CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
WEDNESDAY MAY 27, 1992
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
A Special Meeting of the Central Falls City Council was held on the above date in the City Hall Council Chambers at 6:45 P.M.
Councilman Matthews
Councilman Ferri
Councilman Paquette
Councilwoman Moreau
Councilman Canavan
Quorum present.
Council President Robert Canavan presided.
Judge Ernest Pratt regarding update on judicial actions before Court and related matters.
Motion to recess to executive session was made by Councilman Matthews and seconded by Councilwoman Moreau.
Roll Call:
| Councilman Matthews | yes |
| Councilman Ferri | yes |
| Councilman Paquette | yes |
| Councilwoman Moreau | yes |
| Councilman Canavan | yes |
Motion carried 5 yes 0 no 0 absent. Time 7:06 P.M.
Council Meeting reconvened at 7:50 P.M.
1. The Annual Operating Budget Ordinance
2. The Capital Program Ordinance
3. The Annual Capital Budget Ordinance
4. Amending Chapter 2 Article VII, Section 2-67 "Wage Schedule Generally" of the Revised Ordinances as Amended.
5. Pertaining to Salaries of Department Heads and others in Unclassified service.
6. Amending Section 2-68 "Salaries for Firemen and Policemen, as amended.
7. Establishing the Classes of Positions, the employees in certain classes in the City Departments.
Councilman Matthews questioned the salaries in the Library and asked Thomas Shannahan, Library Director, if he had any comments pertaining to salaries.
Mr. Shannahan responded no.
Councilman Matthews questioned revenues in the Budget.
Edna Poulin, Finance Director, explained the Real Estate and Property Tax Revenues and related the difference between the draft and the proposed budget.
Council President Canavan asked Edna Poulin what the Review Commission's views were relative to the Revenues.
Edna Poulin responded.
Mayor Lazieh related the State's Revenue sharing drop of $900,000.00.
Councilman Matthews questioned Public Safety and asked why the difference.
Edna Poulin responded that $25,000.00 was taken out of the Public Safety Department and directed to Capital Projects portion of the budget. She explained that the Review Commission directed this change. She also explained the Equipment Account and State Mandates. She also related that many of the changes made from the draft to the proposed budget were made by the Review Commission.
Councilman Matthews asked Edna Poulin to explain the personnel changes in the Library.
Edna Poulin and Thomas Shannahan explained the need to have a full time person in the Library and stated that without this the Library would lose any grants and would no longer be part of the State Library Services System if they did not have this person.
Elizabeth A. Crowley, Deputy City Clerk
City Clerk Daniel Issa clerked the remainder of the meeting.
Thomas Shannahan continued discussion on the Library portion of the Budget.
Councilman Matthews questioned the fringe benefits.
Edna Poulin responded.
Council President Canavan questioned the Recreation Department's Summer Help salary of $5.00 per hour.
Edna Poulin responded.
Councilman Matthews questioned the grand total relative to fringe benefits.
Edna Poulin responded.
Council President Canavan asked Edna Poulin to explain the bond interest maturities.
Edna Poulin stated that this was the highest year for bond interest relative to the $9.9 million that was for the new school and that this would begin to decrease.
Council President Canavan questioned the Escrow Account.
Edna Poulin explained.
Discussion ensued on the budget.
Edna Poulin stated that $250,000.00 was left to pay for Solid Waste and after that the City would be up to date by July 15th.
Edna Poulin commented on Tans and stated that any additional revenues would go towards deficit reduction.
Councilman Ferri questioned major purchases and capital budget.
Edna Poulin responded.
Council President Canavan questioned the Mayor's $2,000.00 donation account.
Councilman Matthews questioned the revaluation and asked if it was budgeted.
Council discussion ensued on police overtime, the Review Commission's cut of $2,000.00 in Police Department overtime, part time personnel in Minimum Housing and transfer of accounts under salaries.
Edna Poulin explained in detail.
Councilman Ferri questioned street sweeping account. and training account.
Councilman Matthews questioned note interest.
Edna Poulin responded.
Councilman Paquette questioned recreation and donations accounts.
Mayor Lazieh responded.
Council President Canavan questioned celebrations account.
Edna Poulin responded.
Councilman Matthews questioned the golf program in the recreation account.
Mayor Lazieh stated that he would cover this with the Ed. Heroux, Recreation Director.
Councilman Matthews questioned Medicare and Legal Department increase and part time legal secretary.
Edna Poulin responded.
Discussion ensued on salary for part time legal secretary and $4,570.00 was recommended by the Council.
Discussion on the Police Department Budget followed.
Councilman Matthews asked questions relative to the Probate Judge.
Edna Poulin responded.
Councilman Ferri recommended $600.00 for City Sergeant.
Edna Poulin responded that this would be a 20% increase.
Council President Canavan and Councilwoman Moreau stated that they recommend $600.00 for City Sergeant.
Councilman Matthews questioned 18% interest penalty on unpaid taxes and asked if it would be possible to make it 14%.
Edna Poulin responded.
Councilman Matthews asked what amount 18% raises.
Edna Poulin stated between $250,000 and $300,000 generally.
Councilman Matthews asked what the cost of reducing the interest rate would be to the City.
Edna Poulin stated that she doesn't recommend that it be done this year. She stated that if were done it would have to come from the deficit reduction account.
Council President Canavan discussed the T.A.N. that is needed and asked what the interest rate would be.
Edna Poulin stated that it could possibly be $70,000 to $85,000.
Council President Canavan asked if the Council could institute a discount rate to eliminate the need for a T.A.N.
Edna Poulin responded that she would have to analyze.
Mayor Lazieh responded that he personally liked the discount concept and explained the Pawtucket situation.
Council President Canavan stated that 40% of 12 million might eliminate the need for a note if the discount was utilized.
Edna Poulin suggested that the Council asked the Review Commission for their ideas relative to the matter.
Mayor Lazieh suggested that the Council form a Committee for further study on the possibility of a discount. He also suggested that perhaps the quarterly payment for the first of the month could be delayed to the 3rd or 4th of the month to accommodate taxpayers.
Edna Poulin suggested a 5 day extension from the first without a penalty.
Councilman Matthews discussed Department Head raises.
Mayor Lazieh commented.
Councilman Ferri stated that he would prefer to see a 3 to 3.5% increase and that 4.5% is too high.
Councilman Matthews stated that he would prefer the lower %.
Councilwoman Moreau commented.
Edna Poulin commented that summer help will receive a 15% increase and Department Heads have averaged 2% over the last few years which is less than union personnel.
Councilman Ferri stated that 3.5% is his recommendation for Department Head Salary increases.
Edna Poulin responded that the actual increase would be 4.2%.
Council President Canavan commented.
Edna Poulin commented.
Councilman Ferri commented.
Edna Poulin related that the minimum wage is not $5.00 per hour.
Council President Canavan commented.
Mayor Lazieh stated that 4.2 % is average for Department Head Salary increase and that these positions have not had increases for 3 years prior to last year. He further stated that 4.2% is substantially lower than union raises. He commented that the Department Heads have worked hard to create a surplus on City side of this year's budget and that they have done the extra work. He commented that they are worth a 4.5% increase and that they are professional.
Edna Poulin stated that a 3.5% increase would only relate to 1.7c on the tax rate.
Council President Canavan stated that it is the perception that is the concern.
Edna Poulin related that summer help was increased by 12%.
Councilman Ferri stated that 3.5% is fair.
Councilwoman Moreau stated that she was in favor of 3.5%.
Councilman Paquette stated that he is in favor of 3.5%.
Councilman Matthews stated that this seems to be the suggestion of the Council and asked to move on to other things.
Councilman Matthews asked questions relative to the Capital Budget Ordinance.
Edna Poulin responded that the Charter requires one.
Further questions ensued.
Motion to approve collectively for first passage was made by Councilman Matthews and seconded by Councilman Ferri.
Roll Call:
| Councilman Matthews | yes |
| Councilman Ferri | yes |
| Councilman Paquette | yes |
| Councilwoman Moreau | yes |
| Councilman Canavan | yes |
Motion carried 5 yes 0 no 0 absent.
Resolution Authorizing the City of Central Falls to issue general obligation tax anticipation notes.
Motion to approve was made by Councilman Matthews and seconded by Councilman Paquette.
Roll Call:
| Councilman Matthews | yes |
| Councilman Ferri | yes |
| Councilman Paquette | yes |
| Councilwoman Moreau | yes |
| Councilman Canavan | yes |
Motion carried 5 yes 0 no 0 absent.
Mayor Lazieh thanked the Council for their work on the draft and stated that this budget was realistic for the future.
Edna Poulin also thanked the City Council.
Councilman Matthews thanked Mayor Lazieh and Edna Poulin for cooperation relative to budget.
The Council recessed at 10:15 and reconvened at 10:30 p.m.
Review
Kenneth Castle will attempt to speak for Mr. Siemers, who was present earlier in the meeting but had to leave.
Councilman Matthews commented that he would like a Y on 1, 2 & 3 family in C-1 zones.
Kenneth Castle noted other changes and will convey these changes to Planning Director William Siemers.
Councilman Matthews stated that up to section 66.1 all the changes the Council asked were done.
Councilman Paquette question section 402.1 (g).
Councilman Matthews questioned #505 asked number of days per year.
Councilman Matthews further commented.
Rewording of 514.2 discussed.
The Council decided to discuss Historic Zoning at the next meeting of the Council on June 3, 1992 at 8:00 P.M.
Motion to adjourn was made by Councilman Matthews and seconded by Councilman Ferri. All Agreed. So Voted. Time 11:15 P.M.
Daniel J. Issa, City Clerk