EP City Council 10/8/24

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good evening ladies and gentlemen at this time I I'd like to call the East Providence city council special docket meeting to order on the 8 day of October in the year 2024 uh Madame clerk please call the role councilman Fogerty councilman Lawson yeah Council vice president rioo yeah councilwoman Susa ABS president rer ABS okay there are three members present a quorum is in in place at this time

please stand to pledge allegiance to the flag at this time I'd like to have Chief Francis Scone e Province police department leaders

okay so go to the budget section number three uh Madame clerk please call the first Department up please we have Community Development planning and economic development okay will the director please come to the podium thank you

you ident identify yourself with a record sir I'm Keith Bryan uh director of planning and economic development okay fellow council members uh any questions for the director nope I have none okay I I have one question sir what open positions do you have and what are your hiring needs um we have an open position now which is one of our senior planner positions that was formerly occupied by Johanna

wallac um the HR office is currently scheduling interviews with candidates who who responded to that okay uh are you satisfied with the needs of your budget yes okay yeah this would meet our needs here so how long has the senior planner been absent from this position or there's been a void I should say in it um I would I think it's been since around June June okay and it is

uh and the planner one position that was filled in probably what February March the new gentleman came on board yeah he started in March so you you only you've only really had a full department for like 90 days and then you had the you've had a void again I think so okay all right we're looking forward to filling that senior planner position um one of the main things that position's responsible for is our um

three4 of a million dollar uh USDA grant tree planting throughout the city okay thank you director thank you Madame clerk Public Works the Public Works director building inspection engineering Highway and parks and street lights Mr director

present did you identify yourself at a record sir and bores Public Works director thank you H council members I got nothing okay so uh I have one question I have well one or two how many infill positions do you have in your budget and what are they for I don't know all of them off the top of my head but there are a few um kind of across the board they're all

be they're all currently being worked on um hiring with uh the HR department but they are in the process of being filled there are a handful in Highway there's a um assistant city engineer position that uh just recently became vacant handful uh thank you my next question is uh how many stumps do you grind a year how many stumps do we grind a year yeah I have no idea idea then why you

don't why are we purchasing a stump grinding machine our stump grinding grinder is that's its useful life no I I was just asking do is it more is it more prudent for the for the financial being to hire one of these stump grinding companies if you don't if if it's only 10 or 20 a year it might be better to put out a contract and have a company I'm just

throwing that out as you know no I mean it's far more expensive to rely on a private company to grind stumps for the city and how are all the projects coming along uh sorry how how are the projects coming along that are in place right now I.E Glen line field how are they coming along they're all progressing uh we just recently received pricing if you're speaking of Glen line in particular we

received some pricing for basketball courts and um compares to the fencing when will we see the when we be see the completion of the the projects you know is Kentfield and Glenn line when Kentfield will be completed next year um Glen Lion probably around the same time period spring of 2025 summer of 2025 I don't have a number I don't have a date for you I'm currently got the pricing at

the end of last week um I'm actually on vacation this week uh so I haven't had a chance to digest those numbers and look at them but I'd be happy to get you a timeline okay a few weeks all right and everything going well with the leagues and communic how they communicate in a proper manner with you that I'm aware of yes right thank you questions thank you for your time enjoy your vacation

next please Public Safety the Police Department fire department and Public Safety Communications okay chief Francis conone you identify yourself good evening Council uh Chief Chris Francis con okay fellow councilman how's the police station coming to you they are in full demolition swing um they have fully demolished our detective area our narcotics area um and Suite of offices uh towards the rear

of the station and completely demolished we have a meeting tomorrow with the architect and the general contractor for a fur the timeline so moving right along yes awesome was talking the offic get there sometime absolutely it looks completely different it's it's amazing bring coffee they'll let you in hey um Chief what open positions do you have right now we have um what open position

and what are your hiring goals right now we have um 84 officers um we're budgeted this fiscal year for 95 um although we have 84 currently on the books um we're really operating with about 79 when you factor in deployments uh couple illnesses and long-term injury we continue uh like most police departments across the country to have a significant uh issue with hiring just not getting the numbers

of applicants that we used to um our goal is to hire right up to 95 if we can uh we're going to keep at that we currently have three offices in the academy um that are scheduled to graduate if all goes well knock on wood just prior to Christmas we have one lateral um that is he's an out ofate lateral so he's wrapping up his um Academy training that we're actually um

doing to get him close to his uh post certificate in Island uh and we uh right now have a list of four entry level on our latest uh Hing process which is incredibly low um and we also have four lateral applicants so we're in the process of doing background checks of of those folks the D4 that you have on the list they would have they would be going to the next Academy probably sometime in

January or February of 2025 correct the next Academy is in January and that'll they they would graduate in July this Academy right now that we have three in they graduate the week before Christmas so basically the states running twois a year right that's correct two acms a year so you could realistically maybe get eight offices because obviously everybody's fighting for slots and there's a capacity that the state

takes in correct we have a very very good working relationship with the r Municipal Police Academy we do send a lot of resources there to to train and to help out in in a variety of capacities and generally speaking we do get these slots that we um ask for because we give so many resources okay um so right now your payroll is paying for for basically the 85 offices or 79 offices

correct right now your position you're budgeted for the 95 96 that we expect would hope to have right where we have 84 but we have two deployed so really I mean 82 right now so that I mean that number includes uh injured on duty or any suspensions that might be in place right now 79 does 79 okay uh talking about lateral transfers is the bonus program budgeted and continue yes um

unfortunately the lateral pool has dried up a bit um and that's across the state we used to get you know a couple years ago maybe 10 applicants this time around four um and we're evaluating the quality of those as as as I speak okay gentlemen good I'm good thank you for your time thank you Adam Clark the fire department

you identify yourself at a record

Sir Michael Cary I am the fire chief of the city of East Province fellow council members question for chief Michael Carrie yeah so I'm confused about your FTE numbers so fiscal year 24 there was 121 this year you want to go down to 116 but didn't you just get a grant from more positions so those positions are actually in the workforce plan but there's no Val all 12 of the recruits currently in

the state academy if uh paying benefits for the first three years will be fully from the grant so we'll be setting up a separate account so we can account for that money basically we pay out of one account reimburse from the federal government so when the grant money dries up where are we going to find 3 2 million by the time the three years goes by through attrition we'll probably be

back down to the normal 115 okay so 115 is the magic number that you can operate this department we have uh 115 total three of which are civilians arrest the uniform okay okay so the grant money is just going to cover and then when the grant money runs out we'll go back down to normal we've been running strong for the last few years tends to save on over time M

balances out and it works out better no I agree I agree but I also big picture I look at the school cutting teachers and social workers and we're add in 12 in the fire department that for the last two years you guys been telling us is fine there's no need to expand coverage and stuff so I'm just looking at the future the budget because grant money runs out it's great but once it runs out

you know we were 20 over yeah full strength and it lasted for two to three years two and years okay saved a lot in overtime kind of kept everything down oh 115 gives us proper coverage for 48,000 people that call this place home okay so obviously that takes into the present equipment that you have that that's Manning the present equipment that you haveing all the positions under the C okay

uh well first of all I want to congratulate you on the safe Grant you basically councilman L and it's uh asked my first question but for uh an an additional question is talking about Manpower or I should say people power have you factored into your budget The increased need of services for substantial increase in property development we have newpt Avenue complex we got the old Edmonds Place on taton

Avenue that's still going to come on board we have you know the Riverside Square project that's already open capado is talking about narag at racetrack again we have Ivory place across the street Christine apartment's already there they're talking about wanting to do more it's in in front of us East Point Burnside metacomet property suon Place is's talk about 44 and possibly zero with all these developers requesting

plus a potential which I would hope and pray would happen the uh the famous location on Newport Avenue uh get sold and could be something else so um have you factored that into your plans long term you just mentioned about personnel and coverage we're talking about bringing all these developments into the City and we're still going to have the same equipment totally understood right now

we're on track with numbers that we've had for responses last year we might wind up finishing up a little bit closer to 14,000 last year was just under 138 I wait till the full year comes up and once the full year comes up I'll way against the previous two years and we've slowly been going up a little bit here and there but nothing no drastic shifts and changes responses and the

uh weed in in the at the year end in 2022 we we got the number as far as Mutual Aid calls uh we haven't seen any Mutual Aid calls for 2023 you I would presume that you would have that number now right I I do it at the end of the year we weigh a full year against a full year no but you you could tell me how many Mutual Aid calls there

were in 2023 no I mean but I haven't seen any deviation from the previous year so far to date so our average was two a day given uh taken in and one a day going out okay thank you um I yeah so somebody pointed something out to me just want to clarify when you say most of the rescue calls are Monday through Friday 9 to 5 are those 911 I'm

in an emergency come help or is that somebody just calling saying I need a ride to my doctor I would have to go through every single one to to figure out which ones are true emergencies which ones are not PR dominance are true emergencies second largest elderly population in the state we have several medical facilities now within the right but a lot so you're saying that you when

now we're going to bring you there so there's really no need for a f rescue Monday through Friday if we want to cut down on the the two out one in okay probably do that if not that's that's above my pay rate all right I all right so is not all emergency calls and all right thanks okay um I have one question now we're going to switch your hat to the Dispatch Center uh how many open

dispatch positions you have right now right now I believe we have all 11 um we're looking at possible one or two leaving first of the year but that's not confirmed we can never account for that until somebody actually says put their papers and is got to go back we also have the part timers supposed to start the hiring process for part timers one's recently negotiated in CBA that probably won't take off until

all depending on whether we lose and Facilities wise you guys are all set okay and um your radio equipment all your it stuff everything's good equipment is really good good okay really truck we looking is we put in for the grant for the towel lad for the last three years kind of gave up any Grant possibilities through afg years which is why we be looking for that that would take the place of uh the

tower ladder truck at station three that's correct and that truck's like what 1995 95 or 96 and that was purchased used from either Bristol or New Britain Connecticut brist and how long ago was that purchase five almost six years ago we've gotten a lot of use out of it um provides the heavy gun that we need especially for some of the districts that we cover and cost savings at that point in

time we literally were down to one we had uh we replaced a lot of vehicles in the last five years because they had gone unreplaced for much longer than that and the the the replacement truck here that you're looking in capital would have the same capacity and do the same or if not better job than the one that would be replacing we would be looking for a mid-mount towel ladder which basically the base of the ladder

would be up just behind the cab and hangs the basket off the back of the truck so it shortens up your wheelbase you can turn into tighter streets that truck has done a great job for what we've use it for but it's you can say it's a beast to drive we be looking for a more compact still have the same elevation same capabilities to be able to P the same amount technology in 30

years obviously has progressed so that would the only thing that hasn't changed is water water is still the only thing that puts fire that's true all right uh I have no other questions any burnout situations going on with over time nope everything's going good um and running strong tends to keep that away there been some overtime we now we've transitioned to uh we used to have orders only during

Peak months vacations and time now we have random orders all year long seems to be a different work ethic or demographic amongst the younger generation and chief you you and I had a brief discussion about how I feel about the mental health aspect um between the health coverage we offer and stuff is there stuff in the budget to for programs that if any of our First Responders need something okay but we also have

other venues of which we use the P support program and we're always looking okay supp program are always looking for different okay uh police and fight do you guys like mix on the mental health making sure PTSD that kind of stuff or is it each department does their own thing each department does okay um but if there ever returns to an issue we can talk and we have we have talked okay sure everybody involved in

any kind of severely traumatic incident which for us is there absolutely try to make sure absolutely I I think people they should appreciate the stuff that you all walk into you go into a home where family members in distress you see the worst of the worst in car accidents and burn victims and stuff and it it can wear on a human being so I'm glad to hear that you guys are fully um

cognizant of the need for that stuff I appreciate that thank you Chief Carrie the finance department sorry I'm sorry oh that's okay good evening council president and members of the council I just wanted to oh I'm sorry Patricia resend CH sta um the only thing I just wanted to make note uh just counsilman Lawson was asking about uh the mental health so actually in each budget is aign for EAP so every employee

in the budget actually there's money set aside for um exactly that Services just to be okay Madam clerk finance department

could you identify yourself for a record please ma'am Kim Brown City okay thank you for uh your time tonight Mrs Brown um quick question a couple of questions I should say here much revenue has been recorded this year to date for school safety zone and red light cameras I don't know off the top of my head has come in through the through SE say SE end of August September we so from November one of 20

202 so $3 million has come in a little L but okay and how much is budgeted for next year and what do you are you anticipating a decrease in revenue or an increase in Revenue I don't know what budgeted I think we had talked about 3.5 I'm but that's what we budgeted this year we got three deposits left it's possible we we're not budgeting for budgeting and uh how much do you

anticipate being in in fiscal year 24's budget I should say how much are you anticipating being turn back at the end of the year to be transferred to Capital from fiscal year 24 to FIS year 25 not I wasn't involved with the revenue if you could that appreciate that um I see the assessor here so I could you know probably be better for if you want the assessor s I uh as questions

based on what I've had my constituents in W one onor program would you be comfortable sure is it okay to bring her up

yes could you identify yourself for Sarah F tax assessor thank you Sarah um so a couple of questions from my constituents um how far along in the process are you so right now we're just finishing up we're about 75 80% complete with that field work going door too um probably be done with that in December and then we'll start doing like analysis and pricing and then probably around February March we'll send out the

notices so everyone gets their new values okay and so when the tax bills come out in May June of 25 for payment for July of 2025 will reflect the new new values value correct yep now as a lay person here um would you say that people shouldn't see that big of a jump based on we just came off statistical only about a year or so ago so uh do you see do you see

not a drastic values are still going up okay but yeah they I mean so now not as big of a jump jump we're not going to see like a average of a 50% jump no it's not going to be that huge again but values are still Rising yeah I mean the $200 jumps to all of a sudden 500 you know using the last one now you might see it go from maybe 25

30% you might see it go from 500,000 to 550 right somewhere like yeah but you're not going to see the no but again obviously the rates the values go up you know y the rate will go down um I mean that's the biggest concern because people because of the delay in the statistical one the last time and and now I mean people you know one thing that we try to keep on telling my

constituents is that it was a delay wasn't a good thing it delay shouldn't happen especially in taxes and especially under the circumstances where everybody knew that the values were going up but this time it shouldn't be I'm trying to assure the people so you basically have gone along with my uh analysis so values are still going up not as drastically as we saw before yeah and the reason for the delay before was

because we were in a once in a-lifetime situation with covid Y and we wanted to make sure our data and everything was accurate so that's why we considered the delay it was a once in a lifetime thing that hopefully we never have to go through again that's were you an assessor in ' 07 when that house and Bubble Burst um I was in the field yeah how did that affect a lot of things because that was

a big drop right yeah it was um values came down rates go up I mean it's just a balance an act with that you know I just saw a cape sold for I think 480 yeah yeah they still values is still I mean it's a good thing in a way and and people people should know just because right just because the assessed value goes up doesn't mean your taxes try to balance that out with the

tax rate exactly exactly should so uh any other questions for uh M Mr Fue or Mrs Brown right thank you for your time you're welcome any other questions any other department do I hear a motion to adjourn uh East provin city council meeting on the 9th of octo uh 8th October excuse me 2024 is adjourned thank you