With a change of leadership, the Middletown School Committee goes off the rails
"...for the three of you to know what’s going on and the two of us don’t, that’s against the law because that’s a quorum," noted Committeemember Theresa Silveira Spengler.
With William Nash’s election to the Middletown School Committee came a shift in power and titles. During their first meeting on Thursday, with Nash’s support, Gregory Huet was elected as Chair, Wendy Heaney was elected Vice-Chair, and Nash was elected Clerk.
After the gavel was passed, seating was adjusted, and nameplates were re-arranged, former Chair Theresa Silveira Spengler, with over two decades of service on the School Committee, noticed that Huet and Heaney were working off a script.
“Did you get a script?” Silveira Spengler asked Tami Holden, a fellow committee member and former committee Clerk, in a quiet voice.
“No,” said Holden.
“We didn’t get a script with all the planned elections,” said Silveira Spengler.
It was the first of many surprises, irregularities, and possible violations of the Open Meetings Act at the meeting.
After his election, Chair Huet, a retired career naval officer, gave a short speech outlining his “expectations as Chair.” Given what happened during the meeting, I’ve emphasized what I saw as the irony in his words.
“One. That we look forward and do not dwell on the past. Two. That members be prepared for each meeting and be on time. Three. Those points are made concisely when making a point after being recognized by the Chair. Four. Each member acts transparently in every action undertaken as a committee member. Five. That you inform the Chair in advance if you’re unable to attend any scheduled meeting. Six. That honesty be at the forefront in all transactions with all committee members.
“What you can expect from your new Chair: I will do my best to run an efficient meeting. I will keep the members informed of issues in a timely manner. I will establish a strong working relationship with the Superintendent. I will establish strong working relationships with the Town Councilmembers and other community leaders to assist the Superintendent and the committee in advancing the goals of the Middletown School District’s strategic plan and mission statement. I will offer candid, straightforward, and honest assessments with my fellow committee members, the Superintendent, Town Councilmembers, community leaders and our taxpayers.
“In closing, we face many difficult challenges. We’re facing a budget season that will test each of us to find new and more economical ways of meeting our mission. We are amid significant changes in our facilities department and business office. At the same time, we are developing a new fiscal year budget, building two new schools, and renovating others. Many of our policies are outdated and require revision. Major issues presently impacting or will soon be impacting us include special education funding, regionalization discussions, contract negotiations, absenteeism rates, cell phone policies, issues associated with the growing multi-language learners population, IT infrastructure and services support, and capital improvement funding.
“There are no easy answers, and much must be done. The clock is ticking. Time is precious. We cannot afford to waste precious time - your time, my time, staff time, taxpayer’s time, and parents’ time on trivial matters. I view this meeting as a time to conduct solely the important business of the school district. Nothing else. We teachers, staff, committee members, town council members, and community members all need to work together to make this school district the most effective and efficient district possible. It is what the taxpayers expect, the parents demand, and students deserve. Please place my comments into the record. With that said, let’s get the business.”
Things began to go haywire right after the committee approved the consent agenda, around 18 minutes into the video above. The transcript has been edited for clarity.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: We don’t have to motion for appointments to the subcommittees.
Gregory Huet: By the bylaws, the chair must provide nominations for subcommittees at the reorganization meeting.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: So it’s voted upon?
Gregory Huet: The chair provides the nominations, then they are voted on.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Typically, though, prior to meeting, you discuss who wants to do what kind of things, like we did two years ago.
Gregory Huet: I’m carrying out my responsibilities as chair by the bylaws.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Okay.
Gregory Huet: An option was provided earlier that we could delay it if the committee members wanted to do so by majority vote. You can put a motion on the table if you would like. There were two options there, so we can either...
Theresa Silveira Spengler: But it’s not an action item, so we can’t vote on anything.
Gregory Huet: That was discussed with the school attorney, and how this is done is fine.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: So you’re assigning us...
Gregory Huet: I’m nominating. I will provide a document to nominate all positions, and then it will be voted on. That’s one option. The second option is for somebody to make a motion to delay the nominations until the second meeting—in January. People can provide input in writing in priority order to the Chair, with a copy to the clerk, and then that list will be provided at the January meeting.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Okay. I want to comment. We’re not in the military. This is a public school system. I think this needs to be discussed with all of us.
Gregory Huet: Listen - You’re out of order right now. I’m running this meeting. It’s going to be done the way the bylaws require.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: I understand that. Greg, I never treated you like this. Please don’t talk to me like that, “I’m being out of order.” We have the right to speak at any point in our meetings and I never cut you off. Please don’t do that because that’s not appropriate. I understand that you talked to [Benjamin Scungio, the School Committee Attorney], and there are guidelines to follow, but we have the right to know. You didn’t even discuss what you were assigning or nominating us for. So I think that...
Gregory Huet: I gave you an option. I’m not going to discuss this any further. There are two options. You can do that if you make the motion and write it.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: I don’t need to write anything down. Let’s just go. Proceed. Go ahead. Let’s see where you have assigned us.
Gregory Huet: Is there a motion?
Theresa Silveira Spengler: For what? What’s the motion for?
Tami Holden: You’re putting us on each committee. Is that what’s happening? It’s hard to follow.
Gregory Huet: The Chair is required to nominate…
Tami Holden: But just nominate? I wasn’t sure. You nominate who wants to be on that committee. I didn’t realize that we don’t have input. Are we being placed on committees?
Gregory Huet: Yes. The bylaws require that, but if you don't want to do that, you can choose the other option and provide input, but it has to be delayed until the second meeting.
Tami Holden: We discussed it in the past. “I’d like this committee, I choose that,” and it worked out.
Gregory Huet: I’m not going to do that in a public meeting, and that’s not how it will be done.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: We did it two years ago, and you were fine. Okay. Let’s see where you’ve assigned us and decide whether to proceed with this or table it.
Wendy Heaney: I’d like to request the school committee adopt the following subspecialty committee assignments. The assignments would be as follows: Budget Subcommittee—The primary and alternates I have are Huet, Nash, and Holden.
Tami Holden: Could we get a copy of that so I don’t have to try to write them all down? This is difficult.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Why are we not provided this information?
Gregory Huet: There’s a motion on the table. Please let them be read.
Tami Holden: Okay then. Can you read it slowly so I can write it down?
Theresa Silveira Spengler: We should have copies of what you’re reading.
Tami Holden: Why don’t we have a copy of that?
Theresa Silveira Spengler: I thought you were going to be transparent. Why are we not looking at the same copies as Wendy?
Gregory Huet: The bylaws require the chairman to do it this way.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: We’re equal. You’re not our boss.
Gregory Huet: You can do it the other way, where you can get the copy.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Oh my God.
Tami Holden: We didn’t know if that was even...
Theresa Silveira Spengler: I didn’t even know this was happening. I’ll make the motion.
Tami Holden: Can we get a copy of this?
Theresa Silveira Spengler: This is inappropriate. And talk about not being transparent. Why do we not have copies of this [so] we’re not having to write it down?
Gregory Huet: [To the Superintendent] Will you please make a copy of this?
[The Superintendent hands off the page to Administrative Assistant Leah Caron to be copied.]
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Thank you. That would be very helpful. I appreciate that. Why don’t we hold off and continue with the action items while she’s doing that?
Wendy Heaney: We can continue with the other new business about the orientation in January. We talked about the new orientation in January.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: That’s not the agenda. Is that okay?
Wendy Heaney: We’ve checked with the lawyer to make sure it would be something we could add. I’d like to make a motion that the school attorney provide a two-hour orientation refresher training on current issues and responsibilities related to school committee members at a time to be determined. We have looked at several dates in January. We can approve that.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: I think that’s great.
Gregory Huet: A motion was made to have a school attorney provide a two-hour orientation refresher training on current issues and related responsibilities of school committee members at a time to be determined. It was seconded. Is there any further discussion? Are all in favor? Are any opposed?
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Do we have a date?
William Nash: No date. That’s what I was asking.
Gregory Huet: It was to be determined. We talked about the 25th, but the date is…
Theresa Silveira Spengler: …not on the agenda
Gregory Huet: I discussed this with the attorney, and he said it was fine to do it this way.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: I’m confused about why we must have a motion for these things. Do we have a meeting date? Are we going to pick one?
Gregory Huet: There was a vote. All in favor?
Council Members: Aye.
Gregory Huet: Are there any opposed? The motion passes. We do not have a date yet, but we think it will be the 25th.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: The other important thing is that when you have a motion and a second, the next phrase is supposed to be “any discussion?” so that we can talk before the vote happens.
Gregory Huet: That was done. Alright, moving on.
Tami Holden: I don’t understand. We don’t have this in front of us to see what we’re doing. It’s just coming at us, but we don’t see it anywhere. It just seems strange to me.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: The other three people know; it’s just you and me who didn’t get to participate in this discussion.
[Copies of the subcommittee assignments are now passed out]
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Are we choosing a date right now?
Gregory Huet: No. The dates are being worked out with the superintendent and the attorney. An email went out. We think it will be the 25th, but that’s not…
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Making sure that’s not Martin Luther King Day weekend?
Gregory Huet: All the members received an email with the dates. This was done as a motion to approve the funding for it.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: It would’ve been helpful to know that beforehand. All right, perfect. Thanks.
Wendy Heaney: One of the other things we need to do is establish our calendar dates. So, I would like to make a motion on the following dates: We would like to schedule the 2025 school committee meetings to begin at 5:30 on January 23rd, February 13th…
Tami Holden: Again, we don’t have this before us...
Gregory Huet: The list is being read right now.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Sorry, I can’t write that fast. We don’t have it. It’s usually typed up so that we can all look at the same piece of paper.
Tami Holden: You’re making it so much harder than it needs to be.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: It should be in writing.
Tami Holden: We’re supposed to say “okay,” but I have nothing written.
Gregory Huet: It’s done. It’s required at the first meeting. It’s the third Thursday [each month] like every other year we’ve done with the exception of holidays...
Tami Holden: I understand, but can’t we have it written? Why is it not in front of us? That’s all I’m asking. I understand it has to be done.
Gregory Huet: It wasn’t on the agenda, but we talked to the school attorney, and he said we could do it this way because it has to be done at the first meeting
Theresa Silveira Spengler: But you could have had a copy before us, Greg.
Tami Holden: We cannot have copies in front of us?
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Transparency?
Gregory Huet: Listen. We’re doing it this way. You’re not happy you don’t have copies? You’ll get copies. The dates are going to be there. We’re reading the dates off. They’re all on Thursdays, as we have always traditionally done.
William Niemeyer: Can I interrupt?
Theresa Silveira Spengler: January 23rd is not the third Thursday.
William Niemeyer: Leah will make copies of it so you have a calendar in front of you.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Okay, you have January 23rd already, but that’s the fourth Thursday of the month.
Gregory Huet: There was a reason for that, and we can go over it with everyone. These dates were all coordinated with the Superintendent’s office and the Building Committee.
Tami Holden: That’s fine. I want it in front of me. I’d just like to see it, that’s all. I would like to see what you’re saying.
Gregory Huet: Wendy, would you please continue?
Wendy Heaney: I’ll read the dates and explain why we made that change. January 23rd was pushed back because the students and staff do not return to school until the sixth. In order to give them the time to prepare, we selected January 23rd as a change from the third Thursday. We have February 13th, March 20th, April 24th, and May 15th.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Wait a minute, and slow down, please. April what?
Wendy Heaney: 24.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: So it’s after vacation, right?
Wendy Heaney: We’re trying not to meet during vacations. [More dates read off.]
Theresa Silveira Spengler: This is perfect. Why are we changing the time to 5:30?
Gregory Huet: I would like this committee to look forward and not look backward. Please don’t go there.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: I’m asking the question. Why are we changing it?
William Nash: Point of order, Mr. Chair.
Gregory Huet: We’re the only school committee in the State, other than Little Compton, that doesn’t meet at seven o’clock.
William Nash: Point of order, Mr. Chair. The motion has not been read completely yet. I think we need to hear it, and then we can have a discussion if we get a second.
Wendy Heaney: All meeting dates have been coordinated with the superintendent and the building committee. The traditional third Thursday was utilized to the greatest extent possible, and school vacation periods and holidays were considered. So I make a motion that we accept those dates.
Gregory Huet: And times.
Wendy Heaney: And that time.
Gregory Huet: Second. Alright. Any further discussion?
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Why are we changing it to 5:30?
Gregory Huet: Because, if you recall, two years ago, there was a discussion, and it was brought up that every school committee in the state met at seven o’clock except for Little Compton and this school committee. Several of us felt it was inappropriate. It wasn’t [always possible] for parents to get here after work, and we wanted to make it more accessible for the parents to be here.
Tami Holden: A survey was done...
Gregory Huet: And that survey…
Tami Holden: We chose a time that made sense...
Gregory Huet: That survey was not appropriate.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Why?
Gregory Huet: I would like to move forward.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Greg, this is part of the discussion’s dynamics. We have the right to ask questions.
Gregory Huet: That survey didn’t have the appropriate time. It was all geared to having it earlier.
Tami Holden: There was a space for people to fill in an open comment on that survey.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Do you think we’ll have more people at our meetings at 5:30—dinner time? I don’t.
Gregory Huet: Any further discussion? That’s your opinion. So, is there anything that…
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Are you going to be leaving early? You guys often couldn’t wait to get out of here at seven o’clock, and we started at 4:30.
Gregory Huet: Any other discussion?
Tami Holden: We went by the survey that we put out in good faith and what the community said. We used to be at 3:30, but we moved it to 4:30, and I thought that was what happened.
Gregory Huet: Okay. I appreciate your comments.
Tami Holden: Maybe run another survey?
Gregory Huet: Any other discussion?
Theresa Silveira Spengler: It used to be at 3:30. We moved it to 4:30, so we changed the time by an hour. I think moving it to 5:30 is based on what you want. I don’t think it’s based on the survey at all. And has anybody in the community said they wanted it to be at 5:30? I look at the staff, teachers, and principals that have to come to these meetings, and they’ve been at work since 6:30 in the morning, and I think it's very difficult to ask them to stay till eight o'clock, nine o'clock at night. Mind you, this is my 22nd year.
We had meetings at seven o’clock; we moved them earlier and bounced them all around. The times have changed a lot in 22 years, but I can guarantee that it’s difficult for families to come at 5:30 with sports, dinner, and homework.
And I feel that we’re putting more pressure on our staff, faculty, and principals to be obligated to sit here- some of them live out of town - from 5:30 to 8:30 or however long. We have long meetings sometimes. We have to consider that, too. This isn’t about us. I couldn’t care less. This is not about us; I don’t care about other school committee meetings. This is Middletown. We’re not another community. We are Middletown, and we have to accommodate our Middletown people, and that is why the meetings - when we did the survey, and everybody responded, you may think it was invalid, but it was a very valid survey. You weren’t satisfied.
Gregory Huet: You’ve made your point.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Well, I think changing the time is wrong. At least compromise at five o’clock.
William Nash: I will ask you to move the question, please.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: What?
William Nash: I’m going to ask to move the question.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: What do you mean?
William Nash: I feel there’s been more than enough discussion. We’ve said our piece. I haven’t said anything. I support this, but I’m asking to move the question, which is a Robert’s Rules of Order provision that allows for moving the question.
Tami Holden: Could I ask one more question before you do that?
William Nash: Well, no, I’ve asked to move the question.
Gregory Huet: All in favor?
Theresa Silveira Spengler: You have no right to cut us off. Tami has something to say. You have no right to cut us off. None.
Gregory Huet: This is by Robert’s Rules of Order. Tami commented...
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Tami wants to say something else.
Tami Holden: I want to ask a follow-up question.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: I never cut you off, Greg.
Gregory Huet: Go ahead. One follow-up question, and then we’re going to take a vote. We’ve spent enough time...
Tami Holden: Have members or community members come forward asking for a change in the time?
Gregory Huet: I have had plenty of people talk to me about it.
Tami Holden: Nobody’s contacted the school department...?
Gregory Huet: I have had many discussions about this, and many people don’t want it at three o’clock. [Meetings should be at] 5:30, preferably later, is what many people have told me.
William Nash: Tami, I’ve also been told that to be clear.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Sorry, faculty and principals. I tried. I know it’s a long day for you guys.
Gregory Huet: Let’s do a hand vote. All in favor? Any opposed? Four to one, motion passes.
All right. If you’ve all looked at your subcommittees, there’s not much on there. It’s not a lot to look at. While you’re looking at them, I will explain why the Chair did those things that way.
[Huet went into a lengthy explanation as to how some committees appeared to be overstaffed and some had no members.]
Theresa Silveira Spengler: What is the Career Tech Center Committee? I don’t even know what that is.
Gregory Huet: It’s on our list.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: I think we need to go through them individually.
Gregory Huet: They were all included in your package and sent to everybody.
Tami Holden: We weren’t given the names of those on what subcommittee...
Gregory Huet: Not the names, but all the committees” definitions. Everybody was provided that in advance.
Tami Holden: So, is this a full sweep vote? This is it and done?
Gregory Huet: There’ll be a vote on it as is.
Tami Holden: We need to go through each one.
Gregory Huet: No, we’re not going to do that because I’m not wasting the time during this meeting. We have the option to do that with the second option. Suppose everybody wants to provide input. We’re going to do it one way or the other. We’re not going to do that here.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Gosh, Greg, that’s just the normal way of doing this.
Gregory Huet: No, it’s not. I’m carrying out my responsibilities as required by the bylaws.
Tami Holden: Can you let me know when we need to make a motion to put it off and move forward instead of doing it right now? I’m not sure how that’s going to play out, so just let me know.
Gregory Huet: There’s a motion that is available right there that...
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Where is that? I don’t have it. We need to discuss these. I don’t think it’s fair. We should be discussing it publicly. I think the public has the right to know.
Gregory Huet: Theresa, you’re out of order. We’re going to run this meeting in an orderly fashion, following Robert’s Rules of Order.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Greg, we’re not in the military.
Gregory Huet: You haven’t been recognized.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Don’t talk down to me. You are my equal. You’re not my boss, so please stop because I never treated you like this when I was the Chair. You have taken this position and run wild with it. Please take a deep breath.
Tami Holden: How do we table this?
Theresa Silveira Spengler: This is not right.
Gregory Huet: There is a motion. You can make the motion to delay until the January meeting. Everybody can provide input by priority order and provide a copy to the clerk and me two weeks before the next meeting. It can be done that way. That option was given at the very beginning of the meeting. So if somebody wants to make that motion...
Tami Holden: I’ll make the motion that you sure said. I’m not what you said. I don’t have that before me, so I don’t know what to say.
Gregory Huet: Okay. The motion was made to delay the nominations until the first meeting in January. Everybody will provide the Chair in writing and copy to the Clerk two weeks prior to the meeting what committees they would like to be on, in priority order.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Okay. Two weeks before the January meeting.
Tami Holden: Will we also receive those requirements you just stated? We don’t have them either.
Gregory Huet: It will be in the minutes. Was there a second?
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Second.
Gregory Huet: Okay. Any discussion?
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Yes. I look at this, and I don’t think it’s right that Tami shouldn’t be on that building committee since she’s been on it since the conception of it. [Silveira Spengler addresses many of the subcommittee assignments she disagrees with.]
Gregory Huet: You can put that in when you submit it. Make your comments, then.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: No, I’m saying it publicly. I feel like the public needs to know. I don’t feel like you can come in and dictate what we will be assigned to and then tell us all about it. We’re adults. We’re not 18-year-old military boys in uniform.
Gregory Huet: You’re out of order again.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: We are doing this together as a team. As you said in your initial speech, this is supposed to be transparent, as a team working together, not you dictating to us. The three of you knew exactly what was going on. You had this whole script planned. That’s not appropriate. We’re a team, we’re working together. We supported you being chair and vice chair with no qualms whatsoever. But that means you have to work the way we have been for the past two years - collaboratively communicating and all of those good things because you know that’s how we’ll get much more done.
This meeting wouldn’t have happened if we had had this information in front of us and had had some dialogue in advance. I'm just putting that on the table, Greg, because if you talked to us beforehand and didn’t surprise two of us while the other three knew, that’s not transparency, and it’s not communication.
Gregory Huet: And to do that is against the public meeting laws of Rhode Island.
Theresa Silveira Spengler: Giving us a piece of paper in our packet is not against the law; it’s part of our packet. But for the three of you to know what’s going on and the two of us don’t, that’s against the law because that’s a quorum. That is against the law. To give us information, even if it comes to us sitting at the table at the last minute to add to our packet, is the law. For you to be talking behind the back, making phone calls, and having this all planned is not legal. So, if you want to pull out the law book, bring it on.
Gregory Huet: Listen…
Theresa Silveira Spengler: So I am supporting Tami and seconding the motion. Motion to move this second.
Gregory Huet: Alright, so hand vote. All in favor of that motion?
William Nash: I still have a comment. I’m going to support the motion. I think allowing past members on certain committees to chime in on what committees they feel is appropriate for them to serve on is appropriate. Frankly, I have looked at some of these committees, but I’ve never heard of them. As Theresa said, if something is on here that we’ve never heard of and people [are assigned to] serve on them, I need to do some more research on what I think is appropriate for me to do. So, I’m going to support the motion to move it to the next meeting.
[After more discussion about the existence of some of the committees, the motion passed, possibly 4-1, maybe 5-0. It was hard to tell, actually.]
[About 30 minutes later, at the end of the meeting]
Tami Holden: Could I make a request that we get all of the documents that you were reading from that some members had? Can I request all those documents?
Gregory Huet: Alright. A motion to adjourn?
What a shitshow! I feel so bad for Tami and Theresa!
Wow!!