MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CUMBERLAND TOWN COUNCIL

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2020 AT 6:30 P.M.

VIRTUAL - OPEN SESSION

 

The regular meeting was called to order at 6:33pm.

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

President Dwyer, Councilors Gemski, Kinch, Shaw, Bradley, Beaulieu and Schmitt

 

Also present— Mayor Jeffrey Mutter; Chief of Staff Linda Teel; Community Outreach Coordinator Sarah King; Town Clerk Sandra M. Giovanelli; Town Solicitor Kelley Morris Salvatore; Tax Assessor Ken Mallette; Water Superintendent Chris Champi; School Superintendent Robert Mitchell; School Department Business Manager Alex Prignano

 

President Dwyer read the following:

“To protect the health and well-being of our citizens, and in accordance with Governor’s Raimondo’s Executive Order
20-25 (relaxing the Open Meetings Act requirements) this meeting will be available to the public by video or telephone conference.  All members of the Town Council will be participating remotely. Members of the public can listen and/or participate by clicking on the link posted on the agenda. The meeting will also be live streamed on ClerkBase.

 

Comments can be emailed to publiccomments@cumberlandri.org including your name, address,
and statement. Only comments including all required information will be read into the record.

 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Councilor Kinch announced the “Walk Cumberland” event sponsored by the Cumberland Land Trust will be held on both September 12, 2020 and September 19, 2020. The Land Trust was looking for Council and School Committee members and other local elected officials to participate, to meet and answer questions from the public and to view the Land Trust’s accomplishments with the trails.

 

Councilor Beaulieu asked to make the following motion:

MOTION BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR GEMSKI, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO MOVE AGENDA ITEM 7.1, “COMMUNICATIONS” IN FRONT OF ITEM 9, “PUBLIC COMMENTS”, BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 7/0.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

 

A. COMMUNICATIONS

 

1.  C-20-24 – A resolution from the Town of Portsmouth condemning racist attacks and urging efforts to recognize and stop racism

 

2.  C-20-25 – A resolution from the Town of Portsmouth expressing support for funding of the categorical fund for high cost special education

 

3.  C-20-26 – A resolution from the Town of Portsmouth expressing support for the inclusion of transportation under Essa in the categorical fund for non-public transportation

 

4.  C-20-27 – A resolution from the Town of Portsmouth urging the continued appropriation of State & Local revenues to support public education.

 

B.  APPROVED PERMITS FOR TEMPORARY OUTDOOR SEATING

      1.  Reds Street Kitchen  

 

MOTION BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.  VOTE 7/0.

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS

President Dwyer began the public comments section at 6:39p.m.

Resident Keri Carlson, 84 Newell Drive, asked to speak on the school budget if this was the appropriate time. She asked the Council to increase the budget for the Cumberland schools for the 2020-2021 year, and specifically to find the means to avoid the cut of four school counselors.

 

Kim Gauthier, 9 Olney Street, North Providence, full time counselor at Garvin School, also spoke to the importance of retaining school counselors.

 

Rhonda Dionne, 206 Colvin Town Road, Coventry, a counselor at CHS, stated she had been laid off by the district, and found it disheartening to be back in the same position as last year.

 

Councilor Kinch asked to add to the record an email in support of guidance counselors that he had received from Elaine Otto, Wrentham Road.

 

President Dwyer ended the public comments section at 6:52p.m.

 

COMMUNICATIONS    (moved to end of agenda)

1.   Discussion of President Dwyer's remarks related to R-20-87 from June 17, 2020

 

OLD BUSINESS

A.  ORDINANCES FOR PUBLIC HEARING:    

President Dwyer announced that the following ordinances will be heard as a first reading. Comments can be made for any item read, but there will be no vote

 

1.  #20-12 – An ordinance establishing the operating budget for the Town of Cumberland’s General Fund for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 (First Hearing)

 

Public hearing opened at 6:53pm.

 

President Dwyer read off the totals of each individual department.

 

GENERAL FUND - REVENUE	MAYOR’S PROPOSED FY 2020/21
GENERAL REVENUE TOTAL	$  75,158,128
LIBRARY RECEIPTS TOTAL	$       297,545
SCHOOL RECEIPTS TOTAL	$  26,074,579
STATE AID & GRANTS TOTAL	$    4,340,519
TOTAL REVENUE	$105,870,771

 

GENERAL FUND - EXPENDITURES		MAYOR’S PROPOSED FY 2020/21
GENERAL GOVERNMENT TOTAL		$       957,188
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TOTAL		$       460,017
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION TOTAL		$       980,154
PUBLIC SAFETY TOTAL		$    7,110,617
PUBLIC WORKS TOTAL		$    5,999,283
OTHER FINANCIAL EXPENSES TOTAL		$  14,046,205
OTHER DEPARTMENTS TOTAL		$       441,049
LIBRARY TOTAL		$    1,724,694
OTHER EXPENDITURES TOTAL		$       948,787
TOWN TOTAL		$  32,667,994
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT TOTAL		$  73,202,777
TOTAL GENERAL FUND		$105,870,771

 

The Council and school officials discussed several items on the budget.

 

2.  #20-13 – An ordinance establishing the operating budget for the Town of Cumberland’s Water Department for fiscal year 2020-2021 (First Hearing)

 

Public hearing opened at 9:10pm.

President Dwyer read the totals into the record:

 

WATER DEPARTMENT                          MAYOR’S

PROPOSED

FY 2020

REVENUE                                       

                             TOTAL                                         $   6,450,005  

 

                    EXPENDITURES

   TOTAL                                          $   6,450,005

President Dwyer asked if anyone wished to speak in favor or against.

 

Councilor Beaulieu asked if the increase in debt service was due to the water mains, or the wells?

 

Water Superintendent Chris Champi responded that $319,000 increase due to rate increase taking effect July 1 to cover water main replacement costs.

 

Public hearing closed at 9:13pm.

 

3.  #20-14 – An ordinance establishing the operating budget for the Town of Cumberland’s Sewer Department for fiscal year 2020-2021(First Hearing)

  

Public hearing opened at 9:14pm.

SEWER DEPARTMENT                           MAYOR’S

PROPOSED

FY 2020

REVENUE                                       

                             TOTAL                                         $    589,827    

 

                      EXPENDITURES

    TOTAL                                          $     589,827

 

President Dwyer asked if anyone wished to speak in favor or against.

 

M. Mutter stated this budget needed to be reworked and is long overdue for scrutiny, and discussed details with the Council.

 

Public hearing closed at 9:22pm.

 

COMMUNICATIONS

1. Discussion of President Dwyer's remarks related to R-20-87 from June 17, 2020

Councilor Beaulieu asked for a formal apology from the President for comments he made at that meeting, to which she took umbrage.

 

Councilor Gemski added for the record that she also condemned the comments he made at that meeting.

 

President Dwyer stated he had contacted each Council member independently before this meeting, but apologized again at this time.

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS

President Dwyer paused at 9:28pm to allow members of the public to comments on any topic. There were none. The comment period was closed at 9:29pm.

 

President Dwyer announced the next two budget hearings on Thursday, June 25 at 6:30pm. and June 30 at 6:30pm.

 

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION BY COUNCILOR BEAULIEU, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SHAW, AND IT IS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ADJOURN AT 9:30P.M.  VOTE 7/0

 

____________________________________

Sandra M. Giovanelli, Town Clerk

 

FOR A FULL ACCOUNT OF THIS MEETING PLEASE REFER TO THE VIDEO RECORDING ACCESSIBLE ON THE TOWN’S WEBSITE, www.cumberlandri.org.

ADDITIONALLY, THE DVD OF THE ENTIRE MEETING IS AVAILABLE AT THE EDWARD J. HAYDEN LIBRARY.