The Teamsters Local Union 251 and the Laborers’ International Union of  North America, Local 1322 have reached agreements with the city on their contracts. Documents indicate a 3.5% raise in wages in each of the three years the agreement would be in effect. 

The Teamsters union includes office staff within all departments of the city, according to Anthony Moretti, chief of staff for Mayor Kenneth Hopkins. LIUNA largely represents the employees in the city’s departments of Public Works and Parks and Recreation.  

Both collective bargaining agreements were introduced as new business at Monday night’s City Council meeting.

According to the agreements, under a defined contribution retirement plan, the city will contribute an employer match of up to 3% of an employee’s annual salary, and employees enrolled in the plan will provide at least 3% of their annual compensation through payroll deduction. 

Both agreements require ratification by the City Council and are headed to the finance committee to be heard on Monday, April 7. 

Hopkins is seeking to hire the city’s first full-time DPW director in two years. According to the appointment request, the mayor has selected Frank Corrao, the department’s part-time acting director, to become the permanent director. 

The hiring requires City Council approval. The council’s finance committee will consider the move at its April 7 meeting.

The proposed hire comes after a tough few months for the administration after a lack of applicants for the full-time position left it open.  

The DPW has been missing a full-time chief since its last such director, Richard Bernardo, retired in April 2023. Corrao has been the latest in a string of acting directors since Bernardo retired.

Corrao had retired from the state Department of Transportation. 

“Since Frank's come on to help the city, he's kept things together and keeps critical city services moving forward,” Moretti said. “His leadership and abilities have been proven and beyond. That's something actually noteworthy because we've seen him work.” 

Moretti said that because Corrao was previously employed by the state, he is under what is known as the 75-day rule.  

According to the Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island website, retired state and municipal workers who are a part of the Municipal Employees Retirement System can work for a MERS-participating municipality for up to 75 working per calendar year. Any more than that will result in their pension being suspended.  

Moretti said Corrao, who receives a pension from the state, is willing to suspend it to come work for the city. Moretti said it is completely legal and they checked it out with retirement personnel and lawyers. 

Moretti also said that while Corrao filled the DPW director’s job part-time, he caught the bug to come back to public service, as it is something he thoroughly enjoys. 

“And we've been trying to recruit him explicitly,” Moretti said. “He's been actively, strongly recruited by the administration for all the reasons stated I say. So, he's willing to suspend that and come on board just at that salary, at that wage.” 

One of the primary factors that Moretti had previously identified as a challenge in the search for a new director was the salary, which he said needed to be more competitive. In the fiscal year budget for 2024, the DPW director’s salary was about $132,000. 

According to the appointment request from the administration, Corrao’s annual base salary would be $172,000. 

Moretti shared that Corrao’s salary would not include any benefits, including health and dental care.  

“Basically, it would cost the city the same cost as it would if we hired someone at a level that's more moderate than that” but with benefits, Moretti said. “It comes out to the same.” 

Moretti said that financially, it is break-even for the city. The way Corrao is being compensated is not salary and benefits, he says, it will be just salary. 

“As a candidate for the position he possesses every qualification and beyond, tangibly and intangibly,” Moretti said. “And I spoke about tangibly in terms of his professional credentials. His professional credentials are superb. He knows the city and he has the character and personality to get things done effectively. He truly comprises the ideal person for the job.” 

With a potential filling of the DPW director role, Moretti says they are still looking for someone to fill the city engineer role.  

Other resolutions and updates that occurred during the meeting included the rejection of a proposed rezoning on Caraway Drive in Alpine Estates. 

In other news, the council passed several resolutions.  

A resolution recognizing March as Women’s History Month in Cranston, recognizing April 22 as Earth Day in Cranston and a resolution in support of state legislation that would eliminate the ttaxation of Social Security income were all unanimously passed. 

The City Council will meet next on April 28 at 7 p.m.