[Amended 11-8-2022]
The School Committee shall have five (5) members, one to be
elected from and by the electors of each of the five (5) districts
of the town, and two to be elected at large by all of the electors
of the town.
At the general election to be held in November 2024, the at
large candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected
to a four year term and the one receiving the second highest number
of votes shall be elected to an initial two year term. Thereafter,
each at large school committee member shall be elected to a four year
term, so that the terms of the at large members of the school committee
will be staggered, provided however that if voters approve reducing
the terms of the five (5) district council members to two years in
the 2022 election, then the at large members shall enjoy only two
year terms, and thereafter the two at large candidates receiving the
first and second highest number of votes shall be elected at large
school committee members every two years.
[Amended 11-8-2022]
All members of the school committee shall enjoy a two-year term.
District(s) 2, 3 and 5 shall finish the remainder of the four year
term to which they were elected in 2022 so that at the general election
in November 2024, Districts 1 and 4 shall be placed on the ballot,
along with the at large candidates, for two year terms. In each general
election thereafter all school committee seats shall be for a two-year
term.
[Amended 11-4-2008; effective 1-1-2009; 11-4-2014 by Ord. No.
03-15-301; 11-8-2022]
If a vacancy shall occur in the School Committee the remaining
members of the school committee shall within forty-five (45) calendar
days fill the vacancy. The vacancy shall be advertised in one or more
forms of media, accessible to the general public, seeking applicants
to fill the vacant position and no person shall be considered for
appointment until at least seven (7) days from date of advertisement
has passed. The person appointed shall serve until the term expires
or is filled by a special election, whichever occurs first:
1.
If the vacancy occurs within twelve (12) months from the end of the
elected term, no special election will be held
2.
If the vacancy occurs with more than twelve (12) months remaining
in the elected term but within twelve (12) months of the next State
of Rhode Island General Election, the unexpired term will be filled
by a special election held concurrent with the next State of Rhode
Island General Election.
3.
If the vacancy occurs with more than twelve (12) months remaining
in the elected term and more than twelve (12) months before the next
State of Rhode Island General Election, a special election shall be
called by the Town Clerk in the manner prescribed by law to fill such
vacancy.
4.
If a vacancy occurs in the timeframe of subsection 2 but outside
the time requirements for having the said special election occur concurrent
to the next State of Rhode Island General Election the vacancy shall
be filled in such manner as if it had occurred under subsection 3.
5.
In all cases the vacancy shall be filled by a qualified elector from
the same district.
A member of the School Committee shall hold no other public office or employment in the service of the Town of Coventry, the State of Rhode Island, or of the government of the United States, except as provided in section 15.01(f).
A member of the School Committee shall not be eligible for appointment
to any paid office in the town during the term for which the member
was elected to the School Committee.
The School Committee shall elect one of its members as chairman,
who shall sign any orders or official papers of the committee, and
shall elect a clerk who, under the direction of the committee, shall
keep a journal of the proceedings of the committee. The clerk need
not be a member of the committee. Either the chairman or the clerk
may be removed at the pleasure of the committee.
The School Committee shall adopt its own rules and order of
business and shall hold at least nine regular meetings in every year,
at such time and place within the town as the committee shall, by
general or special order, fix and determine.
All meetings are to be open to the public, in accordance with the provisions of state law and section 15.04 of this Charter.
[Amended 11-2-1999]
(a)
Control school policy. The School Committee shall
determine and control all policies affecting the administration, maintenance
and operation of the public schools. It shall have all the powers
and perform all the duties prescribed by the laws of the state.
(b)
Submit budget estimates. The School Committee shall
submit budget estimates to the Town Manager for the manager's consideration
on or before a date to be fixed by the Town Council. The allocation
of amounts appropriated shall be determined by the School Committee
and final action by the Town Council upon the budget proposals of
the School Committee shall relate only to the total amount thereof.
(c)
Buildings and equipment. The School Committee shall
be responsible for the location of school buildings; for the maintenance,
care, control and upkeep of all school buildings and grounds, including
repairs of buildings; and for the proper use of all materials, furniture,
supplies, and equipment now in its possession or which, in the future,
may be acquired.
(d)
New buildings and additions. When a new school building
is to be constructed, or an addition made to an existing school building,
or an existing school building is to be extensively remodeled or rebuilt
at a cost of more than two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00),
the Town Council shall appoint a bipartisan school building committee
of nine (9) members. Two (2) of the members of said committee shall
be members of the School Committee; two (2) shall be members of the
Town Council; and the remaining five (5) members shall be electors
of the town. The Superintendent of Schools and the Town Solicitor
shall serve as ex-officio members of said building committee but shall
not have a vote. A new committee shall be appointed for each new project.
(e)
Purchasing. At the request of the School Committee,
the Town Manager may direct the Department of Public Works to perform
work on property within the jurisdiction of the School Committee and
may direct the purchasing agent to purchase materials, supplies, and
equipment specified by the school department for use in the public
schools, the cost of such work, and of such materials, supplies and
equipment to be charged to the school department appropriation.
(f)
Power of subpoena. The School Committee shall have
the power to issue subpoenas and to compel witnesses to testify and
produce records as prescribed by law.
(g)
Other. The School Committee may exercise such other
powers and perform such other duties as are prescribed by law and
are not inconsistent with this Charter.
The School Committee shall cooperate with the Director of Finance and Town Treasurer in order that they may carry out the duties imposed upon them by the provisions of Section 10.14 and any other and further duties which the Town Council may establish.
The School Committee shall annually prepare a complete report
of its finances and its activities. The report shall be a public record
and made available within fourteen (14) days after the end of the
fiscal year. A copy thereof shall be on file and available for inspection
at the office of the School Committee and in the office of the Town
Clerk.
[Added 11-8-2016]
A School Committee member shall forfeit office if the member
(1) lacks, at any time during the term of office, any qualifications
for the office prescribed by this Charter, or by law; (2) violates
any express provision of this Charter; or (3) is convicted of a crime
involving moral turpitude.
