WEST WARWICK TOWN COUNCIL ACTING AS SEWER COMMISSION

PUBLIC HEARING FOR FY21 WWTF PROPOSED BUDGET

MEETING MINUTES

DATE:  TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021                         TIME:  6:30 P.M.

D.        Proposed WWTF FY22 Budget

·   The Wastewater Enterprise Fund budget for FY22 is $9,471,947 which is a 1.6% increase from FY21.

·   Usage Collections will remain set at $3.55 per hundred cubic foot for West Warwick and Regional reserve users for a 4000 cubic foot minimum charge per unit or edu.

·   Council President Gosselin stated that nothing is changing for the taxpayer.

·   Councilman Licciardi asked how the Town Council/Sewer Commission fees are calculated under the Admin Fees budget.  Ms. Benoit said it’s a percentage and she and Ms. Suvajian did make some changes to them.  She will work with Ms. Suvajian and Mr. Chapdelaine this summer to tweak it some more, possibly raise the collection clerk’s percentage to 30%.  She thinks the Town Council is at 5% or 10%.

·   Councilman Licciardi questioned the justification for these percentages.  He said the amount of time he spends working with the Sewer Department has increased substantially over the last 4 years and there has never been an increase in that percentage.  Ms. Benoit said she would need input from him to let her know how much time he’s working.  She suggested they meet to discuss it. 

·   Councilman Licciardi said he’s been asking for this for 2 years.  Ms. Benoit replied she emailed him about this last year and he never responded.  She said she and Ms. Suvajian did work on the Admin Fees budget and made some changes.

·   Councilman Licciardi talked about the positions listed in the Admin Fees budget and what their job duties are in reference to their contribution to the Sewer Department.  He would like to see a breakdown of these duties to justify the percentages being paid by the Sewer Department.

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