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ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGET SESSION

MARCH 2, 2017

At an ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGET SESSION of the Town Council of the Town of South Kingstown, County of Washington, in the State of Rhode Island, convened at the Town Hall, in and for said Town on the 2^nd day of March 2017 at 6:30 PM.

PRESENT: Margaret M. Healy, President

Abel G. Collins, Vice President

Bryant DaCruz

Liz Gledhill

Joe Viele

Also present: Stephen A. Alfred, Town Manager, Patricia Sunderland, Finance Director, Aimee Reiner, Director of Administrative Services, Terry Murphy, Director of Leisure Services, Cathy Larlham, Recreation Superintendent, Rex Eberly, Parks Superintendent, Susan DiMasi, Senior Center Director, Jon Schock, Director of Public Services, Josh Rosen, Town Engineer, Paul Ferrandi, Highway Superintendent, Kathy Perez, Wastewater Superintendent and Colleen Camp, Executive Assistant.

The Pledge of Allegiance is given.

Terry Murphy, Director of Leisure Services is present and discussion ensues relative to the Parks and Recreation Program. The Parks and Recreation Program includes the following divisions: Administration, Park Maintenance, Athletics, Aquatics, Leisure Services, and Creative Activities. For FY 2017-2018 funding in the amount of $273,384 is proposed for Administration; funding in the amount of $934,998 is proposed for Park Maintenance; funding in the amount of $182,753 for Athletics; funding in the amount of $160,169 is proposed for Aquatics; funding in the amount of $125,031 is proposed for Leisure Services and funding in the amount of $93,072 is proposed for Creative Activities. The total Parks and Recreation Program is proposed in the amount of $1,769,407 or 4.41% less than the current year program amount of $1,851,016, due to program cost in the amount of $81,609 being transferred from the General Fund to the Community Recreation Center Fund. In addition, we will be losing $90,396 in revenue which will also be transferred to the Community Recreation Center Fund.

Discussion ensues relative to the Peace Dale Office Building (PDOB). The Peace Dale Office Building Fund is self-sustaining. The Recreation Department utilizes certain areas of the building for programming purposes. The building is not at full capacity at the current time; one of the units is undergoing some HVAC upgrades. The total budget proposed for FY 2017-2018 is $92,651and revenue is anticipated at $94,434 provided there is a full complement of tenants in the building.

Discussion ensues relative to the Neighborhood Guild Fund. The Guild is the home of the Recreation Department’s administrative offices and community center. There are a number of cost centers within the Guild Program including Administration and Maintenance, Front Desk, Seniors Program, Youth Programs, Music Programs, Adults Programs and Arts Program. The Guild’s budget is funded by both program revenues and revenue through the Guild Trust Funds. The total budget proposed for FY 2017-2018 is $785,145.

Discussion ensues relative to the Community Recreation Center. The Community Recreation Center is expected to be completed at the end of April 2017 with a Grand Opening event for the facility in May. The proposed budget for FY 2017-2018 is $457,024. We will be relocating our athletic indoor programming and developing new programs to operate from this facility. Revenues are anticipated to come from rental income in the amount of $22,213, athletic programs in the amount of $115,900, General Fund transfer of $308,911 and $10,000 from the undesignated fund balance.

Susan DiMasi, Director, Senior Center is present and discussion ensues relative to the Senior Services Program. The Senior Services Program includes the following: the Senior Transportation Program, the Senior Nutrition Program, the Adult Day Services Program and the Senior Center Program. The total Senior Services Program FY 2017-2018 budget is proposed at $859,774. Of that amount, $73,114 is for the Senior Transportation Program, $122,018 for the Nutrition Program, $316,834 for Adult Day Services and $347,808 for the Senior Center. Funding for the Senior Services Program is provided through the Town as a tax transfer; the remainder of the funding is provided through other sources including the Town of Narragansett, the Town of North Kingstown and grant funding from the State and the South County Community Action Program.

Jon Schock, Public Services Director is present and discussion ensues relative to the proposed FY 2017-2018 Public Services budget. The Public Services budget is inclusive of the following programs: Public Services – Administration including Engineering, the Tree Management Program and the Street Lighting Program. The total Public Services Program for FY 2017-2018 is proposed in the amount of $648,408. Of that amount, $390,161 is being allocated for Public Services Administration, $57,247 for the Tree Management Program and $201,000 for the Street Lighting Program.

Discussion ensues relative to the proposed FY 2017-2018 Streets and Highways Division budget. The total Streets and Highways Division Program for FY 2017-2018 is proposed in the amount of $2,364,201.

Discussion ensues relative to the proposed FY 2017-2018 Water Enterprise Fund Program. The Water Enterprise Fund is comprised of two water systems: the Middlebridge System and the South Shore System. We buy the water for both systems from Suez Rhode Island f/k/a Wakefield Water.

The total Water Enterprise Fund for FY 2017-2018 is proposed in the amount of $1,010,140. It is projected that the total Water Enterprise Fund Revenues for FY 2017-2018 will be $1,179,009 resulting in $168,869 more in revenues than expenditures. A rate increase is not expected for at least 2 years.

Discussion ensues relative to the proposed FY 2017-2018 Wastewater Enterprise Fund. The Wastewater Enterprise Fund is a regional program with the University of Rhode Island and the Town of Narragansett. The costs, whether operational or capital improvements are apportioned based upon the flow contribution of each member participant. The total Wastewater Enterprise Fund for FY 2017-2018 is proposed in the amount of $4,123,215. Revenues for FY 2017-2018 are projected in the amount of $4,123,316. The big problem for the Wastewater Enterprise Fund for FY 2017-2018 is solids disposal. Sinagro’s rates are increasing significantly for the upcoming year. This budget is going to require a rate increase. The minimum Annual User Fee is going from $240 to $255. This provides a single family home an annual allowance of 10,000 cubic feet of consumption. The excess user fee is going from $3.25 to $3.40 per 100 cubic feet.

Discussion ensues relative to the proposed FY 2017-2018 Solid Waste Enterprise Fund. Resource Recovery will be increasing the municipal tip fee from $32 per ton to $39.50 per ton, and then the following year it will increase to $46.00 per ton. This increase is the first time in 25 years. The bag tag program is going to increase from $1.80 to $2.00 per bag. The Solid Waste Enterprise Fund also deals with the closeout of the two landfills. The total Solid Waste Enterprise Fund is proposed in the amount of $755,142.

Adjourn at 8:05 PM.

Dale S. Holberton, CMC

Town Clerk