City Council Nixes Recreation Consolidation From Budget

The E.P. City Council took no action Tuesday night on a plan to consolidate the Recreation and Senior Services departments under a single director that would have added $11,000 to the $166,614,251 FY2014 budget.

The move, suggested by Mayor James Briden, was made into a motion by Councilor Helder Cunha and seconded by Councilor Tracy Capobianco. It passed, with Councilor Christine A. Rossi voting against, to light applause.

The consolidation plan, which included naming the combined departments Community Services, proved unpopular with several residents who spoke during the 7:30 p.m. meeting at City Hall, though City Manager Peter Graczykowski assured the audience it would not affect the operation of the Recreation Department.

The plan would've eliminated the recreation director position, vacant since Alba Curti retired in 2012, and added $11,000 to the senior center director position currently held by Robert Rock to reflect the new duties of the consolidated position. Graczykowski said the city would advertise internally for the new post.

Rossi also defended the plan. "The Recreation Center through this consolidation is going to lose nothing," she said, adding that she would be the first to protest if she believed it would compromise the department.

Concerned speakers argued the act of assigning a single person to manage departments in addition to the Recreation Department would harm recreation services. "No, it will change," argued one woman, saying Recreation would shrink under the plan. "We do not want Recreation made a second hat."

Candy Seel asked councilors, "...to push back at political interests and to do what's best for the city," and reject the plan.

Curti, who retired after three years as recreation director, and a city employee since 1978, took issue with the new name. She said businesses and families deciding whether to move to East Providence will take whether it has a recreation department into consideration. "It doesn't do anything for the image of East Providence," she said. 

Curti suggested the city continue to operate the department with Diane Sullivan in charge, with the help of volunteers, as it has since her retirement, until the city can better afford to hire a dedicated manager for the department. 

After a brief recess, Capobianco moved to add $15,000 back into an account for East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP), which provides health and human services to RI East Bay communities, including East Providence. 

Earlier in the meeting, EBCAP President and CEO Dennis Roy had urged councilors to restore at least part of the annual $30,000 funding for the program, noting they were not paid at all last year, even though the funds were budgeted. He said heating assistance and the program's health center, among other vital services, depended on the funding. 

Rossi warned the move would reduce the city's surplus. Thomas Rose proposed bumping the funding up to $20,000, which Capobianco agreed to, amending her motion. It passed with Rossi voting against. 

"One way of paying for what we just did," said Briden, at least in part, would be to take no action on the consolidation plan, saving $11,000 and softening the impact of restoring the EBCAP funding. The suggestion was received by approvingly surprised sighs in the audience, followed by the vote to approve.

The city's budget will be up for final approval at the Council's next meeting Wednesday night.