By ETHAN HARTLEY No meetings have been scheduled yet between the city and the Warwick School Committee to continue negotiations towards resolving the nearly $5 million budget deficit in the schools, and a deadline is set for later today that, if no
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No meetings have been scheduled yet between the city and the Warwick School Committee to continue negotiations towards resolving the nearly $5 million budget deficit in the schools, and a deadline is set for later today that, if no progress is made, will result in the schools re-filing a lawsuit against the city.
City Council President Steve Merolla said on Monday that he and School Committee Chairwoman Karen Bachus had spoken and had two potential meeting dates “floating around” but that nothing had been officially set yet.
A motion was passed by the school committee during their executive session meeting last week that dropped the pending lawsuit filed by the last iteration of the school committee shortly before Christmas. However, that decision hinged on the city scheduling two meetings with the committee and picking a mediator to figure out how the budgetary dispute could be solved.
The motion stated that if no meetings were scheduled by the time the school committee meets tonight at 7 p.m., they would authorize their legal counsel to re-file the lawsuit, which seeks an additional infusion of money from the city to the tune of about $4.9 million.
The motion also states the City Council must put the schools on the docket for their Feb. 25 meeting to present their case to release over $6 million in bond funding to initiate capital projects set to commence this summer and the summer of 2020, but there was no update on that at this time.
Merolla said that a mediator would be discussed at the meetings, but again that nothing had been firmly scheduled at the time of the call late Monday afternoon. Bachus did not return a phone message requesting comment.
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richardcorrente
Council President Steve Merolla cares about the taxpayers, the teachers and the students.
So does School Committee Chair Karen Bachus.
They'll figure it out. They both have the heart, brain, and the persistence to do it.
Happy Valentines everyone.
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
Tuesday, February 12, 2019 Report this
wwkvoter
And the actual, real, elected Mayor is JOE SOLOMON who shellacked corrente in the election. I'm a taxpayer and Solomon is my mayor. Not sure who this guy is callimg himself "mayor" all the time... there oughtta be a law!
Tuesday, February 12, 2019 Report this
Justanidiot
Wwkvoter, youse must not pay any taxes. warwick is in such terrible shaped because only taxpayers voted for master mayer. you saw da results so youse knows dat der isn't enough taxpayers to afford anyting.
Tuesday, February 12, 2019 Report this
richardcorrente
Dear WwkVoter,
You are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!
You say "There oughtta be a law." THERE IS! It's called "The First Amendment".
I haven't once called myself The Mayor. His name is Joe Solomon. I call myself The Taxpayers Mayor. There is a big difference, but I don't think you are bright enough to grasp it.
So here is your solution.
Don't read my stuff!!
Happy Valentines Henry.
Happy valentines everyone.
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
Tuesday, February 12, 2019 Report this
DannyHall82
Isn’t Bachus with most of the Council? Why would they need a mediator? She should be able to negotiate seeing she is in the councils pocket....
Tuesday, February 12, 2019 Report this
Justanidiot
by master mayers logic, i am the ultimate supreme ruler of time space and everything. youse can refer to me as god from now on. please send all your donations dat you wood give to charity, local guvmint, stores, anywear just send to me. cash only. tanks
Wednesday, February 13, 2019 Report this
Cat2222
Not sure about how Warwick is run but when I have a deadline to meet, I have to make it happen. I don't have millions of dollars hinging on that either and yet somehow, it always gets met. What is the excuse this time? Running the clock down?
Wednesday, February 13, 2019 Report this
richardcorrente
Dear Cat,
You're right.
It is very different in politics. Negotiations always favor the side that is in control of the timeframe. "Letting the clock run down" is a common tactic that you and I would never do, but it often makes one side cave in when it comes to politics.
It's called "The Golden Rule" (tongue in cheek). The translation is "He who has the gold (in this case, the City Council) makes the rule." Therefore, the City Council has the upper hand in this negotiation.
Happy Valentines DAY, Cat.
Happy Valentines DAY everyone.
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
Thursday, February 14, 2019 Report this