| TOWN OF WEST WARWICK RHODE ISLAND 1170 Main Street West Warwick, RI 02893 (401) 822-9200 www.westwarwickri.org |  |
TOWN OF WEST WARWICK
Pursuant to Article V, Section 503, of the Town of West Warwick Home
Rule Charter, the public is hereby notified of the following meeting:
ANNUAL FINANCIAL TOWN MEETING
FOR
FISCAL YEAR 2023 (JULY 1, 2022-JUNE 30, 2023) BUDGET
TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022
WEST WARWICK HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM
ONE WEBSTER KNIGHT DRIVE
WEST WARWICK, RI 02893
MEETING CONVENES AT 7:00 PM
MINUTES
1. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:00 PM BY THE TOWN MODERATOR NORMAN LANDROCHE
2. ROLL CALL BY TOWN CLERK
Present:
Councilman J. Licciardi
Councilman J. Messier
Councilman M. Bourget
Council Vice President M. Williamson
Council President D. Gosselin
3. READING OF THE WARRANT
MOTION made by M. Williamson, second by J. Messier to waive the reading of the warrant. All Ayes
4. INTRODUCTION OF TOWN COUNCIL AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE
5. BUDGET PRESENTATIONS
· Superintendent of Schools Karen Tarasevich
Superintendent Tarasevich gave the following statement:
On behalf of the WW School Committee, I am pleased to report that at their February meeting, they voted to approve a balanced budget for FY23 which we present tonight. As always, in preparing the FY23 budget, there were five goals:
1. Present a balanced budget
2. Support education/programming in the school department
3. Compliance with educational mandates, as well as the B.E.P.
4. Continued compliance with pension and OPEB contributions requirements
5. Consideration of future budgets
Present a Balanced Budget
• $65,087,122
o Reflects an increase in appropriation of $500,000 from the town.
• FY23 Budget is balanced with an increase of 2.3% from FY22 of $1,453,638
o Funded through anticipated state aid, local appropriation and medicaid reimbursements will support this increase
• Budget lines affecting this increase:
o Salary increases - $1,300,000 - 2% - this is lower than normal due to some positions being funded by ESSR funds
o Contracted Transportation - $66,844 - 3 % increase
o Tuitions for Special Education placements - Inc. $355,600 - 42%
o Increase in Medical premiums - $380,000 - 5%
Support education/programming in the school department
• This budget:
o Meets the requirements under all regulations (federal, state, special education, and B.E.P.)
o Meets state graduation requirements
o Provides additional vocational/alternative pathways for students
Compliance with OPEB and Pension Contributions
o State Pension - $245,000 ( 5.6% increase)
o O.P.E.B - Decrease $60,000 (20%) based on actuarial valuation
o Municipal pension - $33,000 (2% increase) based on actuarial valuation
Consideration of future budgets
• FY23 budget developed keeping in mind expenses in upcoming years
Since March of 2020, we have been living in uncertain times due to COVID-19. The pandemic has impacted all of our lives personally and professionally, and the school department is no exception. We could not have anticipated the pandemic, nor the issues related to reopening schools in a healthy and safe manner, providing academic programming and related services to our students, and our recovering from the impact of the past two years.
The federal government has provided COVID relief funds (CARES and ESSR funds) which have helped support the additional COVID related expenses of the district this year including but not limited to: facilities rework of ventilation systems, air filtration, the addition of staff to support learning loss and social emotional needs of our students.
As always, the school department is committed to the on-going positive partnership we have had with the town over the past several years for the good of our students, families and the Town of West Warwick.
• Town Manager Mark Knott
Town Manager M. Knott gave the following statement:
Good evening elected and appointed officials, fellow employees, and citizens - welcome to the Town Financial Meeting to review the proposed Fiscal Year 2023 budget. The All-Day Referendum will be on Thursday between 7am and 8pm at the West Warwick Civic Center on Factory Street.
I would like to provide a brief overview of what brought us here tonight. Through intelligent and conservative fiscal planning by our former administration, meticulous reporting and oversight by our Finance Director, Kristen Benoit, responsible budgeting and responsive operational plans by our Department Heads and employees, the Town of West Warwick has taken some great strides over the past few years. After a near fiscal disaster in 2017, we have operated more efficiently and ended the subsequent years with surpluses. We have fully funded our “ARC” or Annual Required Contribution in a sincere long-term effort to restore our pension system to a properly funded level as we transition to the State’s retirement system in July. We have worked hard to maintain appropriate levels of public services and address shortcomings as quickly as possible. We continue to create better municipal employee standards and benefit offerings to be able to attract and maintain the best qualified candidates available. We have restored our Emergency Reserves or Fund Balance Account to a level that can mitigate emergencies. And we have slowly infused funding to address the Town’s many crumbling infrastructure and service equipment needs.
The FY2023 budget process started last Fall amid the pandemic. Facing a great deal of uncertainty, our Department Heads were instructed to be responsible stewards of the funding that they were about to request and to be prepared to explain how the funds were to be used to address Department goals. Finance Director Benoit continuously updated the Town’s financial picture and we worked together on the Town Manager’s Proposed budget that was presented back in mid-March. We had two public workshops at which each Department Head explained their goals and financial needs. The Town Council reviewed the submissions and approved this proposal based upon their priorities after the two public hearings in April. Negative fiscal impacts on the Town due to Covid have been minimal. We have had some overtime replacement costs, increased expenses for proper cleaning and disinfection of Town facilities, slight loss of some anticipated revenues, and some technology expenses to be able to provide for Zoom meetings, online public access for some services, and remote access workstations. Many of these costs have been or will be reimbursed through designated federal Covid funding.
We have received federal funds related to the American Rescue Plan Act designed to help communities recover from the disastrous financial and societal effects of the pandemic. We have NOT factored this funding, totaling approximately $8.6 million dollars, explicitly into this proposed Town operating budget. I want to reiterate that we do NOT plan to use American Rescue Plan funds to offset our operating budgets thereby creating future structural deficits. The original federal guidance on the American Rescue Plan funds sought to promote water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure improvements, recovery of lost revenue due to Covid, numerous community grant opportunities, and Essential Worker pay stipends. Updated guidance in the Final Rule from the Department of Treasury, has allowed communities to elect to use up to $10 million dollars in the Revenue Loss category, thereby lessening the restrictions on the appropriate use of the funds.
We have committed some ARPA funds to offset employee Covid related health expenses, essential worker pay, AV upgrades to the Council Chambers, replacement of emergency response and inspection vehicles, strengthening of the Town’s IT and cybersecurity infrastructure, salary of the Police Navigator/Clinician, clarifier and boiler infrastructure replacement at the Wastewater facility, LED lighting at several ball parks, and reconstruction and irrigation of several ball parks around Town. We plan to continue to make improvements to our various recreation facilities, vetting proposals from our community caretaking partners, and making significant infrastructure improvements to the Town and our equipment with our remaining funds over the next two years.
Due to the hard work of the Town Council and our professional staff, and input from interested members of the public, the Fiscal Year 2023 budget is calling for a minimal levy increase while maintaining the public services expected of our taxpayers. As a result of the recent property revaluation process, tax rates are expected to decrease between 5 and 34% depending on the property category. The revaluation process makes it difficult to compare apples to apples and easily show the taxpayer what the net effect this budget will have on their wallet. For example, Residential single owner-occupied properties will see a 22% decrease in their tax rate: dropping from $23.00 to $18.04 per $1000 of value. This equates to approximately 55% of our residents realizing a decrease in this coming year’s tax bill.
Additional highlights of the FY2023 budget proposal include:
-the total budget increase is $1,442,399, which includes $422,972 in municipal expenses, $500,000 in increased local school appropriation, and $519,426 for School State Aid pass through appropriation
-the levy increase is 1.96% or $1,288,795
-the increase in tax dollars budgeted is $1,268,334. The State has maintained the restoration of our distressed communities aid and we expect to receive $1,063,602 in FY2023.
-we have budgeted $164,040 for Capital Improvements to include public safety equipment, a forklift, a pipe inspection camera, and facility and IT maintenance and upgrades.
-100% of our recommended Annual Required Contribution for the pension plan will be made
-our projected tax collection rate will remain at 96.8%
-and NO planned use of our Fund Balance (Reserve Fund) in this budget
I invite you to join us on this journey of continuing improvements to our Town and respectfully request that you come out on Thursday for 15 minutes and join me in voting YES to approve this budget. Thank you for your time and attention.
6. PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.
7. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION made by J. Messier, second by D. Gosselin to adjourn at 7:19 P.M. All Ayes
Respectfully submitted,
Sarah S. Rapose, CMC
Town Clerk