1.    5:33 P.M.  CALL TO ORDER

 

Present:   Pres. Morrone

                Councilors LaPietra, Overton, Scialabba, Cordio, Aiello

                T. Mgr. Lacey, Co. Clk. LeBlanc

 

        Absent:    Vice Pres. Lowther

                        T. Sol. Conley

                        T. Sgt. Falcone

               

        Also Present:   M. Davy, Assistant Town Manager

                                Cindy Kirchhoff, Acting Finance Director

 

 

2.    PUBLIC HEARING (Adv. on 4/5/23 & 4/12/23 for this time)

 

        a.    Proposed FY2023/2024 Budget for adoption

 

Motion by Mr. Aiello, Seconded by Mr. Overton, that the public hearing be opened.  (Voted Unanimously)

 

     Participants:  Ruth Tureckova, Executive Director, Olean Center – re: Thanked the Town Council and the people of the community to make this an inclusive community for the people served at the Olean Center; re: Supports funding for the Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce; Lisa Konicki, President, Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce – re: Thanked Council and Town Manager for level-funding the Chamber’s subsidy; corrected misinformation made about the Chamber during budget workshops; James Torres, 19 Salt Pond Way, Chair, Economic Development Commission – re: Thanked Council for supporting the Economic Development Commission’s funding request; re: Economic Development Commission works collaboratively with the Chamber and supports the organization; Patrick Lynch, 7 Cadbury Lane – re: Supports the Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce and their untiring efforts for the community

 

     It was the consensus of the majority of the Council that $100 be taken from Town Manager Contingency Account 01010601-504089 to increase Account 01010101-501161 – Town Sergeant to $3,300.  (Councilor Lowther absent)

 

     It was the consensus of the majority of the Council for next year’s budget cycle to identify in the budget documents (preferably in the spreadsheets) which accounts have funds that rollover from year to year, building up a balance, with that balance also being shown in the documents; and to identify which accounts do not rollover, but rather zero out.  (Councilor Lowther absent)

 

     *It was the consensus of the majority of the Council to authorize up to $500,000 from current year Town surplus to be used for the Westerly Public School synthetic turf capital project at the Westerly High School Augeri Field, contingent on the balance of funding being fully obtained, and from sources other than the municipality, and the Town funds shall not be released for use until the Augeri Field synthetic turf project is approved by the WPS School Committee and is 100% funded; and the Town funds shall be placed in a Town Restricted Account at a proper time to be determined, and if the project doesn’t proceed during the fiscal year, the Town’s commitment shall cease and the Town funds shall automatically become uncommitted and available for other Town projects.  Any future requests will start anew.  (Councilor Lowther absent)  (*Reference Town Council Resolution 22/23-56, adopted on 3/20/2023)

 

Motion by Mr. Aiello, Seconded by Ms. Cordio, that the public hearing be closed.  (Voted Unanimously)

 

Motion by Ms. Scialabba, Seconded by Mr. Aiello, that the FY2023/2024 General Government Budget, as presented by the Finance Board and as further adjusted by the Town Council, along with the budget resolutions included within, be adopted.  (Voted Unanimously)

 

 

3.    ADJOURNMENT

 

        6:16 P.M.  Voted Unanimously to adjourn.

 

ATTEST:
	Mary L. LeBlanc, MMC Council Clerk

 

Details of the aforesaid proceedings are available on video on the Town of Westerly website.