Brandon.

Good.

Sorry.

Good evening.

I'd like to call this meeting to order.

For Wednesday, April 19th, 2020 2023 Town Council meeting, pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws 42-46-6C.

Notice of this meeting has been posted on the Secretary of State's website.

After we salute the flag, I'd like to ask us to take a moment of silence and keep two people in our thoughts.

She went to North Kingstown High School.

By all accounts, she was a wonderful, strong, positive, beautiful, and compassionate person who gave generously to her community.

And she did so as a social worker.

Town sympathizes with her family for the census act to this wonderful human being.

Katie, I don't know how this would affect you, but I know that the work you do in your profession and those of your colleagues is so important to our community.

So to have something like this happen is going to be uh particularly hit, particularly it's going to hit home with you.

So I want you to know that I and I think our community appreciates the the hard work and the important work that your uh colleagues and yourself do as social workers.

Um I'd also like to comment on um or like to acknowledge the passing of longtime State Senator Mary Allen Goodwin.

I personally knew Mary Allen for over 20 years, and she was a sincere person.

She's a good person and a great advocate for a community and for the state of Rhode Island.

Both Senator Valverde and Senator DiMario knew Mary Allen also.

Senator Vavardi uh said that Mary Ellen was the best.

She had a smile and a smart remark for everybody.

Senator Mario said it's been an honor to serve her, and it has been an honor for all of us.

Mary Ellen Goodman was 58 years old.

Ask you to join me with a Sutzla flag and a moment of silence.

Thank you.

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

Thank you, everybody.

Thank you for indulging me.

So before we start tonight's agenda, I I I want to give a shout out to Fire Chief Cattell and the Fire Department for just their dedication to their profession and to our community and quite frankly to our neighboring communities.

By all accounts, their actions really saved homes, possibly saved lives, but really were critical to uh stopping the uh vast fire that was an exeter last week.

Uh it's my understanding that the uh our chief actually led the governor on a tour to see the damage that happened in Exeter.

And um I I think I can speak for everyone of the council that we are so proud of the chief uh and we are so proud of our fire department uh because really what they did um you can't put a price tag on uh for uh how they stepped up.

So with that, I'd like to turn to tonight's agenda.

Uh and tonight's agenda is really a public hearing on the town's preliminary municipal budget and on the school budget.

Um before we do hear uh from the public uh on our draft preliminary budget for the municipal budget, excuse me, the town manager will make a brief presentation.

Uh and then we would like to hear from you, the public.

Uh after that, at 7 o'clock, we will uh uh hear a brief presentation from the school department and school committee on their budget.

And uh and then once they are completed, again, we would like to hear public input.

Our community should know that prior to tonight, our town manager worked with each of the department heads over several months to develop draft budgets.

In all day set public sessions with the town council held on March 16th, and that was continued on March 20th.

Each department of town government and the school committee presented their proposed budgets to the town council.

Uh individual members of the town council asked numerous questions throughout this process.

And after all the departments and the school committee uh made their presentation, the council decided to unanimously adopt the preliminary budget uh as presented by the town manager.

But tonight's your chance to hear uh what you we want to hear what you have to say.

We do ask that you keep your comments in three minutes.

Uh if you have additional comments after the three minutes, we welcome them, but please submit them in writing to the town clerk or manager before our next meeting.

Our next meeting is on April 24th, and at that meeting, uh we will deliberate uh on the preliminary budget and and incorporate the public input and we will consider the budget.

We may or may not adopt the budget, although past practice uh of this council and previous councils, uh we usually do adopt the budget.

So, with that, I don't know, does anyone in the council have any comment?

Thank you.

Uh Mr.

Town Manager.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

So good evening.

In accordance with the town charter, uh tonight we are holding the public hearing on the fiscal year 2023-2024 budget, and the school department budget public hearing will be at 7 o'clock.

Um the council president gave the detailed list of the busy times we have had since the March 13th public presentation of the budget, followed by meetings with our department heads, um, followed by the adoption of the preliminary budget, the advertising of the preliminary budget, and now tonight's public hearing, where the public gets the opportunity to ask questions on the budget.

Um I will be having a very brief slide show to go along with my very brief comments before we open it up to the public.

But I do want to take a minute to thank our department heads who are all in attendance this evening.

You know, through their efforts, we've done a great job of of of a manner of conducting business, um, improving the services, uh, beneficient in ensuring that the services that we provide to our residents are at the level that they have come to expect.