North Kingstown Town Council Budget Hearing - April 19, 2023
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North Kingstown Town Council Budget Hearing - April 19, 2023
This public hearing focused on the Town Council's preliminary adopted budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, split into a municipal budget presentation at 6:30 PM and a school budget presentation at 7:00 PM. The town manager presented the municipal budget, and the school committee chair and interim superintendent presented the school budget. Public comments were received on both portions. The council will deliberate and consider adoption at the next meeting on April 24, 2023.
Public Comments & Testimony
- George Silver (resident for 55 years, age 98) requested a freeze on property taxes for senior homeowners, leaving the age limit to the council.
- Richard Welch (resident since 1974, former school committee chair) expressed opposition to additional school funding, stating the school department is an "embarrassment" and criticizing unfilled positions, signing bonuses, and high teacher compensation.
- Ricky Thompson questioned the planned use of $1.25 million from the undesignated fund (rainy day fund), arguing it violates the town's fund balance policy (8–15% ceiling). Town manager Ralph Mollis responded that the policy ceiling is 15% (about $17 million) and the current unrestricted balance of $13.3 million is well below that, and the one-time use is appropriate.
- Tom Schaeffer supported mental health funding in schools, citing personal loss to student suicide in his son's class.
- Ann Gertman expressed gratitude for school staff and support for the mental health line items in the school budget.
- Lise Felice (health professional) supported the mental health and special education increases, acknowledging the challenges of staffing and learning gaps.
Discussion Items
- Municipal Budget Presentation: Town manager Ralph Mollis presented a total budget of $129,833,960, with a general fund of $117,516,757 (funded by taxes, state aid, departmental revenue, etc.) and enterprise funds of $12,317,209 (funded by users). Key points: a proposed 2% tax increase, use of $3.5 million in OPEB, fund balance, and restricted accounts for one-time initiatives (road paving, police officers, AEDs, pickleball courts, etc.). Fund balance has grown from $10 million in 2017 to $19.8 million (unrestricted $13.3 million). The budget includes $700,000 for road paving, two additional police officers, and senior center repairs.
- School Budget Presentation: Superintendent Frank Pallada and School Committee Chair Aaron Earl presented a budget request of $2,252,907 increase (3.934%) from the town, totaling approximately $76 million. 97% of costs are fixed; 3% discretionary (supplies). Additions include 4.2 FTE teachers (two school psychologists, one PE/health, one special education resource teacher). Enrollment down by 41 students (primarily from Jamestown). The district lacked a financial director for six months; further challenges include ESSER funding expiring and pandemic-related learning loss and mental health needs.
- Read-Only Access MOU: Council member Katherine Anderson inquired about read-only access to school finances for the town. Town manager noted an MOU previously existed but access was revoked when the school began independent accounting. Chair Earl committed to revisiting the issue with new leadership (superintendent and finance director).
- Tuition & Jamestown Contract: Council member Larry Mandel questioned why out-of-district tuition revenue was flat despite likely cost increases. Controller Elle Phoenix explained the Jamestown contract is complex with exclusions; revised projections now show over $200,000 less than budgeted. The district hopes to attract other tuition students to offset.
- IDEA Funding: Council member McCoy asked if IDEA covers all special education costs; it was clarified that IDEA covers only a portion, with the rest funded through the general fund.
Key Outcomes
- The meeting was a public hearing only; no votes were taken.
- The council will deliberate and potentially adopt the preliminary budget at the next meeting on April 24, 2023.
- The school committee chair committed to revisiting the MOU on read-only access with the new superintendent and finance director.
- Council encouraged continued advocacy to the state for mental health funding and staffing support.
- The town manager clarified that the use of fund balance for one-time initiatives does not violate the fund balance policy, as the unrestricted balance remains within the 8–15% threshold.
Meeting Transcript
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.
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