I think everyone can agree that there is too much overhead expense in public school systems. RI has far more supts vs California. How crazy is that? With municipal budgets being squeezed and taxpayers finally coming out to protest sky high taxes on their properties, perhaps the time has finally come that county government be implemented and merge these services. West Warwick has lfor a long time had budget problems and most of the municipalities have mismanaged their pension plans. The swamp has been drained by this severe recession and now the taxpayers can clearly see the problems. RI has too much government and for taxpayers to get any relief from these high tax bills, they will eventually have to let go of control.

Who's kidding who? Phil's getting paid approximately $31.81 per student, while Mike's making $4.37 per resident (2010 Census).

But Mike's getting over $100k per resident named Jeff Crawford on Patch.

Sorry, since there are two Jeff Crawford's living in North Kingstown, Mike is being under paid.

This is somewhat of a unfair comparision as the job of Super ususally requires a PHD, and anyone with an advanced degree gets more in the job market than those who don't have one, or where the job doesn't require that. As far as consolidation of districts, that should be talked about, but I can't see too many parents happy with losing that degree of control of local schools, as they react violently to any slight change in anything to do with the schools....just an observation. IT needs to be done all at once, by the entire state for it to be accepted. For that matter, why not combine townships also, since there is no need for some of those separate services? I don't know why we should be accepting getting rid of all local control and putting money into our own towns, when the federal gov takes more and more money like pigs at the trough, for a bloated ineffective beuracratic government. IT should be the other way around, and let's cut some of this pork in the federal and state spending........but I don't think we should hold our breath for that.

sentence should read " I don't know why we should be accepting getting rid of all local control and ceasing putting money into our own towns...."

The answer is consolidation across RI. Cut the overhead....maybe then NK can afford to fund a HS hockey team....for cryin out load.

I can not believe anyone has a comment on either one of these men they both are to shady and crooked for my taste, I can not believe what I am hearing. Here we are crying about the fire dept. custodians things being cut from our children in school because teachers and admin want more and more what is wrong with you people they don't need to be paid that much neither of them, I am sorry this is plain bullshit! All this is going on and the kids suffer for losing things bad education and everyone is worried about what the superintendent and Town manager is going to make wow and our citizen’s vote scary............Sorry for my opinion but wow be real !

Amazing isn't it Wolfman! Terminate the custodians who are willing to take huge cuts in pay to meet the budget, put Para professionals in poverty, but grossly overpay the man at the helm! Go figure....

This town administration cares nothing for working people kids, education of kids nothing alls they care about is lining their pockets more and more and that includes teachers I hate saying that but it's true I would say by experience 75% alls they care about is getting more and more they can say all they want about sastistics and oh the numbers say, because I just don't beleive any of it because the kids are still coming out of school illerate the few good teachers can't do anything because they are told to shut up if you want your job , and the stuff they want the 1st day of school, where does all the money they get from our taxes go ridiculas. As for the peolpe of this town who complain about everything and you all know who you are I mean you know everything anyhow right. I am ashamed to admit that I am a public citizen who can vote in NK when all these public citizens who are complaining out there just seem so distraught with the stupidest things, it's almost like they work for these individuals who are making all this money Oh I don't know I am so angry that people can even think about the issue of who should be making more money superintendent or Manager it makes me sick when there is so much more important stuff to think about I just can't believe people, I get so angry at the stupidity I can't think straight I am just ashamed that adults can act and talk as they do. Someday people will learn. I am so disapointed with all the stupidity and they vote it's scary

Let's just get rid of school committees state wide since they're more problem than they're worth and they're never objective, especially in this town, and let's assign the minimum number of superintendents per area, for example, say one super and one assistant runs NK, EG and Exeter. Providence stil probably needs its own. A super and asst for Barrington, Warren Bristol....get my point? Yes, whoever above said what is correct-- this state is TOO top heavy. The brunt of the cuts fall on the people making the least.

ANGEL FISH, lets just get rid of the urban school committees and school dept. superintendents period! I did the math and the combined total salaries for EG, Exeter, W.G., N.K, and S.K's is $671,000. The combined number of students from these towns was quoted in the article as 10,000. That's a tremendous amount of tax payer money. Why can't we combine those same smaller districts and pay for one supperintendent and possibly one assistant? I have been to a number of the NK school committee meetings and to me nothing ever seems to get accomplished. Lots of arguing, re-hashing of disputes, in house fighting and just plain bad and embarrassing behavior! I have seen where they hire one, sometimes two police officers for meetings, why? Dr. Auger's salary alone is over $143,000! Does anyone know what compensation school committee members receive? Do they also receive other benefits paid for by the town? I would love to know the answer to that, anyone have that info?

Fed up and angel fish are two union members. They want to get rid of all the Superintendents and presumably go back to paying custodians well over the state average for custodial work. Frankly it isn't custodial excellence that makes for successful schools and students, although ths custoidians all seem to have great relationshios with the kids. Its all about proritizing in the face of reduced funding. The priority has to be education.

The sc gets a stipend of about 2 grand per year...the union members have far more of a vested financial interest, so who should we get rid of?

A fed-up, each member of the SC gets a monthly stipend of $200.00 per month ($100 per meeting) before taxes. It in NOT a union job so no healthcare.

Dave-- you make me laugh! A union member..... not exactly. Please don't assume.... you know what they say about assuming don't you? I'm a grandmother with two grandchildren who will be entering the school system very shortly. I have been going to school committee meetings since about 1988 when my first born started attending elementary school here in town. From my personal experience this is one of the most disfunctional school committees I have seen in a long time. Believe me, I was NO fan of Dr. Halley... I was very vocal at sc meetings when he was at the helm but this sc just seems to be nasty. Time for the town to abolish the sc and go with a more tax payer friendly system!

One thing you can assume, Dave, about fed-up and I, is that we are taxpayers. You are too, aren't you? And as far as the stipend goes to be on the SC, who in God's name would want to work for peanuts? I think all school committees get into it for the power, for they're frustrated people who cannot be heard in everyday life so they take out their frustrations on the school employees. And, they get to take on the superintendent as well! Woohoooo!! Their stipend is very small, but they cost the cities and towns a fortune with their inability to see eye to eye with school department employees, are wasteful when decisions are made and the lawsuits they are involved in are racking up the debt in this town. If the ESP contract were settled a long time ago, the school dept would've saved a fortune in court costs alone. But, ya know, penny wise dollar foolish.

This proves my point all's people want to do is fight and argue over REALLY basically nothing who cares what these people make your never going to change that if anything they will make more believe it or not for years the councils were offered health care from the town is that still in affect which we as people will never know, they don't tell the truth as it is now, and guess what the kids are still coming out of school knowing nothing, oh yea all the statistics well I think if you looked into it most of that is based on 2-25% of overall grade State does not have us rated that high by their standards check ! Why don't all you people that argue about stupid things that you will never be able to change join together and actually help the real problems at hand the kids especially the ones that fall through the cracks, oh heaven forbib that child is not as smart as the other ones and has no money what in the world would we want to help that child for no pull from that family for politics, you may think I am nuts but look into it talk to the parents who are puuling their hair out trying to get help for their kids and who are to proud to open their mouths you be surprised if you all stopped fighting about as I say the stupid stuff and reall looked at the problems if that all came out the admin would not have jobs in the first place.Stop being stupid people and start diggin. it's there you just have to find it and it's not hard I know, but one is none many is great.Think about it

You want a more taxpayer friendly sysytem? Try a right to work state. This state is sinking and it isn't because of SC's, it's because of unions.

See it just keeps going stupid !!!!!!!

@Angel Fish, since when is it the school committees job to, as you put it, "see eye-to-eye" with school dept. employees? You ESP members already have one sc member in your back pocket (mudge), how's that workin' for ya, huh?
Could the reason you give for people getting involved in school committees be the same reason you post on here?

Wolfman... you sound like you are very concerned about the children who fall through the cracks as you put it. That is exactly why I would much rather see money going to educators and support staff who actually are in the trenches so to speak with those children than to a dysfunctional school committee and superintendent! The HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dollars this town has spent in lawsuits in just the last couple years is disgusting! This town seems to have no problem in spending our tax dollars in numerous law suits. If this money was spent directly on students and student services the schools would be sitting pretty. This is where tax payers want their money spent.... not on law suits.

@ TIRED OF NK ANTICS-- Why are you posting here?

See? We have something in common, Tired. We're here for the same reasons.

Angel, "tired" is a hater from the NKGOP. You'll never "win". Seeing eye to eye is not something that needs to be in writing, it is basic common sense. But the same goes for the union workers who are way above market rates and the towns and state (and country) are so far in the red as to be technically insolvent if not for the US printing presses. This could get a lot worse, so correcting above market rate compensation is the LEAST step and only the first one. Look at Greece and Spain and Portugal, Japan 20 years of stagnation, and further back, Weimar, Argentina, you name it. You think it cant happen here? We have abused our status as the reserve currency and as a nation, are broke down through all levels of government. I actually like some aspects of union town and state workers, it stabilizes the workforce and reduces political retribution job actions as well as slows patronage hiring. But pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered as they say. Just because the NKGOP hacks from the Dolan/Hueston/Halley group come on here under a few anonymous names notwithstanding. They claim they want just compensation, but look at that turbine and look at their endorsement and taking cash from a developer of rural areas while they ram through yet another violation of our comprehensive plan. The NKGOP (Dolan/Hueston/Halley faction) are dirty, just in a different way. But compensation is still the number one cost and we are broke. Need to get closer to market rates again.

Thank you, Sheriff, for answering the eye to eye question for me.