9/24/25 EP City Council Budget Workshop

Good evening. I will call the special budget meeting to order. September 24th, 2025.

Madame Clerk, would you please call the role of the council?

Councilman Fogerty here.

Councilman Lawson.

Council Vice President Ria here.

Councilwoman Souza.

Council President Rodri here. The record show that three members are present and we we have a quorum for the workshop. Please rise for the pledge.

To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you all for being here. I I did hear um today uh yesterday in the case of Councilman Lawson who was not feeling well was going to try to get here today but uh he is still ill today so he could not make it. Councilwoman Souza said she would be tied up at work. So we do have the quorum with myself and the two Franks that are here. So, we're ready for the

public workshop. Uh, before I ask the the mayor to officially uh present the budget with his his statement, I I did ask the council if we could streamline the process and see which departments and department heads um should or directors should should be here tonight. And I I thank the directors of all the departments. I think just about everyone is here. But we are going to key in tonight uh on the

lucky uh director of the DPW uh because so much uh goes on there and there were some uh questions not concerns just some questions about the IT department and maybe some of a miscellaneous nature. And I know there are other department heads here. So if if you do have a a question um you can ask it now but then later on for when we adjourn we'll set the next round of the

next hearing. So before I open this as a public hearing I would invite Mayor Dilva to come forward.

Thank you council president members of the council. Uh before I start, I want to thank and u show a great sense of appreciation to our department head as we're here today. Uh we've been working on this budget now for weeks, months, uh trying to craft a responsible budget that keeps the taxpayers uh in mind, but at the same time uh allows us to still perform the quality services that our community has come to rely on.

I will say this. If you ask me if I could use more people in the police department, yes. Can I use more people on on the fire department? Yes. Could I use another 40 or 50 people to service our community through various departments? Absolutely. But you have to live within your means. You have to live within a budget. And realities exist.

And that's what we try to work with is realities. So, we're going to start off by uh talking about some of the issues that drove this budget. Uh the budget is increasing and if you look on the screen uh quickly, the main issues that are are impacting the budget are debt service, health care costs, pension fund contributions, school support, and labor costs.

We're going to go on to the next uh screen. This is important because a lot of people uh sometimes I hear from both people in the community and and others who may be in elected office that you know we don't we we got to do more for the schools. Uh I take great pride in that the last seven years we've always budgeted for the schools what they've asked for. In addition to budgeting for

the schools, what we they've asked for, we've also increased the debt service to the city through investment in a new East Province High School, a new Martin Middle School, and major improvements to Wington and other schools. If you look at this graph, you'll see that our current debt service in 2026 is 17,788,183.

That's in the budget. That's what we pay in debt service. And if you look at those uh the pie chart, you can see what each pie chart indicates as where that money is going to. When you see a Rybeck uh reference, that's all school construction. Some of these bonds predate our administration by many, many years, but we're still paying on them.

We're still paying interest. Next, another uh impact on the budget this year has been uh the ever rising cost of healthcare. As you can see here, um, our total health care cost this year is 7,261396.

That's a significant amount of money.

It's increased by 7.65%.

That's a $54,000 increase on the budget.

Next, this one is always a challenge. uh our administration has made the annual required contribution required by our fiscal adviserss uh every single year and this year the pension fund for the police and fire department which is classified as in critical condition u is getting another $900,000 of funding.

That's that's the increase in the budget because we're making the required annual contribution. That's a 6.6% 6% increase.

Um, I certainly would never support not making this payment and kicking it down the road because it would cause uh further problems for the uh for the pension uh plan. But if you look closely in 2024 our payment into the pension plan was 10,946.

This year three years later our payment is 13,627.

That's increased by almost $3 million year-over-year. We've been making our payments.

Next, local support of schools. This one always gets me because uh we on this council and me individually as the mayor, we support our public education system. We support our school department.

We have continually met what the school department has asked for and it's always been close to 4%.

Year-over-year, we've made our our contribution. If you look at 2024, the city's contribution was 55 million $3,481.

This year, it's 59,491,000.

This year alone, our budget is increasing for the schools by $2.28 million. From the city side alone, this is the contribution that the city of East Province is making to the school department. And if you look at since 2024, we've increase the school budget by $4.4 million. So, it's a significant uh contribution to the school department.

We've made our due contributions.

take this amount and you add up the uh debt service that $17 million that shows uh the community, shows our students, shows our teachers, shows anybody who's interested in a good public education system that we are committed to providing not only a first rate facility where they can learn, but also the funding they need to operate.

Next, these are uh labor costs. Of course, labor costs go up year-over-year. Uh and the reason being uh is you're dealing with uh contractual obligations. Uh you're seeing a 3.68% increase over last year of $1.5 million. Uh and that's that's the biggest uh part of the budget when you're looking at uh running a city. It's it's your labor cost. and we've been successful in negotiating

with some unions to get a 0% increase in their contract because they understand and they appreciate the conditions that we're facing right now. So, I am very grateful to the unions who have agreed to a 0% increase in year one and we continue to work with uh some of our other labor unions to see if we can get them all on the same page understanding that we are facing some severe fiscal constraints. Next,

On the bright side, I'm very proud to share with you all that in 2026, we are projecting $49,755,000 in new tax base growth.

Uh there's several reasons for this. I can always have uh Sarah Fru come up and explain this in more detail as at a later time, but what that means for the city of East Providence is that we will be generating another $950,000 in tax revenue that will go towards the operating budget that will help offset any potential tax increases to the current taxpayers. So, the new tax base as it grows uh by $49 million will help

offset uh the current taxpayers and what they pay uh for taxes.

Next, uh when we put this budget together, we you know, you have to look at not only do we make cuts uh in different areas, we had to make some severe cuts, but we also looked at uh revenues and what's funding this budget. How do you fund this budget? Uh, one of the areas that we found uh some leeway on was the police detail uh fund. Uh we had budgeted $735,000 last year, but when we

look at the actuals this year, we we looked at we are closer to to $2.3 million. Um on rescue billing, we saw an increase uh in rescue billing by a little bit over the previous year. So we added another $106,000.

Um, and then if you look at the the balance of the of settling or balancing this budget comes off of the taxes. Next, so to conclude and to kind of take a look at because people will ask, hey, what's driving the the cost of the budget? What what why is there, you know, why is this budget increasing by this number? It's important to realize debt service. We're seeing an increase of 971 million uh $971,000.

That's close to a million dollars. And and that's, you know, a requirement that we need to do to pay our bonds. And you're going to see that growing over the next couple of years as the Martin Middle School bond. Uh I understand we're going to be closing on that bond tomorrow. So, we'll be closing on that bond. We'll know more definitively what our interest rate is going to be on

that bond. That's $149 million that the taxpayers voted to support to build a new Martin uh middle school and to make improvements at Wington Elementary School. We've been uh funding that project with what's called bands, bond anticipation notes. It's almost like taking a uh a construction loan. When you're building a house, you take a construction loan, you build a house, then when you complete the house, you

take a mortgage on the house. So, we have a ban that's in place that we've been paying and we have to pay. the state of Rhode Island uh money that comes in to support this project doesn't come in until we're substantially complete. So, we need to make up that difference until that money starts coming in. Uh if you look at healthcare cost, that increased by $54,000.

The pension fund contributions once again close to a million, $900,000.

School support, local school support, 2.288.

So, it's $2,288,000 in uh additional local school support and labor costs have increased by $1.5 million. So, when you start going through the budget and you see the increase, the increase is uh entirely related to these cost drivers. Um, and I feel that we've put together, working with our uh, incredible department heads, we've put together a good budget, a responsible budget that uh, is able to fund all of

these increases, able to continue funding the level of services that we've become accustomed to, and at the same time keeping the tax burden on our taxpayers uh, to a minimum as possible.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

I'm sure we'll have some questions for you throughout the evening, but at this time before we open it up for the general uh public hearing, I would open up to council discussion and our first um guest we'll say would be uh director of uh DP W. So, if Dan, if you want to come forward and sit at the budget table here.

Okay, that's good legal advice.

Appreciate that. So, we'll we're getting paid tonight.

Yeah, we we still have questions for your budget, Mr. solicitor. So, we'll we'll punt on that and I I will open up for the general public discussion first.

Is there anyone who would like to uh speak in any way on on this proposed budget? There will be other other hearings. This is not the one and only.

Uh if so, you need to come up to the podium. Just give your name and address for the record.

mostly uh department directors are here.

Anyway, I'll ask one more time. Is there anyone from the general public would like to come forward at this time and make any comment or ask any question hearing? None. I will close the that part of the public hearing and open it up to council discussion.

Dan, thank you. Did you want to make any kind of a general comment on the the either the year closing, budget year closing and the year ahead or you want us to just fire away?

Either way, I mean, I think um kudos to all the staff and public works. I mean, there's a lot of work that's been going on um over the last year that will continue to go on over the next uh you know, few years. So, um, I give them a lot of credit for all the hard work they do every day to keep, you know, our fields maintained, our roads, uh, improved and, um, you know, Yeah. So,

well, I I thank you for that. And it goes without saying that leadership comes from the top. And I know speaking for myself, but I'm sure that uh vice president and councilman from Ward 3 will wholeheartedly agree with me that uh we want to thank you for your efforts. Um you are always available to us and to the community. I know members of the public will see you around the

city and and talk to you and well, we'll get calls once in a while about, gee, the grass is an inch taller at my neighborhood park than I'd like, but for the most part, I hear nothing but great accolades from the public. our fields, our parks from the tip of Riverside, Crescent Park, coming up through Grassy Plane, going to the northern part of the city and Glenn Lion and the Kimbley Rock Complex and

Thompson and the fields are all great.

Could Could we do more? Could you add more? I'm sure we could, but we we had dollar constraints. But Pierce Stadium is still a jewel that it it always was.

I was there the other day. There there were activities in all four corners of the stadium. Baseball, soccer, small kids playing football. Um people just walking through the park. Um the Kent Field Project. Uh, congratulations on I know you just returned from giving a presentation nationally in in Florida on on such a successful project. And these are projects that did not come out of

this this budget per se. There of course are staff expenses, but throughout the city, I I think $30 million in grants and other funding from DEM and the state. And let's not even to mention the community center that's that's underway. So, I know I was a little long in in that preamble, but uh you deserve and your department deserves uh applause for that. With that, any questions of

the DPW director? I'll go to the vice president first. Councilman Rigo.

Uh, thank you, Mr. President. Um, first again looking at the budget and base what the mayor said. Uh, I want to assure the public there was I got a couple of phone calls today because I guess somebody online started saying that we are cutting DPW's budget substantially where we citizens might have to go out and cut the grass at certain locations. So that is not true.

That is not true. I mean there is the adopted island program and you know that way I just want to assure people that it the budget is fine in DPW. My question to you, uh, Director Borges, is do we do we have enough, uh, first with again with the storms next next couple of days and everything and I have a couple of streets that end up becoming like the, you know, becoming gondola like to go

down. Are we in good enough position to continue that sewer program to clean in the waterways?

Are you referring to the uh storm water project?

Storm water project.

Yeah. So, we we are well underway on that project um that we we do have a consultant involved and they have provided us with some preliminary findings on um essentially modeling these problem areas. So we are in the process of um you know working working through that and coming up with solutions. So they'll ultimately be providing the city with um a me a review memo that will essentially give us some

options to help improve you know some of these problem areas um in particular to you know Rumford or Ward One. Um there are there is some collaboration that needs to happen with Rhode Island DOT as well. So, you know, as part of this project, that will all that will all sort of be falling into place as we start to design solutions.

The last I was told by the delegation that represents the ward and they do obviously they do a great job and they're in positions of uh uh leadership at the state house that that project and have they been in contact with you that that should be happening over the next six months to a year Newport Avenue that that's where the problem lies is on Newport Avenue, right? Yeah. I I have not heard uh that

would be great news if that that is true. I have not heard any you know additional funding coming from DOT at this point but typically um DOT will address issues like this you know as they uh work through their STIP which is their uh you know essentially their capital program for improvements throughout the city. So um I would hope that once Newport Avenue is addressed from a PA paving standpoint that they

would also incorporate some of these uh drainage issues.

Can I interrupt you for one second?

While along these lines for people who may be watching uh this um this hearing, obviously there are not people here other than department directors, maybe one or two residents here. So I know people are are watching. Can you just in a quick nutshell explain because I don't think everyone understands what's going on. They they see paving going on in some parts of the city. The last couple of days, the

complaints are about the traffic on Bulock's Point coming up towards Bank of America on Pucket Avenue. These are not city projects per se. Could you just in a nutshell explain what's going on in Yeah, they're certainly not city projects, but the city is heavily involved with coordination with DOT um you know, to address issues just like the one you just mentioned at Bank of America. Um I was on the phone with uh

Dave Walsh this morning who's the uh director of project management over at DOT to try to come up with a solution for that light signal. So uh the hope is that by tomorrow morning that signal is actually shut off completely for the time being until the road can be paved and the loop detectors can be put back in um so that that light doesn't just continuously cycle.

Yep. And they're making progress like Willlet Avenue looks good now and they're coming north. Yes, sir. I think you meant the roads, but the light was the issue today.

The light today. Yeah. Which was backing up people referring to the roads. I think he's referring to the whole road project going up and down there and the mess that it is. And yeah, so to to add to that, I mean it, you know, any road project is obviously going to cause disruption to a community. Um, you know, but if we don't do those road projects, then we have other issues that obviously come up as

part of that. So unfortunately, you know, it is difficult to have to deal with that the added traffic, but you know, at the end of the day, we'll have a a brand new new paved road and hopefully within the next uh few weeks, we won't have any more uh complaints.

Thank you. I'm sorry. You can continue.

That's fine. some of my questions are being answered with the with with the posi with the FTEES being adjusted in the you know because I had a question when I was perusing this over the weekend we were going from 13 laborers down to zero so obviously that uh caused a red flag for me. um some of the adjustments in positions.

Can you uh title-wise, can you fill me in on that?

Yeah. So, title wise, you may see um foreman uh labeled in in some of these positions. These were just contractual obligations um when we renegotiated the contract with the uh 15509 steel workers. Um, so you'll you'll see some changes in in names of titles of positions, but at the end of the day, the FTEES have remained the same. We haven't reduced jobs. The the positions are have stayed consistent. We haven't

eliminated any positions. So, you'll notice, you know, Foreman was previously lead worker. Um, AEO1, which is auto equipment operator one, is now a truck driver. AEO2 um is now a heavy equipment operator. They're just requests that uh the 15509 uh steel workers had made during negotiations and you know we move to change those names.

Okay. Uh moving on to page my glass 84 in the book under the street lights.

Um we price of everything is going up. So Ron Island Energy is that who we be who bills us? It is. Yes. Okay. Uh the reason why I I don't know you were away I think at the last council meeting but uh I gave a brief uh outline as to uh this council and I haven't spoke to the mayor about it yet but Patricia got the presentation from Naragansid. I I think

the city could be in savings if we look at the community uh choice program.

Providence I know has adopted this as well. So from the street, you know, street light program, obviously the the new light save money, but uh I am thinking that this is a way that we can save some substantial money. Yeah, we've we've actually actively been working we've had a few vendors approach the city um and we've been working with them um or can't really be working with them, but we're

trying to model um other municipalities throughout the state that have done this program to put out um an RFP to ultimately allow our residents to potentially save um in utility cost um by going out to a separate bid. They'd even be able to uh opt in or opt out to this program. Um, it is something we're we're certainly working on and with the we're locked now with the contract for the uh tipping fees up at

the We just signed that correct. So, we're locked for the next three years on that, excuse me, on that contract or Yes. Yes, sir. So, the a few council meetings ago, I had done the presentation on the contract renegotiation. Um, so the city was able to uh save some money in the first year's uh renegotiation contract with with MIGA. That contract will go up. I don't have the percentages

in front of me. Um, but we do feel we had a we got a favorable uh agreement with them for an additional three years.

And I know it's under capital, but uh I just want to let you know that the you have my uh vote for the new salt the additional salt brine machine that that obviously does wonders in the neighborhood and it helps with the removal of snow and I hate to say that word but it definitely helps and everything.

Yeah, it certainly made a big difference. I mean, I think even from allowing our staff time to rest before a heavy storm, it it gives us the time to ultimately attack storms ahead of time during, you know, regular regular work hours um to allow our staff to be ready to, you know, attack a larger storm.

And one ward question or when do you anticipate uh the pickle ball courts being ready at Glen Line and Lyall Bourne?

So uh so the uh painting contractor was scheduled to uh pop those paint those field uh excuse me paint those courts uh this week. Unfortunately due to the rain they haven't been able to. So, the hope is that they'll be mobilizing uh Friday, but most certainly um I've gotten commitment from the contractor that they will be out there next week um at the latest.

Yes, dip. Yeah.

Yeah, I did receive that email. Um and for some reason it sat in my outbox before I went on vacation. So I I do have answers to all those questions. Um we are still looking internally at the the two projects as a whole, that being Glenn Lion and Bourne Lyle, um to to determine, you know, what improvements need to be made and then um you know, ultimately address a lot of the concerns

that that you and the little league had.

and it falls underneath the couple of and the open positions. When do you anticipate filling any of your open positions like the in the water sewer and uh we're I mean we're actively hiring and trying to hire vacant positions. Um are you referring to any in particular or Well, I I know uh Jim's position is, you know, is the big one. So yeah, his his job's been very difficult to fill. Um, just from a financial

standpoint, what we're offering for salary, you know, competitive wages versus, you know, private engineering firms. Um, we've had some successful candidates uh recently apply. So we're, you know, we're hopeful that we can fill that position to help uh address some of the uh work workload in those those offices. But I can assure you that you know any vacant positions are being you know filled as quickly as

we can we can.

The other question was uh now I turn to that page on what what that you have. Um when is the how long is the contract run for with right now? How when is that contract up with Violia? that that contract was recently signed I uh I want to say three years ago. Um so there's an additional seven seven to seven and a half years left on that contract. It's a 10-year contract.

Okay.

Um I have no further questions.

Obviously, I'll you know, sentiment that uh that the council president said in regards to you and uh the work you do and you keep uh you keep my constituents happy 95% of the time, but we can't, you know, we can't do 100% which I understand.

Fortunately, you can't keep everybody happy. Exactly. But uh I I think you've done in this three years being on the council, you've done a good job and uh there's a couple things obviously we got to keep on working on and make it happen. Um I think there's no reason I would love to increase the budget your budget but we can't. But I think you're in great shape and uh I just wanted to

get the word out that your department is not being cut where to the point where the the street you know city parks were going to look like uh you know run down and everything that or the you know the islands and everything and that really disturbed me because that yeah that information is certainly not true and it's an impression that you know it falls on us it falls on the administration falls on you and that's

the last thing I just I I don't know sometimes where these they should go work for Disney because they got great minds.

I feel I feel very comfortable with, you know, the increases in the requests that I've made um you know, before you tonight. And I I think that, you know, we're in good position to keep making positive progress in our parks, highway, you know, all the divisions I oversee.

And please look at my wish list.

I will send you a response as soon as I leave this table.

No, thank you. But no, I appreciate everything. No problem. Thank you.

Thank you, Vice President Councilman Fogerty.

Mine will be short and sweet, Dan.

Thanks for all you do. But thanks for everybody come out tonight for the budget hearing that all your positions and your director department heads because it means a lot. And you know, you did a long day already. So to be here just in case you have a question for you is impressive to me and I appreciate it because we all have long days.

Excuse me. With that, Dan, do you have enough laborers currently?

I mean, as the mayor mentioned, could could we use another Well, that's no 20 individuals. Absolutely. But at the end of the day, we're here to provide, you know, a responsible budget to the council and, you know, I feel confident with the staff that we have um that we're accomplishing everything that we can and you're doing an impeccable job. All the parks are looking great. Um the

parts that weren't done on time and you got flacked forward were because of back order parts for those that are watching or caring and it took months to get them and then they were repaired and then they get done and that's how process works with construction. So not to hold you up. I looked at all your budget. I think it could use more laborers. How's the equipment at the garage? Everything up to date nice and

we've been very fortunate.

We bought a lot so we kept it up.

Yeah, we've been very fortunate. you know, between the ARPA funds and constant um you know, improvements through uh capital funding. I mean, we're we've been doing very well replacing a lot of the older vehicles in our fleet. So, all stockpile good.

Oh, yeah. Yep. So, another concern, not to hold you, but I'm a fan of taking over the state roads and and having them in our own back pocket and taking the money that goes with them, whatever paper money that might be, and then local contractors cement whatever we need, hire within our own community, and we'll have impeccable work. Thanks for all you do.

Thank you, Councilman. And Councilman Lawson had submitted a few questions cuz he was just not feeling well enough yesterday today. But I think the council members have asked them and his concern was about staffing. You know, do do we have um enough to get by? And I'm sure your your answer is could you use 10 20 more guys out there, men and women in the field um who couldn't? But um I take

it that the proof is in the pudding. The city looks pretty good and and I as we round this up um I know at times I get maybe get accused of being too positive about some things. I will if I see something a miss I have no problem in speaking about it and bringing it up.

But in my recent travels around little league fields, high school games, soccer games, um go to the football games on Friday nights where there's few thousand people get nothing but compliments. not me personally, but about the city looking so good, the parks and the fields and um you just need to go look at some other neighboring cities and towns where they they're having trouble

building high schools in WoW and look what we've done here. U so is it a perfect world? Not yet. But thank you for everything you've done. Any other questions for DPW or have any closing concerns of of us? Uh, thank you for being here.

Thank you.

The next item would be under it. Mr.

Collison Brown, the director, if you want to come forward at this time.

And as you're coming forward, I I thank you for the design of the new council chambers here, if you will. I know along with the mayor, you both decided to get rid of those original blue chairs that were bolted to the floor and there was no flexibility and this is a nice setup.

I guess there was a program here today and the chambers and tables could be moved around and chairs and so um we have new monitors that are up. So those are little things that you know we we we notice readily. Do you want to make any opening statement or Thank you, Canton President. Um, I don't want to make any statement right now.

Just uh my team works hard all the time to try to improve the city throughout it wise.

You you've learned fast. The least that you say, the quicker we may get out of here tonight. So, um, other than what what I've mentioned and I I know that you have done a lot as has the small staff that you have to protect the in integrity of of our um internet service and the scams and the malware and all the different things. Uh, are we in good shape still?

Um there could always be improvement, but we're slowly getting there, sir. Um we are in good shape, but there's going to be improvement coming soon.

There isn't one major thing that we've neglected as a of fiduciary board to to assist you with.

No, sir. Um you've been supportive of everything that I brought up to you without any issues. You just had minor questions. So you been supportive of it.

Thank you, uh, council vice president.

Uh, good evening, director.

So, I guess I can see here that you uh you did a good job over the year that you lobbyed the mayor and you got that extra position that you're lobbying for last year. So, I guess you, uh, you got your you got your wish that when you came in front of us last year that you needed an additional person. I see you are going from four to five. So I congratulate and I congratulate you for

uh getting that that.

Thank you sir. It's um I would like to thank the mayor as well as you um for allowing the extra position in my department sir. And to elaborate on what the council president said, is five enough in this day and age that we we wake up every day and we see threats like what happened potenti Service stopped yesterday in New York City and uh there's threats all day long on different technologies. Is five enough

to handle everything?

Um, like everybody else said here, um, we would like more, but um, the budget doesn't allow it. And no matter how big of an organization you are, um, unfortunately with AI, it's just people are getting more creative. So, we're going to try our best to uh, be prepared if it happens to us.

So, next year, next year you need number I'm trying to help you get number six for next year. So, uh, well, I was just going to ask, is this really the mayor's budget or is this an AI?

You don't you don't have to answer that.

I'm sorry. Continue.

That's fine. Yeah, that's fine. I'm just, you know. Okay. So, continue. Look there. So, I just got a couple of questions. When we get down to the expenses, um, under the property line, it's going up byund and uh, $113,000.

It's going from 274 to 387.

Is that the software?

I don't know what it is. That's why I'm asking you why.

Yeah.

Why? Why is it Why is it, you know, you identify the page for those here?

Yeah. No, no, it's the budget.

So, the book 45. Okay.

No, it's not half and half. So in the book council vice president resident it it categorizes it as property but if we yeah I'm just going by I don't have what you have so I I it just says property and it's being increased by a 100,000 so

bringing it down.

So is that the new hardware system, the software system? Excuse me.

Most of the software that is going to go up is Microsoft related. Um, so when I took the original count last year, we I didn't take into consideration some uh employees that weren't here beforehand.

So basically last year we or I should say this year, we hire some people. So like in my original count, it was basically um not up to full staff. And also um when we did the original, so last year when I came in June, basically our Microsoft um license agreement had expired. So I had less than 30 days to take account of everything. And when I work with the fire and police

department, there was like some um they needed um better or like more expensive licenses for what the jobs that they entitled. So there was a miscreasy of what I presented to you last year to this year. And then we have changed that to make sure that we have the correct type of licenses for the fire and police department along with um we added more staff last year or this year that we're

in. Um so that acrew like probably around 15 to $20,000 extra um in one of them. And then we're also getting a couple of other software um that we that we're going to need in the future. Um that was one of the increases. Um, as far as the actual hardware lines, we are going to need, um, we are basically some of like our switches and routers that we had, some of like the maintenance agreements were

already paid off for three years. And because they were already paid from when I did like our budget pools for the last two years, I didn't find anything there.

So, I didn't take that into consideration. So, that's one of the reasons like um it went from, I believe, 14 thou $14,000 to around $44,000 is because uh those uh software maintenance agreement for the switches.

I could not pull them in the last two years that I did beforehands. So, that was the increase in um from last year to this year just because we had paid for those three years in advance. So there was no way to for me to actually find that when I pull the last two previous years before your last. So that's why that one is going up around u $30,000 there.

No, that would make sense. I was just asking the number sort of jumped out on me. So uh that's all I have. Thank you again for uh you know what you've done in the last year and everything uh as far as the security of the of the city systems and everything. So under the uh under your umbrella of technology you're covering as well as city departments, police, fire.

Yes, sir.

The entire city.

Yes, sir. The only thing that I'm not not the schools, right?

Correct. I was just going to say not the school system.

Right. Okay. Councilman Fogerty.

Uh no. Thank you very much, Carlos. Good job with the team.

Thank you, sir. Thank you. Do you have any Excuse me. Anything I had was answered already. Thank you.

Okay.

Do you have any pressing needs that we haven't talked about or closing comment or um given the mayor is not looking right now, so you can you can tell us. Oh, he's coughing though. I think that's a signal.

No, I mean I think like with the um budget here and if the capital gets approved, I think we'll we're going to be in good.

Yeah, capital will be able to Thank you very much. And you just elaborate on what your well so he doesn't have to come back that you do have the item under capital. Can you just can you just talk about your request on the capital so we don't have to bring you back another time?

Yes, sir. So um the so one of them is for the backup system. Um that system is for the city hall is 11 years old. So we purchased it in 2014. Um so we need the backend system as I call the server switches and things like that and good life cycle will be like around seven years. Obviously it's 11 years old. So we need to replace it. So that's why we

are masking for that money. The other one is the same thing. Basically, we have some older cameras in city hall that are I would say 8 to 10 years old that need to be replaced because of age and sooner or later they're going to become a security issue. Sir and is cameras obviously you touched on a couple of things.

Do we do we have enough security outside the buildings inside the buildings as far as cameras and everything? Not in the working place. I don't want I'm not going down that rabbit hole, but as far as uh perimeter c all the cameras, are we in good shape security-wise?

So throughout the city, they are going there are some weak spot. Um I'm going to try to get some money federally. um for 20 24 years cyber money. So hopefully we could add to the city. So that's why I didn't ask for it this year. But there's always, like I said, room for improvement. I'm just trying to work within what we're given with budget and also try to find uh federal money to to improve those there.

And the data backup, the information technology at 125, you're saying probably a shelf life of seven years.

It's usually that's where it is like around seven to eight years now from a standpoint.

So we we have this we have it is there is it better for us in like year three or four and some of us might be here some of us might not be here but is it year three or four if they up which they're always upgrading technology and everything. Can we buy a you know an add-on to that program or system or would you just wait until it is it's run its cost?

I to be honest you I will go trade it in or change it like around five years five to seven. I know depending on the budget and what other projects I have in hand that's kind of like seven years might be pushing it. Ideally, it will be in between five to seven years, sir. But like depending on what other projects I might have that year, I might have to push one or the other depending on what

else is expiring around that time frame, sir.

And this will be all in place in in the calendar year 2026. This you'll have this all up and running in all the departments and everything. What's the after we approve this budget? What's the timeline to get all this technology up and running? So this data backups I would say is probably because we have some other projects on hand I would say probably around uh June July of next

year. So we have a some of the budgets some of the projects that you approve of last year um and some federal funds that we got we're in the process of basically finishing those. Um some of them are around 25% of done some of them are closer to completed. So we just have to take one project at a time. But I will say we will probably have the back of one I would say done probably around

June July of next year.

You might not be able to answer this or if the maybe the finance director had you just brought up an interesting point. Do we have the federal funds in hand or is it a complete or is it when it's completed?

So, you know, the way things we have to pay for it first and then they'll reimburse us, but the the money is sitting in Rhode Island. It's not like in the federal level. So, we just have to basically pay for it, make sure that we follow all the rules and regulation and then basically submit everything that they need and then we'll get refunded. Sir, a question to interject. Now, would that

be and even the mayor can interject if he has an answer. Would that be also an inclusion of our pox to interject with a price for for cameras?

I would like to get them all security.

Not to be bothersome, but because I've already witnessed several attacks on youth and I've already I've been on the phone with the mayor a few times on our local brand new park. Uh the bullying is real and the situation table that we came to. Not to change the subject, but just to get to that mayor. No, we we have been working I know Dan has been working with uh Chief Reposa and some of

his staff to identify locations to bring in some uh some flock style uh security cameras which if they detect some type of a bad action or or sounds that may resemble a gunshot automatically u uh a message would get sent to the police department. So we're looking at this this uh infrastructure. We're working with it on it also. Uh we're just trying to weigh what the best options are.

We're looking at a couple of different uh options. So, we'll see what uh what direction we go in and funding of course always becomes an issue. But yeah, well, that's why I'm asking because it was on the cameras and on the parks we own. So, what were responsible for. And with that said, any way we can visualize to hold accountability is all I'm looking for.

I'm not looking for nuisance. I'm just looking for accountability and protect our children, our seniors, and this that's preventive maintenance.

Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. You know along those lines the whole area of it IT security we know recently the state had a lot of programs compromised where people the data of many pe many persons was compro compromised and so far so good here. So u we appreciate that. Thank you very much.

Thank you sir.

And uh finally um we may have some questions beyond that, but I know the council vice president, councilman Fogerty and Councilman Lawson had also indicated as well as myself some questions about different miscellaneous accounts. So if you want to uh bring up any of those questions now, we may have answered some already.

Good.

Yeah. Anything or you want to wait for the next uh I mean it's mis I have questions but I'll wait till uh you want to formulate them more on a formal basis and for the next wait till like if again so we don't have to go back to full council is here. Okay.

There are some other department directors here tonight. Is is there anything outstanding that you want to ask anyone um before we schedule other on our next round of of workshops?

Well, I for the finance director and the mayor uh alluded to this earlier.

Do in the next couple years are any of the bonds going to mature so that our bond responsibility or our bond debt is reduced? Are there any coming to maturity?

We actually to take two off of this budget that had matured.

Could you take a loop?

Sorry. Thanks.

We were able to take two off the budget this year that had fully matured. Um the 2010 Ryback one and the 2010 3.955 Ryback one both uh returned in May of 2025.

Okay. Um and then a follow-up questions.

Uh we have to go out and you always we go out with the tans.

Okay. When do you think you'll be going out for the tans?

Probably between February and March of the upcoming year.

Okay. So with in so we'll we'll we're in the right time frame where with interest rates dropping so we'll we'll see a better we'll see a better rate.

Fingers crossed fingers crossed that supposedly I say another another reduction in that and with in the same with the mayor and the mayor brought it up again about the mountain bond. We have we locked in a rate yet or are we still floating? Is that still floating out there?

For we're closing tomorrow. Uh we're going to have a pricing call in the morning. Um and planning on closing tomorrow afternoon. Prices have not with the recent rate reduction. Will will we see that in this bond?

Rate reduction with the bond with the interest rates reduction and everything. Will we see any of that? So yeah. Yeah, we'll find out tomorrow morning when we have the call.

Okay. And we have to lock it in tomorrow like we all I was going to say if we could if we could get if we could wait another 30 or 60 days but obviously we can purposes and to keep the project going we have to lock in tomorrow.

And when is the when is the last day we can you know with the tans? Is it February March or how comfortable are you if we if we hear at another rate? Okay. Okay.

So, we'll be passing an ordinance as part of the budget process that gives the uh finance director authority to go out for tans and then she can go then depending what on our cash flow purposes. But you have to pass the ordinance first.

Yeah. But yeah, I'm saying if we could if we could, you know, if the rates continue to drop and we're hearing something, if we can wait till like April or May to purchase something, it would be, you know, I understand that you may be a candidate for the Federal Reserve um board of governors. So, I hear you might be a candidate, council vice president. Yeah, I I'll I'll uh I'll say that we always

try to wait and try to get the best rates possible. The issue that comes with tans is we look at our cash flow.

Unfortunately, because for those people out there listening who may not be aware of it, I know you know more than anyone else, we are in a different fiscal year.

We always run short of money. So, we have to do tax anticipation notes and it's based on cash on hand. If we don't have cash on hand to make our pay payroll and to make our contributions to the school department for their payroll, then we have to go out to tans. So, it's a tricky situation because it's whatever the market is offering at the time. Just like this these bonds with um the bonds

from Martin Middle School, the bonds go out and then investors depending on their appetite for it really drive what the interest rate's going to be. So hopefully we get a lot of people interested and and we get a good interest rate tomorrow for the uh Martin Middle School. We got an incredible interest rate for the high school bond which was remarkable, but we're probably going to be looking around 4%. Uh when

it comes down to it, we don't know for sure, but we'll find out. Um and I did want to address a one thing here that's a glaring thing on the miscellaneous. I know you may have questions on the miscellaneous. And so something that is uh really pops out at you is if you look at the 900 line miscellaneous expense by type, you notice that uh the fiscal year budget 25 goes from 5.9 million to $6 million,

right? To 7.6 million, right? And I I knew that's what you were looking at. So I just want to explain that. No, I want to explain that so everyone understands at home and also everyone understands here. The charter requires that you take 1% of your revenue, your general revenue, and air market it for capital.

If you recall last year, during last year's budget, we had the wrong information on uh school housing aid to the school department. What we did is we we took the difference and what we had anticipated and what we actually were getting. We took it out of capital that year. So if you look at the fiscal year 25 budget, we put in 176,714 in capital and the balance of that we put towards uh housing aid. So that's

what we did in in that particular year.

This year the $1.9 million that goes into capital is what's required by the charter, that 1% that comes off the general funds, the general revenues um into into the uh the capital line. Um that's that's the main driving point.

Other miscellaneous items in that in that are all uh items that really don't fall into a specific uh category in each department. It's something that kind of encompasses all departments. Retiree health care uh retiree uh dental. Uh there's all kinds of different things uh out there that fall under that umbrella of m miscellaneous, including uh purchase professional services, uh grant matching funds, uh

workers comp. So we we we budget $566,000 for workers comp. If somebody gets hurt in DPW and they go out, they go on workers comp, we pay for that. Uh even though it's managed by the trust, I believe, right? Where's Rob? It's it's managed by the trust. Well, technically we pay for it. So, uh these are all what these line items uh reflect and um if you guys want to wait for the next

council meeting to to talk in more detail, uh that's fine. But you do have the uh you do have everyone here if you have questions for anybody anybody who's this might fall out of you know what I'm saying? So, bringing bring people back. But you raised a question. You raised uh something that just triggered something in my head. uh cash flow and obviously rate you know prop you know properties

have gone up so percentage so from a percentage standpoint is the how's the cash flow uh each you know since July one when the you know initial thrust you know for property taxes came in are we averaging you know there should be more money because rates have gone up but from a percentage standpoint are we is it still if it's usually 85% of the people or taxpayers I should say paying

their bills. Are we in that same area or because of what we hear with the economics that we're now trailing?

We're pretty much in the same place as we were last year cash tend to be really predictable. We have senior citizens that like to pay their bills same time every year. So it's kind of predictable that we get most of our cash flow in between July and August and tend to run low between February and March.

Okay. So, and the and I got to look at it a little bit more as far as, you know, it would be income to the city. Uh, with the entertainment tax due to the fact that when you go to the when you go to a restaurant, obviously we should be getting more money because that hamburger that hamburger the meal tax.

Yeah. the entertainment meal tax that when that uh that entree used to cost $15 is now costing 25. So, we should be seeing uh an an increase in the state um budget came out already. We are receiving 1.5 million this year in meal tax revenue. Uh last year we received 1.478. So, not not that big of an increase.

Well, and also too, prices might go up, but there's less disposable income. So, it's the balance there. But, so the cash flow, we're in the same percentage.

Obviously, dollars can shift and everything but Yes.

Okay.

Thank you, Councilman. There it isn't too late. It's only a little after 7:30.

There are other department heads here.

If you are prepared with any specific questions for any of them, you can certainly ask other because we we have to identify for the next hearing which departments. We don't want people to have to keep coming.

We want fire here on Tuesday. Well, yeah, but I I know police and fire, we're going to announce that it will be Tuesday, but others that are here, if there are no other questions, um I know the feeling pretty much has been that I think the major departments were Well, I went through I mean, I've gone through the budget, you know, all the way to the end and you know, asking

questions and I I look at the uh I look at the directors of recreation and senior center here right now. And uh they do a terrific job looking at the budgets. Uh I know if I brought them both up here now, they probably said that they would need more money, but obviously you can't do that. But I uh there's nothing right there's nothing there's nothing there. I think that you know I think it's a

wellbalanced out budget. Uh uh so uh no police will come on Tuesday, too.

No, no. He again, it's up to you.

No, I mean if you're prepared.

No, I I think I think a major I think you know maybe rest of the council you know rest of the council but uh I just uh I I again I I focused I mean I went through here and you know did my little notes to start off you know the beginning. Uh I definitely think on you know I want to you know dig in a little bit more into planning and then police

and fire you know a little bit more there as you know generalization. Well, and and so folks know, you and I um representing the council have participated in some of preliminary budget preparations, you know, with the mayor and finance department. And I I think we are relatively satisfied that I know I am, I'll speak for me, this is a is a good budget. Um, we we could anyone who thinks that

we we could make cuts, I would say to you, come forward and tell us where. I don't see it where where we can. If anything, we're hearing that we some people in the public would like more services. So, we're we're at a good point. Um, so with that, if we will close this part of the public hearing, Mr. the solicitor. We want to set the next date. We're looking at Tuesday, September 30th.

So, the schedule that we propri provided to you last a couple meetings ago has a preliminary date of um 9, excuse me, 9:30. Yes. A budget workshop and it would be that by Friday.

Yeah. So, we Yeah. We'd like to have uh the fire department as well as the police department. Uh what else should we Oh, and we got to notify uh we we got to notify the superintendent, the school department. So, I'll I'll have the uh city clerk uh tomorrow.

You'll be here all the time, right? So, yeah. So, finance and and then and then planning. We'll have the city clerk tomorrow morning so people know if you could um please inform the chief of police, chief of fire, the um school superintendent, what other departmenting department to um if they could please be here on September 30th at 6:30. Other departments are not from our point of view the mayor might have a

different administrative directive but my point of view not required to be here. We're very satisfied with these other departments. We're satisfied with police and fire also but you're just so big that would speak for you know unless Rio's looking to cut I'm not looking to cut any cops or fire.

I'm not cutting any police department.

I'm not Okay. Well, I wanted to beat you to the punch. I'm not cutting anybody there.

But seriously, it's just those are the big departments and I'm prepared tonight to go forward, but I know there are two council members not here, so we have to and All right.

9:30 is the next meeting.

9:30.

9:30 at uh 6:30 p.m. here.

We'll post that. The clerk will post that.

Post that. And could you please let the um recordings company know to be here also and we'll we'll post that. Um Mr. Mayor, any closing comments um from administration?

Again, I want to thank the council for uh doing their due diligence on this budget and I really want to thank uh all of the city employees who go out uh above and beyond to offer the first rate services to our community. Um, and I, you know, budgets are, budgets are what we, uh, we demonstrate to the public what our priorities are.

And, uh, this budget is well crafted.

Uh, yes, there's increases, but, you know, those increases have to be dealt with. Uh, and at the end of the day, we'll be able to continue to provide birth rate services to our residents. Thank you. And decreases would be nothing but would set the city back and would set the city back 15 20 years if we you know you hear about you know rates going up. Well unfortunately we can't get in you know

we can't get into back to the future and get in that time machine. I mean, if we were to cut if we were to cut where we're at the bare bones, then then we'll be see be seeing the pox what that person said to me this morning or lack of services throughout uh throughout the city. You know, closing out I mean, we're not here and and we're not closing

the library on a one day a week where you hear other cities and towns doing that or cutting recreation or cutting senior services. We're not going to do that. and and that's the only way looking at this budget right now to cut.

I mean, we would all like to add. I mean, I've looked at a couple of things and like to add, but obviously and don't want to increase the rate, you know, the last thing I want to do is increase the rate anymore, excuse me, anymore. We have to but cuts and the you know people are telling us the cuts will be the first ones to scream and holler that the library is

closed on Wednesday afternoon or uh you know see or the recreation there's no uh summer program for the kids or anything and that's not going to happen and that's and that's what happens when in this economic climate that you know the the citizens end up suffering and I will say that we did make a couple of difficult cuts uh we cut a person in the planning department. Um, and we were

able to do that because uh, we had a retirement that position moved into a new role, but he's also going to be doing a lot of what he was doing before, which is a business lison. So, he he's now serving in the CDBG department, but also doing the business laid on work that he was doing as a planner. So, we had to eliminate that as a way to find savings. and we did eliminate um one of

the uh junior engineers in the engineering department. Uh it was a difficult situation but we had to do it.

So yes um you know it's interesting because I I you know I follow social media and that's like the the uh the forum of public opinion nowadays and you often hear people interestingly enough wanting more. Hey we need more this, we need more that. We need Listen, it's wonderful that you want all this but who how do you pay for it? and you try to keep the budget within uh a reason. So,

thank you Councilman for the positive words on the budget and I I appreciate all of you.

Thank you, Councilman Fogy. You Yeah, I just wanted to end it where I began it. Thank you all of you. Thank all your workers. Appreciate it. Sorry to take up your time, but it's important for all of us.

Thank you.

We also just learned that the mayor follows social media. I didn't know that. I was very surprised to hear that tonight. seeing his picture or his name once or twice, but my wife fills me in.

That's a whole another world.

There's only two Facebook pictures today. There must have been It's an off day today. There only two rainy day.

Is there a motion to adjourn?

I uh and I'm the one who called about the light. So, as soon as you get in that line and that light is red, I mean, I'm not saying go through it, mayor, right? But Dan did hopefully take care of it.

I'll give you an update. It's Dan Borges reached out to DOT today, right?

The directive to Dan was if they don't take care of this by tomorrow, we're going down there do DPW will go down there and disable that that light one way or the other because it's ridiculous. The light is causing a lot of problems. So, we are handling it just like our new streets and our roads are owned by City of East Providence soon to come.

We'll see. We'll see how that goes. Yes, we'll see how much money it cost. Right.

Motion to adjurnn. Motion by council vice president, seconded by councilman Fogerty. All in favor? I. Any opposed?

The eyes have.

Thank you all. Thank you.