[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6562316,"mediaKeyId","3276856-e6d98b8deeebf7e22edc71d879cd5dd2","parentId",3276856,"title","CBIZ presents draft FY2023 audit; auditors flag internal-control weaknesses and clarify fund-balance items","audioSeconds",1957,"startMs",2708000,"endMs",4665000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3276856-e6d98b8deeebf7e22edc71d879cd5dd2&start=2708&end=4665","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3276856-e6d98b8deeebf7e22edc71d879cd5dd2/thumbnail_2708000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6562316/Woonsocket-City/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/CBIZ-presents-draft-FY2023-audit-auditors-flag-internal-control-weaknesses-and-clarify-fund-balance-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562316-8d4bbdad49eac27c01943bacfd1b16c9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165713&Signature=o4EJnXLDrvHfeSk6-WRGbWJFyyUmRit048ydxHNt118wFjXTCloQ4bk8VHQDz0xFnA0ov1mR7GdpUIEqORbX-EivdpDlldijnEMbQGAYb-WN-9PeIwke5CHYq1vTCWZacT2Bs2Y32zXvFp6RR5ohStFzQYCDSFuLhd0FS9Q~X1nHoT6NcvQM2nhDy6lTdmAxwIwOrd-i-V2Gn0Ca4ht-ogiwUgGRmhtKLGn2O5JPR4q2RGO2wF1kV0VsCR-xhRVJ6Kyx8WIN4vxXqbFzmQ36GmbPPuxjLxcXj4fnrVhZJTLrhuggOshMB~IF8-ni5CuCvtKQtg9w-3l7mjcRmwHkVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Woonsocket, RI","date","2025-05-12T22:55:31Z","article","CBIZ auditor Jim Wilkinson presented the draft fiscal-year 2023 audit to the Woonsocket City Council on May 12, 2025, saying the financials were largely accurate but that a few line-item reclassifications and internal-control improvements are needed before finalization.

Wilkinson told the council the draft shows a general-fund increase in fund balance of about $275,000 for the year but noted the unassigned fund-balance number in the draft ($9,900,000) will be parsed into restrictions and encumbrances before the statements are finalized. He described the draft as a near-final product that still requires coordination with city and school management and with state reporting requirements.

\"Largely, the numbers that were presented to us for audit were correct and not require adjustment,\" Wilkinson said. He also flagged internal-control deficiencies tied to year-end closing procedures and IT user controls and recommended more timely reconciliations and a stronger segregation of duties in the city's cloud-based ERP systems.

Key points from the presentation and council discussion:

- Fund balances and revenues: The draft reported general-fund revenues of about $81.4 million and noted that property-tax revenue was lower than the prior year partly because motor-vehicle tax collections moved through state aid in that period. Wilkinson said the unassigned fund-balance figure would be reclassified to account for encumbrances and legally restricted amounts before final issuance.

- ARPA and other federal funds: The draft shows approximately $30 million of unspent federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds at year-end, with $5.4 million expended during the year. Auditors noted federal rules govern the allowable uses and obligation deadlines.

- Enterprise and other funds: The water, regional wastewater and user-charge funds showed modest increases in net positions in the draft; the school lunch fund had a modest decrease and remains within federal guidelines for fund balance.

- Pension and OPEB: The standalone pension plan decreased net position by about $3.29 million to an ending net position of roughly $21.5 million at June 30, 2023. Wilkinson noted an estimated net pension liability of about $50 million and emphasized the need for continued actuarially required contributions. Auditors reviewed the discount-rate assumption and called for adherence to periodic actuarial experience studies.

- Internal-control findings: The draft will include material weaknesses related to IT (user privileges and third-party SaaS controls) and recommendations for more robust monthly reconciliations and a documented year-end close schedule. Wilkinson urged management to review third-party control reports and to restrict administrative privileges to IT staff to reduce incompatible duties.

Council members asked when the audit would be finalized and submitted to the state. Wilkinson said the report is going through review and that the administration would work with auditors to submit the municipal transparency portal schedules to the State Department of Administration. He and staff also discussed planning for the FY2024 audit and issuing an RFP for FY2025 audit services.

Next steps: CBIZ will prepare a final draft with required reclassifications and formal findings; management will supply responses and corrective-action plans; the draft will be finalized for council acceptance and state filing. Wilkinson said auditors could return for a follow-up presentation once the final report and management responses are prepared.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Special Meeting - May 12th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","CBIZ auditor Jim Wilkinson presented the draft fiscal-year 2023 audit to the Woonsocket City Council on May 12, 2025, saying the financials were largely accurate but that a few line-item reclassifications and internal-control improvements are needed before finalization.","taxTitle","Woonsocket City , Providence County, Rhode Island","taxId",52804,"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},6562321,"Woonsocket council reviews ordinance to adopt state building and property-maintenance codes and speed enforcement",2592,89000,2681000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3276856-e6d98b8deeebf7e22edc71d879cd5dd2&start=89&end=2681","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3276856-e6d98b8deeebf7e22edc71d879cd5dd2/thumbnail_89000.jpg","/articles/6562321/Woonsocket-City/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Woonsocket-council-reviews-ordinance-to-adopt-state-building-and-property-maintenance-codes-and-speed-enforcement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562321-19558c2523dcef1000bb6915a8e9861b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165713&Signature=Bl-YFD24Re3KSPQ4o-812JzhGhJhy2Q-wVIO1vgNLlMPOD5BUeA0V~O8jRd-UTxXIEBs9lrjRlqQyEDxqY6Vl~POPoZrzj-9C40ZAnmCDSf-vBqr6jNGNYuApDB8iieWDx~-pb4Dqx1xCuH142P-PSZZngq-R1bIwJpRz~cpW8oNnNNhHid6V6xLKFAy4jXE2w4XElbn6XIkKmfUi8mf4mMdEiQhcbhyOfLb~a8ShwXz7tLnKy5OjDlaRGF2f8Thcojx-XhPzJH-ToCHrCnOkPNHV8sjJPKDr~SygC-SIXinrKaJuvkb2OzXzq5a~iZzuSbA2XizuhzgbA~CBN-z-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Woonsocket City Council on Monday, May 12, 2025, heard a lengthy discussion of a draft ordinance to formally adopt the Rhode Island State building code and the state property-maintenance code and to change how the city processes and enforces violations.

Council members were told the changes would update references to outdated codes, bring local fees into alignment with state law and create a faster administrative enforcement track intended to get housing repairs done more quickly for tenants.

Council members and city staff said the current process often sends cases directly to housing court and can take months or years to resolve, leaving tenants in substandard conditions. The draft ordinance would add an administratively managed warning-letter step and shorten some notice windows so enforcement moves more quickly, city officials said.

\"These are the residents who don't have the resources to represent themselves,\" said Ted Isabella, Woonsocket building official. \"What we're looking to do is help the residents who reside in these apartments that may have rats, mold, no hot water, no heat, and months is unacceptable.\" He said the department will use warnings, notices and, when needed, civil penalties to motivate compliance.

Under current practice described to the council, a property owner can receive a first and second notice and typically is given 30 days for each step. Staff said the proposed process will allow the city to use shorter timelines in some circumstances\u0000for example, notice periods as short as 10 days in non-emergency matters\u0000and to issue emergency orders with much shorter cure periods where life-safety issues (no heat or hot water, for example) are present. Staff said the precise timing and appeal procedures will be codified in the administrative policy that will accompany the ordinance.

City staff told the council a warning letter would be issued initially and that, when appropriate, notices would also be sent to mortgagees to encourage remedial action through mortgage servicers. Staff also cited the civil-penalty authority in state law, which the presentation said allows fines of $50 per day, per violation, when penalties are imposed.

Isabella gave an example of using the department's current emergency authority: he said he ordered a landlord to bring a five-unit building into compliance and required permits and upgrades; after being told to comply, the owner filed permits within 24 to 48 hours and work proceeded. \"You got 48 hours. I don't see a permit in the system\u0000then I had a permit in the system in 24,\" Isabella said.

Some council members said they support faster enforcement but asked for tighter guardrails to prevent overreach by future inspectors. Councilwoman Fox said she supports the goal of improving housing and fair-housing standards but urged clearer limits on inspector discretion and better notice to homeowners doing innocent, small projects. \"I really appreciate that part of the intention in bringing this to us is to improve fair housing standards in our city when it comes to things like mold and pests, rodents,\" Fox said.

Other concerns raised included the potential for an inspector to issue enforcement notices late on a Friday and create undue hardship over a weekend, and how routine homeowner repairs (for example, installing a drop ceiling) would be treated when permit requirements are unclear. Staff responded that the draft ordinance is intended to align municipal language with the state codebooks, and that the department plans to publish clear online guidance and to use warning letters and extensions liberally for homeowners who reach out to the department.

Procedure: Councilwoman Gonzales moved and Councilman Kenoyer seconded a motion to take the item out of order; the motion passed on a voice vote. No final vote on the ordinance itself was recorded at the meeting.

Next steps: Staff said they will prepare the implementing administrative policy that will specify notice timelines, appeal channels (initial appeals to the building official with further appeal to the state building board), and other procedural details; the ordinance will return to the council for further consideration after staff and legal review.","The Woonsocket City Council discussed a draft ordinance to adopt Rhode Island\u0000State building and property-maintenance codes, align local fees with state law and streamline enforcement to shorten timelines for housing violations. Council members raised concerns about inspector discretion and homeowner impacts; no final vote was taken.","actionData","errors"]

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CBIZ presents draft FY2023 audit; auditors flag internal-control weaknesses and clarify fund-balance items

Woonsocket council reviews ordinance to adopt state building and property-maintenance codes and speed enforcement