Requests to replace the police department fleet, purchase additional school security equipment, circulate an RFP for carpentry work at the carousel, and restore live streaming of meetings go before the East Providence Budget Commission today at its bi-weekly meeting.

The meeting starts at 3 pm in Room 306 in City Hall.

The request for police vehicles and school security equipment were put off for a couple of weeks while a five-year plan was developed and additional bids were sought for the school cameras.

Police Chief Joseph Tavares wants to use approximately $1.8 million of the asset-forfeiture cash received by East Providence in the Google settlement from the federal justice department to purchase new vehicles.

The vehicles all need to be replaced, the police chief says, because of excessive mileage or repairs.

"It would take care of all the years of neglect," said City Manager Peter Graczykowski, who described the fleet as in “pretty rough shape.”

It was because of the years of neglect, however, that the budget board asked first for a five-year replacement plan before it approves the purchases.

“It doesn’t want this to happen again,” said Graczykowski, who represents the city on the budget board. “It does support using the asset-forfeiture money for the purchases.”

The second police request was for using a much smaller amount of cash -- about $42,000 to extend a contract with Dane Tech, Inc. of Johnston to add video surveillance and access-control equipment at the secondary schools. See Patch story.

The school-security cameras would be purchased with a federal grant that has to be spent by March 31 or the city will lose the money. That sparked some concern about the city losing the money with any long delay.

“We just need to get competitive bids,” said Graczykowski two weeks ago. “We already have the specifications. I think we have plenty of time. We can make it happen if we do it quickly.”

The historic Looff Carousel needs about $90,000 worth of repairs to its windows. A request for proposal (RFP) put together by the Carousel Commission to get that work done is being pushed by the City Council so the repairs can be  started this spring.

The City Council also wants to restore live streaming of its meetings and School Committee meetings as well. It is asking the budget board to approve a  $31,000 contract for five years with ClerkBase of Warwick to both stream and archive the meetings.

Here is the complete agenda for today's meeting:

City of East Providence Budget Commission

Working Session Agenda 3 pm Thursday, February 14,

City Hall Room 306

1.    Review of Cash Flow, FY 2013 Budget to Actual Report, and BPR – Malcolm
Moore.

2.    Requests to fill vacant City positions and approval of personnel actions – Peter Graczykowski.

a.    Request to hire Purchasing Agent – Malcolm Moore.

b.    Request to post & fill Deputy Director, Senior Accountant, Treasurer, and
MIS positions as part of newly re-organized Finance Department –
Malcolm Moore.

c. Request to approve emergency temporary hire for Human Resources
Department – Kathleen Waterbury and Heather Martino.

3.    Request for approval of procurement and/or payments in excess of $25,000 and review of procurement and/or payments under $25,000 – Malcolm Moore.

a. Request for emergency purchase of Emergency Medical Vehicle while RFP process continues – Chief Oscar Elmasian.

b. Request to go out to bid for Fire Department Uniforms – Chief Oscar Elmasian.

c. Request to award Police Department UASI School Security Equipment bid – Chief Joe Tavares and Lt. Michael David.

d.    Request to approve revised Police Department Fleet Replacement Program – Chief Joe Tavares and Peter Graczykowski.

e. Review of legal opinion for Loof Carousel; Request to advertise bid for carpentry work at Loof Carousel – Jeanne Boyle.

f.    Request to close home sale for 78 Anthony Street lottery winner - Jeanne Boyle and David Bachrach.

g.   Request to award bid for valuation of Exxon Mobil property – Steve Hazard.

h.   Request to establish set-aside for technology upgrades in the City Clerk’s budget and fund streaming and archiving service – Kim Casci.

4.    Update of Superintendent and City Manager action items/work plans – John DeGoes and Peter Graczykowski.

a.    Follow-up per Budget Commission’s inquiry of Streetlight Program

5.    Additional Commission Items.

6.    Review of City Council minutes from January 20, 2013.

7.    Approval of Budget Commission Minutes from January 31, 2013.

8.    Schedule and agenda for next meeting for Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 3:00 PM.

9.    Adjourn.