The Warwick School Committee violated the OMA when it discussed a non-noticed item in executive session. See Pontarelli v. Rhode Island Board Council on Elementary and Secondary Education et al., 151 A.3d 301 (R.I. 2016). More specifically, the School Committee discussed a recent Rhode Island Department of Education decision and whether or not the School Committee was going to appeal the decision. It was unclear to this Department why the School Committee could not have scheduled a special meeting to discuss the decision and potential appeal. While this may very well be an isolated incident, this Office directed the School Committee to supply it with the agenda and official minutes for all of the School Committee's February 2018 and March 2018 minutes for our in camera review. See R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-8(e). Should additional similar violations be found, this Office does not rule out taking appropriate action, nor does it rule out future unannounced requests for agendas/minutes to review.
