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Superintendent Thornton: These all may be worthwhile projects. However, Warwick taxpayers don't have the money &/or the time for your wish list(the various City & State approvals may take a couple of years). I believe you're presently under a three year contract-how about concentrating on that period. 1) A new teachers contract- not operating under/within an 'extended' one or wasting time & money in court. A new contract would show teachers/parents/students/the City Council/Mayor/taxpayers that you & the School Committee are working under a good faith plan. 2) School Consolidation- I believe you should concentrate on this because I believe there will be some unexpected issues as this process goes forward during this school year. 3) Phase 2 of consolidation-WHICH elementary schools are going to be closed; I believe the consultants recommended as many as 5 & the SC plans on closing 3 with one school being converted to an early learning facility because the present one will not meet RI Dept. of Educations' future/minimum requirements. Provide the Warwick community with regular PUBLIC meetings/ updates on this process/plan.

The SC/administration has bragged about all the present improvements being made & how everything is on schedule for the Aug. 31st opening of schools. However, the FIRST PRIORITY should have been the Vets boiler. We can't expect as mild a winter as this past year. I believe you indicated this summer that regardless of the winter forthcoming you & the SC will not allow Vets students/staff to work in a poor educational environment-that's OK. because we no longer have a CHOICE. However it plays/works out, the School Dept. should have foreseen whatever requirements needed to be met with RIDEC to have a new HVAC system in place for THIS winter/school year. To maintain/repair the existing system is not an efficient use of TAXPAYER funding. If you can't manage operations as is how can we authorize funding for an additional $ 250 million?