(Updated, corrected, 10:45 a.m., April 15) The Warren Town Council at its final budget hearing of the season held Monday, April 14, Town Hall Chambers, gave its preliminary approval to the Fiscal Year 2025-26 outlay, including a $28,680,756 total tax levy.

After a brief meeting held following two earlier gatherings on the topic, the body backed the sum, which is an increase of 3.63% year-over-year. The levy rates are $14.89 per $1,000 for real estate and $18.01 per $1,000 for tangible/commercial property.

In addition, the approval supported an operations budget of $19,605,020. As well, the town's contribution to the Bristol Warren Regional School District is $15,511,013.

Sewer fees

As discussed at the council's previous meeting on the budget in late March, the body opted to significantly increase the set-aside for sewer operations, raising it to total of $2,234,236.

Correspondingly, the annual sewer use fee for property owners moves from $336 to $452 as of July 1.

The $84 jump was required for a few reasons: one, to pay back monies taken from the general fund to make up for the current year shortfall, and two, to cover projected increases in operations, mostly utility costs, in FY25-26.

Sewer fees are derived from the 4,943 billing units in the town and the $2,234,236 for this year is well above the $1,771,636 approved by the council under tight fiscal constraints for FY24-25.

Rescue truck

The council made just two alterations to the budget this past Monday, including a minor change to the line item request of Warren Fire Department Chief James Sousa for a replacement rescue.

Previously the body penciled in a total of $103,000 for the possibility of buying a brand new vehicle.

On April 14, Sousa and Town Finance Director David Burlingame approached the council with a revised proposal, seeking an initial $85,000 for a refurbished rescue.

A refurbished vehicle takes an existing chassis and remounts a new rear transport box and driver cabin.

Going this route, Sousa said, would not only save money for the town, both in interest and overall cost of the project, but would also mean the receipt of the refurbished rescue could take as little as 210 days upon commencement of the deal with the manufacturer on July 1.

The cost of the vehicle itself is $365,000 that with interest, depending on rates in a few months time, is expected to approach $400,000 total.

With the move, the total equipment replacement line item in fire safety decreased from $167,000 to $149,000 in FY25-26.

Grants

Lastly, at the suggestion of Council President Joseph DePasquale who remained absent from Monday's proceedings due to injuries suffered recently from an accidental fire, the body changed an appropriation for the Hope & Main food bank.

Rather than use $10,000 from the proposed grants and contributions section of the budget, DePasquale proposed, and his peers approved, taking the same amount from a restricted town account for social services donations.

Next step

The approved Town of Warren Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget now heads to the Rhode Island Department of Revenue's Division of Municipal Finance for review. The council will then formally give final approval to the document in May.