City Council

9 City of Taunton Municipal Council April 24, 2024 The Committee of the Whole The meeting was held at Taunton City Hall, 15 Summer Street, Taunton, MA 02780 in the Chester R. Martin Municipal Council Chambers. Councilors Present: Council President David Pottier Councilor Estele Borges Councilor Scott Martin Councilor Barry Sanders CJ Councilor Lawrence Quintal Councilor Jeffrey Postell ~ ~ -< Councilor Phillip Duarte -{ )> c: =- -0 ::0 o'.:l3 ;-f111 Councilor Kelly Dooner z w rrio r} -I :::of11 0 Cl :::r.:- -_,,. -I :z -< \.•1''- Councilors Absent: Councilor John McCaul ::r lJ or1 C"'} r- .,.,. p ,,o ..... ~-- I)? 'l n Also Present: Patrick Dello Russo, CFO :J:; c..n n Gill Enos, Budget Director 0 The meeting was called to order at 6:01 PM. 1. Meet with the Chief Financial Officer and Budget Director for the fiscal year 2025 budget hearing. Mr. Dello Russo gave thanks to everyone for their contributions to the budget preparation. He explained that they met with every department. This budget covers unfunded State mandates while remaining conservative. He touched on FY24 accomplishments and highlighted that the FY25 budget increases funding for schools and is an efficient, needs- based budget. There are no reductions in workforce. The total operational budget is $297,226, 756.01. The Council reviewed the budget by department. 111-Municipal Council Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 111 under advisement. So voted.  10 121-Mayor's Office Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 121 under advisement. So voted. 132 - Reserve Account Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 13 2 under advisement. So voted. 135 - Auditor Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 135 under advisement. So voted. 138 - Procurement Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 13 8 under advisement. So voted. 141-Assessors Office Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Martin to take the budget for department 141 under advisement. So voted. 144 - Foreclosures Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 144 under advisement. So voted. 145 - Treasurer/Collector Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Mr. Duarte to take the budget for department 145 under advisement. So voted. Committee of the ·whole BUDGET HEARING April 24, 2024 Page2ofll  11 147 -Tax Title Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budgets for department 147 under advisement. So voted. 151-Law Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 151 under advisement. So voted. 155 - Automation/IT Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 155 under advisement. So voted. 159 - Office Services Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 159 under advisement. So voted. 161-City Clerk Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 161 under advisement. So voted. 162 -Election/Registration Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Sanders to refer a part-time clerk to the supplemental budget. So voted Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 162 under advisement. So voted. 165 - License Commission Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 165 under advisement. So voted. Committee of the Whole BUDGET HEARING April 24, 2024 Page3 ofll  12 175 - Planning, Zoning, and Conservation Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 175 under advisement. So voted. 182-0ECD Mr. Duarte noted that HUD pays for percentages of certain employee salaries in this department. Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 182 under advisement. So voted. 192 - City Hall Maintenance Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 192 under advisement. So voted: 193 -Tax Possession Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 193 under advisement. So voted. 196 - Environmental Coordinator Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 196 under advisement. So voted. 197 - Parking Commission Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 197 under advisement. So voted. Committee of the Whole BUDGET HEARING April 24, 2024 Page4 ofll  13 210-Police Mr. Dello Russo noted that while there is reduction to the budget, there are no reductions in force. Rather, this is the result of fewer buyouts this year. Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 210 under advisement. So voted. 220-Fire Mr. Postell appreciated the preliminary talks to establish a ladder company. Mr. Sanders asked if this budget includes sufficient funding to fully staff a ladder company and Mr. Dello Russo explained that this will establish it and there will be a phased approach. Motion by Mr. Sanders and seconded by Ms. Borges to refer the staffing of the ladder company to the supplemental budget. So voted. Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 220 under advisement. So voted. 244 - Sealer Weights & Measures Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 244 under advisement. So voted. 291-TEMA Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Postell to invite Todd Castro to the Committee of the Whole for a presentation on the new things he's done in the department. So voted. Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget of department 291 under advisement. So voted. 292 - Animal Control Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 292 under advisement. So voted. Committee of the Ff/hole BUDGET HEARING April 24, 2024 Page 5 ofll  14 293 - Police and Traffic Signals Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 293 under advisement. So voted. 296 - Fish Warden Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 296 under advisement. So voted. 380 - Bristol Agricultural School Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 380 under advisement. So voted. 390 - Bristol Plymouth Technical High School Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 3 90 under advisement. So voted. 399 - Taunton Public Schools Motion by Mr. Sanders and seconded by Ms. Dooner to invite Superintendent Cabral and the School Committee to come in for a full presentation. So voted. 400 - DPW Administration Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 400 under advisement. So voted. 410-Engineering Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Postell to send a part-time clerk to the supplemental budget. So voted. Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Duarte to take the budget for department 410 under advisement. So voted. Committee of the FVhole BUDGET HEARING April 24, 2024 Page 6 ofll  15 421 - Oil and Road Construction Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 421 under advisement. So voted. 422-Streets and Ways Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 422 under advisement. So voted. 423 - Snow and Ice Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 423 under advisement. So voted. 424 - Street Lighting Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 424 under advisement. So voted. 433 - Trash Pickup Motion by Mr. Quintal and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 433 under advisement. So voted. 480 - Vehicle Maintenance Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 480 under advisement. So voted. 492 - Super/Public Buildings Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Quintal to take the budget for department 492 under advisement. So voted. Committee of the Whole BUDGET HEARING April 24, 2024 Page 7ofll  16 493 - Repairs, Public Buildings Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 493 under advisement. So voted. 496 - Public Buildings/A.D.A. Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Mr. Quintal to take the budget for department 496 under advisement. So voted. Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Mr. Quintal to take a recess at 7:19PM So voted. The Committee returned/ram recess at 7:26PM Water, Sewer, and Golf Enterprise Accounts Motion by Mr. Sanders and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the water budget under advisement. So voted. Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the sewer budget under advisement. So voted. Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the golf budget under advisement. So voted. 500 - Human Services Motion by Mr. Quintal and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 500 under advisement. So voted. 510-Board of Health Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget/or department 510 under advisement. So voted. 542 - Head Start Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 542 under advisement. So voted. Committee of the Whole BUDGET HEARING April 24, 2024 Page 8 ofll  17 543 - Veterans Services Motion by Mr. Quintal and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 543 under advisement. So voted. 548 - ADA Disabilities Commission Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 548 under advisement. So voted. 549 - Human Resources Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 549 under advisement. So voted. 610 - Library Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 610 under advisement. So voted. 630 - Parks & Recreation Motion by Mr. Quintal and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 630 under advisement. So voted. 650 - Airport Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 650 under advisement. So voted. 690 - Historical District Commission Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 690 under advisement. So voted. Committee of the FVhole BUDGET HEARING April 24, 2024 Page 9of11  18 695 - Cable Commission Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 695 under advisement. So voted. 696 - Municipal Access Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 696 under advisement. So voted. 710-Debt 751 - Interest/Long Term Debt 752 - Interest/Short Term Debt Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Postell to take Debt and Interest under advisement. So voted. 840-SRPEDD Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 840 under advisement. So voted. 910 -Retirement Benefits Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for department 910 under advisement. So voted. 913 - Unemployment Compensation Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Mr. Postell to take the budget for department 913 under advisement. So voted. 914 - Hospital/Group Insurance Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for department 914 under advisement. So voted. Committee of the Whole BUDGET HEARING April 24, 2024 Page 10 ofll  19 915 - Medicare 916 - Disability Retirement Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Dooner to take the budget for departments 914, 915, and 916 under advisement. So voted. 945 - Liability Insurance 946 - Claims/Damages Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Borges to take the budget for departments 945 and 946 under advisement. So voted. Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Borges to refer the total FY25 operational budget in the amount o/$297,226, 756.01 to the Full Council for a.first reading. So voted. Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Postell to adjourn the meeting at 8:08 PM So voted. List o{Documents and Other Exhibits Used: Presentation: Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget Budget Books FY2025 CITY OF TAUNTON Respectfully submitted, MAY 1'4 2024 Jt: · e.c'~ IN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL Ma~ Clerk of Council Committees PORTS ACCEPTED. RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED. NNIF ITYCLERK RL.~Glf­ Committee of the Whole BUDGET HEARING April 24, 2024 Page 11 ofll