[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6611694,"mediaKeyId","2893089-ade7395440ce229918f76b612ac4bcc0","parentId",2893089,"title","Council ratifies MOA clarifying OPEB contribution calculation; change trims longevity from base for municipal employees","audioSeconds",345,"startMs",2995000,"endMs",3340000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2893089-ade7395440ce229918f76b612ac4bcc0&start=2995&end=3340","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2893089-ade7395440ce229918f76b612ac4bcc0/thumbnail_2995000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6611694/Warwick-City/Kent-County/Rhode-Island/Council-ratifies-MOA-clarifying-OPEB-contribution-calculation-change-trims-longevity-from-base-for-municipal-employees","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6611694-d7589aefad9d7c15f0fd124f493c2105/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184763&Signature=MNfSRzVlr44zRJvgSe3HTWGLYj6gAuUomHdcB72AIkYB439a61ic8UkKtjZm7dVKK-PJyQwg5EqP1R0ZGXEARfsHf4Nx1PmD88kt3TIEHXQ6rrd0~5J5NxheIPJh5OH-ZE~4~XCHur3Ys2ZXaGitzu8Q5XxkPfaRq-K6RAUHAuE7DT4sZ-epurA~psFos89xtbiQa36dbak49V1QxqkEp1QdVBzeMQvRkntsS~DdzbYJw~oGEn7TU2uN9XEpya5AwDLZPQxbEjuW8pTTZdGFfBkwppmATPdAkUMGH0pBJxkdT4Bb~W4xcp2XidoWgnMJHV4RHfOC2j6-~0djpilOow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Warwick","date","2025-04-08T01:22:36.24Z","article","The Warwick City Council approved a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to clarify contract language governing employee contributions to the city’s Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) trust.

Lynn Prodger, presenting the MOA, told the council the change clarifies that municipal employee contributions to OPEB should be calculated using base pay and should not include longevity. She estimated the budgetary effect would be about $4,000 in fiscal 2025, $14,000 in fiscal 2026 and about $23,000 in fiscal 2027; she described those amounts as immaterial to the OPEB trust fund.

Council members discussed parity and historic bargaining positions: one councilor said the change aligns contract language across groups and fixes a drafting error; others warned it does not reflect full total compensation but supported making the correction so municipal employees would not be treated differently.

Action taken: the council voted in favor of PCR 41-25 to ratify the MOA clarifying the calculation methodology for municipal contributions to the OPEB trust.

What it does not do: the MOA does not increase contribution percentages or alter the substantive OPEB plan benefits; it clarifies the salary base used to calculate employee contributions by excluding longevity in the municipal classification language at issue.

Next steps: the MOA is ratified and staff will implement the clarified calculation in payroll and OPEB trust accounting going forward.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Warwick City Council Meeting - 4.07.25","oneSentenceSummary","The council ratified a memorandum of agreement clarifying how employee contributions to the city’s Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) trust are calculated, removing longevity pay from the calculation for municipal employees and estimating modest fiscal differences over three years.","taxTitle","Warwick City, Kent County, Rhode Island","taxId",4566,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6611699,"Council holds Harper Street abandonment, approves Old Quaker Lane partial abandonment after easement change",2895,3605000,6500000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2893089-ade7395440ce229918f76b612ac4bcc0&start=3605&end=6500","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2893089-ade7395440ce229918f76b612ac4bcc0/thumbnail_3605000.jpg","/articles/6611699/Warwick-City/Kent-County/Rhode-Island/Council-holds-Harper-Street-abandonment-approves-Old-Quaker-Lane-partial-abandonment-after-easement-change","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6611699-72ebd831bf4370559ad2dfaa002fa363/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184763&Signature=obQaJOylRsI8sXv70hR8ViX3rVQea~qmWNcGIsFLfptzJNn2Urz4qbKt5MT0EbR0uz-QsKmemXlLI-w95f1rONwF1z~qeHADR5yHL5mFSMEcie0dnx3Ma5ZOwvvoxNjcsUHbeNb6ZN8kTvSC2LQYB~QqHiyn5V48ROqnqatIlOGD~ElPiVq5fHkHa80nkx0VRvLiLg3Q0uOTlDTD5Bnt8ou5YWGb5NpGTfgwmISRktVzWSXzxG~MhA8oTu0uxIXQOqVf~veLjAlTA8glemBvVHXKKEQAQmunQhTTmP2GKaFT8CaYZoUZZCkoMHgQeUEsyqfxdS5cpoFEH33mx-P~3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Warwick City Council opened public hearings on two separate street-abandonment petitions from the Public Properties, Land Use and Community Affairs Committee and took different actions on each.

Harper Street: the council held the Harper Street abandonment petition until the May 5 meeting after petitioners and city staff identified a disagreement over a recommended perpetual utility easement that engineering had asked to retain. Attorney John C. Revans, representing the abutters, told the council the petitioners had paid an appraised fee based on a clean fee simple appraisal and that a perpetual easement would reduce the property’s value and “we wouldn't be interested in the property with that kind of a restriction on it.” Planning director Tom Kravitz said engineering had included a standard recommendation to retain a perpetual easement for future utilities, and acknowledged the memo reached applicants through the planning process; engineering had noted the comment in a May 2024 memorandum.

Council members said the discrepancy warranted additional time for the applicant and city staff to reconcile valuation and easement language before the council acted. The council voted to hold the Harper Street matter to the May 5 meeting so both sides could confirm whether the city would insist on retaining a perpetual utility easement and, if so, whether the appraisal and purchase price should be revisited.

Old Quaker Lane: petitioners for a small partial abandonment adjacent to Old Quaker Lane sought to purchase a small parcel used by a nearby business. The petitioner’s counsel said the appraiser and purchase agreement assumed a fee-simple conveyance without a blanket easement; planning staff recommended the petition move forward but city engineering again suggested retaining a perpetual easement. Council discussion noted this was a partial abandonment that would not affect the paved travelway. The petitioner said the parcel was needed to site a small structure for an environmentally upgraded car wash.

Council members amended the abandonment order to remove the perpetual utility-easement clause (item 6 in the draft order). The amended abandonment then passed first passage on a roll-call vote recorded as eight yes votes for favorable action as amended.

Why it matters: both matters involve permanent changes to rights of way and transfer of municipal land. The Harper Street case was held to allow the city and petitioners to reconcile the appraisal basis with the city’s requested easement. In the Old Quaker Lane case, council members accepted staff assurances that the partial abandonment would not compromise the roadway or nearby drainage and removed the blanket-easement reservation so the petitioner could proceed with the intended improvement.

Next steps: Harper Street will return to the council May 5 with updated staff-applicant discussions; Old Quaker Lane advances to subsequent council action as an amended abandonment order.","After public hearings, the council held the Harper Street abandonment to allow city staff and petitioners to reconcile a disputed permanent utility easement; a separate Old Quaker Lane partial-abandonment was passed in amended form with a city easement clause removed.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6611702,"Finance committee advances bid package including landfill, billing, rink and facility contracts",2665,335000,3000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2893089-ade7395440ce229918f76b612ac4bcc0&start=335&end=3000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2893089-ade7395440ce229918f76b612ac4bcc0/thumbnail_335000.jpg","/articles/6611702/Warwick-City/Kent-County/Rhode-Island/Finance-committee-advances-bid-package-including-landfill-billing-rink-and-facility-contracts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6611702-72c00f5da0db84dfb129a41369f4f498/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184763&Signature=Uc72js7gICeaMVqULIk1GEjYTiu~-6fVr6PMaRYqO1VS2dcw765-Wy7bBtiZoShPaA3iQg4lZaAdaTPVatInvnsU3oU-dlN3Mi9SiaheU9g7TU2DAFxg1F5~sfRQrmzbgyTFrmnZBEoqhrmgXBtWS5yxr8EjcOOmEXSCPaIJpq44~mJowkGrrJfF2ZZiAi0qJu8siEmUwWRGt5RheMEStVa7NuOU1jvi2xmk0xtBR4t1dmH~U6td8c4UsNvFF73PBh9N~hQKCXBaajSW1DmlLwTLX5RuOY5ZMxYtIWRVAIv0NkYllHiwE3XBzkqFO~AFYK~Pm1753mw4mu3rbe3F0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Warwick City Council finance committee approved a multi-item bid package covering equipment, maintenance and service contracts across public works, tax collection, parks and recreation and the fire department.

Highlights: public works requested awarding a landfill agreement in the amount of $4,200,000 to cover fiscal years 2026 and 2027; the tax collector’s office requested a two-year turnkey contract for printing and mailing water, sewer and tax bills to D3 Inc. for $230,000; Dynamic Sports Construction was selected under a cooperative contract to resurface school tennis courts for $168,428; and maintenance and repair caps were approved for ice-plant compressors and other municipal equipment.

Landfill contract and recycling costs: Public works’ Christie Moretti told the committee the city is requesting an award for the landfill agreement covering fiscal years ’26 and ’27 “in the amount of $4,200,000.” Committee members asked about contamination-related rejected recycling loads; Moretti said the city logged 47 rejected loads billed at the regular trash rate and charged $250 per rejected-load fee, and that rejected loads had been billed at the trash rate of $63 per ton.

Billing contract: Kyla Jones, tax collector, said D3 Inc. was the lone bidder but has worked with Warwick for 15 nonconsecutive years. The total $230,000 request was broken into printing and postage lines: $25,000 from the tax account for tax printing, $45,000 for utility printing and $160,000 estimated postage for two years.

Other awards and caps: Christie Moretti presented multiple maintenance contracts including a $75,000 award for annual maintenance and repair of rink compressors, a $2,910.95 parts purchase (alternator) for Engine 11 and HVAC filter contracts. A resurfacing contract for school tennis courts was presented and explained as a binder repair and resurfacing rather than a full reconstruction; the vendor’s documents note that crack repairs are temporary and not warrantied.

Voting and process: The committee approved the bid package by voice vote after members asked detailed questions about warranty, parts, single bidders and grant eligibility. Individual roll-call tallies were not recorded in the committee discussion transcript for the bid package itself; committee minutes show the chair moved for favorable action and members answered “Aye.”

What’s next: items approved in the committee’s bid package move forward for any necessary council approvals and contract execution. Several items were pulled for individual consideration during committee review and will be processed as required by procurement rules.","The finance committee voted to approve a multi-item bid package that included a $4.2 million landfill agreement, a $230,000 turnkey printing and mailing contract for water/sewer/tax bills, resurfacing of school tennis courts and several maintenance contracts; committee approved package by voice vote.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6611707,"Warwick to use federal grant to relocate, upgrade fire dispatch equipment; council approves extra spending",1129,841000,1970000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2893089-ade7395440ce229918f76b612ac4bcc0&start=841&end=1970","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2893089-ade7395440ce229918f76b612ac4bcc0/thumbnail_841000.jpg","/articles/6611707/Warwick-City/Kent-County/Rhode-Island/Warwick-to-use-federal-grant-to-relocate-upgrade-fire-dispatch-equipment-council-approves-extra-spending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6611707-a991880e8966213c00e85288095553fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184763&Signature=Xx3Y7v6tgZv8IApJ9JHyqNsSKMv~RXW6Q64CHCRCy9nBA4obBloZWzo326CnVQAb8~7aBvBMD~K4Sr8l-wC-mHQPeigDTS9L2vZY1jRsYL43ZxloEhgHQA5pDrVV7UN1PokQYPAvfgh6DqnPlUH43HRE4qNgUyTQGLLGuXQQIycR8uqWWvclBOe6X8F42KrXFqpzps0QdfY2lmShJ8-HkRmrz3bAowfkuH~Ry8e5z~ycLzbatVIpoDmLu9rLwX45DYkwpQYmd9xevsdh0-QwhVRAuSGeWqm9JM~HU9Lx0UEoslE~PSyjyRCOGZFD0XLt1-Fh0mPFCgrtpyNbWSiK6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Warwick City Council finance committee approved changes to two public-safety contracts to relocate and upgrade the fire department’s emergency communications equipment using a federal grant.

The changes increase Motorola Solutions’ spend authority by $604,392 to cover replacement and installation of communications hardware and software, and add $104,905.20 to purchase three specialized dispatcher consoles and related furniture. Assistant Chief Umben Howard told the committee the work is funded by a Department of Homeland Security grant that will reimburse 75% of eligible costs.

The memorandum of request presented to the committee said the federal portion of the $604,392 increase would reimburse $453,294 and the city would provide a 25% local match from the fire department budget. “The funding from this grama is 75% funded by the federal government,” Assistant Chief Umben Howard said during the committee presentation.

Why it matters: city officials said the existing dispatch center’s building is not suited to modern communications equipment and must be replaced. The upgrade will move communications to the Potawatomi Fire Station (station 10) and keep the same dispatch staff. “It’ll be the same personnel, same dispatchers. You’ll just move to a different location when it’s ready to go,” a fire department representative said.

Details and timeline: officials said the new center will be built, tested and fully operational at Potawatomi before the old Sandy Lane dispatch center is shut down to avoid any interruption in service. The project includes hardware, software, security updates and later purchases for consoles and furniture that form the dispatcher workstations. The committee was told Motorola’s pricing structure is set for public safety agencies and that local service and installation will be provided by Cybercom/Cyber Communications.

Discussion and safeguards: council members asked about grant reimbursement risks after recent national slowdowns in federal processing. The fire department said initial reimbursement requests had been paid; two recent requests were pending and believed delayed by federal staffing constraints. Committee members also pressed for clarity on warranties and the breakdown between equipment and services for grant accounting; the department provided a line-item breakdown to satisfy grant reporting.

Action taken: the finance committee moved the contract increases forward as part of its bid package; the city council later considered related budgetary approvals. The committee recorded the contract alterations as part of the bid package vote.

Next steps: staff will complete the implementation, move dispatch operations after the new facility is tested, and return to the council for any remaining procurement or capital items tied to the project.","The finance committee approved two contract increases — one for Motorola radio equipment and one for specialized dispatcher consoles and furniture — to complete relocation and upgrades to the city’s fire emergency communications center, funded largely by a Department of Homeland Security grant.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council ratifies MOA clarifying OPEB contribution calculation; change trims longevity from base for municipal employees

Council holds Harper Street abandonment, approves Old Quaker Lane partial abandonment after easement change

Finance committee advances bid package including landfill, billing, rink and facility contracts

Warwick to use federal grant to relocate, upgrade fire dispatch equipment; council approves extra spending