[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6646086,"mediaKeyId","3410672-d4d84c586bba0307785df25372b79968","parentId",3410672,"title","Licensing move, vital records separation and acting registrar raise staffing and oversight questions","audioSeconds",4699,"startMs",3140000,"endMs",7839000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3410672-d4d84c586bba0307785df25372b79968&start=3140&end=7839","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3410672-d4d84c586bba0307785df25372b79968/thumbnail_3140000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6646086/Providence-City/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Licensing-move-vital-records-separation-and-acting-registrar-raise-staffing-and-oversight-questions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6646086-0e5b74d4011981c1eaa3f43d1a9ef81c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146994&Signature=G~MMxQls~DGIJ1w~KP1LMfJewk3gaIzpZz7MXC2kLIHZXiCsHpMnVlZKWdsD-zA87bym4XLTqrlnzmX7LBDpxg44CoxHZ7I-A3-MKICiCl4lBvZNzZpmd3rLVl2lgvQOQQVdigRBA4WNFOQv96GLuF69KelSdEpVJEm2JxE763~kzGUPwNau0gD17f2wkXdOTFYtPKOKvx6piJF09WP~bxQAtjUnMx~ICz-vGN~9wd0aySp06Q73wlGZW9zhTIUTYGJ~1x4JggIYQnqJxkyCDch6C7PA~0bmE-vKix0bUN-tN7LQgXgQYQakmVg2ABRUdtAeJ5cWB9WQimglagx10A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Providence City Council","date","2025-05-20T00:00:00Z","article","During the FY2026 budget presentations the finance committee reviewed an administrative reorganization that will move licensing into the Economic Development Office’s one-stop business center while vital records (birth, death and marriage certificates) will remain in City Hall under a separate registrar. Staff told the committee the split is operationally intended to align licensing with business-facing services while keeping vital-records transactions accessible to residents.

Staffing and salary reclassification: The budget narrative proposes reallocating the deputy licensing administrator salary into the registrar/vital statistics budget so the two functions have separate pay authorities in different departments. Staff said the change would not increase total city personnel cost and that one salary line would be shifted for FY2026 pending final ordinance adjustments.

Acting registrar and vacancies: Committee members pressed for clarity about who currently performs day-to-day registrar duties and how long acting appointments have been in place. Staff confirmed a named staff member had been filling the registrar function in an acting capacity while organizational changes were reviewed; councilors requested a written briefing from the mayor’s office on the timeline and rationale for appointments and any planned permanency.

Licensing enforcement gaps: Council members also asked why a second-shift licensing inspector vacancy had persisted and requested a report back on whether the position is posted and why it has remained unfilled. Several members said enforcement capacity for late-night or weekend licensing issues is a city priority and asked staff for a timeline to fill the vacancy.

Next steps and oversight: Committee members asked for the administration to provide the committee with details about the staffing transfers, who will have signatory authority for certificates, and an administrative timetable for the licensing move. Staff agreed to return with written details; no formal action was taken during the briefing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Providence Committee on Finance-Tuesday, May 20, 2025-5:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Committee members pressed staff about the proposed move of licensing into Economic Development, the separation of vital records to remain in City Hall, transfers of salary lines, and an acting-city-registrar arrangement that committee members asked the administration to explain further.","taxTitle","Providence City, Providence County, Rhode Island","taxId",3637,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6646091,"Recreation department rolls out individual center support accounts; councilors raise equity and oversight questions",1675,6994000,8669000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3410672-d4d84c586bba0307785df25372b79968&start=6994&end=8669","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3410672-d4d84c586bba0307785df25372b79968/thumbnail_6994000.jpg","/articles/6646091/Providence-City/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Recreation-department-rolls-out-individual-center-support-accounts-councilors-raise-equity-and-oversight-questions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6646091-42a4807c3fe8cf2c04fc112250de863d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146994&Signature=GAk5~BT11eHEDr2CYE0ZrkyRxdluFZq-ehSJVKCw4TnuaunRtn0UX0OH116GheHcYD-PZdjFlEo8d2DvU-YG8YeuSrgHXjb9RB0VgxNw0eFrI7mykjKFTMbpKJQe~i3ex~QUQGgUqq-7M5Vu0f6r8ILTrkJJPvC7-5rYcV0ygb~MOZRC8Rg0~p4GDdt-qDAmFIj4sfKGRmjf1mtv6e6ef3dMy5bhg7kQQAwfGKwoA~y1~nNDHGJoGS3K-cAC5Pt2ExxkpT5VbUlRvTfEGXKbDEfROVEqG2NEz-Gf5BKti4vOAhYR77M57k7h2Y7QwtlgS1be~j5vDCX3-gYo9S282Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Providence Recreation Department officials described a new approach to center-level fundraising and local programming during the Finance Committee’s budget briefing, laying out individual support accounts for recreation centers, defined revenue splits and controls intended to increase local programming while maintaining financial oversight.

What was presented: Directors will have small, individual support accounts seeded with $1,000 initially and will be able to receive and spend revenue tied to rentals, donations and future merchandise sales. Staff said the practice repurposes existing special-revenue infrastructure (account 688) and provides more transparency about what each center has available.

Revenue splits and controls: The department described standard splits to balance center autonomy and department-wide needs. Staff gave examples of the split patterns presented in the briefing: donations 90% to the renting rec center and 10% to the central 688 account; rental income split 60% to the rec center and 40% to the main office; and merchandise revenue split 70% to the rec center and 30% to the central fund. Staff emphasized that the program explicitly prohibits cash collection and requires procurement controls and central-office order processing.

Why councilors expressed concern: Several council members said they support local fundraising but objected to staff or employees actively soliciting donations because of possible ethical issues, cash-handling risks and equity problems between centers in wealthier neighborhoods and those that serve lower-income communities. Councilors asked for clarity about how donors are told splits and for increased transparency on who benefits from donations and rental revenue.

Program goals and next steps: Recreation leaders said the program was created to enable centers to raise local revenue, support programming and build accounting capacity for centers while preserving central oversight, and that training and account-control procedures have been put in place. Staff committed to providing a more detailed accounting of splits and reporting mechanisms, and emphasized that many centers already raised revenue informally and the new process intends to formalize and track those flows.

No formal budget action was taken during the presentation; councilors asked staff to return with a written policy on fundraising, a statement of procurement controls for center spending and clarifications on the cash-handling prohibition.","Recreation leaders described a new structure of individual rec-center support accounts and revenue splits for donations, rentals and merchandise; councilors asked for transparency, controls and assurances about how funds are used and whether staff should be soliciting donations.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6646093,"Parks department budget includes apprentices for tree crew, North Burial Ground revenue and continued zoo partnership",682,2520000,3202000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3410672-d4d84c586bba0307785df25372b79968&start=2520&end=3202","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3410672-d4d84c586bba0307785df25372b79968/thumbnail_2520000.jpg","/articles/6646093/Providence-City/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Parks-department-budget-includes-apprentices-for-tree-crew-North-Burial-Ground-revenue-and-continued-zoo-partnership","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6646093-438854cf9bf9bea9178fcccad527b03c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146994&Signature=ZUTn81Ww6tLNY8AU18Z3bb74aYENJIEMnv~AxQ89OyV3OY~6Mv8~~zdFoG-lOnuSafNJIJx~7DH64EYxyuQWNh81OhTgwApbeNr7hWPv2bbdA~lYSc1kWvQMUp9qgcP4LAVXMQesrWBbLkjZbLvM1lTVSDJF0NMKVLsrUGkjAauaiaXWzGmvkJLVodT00ZXUg0633gZZNPs7Nii~B-gupjwomOlNNmYBxPovpdJbUBYBpycRFHb0U79ok-Lhww1lKSxcVgt3IN4MXn7MrmLvwMHvQyioskpcoDVT-m8HfDnyPu~2M3aWjYwaX8JbLJ9kFOHavaOVG0FEPQWb-diYAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Providence Parks officials presented the department’s fiscal 2026 budget to the Finance Committee, including new funding for an apprentice tree-trimmer program, recurring neighborhood-park maintenance lines, and revenue assumptions tied to the North Burial Ground and its perpetual-care fund.

Tree trimming and apprentices: The department described a plan to fund apprentices for the tree crew in FY2026 to support training and safety. Officials said they expect two apprentices or trainees to be funded so they can complete required training; the budget narrative noted safety, the need for experienced trainers and a history of vacancies that raise recruitment pressure for the most hazardous positions.

Neighborhood parks and operating costs: City staff outlined discretionary service and supply costs for playground repairs, refuse processing and equipment maintenance. The parks neighborhood budget proposed modest increases for refuse processing and supplies based on historical spend, with specific line items listed in the budget book for items such as gravel, tires, electrical supplies and general repairs.

North Burial Ground funding: Parks staff explained the city’s practice of combining plot-sale revenue and transfers from a perpetual-care trust to produce a roughly $600,000 annual revenue package related to North Burial Ground operations. The committee heard that when plot sales exceed expectations the city reduces transfers from the perpetual-care fund; a standing transfer request to the Board of Investment Commissioners was described as part of annual oversight.

Zoo operations and the Zoological Society: Committee members questioned which entity runs the zoo and who receives revenue. Staff said the Providence Zoological Society — a private nonprofit — manages most zoo operations and fundraising; the city directly employs certain union staff and oversees some positions and capital matters. Staff and councilors discussed national models and the zoo’s accreditation process; committee members requested the zoo’s annual report or financials for oversight and suggested the nonprofit provide a summary for the council.","The Parks Department presented a FY2026 proposal that funds tree-trimmer apprentices, schedules ash-borer and planting work, shows the cemetery (North Burial Ground) revenue model and describes the zoo’s relationship with the private Zoological Society.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6646099,"Providence plans one-stop business center; licensing moves, procurement tools and summer jobs funded in proposed budget",2279,1437000,3716000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3410672-d4d84c586bba0307785df25372b79968&start=1437&end=3716","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3410672-d4d84c586bba0307785df25372b79968/thumbnail_1437000.jpg","/articles/6646099/Providence-City/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Providence-plans-one-stop-business-center-licensing-moves-procurement-tools-and-summer-jobs-funded-in-proposed-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6646099-9a5706122c161a2931715533ca643038/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146994&Signature=YC7uOOV~uwx3zOenHRvp6mqngTQKsbNTus6dr1qEGTHWLNHP1s57enI7OVuuya8aCsdTfxG05H663rv67HbdyN9y0bad4NlyniiUGwfcxQCkhdv59XxjAeMWLf7XGq083HbGBd4H6wofINUhpUla3Urxhs109yK8chBPhNgv~Lw4T4LkWFEjVCnptmig6pw8s7pmjDWEdZEtYkjk158SnwHCOFi01AC-bkEq3uzGzynhGUKiy8dkCTKQXxs~KnaMufjBaygeDTBzzF2XIKKXqQTKX8mzaidVaZHfCsDYSN022ICU2Y0yBvSE3DH2OBgZbkOww~0MPJmt~yex355jFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Providence’s economic development office told the Finance Committee it plans to relocate business licensing into a one-stop business center this summer and has built budget adjustments for staffing, software and outreach into its fiscal 2026 proposal.

The change is an initiative of the mayor to co-locate permitting, licensing and business services to create “one place where everybody looking for economic assistance can come and get everything the city government provides,” an Economic Development official said during the committee’s budget briefing. Licensing is scheduled to move into new city space off Adams Avenue in July if the schedule holds.

Why it matters: Committee members pressed staff for details about how the new one-stop center will operate, how licensing and vital records will be separated, and how the city will reach minority- and women-owned businesses. The office said the move is intended to make business-facing services easier to find and to increase coordinated outreach and permitting assistance.

Budget and tools: The department’s total proposed budget figures and specific line items were presented in the briefing book. Staff said the office requested pay adjustments to “right-size” salaries for employees who were hired above the budgeted minimum, and included modest cost-of-living and step increases. Discretionary items in the proposal include $250,000 for a summer jobs program; modest advertising and consulting allocations (examples given included $4,000 for advertising and $5,000 for consulting); and a subscription/software line being procured through an RFP (multiple vendors were said to be in the $8,000–$50,000 per year range).

Outreach and supplier diversity: The department reported progress increasing the number of state-registered small businesses in Providence from roughly 700 to about 1,100 and said procurement opportunities exceeding 20% have gone to that business population. To improve outreach and identification of minority- and women-owned businesses, staff described a one-time ARPA-funded contract with a firm the city calls Tough Lead. Staff said the vendor does data mining, outreach calls and helps generate procurement candidate lists; the contract is a one-time expense and was not included in recurring FY2026 base budget.

World Cup and events: Staff said Providence is pursuing opportunities to host a World Cup team during the tournament, working with hotel partners and Johnson & Wales University for practice and accommodations. The city said it is coordinating with police, fire and other departments to prepare for transportation, fan experiences and hotel capacity.

Committee questions and next steps: Council members asked for follow-up on details the budget left unspecified: the number of summer jobs supported by the $250,000 line, whether the ARPA-funded identification tool is included in the operating budget next year (staff said it is not), and the timing of the licensing move. Staff committed to providing additional detail back to the committee about programmatic outcomes and implementation timing.

The committee did not take formal action on the item during the briefing; the discussion was part of the FY2026 departmental presentations.","City staff told the Finance Committee the Office of Economic Development’s fiscal 2026 budget includes staff adjustments, a move to a one-stop business center that will house licensing and permitting, new outreach and data tools paid with one-time ARPA funding, and a $250,000 summer jobs line.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Licensing move, vital records separation and acting registrar raise staffing and oversight questions

Recreation department rolls out individual center support accounts; councilors raise equity and oversight questions

Parks department budget includes apprentices for tree crew, North Burial Ground revenue and continued zoo partnership

Providence plans one-stop business center; licensing moves, procurement tools and summer jobs funded in proposed budget