9/30/25 EP City Council Budget Workshop

Good evening. I'll call the public workshop for the East Proidence budget to order, September 30th. Madame uh clerk, please call the role of the council.

Councilman Councilman Fogerty, here.

Councilman Lawson, here. Council Vice President Rio here.

Councilwoman Souza.

Council President Rodri here. The record show for members are present and please rise for the pledge

to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands nationy and justice for all.

Thank you all. This is a continuation of a public workshop. We did have a public hearing last week. Tonight we're just um having the workshop for couple of areas. Um I'm going to just change the agenda while we're waiting for a little uh technical assistance for one of the items. So at this time without objection we would go to number three on the agenda the East Providence School Department and they're

represented tonight the superintendent of schools is here Dr. Fan also uh looks like um most of the school committee chairman Lewis vice chairman uh Demell is here and also uh member Ferrer. I'm sorry it's vice chair Desimus. I think I mispronounced your your name totally.

Um, so with that, uh, we'll withhold, uh, council comments at this time and invite Superintendent of Fan if you'd like to go to the podium to my right or sit at the table. We have a microphone here. That way, you can put out your documents if you'd prefer. And anyone else that's joining you with the school department is welcome to come forward.

So, welcome. And if you want to make an opening statement, Good evening. Thank you very much for having us. I also have my finance director um Alex Gonzalez here.

Welcome.

So, we have a short presentation for you. Um this is the budget, the 2526 district budget that the school committee passed um in uh September, early September. Next slide, please.

So the district has um used the same strategic plan as a three-year strategic plan. Um our goals academic excellence for all students, social emotional learning to support academic learning, educators focus on continuous learning and family and community engagement.

Know this is um small print but as you can see so this is our current enrollment. Uh this was as of probably a month ago. Um you can see the classrooms that are highlighted in red are classrooms that are full. Since then we have maximized just about every um kindergarten seat. We have um only a couple of kindergarten seats left um in the district and you can see that we have some other grade levels in the

elementary schools that are closed out.

Just for people who may be viewing and maybe can't see that screen, I don't want you to read all those totals. Could you just give so people are aware the elementary totals and the secondary and then the system total?

Sure.

One second.

Or I have it here if you'd like.

I don't think I can I can see that.

Sorry.

I have the print you provided.

I do. I have it that small too in front of me. But um elementary 2123, middle school is 1,073, high school was 1710, then we have out of district students um and GED students that we are responsible for a total of 52 5257.

And those numbers fluctuate the whole month of August, September, even now they're still fluctuating, but um that was a snapshot on that day.

Sure. Thank you.

Okay. Can I what the GED is that a during the school day?

Um those are students that yes have left school so they could be 16 and above and they're on an alternate learning plan.

Adults too.

No adult under right there are students that we're still responsible for providing an education.

What percentage of this school enrollment is comp compared to last year? How many were you uh children you were providing education for last year?

How many last year?

Yeah.

Um I can if we go to the next slide I can show you our enrollment over the last not 50. Um so Yep.

Yep. We were at I jumped ahead.

We were at 5231 at the same time of year last year in 2024.

Um, and you can see we were at 5257 now.

And then 23 24 we had 5342. We saw a big jump um right after we opened the high school and enrollment kind of um dipped during COVID and then we've started to um pick back up too.

go to the next slide.

So, what I'd also like to point out is you can see our special education enrollment. Um, we were at 1123 uh a couple weeks ago, which is 21.3% of our population. I will say that uh we had 45 kindergarten students that came in in self-contained classrooms which is a huge number. Um so much so that we are look we opened an additional class this year an additional special education

self-contained room at Orllo. Um and we believe we're on the verge of having to open another class um possibly this year in order to accommodate the numbers that we have.

Next slide.

Our MLL enrollment has gone down a little. We're at 271 to start the year.

And part of the reason is that last year um we exited 33 students. Um because they made such significant progress, which is great news for us. Um that's the most that we've ever exited at once.

So no, she she's her and her team are responsible for that many students and they exit. There's a criteria for them to achieve in order to exit um MLL status and they did. So we're very proud of that.

Next slide, please. So these are our um our out of district placements. We have 56 students that have been placed out of district based on needs from um our team. We have six that are out of district that are in foster care. The DCYF residential, and I've spoken about this on multiple occasions, we have 10 out of district right now. Each one of those 10 placements cost us about $9,000

a month. Um so, right, so DCYF places a student um outside of our district. Most of the they are all residential placements. East Providence has no say in that. Um and we pay $16,000 per student. That number has gone down a little because it's based on your special education um per pupil rate and we've worked really hard at making sure things were classified correctly and that um you know we're trying to

maximize that rate. So, we've gone down to 106,000 which put us um the rate somewhere in the middle of the rest of the state. Um which is progress for us.

And then I did leave craft up there. Um but we have no placements out of district in craft right now. U because of the legislation that passed last year. So that is a cost savings to the district and we are grateful for all the hard work that everyone did to get that legislation through. Um next slide please.

So just some of the personnel changes that I wanted to highlight for 2526.

Um we we reduced by one grade one at Silver Spring and one at Hennessy, a grade two at Wington and a grade two at Whitneck, a grade five at Kent Heights.

We um lost a recess assistant and seven paraprofessional positions. The year before we cut 15 positions in the district. Um, next slide, please. We had to add one self-contained, as I mentioned earlier, um, a grade four at Ken Heights because it was a bubble class. We had to add a grade one at Wington back in. We've added a speech pathologist, which we were contracting for a lot of speech services. Um, and we

found it to be more economical to hire our own. Um, we had to hire a reading teacher at the high school because of the right to read um, legislation and we were not servicing our students appropriately. Um, and we um had an instructional coach that was no longer grant funded.

So, I just want to highlight some of our major cost increases. Um, so our healthc care increase this year was 878,000.

Um, some of that is because some of the personnel that was contracted were moved into the budget. Um, but the majority of that is just increase in overall cost to the district. We have approximately 3.1 million in salary increases. Um, and those are contractually required. Um, and then we lost $350,000 in federal funding.

Next slide.

And then our biggest budget impacts are um the $6 million for out of district placements, uh 7.52 million in transportation costs, and 83.3 million in salaries and benefits overall, which really brings us to 96.82 million, which is pretty um pretty much our entire budget.

So, I did want to mention because we um you know the council has assisted us with facilities updates, I wanted to mention some of the things that have been done in the last year and some of these were things that we came in front of the council last year um and and had presented that we would be working towards. So, we have the Martin Middle School construction going on. Students

will move in on December 1st, right when we get back from Thanksgiving. Um which is great. Um, and we will have be having a ribbon cut in the week before, so I'll be sending something out on that. Um, our Wington renovations are just about complete. We are doing the site drainage work right now. Um, and some punch list items inside. Uh, we have the building management system last year, which we

spoke about, which it controls the HVAC in throughout the district. Um, we have started installation of that uh this week. Um, so that's just over a million dollars, but there were a lot of incentives. Um, and we have a five-year finance plan for that. Um, we did a grant funded outdoor classroom at Silver Spring. We did an outdoor freezer at Riverside. Um, we did the composting bathrooms at the high school. We

installed the stadium seating at the high school. Um, we repaired um the lights at Riverside Middle School parking lot. And we've done the UNI event replacement at Whitneck. So some of these were strayed off last year's project list. Next slide please. And then paving of Hennessy Olo RMS teaches parking lot and Francis sidewalks. Those are all funded through safety initiatives and the capital um capital

fund that you've set aside. We've finished Orllo and we're working on Hennessy right now. The rest will be done by June 30th. Um, we've replaced and this was another item that we came in front of the council. The PA systems at Olo Francis Whiteneck Silver Spring have all been replaced. We did um a storage building at the high school.

Replacement of district door locks and keys for and police uh Knox boxes that was grant funded. We replaced all of our dishwashers at Whitene Neck Allo and Hennessy. Upgrades to painting in the main office at Riverside. um teachers lounge up teacher lounge upgrades at Silver Spring and mulching of all of our playgrounds.

priorities for the 2526 school year and we'll complete as many of those as we can. We did submit and I came to last council meeting for a stage two um submitt to ride which will help give us the um reimbursement for those some of those projects.

Next slide, please.

So, local increase to to the budget. So what we're asking for this year is the city appropriation of 59,491,765 which is an additional 2,288,145 which is a 4% ask. Um as you can see our salary increase alone was 3.1 million.

Um so between that and um our state aid pretty much goes to just our transportation increase and our salary and benefits. Um so we we do have to we we continue to make cuts in as many areas as we can um to make the budget work. And this this was a difficult budget um to make sure that we um we balanced this one.

So if That's the last slide. So if anyone has any questions about our budget.

Thank you. Uh Dr. Fran. So before we go to questions from the council, I mean from myself, I would say there's nothing in this school budget that I have a problem with. Uh I know other members as well as myself, we've met regularly with superintendent and others through the year looking at the budget. Um, bricks and mortar are important and we're doing so much in East Providence to see that they're in in good shape,

but let's not forget that teachers and staff teach and they require our support and we need um to keep funding. I I know you've you've cut some people as as you've tried to keep this budget as lean as possible, but um we need our teachers, our support personnel. I've visited schools recently. The support staff is so important to have. It's a different world. We need personnel and we need teachers and no no teacher or

administrator or principal or is getting paid exorbitant salaries could all make more money out in the private sector. So going through this budget um somebody out there might want to nickel and dime something. I I don't see it. So, uh, it it has my support as we've done pretty much every year. I don't think we've cut any school budgets to speak of. Uh, so with that, I would open it up to council

questions. Councilman Lawson, you had your hand up. Council Vice President, you want to Thanks. I sh I share your sentiment, but Council President Rodri's, we can build beautiful buildings. It's like having a car. It's like having a nice car, but you don't have an engine.

The engine are the teachers, and you need that, and we got to continue to do that. Uh, as three years on this council, what attracts people to the city? One of the things is education.

And obviously, new buildings, you know, help, but again, you don't have the quality inside. Why send your why send your child to this system? We got to maintain that and we got to understand that. My only question I have for you and it's a concern we keep on hearing about all these federal cutbacks that occur. Any what would happen if we if we don't get the additional money for some

of these positions from the federal government?

What percentage do we need obviously to finish this school year?

Yeah. So the the school the federal budget goes July 1 to June 30th. So we'll be okay until June 30th. Um but like I said, we've lost 350,000 in this we in this um fiscal year. And then we also were waiting to hear about another grant that we have um project aware that supports a lot of our wraparound services for families. And luckily that just came in this week. Um, so it's just

it's we we face a lot of uncertainty right now with and and because our fiscal year doesn't line up. Um, it can be right. It can be really complicated um when we're trying to do basically two different budgets.

No, I thank you. And again, you as the superintendent of schools, you you are one of the four important, if you look at it, as far as, you know, playing baseball, four bases. It's you and the two gentlemen in the back as well as the TPW director. People, those are the four things people look at. How good's the school is? How good's my fire department? How good's my how well is

the police department? and what sort of services do I have that come out here?

And we and I want to attract keep on attracting younger families to the school, you know, to the city because that increases the tax base, helps businesses, and as long as I'm here for another year or so, and I know you're not uh a spend uh just spend wild, I uh commend you and your staff for your efforts.

As long as you realize there are three bases in one home plate.

Not four bases. There's three bases in.

You are a baseball guy, right?

Okay. On the same night that the Red Sox are playing.

Councilman Lawson, you have the floor.

3.29 or 2.8. Did we figure that out?

What was left over from the high school bond? Because half a million is a big number. Is there accountability for every dime? So, we're going to be meeting um next week to go over all of the figures.

Okay? Because there's no money in this budget that's going into that fund. So, we if there's none, we got to start putting money into that fund because you gave us a presentation last meeting or the one before uh at least 4.5 million. So, we need to get an answer where that money is and we got to keep feeding that fund. We just talked about maintaining these beautiful buildings.

You know, we borrowed 300 million. We can't just say, "Okay, that's fine.

We're not going to take care of them."

So, uh, we appreciate you guys coming together and getting the answer. Um, cuz half a million, that's a big big thing.

So, Council, uh, Council President, if I may to respond to Councilman Lawson in regards to Okay. I don't want to get into that too deeply because there is a meeting set up to go over that and I don't want the public to be misled. There there is money in the account.

Correct.

2.8 that we definitely know about. We're just looking at what we thought was going to be there.

I just want to clarify because then there was another number thrown out on the record as 3.9. So now that just added another five No.

No. No. Right. So I just want to clarify but um Glenda did have an answer and she'll keep it brief. Council president if we may.

Sure.

So I reached out to Ryback um reconcile all requisitions that were submitted. Um sorry that were uh submitted to them and my numbers agree with Ryback's records and as well as Bank New York's uh statements. Um so all three of us are in line and we all show the 2.8 being the ending balance and the bond, but we are still waiting. We might have more meetings and I know Alex was um

doing her own recommendation. I don't want to speak for her. I number agree with Ryback and Bank and Okay, another number was 400,000 in fees.

Do you know how much we had to pay?

Because you got to pay when you borrow money. There are fees associated. Yeah, there were um issuance costs when the bond initially closed and I was able to get Bank New York to confirm that at the end of the bond there were no additional fees that were charged to the bond. The 2.8 is what was left in the account. Um and they didn't actually So the fees would have been before the

bond was closed out already paid.

Yes, correct.

Okay. Um just let us know and I think that's we have people coming to us saying you know that's a big discrepancy. So, thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Fogerty. Thank you, Councilman Lawson. Councilman Fogerty, do you want to add anything?

I just want to say thank you for your time and the budget and all the work you did. Those self-contained rooms, they're hard to equip to keep the staff. That's expensive. Adding the cost, the salary and benefits, you don't have any wiggle room at all. You have no money. the maintenance. I It's almost like you need fundraisers to take care of it. But your buildings are surviving. They're looking

great. The teachers, the number you have is 36 early release early people that left to leave the school. 30 something kids to save you money.

ML ML program.

Yes. They're out of the program, but they're still in our our classrooms. Oh, we exited the um MLL status. The only thing on the maintenance part of it, when you do the parking lots, are they going to do the Wington um where you're doing the drainage in the back where this where the entrance is right now going in that part of it?

That's part of the um coming all the way up to your uh playground area.

Believe all of that is part of the work that Shmet's doing now.

Okay. Um other than that, I mean, I support it. Thank you.

Thank you. Um, I would ask if there's just invite if there's anyone here that had any comments, questions about the school department budget as as presented tonight.

It's technically not a public hearing, but we will invite anyone to make any comment if you'd like. Any other school staff? Other than that, thank you Dr.

Fan for all your work and for your staff for being here. Thank you to school committee members. uh who are here and I I think you get the vibration tonight that this council does not have a problem with with your budget. Um what is the open the opening date again for new Martin? December one.

December one. Right after Thanksgiving.

Okay. And there'll be a public uh ribbon cutting um around that time or right before Thanksgiving. That's right before Thanksgiving for for those.

And can we again say Wington is crowded, but when the Martin project's done and the preschool leaves Old Ham, it will alleviate the crowding at Warington.

Yes.

We just need to be a little patient. I know people bang, but it it's got to happen.

All right. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much for all the support.

We appreciate it.

This point um we'll go back to the beginning of the agenda. I I didn't neglect and to say I did neglect to say at the beginning obviously uh Mayor Dilva is here tonight members of his staff. So at some point if you have questions of of him but for now we're going to uh look at department directors. So we'll go back to the beginning of the agenda room numeral 3.

Uh madame clerk I'm doing all your work tonight. You don't have to read anything. if you want to go grab a coffee or something. Uh, I'll give you I'll give you the shot.

Yeah. So, you can Why don't you read uh number one under Roman numeral Roman numeral three?

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Community development planning and economic development. Keith Burns.

So at this point uh ask uh director Burns to come to the table here if you might be better if you want to spread out and you'll have benefit of other staff that are there and thank you uh chief of staff or Zendi for setting up technology tonight along with uh the director Zambrano.

Director Burns, you have any opening comments or you want to just begin?

Well, thank you and uh good evening to the council. Um as far as our department budget, um you know, I believe it's one of the probably one of the few that shows a decrease from the last fiscal year, uh decrease of over $89,000 or or 9% of the budget from the previous year.

Um and the main part of that is um a vacant position which is slated to not be filled which is our planner one position.

Um our previous planner one Tristan Jimmerson has uh taken the position of the community development coordinator and has been doing a uh a great job at that.

Thank you. Uh do you have any specifics or do you want us to go into questions?

Um, now if you have any questions at this point.

Sure. Just to move this along. I don't know. I know we've all read this. Any comments or questions in this area?

Yes, I did. I just had the department certain departments to come. Uh, you might be off the hot seat, Director Burns, so maybe better to not say anymore. Um, I'm sorry, Council Vice President.

Yeah, I have one question to the uh director. Um what do you foresee in in regards to re government grants? I know in the you know past three years your department has done an outstanding job securing grants and with the economic climate in the state as well as the environment in this country. What do you anticipate the prospect of gaining new grants as well as are you concerned that any

grants that we might be anticipating might not be coming?

Um so far we've been very fortunate in that we haven't lost anything. you know, all the existing federal and state grants that we have um have not been cancelled, clawed back or anything like that. U we do have grant a signed grant agreements for what it's worth for you know I think all of the ones that we uh that we were awarded. Um you going forward it's very uncertain. I

mean it's very likely that um you know there wouldn't be as much in the future coming from the federal government regards to grants especially with certain topics such as you know environmental concerns, resiliency and things like that. Um other ones we're more hopeful, you know, economic development type of type of grants.

We're more hopeful that the the funding will still be there, which is why I think we are fortunate that we have all administration as well as uh the council who supported as much as we did this past year or two years with a number I keep throwing around is roughly $30 million in grants and uh outright of monies given from various agencies for a lot of the projects that people see did not come out of direct

budget dollars. Someone will say taxes are taxes. I get that. You know, it's all one part. But we're not going to see this going forward for quite a while.

So, we we've made some nice progress. Uh other questions of planning this point. Are there any other uh comments from people that may be here that have a question or comment about the planning department, community development, economic development, certainly something we've talked about quite a while. Um hearing none. Thank you, director. Appreciate your time.

Thank you very much.

Thanks, Chief.

Any of those scoop department members are still here. We won't take it as rudeness if you want to get home in an early hour. So, thank you for coming.

You certainly are welcome to stay till midnight with the rest of us, but you you don't have to be here except for you. Tony Fer, are you going to stay? You're not leaving. Uh, Madame Clerk, could you continue?

Number two, public safety police department, Michael Ruposa.

Thank you. So if uh acting chief uh and deputy chief would come forward at at this time.

And I I do want to echo before you start gentlemen that the same thing goes for our police law enforcement that I mentioned for the school department. We can have the best equipment which I think we do. We we've done a lot with uh vehicles and rehabbing the police station, but what counts most I think with all of us, and I know it does with me, are the personnel. And we have, you know, great

police officers that uh from the top to the bottom of the line ladder patrolman just starting. uh you respond to every need we have. You go beyond the workday and are seen at community events during the the year. So just like teachers are important in schools, this community respects its law enforcement uh people as well as the bricks and mortar. Um, with that, uh, chief, if you'd like to

start or make any comments or or begin your presentation.

Thank you, uh, Council President, and, uh, thank the rest of the council for, uh, having me here tonight. Uh, I just want to go, uh, on record saying how, uh, the 82 men and women of the East Province Police Department, you know, they make they make do with a lot less nowadays. Um, and they're doing a phenomenal job. Um we've we've faced a lot with uh recruitment and retention issues and

we're trying to take some some initiative now to try to increase uh both recruitment and retention. So uh we're presenting a budget that's fiscally responsible. We spent many many hours uh uh Major Benoy uh started it during my absence. So that's why he's up here today uh as well. But there's many many hours in in the room going back and forth with uh with this budget. And I think it's a fiscally responsible budget.

Thank you. I I wanted to ask Major Benoy, with all of your success that you've done, do we attribute any of that when I coached you in little league years ago? No, thank you. I just wanted that on the record.

The budget just got cut.

I'm sorry. Go ahead, Major.

Yankees are up one nothing or or Chief, whoever wants to proceed.

Um do you any questions first? I want to start with council members. Uh council a few. So yes, please.

All right. Um first of all, we still have to purchase vehicles on the city side. We can't keep saying Google money asset forfeite. It it's I think it's even lower. I know there's restrictions with the Google fund. So that I know we're so fortunate that the asset forfeite they bring in is amazing, but we can't count on that. We still got to do budgets that make sure that we're making sure the vehicles are updated,

the equipment, the radios and stuff, and we've been doing it, but not all of it can be relied on asset forfeite. So something we got to keep in mind as we go forward and stuff. Um, the other thing is I'm a big proponent of mental health. Um, making sure you guys have the support. Um, you guys comfortable.

You have enough resources. You guys see the worst of the worst. You walk into situations that most human beings would crumble. Are we providing you enough resources for the women and men if they need it to go get some help?

Yeah, absolutely. Councilman, we we have a a pretty robust uh peer support, okay, team. Um we are now actually exploring options for uh another provider just because we're at the end of our contract, but uh we we regularly meet uh our officers are uh constantly monitored during stressful events. Obviously, critical strength critical uh incidents do occur. Um, and we make sure that we

we focus on those officers. Um, not just, you know, short-term, but long term. Make sure that they're uh receiving any any type of treatment or any um any type of support that they need.

And leadership, you have some training to, you know, if you see some signs, maybe somebody's withdrawing, somebody's, you know.

Absolutely.

Okay. Okay. Good. My last thing is probably for finance. We know the contracts coming up. If I know they're pushing for 0% year one, I am against that. If we go to arbitration, what is the budget impact of an increase? And this is more for the finance. Do we have those numbers? Say 2 and a half to 3% in year 1.

Say it again. What's the question?

If we if you guys don't get your way with the 0% in year one, are we prepared for the financial impact? Do we know what that number would be? say if it's two and a half 3%.

No. What the what the issue would be we would we would strongly go to arbitration if we had to. One of the factors that an arbitrator must consider in arbitration is the ability of the city or town to pay salaries. And we believe we would have a strong case based upon the budget that's presented here today that we're already above the 3.5% cap. We're at the state cap of 4%

with all the things that we've heard and that that would we would strongly push for that we have met our burden to show that we did not have the ability to pay to budget for a raise this year. Now, if an arbitrator buys that, we're okay. An arbitrator has a right to impose a um a salary increase or a wage increase. We wouldn't know what that would be, but it would absolutely have to be factored by

that and it would only be for one year.

So, we don't it might not and it might not even be retroactive. We just don't know what they have wide discretion.

Okay. So, if we're not spreading it out across, we're just kicking the can down the road because if you say we're going to give you 3% over the cost but zero in year one, that just means it's higher.

So, and the adverse effect, are we anticipating losing people if we go ahead with 0%.

I mean, that's a that's a that's an administration issue, but I will say that as part of the negotiations, and I don't want to get too into the weeds with this negotiation, but with the other uh public safety that we did have settled with and we you'll be seeing that contract hopefully in the next couple weeks. Yes. If obviously if obviously if you give zero in the first year there's

expectation that they will it'll be not made up but they will be compensated for in the years out. So that's but that but that's something that we know and can anticipate in budget 4. though given the pressures that the administration faced with this budget, we had no room because of all the the bond cost, everything you're hearing here today from all the I I understand it, but when you're

elected, you got to have the courage to make these decisions and they deserve a fair contract and asking them to take no money for a whole year.

So, let's let's see how it goes. We we're in the middle of negotiations.

November one it comes. And if the arbitrator says nope, you got to pay.

Well, I just hesitate to comment when there's a negotiation ongoing.

We are in the middle of a negotiation.

You You have good questions. Let's wait and see. And Okay.

Yep. No, good questions.

That's all I got.

Okay. Council VP.

Uh if I can I'm sorry. Yes, Chief. Uh we did um propose through the capital uh request a couple cruises for uh this upcoming year uh along with some other things, but that they we I want to make sure that we start to do that and the mayor has been on board with trying to uh you know put that put that in the budget moving forward so we don't have to depend on the DOJ funds.

My question is in regards to staffing.

You mentioned 82 or 84 that you're at right now department wise with myself and major. Yes.

82. Right.

Yes sir.

Okay. Um and if things go and I have a little knowledge about this that uh themies start in January February I mean usually they run the state and municipal at the same time with obviously state takes a little longer but so January is not too far away from here. Do we have any candidates yet set up to go to the academy to help get us to a bigger number than 82? Because, you

know, obviously the more offices we have, it cuts down on overtime and it cuts down on that mental fatigue working 12 16 hour shifts.

Yeah, absolutely. Uh I we have currently we have two recruits in the academy.

They graduate just before Christmas time. uh shortly after that academy ends on June, excuse me, January 5th or 6th.

That's when the next academy starts. We proposed 11 applicants to our detective division. They're in the background process. Now, once that background process uh is complete, uh we'll move forward with the psychological evaluation, physical exam, uh a couple other things before they're given a conditional offer. So, we hope uh to I mean I wish we could put all 11 in, but um I we'll hope hope to put as many as

we can in the beginning of January, the next academy class.

And you said there's 11 right now. And uh I guess to be a devil's advocate, you're not the only department in the state. Probably those 11 probably have their names into four or five other departments. And obviously today's the last day that the state police are taking applicants for their 2026 I mean for their 2026 class. So um again you don't have a crystal ball. How many realistically do you think you'll end up

with the of those 11? How many you think you'll end up with? And again it's probably a loaded I probably put you know a loaded question for you.

We do have an idea. We're we're less than half of that right now potential.

Okay. And one last question.

What do you see any retirements?

What I mean every year it seems like three or four or five people retire.

Where are you is where are we at that point as far as retirements?

I mean again you can't project but how many officers today would be eligible for retirement?

believe it was nine.

I think it's I think it's nine officers that would be eligible.

Okay. So, obviously that would detract this that would take the 82 in theory if all nine went today or tomorrow, put their papers in today or tomorrow. Now, we're down to 73.

Correct.

Then what does that what does that do for you as far as uh what sort of strain does that do on the department?

Obviously that would be uh catastrophic to the department. Um but we would we would uh definitely you know we would have to adapt and overcome. We have uh highly qualified people uh below the ranks of eligible for retirement and we would have to you know quickly train those folks up and make sure that they can take over those spots if they happen. So it puts more pressure on you

two fine gentlemen sitting there to give them more of the institutional knowledge that you were able to receive from years being on the job.

Yes. So we we I mean I think uh both uh deputy chief Benoy and I are both extremely lucky for the experiences and the the knowledge that we've gained over uh you know 45 plus years uh combined.

Uh yeah institutional knowledge is extremely important.

I I thank you. I uh in your role as acting police off as acting chief and deputy chief uh you're doing a as I you know said at another meeting you got you're doing a great job and in this environment and basically some a semi young you know you probably got the you probably inherited the youngest amount of years as any chief since you know I've been around here a long time and uh

in in their response And you can see there's an, you know, up in my ward, you can see there's an extra, I don't know, extra jump in their step. They seem to be more responsive.

They're more v I I mean, I commend you, too. They're they're more visible and they're in different places like they're not in a particular place that everybody in Rumford knew where they were going to be before and they're not there anymore. And I commend you, but you know, and I I I put that at your feet, you two you two gentlemen's feet that you've you've you got this department rolling in the right

direction. And the more that they're not just in the same spot and they're around, it keeps it keeps the bad guys on their, you know, on their feet that we know where they are. So, I commend the job that you two are doing in the five, six months that you've been in your acting roles. So, thank you. Thank you. And I I do, you know, thanks for the compliment and uh I I commend those

officers, you know, the the supervisors, the field training officers that really had to uh train these folks in a quick manner and you know, they've got a lot thrown at them in the last couple years that um you know, to be able to do the job that they do and they all do a great job.

Thank you. Councilman Bogley, did you want to add anything?

Yeah, I mean that's what negotiations are for. Uh how's the morale at the department? It's It's good. Um I mean, negotiations aside, you know, obviously we we'd love to give everybody 10% raises. Um but, you know, we we have a brand new station. Uh well, a remodeled station. We uh we have a a new fitness area, which uh pretty much most of our patrol division has been using. Um new

uniforms. We're getting uh new weapons, pistols shortly. So, um you know, the it's it's positive. Lot positive stuff. Yep. I've seen a lot of them in action and I'm I'm thankful for all of his and we could all use more but the constraints are real or just restraints are everywhere in the state of Rhode Island and beyond. So that's real stuff and good luck in the negotiations. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Is there anyone here that would like to um make comment or ask questions of of the police part of this budget?

Hearing none. Uh thank you um deputy and acting chief very much and u appreciate your time and everything else that you do for this community.

Thank you very much.

Thanks for your time.

Thank you.

Madame Clerk, the next uh director, Public Safety, Fire Department, Michael Carry,

Chief Carrie, I would like to echo the the same comment. Well, I while I think that the city has been pretty proactive with uh providing equipment, the new communication center, all of those physical assets that we need. Uh our strength continues to be uh the staff coming from leadership at the top. Um we we know that most um fire departments nowadays are are very heavy on the rescue end as well as of course you know

when you're dealing with um fires and other emergencies and I think everyone here at this day has been touched by that. I know that in my own family within the past two years probably had rescue service to my home uh four or five times and not not flippantly that it was serious stuff that was needed and the rescue personnel women and men who who came were um the best you you could

ask for. There was one time when rescue was leaving and taking my wife to the hospital, but they stopped and one of the personnel ran back to the house and came in and got me and wanted to let me know of a change that was being made in the um location, which hospital because of the the need.

So, that's something I hear from everybody every week at at some point.

And I've had people that want me um in my other life where I do some writing.

They want me to write about their experiences.

So I I'm a little lengthy with that, but that's been important to this community.

And we we thank you for that. And any opening comments you'd like to make?

Sure. Why don't you add to that?

Let me add to that because uh they saved my life se seven, eight years ago. Um Dr. The roaches said, "Go in that room over there." And then the finest East Providence showed up over there and they said, "Get in that ambulance." And they saved me from a heart attack. Thank you very much. That's all.

Yeah, that's And here you are.

Have the finest.

So, Chief, with that, um, you can just leave now and getting everything it appears. But, uh, I thought the police got off easy, right?

But anything you'd like to say to begin?

Yes. So, I thank you for that, Councilman, Councilman Chair. Um, I'm very proud of all of our members. Uh, we are a young department. Um, but the professional professionalism has not changed. Um, we train hard. We try to instill confidence and we make sure that the end goal or the customer gets the services and are treated fairly the way they need to be.

Thank you. any outstanding issues to bring to our attention or No, I just some of the great stuff that's happened in this past year. Um, you remember the safer grant that we got. Uh, those 12 new employees came on board in January. Uh, timed it correctly within the 180day period to get them trained and on the job so that we could get full pay and benefits as part of the grant. Uh, we've already received our

first reimbursement. There was a little hiatus there under the current administration where FEMA was kind of shut down. Um, we did have to wait a little while till that opened back up again, but seems like that's all back in order again.

Wait till tonight.

I'm holding my breath.

Uh, the apparatus that we ordered, uh, rescue three, engine four, engine five.

Um, rescue 3 was purchased with 24 capital. Engine four and five with 23 capital. They're all in. They're all in service currently.

The new fire gear that we were able to purchase using opera funds, by the way, engine 4 and engine 5 was uh our funds, I'm sorry. Right. Yes. Um getting the nonpast gear.

There was a hiccup with some of the first non-P fast gear that came on the market that also contained another chemical that was hazardous. We kind of dodged that bullet um for lack of a better term. But we were better off for it. So we are the first ones in the country to get that gear off our personnel and protect them just the way that they protect all the citizens of the city.

U that's all I have and first in the country. That's that's nothing to sneeze at. That's a a great a great advantage for our city. Uh, Vice President Rigo, do you want to start questions or I go to Vice President?

Oh, uh, similar to Chief, um, you and I have had this conversation. Um, do you have the resources to make sure anybody that needs some help, again, you guys see the most horrendous things? You walk into family homes where loved ones are in distress. Um, do you have leadership trained to look for signs? Um, and do you feel we're providing you enough resources to ensure that if somebody

needs something, they're going to get it?

Yes, all personnel are vigilant. We do have a a very robust peer support program, same as the police department.

Um, that peer support program operates anonymously. Even I don't get specifics for who's in play or what the problem is. And it's not just the incidents that we go to and that we see. Um, it's family stuff. It's it could be anything.

And when you add uh more bricks to the pile, shall we say, sooner or later the needs buckle. So, our people take care of each other. Uh, anytime a member of the peer support team needs time to go deal with an incident, uh, we make sure that happens.

Good. Thank you.

Uh, good evening.

Good evening, Chief.

What is the rate that is build per rescue run?

I don't currently have that with me.

If you're looking at the numbers of the uh revenue that comes in from you know per is it 300 per rescue run? Is it 280 500?

What do you know that number?

Off the top of my head no I do not not tonight.

Okay. But I can say that we we don't recover anywhere near what we bill. And if you look at the past with the state legislature, the Medicare payments that has tried to be passed with bills to increase what we get back always dies.

And how many rescue runs so far this year?

Uh we're still on pace with last year. I I don't have I didn't have stats for number of runs tonight. I focused on budget.

Okay. Well, no, because it leads into Yeah, we are we are just as busy as we were last year.

It's building up to uh but so obviously my next question is uh you don't have the mutual aid number.

How many mutual aid? No, I do not. I did not.

No, because I'm trying to figure out how much, you know, how much money we're not regrouping by, you know, having I obviously we can't have every rescue run and no city in town is unless they're really small can handle that. I'm just trying to figure out how much, you know, we could, you know, gain revenue-wise if we added, you know, some more hours to the rescues. So I'm just

in my head I'm trying to come up with a logical as they teach as they taught us in logic class you know you know where where do we you know we're starting here and where do we finish so I'm trying to come up with how many rescue runs we have how many where obviously when mutual aid is called we don't we don't do not get those uh that revenue so if

we were if we're you know drilling on a number if it's 500 mutual aid rescue runs a year. And if we're able to gain half of them, then obviously we would increase our revenues because the city or town that's coming into East Providence is the city or town that's going to receive that mutual I mean going to receive that rescue money.

Uh agreed, Councilman. with the exception of uh if uh we get a mutual aid company that comes in and takes one of our residents to the hospital and that resident winds up getting a bill.

We have reciprocity and it's the same when we go to their communities. If they get a bill from us, then yes, we forgive it. So, it's it's kind of a wash both ways. As far as mutual aid in general, and I know I've made the statement before and I'll probably say it again, uh every community is in the same ballpark when it comes to EMS. We we could have six full-time rescues and

we're still going to have mutual aid to some degree for a city this size and obviously not having you know you're not Newport where you know they're running two or three they're running two rescues but the the hospital is right up Broadway so their turnaround time is substantially less than yours or South Kingston it has you know South County Hospital right there.

So you're you're at a disadvantage and we're even more at a disadvantage now because of the bridge. So I I understand that or war that you know so your your mutual aid is you know incre you know is larger and then we have a growing population and we have an elderly population. So you were the second highest elderly population in the state.

So I'm just trying to help you I'm I'm I'm not trying to be a it's this isn't an adverse situation. I'm trying to help you gain some additional uh what I can say is uh as the solicitor led into earlier, we are in negotiations.

I believe we're under temporary agreements that are still being reviewed probably a couple weeks before it's done.

Um we were looking for getting some additional rescue coverage. U but I can't really go into specifics. And that's why you notice I was kind of I was a kind and gentle person when it came to those issues this time around.

I did I did notice that half second of uh you probably compensatory pause we shall say you probably you're probably wondering you know what was going on. But anyways I thank you. I you know I I thank the service that your uh your men and women do. And I think the in your leadership I think the 14 how many you know were at that that last class I think they've

been really I've seen them out and about in the community and they really embraced the city of East Providence and a lot of that I think has to do with the leadership from the top.

Thank you.

Thank you council vice president. Any other comments? Uh my comments would thank you very much.

Thank you sir.

All right. Anyone here that would like to uh comment on the fire department presentation either either way comments or questions hearing none. Uh thank you chief.

Appreciate it. Continued uh good luck.

Thank you.

And you know I think somebody mentioned the bridge. It goes without saying to congratulate both police and fire what you've had to endure since this the bridge went went down. I mean the planning was phenomenal. I remember the the exact moment the bridge was shut down. Mayor called me. We had the then police chief, fire chief and dozen or so members from each department met at the communication center and they

immediately mapped out whatever you could come up with on that that day specifically and it's been a problem ever since. that that rem who's in charge of dispatch. Are we short staffed?

Uh we we budgeted for 11. How many do we have?

I believe we're down three or we're going to be down three. And we had one retire. We have uh one that might be projected as going going away. She's going to be doing another venue. Um, we have one that just left the service and is going to be picked up by Tet and Fire. Uh, it seems like the last couple of years, some people stay, some people don't.

Kind of lost the core group. Uh, when we were when Rick retired, that was uh a big hit. He's been for We budgeted what, 11 full-time?

Yes.

And do we have do we have like part- timerrs that kind of help keep people from being over? So, right now, um there's an application period that just closed. Uh the test will be on October 6th, I believe.

Okay.

Uh we're going to get into interviews real quick after that, and then we're going to do start training or onboarding as quickly as we can.

Are we concerned that low staff numbers and people being held over?

There are some backup people uh that come out of the police department uh staff uh that can fill in and have been filling in right along off and on when we get shortages.

Okay. Uh we do have uh one who had left that was asked to come back if if she would Yeah.

for a period of time just to help out and I believe she's willing to do so. So we're not just sitting not preparing for this. We're doing everything we can to make sure we have the coverage.

You're down three. Are we looking to hire three to get it back up to 11?

We will be going back up to 11 because the budget is for 11.

Okay, perfect.

And we still there is still money in the budget for the part- timerrs.

Okay, good. But the I believe the last application period we hired uh one full-timer that uh didn't work out and then we were working on part- timerrs.

But again, when you get down to the wire after you get through the whole process and you know the lengthy process um and the number of people you lose for background checks and this and that and the other when it comes to the ninth hour, sometimes people go, you know, I took a job somewhere else. And with the communic emergency communications, it's tough all over. It's no different than

the police have been experienced. I mean, even us, we didn't get anywhere near the the applications that we normally would see in past years. Seems like it's all changing and uh we haven't identified why, but I would imagine a little bit of you got the public conversation, people saying defund this and talking down.

That's why we try hard to really thousand% say we're in full support. We want people to look at these problems and say the elected officials support their cops. So that's the place I'd like to go work. So thank you. Thank you.

You're welcome.

Thanks. Thanks, Chief.

So I don't think um other directors here, Mr. Solicitor.

So the the next process next process is uh you have a we tentatively scheduled another budget workshop on for your regular meeting on Tuesday, October 7th. On that date, if you intend to have people in, we shall let them know or let the clerk know and clerk will notify the administration, I guess, of those people that you might want. At that time, we're scheduled to pass the first round of uh the tax

anticipation note note ordinance that requires two passages. Uh and the assessment and collection ordinance, which sets the collection and the interest rates and the payments. So that's that'll be on for a 107 for first passage to allow us to make our deadline for the second passage by the end of October and I believe just correct me if madam um finance director that we will not need to pass a

um bond anticipation note this year correct?

No.

Okay. So, so just those two ordinances.

So, I I guess the short answer is you we have scheduled another workshop on 107 2025 to the extent you want certain departments to come in and I know that you said you want to keep that agenda which is a regular meeting agenda kind of light so you can get other stuff.

So, October 7th our regular scheduled meeting will will finish or continue budget. If you have other departments, you need to let either myself know or directly let the city clerk know because they will have to be notified be here and we'll keep the budget I mean the regular agenda light. There might be some other business that we'll we'll do but yes I'm I I'm fine between last week and

this week we've covered all the major departments that we've talked about. I mean, I don't see a reason why we have to bring anybody else in or bring anybody back. We've we've covered the, you know, the big ones, but there might be a member who wants to bring I'm just saying I I'm just director of library or something. I don't for myself. And talking about the libraries, I went in there last night for the first time.

Hang on. One one of the times go ahead.

The library looks terrific when talking about No, no. Just as an example, just use No. And you brought up I went in there last night. I had I had some time to kill and I ran into the finance director, too. She was working long and hard late here. But I I don't I don't have an issue bringing anybody back or, you know, we can move forward. But obviously there's, you know, three plus

yourself. But I'm good. We've covered the I'm I'm good with the budget as as presented. So we'll we'll do that. When is your deadline to advertise, madame clerk? This this Friday.

So this Friday is the deadline for advertising. So if you need anything specific Yeah.

for posting, not advertising, but posting.

For for posting, right? And a regular meeting, right? That's that's what I'm saying.

Yeah.

And if we have time, we will hang on. Let's listen. Yeah. And if we have time, uh I think we could get we can actually get the budget ordinance uh done the actual there's a separate ordinance that needs but that's only one passage. So if if you want to you know we can hopefully get that done to you by the next week.

We will have time correct.

No. Yes. If you add Yes.

So if I heard you right the next week the finance director will have the 10 and put you know the amount that we need for the uh the assessment collection that's just a standard ordinance that needs two passages under the charter the budget ordinance which is a physical ordinance that set sets out the expenditures revenues has only one passage so the technical last date that you can pass

that ordinance is um 10:25 that so if you do it sooner you can if you do And then all the the bonds that we have to we talked about the ponds last week.

Is that separate or is that all part again?

The tan no the tans tans will be I'm sorry. The tans will be a first passage on next week and then the following council regular council meeting um the second council meeting in October that those need two passages and those have to be advertised as well. So I just Yeah.

Yes. Um, hang on. Go ahead.

I just wanted to clarify if the TAN's ordinance isn't going to give you an exact dollar amount. Um, usually do that based on cash flow in the future. So, it never does, right? Yeah. Oh, I understand that.

Okay. Thank you.

As long as you get the You were supposed to Did you get us a good rate yet?

Well, we'll know when we go out to market.

I know. It's just giving me a hard time.

So, that's so that's the general schedule. So if the the most important thing for us is we need to post the agenda on Friday.

Um and if you intend to have particular departments on there, we have to post that by Friday. That's all. Or we could just post the remaining whatever you want to do.

Everyone good with the process? I think is there a motion to adjurnn?

Motion by Councilman Lawson to adjourn.

Seconded by Council Vice President Regal. All in favor?

I. Any opposed? The eyes have it. Thank you everyone.