REGULAR SESSION

 

DECEMBER 20, 2021

 

At a REGULAR SESSION of the Town Council of the Town of South Kingstown, County of Washington, in the State of Rhode Island held at the Town Hall, in and for said Town on the 20^th day of December 2021 at 7:00 PM.

 

PRESENT:     TOWN COUNCIL

 

                                    Abel G. Collins, President

Rory H. McEntee, Vice President

                                    Deborah D. Bergner

                                    Deborah J. Kelso

                                    Jessica L. Rose

 

 

1.         A.        PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

 

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag is given.

 

B.        LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT

 

The Land Acknowledgement Statement is read.

 

2.         ROLL CALL

 

Roll Call is taken and all members are present.

 

3.         INITIAL BUDGET HEARING WITH SCHOOL COMMITTEE

 

Discussion and solicitation of comments from the public relating to the general goals and objectives of the development of the FY 2022-2023 municipal and school budgets.

The following members of the School Committee are present: Paula Whitford, Chairwoman, Michelle Brousseau, Vice Chairwoman, Melissa Boyd, Kate Macinanti, Michael K. Marran and Carol A. Vetter.

 

Also present: Theresa L. Murphy, Interim Town Manager, Zachary Saul, Finance Director, Dr. Frank Pallotta, Interim School Superintendent, Ginamarie Masiello, Assistant School Superintendent, and Raquel Pellerin, Chief Financial Officer, School Department.

 

Theresa Murphy, Interim Town Manager reviews the Town Charter provision for this Initial Budget Hearing, the purpose of this meeting and the budget process, and the responsibilities of the Town Council and School Committee. The Town Council enacts the Town budget, and has line-item authority over the entire budget except for the school program. The Town Manager works with the Finance Director and Department heads to develop annual and long-range operating plans, and submits a proposed municipal budget to the Town Council. The municipal budget is a plan of operations for all Town activities. The operating budget addresses programs and projects. The Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is a 6-year plan for funding of Capital Projects, the Capital Budget is the first year of the CIP and allocates funds to the acquisition of Capital Projects. Under State Law RIGL §44-5-2(b) there is a property tax cap that limits municipalities to a 4% annual levy increase. The Interim Town Manager explains the 2 methods for meeting the maintenance of effort requirements under state law for municipalities to provide at least as much support for education as the previous year. The Town can provide level funding, or base their funding on the per pupil cost in the previous year if student enrollment has declined.

The Interim Town Manager reviews the Town Council’s Goals and Objectives, and the budget objectives to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timed. The RI Economic Outlook reports that unemployment was at 5.2% as of September 2021, compared with April 2020 when unemployment was 17.4%. South Kingstown’s Economic Outlook includes an unemployment rate at 3.5%, the Town’s three retirement systems are all funded over 70% at June 30, 2020, Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) trust funds are fully funded, and the municipal unassigned fund balance was approximately $15.7 million as of June 30, 2021. Real estate residential market rates have spiked. The tax rate has remained stable at $14.45 per thousand and is in compliance with the property tax maximum levy. The Town’s property revaluation is in process, and an increase in property tax values is expected as a result.

 

The Interim Town Manager reviews the Washington County Financial Data, a 5-year comparison of the property tax levy and expenditures, the future bonding sale schedule, and debt service. The Municipal Pro Forma Budget projects a General Fund of $28,382,292 for FY 2023.

 

Zachary Saul, Finance Director notes that the figures for State Aid have not been released yet, and reviews the Municipal Pro Forma.

 

The Interim Town Manager reviews the social and economic conditions that are budgetary considerations, including the property tax roll history, maintaining existing level of services, contractual obligations, potential costs to add an ambulance to the Emergency Medical Services division, and employee benefits including health care and pension costs that may be subject to increases. The proposed Capital Budget for FY 2022-2023 is projected at $121,422,285 with $86,160,000 in bonding.     

 

Discussion ensues relative to the impact of inflation on current costs for fuel, and the need to build some inflation protection into the budget. The healthcare increase is estimated between 6%-9% at this time, but that may  be revised to a lower amount later in the budget development process. 

 

Dr. Frank Pallotta, Interim School Superintendent presents the School Pro Forma which is based on the School Committee’s approved goals. The School budget will address student enrollment, both historical and projected. Four subcommittees have been formed: Strategic Planning, Redistricting, Budget and Building. Each subcommittee reports on their respective work. The Budget Subcommittee’s goal was to review the process of the development of the FY2022-2023 proposed budget, analyze current policies and procedures, and forecast scenarios around the restructuring of elementary and middle schools. The potential closing of a school needs discussion. The Building Subcommittee will assess the infrastructure of each building and determine needs. The Strategic Planning Subcommittee will focus on a five-year plan that ensures student readiness and success, equity and diversity as components of each school’s plan. The Redistricting Subcommittee goals include students first, equity across the elementary schools, and providing options to redesign grade structure, educational programs, and building utilization.

 

The Redistricting Subcommittee has presented a report outlining three options for consideration, the first being to stay with the current school configuration. Option A suggests placing 3 pre-K classrooms at Wakefield Elementary School (WES) and relocating grades 1-4 at other schools for 2022-2023; in 2023-2024 closing Curtis Corner Middle School (CCMS) and relocating grade 5 from Broad Rock Middle School (BRMS) to the elementary buildings; and in 2024-2025 closing WES and moving the pre-K classes to the High School. Option B proposes closing WES, relocating pre-K and 1^st grade to Peace Dale Elementary School, and grades 2-4 at West Kingston and Matunuck Elementary Schools; and in 2023-2024 closing CCMS and housing grades 6-8 at BRMS. A consultant has been hired to visit each school, review Options A and B, and provide additional recommendations. Their report is expected to be received at the School Committee meeting on January 11, 2022, and the School Committee may take action on a redistricting plan on January 18, 2022.

 

Raquel Pellerin, CFO, School Department discusses the Pre-Budget Consultation responsibility of the School Committee to submit to the Town Council a statement for the next fiscal year of anticipated total expenditures, projected enrollments, and staff and facility requirements. The preliminary state aid to education figures from RIDE are being used for planning purposes. Areas of concern include the cost of reduced/free lunch program, and a significant loss in enrollment will create a significant loss of state aid. Expenditure increases include salaries and benefits, the 3% facility maintenance budget requirement, an increase of 3-5% in the out of district and special education costs, utilities, a slight increase in retirement costs, health care, funding capital projects, and tuition costs for students attending vocational schools, MET and charter schools. The FY2022-2023 Pro Forma Budget General Fund Revenue is estimated at $60,407,430.

 

Ginamarie Masiello, Assistant School Superintendent discusses the Right To Reach Act being an unfunded State mandate that requires teachers to demonstrate proficiency in scientific reading and structured literacy instruction in 2022-2023 at an estimated cost of $213,585; high quality curriculum and materials in Math and English language arts by June 30, 2023 at a cost of $254,278; and in Science and Technology by June 30, 2025.

 

Discussion ensues relative to universal pre-K plans, Build Back Better funding, whether Pay As You Go funds may be used to fund the consultant hired to conduct the review, and the school budget accounting for about 75% of the total Town budget. 

 

The meeting is opened to public comments.

 

Jim O’Neill is present and inquires about the number of full time staff (FTEs) in the current year, the number and cost of sending students to other schools, and comments on historic losses in State Aid to Education due to the funding formula.

 

Michelle Brousseau, School Committee Vice Chair comments that the funding formula used by the State does not take into consideration transportation costs, which are about $4 million.

 

Dorald Beasley is present and comments on decreasing enrollment, out of district costs, the need to build a new high school and bring up student assessment scores.

 

UNANIMOUSLY VOTED: to adjourn at 8:34 PM.

 

 

ADJOURNED,

 

Susan M. Flynn, CMC

Town Clerk