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Council awards payroll contract, approves hires and reappointments, tables ARPA items and authorizes grant signature
Summary
At its July 18 meeting the Glocester Town Council awarded RFP 202403 for payroll services to Paychex, appointed a DPW foreman and a full-time police dispatcher, accepted a tax collector's retirement notice, reappointed a Housing Authority member, tabled several ARPA obligations, and authorized a CPF community-learning grant subaward signature.
The Glocester Town Council on July 18 voted on a cluster of administrative actions, including a contract award, personnel appointments, reappointments, a retirement acceptance, and several ARPA funding items the council tabled for further review.
The council accepted the recommendation of Finance Director Elizabeth Beltran and the Board of Contracts and Purchases to award RFP 202403 (professional payroll services) to Paychex. Beltran told the council the respondents were evaluated on software demonstrations, system conversions, training availability, customer service, and municipal experience in Rhode Island; she said the board "unanimously approved the motion to recommend the council award the bid to Paychex." Council then voted to award the contract at the quoted fee schedule read into the record (FY25 $39,333; FY26 $44,583; FY27 $44,580).
Personnel actions included a DPW appointment and a police dispatcher hire. The council approved the appointment of Todd Anderson to a new full-time asphalt excavation foreman position in the DPW at $32.60 per hour (NAGE union position), per a request from DPW Director Gary Trammell. The council also approved the appointment of Taylor Anne Malone of Cranston to a full-time Gloucester Police Department dispatcher position, effective Aug. 1, 2024, at the first-step salary with a six-month probationary status as outlined in the collective bargaining agreement; Chief Joseph Delpre submitted the request.
The council accepted, "with great thanks and appreciation," a notice of retirement from Tax Collector Jane Steer (memo lists an effective month of September; the memo text reads 'effective September 2020' — the council recorded acceptance and public thanks). The council also reappointed Eric Beather to the Glocester Housing Authority for a five-year term ending June 30, 2029, and accepted the resignation of Parade Committee member Judy Mateo and tabled the appointment to fill that vacancy until Aug. 15, 2024.
On ARPA matters, councilors moved to table deobligation of $50,000 from Project 14 (dam repairs and improvements), the obligation of $25,700 to Project 31 (Susti appraisal), and the obligation of $24,000 toward a first-line police vehicle; all three motions to table were approved by voice vote for further discussion.
Finally, councilors authorized the town council president to sign a subaward agreement for the CPF Community Learning Center municipal grant, a program funded by the Rhode Island Pandemic Recovery Office under ARPA capital project funds, to subaward funds for capital improvements at Harmony and Glocester libraries; the authorization was approved by council vote.
What this means: The payroll services contract will move forward with Paychex under the approved schedule, subject to standard contracting steps. Appointments and reappointments fill staffing and board vacancies; ARPA fund matters were deferred pending additional discussion or documentation. The council accepted the tax collector's retirement notice and publicly thanked her for service.
Next steps: Contracting staff will proceed with award paperwork for Paychex; town departments will follow up on the tabling items and provide requested documentation to the council at future meetings.
