Luba stays on as financial advisor to East Providence

Remains in role after formal state oversight ended

By Mike Rego
Posted 10/18/18

EAST PROVIDENCE — Paul Luba will continue in his role as a financial advisor for the city beyond the current Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget season, Acting City Manager/East Providence Police Chief …

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Luba stays on as financial advisor to East Providence

Remains in role after formal state oversight ended

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — Paul Luba will continue in his role as a financial advisor for the city beyond the current Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget season, Acting City Manager/East Providence Police Chief Chris Parella confirmed late last week.

For the near-term, at least, Mr. Luba will remain in the City’s Finance Department working co-equally with director Malcolm Moore, the chief added.

Mr. Luba’s formal tenure in city came to an end along with state oversight last month. The five-year jurisdiction over East Providence by the Rhode Island Department of Revenue, under terms of the distressed communities legislation, concluded upon the anniversary of the budget commission’s dissolution in 2013. The city was put under the auspices of the state, including the seating of the commission, in December 2011. The commission remained sitting, with a brief hiatus, through September of 2013.

“It was something I was strongly in favor of doing,” Chief Parella said of keeping Mr. Luba in the fold. “I very much appreciate what he does for the city.”

Chief Parella said he recently came to a preliminary agreement with Woonsocket Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, where Mr. Luba remains in his state-appointed advisory role, to continue the shared services arrangement. He also sought the approval of Susanne Greschner, director of Municipal Finance in the state Department of Revenue, to maintain Mr. Luba’s presence here.

Ms. Greschner, the chief said, was “adamant that statutorily the state no longer had any oversight of the city.” However, she allowed Chief Parella to engage with Mayor Baldelli-Hunt in discussions about keeping Mr. Luba in his dual roles working in both municipalities.

“We’ve agreed to draw up a contract for Mr. Luba to continue both here and in Woonsocket without interruption under the same terms as before,” Chief Parella continued. “I very much appreciated Director Greschner for allowing us to pursue this and Mayor Baldelli-Hunt for agreeing to this.”

Under his current contract, Mr. Luba earns approximately $130,000 in salary with the state paying 50 percent and the municipalities paying the other 50 percent equally (25 percent apiece). Chief Parella said East Providence’s portion of the salary is included in the city’s FY18-19 budget.

“Paul could be here as long as another year, but that will be up to the mayor after the election. He could end the agreement at any time,” Chief Parella added. “But he’ll be here as long as I am in this position, at least, which is January.”

East Providence's first-ever elected mayor will be inaugurated in January 2019. Chief Parella will return to his departmental position at that time as well.

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.