DOVER — Passions ran high Monday night as members of the City Council and School Board addressed what some labeled as a school district spending spree.

School Board Chairman Rocky D’Andrea opened the discussion during the Joint Fiscal Committee, saying both boards need to work to repair relations after weeks of questions and accusations.

Superintendent Jean Briggs Badger said the city had about $6 million in unencumbered appropriations at the end of the third quarter in March, including $1.56 million in funds for the school district.

Budget Administrator Michael Limanni identified $500,000 to $700,000 in mid-May that the district decided to use to purchase items in June, including computers and a security system.

“The major purchases came to the (school) board for approval in June,” Briggs Badger said.

She said some officials were upset at being out of the loop during the process, but that doesn’t excuse some of the comments that were made.

City Councilor Dorothea Hooper, who serves as liaison to the School Board, said the attacks against district officials, especially the superintendent, have been disgraceful and she’s ashamed to be on the council as a result.

Councilor Michael Crago said he continues to “take umbrage” with the fact that some members of the school board didn’t know about the situation until September.

“All we want is to know what’s going on,” Crago said, adding increased transparency would have reduced the difficulties of the past budget season.

Mayor Dean Trefethen called Crago “naive and uninformed” about the process and questioned his actions.

“There is a lot of blame to go around,” Trefethen said.

School Board Member Betsy Andrews-Parker said officials are tired of being blind-sided.

“Every time we take two steps forward, we get slammed and take two steps back,” Andrews-Parker said.

“If there is confusion — which appears there was — it needs to be addressed,” Limanni said.

jquinn@newstote.com