The Rochester School Committee endured a budgetary browbeating after submitting a late request for $33,860 to fund tuition and transportation for a Bristol County Agricultural High School student.

The exchange happened at the board’s Oct. 21 meeting. It was another in a series of disagreements on school committee spending habits that played out over the summer.

“A couple of things have happened in the last few months that are very upsetting to me personally,” Town Administrator Rich LaCamera said. “A lot of these issues have not been addressed to my satisfaction.”

Committee member then Tina Rood then attempted to speak, but LaCamera reminded her about how he was treated at a previous meeting.

“You shut me off at your meeting. I’m going to have my say now,” LaCamera said.

Prior to that, committee members explained the money was needed to pay for a Rochester student who was accepted to the agricultural school. The committee had originally budgeted for 10 students. At the finance committee’s request the number was adjusted to accommodate eight students. Both committees agreed that if more were accepted tuition costs would be funded.

The surprise came in the transportation funding. With nine students, an additional van will be required to bus the students from Rochester to the Dighton-based school. To close the transportation gap, $15,000 is needed.

At first, it appeared selectmen would not include the article on the warrant because the committee missed an Oct. 9 deadline. Selectmen Chair Naida Parker said allowing this article to slip in past the deadline sets a poor precedent.

The board agreed to honor the agreement between the finance and school committees by voting to allow a warrant article that would fund the student’s tuition at $18,600.

Before Selectmen cast the vote, LaCamera leveled many complaints against the committee including: an ignored promise to lay off a staff member, spending a $49,000 surplus instead of returning it to town coffers, and poor communication.

LaCamera said he was especially upset over the layoff that didn’t occur because it left him with an unplanned benefit debt.

“I have an $11,000 deficit in health insurance. Are you going to pick that up? You created it,” he told committee members. “There is supposed to be a partnership and communication between the superintendent, the town administrator and the Board of Selectmen and it’s been lacking.”

School committee members agreed.

“It is really troubling to have discourse between the two boards,” committee member Sharon Hartley said.

Otherwise, committee members would not comment on LaCamera’s complaints. They said they were unprepared for the discussion and did not arrive with budget figures in hand.

School Committee Chair Michelle Cusolito said they sought the request because the money would be taken from the Rochester Memorial School budget – not the Old Rochester Regional budget, even though Bristol Agricultural students are high school students.

In the future, the Selectmen and school committee members may want to revisit the funding mechanism for the agricultural school.

Selectmen voted 2-1 to approve the article. Selectman Richard Nunes opposed the motion.

Rochester’s Fall Town Meeting will be held Monday, Nov. 25 in Rochester Elementary School at 7 p.m.