2026-10-13 - City Council Special Meeting

00:30Huh?

00:48>> Yeah. You ready? All right.

01:03>> Good evening. I'll call the budget

01:05workshop to order of October 13, 2026.

01:11Please rise for the pledge.

01:21United States.

01:33>> Yeah, I finally went.

01:36>> No, I finally found them and they went

01:38back and stuff.

01:45>> Thank you. Uh, Madame Clerk, if you

01:47could call the role of the council.

01:48>> Councilman Fogerty

01:50>> here.

01:51>> Councilman Lawson,

01:52>> here.

01:53>> Council Vice President Rio

01:55>> here.

01:55>> Councilwoman Souza

01:56>> here. President Rodri

01:58>> here. The record show all five members

02:01of the council are present.

02:07So, this is a continuation of our uh

02:11budget workshop sessions. We have pretty

02:15much uh gone through

02:19all if most if not all of the uh

02:22departments specifically. Um and I I did

02:25ask that um all of the department heads

02:29be present tonight even though we may

02:32not um need to call on any all of you

02:37but uh you're here you're available

02:39anyway and I appreciate that. uh believe

02:42there are one or two that could not make

02:45it and I did not see that as being

02:48critical. They were um already discussed

02:51that at at length at the prior work

02:54sessions. So all departments are listed

02:57as you see on on the agenda and you do

03:02not have to follow this uh specific

03:04order. I would uh defer to council

03:09colleagues that you can um ask anything

03:13you want to ask of any of these

03:16departments or of any part of the budget

03:20once we conclude with um those questions

03:24and comments. uh if there is not

03:27anything um still outstanding

03:31then we can start the process of voting

03:35on on this budget. So it at this time I

03:39would and also if members of the public

03:41are are here you would be welcome

03:44through the process to ask questions or

03:48or make comments. This time I turn it to

03:51the council

03:53for any questions that you have or

03:57deliberations, comments,

03:59anything that pertains to the budget.

04:03>> Mr. President.

04:04>> Yes. Uh, M. Vice President Rico.

04:06>> Okay. Uh, this would be a excuse my

04:10voice. This would be a question directed

04:12at the finance director. I was looking

04:15over the miscellaneous section of the

04:18budget on page uh page 47 and I noticed

04:22a slight decrease and I remember our

04:25first budget hearing just seemed like it

04:29was yesterday and and it was you know 23

04:33uh for the budget year 24 and

04:37miscellaneous. What is that? And it was

04:39explained to us by Malcolm at the time.

04:42Could I presume that the reduction is

04:45because we've taken care of I think it's

04:48called I always OPET where we where it's

04:51the retirees uh healthcare that that was

04:55one of the reasons you know a couple

04:56years ago why it was big and we question

04:59because it miscellaneous just seems like

05:01a word that you know where is it is that

05:04due to the fact that we have maintained

05:08it and hit the portion where the state

05:11says we're in good shape. tape.

05:13>> Good evening, council. Um, yeah, so the

05:16OPED is about 83.9%

05:19funded. Um, so the asset is performing

05:22well and able to um cover some a portion

05:28a portion of its own expenses. So we are

05:31able to decrease how much um the city

05:34has to put in for contributions.

05:36Uh so we didn't wipe out fully the

05:39contributions. We just deducted it this

05:40year to 1.8%. 8% or 1.8 million, sorry.

05:45>> Thank you. And on the other hand too,

05:47the the pension fund is being funded

05:51again this year. We're making another

05:53contribution based in this budget.

05:55>> Yeah, the pension fund is 100% funded

05:57and the ARC is being contributed to the

05:59city.

06:01>> Thank you.

06:02>> Hold on. The pension fund is not 100%

06:03funded. It's it's

06:05>> the contributions are being 100% funded.

06:08Correct.

06:08>> So, we're meeting the

06:09>> knew we weren't at 100%. I know.

06:11[laughter]

06:11>> Yeah.

06:12>> I want to make that very clear. I think

06:13the pension fund is about uh it's it's

06:15under it's a critical status on critical

06:17status. Correct.

06:18>> But the contribution that we're making

06:19is consistent with the annual required

06:22contribution as set by our actuary. So

06:24that's a little bit of a difference. I'm

06:25sorry. I just want to

06:27>> that could affect negotiations in the

06:29future. So I just want to make sure

06:30>> Oh yeah. You especially from the legal

06:32department.

06:33>> Yeah. I just meant we were putting in

06:34100% of the arc.

06:40Thank you, Councilman.

06:43Others, Councilman Lawson.

06:46>> Yeah, my my question is about capital.

06:48Can you explain this 250 for traffic

06:50lights

06:52under the capital budget?

06:58>> I believe it was a grant match. Someone

07:00I I forget which director it was applied

07:02for a grant and the the grant required

07:05Oh, it's you. Uh, Director Borges is

07:07here.

07:08>> Good evening. Uh, so yes, the it is a it

07:11is a grant match. Um, so the city was

07:14awarded uh $4.2 million for citywide

07:17traffic signal improvements. Um, so

07:19>> yeah, maybe lower the button on the side

07:21there. That might be too high.

07:23>> Can you All right, let's try that.

07:25>> Try that.

07:26>> Uh, we were awarded $4.2 million for um

07:30citywide traffic signal improvements. As

07:31part of that grant, we're required to um

07:35match I believe it's 20%. So

07:37>> 840,000

07:39>> correct? So we're um breaking that up

07:43into smaller portions. The grant I think

07:45runs for five years. Um so the intent is

07:48to be able to start the work. We will

07:51allocate a portion of it over the next

07:53several years to fund that.

08:00Councilwoman,

08:02>> can I just ask a question regarding um

08:05the capital improvement? So, we're

08:06looking at a million um that we're

08:09spending over three items. Is this of

08:11unallocated

08:13current funds that are in um our capital

08:16budget?

08:17>> Part of the unallocated balance.

08:19>> So, is the city not adding anything to

08:22that um savings?

08:25>> Correct.

08:26>> This fiscal year. So, there'll be a zero

08:28ad.

08:28>> Zero addition.

08:30Okay. And where would do you have off

08:32the top of your head or on your device

08:36what is unallocated outside of this

08:39million dollars? So once this million is

08:41allocated with the existing allocated,

08:43what's left in that capital?

08:45>> Approximately 1.3 million.

08:47>> Okay. And do you know how much we put

08:49into the rainy day fund for this fiscal

08:52year coming?

08:52>> Well, I think that's one and the same.

08:53The 1%

08:55that we It's one and the same. I think

08:58people call it rainy day fund.

09:01It's just the fund according to to our

09:03charter.

09:04>> Yes. So with our charter, there's a

09:06percentage that has to go in and then

09:07anything left over from the previous

09:10fiscal year will then be added. So do we

09:12not have an anticipated surplus to go

09:15into that this year?

09:16>> Not this year. We have a a capital uh

09:20unallocated balance which is we're not

09:23including anything addition this year.

09:26So we don't have anything in addition to

09:27add to

09:27>> not anything in addition. No, but we are

09:29over the 12% minimum required to our

09:31charter.

09:32>> So we're okay with that.

09:34>> All right. Thank you.

09:37>> So to clarify here, the charter 1% has

09:40to go to rainy day fund. If it is fully

09:43funded by charter, that has to go in the

09:46capital. But there's a carve out that

09:47says if our health care cost rises. So

09:50that's what the administration's using

09:52as a reason for not putting any money in

09:54the capital in this budget, which I

09:56think is reckless. I got a couple

09:58proposals, but that is the reason why.

10:02And just to clarify it, it is that is

10:05the reason the 16% um the charter says

10:0710.5% for a few different types of

10:10expenses, not just health insurance, but

10:12health insurance is one of the ones

10:14listed in the charter.

10:18Do you expect a surplus with the budget

10:21that we're working on right here? Do you

10:24expect us to come in with a surplus?

10:27>> I do not. I expect us to break even.

10:32>> But during during the course of the

10:35year, uh if an account has a surplus,

10:40that would go into capital. Correct.

10:41>> Correct. If any any department ends up

10:44with a surplus, it automatically rolls

10:46into capital or into our fund.

10:49>> Thank you.

10:51>> So you don't foresee any department in

10:54this present 26 fiscal year ending up

10:57with a surplus.

10:58>> There may be specific departments that

11:00end up with surplus, but overall the

11:02city I don't I don't foresee a surplus

11:04overall. Maybe certain departments will

11:07do better than others um but not

11:09overall. So it'll be minimal going into

11:12the

11:13>> correct.

11:16>> So it'll be similar to the last fiscal

11:18year where we didn't have a surplus.

11:20It'll be two years in

11:22>> two years in a row

11:23>> in a row. And we know how budgets go,

11:26right? Once you start not making the

11:28surplus, it only goes in the opposite

11:30direction

11:31>> typically. Typically

11:33>> Yeah, you're right. You know, just to be

11:34very honest and transparent, we see the

11:36school has a deficit that we obviously

11:38as a city are responsible for. So, we

11:41can't just say, well, they were

11:43negligent in their duties to maintain

11:45their budget that they were given.

11:46Ultimately, this body and the city as a

11:49whole is responsible for the school

11:50department's budget. Even though we

11:52don't have decision-m um capabilities,

11:54but it is still our deficit that the

11:57city has to endure. Um and that's going

11:59to be year on because we already know

12:00the projection for theirs is going to be

12:03Yeah. So I think they kind of touched

12:05base on this uh the they will if they

12:08have a deficit in the following year

12:12>> and they essentially eat up their

12:15projecting that they will right

12:16>> they will have to um speak with the

12:19auditor general and come up with a

12:20five-year plan

12:22>> to correct that. um they are not

12:24anticipating that the city covers that

12:27uh the loss but that they come up with a

12:28five-year plan with the state to cover

12:30any deficit that they incur.

12:33>> Right. But reasonably speaking, I mean

12:35the the staff needs to be paid. You

12:37know, we're not going to So, we do have

12:39the city does have to cover a certain

12:40portion of those expenses.

12:42>> We likely will. Yes.

12:43>> Right.

12:43>> Yeah. Because it's all one body. You

12:46know, those are our children and our our

12:48teachers and custodial staff. So,

12:52>> and this budget takes into effect

12:56the TANS that we have to purchase.

13:00>> So, the interest for the TANS is

13:01budgeted in here. Yeah,

13:02>> that's what I mean.

13:03>> Yep.

13:03>> So, that leads me to the next point and

13:06I said it again in 23

13:11that

13:12we all got we all got to put on our big

13:15boy pants. the next council and it

13:18started with

13:20two or three councils before and then

13:23they diverted the money to pay for

13:25roads. The quicker we get on the same

13:28fiscal year as the state of Rhode

13:29Island, the better it is for the city of

13:32East Providence. I know it's it's going

13:36to be tough

13:38>> and you have to we have to we have to

13:41plan for that and God willing hopefully

13:45on November 3rd I get reelected.

13:48I will not be as quiet on that issue as

13:52before. We have to do it. There was a

13:55reason why that budget commission set it

13:57up not to repave roads.

14:02It was to get this city in a financial

14:05situation where we don't have to sit

14:08here and say we haven't made an

14:11investment in two years.

14:16Again, they were professionals there.

14:19Again, there was a reason. And why they

14:22did that

14:24it the horses out of the barn, but we

14:27got to bring those horses back into the

14:29barn. And who's ever who's ever sitting

14:33here, I'm hopefully one of one of them

14:36and I know every the other than Rick,

14:39everybody's hoping that they're one of

14:41them, too. We have to do this.

14:45We are just hurting the taxpayers of the

14:48city if we don't. So that's my soap box

14:51for this even.

14:55>> I just want to just comment. So, we have

14:57had preliminary discussions with the

14:59finance director and the auditor at the

15:00general and the mayor has instructed me

15:02and the uh finance director as soon as

15:05we get past this budget um to start

15:08looking into alternatives to align the

15:10fiscal year. So, that will be a priority

15:12of the next administration if if the

15:14mayor is lucky enough to get reelected.

15:16So, that is something that and I think

15:18for the reasons why you stated it just

15:19makes sense. We're the only state uh

15:21excuse me we're the only town that does

15:22not align with the fiscal year. my

15:24hometown of Situit uh used to have an

15:26April 1st to to March 31st budget year

15:28and two years ago we uh we made that

15:31change. It you know it wasn't painless

15:33but it does help when you budget for

15:35schools and and whatnot. But there there

15:37is a process to do so and not having to

15:38have that chunk of money you know to pay

15:41for it. You there there are different

15:42alternatives but we want to talk to the

15:44>> you're going to need the state involved.

15:46Correct. First of all, it's in our

15:47charter, so there'd have to be a charter

15:49change. But we're basically a quarter

15:51off and they we started saving for that,

15:55but then the high school fell apart.

15:57That's why I'm not a fan of deferred

15:58maintenance and not putting money in the

16:00capital. Um, and because of that, we had

16:04to take that money and move it over. And

16:07so instead of having the sync fund is

16:09what we called it, that money was about

16:1212 million, I think. and then Joe

16:14Batello said let's put it towards

16:15capital and that's why the road funds

16:18began and we were able to start making

16:20progress. So that's a little bit of the

16:22history of that.

16:26>> But it is going to take

16:28>> the state's going to have to help us out

16:30whether it's

16:32>> a way of floating the money that we need

16:35for that quarter so we can align cuz the

16:38we're still taking in the same amount of

16:40tax dollars. It's just we're like a

16:42quarter off. So that's what about 50

16:46grand according to this. I mean 50

16:49million now.

16:50>> Yeah. Around that. Yeah.

16:51>> The auditor general did recommend that

16:53we come up with a two-year plan so the

16:55state could help us with transitioning

16:57over to the

16:58>> Yeah. I mean you can do a budget I mean

17:00a charter amendment that gradually

17:02slides it in. Um there may be a couple

17:06things that you ask the residents, are

17:09you willing to pay a little more taxes

17:12this year, but then there'll be an extra

17:14quarter. So it will even out. It's just

17:17that initial quarter

17:20>> def definitely is not something that

17:22will be done in a in a one-year window.

17:25It's

17:26>> unless the state finances that quarter.

17:28No, not in a one window.

17:31So it sounds like it's certainly a goal

17:34of this council and administration and

17:38anyone who is thinking with the

17:40financial mind that you know we have to

17:43try to get there.

17:44>> This the 10's interest loan was about

17:46400 grand.

17:49>> Yes. Five closer to 600.

17:51>> So it's 600 now.

17:53>> That so for this this alone I'm sorry.

17:56>> No I was going to say we've been paying

17:58>> Yeah. at least three 400,000 for a long

18:02time.

18:03>> Yeah.

18:03>> 1.2 million just on this council that

18:06could have been saved if if people had

18:09done it right beforehand.

18:10>> Yeah. And I have no idea how it's we

18:13ever synced and then something happened

18:15or

18:17>> it's been this way a while. So if it did

18:20change it was many.

18:21>> Yeah. Be before this became a city. I

18:25think it goes back that that far.

18:29remember that

18:30>> uh not that old.

18:32>> Any other comments on the the fiscal

18:36year alignment or anyone here that wants

18:39to bring up a thought about that? I'm

18:42sure once that process starts, we'll be

18:45having a series of of public sessions on

18:48that.

18:50>> Other budget comments.

18:54>> Is it early to make a move? I got one

18:57question for Andre about the mayor's um

19:02staff.

19:02>> Sure.

19:04>> Can you walk us through when somebody

19:06calls reporting a problem how that's

19:09here? Cuz I'm not seeing any You did

19:13away with the constituent affairs

19:15coordinator.

19:17Who is actually answering the phone? Who

19:20is actually when somebody does it

19:23online? Can you just go through that

19:25process and the follow through of it

19:28after you push it on to a department

19:30head? And I I say this because we did

19:32have a couple tickets closed with the

19:35resident not knowing. So,

19:39>> well, Councilman,

19:41there's many ways to submit a inquiry to

19:46the city. One is going on eastrovini.gov

19:49gov and create creating an account and

19:53submitting a ticket. Uh you select the

19:55dropown menu the issue area uh and that

19:59is one way and if you're not getting

20:00followup appropriately um you can also

20:03send another message. Uh additionally

20:06you can call the mayor's office. I

20:08usually answer the phone. I'm there. I'm

20:10the director of constituent services. So

20:13uh if anyone needs followup they can

20:15always call us. Uh typically though, our

20:18response rate has been uh very high and

20:21quick, usually a three-day turnaround

20:23for getting responses to constituents.

20:25Uh so since I was brought on the past

20:28year, uh we've had we have improved uh

20:31significantly our response time. So uh

20:34if you have a specific case that you

20:36have,

20:37>> you're the only one that receives phone

20:39calls or logs in to see if somebody's

20:42reporting an issue. No, every every

20:45department director that gets a ticket

20:48that falls under their category, uh they

20:51have staff too that assign to

20:53>> But when the initial ticket comes in,

20:55does it automatically get assigned to

20:57the right department or does it have to

20:59be assigned by the mayor's staff?

21:02>> So there's it depends on the ticket

21:04issue. If it's a police issue, it goes

21:06to police. If it's

21:08>> without you, it just automatically

21:10>> it automatically routes to the

21:11appropriate department. uh we can

21:13reassign as needed. If the uh inquiry

21:18doesn't align with the topic at hand,

21:21like it's

21:23a pothole issue, but they put sidewalks,

21:25we can reroute it that way. So, uh for

21:28any specific cases that require

21:31followup, feel free to reach out to me.

21:33>> Okay. So, if you like Lindsay's now the

21:38executive, if you're not in the office,

21:40who's answering the phone? So, someone

21:42is always uh manning front window or

21:45answering the phone.

21:46>> And who are these someone?

21:48>> Oh, Lindsay and Andrea. They report to

21:52me. Any cases that come through, they

21:55answer the phone, too.

21:56>> Uh I'm not always the only one there.

21:58However, too, only one call can be

22:01answered at a time on our line. So

22:04sometimes we're busy assisting other

22:06people uh at the front window or uh on

22:10another call with someone. So uh if your

22:13call doesn't get answered right away, uh

22:16we ask that you please leave a

22:17voicemail. We always follow up with any

22:19voicemails that come through.

22:21>> And what was the reason to get away from

22:23a constitutional affairs a coordinator?

22:26What was the thinking that we don't need

22:28that? the coordinator, I believe it just

22:31became [clears throat] a director

22:32because someone needs to manage all the

22:35case works in all the department that

22:37those some of those case works. Um, this

22:40is before my time, but I believe that

22:42there were probably some uh directors

22:45that needed to be reminded of closing

22:48out cases. And so that's kind of where

22:50my role comes in to uh help make sure

22:53that the residents are getting prompt

22:55followup.

22:57>> Councilman, Mr. Paddock also answers the

22:59phone when there's no one in the office.

23:00You know, when they take lunch or

23:01vacations, Mr. Paddock is also there to

23:03answer phones as well. And sometimes

23:04actually Maria and myself answer the

23:06phone calls.

23:07>> Any everyone anyone can

23:08>> anyone that is around uh but we always

23:11make sure that there's a mayor's mayoral

23:13staffer.

23:16>> We as you know we are in the law

23:18department. We're down one person

23:19because of for the retirement of um

23:21>> Robin, but um so that's always

23:24>> in addition to your legal duties, you're

23:26answering phones for neighbors.

23:27>> I I do I do not answer phones that

23:29often, but I do answer the phones for

23:30the legal department when they're not

23:31there when someone's not there. But

23:36employee of the city, so I'm not there

23:37all the time.

23:40>> Gotcha. All right, that that's my

23:43question. Thanks, Councilman.

23:45>> Why don't you stay there just in case?

23:47Um,

23:49other other questions. Um, I know I I

23:52would say to the council, if you're

23:54wondering, about a half an hour or so

23:56before the meeting, I did get a call

23:57from the mayor who is at his son's

24:00college soccer game, which is um I think

24:03out of the city or maybe he's up in

24:06Boston. Is he play for Rhode Island

24:08College? I think. I'm not sure. So he

24:10said he will try to uh get here to but I

24:14certainly agreed that you know family

24:16like that is important. So that's why we

24:20don't see the mayor here right now. Um

24:23other

24:25questions about the the budget for

24:28anyone watching maybe the first time. Uh

24:31we we've already had um session

24:35workshops um council vice president and

24:39myself before anything started met with

24:43administration and staff and we went

24:45through every line item and looked at

24:47things and um so it isn't just uh

24:51tonight I know there was uh I asked the

24:54solicitor we we did have a a a

24:58suggestion for a transfer came Rigo so

25:02do you have that um language or we

25:05>> going to make the motion

25:05>> he's going to make the motion so we

25:07might not be there yet we can other

25:09questions um before we start on any any

25:13voting. Any other comments? Anyone here

25:16tonight? Any department head has

25:19anything to add or say or um something

25:23we may have forgotten or that you just

25:26dawned on you tonight? Um feel free uh

25:30to come forward also.

25:35Well, seeing none for the moment, uh,

25:38Council Vice President, why don't you

25:40describe your transfer of of a fund?

25:45Okay.

25:52Am I good?

25:54>> Okay. I just wanted to make sure. I

25:55didn't know if there was a procedural

25:57situation.

25:59Correct.

26:00>> Yeah. So, it's going to be two transfers

26:02out of our city council budget. Uh,

26:06first one is purchase professional I

26:09mean legal services, excuse me. Take

26:127,000 from that line and then the

26:15part-time temporary pay to 13,000.

26:18>> Hold up. Sorry. was taking 7,000 from

26:20that line, reducing that line and then

26:22>> and reducing that line by seven and

26:25taking the full amount of the part-time

26:28temporary pay of 13,000 for a total

26:32grand total of 20,000 to be transferred

26:35to the office of m municipal integrity.

26:39>> Madam Madame director, is that a is that

26:41a certain line? Is there a number

26:43associated with those two accounts? Can

26:44we just get those? So I just want to

26:46make sure

26:46>> in my book I'm sorry my book doesn't

26:48show the line number so

26:50>> Oh it's okay. Do you need me to read the

26:51GL?

26:51>> As long as we have it that's fine.

26:52>> Oh yeah this is so yeah this is a

26:55transfer so it doesn't affect the

26:56budget. It's just a transfer within the

26:57department.

26:59>> It's not not an addition.

27:01>> It's not an it's not an addition. Again,

27:03I had somehow somebody thought I I I got

27:06like this harassing voice message at my

27:10uh house saying that I should take the

27:1213,000 at the time and take it out of my

27:14bank account. And uh they didn't leave

27:18their name, but it's not we're not

27:21adding the money and even if it was 13,

27:24it's long overdue. But this is just a

27:27transfer.

27:28>> That's a that's in the form of a motion.

27:30>> Yeah. 20,000 total.

27:32>> I got it. Thank you. Y

27:33>> and thank you. [clears throat]

27:36>> So everyone understand what what we're

27:38doing in the council. Anyway, that's a

27:40motion

27:41>> 20

27:42>> 20 the seven from legal

27:45>> and

27:45>> we haven't used our legal fund

27:47>> 13 from the

27:49>> second as motion

27:50>> position that was in the council.

27:53>> So we

27:57part time

27:58>> no benefits.

28:00>> Yep. We we were we had 13 for our part

28:03time. So this makes more sense to go to

28:0520.

28:07>> I'm sorry. Then you said no benefits,

28:08right? We're just picking. So that's

28:10>> Yes.

28:12>> So other questions? We have a motion and

28:14a second. Seconded by Councilman

28:16Fogerty. Other comments or questions?

28:21Hearing none. All in favor? I

28:23>> I. Any opposed?

28:25The eyes have that 5.

28:29other adjustments or

28:33deletions. Hopefully, if no additions to

28:36add something to this budget, which I

28:39haven't heard that any of us want to do,

28:41>> I guess

28:41>> would require,

28:43you know, a further advertisement,

28:46another hearing, but uh Councilman

28:48Lawson, you have the floor.

28:49>> Uh for capital, this would add um we

28:54didn't put any money into the school

28:55building fund. You know, we talk about

28:57being supportive. Our actions have to

28:59match. So I would propose 50k, small

29:03amount, but it's an interestbearing

29:05account. We got to keep feeding it. We

29:07can't just say, "Oh, we did it." And

29:09then ignore it. Um I think old ham I'd

29:14like to allocate 300k for the mold

29:16remediation.

29:17>> We do one at a time. Yeah. Can we just

29:19do one?

29:19>> Well, I'm going to do the overview and

29:21then we could discuss.

29:22>> Okay. Thank you.

29:23>> You guys told me to hold off. I had

29:25asked I had a resolution asking the

29:27administration to give us the numbers of

29:29what we need. You guys asked me to hold

29:31off. I did. We didn't get any response

29:34from the administration. So I would like

29:36to allocate 300k towards the mold

29:39remediation of the old hand building.

29:42And then I wouldn't mind adding some

29:44money for the roads 750. I think we

29:48still got a lot of roads and sidewalks

29:49and stuff that need attention. Um,

29:53again, [clears throat] we're not putting

29:54any money in this budget towards

29:57capital. I think that's reckless. We

30:00talk about budget commissions. Well,

30:01here we are. The school's running

30:03deficits again and we're holding off on

30:06maintenance needed for certain things.

30:08That's the recipe for financial

30:11irresponsibility. Um, so if you want to

30:15go one by one, have a vote, we can do

30:18that. If

30:19>> so, your total is what, a million? No

30:22100.

30:22>> So if we don't add money to the roads

30:25and um it would be 350k addition to the

30:29total levy for those two projects. 50

30:32for the school building fund, 300k for

30:35old hand.

30:36>> Then you said 750.

30:37>> That's what's already allocated.

30:39Personally, I don't think traffic lights

30:42are a priority. I would take that 250

30:44and put it into the roads fund.

30:47>> If I could just interject.

30:49>> Yes, please. Um, currently at the 3.5%

30:53levy.

30:54>> I thought we were 2.3%.

30:55>> No, this budget is at the 3.5% max.

30:58>> Didn't the mayor's message the levy was

31:0035. The tax rate may come in lower.

31:04>> Tax rate is lower,

31:05>> but the tax rate doesn't get set till

31:08after the budget.

31:09>> Right. We proposed what we thought uh

31:11the tax rates would be and it would

31:13would be about a

31:15>> So I propose then that we move the 250

31:18from traffic lights into old.

31:21That would be my motion.

31:23>> Councilman, we do have as the um

31:26director of finance has mentioned we do

31:28have unallocated funds in the capital

31:32about 1.3. Um I'm not a fan of uh

31:36>> but one million of that is going

31:39>> no addition additional

31:40>> we still have an extra

31:42>> Yes.

31:42>> So I'm not a fan of depleting that

31:44account because I mean it's important

31:46that we keep funds in the account but I

31:48do agree on those two items are

31:51important and I would even I might not

31:53be favorable opinion but I I think we've

31:56done a lot with our police department

31:57and we've gotten a lot of vehicles over

32:00the last few years. So maybe even

32:03forgoing this one vehicle that's being

32:06asked for since we know we have been

32:07very good to them giving them vehicles.

32:09Maybe that can be utilized in one of

32:13these um you know like the capital uh

32:16account for the school.

32:19>> Council President, just so we can just

32:20keep a clear record, I believe the

32:22motion was to um allocate 250 from the

32:26street lights to where Councilman

32:28>> uh Old Ham remediation of the mold in

32:31the old building.

32:32>> That's his motion. And then if there's a

32:33second, we need to get a second, have

32:35discussion on that motion before we go

32:36on to other topics.

32:37>> Right. So that that's a motion on the

32:39floor. So discussion. Um

32:42>> the Do we need a second? We I don't know

32:43if we have a second. We need a second.

32:44>> No, not yet.

32:47>> Is there is there a second to that

32:49motion to move the

32:52account?

32:56>> So traffic lights are a priority

32:59over anything else.

33:02Well,

33:03we can discuss without a second.

33:06>> So, I'll make a second. I'll second it

33:07just for point of discussion because I

33:09do I I would, you know, I'm not again.

33:12So, I'll start off after my second

33:14saying. Um I've had this discussion. Um

33:17I'm not a fan. Uh I think that the

33:19traffic lights and signals throughout

33:21the city are very important. It's

33:23something that I have made um a lot of

33:26conversations about over the last four

33:28years. the safety particularly in the

33:31first this the center of the city. I've

33:33identified multiple hightra areas that

33:36have non-functioning lights or um broken

33:40or misused and those to me are

33:42priorities because they're safety

33:43concerns. I don't know. We did have that

33:45study citywide. I think citywide they

33:48have also identified areas in the city

33:50that require so this is for me from a

33:52safety um standpoint very important for

33:55our community. We have children that

33:57walk to school. we have we're trying to

33:59promote cycling and pedestrians um

34:03getting to and from either work or

34:04shopping or restaurants. So, it is one

34:07of the priorities and I do believe that

34:10these items that you mentioned,

34:11Councilman, are also equally as

34:14important, but I wouldn't want to start

34:16going backwards when we're working and

34:18have been working to try to move the

34:20safer streets forward. I would want to

34:22continue advocating for that because I

34:24know it is a bigger picture plan similar

34:27to other infrastructure things. So that

34:29would be I would not be able to support

34:31moving those funds for those reasons.

34:35>> So I want to add also that I

34:38[clears throat] I I think the traffic

34:41lights are are important that we keep

34:43keep up with it. Um, I get as many

34:47complaints about traffic associated

34:52issues in this city than than anything

34:55else. Uh, discussion today with the

34:58police chief about um, another area

35:01where the neighborhood is really up in

35:04arms about traffic, all kinds of traffic

35:07problems, speeding, going the wrong way

35:10on the streets. uh lights maybe need to

35:13be adjusted. Um so I want to keep with

35:17what we've been doing with uh traffic

35:20and and lights and I don't think it's at

35:23the expense of your concerns which are

35:26are valid but I think we have time um

35:29for those we still have the over a

35:32million um in capital right unex

35:36unexpended um as other things. So, next

35:41meeting I'll have an ordinance or

35:42resolution to allocate some of this

35:44unexpended capital building.

35:47>> I'd be happy to co-sponsor those.

35:48>> Sure, we can we can look at that. And

35:50also

35:52that you mentioned um well, we'll talk

35:54about the school stuff.

35:56>> I just I don't want to make sure that he

35:57doesn't miss his opportunity.

35:59>> Director, the $1 million that's

36:01unallocated is in the current budget or

36:03this proposed budget. In other words, is

36:06it unallocated capital in the fiscal

36:08year 26 budget or the fiscal year 27

36:11budget? Because if we're going to

36:12allocate from the 26 budget, we have to

36:14advertise for that ordinance 5 days

36:16before it. So, I just want to make sure

36:17that we're getting the million

36:18>> balance that we have right now.

36:19>> It's in a balance that's in the current

36:22budget that we're the current year that

36:23we're in. Okay. So, thank you.

36:26>> So, if if you need an ordinance that

36:27effect, we will have to advertise that,

36:28but

36:29>> I'll email you in a moment.

36:30>> Thank you. Appreciate it.

36:31Just wanted to add real quick, council

36:33president, that the $4.2 million

36:37grant is a federal grant. So the 200k is

36:40a required match. And if we don't put in

36:43the 200k, then we risk losing federal

36:46funds.

36:48>> But that's the only part. It's 840k

36:50total.

36:53>> Do we have a a quote in on the

36:56remediation of the mold at all? I asked

37:00I had a resolution.

37:01>> Well, hold on for one second. We have to

37:03vote on the this motion, which I

37:05>> I'll resend my motion.

37:06>> Okay. Will you resend this?

37:08>> I had asked I had a resolution asking

37:10that the administration give us these

37:12numbers. You guys asked me to hold off

37:14on it and nothing happened. So, next

37:19meeting I will have. It'd be nice if I

37:22had the number, but

37:28you you wanted to talk about

37:31funds for the school fund.

37:34>> Well, if there's no none there, there's

37:35nothing. not I I'm comfortable with uh

37:38we still have that that school fund as

37:42as we all know was was born of the

37:46surplus from the high school bond issue

37:49and there was extra money left over and

37:52we decided to put that in a newly

37:57created interestbearing account for

37:59school maintenance and that's what

38:01they've been doing. and the school

38:03department

38:04identifies a problem, they come to us,

38:07we okay it and that money, there's still

38:11a lot of money there. Um I don't have

38:14the school department figure on the

38:15balance. I don't know if you do. Uh

38:17Glendon,

38:18>> don't right.

38:19>> Okay.

38:20>> We're also involved with um Yes, if you

38:24could get that figure for us. We're

38:26involved with the current unfinished

38:29bond issue which is Martin and

38:32encompasses Wington School and as I go

38:36to all of those bond meetings there uh

38:39they're not done yet but there's hope

38:41that there'll be some money left there

38:43too and I will certainly push for that

38:46to go into that that school account. Um

38:50we've talked about how we've funded the

38:53schools with everything they've asked

38:54for. So, I'm I'm okay with that. I I

38:57think it's a good time to pause some

38:59other major projects, you know, in the

39:02city and let's have some breathing room

39:05and see where we go, you know, next

39:08year. But yeah, if you want to bring

39:10that forward for the next, but that

39:12doesn't stop us now from this budget.

39:17Other comments on

39:19any transfers or

39:23changes to this budget that has been

39:26before us now for a little bit

39:34from the finance director. Any

39:37outstanding comments? Anything we've

39:39missed? Uh

39:43>> yes.

39:47Correct. That's the only

39:49>> That's the only change in the So if if

39:51>> we voted on that row, right? Did we not?

39:53>> We did. Unanimous.

39:54>> We the budget would have to reflect that

39:56change. Um the because it's not

39:59increasing the total appropriation. We

40:01don't have to amend the ordinance, but

40:03the budget the actual budget detail will

40:05follow that. So that's So when it's if

40:07it's when the ordinance is passed, it

40:09would it it would follow that.

40:12>> So Mr. solicitor. There will be a

40:14revised um just for that.

40:16>> There'll be a revised budget that will

40:17reflect that transfer. Not even won't

40:19reflect the transfer. It will just

40:20reflect that number being put on line

40:23item in that item. So

40:25>> So tonight a motion is in order.

40:28>> It's been made and it's passed into

40:29reflected that. Right. And

40:30>> but I mean for the budget itself.

40:31>> Oh, you if you wanted to pass the

40:32ordinance as is, you could certainly do

40:34that. Yes. And that's that's the

40:36ordinance,

40:37>> right? The ordinance part.

40:39>> That's number I mean, barring anybody

40:40who has any other questions or

40:44concerns,

40:46I think a motion would be in order

40:49and then we can move forward.

40:55Could because we're talking um

40:57ordinance, could you outline what a

40:59motion would

41:00>> It would just be a motion to pass the

41:02ordinance of the city council

41:04appropriating 241,580,171

41:08do Excuse me. Let me say that again

41:10slowly. An ordinance of the council of

41:11the city of East Province appropriating

41:13$241,58,171

41:17for support of the city government for

41:19fiscal year ending October 31st, 2027.

41:22So the motion would be to approve the

41:24ordinance as submitted uh with the

41:26budget detail that we just made.

41:27>> Right. That that number is on the last

41:28page of our

41:31agenda

41:34and and budget.

41:37And then that transfer would just be

41:39>> correct. It will be reflected in

41:40>> reflected in that. We're not adding to

41:43this. We're not deleting anything.

41:49>> So motion is in order.

41:53>> A motion.

41:55>> I'll second.

41:56>> Motion by Councilman Fogerty. Seconded

41:59by Council Vice President Rigo to

42:03>> approve the the numbers rules law. We

42:06should read the whole ordinance.

42:07>> Well, I'm just going to read the number.

42:10>> I don't know that we have to read the

42:12whole

42:12>> You don't We need to read it.

42:14>> No need to. I just wanted to make sure

42:16>> read the title and the appropriation is

42:17the important amount. The categories are

42:19listed in there. I saw

42:20>> right you you certainly but you

42:22certainly can if you want to.

42:24>> No, I'm just saying the ordinance of the

42:25city count, you know, city council of

42:27the city of East Providence. I just want

42:29to, you know, make sure that everything

42:31was read and done properly. So that was

42:34that was my only question.

42:36>> Yeah, I'm I'm we've done it properly.

42:39Yes. And that number is $241,58,171.

42:47A motion and second. Uh madam uh

42:50>> any more discussion?

42:51>> Clerk, can you is there any more

42:53discussion? Once again, I'll ask I have

42:57asked uh several times. I don't mind um

43:00waiting if anyone else wants to come

43:01forward. Anyone on the council?

43:07Okay. Hearing none. Seeing none. Madam

43:10clerk, could you call the role of the

43:12council, please?

43:12>> Madam clerk, we we have that number

43:14right. 241

43:16>> 241508171.

43:20>> Yes, that's what I

43:22>> Is that what I said? Yeah, that's

43:27>> the number that

43:32That is just the general fund. The

43:34budget ordinance includes the enterprise

43:35funds.

43:37>> We we can cut it, mayor, if you want to

43:39cut some more. Uh

43:43>> okay. So again, for edification, that

43:45number is 241,58,171.

43:53Madame Clerk, would you please call the

43:54role of the council?

43:56>> So to be clear, this is voting to

43:58approve the budget.

43:59>> Correct.

43:59>> Correct. subject to that change that

44:01Councilwoman, excuse me, Councilman um

44:04Rigo made. Sorry.

44:08>> Yes, you can go ahead, Madam Clerk.

44:11>> Councilman Fogerty.

44:12>> Hi.

44:13>> Councilman Lawson,

44:14>> nay.

44:16>> Council Vice President Rio,

44:18>> I.

44:19>> Councilwoman Souza,

44:20>> nay.

44:21>> Council President Rodri,

44:23>> I. So, the budget is passed. Can I

44:26explain my reason for voting?

44:27>> Sure. Okay. For one, once again, Old

44:31Ham's been ignored. We've been talking

44:33about turning this into a building for

44:36the community, and it's been a non-stop

44:38struggle to get this administration to

44:41take care of a public owned building.

44:43Um, on the school side, um, you know,

44:47we've always been very supportive, but

44:48there's some the union president's

44:50making 117 a year, and he all he does is

44:54special projects. He doesn't even teach.

44:57You got department heads at the

44:58classroom only have to teach one, maybe

45:00two classes. So, we got to hire extra

45:03teachers to make up for that. And then

45:05we wonder why we're starting to run

45:06budgets, uh, deficits. Elementary

45:09schools, we got vice principles in.

45:12There's room that could have been cut in

45:14there. And I understand that had to be

45:16done by June with the positions, but

45:19these are things people need to

45:20understand about the budget that's

45:22driving some things up.

45:24um the mayor's staff. I think we need

45:27constituent affairs. We don't provide

45:29veteran or health services. And I'm not

45:32talking bad about Andrea. I think she's

45:33awesome, but I think that position

45:35should be a constituent affairs

45:37position. Um

45:40that's that's my reason why, you know, a

45:43budget is a set of priorities and this

45:45to me does not show the priorities that

45:48I hear the people of this city talk

45:50about.

45:51just a quick quick uh reply. You know, I

45:54I appreciate you you have the the right

45:57to those opinions. Um I I think that

46:00with schools, we all know we don't

46:02control line items. We don't control who

46:06they hire, what they do in the schools

46:09and all the other stuff. I mean, we've

46:11had a lot of budget sessions. Those are

46:13questions that could have come up that

46:15that didn't come up from anybody. um

46:18that would have been the time to raise

46:20those issues, not after we, you know,

46:24>> yeah, Mike, councilman,

46:26>> they have to be cut by June. So that's

46:29>> school jobs, right? But that's what I'm

46:30talking about,

46:31>> right? But I mean any of the questions

46:32you brought up, that's the purpose of us

46:34having workshops, right? And I didn't

46:38those questions never came up until

46:39after we approved the budget.

46:41>> Which questions? So any anything the the

46:44Olm thing we're going to address that I

46:46hope it's

46:47>> been hearing that for years [laughter]

46:48Bob

46:49>> hearing that

46:49>> well I'm just saying that's we had

46:51workshops for

46:52>> question there were questions that were

46:54asked council president so the thing is

46:57it's you everybody either you're okay

47:00with the budget or you're not okay this

47:02is an election budget this isn't a

47:05fiscally responsible budget and I don't

47:06care how anybody you know everybody's

47:08entitled for their own opinion last year

47:11we did did not do well. We did not end

47:13the fiscal year in a positive. We are

47:16not projected to end the fiscal year

47:18coming up that we just approved in a

47:20positive. So, how do we approve

47:23continuously budgets that are not in a

47:25positive? Like the city is going is

47:27spending more money than it is

47:29generating with the hopes that it will

47:32create new revenue and bring in new

47:34revenue just like the traffic cameras.

47:36Initially when that rolled out, we did

47:38roll in, but every year it gets less and

47:41less and less and there aren't avenues

47:43to fill in those holes. So I don't I

47:46don't see how without making cuts. And I

47:48I get nobody wants to make cuts. It

47:50doesn't feel good. It doesn't look good.

47:52But at the end of the day, we have to as

47:54a city make these financial decisions

47:58and make it work so that we can put

48:00money into the capital improvement. I

48:02mean, it's ridiculous that we're going

48:03to drain the capital improvement and we

48:05have nothing to put in it. I mean,

48:08that's a serious red flag to me that you

48:09can't even add money into that fund. And

48:12that's why there's nothing in This is

48:14the first year that I haven't seen a

48:15capital improvement um budget

48:19other than the three, but this is

48:20pre-existing. It isn't because we've had

48:22revenue to do to add to it. So, I don't

48:25think and like I've mentioned before,

48:26some other years I didn't agree with it

48:28either for the same reason. Um, and

48:30there's going to be push back and

48:32excuses, but excuses don't make the bank

48:35account larger.

48:39>> President comments. Yes. Well, hang on.

48:42We raised we we've had discussions, so I

48:45certainly think it's fair to hear from

48:46the administration. We we

48:49>> Well, I'd like the council. Uh, first I

48:53know this is this is probably one of the

48:55biggest u appropriations and and one of

48:59the biggest responsibilities that the

49:00council has is to uh review what we

49:02present and then to make changes where

49:05appropriate. But understand that uh this

49:09is

49:11a budget that's put together to meet the

49:13expenses that we're projecting.

49:17The city has built two brand new high

49:21schools and a prek and we had to borrow

49:24close to $300 million just like anybody

49:27else who borrows to build anything. If

49:29they're building a home or a mortgage,

49:30you have to pay that back. Now, we have

49:33a special arrangement

49:35through a program with the state that

49:36we're going to get some of that money

49:37back, but that money hasn't started

49:39rolling back to us just yet. So, we're

49:42making all of that debt service on our

49:44own on the backs of the local taxpayers.

49:46At some point, when the money starts

49:48coming in from the state, we will see

49:51some relief. Unfortunately, because of

49:53the situation we find ourselves in

49:55because the people twice voted to borrow

49:57money to build these schools and to

49:59invest in our school infrastructure,

50:02we find ourselves in a difficult

50:04situation. So yes, uh we didn't put

50:07money into capital, but we have money in

50:10in unallocated capital that should

50:12something arise, we have the money

50:14there. Um it's also important to note

50:17that,

50:20you know, the school department, as

50:22mentioned here by Councilman Lawson,

50:25they were given a a tough situation. the

50:28prior administration, the prior

50:30superintendent handed over a tough

50:32situation to the new superintendent

50:36and he was left with positions that he

50:40was not able to cut under law and he had

50:44to make that work. Do I have full faith

50:47and confidence in Dr. Perry and the

50:51school administration to make the

50:53necessary cuts going forward, the

50:55necessary changes so that they can come

50:56in under budget or at budget. Yes, I do.

51:00And we've been in those meetings with

51:01the auditor general. So, I just wanted

51:04to clarify stuff because I know like you

51:07said, Councilwoman Susan, this is an

51:08election year, but this is not an

51:10election budget. An election budget

51:12would be a budget that

51:16didn't raise taxes,

51:19didn't properly fund the operation of

51:20city government. So, I can go around

51:22telling everybody I didn't raise taxes.

51:24What these council people did right here

51:26is they did the right thing by taking a

51:28difficult vote in an election year. They

51:30should be applauded and praised for

51:33taking a difficult vote in an election

51:35year. The easy vote is a nay vote. The

51:38easy vote is underfunding the budget

51:42with a 0% increase. And then you can

51:44say, "Look, I'm a hero." The reality is

51:46we are a thriving community. I speak to

51:50people from across the the state about

51:52how great East Providence is doing. So,

51:55I wanted to thank all of you and even

51:57the people who voted nay for your due

51:59diligence and going over this budget.

52:01This was not an easy budget in an

52:03election year to raise a tax levy at

52:053.5% because we need to is not something

52:08that any elected person wants to do. But

52:11we got to do what's right by the people

52:12of East

52:13>> and the levy is not the tax rate.

52:15>> Absolutely, Council President. Uh the

52:17levy is just what we're raising,

52:19>> what we need to raise,

52:20>> what we need to raise,

52:21>> and we probably will have taxes again

52:252 something

52:26>> 2.1%. We were well below inflation. I

52:30mean, when you think about what's

52:31happening, most municipalities don't see

52:33the growth that we're seeing. We're very

52:35fortunate that people want to come into

52:36our municipality

52:38and invest their hard-earned money in

52:41our community to expand our tax base.

52:43We've got former brownfields. Ocean

52:46State Steel was laying there dormant,

52:49doing nothing, generating no revenue. It

52:51was an eyes saw. It was a brownfield. a

52:53private investor came in and invested

52:56tens of millions of dollars into

52:59developing that property

53:02which now provides housing for new

53:05residents in our community and it has

53:07expanded and will expand our tax base

53:09similar to Kettle Point, similar to the

53:11Christina Apartments. All of these

53:13projects help to expand the tax base and

53:15help support our city government. So, I

53:17wanted once again I wanted to come up

53:19here and clear up the air because

53:21sometimes people like to say things that

53:22are not 100% accurate and I just wanted

53:25to thank you all for passing and taking

53:29a difficult vote. Thank you.

53:30>> Okay. Thank you. I think you

53:32>> accurate scapegoating Sandy or the

53:34budget on the school side is

53:36>> All right, that's enough council.

53:40>> You know damn well what she went

53:41through. Okay.

53:42>> Yeah, the school trying to scapegoat her

53:45into it. All right, I'm done.

53:47>> Is there a motion to adjurnn?

53:49>> Motion to adjurnn.

53:50>> Motion Councilwoman Souza, second by

53:52Councilman Lawson. All in favor? I

53:54>> I. Any opposed? Workshop is adjourned.

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