CITY COUNCIL MEETING
SPECIAL MEETING -
Present: Rolland R. Grant, Mayor
Joseph S. Larisa, Jr.
Gerald R. Lynch City Council
Norman J. Miranda
Robert D. Sullivan
Paul E. Lemont City Manager
William J. Conley, Jr. City Solicitor
Mary F. Gadouas Deputy City Clerk
Maria Pinheiro, Chairperson School Committee
John Goodwin
Edna Snow
Nancy Stevens
Dr. Patricia Daniel Superintendent of Schools
The meeting is called to order by Mayor Grant at 7:04 p.m.
Invocation is given by Councilman Miranda. Salute to the flag is led by Mayor Grant.
Mr. Larisa requests to change the order of business to have the City Council/School Committee meeting first. It is decided to have the budget hearing first.
Mr. Lemont discusses the issue of the high school roof repairs and states that the bids came in much lower than anticipated. He says that Eagle Cornice submitted the low bid and low combinations of bid, and recommends proceeding developing and holding a pre-contract meeting with Eagle Cornice in the attempt to award a contract.
Mr. Lemont says he has agreed to take either the Capital Budget that he has or the Contingency Fund, and reduce it by $35,000, and he would similarly take a $35,000 cut from the School Department. That $70,000, together with the reduction of $150,000 from the anticipated roof bid, equates to a reduction in the proposed budget, dropping the proposed tax increase to $1.35. Mr. Lemont asks for the adoption of the budget at a rate of $1.35.
Comments are made by the Council. Mr. Larisa says that the final agreement between the Council and the School Committee says that two-thirds of the roof will be replaced immediately, with $1 10,000 from the School Department and $150,000 from the City, and the Council will appropriate money in next year's budget to get the
project finished.
Mr. Larisa makes a motion to go into Executive Session with the School Committee to discuss the two agreements. He says he wants the meeting with the School Committee before he votes on the budget. There is no second on the motion, and the motion fails for lack of a second.
Mayor Grant opens the meeting to public discussion. There are no persons who wish to be heard.
AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $83,604,538 FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING OCTOBER 31, 1997.
Motion is made by Mr. Lynch, seconded by Mr. Miranda, to approve the ordinance.
Discussion on the motion is requested by Councilman Larisa. Mr. Larisa says he will not vote in favor of the budget before meeting with the School Committee.
Mr. Sullivan says there are a lot of senior citizens who cannot afford the tax increase, and will vote against the $1.35 increase.
After further discussion, a motion to Move the Question is made by Mr. Lynch, seconded by Mr. Miranda.
Roll call vote follows:
Mr. Larisa Nay
Mr. Lynch Aye
Mr. Miranda Aye
Mr. Sullivan Aye
Mayor Grant Aye
The motion passes 4-1.
Roll call vote is taken on the motion to approve the appropriation ordinance.
Mr. Larisa Nay
Mr. Lynch Aye
Mr. Miranda Aye
Mr. Sullivan Nay
Mayor Grant Aye
The motion passes 3-2.
AN ORDINANCE ORDERING THE ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION OF PROPERTY TAX ON THE RATABLE REAL ESTATE, TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY AND AN EXCISE TAX ON REGISTERED MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAILERS.
Motion is made by Mr. Lynch, seconded by Mr. Miranda, to approve the amended ordinance for First Passage. Roll call vote follows:
Mr. Larisa Nay
Mr. Lynch Aye
Mr. Miranda Aye
Mr. Sullivan Aye
Mayor Grant Aye
Motion passes 4-1.
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO BORROW FUNDS IN ANTICIPATION OF TAXES.
Motion to approve is made by Mr. Lynch, seconded by Mr. Miranda. Roll call vote follows:
Mr. Larisa Nay
Mr. Lynch Aye
Mr. Miranda Aye
Mr. Sullivan Aye
Mayor Grant Aye
Motion passes 4-1.
AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 11 OF THE REVISED ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF EAST PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, 1987, AS AMENDED ENTITLED, PERSONNEL, PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT."
Section 1. Section 11-111 entitled 'Adoption.", exhibits A,B,C,D,E,G,Fl and F2 are hereby adopted as the official pay plans for the United Steelworkers of America Local 15509A; United Steelworkers of America Local 15509; International Association of Firefighters, Local 850 (AFLCIO); East Providence lodge No. 1 Fraternal Order of Police; Professional, Managerial, and Technical Employees Association; and East Providence Department Heads and Exhibits Fl and F2 are hereby adopted as official pay plans for Non-classified, full-time and/or part-time employees (i.e. seasonal and temporary) and Unclassified employees respectively.
Motion to approve is made by Mr. Lynch, seconded by Mr. Miranda, and unanimously voted on a roll call vote.
The meeting recesses at 7:45 p.m. and reconvenes at 7:57 p.m.
Motion is made by Mr. Lynch, seconded by Mr. Sullivan, to hold an open discussion with the School Committee and the City Council to discuss the high school roof. Motion passes unanimously on a roll call vote.
Mr. Lemont states that the School Committee is presently in Executive Session and they are willing to meet in Open Session with the Council to discuss the implementation of the roof repairs and the funding of the $605,000 deficit that is part of the award from the Department of Education.
The School Committee members are now present.
Maria Pinheiro, School Committee Chairwoman entertains a motion from the School Committee members present for the School Committee to return to public session. Motion is made by Mr. Goodwin, seconded by Mrs. Snow, and unanimously voted.
Motion is made by Mr. Goodwin, seconded by Mrs. Snow, to seal the minutes of the Executive Session of the School Committee meeting. Motion passes unanimously.
Mrs. Pinheiro states that she is disappointed that the School Committee did not have an opportunity to sit with the City Council and discuss some of the issues prior to the passage of the budget.
Mr. Lemont says the City Council in the passing of the budget proposes that the $605,000 be amortized over a three year period, which equates to $200,000 per year for the next three years. At the end of the three year period, the amount that was left as a result of the discussions in the case we had before the Commissioner of Education, would be eradicated. The $200,000 will come from the School Department budget.
Mrs. Pinheiro discusses the repair of the high school roof. She says there are questions that she and her colleagues have on the issue. Mr. Lemont responds.
Mr. Conley clarifies the agreement between the School Committee and City Council. He says the document which has not undergone revisions in quite some time is the Agreement, which provides for the accumulated deficit of $604,766 to be paid off over a matter of years by the City Council through individual line item allocations in the School Committee budget, so that there would be City Council allocations but they would be paid through and in the School Committee budget. There would be an initial payment this year in the amount of $207,766, and in the following fiscal year and the year after, there will be two additional payments of $200,000.
Mr. Conley goes on to say that part of the agreement says that any surplus determined to exist in subsequent years in the School Department's budget, up to $100,000 will further reduce the deficit. He says that with the fiscal year just a few days away, the agreement should be clear to both parties.
Following a lengthy discussion, Mr. Sullivan says Mr. Larisa keeps changing the terms in the Memorandum of Understanding between the School Department and City Council. He says there is still arguing going on about an agreement which was settled three months ago. He makes a motion that the agreement for the payment of the $604,766 be signed by the School Department and City Council. Mr. Larisa seconds the motion. Discussion follows.
Mr. Lynch moves the motion.
Roll call vote is held on the motion:
Mr. Larisa Aye
Mr. Lynch Aye
Mr. Miranda Aye
Mr. Sullivan Aye
Mayor Grant Aye
Motion passes 5-0.
Mr. Sullivan asks for a five minute recess.
Maria Pinheiro entertains a motion for the School Committee to go into Executive Session. Motion carries. The meeting recesses briefly and reconvenes.
Maria Pinheiro entertains a motion from the School Committee. School Committee Member John Goodwin makes a motion to accept the agreement as presented and authorize the Chairperson and Superintendent of Schools to sign. The motion is seconded and passed on unanimous vote.
The Mayor and City Manager sign the agreement.
Mrs. Pinheiro thanks the City Council and her colleagues for the time put into the agreement.
Mr. Larisa makes a motion to direct Mr. Lemont to do everything within his physical power to be available at any reasonable time to meet with the School Department to effectuate the repair of the high school roof. Mr. Miranda seconds the motion. Motion passes unanimously.
The School Committee meeting is adjourned at 10:24 p.m.
At the request of Mr. Lemont, motion is made by Mr. Miranda, seconded by Mr. Sullivan, to go into Executive Session to discuss negotiations. Motion passes unanimously on a roll call vote.
The Open Session recesses at 10:25 p.m. and goes into Executive Session.
The Open Session reconvenes at 10:35 p.m. and adjourns at 10:35 p.m.
Attest:
Valerie A. Perry, CMC
City Clerk
Approved: November 12, 1996