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Burrillville council approves paving contract, vehicle purchase and litigation spending; establishes cybersecurity fund
Summary
On Oct. 9, 2024, the Burrillville Town Council approved an $887,000 paving contract award, authorized a $38,000 used Ford F-250 purchase, established an EMA cybersecurity fund, granted $1,000 seed money to the Burrillville 250 commission and disclosed two executive-session votes to hire outside counsel and appropriate $25,000 for litigation.
The Burrillville Town Council on Oct. 9, 2024, approved a series of routine and capital measures, including a paving contract award and the hiring of outside counsel in ongoing litigation.
The council voted to award the on-call roadway resurfacing project (bid 25-002) to D'Ambler Construction, Inc., with the total project amount presented as $887,000. Jeffrey McCormack, director of public works, told the council the package uses a mix of CIP and federal ARPA funds and warned the town must commit spending before federal reporting deadlines. "If they're not going to be realized and the amount of money spent as allocated, we could lose the money," McCormack said.
Votes at a glance
- Paving contract (Bid 25-002) to D'Ambler Construction, Inc.: approved. Total presented: $887,000; funding reported as $437,000 from a CIP line item, approximately $360,900 from unassigned ARPA (fund 0458), and $81,000 from major capital fund 3820 (amounts approximate as stated at the meeting). (Moved/seconded on the record; voice vote carried.)
- Purchase of a used Ford F-250 ($38,000) from CIP line item 0100784-554210: approved.
- Establish fund 400 for EMA cybersecurity grants (for current and future EMA cybersecurity funding): approved.
- Seed funding: $1,000 for the Burrillville 250 commission (restricted contingency fund 0130569050): approved.
- Appropriation from unreserved fund for Walter L. Sysick and Helen Case Sysick Memorial Park sign: motion made and approved; staff stated the sign cost is "at least $2,000." Exact final appropriation amount was approved as proposed in the meeting record.
- Executive-session disclosures: the council disclosed two votes taken in executive session related to litigation (Roberta Lacey v. Town of Burrillville). The council voted to hire outside counsel (attorney identified in the minutes as Anthony de Sister of East Providence) at a rate of $175 out of court and $200 in court, and to appropriate $25,000 to the turf litigation fund from the unreserved, undesignated general fund. The council corrected the plaintiff's name on the record to Roberta Lacey.
Council members and staff emphasized timing and funding constraints. McCormack said the administration and finance director have been coordinating to ensure ARPA appropriations are spent and reported correctly before federal deadlines. Finance Director Leslie McGovern and others noted the Rhode Island Ready economic development notification will help site preparation and relieve some ARPA pressure by making $2 million available for economic development work.
What happens next: The town will move forward with contracting, procurement and grant accounting steps required to implement the projects. Litigation spending and outside-counsel hiring were disclosed to the public as required after executive session.
