Halsey Herreshoff calls for school district divorce

Former Administrator, Councilman urges Bristol and Warren to separate from regional school ‘community’

Posted 5/22/17

EDITOR's NOTE: The following is a guest commentary by former Bristol Town Councilman and Town Administrator Halsey Herreshoff.

The Bristol Phoenix of May 18 well described the funding crisis of …

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Halsey Herreshoff calls for school district divorce

Former Administrator, Councilman urges Bristol and Warren to separate from regional school ‘community’

Posted

EDITOR's NOTE: The following is a guest commentary by former Bristol Town Councilman and Town Administrator Halsey Herreshoff.

The Bristol Phoenix of May 18 well described the funding crisis of Bristol taxpayers, evolved from the unfortunate decision of the Rhode Island Supreme Court upholding the legal decision of Judge Matos to shift significant funding burden from the Warren partner to the Bristol partner of the Bristol-Warren Regional School “Community.”  Former Town Councilman and previous Chair of the Bristol-Warren Financial Committee Dave Barbosa also provided important insight.

The new ruling causes an additional burden of millions of dollars upon our taxpayers. Worse, it establishes many millions of extra Bristol taxpayer dollars for every future year. Plus, there is already Warren discussion of a further suit against Bristol to even more greatly unbalance the per-pupil costs of the respective towns now joined in modified partnership.

This totally unfair prospect propels me to urge splitting the system back so that each of the towns can again run its school system as was the case 25 years ago. I see no other practical solution given the selfish posture of the Warren Town Council that initiated the reshuffling of dollar burden to Bristol taxpayers and declares a wish to usurp even more of your citizen dollars!

During the 1990s, Bristol voters narrowly approved the uniting of our school system with that of Warren. Incentives were the prospect of cost savings through economies of scale (probably exaggerated), plus a substantial yearly increase of state support offered as an incentive for the mating of separate town schools into a joint school “community.” (Separate entities with a state mandate of significance and authority parallel to the powers of a separate town).

That situation narrowly favored union. Now, all is changed; there is no longer a “community,” and the state bonus for the merge is about gone.

We all need to hold in high respect the Rhode Island Supreme Court and its responsible judges. Having said that, there is nothing wrong with stating judgement of specific actions of the Court. Judge Frank Flaherty wrote the subject decision. It effectively totally dismisses the concept of “community.” The action of the court is less judicial review of standing legislation and more a bold court action to change existing law, a step more appropriate to the General Assembly than to the court.

The Court has chosen to socially modify, giving financial favor to a poor town (Warren) vs. an alleged rich town (Bristol). Actually, there are far more struggling citizens burdened with trying to scrape together money for real estate taxes in Bristol than in Warren.

If there is any real difference in our respective towns, it is largely in the skill of conducting business. Wouldn’t it be better for Warren to modify its charter to elect rather than appoint its Town Administrator to enable effective continuity of action such as we enjoy in Bristol – this rather than trying to fix Warren’s tax rate at the expense of Bristol taxpayers? 

Before the noble experiment of School “community” was established here, many said such was impossible. Now, some worry that separation is difficult. Actually, nothing is impossible.
Though I certainly have no wish to harm Warren, it is obvious that Bristol has much the greater advantage in separation. We have the high school, Colt Andrews, Guiteras, Rockwell and the administrative offices. Most importantly, we would retain many skillful teachers and administrators. As further possible backup, Reynolds, Byfield and Walley school buildings exist at the Bristol Town Common; these are likely not necessary. In all of this, the education of students needs to be the paramount consideration, but in serving students, we need fairness, skill and efficiency.

Now, time is of the essence! Study is being made of all funding alternatives: joined, separated or that resulting from the prospect of Warren snatching further imbalance of per-pupil cost to their favor. But this study and council decision needs to be accomplished soon so there will be time for the General Assembly to act on providing Bristol permission for a special election in November to permit separation of the school systems, hopefully effective July 1, 2018.
Please consider the matter and communicate your views in these pages or directly to Bristol leaders.

Halsey Herreshoff, of 125 Hope St., Bristol, is a former Bristol Town Councilman and Bristol Town Administrator.

Bristol Warren Regional School District, Halsey Herreshoff

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