Smithfield Town Council Promises $300K for Schools at Audit's End

The Smithfield Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to pledge $300,000 from an escrowed account to the school department, securing several teaching positions for the coming school year.

The funds are part of $450,000 escrowed pending the School Department audit by Bacon & Edge Consulting of Providence, now in progress, due in November. The escrowed account was set up during Smithfield's June 13 Financial Town Meeting.

The $300,000 will be released when the audit is finished in November. 

The promise allows the school department to begin recruiting to fill four positions: a new librarian, guidance counselor (to aid students in navigating new graduation requirements) and two new social studies teachers, at a price tag of $285,000. All the positions were vacated recently by attrition ( the teachers retired, left the profession or moving away) said School Committee Chair Richard B. Iannitelli.

With those positions secured, Iannitelli said, the school department will attempt to cut unpredictable line items like heating oil, special education, charter school enrollment and bus services to hire a full time technology teacher and half-time music teacher. "My hope is we can do it," Iannitelli said.

The remainder of the escrowed funds, $150,000, is contingent on the results of the audit, but Councilwoman Suzy Alba says it's likely to be released to the department as well. "It is my hope that we're going to be releasing all of the funding," Alba said.

Alba said the audit is not intended to hold back the funding voters approved for the schools in June, but to make sure it's used as efficiently as possible. "There are going to be things the school department is doing wonderfully and areas for improvement," Alba said.

Alba also noted Monday's joint meeting, which both boards agreed to make a regular event, is the first time in years the Committee and Council have agreed to meet together on a regular basis. She said the development is a positive one for the town.

"I was thrilled," with the vote to pledge the funds, said Superintendent Robert O'Brien, who personally thanked the council members after the vote. Without the four positions the funding promise allows, he said, he wouldn't be able to staff classes at the High School this year. 

"I think the council recognized the bind that we are in," in their decision to pledge some of the funds, Iannitelli said. 

As for the intent of the audit, O'Brien said the flagging economy has caused towns and cities across the US to take a critical look at their expenses to find the most cost-effective way to operate. He said he's not opposed to the audit, but thinks decisions on the results would be best applied to next year instead of the current one.

With the positions secured, O'Brien said, "The big winners are going to be the students."

The School Committee's next meeting will be Aug. 19, during which Iannitelli said he expects O'Brien to present candidates for the open positions to the school board. The next joint meeting of the School Committee and Town Council is scheduled for December.