NK schools want $1.2M in new funds despite $7M+ surplus
In a recent North Kingstown Town Council meeting, a last-minute request for more than $1.2 million from the North Kingstown School Department, after the annual budget considerations, surprised the council.
North Kingstown Town Manager A. Ralph Mollis highlighted, during the meeting, that this practice is rare and not a part of the annual budgeting process for most communities.
He pointed out that the proposed funding of over $1.2 million for North Kingstown would necessitate a 1.5% tax increase, affecting residential, commercial, and tangible property rates.
While acknowledging the capital needs of the school department, which far exceed the requested $1.2 million, Mollis expressed concerns about the implications of meeting this request through a tax increase.
“I think it’d be a mistake if we were to raise taxes to allocate the $1.2 million,” Mollis said in the meeting. “We know $1.2 million does not address the needs whatsoever. We know we have to go for a bond in November.”
He argued during the meeting that such a move would serve as a “BandAid” to a larger issue and complicate efforts to secure broader financial support for capital projects through a bond measure in November.
“If we were to appropriate $1.2 million in dollars, raise taxes, and then ask for a bond, I think the residents would be skeptical of that,” Mollis said.
Mollis underscored, during the meeting, the presence of nearly $8 million in surplus funds within the school department as of June 30, 2023. “I’m sure they’ve spent some of that since then. But also, please know that they’re probably going to have another surplus this year, hopefully. So, it is my opinion that there are sufficient funds to handle any emergencies that need to be addressed from now until December.”
According to the School Committee member James Sheehan, this estimated $1.2 million of the capital improvement plan is crucial for the safety and functionality of school facilities.
“These are the most urgent for the time being without it being too large of a number,” said Sheehan. “$1.2 million is kind of like fixing the most sensitive things that we need to do right now.”
This plan includes a range of projects from installing security interlock vestibules across several schools to ADA upgrades, emergency generator installations, and more.
He explained the committee’s late submission of the capital improvement request is attributed to several factors, including the absence of a Director of Finance.
“That’s one variable that’s kind of been hurting and hobbling the committee in terms of the budget process,” Sheehan said while highlighting that unexpected meeting cancellations due to weather conditions didn’t help.
What the school committee seeks from the town is approving the capital improvement plan separately from the operating budget.
Sheehan left a reservation about the possibility of funding the improvements through a bond, saying, “What happens is, the longer you kick the can down the road, the more projects pile up because everything is time-sensitive.”
The decision on the proposed capital appropriation awaits as the town council approaches the final budget adoption at the end of April. With a public hearing set for April 3, there’s still a chance for community input and council deliberation.