"The budget is increasing at an alarming rate. These increases aren’t due solely to contractual obligations, new mandates put in place by the RI Department of Education or the Federal Government. In the opinion of the Committee, this is a result of lack of oversight, fiscal leadership and responsibility."”

Little Compton Budget Committee

“I take umbrage at that comment. I don’t believe there’s any lack of oversight. We go through that budget, we make a determination based on the programs we have in place. We don’t have exorbitant salary increases in our labor contract.””

District finance director John McNamee

Members of the Little Compton School Committee and administration lashed out Wednesday evening at a recent recommendation by the town's budget committee to deny a $177,491 spending increase to the district at next Wednesday's annual Financial Town Meeting.

The meeting, called solely to discuss the budget committee's recommendation to level fund the district at the current year's rate, drew sharp rebuttals from committee members, who said the claims made by budget committee members don't hold water. They also took umbrage to assertions that the district's finances are out of control, with a lack of oversight and proper planning.

But if the recommendation passes as it stands, officials predicted, that could spell trouble on multiple fronts for the district.

"We do not want to be contentious,” school committee chairman Travis Auty said. “We’re just going to roll out facts.”

The facts, according to the school

In its report, included with the Financial Town Meeting packet dispersed earlier this month, the budget committee recommended funding the district at the current year's $7.64 million, denying a requested 2.3 percent increase.

John McNamee, the district's long-time finance director, said many of the points made by the budget committee in justifying level funding are inaccurate, including the number of enrolled students, the nature of the loss of the department’s regionally collaborative special education program and Little Compton's per-pupil expenditure, which he said is $24,666, not the $36,613 as cited by the budget committee.

The increased hiring of staff and teachers in the face of dropping rate of enrollment was also cited by the budget committee as a cause for their denial of the school’s requested funds, as were the supposed costs to educate out of district students, who pay tuition to come here.

Budget committee members also wrote that they believe "that school spending has gone unchecked for too long and the budget is increasing at an alarming rate. These increases aren’t due solely to contractual obligations, new mandates put in place by the RI Department of Education or the Federal Government. In the opinion of the Committee, this is a result of lack of oversight, fiscal leadership and responsibility."

“I take umbrage at that comment,” McNamee said. “I don’t believe there’s any lack of oversight. We go through that budget, we make a determination based on the programs we have in place. We don’t have exorbitant salary increases in our labor contract.”

"Absolutely asinine," school committee chairman Travis Auty added.

"We are reasonable folks," he said. "If there was an outrageous or outstanding concern that we could delve into, we are willing to do that. But in the economic times we are living in right now, I feel like the budget we submitted unanimously was very fiscally responsible for the students, the outcomes, and the community.”

Others agreed.

Resident Larry Anderson, a former member of the budget committee and town council, called criticism of the district's management and oversight “tendentious, reckless, and false.”

“There has never been a period in 40 years where the school committee has run a more even-keel budget,” he said. “This statement is just irresponsible.”

Potential impacts of level funding?

Though the answer isn’t fully known yet, Wilbur McMahon principal John McKinnon said impacts could be widespread, including cuts to the arts, field trips and the district's plan to install solar panels on the school's roof.

One of the biggest worries is one shared with many of the school’s administrators: The possible damage that level-funding may cause to the school’s ongoing International Baccalaureate verification process.

“I would hate to see all the work that our students, our staff, our coordinators have put forward,” said McKinnon. “It has been a tremendous lift. And it will be a feather in our cap for the whole community.”

“We are in a predicament that if the townspeople do not poll next week in support of the school, we will be making incredibly difficult decisions,” Auty said. “Possibly one where we’re not renewing a teacher. Possibly not having extracurricular activities. Sports. Field trips. Music. Theater. Dance. All of the above.”

“I’m going to fight, fight, fight for these kids, this community, and the outcomes that this school provides. And if you’re with me, that’s great ... We need everyone who is passionate about this community to show up next Wednesday.”