East Providence School Committee considers future term lengths

Tsonos said he wants to bring finality to the topic sooner rather than later

By Mike Rego
Posted 1/16/19

EAST PROVIDENCE — Saying his intention in raising the matter was meant to find a quick resolution to it, East Providence School Committee Chairman Charlie Tsonos, at the body’s initial meeting of the …

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East Providence School Committee considers future term lengths

Tsonos said he wants to bring finality to the topic sooner rather than later

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — Saying his intention in raising the matter was meant to find a quick resolution to it, East Providence School Committee Chairman Charlie Tsonos, at the body’s initial meeting of the new session on Tuesday, Jan. 15, opened up a discussion about the future length of terms its members will serve going forward.

The group eventually agreed to have its legal counsel draw up a resolution to be considered at its next meeting. If approved at that time, the committee would send it to the City Council, which would then need to submit it to the General Assembly for approval. At its conclusion, the move would mean those seeking spots on the School Committee from the November 2020 election would serve four years, ending in 2024.

In retrospect, the five current committee people were elected last November to once again fulfill two years in office, as has been the case for some two decades.

Mr. Tsonos, however, noted the at times acrimonious effort last year by the City Council to finally determine if elected officials should be serving two or four-year terms following voter approval of a November 2012 ballot referendum item, supporting the latter, longer length.

“This is strictly a discussion item, just food for thought,” Mr. Tsonos said in his introductory remarks last week.

He continued, making similar remarks during the meeting and after, “We need to take a stand. It’s better to take a stand now rather than at the 11th hour like the City Council did.”

The council’s attempt to tackle the matter led to both the State Board of Elections and the City’s Canvassing Authority to interject. At first, it appeared some on the past council wished to remain in office for an additional two years. It was eventually determined the body would hold an election in November 2018 and those seated would take up terms of four years in duration. The next City Council run-off will take place in 2022.

Committee members Jessica Beauchaine and Joel Monteiro each referred to Rhode Island General Law, which reads members of school boards should serve four years. They noted, East Providence sought and was granted a waiver of the law by the General Assembly in 1998, allowing the city’s School Committee to sit for two years instead.

The most recent effort to change term lengths was proposed in 2012 when East Providence was under the auspices of the state-appointed Budget Commission. That group wrote and placed a referendum on the 2012 ballot changing term lengths to the standard four years according to RIGL. It was soundly backed by the electorate.

However, confusion reigned about if the measure needed to gain approval from the assembly or if it could simply be codified into the City Charter by the city clerk. The issue was raised from time to time, but conflicting legal and political opinions rendered it to the sidelines until it was finally decided last year in time for the 2018 election.

The School Committee, though, opted not to join the fray. Rather, it adhered to the existing standard of running for a two-year term as opposed to engaging in what Ms. Beauchaine correctly surmised last week was a contentious situation. “We were served every day,” she added, referring to the legal wranglings surrounding the subject.

“I think we need to respect the voters’ wish and take an action on this sooner rather than later,” Mr. Tsonos concluded.

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MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.