[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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",6534978,"mediaKeyId","3445656-94786e63861d93e133d45b8a0afc09e4","parentId",3445656,"title","Pawtucket council OKs budget after tense debate; $500,000 for schools converted to one-time, MOU-backed grant","audioSeconds",5767,"startMs",2586000,"endMs",8353000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3445656-94786e63861d93e133d45b8a0afc09e4&start=2586&end=8353","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3445656-94786e63861d93e133d45b8a0afc09e4/thumbnail_2586000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6534978/Pawtucket/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Pawtucket-council-OKs-budget-after-tense-debate-500000-for-schools-converted-to-one-time-MOU-backed-grant","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6534978-a3908c8f6fa3d8c20e0fe3c003ef8f46/orig.mp4?Expires=1771091064&Signature=effsaMxy49feyd8JWfOlfKk0LC-9qCvqfPZcZ4QD-jmuCF0mJZcYjHyXDuu-eyDppUFrR3yrn2y4lrqzkvkkJTpc1tTa7bGiKjBgLu9NCJJRaAxYPcLNgcWa0y5FZe58C~op3ga7PILjERA~x2kuTSfozZQHouwxPYn6nWyf~fyAiWXzoO8LRGTrZStTfxw93Bu7PXuRym~kmxWPb3vlzlSB15wcN-YXgJT29c0AaT8TSizpfWeHx6804C-T7MvlK~P5igKJ9rQc4urxNstZFVxl4W8Llhwu6wljYsMVjg7B06Lzr05GRX~QFJgtH2pZj4sUYkNWQntX-NjhN6ErWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Pawtucket","date","2025-05-21T00:00:00Z","article","The Pawtucket City Council approved the mayor's 2025-26 operating budget after a prolonged public hearing and several amendment votes, adopting the mayor's proposed tax rate increase while converting a $500,000 school appropriation into a one-time grant contingent on a memorandum of understanding and regular reporting.

Public commenters, including two school social workers and the president of the Pawtucket Teachers Alliance, urged the council for a larger municipal contribution to the school department, citing caseloads, student trauma and staffing shortages. Ronald Bopry, identified in public comment as president of the Pawtucket Teachers Alliance and a fourth-grade teacher at Agnes Little Elementary School, said Pawtucket ranks near the bottom of Rhode Island districts for municipal funding and asked the council to increase local support for schools.

The budget process became sharply contested during the council's finance committee review. The mayor had requested permission from the state to exceed the municipal levy cap (commonly described in the meeting as the 4% cap) to cover rising debt service tied heavily to school construction. Finance Committee Chair Councilor Wildenhayn presented an amendment that would have removed $500,000 the mayor had penciled into the school contribution and reduced the school maintenance-of-effort (MOE) by 5 percent, a change the chair said would help hold the levy at or below 4 percent.

Council debate was intense and procedural. Several council members and the council president described repeated attempts in the preceding weeks to negotiate a collaborative alternative with school committee leadership; they said talks failed or produced no concrete proposals. School department representatives and public commenters said the district had late-submitted budget requests and had been seeking significantly more money (one public commenter said the school requested $2,000,000 beyond the mayor's proposal).

After several votes, the council rejected the amendment that would cut school MOE by 5 percent. Separately, Councilor Wills moved a narrower amendment to remove the mayor's $500,000 line-item appropriation for schools; that amendment failed to reach the supermajority needed to adopt a budget that would exceed the statutory levy cap. The council then approved a compromise: the $500,000 would remain in the city's proposed budget but would be recharacterized for the schools as a one-time grant rather than part of maintenance-of-effort. That grant is contingent on a signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the city and the school department and requires regular reporting (the council requested quarterly reports) on how the funds are used.

Clerk roll calls in the transcript show the final vote on the budget as amended carried with eight members voting yes and one voting no. The council also set the next meeting date so the MOU and related documentation could be finalized in time for second passage.

Key details and figures discussed in the meeting:
- Mayor's original school contribution line (as discussed during debate): $33,305,937 (mayor's budget line) and an alternative reduction proposed to $32,805,937.
- Finance chair's 5% MOE reduction figure mentioned: a proposed reduction that would lower the school baseline to about $31,165,640.20 (figures discussed by council during amendment debate).
- The school department's reserves were repeatedly referenced in debate; councilors and staff described roughly $15,000,000 in school-side surplus or reserves in FY24 (amounts discussed in the meeting), and council members argued about whether those funds could or should be used to relieve operating pressure.
- School-related debt-service increases cited by staff: roughly $4.7 million year-over-year increase in school debt service tied to construction and large capital projects.
- Proposed levy changes and rate talk: the mayor's full proposal would have exceeded the municipal cap (figures discussed were in the 6% range); the finance chair attempted an amendment to hold the levy at 3.99% after other cuts and a new 10% non-owner-occupied classification (multifamily) were included.

What the council decided and what happens next:
- The budget was approved as amended with the $500,000 converted to a one-time grant contingent on a signed city-school MOU and reporting requirements to be produced before the next meeting (the council asked that the MOU be in place before second passage).
- Councilors said they intend to press for earlier, more regular collaboration with school committee leadership in future budget cycles.

The MOU requirement and quarterly reporting were included specifically to create a structured information flow between the school department and the council; the council said they would revisit longer-term MOE and budget decisions in the next fiscal cycle.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May 21, 2025 Pawtucket City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Pawtucket City Council approved the mayor's 2025-26 operating budget after contentious debate over school funding and a possible tax-cap override, adopting a compromise that converts a $500,000 school appropriation into a one-time, MOU-backed grant.","taxTitle","Pawtucket, Providence County, Rhode Island","taxId",76478,"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},6534959,"Pawtucket council issues formal welcome to mayor and delegation from Arjona, Colombia",202,968000,1170000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3445656-94786e63861d93e133d45b8a0afc09e4&start=968&end=1170","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3445656-94786e63861d93e133d45b8a0afc09e4/thumbnail_968000.jpg","/articles/6534959/Pawtucket/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Pawtucket-council-issues-formal-welcome-to-mayor-and-delegation-from-Arjona-Colombia","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6534959-d39fc8cc4580908279915aaecce9e718/orig.mp4?Expires=1771091064&Signature=Pq1NXbHWqbeoL4clHPDWgA-CeecrdiLscpXkivuMp2r8olzLvYHsIqE0bZpcjhaSOKORYI2UA5vwtYIkwc-BgJC4i1ZKV5cl-lmWzPlakSJllNtAH8rhHKpysxvnTshTH6mXCGmd8UnV6GtXb6RNat7ytj90rzLOYmUy67eEy6G-JeEikTFN4jUWpdUCzhl8HjN0-casqnmhW9HWPChJ~ouynIMFMJGbg7L-DlRaRHQXhz1zz2tTE6cU2mb~3djF2Tz89LBsWPyuOuv0Q3QWeTBjOyWDlYfTX1TPgLPlwDeGG5-h2GCx-lkFVVru5PH9eqyalEKcMwt9xc0dxKo1gw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pawtucket City Council formally welcomed Mayor Gustavo Perez Geraldo of Arjona, Colombia, and his senior adviser, Marlon Contreras, with a resolution adopted during the meeting. Council officers read a resolution that described the twinning relationship as a source of pride and extended the city's hospitality to the visiting delegation.

Mayor Perez Geraldo addressed the council briefly, thanked members and invited Pawtucket representatives to visit Arjona in the future. The council passed the welcoming resolution on a voice or roll call vote recorded in the meeting minutes.

Why it matters: Sister-city relationships are ceremonial and cultural partnerships intended to promote people-to-people ties and mutual visits; the council's proclamation formalizes the visit and recognizes prior exchanges between the two municipalities.","The Pawtucket City Council read and adopted a resolution welcoming Mayor Gustavo Perez Geraldo and senior adviser Marlon Contreras of Pawtucket's sister city Arjona, Colombia, and praised the two cities' twinning relationship.",{"_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},6534964,"Council confirms Robert E. Benson to Pawtucket Water Supply Board",104,796000,900000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3445656-94786e63861d93e133d45b8a0afc09e4&start=796&end=900","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3445656-94786e63861d93e133d45b8a0afc09e4/thumbnail_796000.jpg","/articles/6534964/Pawtucket/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Council-confirms-Robert-E-Benson-to-Pawtucket-Water-Supply-Board","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6534964-8982edf535463007a34ce1022009783b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771091064&Signature=Py~sgc5kB3yHE5LCfcIA0aSKbwsQnLdrSFyWuMiXSWQdlrgGUGfv0~AgUayZimyKxjZ5bzlLpA8Sew3vzx8DfR5zhHN273X9uXWFJIs0KYFxj-JfVa-wBgMU7rQ0i~IjtppTJUDy6rew0DpDJiFnkgosa5URH4yQjZPR5~PNYX65gXPiWTm93614TxcrjB1BqD65X3s4MWZarCeV3aEO~ceg72NmKKm-ScYovDwEveXMjbVsUyFc199HnV193udfQWqRYoUGYOgr0DdIxOD0kGmNqL60zhhJV59aUuHEhFZYP8eG7kv5ppRX7pcHKL9WhrMKGthSX95wwHNgF9xAvg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pawtucket City Council confirmed Robert E. Benson to the Pawtucket Water Supply Board to fill the unexpired term of a former member.

Benson addressed the council before the confirmation vote and summarized his background: more than 40 years of financial experience across private industry and public accounting and 18 years serving as the chief financial officer of the water supply utility. He said he was the first appointee to a specific CFO-level position at the water utility in January 2005 and noted attendance at more than 200 monthly board meetings during his prior service.

Councilors welcomed Benson's return, thanked him for his willingness to serve, and the clerk recorded the roll-call confirmation vote in favor of the appointment.

What comes next: Benson will serve on the Pawtucket Water Supply Board for the remainder of the unexpired term (term expiration noted in the packet as January, 2029).","The Pawtucket City Council approved the mayor's appointment of Robert E. Benson to fill an unexpired term on the Pawtucket Water Supply Board. Benson described his prior experience on the board and as a utility CFO during a brief introduction at the meeting.",{"_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},6534969,"Council approves joint Pawtucket-Central Falls 2024 hazard mitigation plan, enabling FEMA grant eligibility",87,2280000,2367000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3445656-94786e63861d93e133d45b8a0afc09e4&start=2280&end=2367","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3445656-94786e63861d93e133d45b8a0afc09e4/thumbnail_2280000.jpg","/articles/6534969/Pawtucket/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Council-approves-joint-Pawtucket-Central-Falls-2024-hazard-mitigation-plan-enabling-FEMA-grant-eligibility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6534969-6b6952772e9126427fec48c0cc56cc79/orig.mp4?Expires=1771091064&Signature=WB2mbvyGrzt0AkP3CVrJ53QgeekBlHXVfD8aYxID1l85eO5sGKxMl6W98YH~qNIifh1e-nMvuz2YYiCvFtYzzqk~Jse28VVC5pR5tDfNRqnzb8cvy2DlQERO3vyBSsFSaTtr3Mb3KNyBSbeni6wU6m6iLIlDabGBQb-wWoI6RP1S55tgDHSj69w3~QQVvJXReiQxwr6kKbi~ZJqiGpTmCpW4jxiR5ABN3a~6gKxvujRdCz3~Ztr4zRHyQWSvgLOQ64y0Fzh1rc94XEfZ3O5WDdJN~l728x--kckLbJAJFPvtBucx4r8aEMo9zWaFNE~3bLdos~avuq3TbgKTnN~H9A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pawtucket City Council voted to approve a resolution adopting the 2024 multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan prepared jointly with the City of Central Falls.

City staff presented the plan as a five-year hazard mitigation strategy developed through public meetings, charrettes and online outreach. The plan identifies hazards, notes deficiencies, and outlines projects eligible for federal hazard-mitigation grants. According to the presenters, Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and FEMA reviewed and approved the plan; adoption by both city councils is the final local step required to preserve eligibility for mitigation grant programs tied to 44 CFR and the Stafford Act.

During the public hearing the council asked whether the Central Falls council had already voted; staff said Central Falls likely had already acted. The council voted on the resolution by roll call and the transcript records the resolution as approved (roll-call vote recorded in the meeting minutes).

Why it matters: Adoption of an approved hazard mitigation plan is a required eligibility step to receive certain federal mitigation grants (e.g., post-disaster mitigation funding) and guides investment priorities for flood, drainage and other hazard-reduction projects.

What comes next: With both city councils expected to sign the plan, the two cities will remain eligible to apply for FEMA mitigation grants to address deficiencies identified in the plan.","The Pawtucket City Council voted to adopt the 2024 Pawtucket-Central Falls Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, a five-year plan reviewed and approved by Rhode Island EMA and FEMA that is required to make the cities eligible for federal mitigation grants under 44 CFR (Stafford Act).",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6534974,"Licensing decisions: Pawtucket approves multiple event licenses, denies one over neighborhood noise concerns",197,1357000,1554000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3445656-94786e63861d93e133d45b8a0afc09e4&start=1357&end=1554","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3445656-94786e63861d93e133d45b8a0afc09e4/thumbnail_1357000.jpg","/articles/6534974/Pawtucket/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Licensing-decisions-Pawtucket-approves-multiple-event-licenses-denies-one-over-neighborhood-noise-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6534974-5a882072370d644ef2e5e3be4691a59b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771091064&Signature=Nt9B0Uuxes9wvI9OkEH8zzVT3P-9oU-ujUyCo2WBDRF379nmHjEzSwFFpPGsdCSgCTnqSULD3byRo0iQt3f56a5dvSxQSJ47wZsOcpbh~kutGLiWiuetrjgqEVinJ1DxxLcK0y9aHsg~2qY9EfQxBF4Aie9vIF3wm5OMCtnC7W8gMwUstsohWry8UuqL6Mg5Pl~Qlj8NpGpM2JWSWX6-6ARf1kchMUgYFfd~A8BJbrOe3rHdESYe-wwJV8ohJ~Stko1Zj1KYioViVzekyPBHqiAhef3ST4B-Wv~VBNXrZ-ejZmxo6PJ7PBffP44dF1VuoawLtSNZPVld512l46vx2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pawtucket Board of License Commissioners and the City Council took up a series of entertainment and one-day premise-expansion petitions and issued approvals, a denial and postponements.

Decisions taken by the licensing board and council (summary):
- Little Sisters of the Poor (964 Main St.): Approved — license to sell beer and wine at a garden party / fundraising event on Aug. 13, 2025, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (license number noted in packet). Councilors said the event has run in prior years without problems.

- Burbage Theater Company (59 Blackstone Ave.): Approved — entertainment class F-1 (amateur drag pageant) and sale of alcoholic beverages on June 7, 2025, from 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Councilor Moran reviewed the petition and moved approval.

- Aloha Restaurant Lounge (Festival Pier / Tim Healy Way): Denied — petition to host a \"Heritage Color Festival\" with alcohol on Sunday, June 15, 2025, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. A district councilor raised constituent concerns about loud music and noise after 7 p.m.; the council voted to deny the petition after discussion.

- YB Marketing (Latino Summerfest, Festival Pier): Postponed — moved to the next meeting at the request of the district councilor (petition for Aug. 2, 2025).

- Figos de Jaraba (Saint Anthony's Fest, 682 Roosevelt Ave.): Approved with stipulations — one-day expansion on Sunday, June 15, 2025, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Motion to approve included two stipulations: (1) all beverages outdoors must be served in plastic (no glass) and (2) the area must be cleaned up by 10 a.m. the following day (transcript clarified timeframe).

- Pico's Restaurant and Hookah Lounge (110 School St.): Approved — one-day expansion and sale of alcohol for a spring cookout on June 8, 2025, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Councilors indicated prior events had proceeded without incident.

- Larry's Auto Repair (519 Pawtucket Ave., license AUT-24-75): Renewal postponed — the council removed the renewal from the consent agenda and postponed action to the June 4 meeting and asked the license holder to appear after complaints that the license holder was violating a condition limiting parked vehicles to a tow truck; councilors said observers counted over a dozen vehicles on the lot.

Votes and procedure notes from the meeting record:
- Where roll calls were recorded the transcript shows unanimous or voice approval for most routine entertainment licenses; the denial of the Aloha Restaurant Lounge petition was recorded as a voice vote after a motion to deny was made by the district councilor and seconded and the chair called for the vote.
- The St. Anthony Fest approval included explicit stipulations that were made part of the motion and voted on by the council.

Why it matters:
- Licensing decisions affect neighborhood noise, public safety, and local business activity; the council applied event-specific conditions to limit neighborhood impacts (such as requiring plastic cups and post-event cleanup).

What comes next:
- The license renewal for Larry's Auto Repair was postponed to June 4; the owner is required to attend and address the council about alleged violations of license conditions.","The Pawtucket Board of License Commissioners and City Council considered and acted on several entertainment and day-of-event license petitions. Most petitions were approved; one festival application was denied after neighborhood noise concerns and a district councilor's objection.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Pawtucket council OKs budget after tense debate; $500,000 for schools converted to one-time, MOU-backed grant

Pawtucket council issues formal welcome to mayor and delegation from Arjona, Colombia

Council confirms Robert E. Benson to Pawtucket Water Supply Board

Council approves joint Pawtucket-Central Falls 2024 hazard mitigation plan, enabling FEMA grant eligibility

Licensing decisions: Pawtucket approves multiple event licenses, denies one over neighborhood noise concerns