School Committee Hires Interim Finance Director

The Woonsocket School Committee has appointed Ralph Malafronte, a former superintendent of schools for Barrington, to manage school finances while a permanent finance director is sought.

Malafronte is currently helping in the same capacity in Central Falls, Superintendent Giovanna Donoyan said.

The Committee unanimously approved the appointment Wednesday night, and also voted to approve using $10,000 earlier set aside to pay Dina Dutremble, who the city loaned to Woonsocket Education Department (WED) to sort out school finances. Dutremble, who is now retired, is no longer working for the city, Donoyan said. She noted Dutremble's not interested in working for the school department on the FY13 budget.

So, she said, she's recruited Malafronte. The Committee also voted Wednesday to use $10,000 set aside to pay Dutremble after her city assignment ended to Malafronte instead, as he'll be doing the job that Dutremble would have. The school department has been without a finance manager since the departure of School Business Manager Stacey Busbee.

Meanwhile, the search for a full-time finance director continues. It's just a matter of time, Donoyan said, "Before we find someone permanently."

Donoyan updated the Committee and the audience about the school department's continuing financial troubles.

Donoyan said there is $6.4 million in the schools' accounts payable, of which 55 percent, or $3.5 million, is more than 90 days late. Another 14.2 percent, or nearly $1 million is more than 60 days late, another 15 percent is more than 30 days late, and another 15 percent, almost $1 million, is current.

Donoyan said about $2.9 million in April state aid has been transferred to the WED payroll account, which will allow the department to meet payroll for employees on May 18. That bit of news was met with loud applause from a sparse crowd of about 25 people.

Donoyan also took time to thank the school department's vendors for their continuing patience, including Superior Oil and Rte. 146 Oil.

"We ran out of oil at Bernon Heights Elementary School last week," Donoyan said, "And it was a cold day, unfortunately." She said that even though the school department owes superior oil more than $200,000," they delivered oil to the school anyhow. "Our children and our staff were warm for that day"

Rte. 146 oil, which was working on school department trash truck, wouldn't release it because the school department owed the business more than $3,000. Fortunately, Donoyan said, someone from the school department spoke with them about the need for the trash trucks to keep trash from piling up and creating nuisance, and they let the school department have the truck back.

"While we are in a dire financial situation, I really need to say thank you to everyone who has worked with us," Donoyan said. "Thank you very much," Chairman Anita Forcier-McGuire said to the school department vendors for their patience.