There are a lot of “ifs,” but the City Council, over lamentations that the city should have done things differently from the beginning, unanimously approved a resolution Monday to ask voters whether to approve an additional $50 million for construction of new Pilgrim and Toll Gate high schools.

And if the General Assembly approves legislation to finance completion of the schools, then the city will need legislative approval to place the question on the ballot. If that all happens, then the voters will need to approve the $50-million bond.

But if they don’t approve the additional funding, at this point it is unlikely the $350 million voters approved in 2022 will be enough to complete the new schools and gain about 50% reimbursement from the state Department of Education. Bids on some materials for a new Pilgrim – a groundbreaking is being planned for next month – are coming in on target or lower; however, there are a lot of unknowns with Toll Gate. Estimates on cost overruns for the two schools have fluctuated from $22 million to more than $30 million.

“But what is Plan B if this is shot down by the voters?” asked activist Barry Cook during the City Council finance committee meeting. Cook also advised that the city shouldn’t go forward with the schools until it knows the exact cost of completing the projects.

Athletic fields last to be built

Mayor Frank Picozzi agreed the city doesn’t have the numbers, adding what is the city to do when it depletes the $350 million earmarked for the schools and construction stops. At this point the expectation is for the buildings to be completed, but funds would be lacking for demolition of the existing schools and construction of athletic facilities in their place.

It was emphasized by council members and the administration that following completion of the two high schools, any residual funds from the $50-million bond would be used to improve recreational facilities across the city, starting with the Mickey Stevens Sports Complex. Ward 3 Councilman Bryan Nappa wanted to make it clear that if voters approve the $50-million, it is not a blank check for the School Department. He pointed out that using the funds for non-school related recreational facilities would be a return for all the taxpayers.

Ward 6 Councilman William Muto noted there isn’t a standing list of recreational improvements but that Mickey Stevens is “a priority for all taxpayers.”

School representatives not present

Notably absent from the meeting were members of the School Committee and the school administration. Speaking for the School Committee, Shaun Galligan, chairman, said in a text Tuesday morning, that the referendum is a request of the mayor, and had Picozzi asked for their presence, they would have been there.  Interim Superintendent William McCaffrey likewise said he and the “whole team” would have attended had they been invited.

“As a taxpayer in the city, I am pleased that the city is making a large investment in our recreational facilities. It’s long overdue. I’m looking forward to seeing the changes over the next two to four years.  It’s a great day to be part of the Warwick community,” McCaffrey wrote in a follow up text Tuesday morning.

Darlene Netcoh, president of the Warwick Teachers Union, spoke on multiple occasions in favor of the additional $50 million and also voiced her distaste for the state Department of Education when the question why that department wouldn’t make reimbursements during phases of construction rather than waiting until completion. Netcoh said the department has “screwed” teachers and students.

Netcoh also said she didn’t want to see any additional bonding go toward construction of the outdoor skating rink behind City Hall, which is scheduled to be completed in October. The statement baffled Picozzi. He said Tuesday that the project is coming in at $1 million less than initially estimated.

Ward 5 Councilman and council finance committee chair Ed Ladouceur opened the committee hearing noting his consistent position that the city should build a single new central high school, that $350 million would be insufficient for construction of the two schools and that the entire question of how the city should proceed should go back to the voters. In the end, however, Ladouceur reasoned that having General Assembly approval of a special election, rather than waiting until funding runs out, would be prudent. Additionally, he favors letting the voters decide and therefore voted in favor of the motion.

The issue of how the $50-million bond might affect taxes was asked of the administration. City Treasurer and Finance Director Lynne Prodger said that would be difficult to project as it depends on the terms of the bond [20-, 25- and 30-year bonds] along with the interest rate and other variables including the revaluation that is nearing completion and the tax levy. Rather than coming up with a dollar amount, Prodger gave a percentage increase in taxes that in the worst case scenario would be 1.6%.

Know the rules, says Komar

Michelle Komar, one of several taxpayers who closely follows civic developments, chastised school and city officials for not pinning down the cost of the new schools, saying in the long run they are “going to cost a lot more in the end.” She said that contrary to the school administration’s pitch for the $350-million bond, “we’re not going to buy one and get one free” because of state reimbursements.

“It was irresponsible not to know the rules before we start,” Komar said. She advocated ditching the current plan and building a single best-of-everything school.

Resident Michael Zarum, whose comments frequently focus on airport developments, suggested tighter financial controls on the School Department, with monthly reports to the council showing what’s been spent and is encumbered on the new schools.

Withdrawn from the agenda without explanation was City Council President Anthony Sinapi’s resolution for a change in the charter, which would have also required legislative and voter approval. He is looking to expand the School Committee from five to seven members with the mayoral appointment of two members. The members selected would have been subject to the advice and consent of the council.

Asked about the proposed expansion of the School Committee, Picozzi said Tuesday he thinks such a change in the charter should come before the voters in a general election.

What about a special election?

Assuming General Assembly approval of the plan for additional school funds and funds for recreational facilities, Picozzi said a special election could be held as soon as this summer. The council and the administration looked at a special election as an opportunity to amend the city Charter to streamline and modernize procedures.  Unanimously, the council approved a resolution to the General Assembly to allow a change in the Charter enabling electronic notice of special council meetings although it was unclear what form of electronic notice would be used. It is presumed the measure would appear on the same ballot as the $50 million bond question

The council also voted in favor of Nappa’s resolution supporting General Assembly review of public records laws to curb abuse of public-records requests that are being used by corporations and institutions as a means of gathering data at the government’s expense. The state law is being amended to increase the hourly rate for such searches from $15 to $25. Council members voiced concern this could be too steep for taxpayers making the occasional request until it was noted the first hour is free.

The council tabled Sinapi’s resolution to amend City Council rules, of which Sinapi had more than two dozen, until the second meeting in June, but moved ahead with Ward 4 Councilman Sal DeLuise’s motion to move the start of council meetings from 7 to 6:30 p.m. DeLuise is looking to streamline the meetings by eliminating dead time between committee meetings that would continue to start at 5 p.m.

The council held for further study a resolution calling on the General Assembly to amend tax classifications to stabilize residential and commercial tax payments. Presently this is done by changing the rates between residential and commercial properties. City Assessor Neal Dupuis has proposed that it be based on a percentage of the levy.