City Council, August 15, 1990.
A special session of the City Council is held Wednesday, August 15, 1990, at seven ten o’clock p.m. at Jenks Junior High School. All the members are present except Councilmen Doyle, Robert Lynch, William Lynch, and Rabbitt; President Houle presides.
DISCUSSION OF COMMUNICATION TO RAYMOND W. HOULE, JR., PRESIDENT PAWTUCKET CITY COUNCIL, FROM ROBERT E. CHRISTIE, BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR, PAWTUCKET SCHOOL DEPARTMENT REGARDING BUDGET RECONCILIATION PROCESS (R.I.G.L. 16–2–21.1) IS TAKEN UP:
Jim Gilligan, Chairman of the Pawtucket School Committee stated that the School Department eliminated 23 teaching and administrative positions which will save over $1 million dollars and then turned the meeting over to Dr. Richard Charlton, Superintendent of Schools.
Dr. Charlton said that the School Committee was petitioning under R.I. General Laws 16–2–21.1 for the School Budget Reconciliation Process to take place. He than turned the meeting over to Mr. Robert Christie, Business Manager for the School Department to give the specifics of the budget reductions by the School Department and their request for more funding.
Mr. Christie states that these are actual cuts being made by the School Committee at this time and are not just anticipated cuts in the future.
The second handout shows the requests for amendments to the City budget by the School Department. No. 1, Amend the budget to show a revenue increase of $223,619 in state aide. No. 2, increase the appropriation to the school department by $1,224,000 to meet the B.E.P. Program (this corresponds to the phase two cuts in handout one.)
No. 3, reappropriate the money saved on the retirement contributions of $275,000. This is a budget neutral request because this is money which is already budgeted in the school department and has been saved through Article 82 of the State Budget, which is sending the money back to the appropriating Body. The School Committee is requesting that since they budgeted for it and it is money coming as a result of School savings, the money should be reappropriated to them.
Council President Houle asks if the million dollars being appropriated from the Reserve Fund will all go to Davies Vocational tuition costs as originally requested.
Mr. Christie responds that $538,000 is for Davies, the rest is for limited English proficient students and special education programs
Council President Houle asks if the $600,000 in savings in phase one for teachers is all early retirement or also the elimination of teachers.
Mr. Christie responds all early retirement.
President Houle asks what the deficit will be for last year after the million dollars is appropriated from the Reserve Fund.
Mr. Christie responds approximately $50,000.
President Houle states that the Council cannot amend the bottom line of the budget; therefore, any new appropriations must be taken from other budget items. He asks Ms. Christine Tague, Finance Director, if she expects there will be sufficient excess revenues to cover the request by the School Committee.
Ms. Tague responds no.
Councilman Calista asks if there isn’t going to be $1.1 million dollars available to the City from the sewer assessment bill, which passed the General Assembly this year.
Ms. Tague responds that according to the Sewer District, that money may not be available until the next fiscal year.
Councilman Barry asks if the School Department received the $223,619 plus the $275,000, which services would be restored.
Dr. Charlton responds that there has been no prioritization of services to determine which ones will be restored if additional monies are appropriated.
Councilman Barry asks how many custodians are being eliminated with the reduction of custodial/maintenance expenses.
Dr. Charlton responds eight.
Councilman Barry asks how many there are in total.
Dr. Charlton says around seventy.
Councilman Barry asks how many per school.
Dr. Charlton responds three to five.
Councilman Barry asks how many students are in the gifted program.
Dr. Charlton responds approximately 75 in the elementary program, which will be eliminated with the cuts.
President Houle asks if the City is in compliance with minority standards.
Dr. Charlton responds that we have identified our minority enrollment and some schools have over or less than the percentage allowed; however, steps are being taken to *alleviate this problem.
President Houle asks if a 5–3–4 system would save money.
Dr. Charlton responds that there may be economies but it will not be good for the school programs.
Councilman Calista asks if crossing guards will be eliminated by the cut.
Dr. Charlton responds that there will be no money in the budget for crossing guards.
President Houle says his understanding is that the City will transfer money in the fourth quarter to pay for crossing guards so that there will be crossing guards in September.
Councilman Calista asks if the unity of the Administration, City Council, School Committee, and the Legislature has been working to its best ability at the State House to get more money.
Mr. Gerald Resnick responds yes.
Councilman Calista asks why the School Department has not joined Central Falls in challenging the state formula.
Mr. Resnick responds that one, Central Falls does not want us in their suite; and two, Central Falls is the best case of inequitable funding; and three, that there is no money for attorneys fees.
Mr. Gilligan states that the School Committee has not decided not to participate but is asking for further study in the matter.
Councilman Calista asks in regards the early retirement fiasco, the Providence Journal said that Pawtucket could have a deficit situation in year two according to one member of the School Committee. He questions why the School Committee didn’t take a position on the early retirement.
Mr. Gilligan states that the School Committee did take a position not to opt out; however, they did not feel it was necessary to take a vote since no vote is the same as not opting out.
Sandra Gildea states that the estimate of a deficit in the second year is the opinion of a single school committee person and is not the opinion of the entire committee.
Christine Tague states that with respect to crossing guards the intent is to use money from the $275,000 in savings on the retirement assumptions to pay for them.
Councilman Barry asks if the City has to pay for education at the end of the year if the School Committee overspends.
Mr. Resnick responds yes.
Councilman Barry states that the problem is that we meet here and the school committee cannot tell us what the money is going to go for if the City Council gives it to them.
Paul Wildenhain, School Committeeman, states that the current cuts in phase one are sad but future cuts, if they are needed, will be drastic.
Mr. Resnick states that the $223,000 in school aide from the State should go to the schools by law and asks where is the breakdown of city and state funding that is required by law.
Ms. Tague responds that it is in the budget.
Mr. Martin Healy states that he is concerned about the cut in custodial maintenance costs because the school department is se[illegible]-insured, if somebody gets hurt in a building, it could be a problem.
Mr. Wildenhain states that the school department did a good job in repairing Baldwin School at a cost of $500,000 but did not have the $90,000 necessary to repair the roof.
Dr. Charlton requests an expeditious response by the City Council to the School Committee’s requests.
President Houle states that they will have one.
Communication to Raymond W. Houle, Jr., President Pawtucket City Council from Robert E. Christie, Business Administrator, Pawtucket School Department Regarding Budget Reconciliation Process (R.I.G.L. 16–2–21.1) is READ AND ORDERED FILED.
Upon Motion made by Councilman Barry, seconded by Councilman Kinder, the meeting is adjourned at eight thirty-five o’clock p.m.