Charlestown, Richmond and Hopkinton representatives are expected to meet Saturday to discuss a possible resolution to the Chariho Regional School District’s construction impasse.

On the agenda are two contentious issues:

*An effort to get Hopkinton to agree to a vote on a revised $25-million construction proposal.

*A start of discussions on tax equalization –– the issue that deadlocked discussions in years past and that, at least until now, Charlestown has been unwilling to discuss.

The meeting would be the latest attempt to get Hopkinton on board as the state considers a proposal to eliminate the regional bonus, which bumps the district’s construction reimbursement to 56 percent from the standard 30 percent.

(The majority of the Hopkinton Town Council has said it will not support any school construction plan until the district equalizes its tax base, which would shift most of the financial burden to Charlestown. Currently, towns’ contributions are based on student enrollment.)

CHARLESTOWN VOTED unanimously Monday to authorize Solicitor Robert E. Craven to research whether "the Town of Hopkinton has engaged in a breach of contract in their failure to fund the Chariho School District"–– actually, for failing to fund repairs at the Chariho School District.

(All three towns agree the repairs are needed.)

Richmond is considering a similar move, said Council President B. Joe Reddish III.

Charlestown and Richmond have also jointly objected to a request from Hopkinton to lower payments to Chariho in September, citing Hopkinton’s objection to the building proposal.

Under the Chariho Act, which governs the tri-town school district, towns are required to pay their annual contribution on 12 equal monthly installments. But several years ago, the towns requested permission to pay 5 percent of their contribution in July and August.

Hopkinton had requested extending the lower-payment arrangement for an additional month to help its cash flow –– towns must submit their payments at the beginning of the month but don’t collect quarterly taxes until mid-September, which has forced Hopkinton in the past to rely on short-term borrowing to meet its financial obligations.

JOHN O. CRAIG JR., Charlestown’s council president, confirmed that yesterday he and his counterparts in Richmond and Hopkinton along with some other council members plan to meet Saturday.

Reddish also confirmed the meeting but declined to comment until after the meeting.

Hopkinton Council President Vincenzo Cordone didn’t return calls for comment.

School Committee Chairman William Day said yesterday he was unaware of the meeting but would be interested in attending.

(Each body would have to remain under their legal quorum –– three members for the town councils and five for the school committee - to avoid triggering the Open Meetings Act, which requires meetings to be posted 48 hours in advance. No notice had been filed as of yesterday.)

B. JOE REDDISH III, Richmond’s council president, has for months led the behind-the-scenes negotiations, which gained momentum after Governor Carcieri unveiled his proposal to eliminate the regional bonus of an additional 2 percent in state housing aid for each regionalized grade.

(The regional bonus had bumped Chariho’s prospective reimbursement rate for capital spending to 56 percent from the regular 30 percent.)

>Under Carcieri’s proposal, established regional school districts could continue to qualify for the bonus reimbursement figure only if the General Assembly authorizes their bond referendums by June 30 of this year, although the referendums could be held after that date.

The bonus would still be available for new regional districts during their first five years.

Representatives Joseph H. Scott, D-Exeter, and Donna M. Walsh, D-Charlestown have introduced three bills –– one per proposed referendum question –– at Charlestown and Richmond’s request to authorize the referendum.

The bills have been referred to the House Finance Committee.

marmenta@projo.com / (401) 277-7405