Public works director: water department consolidated at 121 Roy Ave; animal shelter and athletic complex progressing amid fiscal warnings

The Woonsocket public works director told council Monday that the entire water department has moved to 121 Roy Avenue, the first time the department has been under one roof, and updated members on construction at the new animal shelter and the city's athletic complex.

"The entire water department is now located at 121 Roy Avenue," the director said, noting the move consolidates operations previously split between multiple facilities. On the animal shelter, the director reported that interior drainage is largely complete, a propane tank was installed in the ground, concrete for the interior floor was scheduled to be poured on Friday, and block work and sidewalks will follow. The athletic complex has bleachers and a press box in place.

During the presentation the director also raised concerns about the municipality’s financial position, saying losses tied to past settlements and other expenditures have strained future projects. The director said, "We all came to work very hard and it's just bitter to see that money just fly out the window," and warned the council that the city faces structural budget issues unless habits change.

Mayor Beauchamp credited staff and an interim finance reviewer (named in the meeting as Chris Chamberlain) for catching a mathematical error in the proposed budget paperwork, and the council president and other members acknowledged longstanding budget challenges. The council was later told a corrected page 8 of the budget, revised as of May 14, had been posted online; the mayor said the error did not affect the budget's bottom line but involved a computation discrepancy.

Ending: The council heard the updates and fiscal warnings; budget ordinances were then tabled to a public hearing on May 29.