TOWN OF WEST WARWICK

OFFICE OF THE TOWN CLERK

TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2020

 

6:00 p.m.

 

FY21 PUBLIC HEARING

 

MINUTES-AMENDED

 

 

A.         Meeting called to order

 

The meeting was called to order by President Gosselin at 6:06 p.m.

 

B.         Roll Call taken by Town Council Clerk

 

Members Present:

Councilman Licciardi

Councilman Messier

Councilwoman Williamson

Council Vice President D'Amico

Council President Gosselin

 

Members Absent: None

 

C.         Quorum on Record Declared by Town Clerk

 

The Town Council Clerk declared a quorum for the record

 

D.         Discussion/Action/Vote of Town Council

 

Town Manager Zmyslinski reported that when they were preparing the FY21 budget they became cognizant of the fact that reductions would be coming in this year to healthcare premiums. Also, the coronavirus occurred unexpectedly and created a generational and economic crisis. On May 12, the Town Council further reduced the FY21 proposed budget by $286,000 leaving the tax increase above 2%.  Tonight the budget is being brought back with a plan that will bring the tax increase below 2%. Proposed reductions of approximately $700,000 to the Town side and $154,000 to the School side were made.

 

E.         Public Hearing on the proposed FY21 (JULY 1, 2020-JUNE 30, 2021) Annual Town Budget

Councilwoman Williamson spoke against cutting $154,000 in funding from the School Committee budget and was supported by Council Vice President D’Amico and Councilman Messier. Council President Gosselin agreed that the Superintendent of Schools and the School Committee have been great partners to work with and that the Town Council does not support cutting funding for the schools. Councilman Licciardi also was not in favor of cutting funding to the schools citing that they will need to have a plan in place for future cuts that will likely be made due to COVID. To offset this cost it was suggested that the Pension Contribution be funded at 100% for FY21 instead of 100.5% which would be a difference of $167,000.

Councilman Messier made a request to add a mental health professional to the budget who will join forces with the West Warwick Police Department to address core mental health/addiction problems. The estimated cost is approximately $80,000 with 25% being covered by the Providence Center. The Department of Health and the CDC funded this position previously to address the opioid epidemic and mental health crisis, which needs to be addressed during the COVID crisis. Colonel Mark Knott supported funding this position to have a professional assist police with people with mental health issues.

Beth Olivieri, Emergency Clinician for Thrive Behavioral Health, informed the Town Council that they have a grant that would provide a clinician for much less than $60,000. Thrive is West Warwick based and should be used for West Warwick residents. Colonel Knott informed that in 2014, under Colonel Richard Silva, the contract for emergency services was held by the Providence Center. Kathy Schultz, Manager of the West Warwick Health Equity Zone spoke of the need for this position to be a sustainable position to put a Behavioral Health Navigator back into the police department. The amount of $60,000 will be added without increasing the budget if the funding for two positions that will not be filled for the first half of FY21 is used.

Councilwoman Williamson made a motion to approve the proposed budget, with the suggested cuts, addition of the $154,000 to schools and reduction of the pension contribution by $167,000 in addition using $500,000 from Fund Balance as a revenue source, seconded by Councilman Messier.

 

Roll Call Vote:

Councilman Licciardi      No

Councilman Messier      Yes

Councilwoman Williamson    Yes 

Council VP D'Amico      Yes

Council Pres Gosselin           Yes

 

The motion passed.

 

Councilwoman Williamson made a motion that budget be amended to reflect changes made to the School budget both with state appropriation coming in and expenses going out, seconded by Council Vice President D’Amico.

 

Roll Call Vote:

Councilman Licciardi      Yes

Councilman Messier      Yes

Councilwoman Williamson    Yes 

Council VP D'Amico      Yes

Council Pres Gosselin           Yes

 

The vote was unanimous.

 

Councilwoman Williamson made a motion to accept the FY21 proposed budget with the edits made tonight reducing the budget by an additional $1,139,707 (see attachment), seconded by Council Vice President D’Amico.

 

Finance Director Benoit reported that the FTM and FY21 All Day Budget Referendum are planned for Tuesday, July 14 (Zoom meeting) and Thursday, July 16, 2020 (West Warwick Civic Center).

 

F.         Adjournment

 

Councilman Messier made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Councilwoman Williamson. The vote was unanimous. The meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.

 

 

A TRUE COPY ATTEST

Marianne Kelly

______________________________

MARIANNE KELLY, CMC

TOWN COUNCIL CLERK