for this money in order that we create this uh opportunity as pointed out in counselor uh council Napolitano's resolution.

We said we're gonna build a school and enhance another school with this money.

If we get additional reimbursement money, I favor paying off a portion of the bond with that money.

We can find other ways to do what Councillor Napolitano says, but I'd I'd really like an in depth sorry for uh talking too long here, uh Ms.

President, Mr.

Chairman, but I'd really like an in-depth discussion on that endowment issue, please.

Yeah.

So thank you for bringing that up, Dave, because that's where we're gonna go next.

Um but um so I guess the question on the endowment is I took some notes off of that uh resolution.

And I have a lot of questions too, because I feel the same way you do.

Um I just we just need some explanation.

I guess, you know, you know what percentage are we talking about?

Um explaining the endowment proposal, how it'd be executed, how much, you know, what can and would it be used for?

Are the funds restricted?

You know, we obviously we obviously borrowed more money than you did.

So what's the equity?

Would it be equal?

What's the percentage of the percentage opposite would be uh whatever percentage it is would be we'd we'd we'd be given more if that was the case.

And I know that's probably not the case, but those are things we need to talk about.

Because, you know, you know, a certain percentage, you know, 10% of or 20 percent of 190 is a lot more than 10 percent of 98.

So that it's that kind of stuff.

So Dave, I'm glad you brought that up.

Um, again, is it restricted?

You know, what would it be used for?

Though those kind of things.

But I guess we probably need to start with what do you mean by it?

I mean, just so it's defined, so it's on record of so everyone understands what it is and exactly what you're talking about, or maybe the percentage hasn't been defined yet.

I don't I don't know.

Um I saw some emails flying around that showed a percentage number uh a certain percent, and I was like, that's a that's a deal breaker for me.

Uh that certain percent.

So that's something that we need to discuss and kind of figure out.

My intentions on the uh resolution was some of the reimbursement money would be used toward Newport's endowment fund.

There was no specification, no percentage.

And I like you, I've been pummeled by this question, and I really don't believe, you know, the savings basically belongs to the taxpayers.

And they have been extremely generous in the last few years in both communities building a high school.

However, we still have needs in the city.

We still have things that we have to do even for the school.

So it there was no percentage number whatsoever as far as what we would give to the schools toward an endowment to improve opportunities for the kids.

Certainly should benefit our students so that they can grow up to survive and thrive.

Yeah.

But there was never enough.

Okay.

Well, thank you for clearing that up.

I think that um Dave, one of the points you brought up was is spot on, in my opinion, anyway, that you know, we didn't go to the taxpayers and say, hey, we're going to use it for this.

We went to the taxpayers and said, hey, if if you approve this, this is the reimbursement.

Now, this is if you regionalize, my understanding it's 2% per grade additionally.

So you could be talking about additional 26%.

Potentially, or 24%, but if you 26 if you include pre-K, I believe.

It's interesting.

So you know, part of part of that is, okay, so what do you do with that?

I think you pay a debt down.

Um, you know, maybe you maybe we can come to an agreement on if we move forward of you know setting uh setting up a fund where maybe transportation savings or something like that would go towards maintenance or education or whatever it is.

Um but I think that's a discussion that we need to we need to talk about.

I don't know if we resolve that today, but at least we need at least we need to have an understanding of what exactly what you you're proposing and what you're what you're looking for us to to accept or agree upon at some point in time to do that correct.

Right.

Correct.

I'm used to trying to yell too, but um as you mentioned, like the transportation uh transportation savings, we need to know what the that exact number is gonna be.

You know, so if we you know agree to keep to keep going on, you know, one of the next steps is we bring in uh bring-in ride to talk about okay, what are these numbers that we're that we're dealing with, so we know okay, say uh three million dollars, just to throw a number out there.

Don't quote me on that.

That's just hypothetical.

You know, do we take uh half of that uh half of that number, three million, and split it between the two uh between Newport and Middletown and do and put that and put the other half towards education.

You know, I I don't know.

We need to see what that number is.

If it's if the number is 100,000, then you know maybe that's not going to be enough to satisfy uh an educational opponent uh uh uh component, and then we have to put it towards you know back to the taxpayer.

So let's get um before we start throwing hypotheticals around like I just did, uh let's make sure we know what the numbers are that we're talking about so we can make you know the right decision.

Okay.

Thank you, Charlie.

Any uh go ahead, do you have yeah, I just want to say, as far as the buildings go, the building in Middletown is paid for by the milling middle town taxpayers.

The building uh Rogers is paid for by the Newport taxpayers, and never the two shall meet in terms of paying.

It is the administration's job in Middletown to pay for the school, and your reimbursement likewise would come back to the city.

The same is true of Newport.

And then we can determine, I think we can get lost in the weeds right now because it is a lot of money.

But certainly we want to do the right thing for the right reasons.

Um those aren't combined, even if the schools are regionalized.

The debt belongs to the town and the debt belongs to the city for our school.

Right.

Yes, Mr.

But um if we if we are reimbursed to 80 percent versus 52 or 53 percent in Newport, that's that's a lot of money that you know the taxpayer isn't gonna have to put out.

And that if we could come up with a some sort of a funding formula to um to make it work and then put it into some uh like we have several endowments in Newport, and we have a technology endowment.

We have we have a we have several that and they make money because they're in the market, you know.

So um, and we've been very lucky to be able to um support our schools with the money for technology.

Um but if we don't regionalize and we don't get that extra reimbursement, then I I don't see how we could really make our um school budget sustainable, and we would not be able to have um like a um what's the word?

Um it's uh but we can't forecast exactly what it is that we can that we that we need to.

So uh it's it's just it's just such a need.

And and nobody wants to talk about the money.

I I understand that, but the money is what hires the teachers, it's what's takes care of the buildings.

It's you know, and we we need to use we need we need the money.

I mean, um it's just the way it is.

But um, but I I can see us if we if we get the 80% reimbursement that we could take some of that and and put that savings into some sort of endowment that could that could grow in the market too.

Okay.

Thank you.

Mr.

President.

Yes, sir.

Well, that's a great idea.

And we would certainly uh I mean we would based on what the stock market has provided the last four years, we would love to see growth.

It's prohibited by state law.

What's prohibited by state law?

You cannot, you cannot use state, you cannot use money which the state gives to a municipality to invest in the markets.

It there are very, very specific conditions that the state of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Department of Education, any other authority allows a municipality to do.

Uh we would have loved to take when we went to market uh a few years ago.

We would have loved to take the 106 million dollars and put it in the stock market, it would have been worth double uh at this point.

But we were prohibited to do so by state law.

We could only invest in about four instruments, frankly, U.S.

Treasuries, U.S.

bonds, some other bills.

If we had our finance director here, or if Middletown's finance director was here, um either one of them could explain it far better than I can.

But the scenario that my colleague describes is all but illegal.

Okay.

Well, I think that we could probably work it out, Mr.

Carlin.

Um, you know, perhaps not take the the reimbursement money, but take the money from the general fund.

And uh I'm I I'm pretty sure that we're smart enough to work that one out.

Yeah.

Okay.

More of a general QA and for other discussions, but I I do want to frame what we're actually talking about here, right?

Let's start by just acknowledging our school committee members who are here.

Thank you for coming out tonight, my colleagues in government.

Um I work with governments for a living.

I have for almost 20 years, and I will say that the people we work with here on this island are extraordinary, each and every one of you.

And even with the high caliber of people that we have serving, I think you see both of our bodies and our respective counterparts in the school committee struggling.

And part of the reason why they're struggling is that the level of change that we've experienced here um has substantially outpaced the structures of governance that we have.

And so while we're deep in the weeds talking about individual issues, the big picture item we're deciding here, the exciting part of doing this is we get to talk about building a better governance structure for the future, a better governance structure.

That's a really unique thing to get to do in government at any point in time.

But it does require that we all agree on what the true North is going to be for this community.

If that's going to be education, everything else has to be agreed to be secondary.

Even if it can't be taken separately, we need to agree that education is going to be the driving purpose.

More importantly, the money, more importantly than speed, more importantly than the size of the district.

That will be the guiding principle that this governance structure is hopefully set up to pursue.

And I don't know that we know what that best governance structure is, but I do know that in a moment we're going to be talking about the need to at least get the best mind to the table to figure that out.

And let me put in perspective just how complicated that new governance structure's job is going to be.

I'm going to press to the front the pain point right here as an example.

I want you to consider that we're doing tonight is not voting on an overall restructuring of a governance system that will last for the next several decades or more for our communities.

But we're making one very simple vote, right?

Would you right now, if you knew that you could save money, combine the Rogers and Middletown foot football programs?

Maybe not the teams, we don't know yet.

But would you combine those programs?

Would you each vote tonight to do that?

Not being able to tell the parent of a player who the AD is going to be, what the annual budget's going to be, who the coach is going to be, but just to combine the programs.

It's a really hard decision.

But we're talking about the same type of a decision that a parent who has a gifted child taking AP programs or in a music program.

A grand parent who has a child on a multi-language learning program is going to have to be making.

And the faith that they need to have is that this new governance structure is going to be better set up than what we have today to make better decisions that help us achieve whatever that true North is.

I think that we need help getting that validation.

This is going to be a better governance system.

I've gotten on board with working with my colleagues in support of this because I believe we can build that.

But I think we need to be frank that we have to bring in the community through the integration advisory committee.

We'll talk about in a minute.

We need to lean into hiring a consultant to at least guide us on that.

Because if we can't give parents that level of faith that this system and this structure is going to be prepared to meet the moment in the future, I think that you know what Thomas Welch has has noted earlier is right that we're going to keep rushing into this and not be ready with all the answers that we need here on the big picture question here of whether or not we're gonna be better off.

So I'm excited to be doing this work.

I'm very thankful uh President Rodriguez and Mayor Holder, you brought us all together to do that.

But I do think that we've got to step back and just say if what we care about is educational outcomes, we need to be ready for everything else to be secondary to that until we can answer that question.

Yes, just uh any councils with any questions or comments.

No.

Charlie.

All right.

Uh so we'll we'll move on now to the uh the uh Newport uh excuse me, the newport resolution on the academic integration advisory committee.

Um I know at a last meeting that we had uh practically in November, those we had a lot of discussion on where what's going on with this this committee where you know we've had some people uh Charlie we we probably should just read it in first just to receive it.

Yeah.

Sorry.

Mr.

Chairman, move to uh accept, skip the reading.

And my right hand.

I like it, Dave.

I asked for a second second motion and second, any discussion.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Okay.

Uh number three.

We don't we we're not that informal, I don't think, but it's kind of kind of like it.

I like it.

Um review number three review Newport City uh town council resolution number 2025-43 economic integration advisory committee explanation discussion, question answer, another discussion.

Second.

All in favor.

All right, thank you.

All right.

So um where was it?

Uh yeah, so uh there was a lot of discussion on what's going on with this committee.

Um so in that time, uh we've had we've had a uh a good amount of people apply for the positions.

Um and we are uh put together a list of names that uh just waiting to get some confirmation from the rest of the council on um if we want to go forward with those names or uh keep keep the uh application process open.

Uh so the the goal is to have uh a team in place um by January 14th at our that's all be our first meeting for 2026, and then get uh just to try to get that integration um committee going.

Have we decided how many people will be on this committee?

Uh no, there hasn't been um one of the discussions with that we wanted to have tonight with our um constituents from here in Middletown is um some of your ideas if if this is something that you want to do on uh from your perspective, um, or is this something that we uh we here in Newport will we'll just take the reins on and uh just use some information uh at the end of the day, the information that's gathered from this committee is gonna be useful for uh both parties for sure.

Okay.

Um I guess just to just I think Sai kind of was getting at it a little bit, but um just you know an explanation on the aca academic integration and committee, um, you know, what's their role?

Um what's their time frame?

Because given the time frame, I think it was important.

That's why Charlie and I discussed of having Sean lay out the time frame for everybody.

Does this fit into that time frame?

Um and if it doesn't, how does it?

How do we make it fit in the time frame?

Um or does it?

Um are there findings binding?

Um that's a question we need to think about as well, you know.

Um so I think just a brief explanation for the record of that real quick.

So how we um have our our uh boards and commissions in in uh in Newport are they and especially this one, it's an advisory tool um that we've been using to have um you know a group of people that can gather information and that can help us you know make our decisions.

So if um for instance, if if we want to, you know, we get this um this committee together, we're gonna try to get people from uh just various backgrounds.

You know, we need we can't have all educators, we can't have all finance people, we can't have, you know, just you know, we can't have everyone thinking the same exact thing.

We have to have you know a good committee, a good panel that's gonna be able to discuss different things and have different ideas.

Oh, so we can come together much like we're doing right now.

Um but it would just be, yeah, it wouldn't be any binding um resolution that they would have, but it'll just be straight uh strictly advisory.

And we can continue, uh they can continue meeting as as long as we feel necessary.

And I I could absolutely see this going.

For instance, if this does uh we we do decide to pass regionalization in November, I can see this this uh this advisory committee continuing on, you know, and and you can you know, as people drop off, yeah, new people in.

Um and but once they get together, then they can decide how many people should be on the on the board.

They can decide on a chair, vice chair then and uh put their um their rules together.

Um Mr.

Chair, is the intent to have a consultant work with this advisory committee?

Is this uh Zi, is that what you had thought of?

I'm gonna defer to the original sponsors.

Um I'm not okay.

Sorry, sorry.

No worries.

Yes, um, to answer counselor um Segley.

Um, but really quickly, I just wanted to go over some things about this um resolution because I feel like there's been um some misinformation floating around that we're demanding something of you all um at Middletown, and you know, that's not the case.

So I first want to say that like this resolution itself does not enact like a consolidation or a regionalization or any of those things of our two communities.

Um it was created to authorize more of like a formal um representative advisory committee, like chairholder was just saying, to study and propose possible consolidation or integration or none of those things, if that's the findings at the end.

And I will say, like by requiring our resource um and proposed action plan and full report by uh mid-2026, we were really just trying to create a more structured and transparent um process with stakeholder input because you know, I said earlier, all voices matter when it comes to these conversations, and I think this was a way um for us to help advocate for our community to make sure that first of all they knew what was going on, and second of all, that they had some um autonomy in the conversations.

Um and then what else the other things I want to say is that um, you know, considering like the attempts prior to this conversation that we're having right now, I think this is a more gradual um and consultative approach to finding out if we're heading in the right direction or if we need to pull back or address things.

Um and the resolution in the end, it doesn't demand anything of you all.

It was simply asking um you all and kind of framing like the involvement that you guys could potentially have when it came to this.

Um it's advisory, it's not directive at all.

There's inclusion and not obligation when it comes to this.

And it was hopefully inviting the participation of Middletown into this conversation.

And it is exploratory, it's not binding.

Okay.

Thank you, Ellen.

You're welcome, Mr.

Chair.

Smith.

Um, just to pivot off of what counselor pinnick just said, the um, you know, the the premise behind this committee is to really engage the stakeholders and and not only talking about the whole financial piece that the two communities can benefit from, but the educational piece and to President Rodriguez's um, you know, statement earlier that this helps with the sustainability process, so that this committee can help give us an idea of what things will look like five, 10, 15, 20 years down the road as to how the communities can potentially benefit from regionalization.

What this committee um, you know, we will pull together subject matter experts in the field so that we get more of a rounded kind of look as to what exactly would we're dealing with and what the potentials are going forward.

Um but it it also it also gives voice of the community to the table so that we can actually see what the community's concerns are if we're able to regionalize, or or you know, if there's any sort of negative perspectives on what regionalization could mean and a way to address it.

So it it really kind of fills that gap from the last time this was presented in 2022 and the lack of I guess I don't want to say transparency but information that was missing the last time that the community really needed to be able to make an educate an eight decision.

So to me this committee kind of fills that gap and I think that it would benefit both communities to have representatives from both communities to be able to speak to that.

Thank you.

Okay.

Counsel I vice chair Segly thank you for raising that I just want to give the sponsors a chance first but I'll I'll say why I did support this in conjunction with the budget article that allocated um a quarter million dollars in our budget for a consultant is a the commission as I understand it really has two purposes.

The first is to study the second is to socialize.

And the reality of the timeline laid out um by manager Brown which I think is very realistic is that this does need to move with some level of definitiveness if this is in fact to be something that we can considered.

And what we're looking at overall is creating a joint governance system.

If you consider the potential for that system uh the civilness of this conversation this evening and how well this is going I think the next natural step of that is seeing how another body a joint body between our communities could end up working together on this issue and whether or not they can move and execute with a level of speed and certainty that would ultimately necessary of a joint school committee to make the type of innovations that we need in education.

And so it is a continued progress towards that point but the consultant is what helps make sure that we stay on task and on time so that there's a definitive outcome for at least our respective bodies to consider okay um so we haven't done anything with this yet as far as appointing anybody we wanted to have that discussion first.

Because Alan to your point at first it was like hey what are they what are they what do they want us to do here?

You know we weren't you know I hate to use the word blindsided but it was like inside you and I had plenty of conversations over the year last few years about you know educational um integration and you know we need to figure out way to um let the community educate the community on what the benefits would be or wouldn't be we have a um can you talk about a little bit about the the the Woolport um I we have it here I don't know if you guys have it or not um the Woolport report and and what it kind of did I can speak to it a little bit okay so this report it looked at school districts that you know had similar issues like we've we have currently have um I'll just read you one of them and if we can get this to you guys if we can get a copy of this if you don't have it that'd be great.

You know so and it and it talks about different school districts for example uh the Monarch the Monica school district and center school district both face the challenges of declining enrollment similar to us right and fewer educational offerings for the students because of that.

Because of these challenges the two school districts moved from rivalry to partnership to find a mutual solution that would benefit their students' learning opportunities.

For the students to have access to quality education the two communities work together through a steering committee to develop a student focused plan for integration and I believe this is what you're you're proposing the districts focus on how best to use the facilities portfolios for student learning they manage their tax burdens while providing improved uh learning experience for students additionally student enrollments stabilized they found efficiencies in their operations were able to expand the educational offerings um and center valley school districts what they call it now I guess stayed focused on the students learning experience to size a point of if that's the direction we're gonna go in we need to make sure uh we need to commit and again the leaders today won't be the leaders of down the road but you you need to lead and lead by example and set that example from the get go and hopefully it can be carried out.

I mean there's no guarantees right but you can see from this one small example they go on to talk about a bunch of different school districts and a lot of them are the similar fac similar cases but I I think um you know if we look back in hindsight's 2020 right and you look back and you always want to improve so how can we approve from uh from what happened last time where where can we make a difference and and and this is it.

And you look back and you always want to improve.

So how can we approve from uh from what happened last time?

Where where can we make a difference?

And and and this is it.

I mean, we can talk about money all day long.

I don't want to talk about that.

I think I learned my lesson in that.

Um it'll speak for itself.

But what we do need to talk about is is making education a priority if that's what we're gonna do moving forward.

And part of that is I just want to make sure time I'm not sure we'll be able to have since we have nobody uh identified yet to be able to get those people by January 14th, because we're gonna have to advertise.

Uh we have one more meeting in in um December, and then you know get advertised then and we'll be out applications, and we're probably talking about sometime in February.

So I don't know at a minimum.

I'm not sure.

And I'd have to collect to have to check with our master clerk over here, you know, to make sure that's the same.

It would be the first meeting in February.

What is it?

It would be the first meeting in February that you'd receive the applications to a point.

Okay.

Yeah, and again, this this is a a uh a moving body, if you will.

You know, so this is not, you know, hey, if we we're gonna come up with our names, that's it.

There's gonna be no more.

This is gonna be a uh a constant revolving uh a board, you know.

So um well, I get y'all.

The only reason I bring up the time frame is because if the findings come back and it's something maybe we want to put in the legislation, that's that's important from a time time frame perspective.

That the and maybe it's maybe there's not, I don't know.

They're not binding their advisory, but they come back, you go, hey man, that that's a really good idea.

I think we should incorporate this, and if we can agree on something like that, then we do that.

I'm not sure what if that's the case or not, but there's always potential for that that we need to keep in our minds.

I I think that's a great point, um, Paul.

And as I'm sure Counselor Carlin will step in and back up, the beauty of the state legislative process is that even if we meet that good faith March 1st or close to deadline, if there are modifications that are needed to that legislation to ensure that this proposed body reflects the best advice of this group and the advisors they have.

We could submit a sub A up until the point of uh just about final passage in those chambers, you know, which is usually at the end of June.

So I think it gives us a bit more runway than just that March timeline.

Although I'll defer to my uh my esteemed colleague, Counselor Carlin, if I'm wrong on that.

All right, there we go.

Um so I guess I need to ask what is the what is the what is the timeline looking for?

Is it 60 days?

Is it 90 days once this committee gets going for to come back with findings?

Or is there no time frame?

There has to be a time frame, I guess, because you know, um again, some of this stuff could become binding if they're if you know the if those advisory opinions are are taken.

Um we did define it as 90 days, Mr.

President.

Yeah.

Yeah, and it's not just and it's just not not just that.

We have school committees too that need to be involved here as well.

Yeah, and I think that that 90-day timeline was not only with the timeliness of this conversation in mind, but also realistically a typical consulting engagement like this isn't that 60 to 90 day window.

And so they're very much driven towards putting out a result and a product that can at least be considered by the respective bodies.

Okay.

I mean, is it that they would look at um a lot of times we get answers from people that have done this already.

Um maybe that's what they do.

I I'm not sure what they do.

I know they're experts in the fields, and we want different experts from different areas, so that you know, we're being guided the best we can from those different areas, but it's okay.

But at the same time, um, you know, what is the uh what is that expectation?

Dennis is go ahead.

Thank you.

Thank you, Paul.

Um so been thinking about this in regards to the education and what the format's gonna look like and what we can offer.

But I I keep going back to ride and and what programs we have in place today.

What can come out?

I don't know what can come out.

You know, if we regionalize, and I will get probably getting ahead of myself a little bit, but ride will have to be involved right from the start.

And our school committees are gonna need to be involved, or and I know they're super busy, they get their heads down, so we got to be sensitive to their time.

But we've got to but we do have to move fast, right?

And and having a consultant, I'm agree would help us stay on track, help us get the output in the end, pulling it together, probably.

Um I don't look at it as a big leap.

I think it's there's a lot there already.

I mean, your school is like I want to agree, it's fantastic.

When we went through that school when it opened up, I was ready to go cook a pizza in that kitchen down there.

So nice.

I'm going with you.

Um so we just gotta get the play right players in place, and then I think it'll it'll go.

And we can, as you say, I agree that it should be a committee that continues on and can work as this moves forward.

Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you.

Councilor Toronto mentioned uh the school committees being involved in the process, and of course they have to be the Newport School Committee uh voted uh five to two to approve of the resolution that counselor Napolitano submitted.

It's my understanding that the Middletown School Committee is still unanimously opposed to the resolution.

Does that hold muster still?

Is that is that true?

That's still that's still the case, yes, to my to my understanding, yes.

But we just to add to that we have talked, we had a meeting with the school, and they have their concerns.

But they're all in agreement if we can, and I'm not gonna speak for them, but I I got the feeling that if we can answer their concerns, they were for regionalization, but they have their concerns.

So that's our job to help answer those concerns.

I don't want to speak for them.

But I get that feel.

Well, and the and the hope is after tonight, you know, we can both agree that we want to, you know, continue the conversation.

I know technically we have a uh a date of January 12th in mind of getting back together, and would like nothing more to bring in uh both school committees to jump in on the conversation.

All right, uh that that being said, uh I I really appreciate the the turnout tonight.

Um no, I'm in the I'm right in the middle of something.

Sorry.

I just thank you, Charlie.

Um and I'm I'm sorry, um Paul.

I just have to mention this about the endowment came up.

Yeah, I just I want to um sort of clarify what this means by a reimbursement.

It sounds as if we would get an infusion of cash from the from the the state.

That's not the way it would be done.

Um if we were to regional not regionalize, we would get 50 percent of the bond paid for by the state.

If we were to regionalize, we would get 80 percent um paid for by the state.

So we're not getting an infusion of cash.

I think what we need to do is look at the delta of those numbers and then decide on a percentage that we could do for an endowment.

So I just wanted to make that clear that it's really a savings plan and not an infusion of cash.

Yeah, I just you just I just had a flashback um to 2004 to 2008 when I sat on the council with Senator De Palma.

That was his favorite word, Lynn was the Delta.

So you'd get a kick out of it if he was here, I'm sure.

Okay.

Umcels have any questions on the academic probably thank you, Mr.

President.

I I have some questions just on how this works in Middletown, really.

So this is a resolution the city of Newport put into place for an academic integration advisory.

We we would have to create that same thing as far as our town goes.

Like, do we have to create that committee?

Because this specifically it's it's it kind of says joint committee, but this they're appointing people from Newport.

Are we just appointing people to this joint committee?

I guess I I think that's the idea is that you would vote to uh appoint Middletown residents or members to a joint committee between both communities.

Do we have to do our own resolution to create our uh like involvement in this committee?

I would think you would, yeah.

Okay.

Um, and then I noticed at the end of this resolution, which you know, you guys this was back in March 12th.

So it did say at the very end, it says that the report's findings, which will come out of, you know, there will be a report that will be due.

Um shall be thoroughly reviewed before seeking additional state or municipal action on regionalization.

So was your intent then to to get the report done before we even put this out to voters?

Is that yeah sorry?

Yes.

Um the intent was to get the report in.

This was back in March.

Right.

Um, like you said, to get the report in before um there was any movement forward that way.

Like we've got the study, we have the findings from the consultant and the committee, and then like it's something a little bit more robust, like you know, we're hoping for an actual plan that voters can read and I mean, yeah, read and digest um and understand like exactly what's going on, and then have also had an opportunity to be engaged in the process.

Okay.

And and times change, right?

So now we're here, we are in December.

Um, so in my eyes, we have two buckets that we have.

I hate to call it administration, but it's it's like what we talked about finding out those money answers, like what are we truly going to get for this while at the same time doing the academic integration.

I mean, I think it has to go parallel paths here.

That's that's my opinion.

I don't know if everyone else feels the same way.

Well, I think given the time frame, and it, you know, that can be going on in the background education, you know, to uh receive those findings right up until I mean the sooner the better, but we one thing I I learned two things from the last time.

Don't rush, number one, and number two, have answers about educational opportunities.

That that's what I took away from the the last time.

So yeah, so I think we don't know what the time frame will be at this.

We hope it's November.

If it is, great, but we can't rush.

It has to be if we decide to move forward, it has to be done.

Nobody's perfect here.

This some of this is we have a little bit of experience, but you know, we um we don't have a lot size.

So we need to make sure that we we we we step cautiously and we and we're in step, you know, right from the get-go, or we're not.

It's one or the other.

One last thing, sorry.

Um, and and just I think at the end of the day, too.

Like the next time we get together, I I really want to start hearing some things from Ride on this as well.

Like I I really feel, you know, that and and I don't know how we do this as a as a counselor or as a group, both councils here, but we need to get our questions in advance.

You know, there are still going to be some outstanding questions here.

We need to get those in front of Ride and try to get some answers out of them, you know, in a very timely manner, which is January.

So I mean, that's we're proposing getting together again January 12th.

Is that what I saw?

Yeah.

Yeah.

So how do we do that as two bodies?

Oh, we just could we can come to contact Mario.

Yeah.

He loves coming down talking to us.

Sorry.

If I could just make a recommendation, yes.

Um, to Charlie's point, be specific about the questions.

Ride is in a it's it's a large entity.

And so Mario will be the ACE's expert on reimbursement for school construction.

But there might be somebody different on school finances overall.

There will certainly be somebody different on academics.

I think another attribute of this we should think about jointly as a body, and just be very realistic is that it is very likely that while the state will have certain answers on the formulaic possibilities around finances, when it comes to mapping out an education system for the future, we should be the tip of the spear in figuring out what the future of public education should look like in this entire state, not just on Aquinick Island, and that may require us looking beyond Ride to get that answer.

Good point.

Okay.

Mrs.

Vaughn.

Yes.

Um, I I'm still concerned about overwhelming the voters.

Um, it seems to me that that if we give them too much information, we're overwhelming them.

It seems to me that we that that we can sell the fact that financially there's going to be benefit.

I think they would look at that and they would see that and they could vote on that.

Yes or no.

Do I want to financially benefit or not?

Yes or no.

I think that would pass.

And I think we have to think about what's going to happen at the polls.

After that, then we can come together and put ideas together as to what could happen to make educational benefit for students, but to mix the two, it it will polarize people.

And I think we should do one thing at a time and then the other.

If I could, I actually fundamentally disagree with that.

It's the first thing tonight I've heard someone disagree about.

Once we make that decision, we are not relevant anymore.

None of us are.

There's a new governing body that is put in place that makes these decisions on everything from the football program to what our tax rates are going to be relative to supporting public education.

And that's okay.

We just have to be realistic about that.

I was not talking about the government.

That to me is those are two different subjects.

The the the political aspect and the financial aspect and the management aspect, that's all one piece.

But what happens in the schools, academics for kids, that's a totally different piece.

And you know it's not it's one thing to talk about stuff, okay?

It's quite another to implement it.

And you just can't just come together with a bunch of ideas and and all of a sudden it's gonna roll out and just be wonderful.

Doesn't work that way.

Sometimes it just doesn't work.

So you have to have a situation where people will put their ideas together of what they would like, and then see what they actually can do.

That requires time.

I just think we should be taking the time to make sure we get it right.

Yeah, I mean, I think I think you know you're gonna learn from your lessons.

And again, don't rush.

And well, I think where we fell short was, and look, you're you're the probably the most experienced educator in the room, but what we fell short was, you know, at least the feedback we got was hey, you didn't explain the educational benefits to to the parents and what the how the kids would benefit.

So, hey, if if I can have both, maybe that's a win.

We had one.

We didn't have the other.

So I think we have to have both.

And you're right.

Sometimes, no matter whether it's education or whatever business you're in, you can have all these ideas you want.

You can throw all the money at it you want.

Doesn't mean you gotta have the outcome that you want.

That's why we gotta get it right.

All right.

Any other conversation on the uh academic integration committee?

So so Charlie, I just want to make sure that we're we're on the same page time frame-wise.

Yeah.

So there'll be one committee made up of folks from Newport, made up of folks from Middletown.

Um I think you know, one thing we've all learned about committees is that you get too many people on a committee, and that committee needs a committee to be managed.

So and then in the outcomes and the intent is good, right?

I say that just jokingly.

The intent is always good, but you're not gonna get to the to the results or the time frame of the that you need if you have too many people on that.

So I think there has to be a number in mind from from both from both communities.

But we have to have the make make sure we have again all the bases covered on that on that committee.

You know, we can't have just all educational people on that committee.

You can have all financial people.

So regardless of what the number is, whether nine, seven, nine, eleven um.

Let's just make sure that there are we have you know the the the basket that we want of yeah, yeah, the balance that we want of um who's on it.

So so there is representation, whether it's uh a former teacher or current teacher or a parent, or you know, uh somebody you know more of the school finance background and things of that nature.

Which I think that is listed in the uh resolution.

I just like to say let's start with the people who are gonna have the answers that we can get to this committee.

That's ride.

There might be three different people, so we gotta start finding out who those people are.

And then start adding our committee, adding educational knowledge folks that probably our school committee to get it start thinking about what's in the school today and how it and then think outside the box.

Okay, so we need to come up if we're gonna move forward, we're gonna need to come up with some names and get some people on board.

Um then you know, when again, that won't be until February for us by the time with the we got one more meeting, and by the time we advertise and get those applications in and start appointing people.

Um I just want to be realistic about the time frame.

So, you know, we don't have unreal expectations.

Hey, you said you were gonna do this, you didn't do it.

What's up?

You know, as long as we have a time frame.

What's that?

Yeah, as long as we know we have that time frame and now you can even do more to do outside.

Okay.

So I guess is there any more conversation about that committee?

No.

Okay.

You have anything?

That's hey, that's uh that's a three.

That's our three favorite words, right?

But not yet.

I I know but so we need to talk about the time frame next, right?

Right.

But I is there a route.

I do want to give a few minutes to the public for any questions because you know, I we do appreciate uh everyone showing up tonight.

And uh I don't want to get into too too long of a of a discussion on that, but um, I just I do want to open up this to a maybe five people that if you guys are okay with that.

And then we'll then we'll go to the next step.

Yeah, okay.

Let's so um let's see.

I'll start with um all right.

So we'll just call up.

Well, again, it's me, five people and and then that's it.

And you have three minutes to speak.

So we'll start with this gentleman in the front right here.

You want to come up one show two.

Who else wanted to go?

Thank you.

My name is Anton Bolvaris, 45 Bayview Park.

I've been looking at the regionalization for quite a while.

And I just want to say that I do not know why Middletown Town Council is pushing for regionalization with Newport schools.

Middletown has an excellent educational system, ranking 20th in the state.

Newport schools ranked 49th in the state.

Newport has many problems with cost overruns with the new Roger High Rogers High School, a 98 million dollar taxpayer approved bond ended with about 110 million in debt or about 14 to 23 million over budget, creating a 20 to 30 million dollar deficit.

They use proceeds, reserves, and deferred other city projects.

Rhode Island Department of Education right, provide a significant state aid.

In a letter written by Middletown School Committee Chairman, Gregory Ewitt, he wrote the Middletown School Committee voted unanimously not to support the city of Newport, Rhode Island resolution of 13 August regarding the rev renewal initiative to pursue regionalization of the Middletown and Newport School District.

As a as the chair of the Middletown School Committee, it isn't my responsibility, along with the fellow school committee members to establish policies that create a safe and healthy learning environment for students, teachers, and staff.

An environment with students can attain academic success.

The school committee must also enable the superintendent to focus solely on leading and encouraging our students, teachers, and staff members in their suit of academic excellence.

The superintendent is not authorized to engage in any regionalization effort until further notice.

The Middletown School Committee has taken this unprecedented action with the intent to send a strong message to the Middletown Town Council and to inform the taxpayers as follows.

Seeing how there was no commitment or pending Rhode Island legislation that guarantees an approximately 80% reinventation.

Okay, that's uh three minutes is up, sir.

Sorry.

Thank you.

Three.

It's five in Middletown.

I think we maybe need to adopt three.

I'm liking it.

I'm liking it, Mr.

Favaris.

Thank you.

Maybe we should do four.

Um I'm Joe Hearn.

I feel like uh part of my C V should be listed.

I'm a parent of two kids at Pell.

I'm a PTO member, um, a taxpayer in Newport, and I'm uh um I'm a business owner, employer, and taxpayer here in Middletown as well.

The 55 people thank you very much.

Yeah.

All right.

And I care very much about both these communities also on that resume.

I'm a Middletown soccer coach, like and I'm an advocate for regionalization.

I'm also one of the parents, as this body knows, that knocked on hundreds of doors against the last regionalization measure, right?

And I'm happy to have a conversation with anyone on this group, obviously this group knows where I am, on what our feelings were then and um why I still call myself uh an advocate for regionalization after doing all that.

Um lastly, I've also applied for this academic regionalization.

I don't believe I'll have all the answers.

My ambition to join that group is to have the right questions, right?

To voice the concerns of a parent who's expecting to be in this healthy discourse and disagreement for the next 15 years on behalf of my kids.

And actually help plan for uh educational future that kind of suits just not my kids, but all the kids on the island.

I fundamentally believe that neither one of these communities should go it alone on education as we go forward.

I see labor changing, I see communities changing, and I know education's gonna change.

Like it's in our headlines all the time.

We're getting fed tons of misinformation about what the future looks like, but there is no question that the way we approach education right now can survive, will survive, will match the needs of companies like mine in the technology space um in the years to come, right?

So uh I think that we need to be planning for a future focused uh uh community education program, a regionalization that addresses not where we were, not the many gripes or disappointments that we've had getting to this point, but the opportunities that we see in front of us.

I will tell you actually having a conversation with both of these communities and aligning on what that future looks like means more to me than the conversation about the dollars.

I understand I'm a business owner, I'm realistic, I know we have expenses, I know we have people, I know we need to be able to afford the right people, but um, it has to start with the kids, it has to start with the education, and I desperately don't want to knock on 200 more doors, right?

I'm easy to find uh my company's advanced remarketing.

If any of the counselors are interested in my opinion on this, I'm I'm happy to make that time and myself available.

Thank you to the Newport.

Thank you to Middletown.

I'm as optimistic as I uh need to be on this.

I I not in a rush.

I just want to get it right.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm with that guy.

I'm Alana Hearn.

Um, his wife.

Also have two daughters at PAL.

Um, just a couple of things, I'll be quick.

Um, I think it's interesting that Bristol Warren were used as an example tonight because their relationship has been contentious with ongoing legal battles between both communities ever since they regionalized.

So I think it's really important that we learn from them and their mistakes going forward.

I think not rushing is incredibly important.

Um, I think that many of us are hopeful that this is the beginning of fully regionalizing.

Um, that we're afraid that if it stalls out at just combining administrations, that we end up two communities fighting over resources.

So I think we can agree that increasing student enrollment in AP classes is a great benefit, but we don't get that benefit unless we combine the student bodies.

So I think it's necessary that we go back to answering counselor Pinnock's question before we end up at the ballots, which is is this the first step in fully regionalizing, or is it the only step?

I think the constituents are going to need that answer and commitment from the counselors before we go to the polls.

Thank you.

Don Moran, 549 Turner Road in Middletown.

Um, I want to premise my comments as I am a pro-regionalization.

Um I've been in Middletown for five years.

Prior to that, I spent 27 years in Mendon, Massachusetts, part of a regional school district.

Um we were, I was actually, I had the opportunity to spend time on the regional school committee.

I didn't spend as much time as Mrs.

Von Villis, but I've had a little bit of experience at regional school districts.

And they do provide economies of scale and bring benefits to the education.

Um my concern is the timeline.

Um I know the money is driving the timeline, and I'm concerned about not doing enough about the educational benefits in the future in this timeline.

But um, you know, there's four other regional school districts in Rhode Island.

There are plenty in Massachusetts, and Massachusetts actually does a very fine job.

They have a Massachusetts Association of Regional School Committees, which provided us lots of guidance when we were when I was in on the school committee in Massachusetts.

There are a lot of opportunities out there to help us through this process.

And governance is the most important thing.

We actually had an even number of people on the school committee to force us to work together and break any logs.

We had three in each town.

I know in the large, I think we are choosing regional school committee that Mrs.

Von Gillespen Simon, there are five or six towns, and they all have four reps or three reps or something.

They're all equally represented regardless of population.

I know that's not done that way in Bristol Warren.

I know it's not done in most of the Rhode Island regional school districts, but I would firmly recommend you revisit that governance.

But I really think we need to take the time to do that part correctly by using the the you know the examples that are out there already.

And whether the consultant that you've considering has that experience or not, I I'm not sure.

Um speaking from Mendon, we didn't stop there.

We regionalized our public safety dispatch.

We joined five other communities and saved million million dollars a year in regional public safety dispatch by regionalizing that.

We shouldn't stop with education.

We really need to regionalize these small districts, you know, three public safety dispatches on the island.

I'm getting off topic now, but I think it's something we need to consider working more closely with across the entire island.

But we and I just want to close with you know the the kids really deserve the better education.

We need to make sure that is first and foremost.

I know we're driven by this deadline for the bud you know, the finance piece, but we have to answer those educational questions.

If we can do it in 90 days, great, because then we can have that in time before.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

We have one more coming up.

Good evening, Teresa Spengler Middletown.

Um I just have a couple of questions, a little bit of confusion.

Um regards to the committee, it was Paul.

You would actually ask the question of what was the role be of the members?

And I that question was never answered, so I'm in hopes that maybe on the 12th, we'd be able to get more clarification on that.

Also, has the committee looked at um how other Rhode Island, I know somebody mentioned Bristol Warren, Charo, some of those other districts in Rhode Island versus Massachusetts, because Massachusetts, we really can't compare.

Their educational system is very different.

They have pay-to-play programs, their funding is different.

So I think we just need to focus on the Rhode Island districts of how are they working together, how is it how are their um how is their organization and their um school committee functioning?

How does that work?

I feel like a short next thing.

Um that's something that those are just questions that I had.

Also another question was the we have not had any commitment from legislation yet in regards to how much the reimbursement would be.

There is some talk out there of two percent per grade.

There's some talk 80 percent, but only if you actually are qualifying.

So those numbers are not solidified at all for reimbursement.

So I think that's something that the public really has questions on and would like to know more about the question.

Um I have sorry, I apologize.

I have a lot of notes.

The other thing that uh we are I I have a question is we are focusing on admin for regionalization.

Isn't that what the resolution space specifies, not the whole district at this time?

So I think that that needs to be looked at too of one superintendent.

Is that really cost effective?

Can one superintendent do it without having assistance and so on and so forth and other staff in regards to finance?

Middletown already is consolidated with the town, so we you know that's something that we're already deeply engrossed in with our facilities as well.

So these are things that have to be important.

If we did consolidate, I mean, if we did regionalize as as two communities, we also have to look at unions, how those things would work.

Um, is it is it really appropriate to plan just for regionalization of administration now and kind of wing it, or do or look at the whole picture all at the same time, not just do administration then suddenly in five years, oh by the way, let's do it this way.

I think it needs to have the communities deserve a really specific plan of what the goals and objectives are of the two of the city council and town council.

Um so personally, I still feel, and I've been an educator for 31 years, and yes, I want school committee for tw for 23, one more year left.

Um I've been a big part of building the the our uh new school system, and um you know I'm not gonna discuss personally my opinion on the resolution of what we signed because I can't speak for anybody else.

That's not my my place.

I'm speaking as a middle town resident and a taxpayer, a business owner, a parent of two children who went through the public schools, and as I said, I'm an educator for 31 years.

So I still have some confusion of what happened tonight.

I feel like there's a lot of unanswered questions.

So thank you so much.

I feel like we need more on that.

Yeah.

So can I just answer a couple of questions really quick?

Go ahead.

So back from this again, this Woolport report, and this was back in 2022.

Um the School Regionalization Act House Bill 8267 substitute A.

The Act was passed by the Rhode Island Senate and House in June of 2022.

The act gives the municipal two municipalities the authority to create a combined regional school district.

And again, this was in 2022.

So long as the voters from both communities approve the idea in the general election of November 8th, 2022.

The act outlines governance administrative functions for the new regionalized school district, goes on to say highlights, Theresa to answer one of your questions was regionalized regionalization will allow 80% reimbursement for any bonds issued between January 1, 2022 and June 30th, 2026.

And I think that 2% has it did not pass.

But that 2%, John, I think we we you you've got a we went from 35% to 37 and a half percent.

So I don't know.

I don't know.

So each community has a base reimbursement of 35%.

Uh there's the 20% bonus.

Uh that's that's that's statute, and then it's two percent for each grade that's regionalized.

So it's it's very clear in the Rhode Island statutes that there's that percentage changes.

No.

Is my point.

Yeah.

Correct.

Yeah, correct.

Query, uh, if it is fixed law, why did the legislation in 2022 specifically spill out the reimbursement rates?

I think at that time we were concerned, um the city and town that uh there was an emphasis that we were actually going to receive that money.

I think uh because it was uh I I think that was it.

I think it was more of a belt and suspenders um type of language that we proposed.

I I think with both the city and town going into the deal, wanting to ensure that we would see that 80 plus percent uh reimbursement.

And Chris might want to add something from Newport side, but I believe that was really what we did at the time.

Yes, uh and thank it's on.

Is it on?

Yeah, Sean and I were we met over coffee to kind of discuss this to kind of see why the legislation initially had that, and the conclusion we came to is that uh it was largely to to affirm a minimum for Middletown because you know you'll notice in the previous legislation, Middletown was mentioned specifically, Newport was not.

But uh speaking with with the Rhode Island Department of Education, those numbers are set.

It's 35 base share, 26 percent for regionalization bonus.

That's two percent per grade, as has been mentioned.

That other 20 percent is based on uh building security and safety initiatives, those are incentives that are in five percent increments.

So but that has nothing to do with the regionalization bonus.

So Middletown and Newport might receive five, ten, fifteen, or twenty.

Uh, but that has nothing to do with the regional regionalization.

That twenty-six percent, that delta that was talked about earlier earlier, that is fixed for both communities in the event that the community's regional.

So I just before we wrap up, I just want to plant a seat in your in your heads just for something to think about.

And again, this is just me thinking out loud, and who knows whether we what it happens or not, but I think one of the things we need to consider is that with a with the potential regional school district.

I want you to think about consider giving them taxing authority.

So there's a level of accountability for spending.

Why don't you think about that?

Whether it happens or not or it's possible, I don't know.

But I've been thinking about this and talking to a couple people about it.

That because I think some of the concern is well, you know, you kind of lose control of your of they can say, hey, we need four percent, and that's what you're gonna give us.

Newport, you write a check, and Middletown, you write a check.

Well, if you have you're held accountable for that, then it's a different sometimes it not not that it would change, but sometimes it's a different story.

And I think that's something that needs to be considered.

Great great point.

Um, so do we want to uh agree to move on to the case?

I'm in.

Anyone that's not in, raise your hand.

Anyone you guys want to move forward with the January twelfth meeting.

Okay.

Do we want to huddle up?

So so I just want to be clear on the expectations for that meeting.

What are what are we expecting to come back with?

Just a continued conversation, where we're at.

I mean, I want to make sure that um I would I would we come to the table.

Yeah, I would like to get the school committees uh together and uh some uh folks from ride so we can uh get start getting answers to some of the questions that have come up like tonight.

And okay.

Yeah.

Uh council Pennick has this question.

Um by the 12th, uh, will you have started um the process of getting uh members of our the integration?

Yeah, so we have to we have to we have to pass a resolution first, Ellen, and then once we do that, um you know we'll still talk in February by the time we start receiving application, but that would be the next step.

Um I'll put that on the docket for the next meeting.

Yeah.

All right.

So uh before we adjourn, I just want to um thank the folks here at uh Johnny's Atlantic Resort for hosting us tonight.

So this is as neutral site as we can possibly get.

And um and thank you guys all for coming out.

Charlie, did you just say this is a neutral site for you?

Not for us.

For us.

Yeah.

Hey guys, thank you very much.

Again, we appreciate it.

And uh happy holidays to everybody.

Happy holidays.

Thanks.