CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CALCUTT MIDDLE SCHOOL
TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1991
A Special Meeting of the Central Falls City Council was held on the above date in the Calcutt Middle School at 8:01 P.M.
Councilman Brousseau
Councilman Charbonneau
Councilman Laroche
Councilwoman Moreau
Councilman Vaudreuil
Quorum present.
City Council President Albert O. Laroche presided.
This meeting was called regarding the results of Revaluation Notices sent to City Property Owners.
Council President Laroche commented and thanked everyone for coming to this meeting. He recessed the meeting at 8:05 P.M. to allow for more seating. Meeting reconvened at 8:11 P.M.
Council President Laroche discussed the new Property Valuations Notices sent by MMC. He told the public that the City Council was not informed by the Mayor that these notices were being sent out. He stated that concept of classification was discussed in January of 1990. He then commented on the November Referendum regarding classification which was approved by the voters of Central Falls. He stated that he was upset with the Mayor for the way this was handled and wondered about what legal problems would arise from this. He stated that he was shocked and outraged at receiving this notice.
Councilman Brousseau stated that he was concerned about the legality of this issue. He stated that he was concerned about a market study versus a full revaluation. He stated that according to Rhode Island General Law 44-5-11 the City Council has to approve before new assessments can be ordered. He also stated that according to Rhode Island General Law 44-5-12 the Tax Assessor is authorized to set a new tax rate if he ordered to do so by the City Council.
Councilman Charbonneau asked the Mayor what the cost to the City was relative to the Market Study.
Mayor Lazieh responded $37,000.00
Councilman Charbonneau asked where this appropriation was in the budget.
Mayor Lazieh responded that he and Tax Assessor James Briden would be happy to answer any questions that the Council had pertaining to these notices.
Council President Laroche commented that Councilman Charbonneau's questions were fair and that they should be answered.
Councilman Vaudreuil commented.
Councilman Charbonneau repeated his question.
Mayor Lazieh responded that the Tax Assessor authorized the spending of those funds and stated that it was done through contract.
Councilman Charbonneau asked if the contract went out to bid and what the cost for mailing was.
Mayor Lazieh responded that the mailing was included in contract.
Councilman Charbonneau asked Tax Assessor James Briden on who's authority did he send out these notices.
James Briden responded that he instructed MMC to send the notices.
Mayor Lazieh commented that this was not a revaluation it was a Market Value update.
Council President Laroche warned the Public about being out of order.
Councilman Charbonneau commented on the Mayor not being aware that the notices were sent out.
Mayor Lazieh commented that this was not a revaluation but a Market Value update. He apologized and stated that he regretted that this would create such confusion. He explained that this had to be done because of classification. He told the Council that if tax classification is implemented there would be a 3-tier tax structure. Mayor Lazieh related that the market study would be used to evaluate the figures for classification. He stated that the notices were unfortunately sent out in error without proper notification explaining the market study. He stated that the City of Central Falls had no involvement with these figures that MMC made these estimations not the City.
Council President Laroche asked where the information for the figures come from.
Councilwoman Moreau the Tax Assessor how this company arrived at some of these values and how some property owners properties received increases of 14% while others were increased 38%.
James Briden explained the process of this Market Value and stated that comparative sales in the area were used as a basis for this update. He further commented that the intent of the Market Value update was to save the City money in anticipation of tax classification.
Councilman Brousseau questioned a door to door revaluation versus a Market Value Study.
James Briden explained that the most important factors in such a study is recent sales and building permits which reflect structural changes. He stated that Minimum Housing records and permits are used.
Councilman Brousseau asked how may people take out permits and how much is done without permits.
Mr. Briden responded that people can refuse door to door entry.
Councilman Brousseau commented that by State Law a revaluation must be done by 1992.
Mayor Lazieh stated that this is not a revaluation.
Council President Laroche commented.
Councilman Vaudreuil asked why the notices were sent when the City had no intention of using them.
Mr. Briden responded that it was done for the purpose of classification. He also stated that if classification were used there would be exemptions for owner occupied houses.
Council President Laroche asked why this was done.
Mr. Briden responded that it was done for classification which there is no final answer on at this time.
Council President Laroche commented that state legislation may be required and that the Central Falls Review Commission suggested classification with revaluation.
James Briden responded that the word revaluation should not have been used on these notices.
Council President Laroche commented on his property.
Councilwoman Moreau commented that a door to door would make the City aware of illegal apartments not registered with the Minimum Housing Department. She also commented on homes that were kept nice versus those that had violations on them. She stated that it wasn't fair to tax people for keeping up their property.
Mr. Briden stated that the City does not assess on the cosmetic aspect of property but on the property's structure. He stated that no Community does.
Councilman Brousseau asked that since these notices shouldn't have been sent out should people still contact MMC for appointments.
Mayor Lazieh responded yes.
Councilman Brousseau asked why since they aren't going to be used next year.
Mayor Lazieh responded that people should contact MMC because the market value is for tax classification which needs current figures for future financial analysis.
Councilman Charbonneau asked if this study was done to increase the assets of the City of Central Falls for more borrowing power.
Mayor Lazieh responded that this is not a revaluation and would not be used in taxes.
Councilman Brousseau asked why and Councilman Charbonneau asked if these notices should be disregarded.
Mayor Lazieh responded that they should be totally disregarded for revaluation he also stated that they would not be used to calculate taxes this year.
Council President Laroche commented on classification, the Market Value Update and an opinion from the City Solicitor on the legality of this. He also asked if there was an Attorney from the legal community who would work pro bono to see if there any laws broken. He stated that he would like to see the bids on this $37,000.00 contract and who signed and dated them. He stated that this is twice something was brought before the City Council that has caused this type of confusion. He stated that it makes it seem that the Council is part and parcel to these actions. He stated that the Council should take back the power that it seems to have lost. He asked where Mr. Briden received the authority to send out the notices. He commented that the Finance Director is the Department Head for the Assessor's Office. He stated that the City Council met on April 29th and that Mr. Briden had the opportunity at that time to make the Council aware of the sending of these notices.
Mr. Briden commented that he understood that the Council was already aware that the market update was done.
Council President Laroche commented.
Mr. Briden commented that Bond Consul has done research and explained that this is a viable issue. The purpose of a Market Value update was to save the City money where this cost $37,000 rather than a quarter of a million dollars.
Councilman Brousseau sited a court case where a community tried to do a market update which was thrown out by the court and a door to door had to be used.
Mayor Lazieh commented that this was not an assessment and that everyone should have been notified that this was a market value update for financial purposes.
Councilman Brousseau asked if these were to be ignored and would the tax bills in June reflect the new assessment.
Mayor Lazieh responded that this will not be used this year or next year.
Councilman Charbonneau asked James Briden if he sent these notices on his own without the knowledge of the Finance Director or Mayor.
Mr. Briden stated that everyone had knowledge of a Market Value Study but that it was his decision to send the notices.
City Council President Albert Laroche opened the meeting for public discussion.
Mr. Regos of 74 Hawes St. commented that he was upset by how this City is run and stated that there are 5 Council members that also run the City so do it the right way.
Mariette Lavoie of 83 Valley St. commented on the revaluation that took place several years ago and stated that she was still confused.
Richard Blanchet of 131 Valley St. commented on what his property was valued at and stated that he would be lucky to get $20,000.00 for it.
Dennis Lemos of 20 Parker St. stated that he lives on one of the worst streets in the City. He commented about the garbage and that no matter how much he pays in taxes nothing gets done with making the city clean.
Wilfred Demeule of 855 Broad St. stated some property values and asked how some were reduced in the 1972 revaluation and also spoke on the 1983 revaluation. He questioned the 1989 property valuations.
Mayor Lazieh responded that he took Office in 1990.
Russel Hevey of 969 Lonsdale Ave. asked what happened to classification prior to syncronization.
Mayor Lazieh responded that the City has one tax rate.
Zecky Hanna of 49 Notre Dame St. questioned his valuation.
James Briden responded that this was not done house to house and that through Minimum Housing records changes were verified.
Robert Canavan of 60 Illinois St. commented that the Mayor has apologized for these notices and that they should be torn up and thrown away.
Homer Lafond of 185 Hunt St. questioned the $37,000 cost for this Market Update and where the money came from. He stated that the expenditure of this money was a farce.
Dorothy Larocque of 47 Fletcher St. stated that if this keeps up this City would become a Ghost Town.
Madeleine Nadeau of 115 Shawmut Ave. commented on the frequency of revaluation.
Chester Arcisz of High St. asked who authorized this company to do this work, did it go through the bid process and was this a white wash to raise taxes.
Mayor Lazieh responded that the contract was on file in the tax assessor's office.
Lorraine Savard questioned the conflicting information given by the Mayor and Mr. Briden. She also asked about revaluation in 1993. She asked if the status of the bill at the State House.
Mayor Lazieh responded and commented that there would be no classification done this year and that the current values would be used this year.
William H. Muggle of 5 Sibley St. So. Attleboro representing C.A.L.L. remarked on property classification and revaluation and how it works in the community where he lives. He advised that the people make them bring it down.
Mayor Lazieh responded.
Council President Laroche responded.
Chester Arcisz challenged the City Council to vote not on this valuation and the company who did this work.
Lorraine Savard asked if there was a market value done in 1989.
Mayor Lazieh responded that he had no idea what was used then he believed it to be a computerized update which is different from this market update. He further explained that the valuations were brought down by 15% because of the depressed market.
A lady who did not identify herself questioned the sending out of these notices and their urgency as stressed by Mr. Briden who linked them to the mailing of this year's tax bills. She also asked if the company used sales figures from two years ago to estimate the market values now.
Mr. Briden responded that MMC used very recent sales from the past two months for these figures.
Michael Cznarecki of Central St. commented on the City's businesses and how this affects them.
Gloria Ogni commented on her house that was about to be sold but the buyer backed out she believes that this was due to these notices.
Mayor Lazieh commented and spoke about the values reached by MMC. He also reported that the tax rate would be raised by the state set cap of 5.5% which reflects an approximate $3.00 Tax Increase.
City Council President Laroche closed the Public Hearing at 10:00 P.M.
Councilman Brousseau commented on the $3,000 homeowner exemption already on the books and asked if the Representatives or Senators were present to update the Council on legislation pending regarding Central Falls.
Representative Brousseau responded that there was none in the House at this time.
Representative Coderre responded that there was none in the House and that the Corporations Committee would not pass any legislation without a Resolution of Support from the City and Town Councils.
Councilman Brousseau introduced a Resolution seeking to re-establish the City Council as a co-equal branch of City Government.
Motion to approve was made by Councilman Brousseau and seconded by Councilman Charbonneau.
Roll Call Vote:
| Councilman Brousseau | yes |
| Councilman Charbonneau | yes |
| Councilman Laroche | yes |
| Councilwoman Moreau | yes |
| Councilman Vaudreuil | yes |
Motion carried 5 yes 0 no 0 abstentions 0 absent
Councilman Brousseau commented.
Motion was made by Councilman Brousseau to defer any action by MMC. Motion seconded by Councilman Vaudreuil.
City Solicitor Muksian requested that the Council defer action until May 13, 1991 meeting.
Council President Laroche asked Councilman Brousseau to clarify his motion.
Councilman Brousseau clarified motion to read: Motion to rescind MMC Notices, unless by Monday, May 13, 1991, the City Solicitor can state some legal reason why it can't be rescinded. Motion seconded by Councilman Charbonneau.
Roll Call Vote:
| Councilman Brousseau | yes |
| Councilman Charbonneau | yes |
| Councilman Laroche | yes |
| Councilwoman Moreau | yes |
| Councilman Vaudreuil | yes |
Motion carried 5 yes 0 no 0 abstentions 0 absent
Mayor Lazieh commented on the Notices sent out and that this was done prematurely. He stated that the Market Value update was taken for the particular purpose of tax classification which would contain a 3-tier system of taxing with residential property being taxed at the lowest rate. He explained that along with that a owner occupied residence would also be given a homeowner exemption.
City Council President recessed the meeting to Executive Session at 10:25 P.M.
Council reconvened at 10:50 P.M.
Motion was made by Councilman Brousseau and seconded by Councilman Charbonneau that the Dog Officer would be guaranteed 21hrs of pay per week at $4.58 p.h. or 1/52 which is $96.15 per week and would receive for each and every hour over the 21hrs $4.45 per hour.
All Agreed. So Voted.
Motion to adjourn was made by Councilman Vaudreuil and seconded by Councilman Brousseau. All Agreed. So Voted. Time 10:51 P.M.
ELIZABETH A. CROWLEY
DEPUTY CITY CLERK