WPRO News and the Associated Press
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (AP) – Middletown’s town council has ordered an investigation into potential irregularities in the recent purchase of $1 million worth of computer equipment for the town’s schools.
The Newport Daily News reports the council voted 5-0 last week to ask the town’s administrator and solicitor to investigate the purchase and report back by Sept. 8.
School Superintendent Rosemarie Kraeger tells the newspaper there was nothing unusual about the use of surplus funds to purchase the close to 1,100 laptops for student use. She says the whole situation seems to be a “misunderstanding.”
The purchase earlier this month came weeks after school officials unsuccessfully argued for an additional $144,000 for the town’s education budget, saying they needed the money to keep some school programs.
