2026-10-13 - City Council Special Meeting

05:14I'd like to bring tonight's sake

05:17to order.

05:19Clerk, please take the roll call.

05:23>> Councilwoman Visary?

05:25Councilwoman Graziano?

05:27>> Present.

05:28>> Councilman Ritz?

05:29>> Present.

05:30>> Councilman Traficante?

05:31>> Present.

05:32>> Councilman Andujar?

05:35Council Vice President Heroyan?

05:37>> Present.

05:38>> Council President Wall?

05:39>> Here.

05:40>> Um since Councilman Andujar and

05:44Councilwoman Visary just walked in, I'd

05:46like them to announce themselves as

05:47present.

05:49>> Present.

05:51>> Present.

05:52>> Thank you.

05:53Thank you, clerk.

05:55Next on my agenda, I have public comment

05:57only for

05:59agenda items only. Is there anyone from

06:01the public that would like to speak

06:03tonight?

06:06No.

06:07Thomas, is there anyone online?

06:09>> There is no public comment online.

06:11>> Okay, I'm going to close out public

06:12comment then.

06:17First item is the class A liquor license

06:19transfer of the owner.

06:21And we did receive a letter of good

06:23standings as of 5:00 p.m.

06:26>> No, we did not receive

06:27>> but we received

06:28>> We did not receive a letter of good

06:30standing as of 5:00 p.m.

06:33>> Hold on 1 second.

06:40>> Or there might be some confusion. I was

06:42told by the business licensing clerk

06:44that there was a letter of good standing

06:46issued, I believe 9 9, but he believes

06:49that that was the former owner, not the

06:52who they're transferring it to.

06:54>> Madam Chair, should we take a 2-minute

06:55recess?

06:56>> Yes, please.

07:39Okay.

07:40Um,

07:41could the owners please come up and

07:43state your name and your address?

07:49>> Um, Manubhai Patel.

07:521 Lilac Avenue, Bellingham,

07:54Massachusetts.

07:55>> Okay. We received a letter from their

07:57attorney that they were satisfied with

08:00the amount of the bill that was paid for

08:01the alcohol. We have not received a

08:04letter of good standing from the state

08:06department from the department of

08:07revenue. Have you What is the status of

08:10that?

08:11>> Uh, we submitted it

08:13to the state. I have a proof to.

08:15>> What date did you submit it?

08:17>> Uh, yesterday,

08:19>> Today was a state holiday.

08:23>> Madam Chair, I think they submitted it

08:24on the portal. That's probably going to

08:25take 2 weeks.

08:29>> That's correct.

08:30>> Mhm.

08:38>> Could I ask [clears throat] a question?

08:39>> 6

08:40>> Is this a new

08:42a newly established DBA? Like, have you

08:45Do you have any other businesses or

08:46anything?

08:47>> No, this is new established.

08:50>> So, that means it's going to come back

08:51in good standing.

08:53Um,

08:54>> I did it on the 6th.

08:55>> On the 6th? Okay, have you called to

08:57follow up?

08:58>> Uh, no, not yet.

09:00>> If we were to pass this tonight subject

09:03to the city receiving that, you do not

09:05get your permit and your license until

09:07that is submitted. That means you cannot

09:10operate until that is submitted.

09:12>> Okay.

09:13>> Okay?

09:14>> Okay.

09:15>> I'm going to ask for a motion to approve

09:17this subject to the city receiving the

09:19letter of good standing from the state

09:21of Rhode Island Department of Revenue.

09:23>> So moved.

09:23>> Second.

09:25>> Any discussion?

09:27Clerk, could I please have a roll call

09:29vote?

09:31>> Councilman Vazeri?

09:32>> Yes.

09:33>> Councilman Graziano?

09:34>> Yes.

09:35>> Councilman Rets?

09:35>> Yes.

09:36>> Councilman Traficante?

09:37>> Yes. Councilman Andujar?

09:39Council Vice President O'Ryan?

09:40>> Yes.

09:41>> Council President Wall?

09:42>> Yes.

09:44>> Okay, as soon as they receive it and you

09:47receive it, then you can go online and

09:50print out your license, but not till the

09:52city receives it. Clerk?

09:54>> Um I just let the business owners know

09:56when we do receive it, your license will

09:58be released. You will receive a

09:59notification and then you'll be able to

10:01go online. You will likely not receive

10:03anything from the state. We'll check

10:04every day on the portal to see it come

10:06up. Okay? If you have any questions, you

10:08can just call the clerk's office. Okay?

10:10Thank you.

10:11>> You can also go to One Capital Hill,

10:13Department of Revenue, and ask and sit

10:15there until they process it.

10:18>> Okay.

10:19>> Thank you.

10:23Next on my agenda is show cause, Lang's

10:25Bowlarama Incorporated, doing business

10:27as Lang's Bowlarama, 225 Niantic Avenue.

10:31I do believe we have the business owner

10:33here tonight, business manager here

10:35tonight, and their counsel here tonight.

10:37We also have Cranston Police here

10:39tonight that would like to speak upon

10:40this that has the police report. Um

10:44I'm going to ask the captain of the

10:46police to please speak first, and then

10:49when it comes to you, if you could just

10:50state your name and your address.

10:57>> Okay, the um

10:59I spoke to the major

11:01and all he asked for was when they have

11:04no detail there

11:06that they have a security plan, but the

11:08security plan is to be presented.

11:11Um other than that, we've always had a

11:14good relationship with them. Um they've

11:17always asked everything we've we've

11:18asked them for them to do, they've

11:19always done. And uh as severe as that

11:23incident was

11:25I don't I don't believe they had any

11:27anything to do with that. Obviously, it

11:28wasn't any of their fault.

11:30>> Right, and I did read the police report.

11:31The subject was from out of the city,

11:34one socket resident.

11:36Okay.

11:37Do you guys want to come forward? As

11:39soon as they did receive the notice for

11:41the show cause, they did reach out to us

11:43directly. They were concerned, they were

11:46cooperative, and they wanted to work

11:48with the city so this doesn't happen

11:50again.

11:51>> Yeah, they they've always been like

11:52that.

11:53>> Would you like to state your name and

11:54address, please?

11:55>> Yes, thank you. Robert Taylor,

11:58an attorney with Partridge Snow and

11:59Hahn, and representing Lang's Bowlarama.

12:01With me here are David Lang, co-owner of

12:03the business, and Carl DeRosa, who is

12:05the manager. And I wanted to start by

12:07thanking everybody for allowing us to

12:09reschedule.

12:11We couldn't get Mr. Lang here last week,

12:13so we we appreciate the the indulgence.

12:15Um

12:16as was just stated, this this incident

12:18was unfortunate, but it it it was

12:22it was unexpected. There was apparently

12:25a group of

12:26of eight that came in on a Saturday

12:28night in the middle of August to bowl.

12:30There were four young guys and four

12:33young ladies in the group. They were

12:36assigned to bowling lanes where they

12:38then bowled. They were not

12:40um they were they did not um

12:43ask to be served alcohol. They were not

12:45served alcohol, so there's no alcohol

12:46involved in this incident. Uh they

12:49bowled for some period of time,

12:50apparently quite peaceably. There was no

12:52disturbance that any of the staff was

12:53aware of at the time.

12:55And then um apparently two of the young

12:57men went to the restroom where another

13:00customer overheard some sort of

13:02disturbing commentary and then called

13:04911. At which point the Cranston police

13:07promptly responded and um and arrested

13:10the person of interest and removed a

13:13apparently a loaded weapon in a

13:15backpack.

13:16So, um

13:17in light of all that, this was not

13:19something that the staff or Lang's was

13:21aware of at any time until really the

13:23police arrived.

13:25Having said all that, as has been

13:27indicated, Lang's is is very committed

13:29to maintaining a safe and reliable and

13:31enjoyable

13:33business in Branson. They've been here

13:35for many, many years. It's a

13:37family-owned business. They've been here

13:39in that location for decades. And I know

13:42Mr. Lang would would appreciate the

13:44chance to briefly talk about that if if

13:46you'd indulge him in that.

13:48I'd also say that um

13:51the

13:52business would love to have a police

13:54detail uh

13:56every Friday and Saturday night if

13:57possible. There's a standing request

13:58that's been in place for years.

14:00That's proven to be not always

14:02available.

14:03Um so, as part of this process, the

14:06business has undertaken to increase its

14:08private security. And we can lay all

14:11this out in some sort of supplemental

14:12submission if the council would like.

14:15And in addition, there'll probably be

14:16some other steps around

14:18just making sure that doors are are

14:20being properly monitored and maybe some

14:23additional video.

14:25So.

14:26>> Excellent.

14:27>> So, those are the host's points.

14:29And

14:30if you have questions of me, I'm happy

14:33to respond to them. Yes.

14:36>> Council President Wall.

14:37>> Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you

14:40for that detailed discussion.

14:43I do have a question.

14:45The captain referenced a safety plan.

14:49Where would that be? Did we receive

14:52So, there So, there isn't a safety plan

14:55right now, but you are going I guess the

14:57owners are going to develop one. Is that

14:58what I'm understanding?

14:59>> There's no formal safety plan in place

15:01at this time. I will say that the

15:04business already, as I said, for for

15:06years they've had a standing request for

15:08detail.

15:09They've utilized private security. Um

15:12there are over 30 cameras inside the

15:15business already.

15:17Um there are procedures in place to have

15:20a member at the door at busy periods to

15:24monitor people coming in and out to make

15:26sure that there's no no one obviously

15:27impaired. So that the business already

15:30has quite a number of things in place

15:31that they use to try and manage the

15:34facility and and again, this is this is

15:36a family business. There's all kinds of

15:39people all ages that come to bowl and

15:41they have for years. There are many many

15:43regular customers that come to this

15:45come to the

15:46bowling alley.

15:47And it's in everybody's interest

15:49including the business to

15:50maintain a safe and enjoyable atmosphere

15:52which is what they they strive to do.

15:54>> Yeah. And certainly thank you for that.

15:56And I agree listen, my children bowled

15:59you know, we bowled my children at

16:00Blanks

16:01some numerous times birthday pies etc.

16:05But the safety plan when when are we

16:07expecting to have that?

16:09>> Uh we're prepared to present that in 2

16:11weeks if that's acceptable.

16:12>> Two.

16:13I just and you'll present that to the

16:14police department so they have that on

16:16record for us.

16:17>> If if that's the

16:18whatever the preference is. We're we're

16:20happy to do that.

16:21>> Captain, is that the standard procedure?

16:23Okay, that then I guess that would be

16:24great to do that. That's what I would

16:25request.

16:26>> Captain, would you like that submitted

16:28to you or to Major Clark?

16:31>> Uh you can send that to either one of

16:33us.

16:34>> How about if you send it to both of you?

16:35That'd be nice.

16:36>> Sounds good.

16:36>> All right, very good.

16:38>> Thank you.

16:39>> Okay, Councilman and uh which lanes is

16:41actually in his ward?

16:42>> Well, thank you and I've spoke to Mr.

16:44Carlton last year and I I want to

16:46apologize on behalf of the city for not

16:48supplying you that detail. Um we are

16:51working on it. I know the I know the

16:53Greensboro Police Department is

16:55diligently trying to make that happen

16:57for you. So we apologize but it is a

16:59safe place. I've been there numerous of

17:01times and every time I go in there

17:03nothing but a professional staff and it

17:04is a safe environment but things happen.

17:06And we understand that on this council

17:08but at the same time we have to just

17:09keep a level of safety. So once you

17:11provide that plan it'll just help us be

17:13able to sleep at night knowing that you

17:14are adding that extra layer of So on

17:16behalf of Ward 3, I like I'd like to

17:19thank you for staying in Ward 3 and

17:21operating a safe business.

17:23>> Thank you, Councilman.

17:25>> Councilwoman Graziano.

17:26>> Thank you.

17:27Um yes, I myself frequent with my kid

17:31who thank God has his earphones in right

17:32now about this. But um

17:35I and I've seen a detail there before.

17:37Like I I've been there, there's been a a

17:40Cranston police officer. So, I

17:41apologize. I was sick last week, so I

17:44was not available for the meeting. So,

17:45my understanding is

17:47there's been issues getting a detail. Is

17:49that what happened that night or there

17:51was a detail there that evening?

17:53>> That's correct. There was no detail

17:54available that night.

17:56>> Okay, but you generally have somebody

17:58there Friday and Saturday?

18:00>> There's a standing request to have a

18:01detail Friday and Saturday nights.

18:03>> Okay. Yeah, I mean I I think 2 weeks is

18:06I mean for me, my opinion is 2 weeks is

18:09absolutely acceptable. And then

18:10providing it to the Cranston police and

18:12if they have any notes or comments, I

18:14would love them to provide it to City

18:15Council and back to yourself. If they

18:17need you to make any amendments before

18:19the next meeting, that would be

18:21wonderful.

18:22>> Very good. Thank you.

18:24>> So, as long as we receive this,

18:27did you say 2 or 3 weeks?

18:30>> We said 2 weeks.

18:30>> All right. Long as we receive this in 2

18:32weeks,

18:33um I'd like to ask for this to come off

18:35the calendar and just let it go.

18:39Are you happy with that, Captain? Okay.

18:43Does that work for everyone?

18:44>> Thank you. That's fine. Yeah.

18:46>> Okay.

18:46All right, thank you very much.

18:49Do you want to speak, David? Come right

18:51up.

18:51>> He's He's love his moment in the in the

18:53limelight.

18:55Thank you.

18:59>> I I am

19:01I figured since I don't get to be in

19:03front of

19:05you guys and we've been

19:07I get very emotional when I speak.

19:09So,

19:11uh and this is

19:12like a family thing.

19:14So, first of all,

19:16sorry about last week. I spent 1 week uh

19:18a month taking care of my mom in

19:19Florida,

19:20and I was there.

19:22Um

19:23so, anyway, I just figured I would use

19:24this occasion. I'm David Lang. Um my

19:27grandfather is Ed, who started the the

19:30bowling. And um

19:32my father is Bruce Lang.

19:34Um

19:36first of all, thank each of you. Thank

19:38you to the police.

19:39Um

19:41we've had a great relationship with the

19:43Cranston police.

19:44And they've been fantastic. Okay, so, I

19:47just wanted to give you a little history

19:49about how Cranston we are.

19:52Um so, my grandfather, um who started

19:54the bowling alley, he grew up in New

19:55York City. He made it through third

19:57grade. He from a very poor family,

20:00started to work, and he married a girl

20:02from Rhode Island. As you girls from

20:04Rhode Island know, eventually you get

20:06the guys to come back here, right? So,

20:09um he worked all around the country.

20:11They came back here. They started out in

20:13South Providence. And um

20:17at some point, they made their kind of

20:20move on up to Cranston. So, my dad went

20:22to Hugh B. Bain,

20:24Cranston East, and um

20:27yeah, exactly.

20:29Cran- Well, that was that's what it was

20:30probably called then, right? There was

20:32no Cranston West. That was farmland or

20:34something, right?

20:35And um

20:37and then my grandfather was one of the

20:38founding members of uh Alpine Country

20:41Club, which is here in Cranston.

20:43Um

20:44and um then he and some of his friends

20:47from the Alpine opened Lang's Bowlarama.

20:50And he lived in Cranston for the rest of

20:52his life. So, he was always talking

20:54about Cranston, Cranston, Cranston. And

20:57he made sure that the bowling alley was

20:59in Cranston, because across the street

21:00was Providence.

21:02So, that was hi- his his focus. They

21:04really wanted to be in Cranston. I mean,

21:06I just want you to know a little bit

21:08about um what's happened in the recent

21:10history. My dad, Bruce, he died in 2012.

21:14And um

21:15we um

21:17the the bowling center had been leased

21:19for 30 years to AMF. And um and he he

21:24was coming back to us and he asked that

21:25we not sell it. He he wanted He said,

21:28"Try to return it to like its former

21:30glory, if you will." That was his point

21:32of view. So, um

21:34that's what we've done. Our manager,

21:36Carl DeRosa, he came in with us

21:37immediately. Carl had worked with AMF

21:40for many years.

21:41And um

21:43basically, we've just invested,

21:44invested, invested. We we um just

21:47started taking money out of the business

21:48in 2024. So, we just worked for 12 years

21:52investing. Hopefully, some of you have

21:54been there. We know a couple of you have

21:55been. But, please come on by because,

21:57you know, we've we've really tried to

22:00make it

22:02sort of a shining example um of what's

22:05great in this

22:07in this great city.

22:08Um

22:09and other than Italian food, of course.

22:12And um

22:13yeah, that was it. I just wanted to

22:15share since I had the opportunity. And

22:17thank you all very much.

22:21>> Thank you for being good business owners

22:22in choosing Cranston.

22:25>> [clears throat]

22:32>> Alissa, if you want to say, you can. You

22:34don't have to, though.

22:37I

22:41I'd like to call for adjournment of this

22:42meeting. All those in favor, say

22:44>> Motion to adjourn.

22:45>> Second.

22:48>> Any discussion?

22:50All those in favor,

22:51>> Aye.

22:51>> Aye.

22:53Opposed, say nay.

22:55>> Yes.

26:54>> Mhm.

36:26>> This time I'd like to call special city

36:28council meeting to order

36:30this evening October the 13th, 2026.

36:36Clerk, please call the roll.

36:38>> Councilwoman Vellaire.

36:39>> Present.

36:40>> Councilman Campopiano.

36:42>> Present.

36:43>> Councilman Bonanno.

36:46Councilwoman Graziano.

36:48Councilman Andujar.

36:49>> Present.

36:49>> Councilman Rourke.

36:50>> Present.

36:51>> Councilman Traficante.

36:53Council Vice President O'Brien.

36:55>> Present.

36:55>> Council President Wall.

36:57>> Here.

36:58>> Okay. First item of business this

37:00evening will be public hearings. Is

37:02there anyone in the chambers who would

37:04like to speak on docketed matters only?

37:06Please step up to the podium, state your

37:08name and your address for the record,

37:10and you'll have 4 minutes to speak.

37:16I see no no one approaching the podium,

37:18so I'm going to ask Mr. Lima if there's

37:20anyone online who would like to speak on

37:21docketed matters.

37:23>> There's no public comment online.

37:25>> Thank you. Um at this time I'm going to

37:27close public comment. Our first item for

37:29business is a class BV full liquor

37:32license. It is new

37:34um for Cafe Atre. It is located at 1686

37:39Cranston Street. Hours are going to be

37:41Monday through Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 1:00

37:44o'clock.

37:46>> [clears throat]

37:47>> This was recommended by the Safety

37:48Services License Committee for passage

37:51on October 5th. However, it was

37:53recommended subject to tax collections,

37:56certification of occupancy,

37:58victualer's license, and a letter of

38:00good standing. Um they still need a

38:02health license for victualer. Um so

38:05we're going to pass this looking for a

38:07motion to approve of this subject to

38:10having those documents available.

38:12Is there a motion?

38:13>> So moved.

38:14>> Is there a second?

38:15>> Second.

38:16>> Is there any discussion?

38:18I see none, so I'm going to ask the

38:19clerk to please call the roll.

38:21>> Councilwoman Vespieri.

38:22>> Yes.

38:23>> Councilman Campagnano.

38:24>> Yes.

38:25>> Councilwoman Graziano.

38:26>> Yes.

38:27>> Councilman Andujar.

38:28>> Yes.

38:28>> Councilman Ritz.

38:29>> Yes.

38:30>> Councilman Traficante.

38:30>> Yes.

38:31>> Council Vice President Aroian.

38:33>> Yes.

38:33>> Council President Wall.

38:35>> Yes, that motion passes. The next item

38:37we're going to take up is going to be a

38:39class

38:40BVL liquor license. It is new for Wicked

38:44Good Sausage Company located at 1674

38:47Cranston Street. Their hours are going

38:49to be Monday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m.

38:51to 12:00 o'clock. Of course, this is

38:53over the cap. That's why it needs

38:55Council approval.

38:57It was recommended by the Safety Service

38:58and License Committee on October the 5th

39:00subject to the victualing license and

39:03the letter of good standing. It still

39:04needs a health license for victualing

39:06victualing. Um we're going to pass this.

39:09I'm looking for a motion to pass this

39:10subject to receiving the documents

39:12indicated on the agenda.

39:14>> Motion to approve.

39:15>> Second.

39:17>> Okay, is there a discussion?

39:20I see none.

39:21>> I would just like to make sure it's

39:23subject to receiving the victualing

39:25license and letter of good standing.

39:27>> Okay, so just for record, that that's

39:29what the motion was. It was seconded by

39:31Councilman Traficante.

39:32I see no no discussion, so I'm going to

39:35ask the clerk to please call the roll.

39:37>> Councilwoman Vespieri.

39:38>> Yes.

39:38>> Councilman Campagnano.

39:39>> Yes.

39:40>> Councilwoman Graziano.

39:41>> Yes.

39:42>> Councilman Andujar.

39:43>> Yes.

39:43>> Councilman Ritz.

39:44>> Yes.

39:44>> Councilman Traficante.

39:45>> Yes.

39:46>> Council Vice President Aroian.

39:47>> Yes.

39:47>> Council President Wall.

39:48>> Yes, that motion passes. Okay, seeing no

39:51further business before the Council this

39:53evening, I'm going to look for a motion

39:54to adjourn.

39:55>> So moved.

39:56>> Second.

39:56>> Please all in favor, please signify by

39:58saying aye.

39:58>> Aye.

39:59>> Opposed, signify by saying nay. The ayes

40:01have it. That motion carries. Good

40:02night. The next meeting will be

40:057 and 1/2 minutes.

42:14>> Mhm.

46:04>> Mhm.

47:45>> meeting to order on October Oh.

47:50>> Say it again.

47:51Here.

47:54Really?

47:56All right.

47:58Take them all.

49:43>> And now I'm officially going to call the

49:44public works committee meeting to order

49:46October 13th at 7:15 p.m. May I please

49:50get the roll.

49:56Councilwoman Andujar.

49:57>> Present.

49:58>> Councilwoman Vazeeri.

49:59>> Present.

50:00>> Councilman Capuano.

50:02>> Present.

50:03>> Councilman Banano.

50:07Council Vice President Henries.

50:09>> Present.

50:11>> Councilwoman Graziano.

50:13>> Present.

50:14>> Council President Wall.

50:15>> Here.

50:18>> Hi, um it looks like we have no meeting

50:21minutes for approval. And so we're going

50:23to move over to committee business

50:25matters that are being carried over. Um

50:28we are not going to go immediately into

50:31executive session. We are going to keep

50:33it in open session as long as we keep

50:36our conversation regarding this matter.

50:39Um so this is in regards to City of

50:42Cranston

50:43um versus Shriner's uh Rhode Island

50:46Charities Trust. This is a Cranston

50:48Municipal Court case H26-0026.

50:53And we are just going to get an update

50:54from the city solicitor. We're going to

50:56get some information about what's been

50:59um happening scheduling-wise, and

51:01they're going to explain where we're at

51:03um in Municipal Court and moving forward

51:06with any applications that have been

51:07applied for before zoning.

51:10Um and if we decide we're going to need

51:11to go further, we can head into

51:13executive session.

51:15>> Correct. Um

51:17um thank you, Councilwoman Graziano. Um

51:19Steven Marcella, I am the zoning,

51:21planning, and um

51:22housing solicitor uh for the city. So,

51:25um right now um this matter has uh

51:27basically a a dual track. It is um in

51:31Municipal Court um on a zoning violation

51:34for

51:35uh the LED sign. That has um had an

51:39initial appearance uh in Municipal

51:41Court. They're represented by Scholes

51:43and Scholes. The matter is down for uh

51:47pre-trial conference on November 2nd. Um

51:51at which time

51:53the matter will either try to be settled

51:56or it will go to

51:58trial and be set for a trial date

52:00probably in December.

52:02Uh kind of on a dual track, the

52:04applicants have applied for a zoning

52:06variance,

52:08which is their legal right to do so.

52:10Um

52:11that will be heard before the planning

52:14board for recommendation

52:16on November 10th. Normally the planning

52:18board is the first Tuesday, but the

52:20first Tuesday is is election

52:24night. So the planning meeting is now

52:26November 10th this month next month,

52:29excuse me, and then the zoning hearing

52:32will be November 12th.

52:35So any constituent

52:38>> [clears throat]

52:38>> any person wishing to

52:41be heard on that matter can either come

52:43to the to the planning

52:45board meeting on November 10th or the

52:47zoning board hearing on November 12th.

52:50Depending on the outcome of that

52:52hearing, should the matter be negative

52:55should matter be denied by the zoning

52:58board, the municipal court matter will

53:01then continue and it would be put down

53:04for trial at

53:06a December hearing date.

53:08So that's the status both on the

53:09municipal violation in municipal court

53:12and on the zoning application pending

53:15before the planning board and the zoning

53:17board.

53:19>> Okay, thank you Attorney Marcella.

53:21Um

53:23I I I will take questions from

53:25members of the committee in regards to

53:28this, but stay on the track of what's

53:32happening with trial dates

53:35and planning and zoning.

53:39Oh, wow. Okay, nothing? Okay, President

53:43Wall.

53:44>> Going to try to stay

53:46>> [clears throat]

53:47>> So, let's say it's not approved by the

53:49zoning.

53:51The design, they're looking for a

53:52variance.

53:53>> Correct.

53:54>> And it's not um what recourse do they

53:56have at that point?

53:59>> Um well, the the next step would be um

54:03the municipal uh couple of things. They

54:06would certainly have the right to appeal

54:08the zoning

54:09denial in superior court as an

54:11administrative appeal.

54:13Um the next step would be uh to

54:17um have the hearing at the municipal

54:19court level.

54:20>> Right.

54:21>> Depending on the outcome of that, they

54:22would have

54:24the right to if it was found in their

54:26violation, it was found in their favor,

54:29nothing would happen. If it was found

54:30against them, they would have the right

54:32to appeal that to district court.

54:35So, any any denial of a superior court

54:38act of a zoning board [clears throat]

54:40goes to superior court, any denial of a

54:43um

54:44a municipal court action most likely

54:46will go to district court on uh on and

54:49they have a what's called a de novo

54:50hearing. You basically do it all over

54:52again at the next level.

54:53>> And then the appeal would go around

54:55Supreme Court in both [clears throat] of

54:56those cases?

54:57>> Um no, um

55:00if it's a municipal court, it would go

55:01to district court and then depending on

55:04it, it most likely would either jump to

55:06Supreme Court or some some violations go

55:08to superior court and then to Supreme

55:10Court.

55:11>> Just I'm just curious yeah, where it

55:13would go. Just play it out in my head.

55:16Um okay. Thank you. Thank you.

55:19>> Okay. Um

55:20so, I okay. Um Councilman Andujar.

55:24>> Counselor, are there any fines being

55:26given right now per day?

55:28>> There there are no fines because the

55:29matter has not been adjudicated. The

55:31only time fine would be imposed is after

55:33trial if they were found in violation,

55:36then a fine can be imposed from the date

55:38of the violation notice.

55:40You're not allowed to just de novo put a

55:43fine on someone.

55:44Correct. Yeah.

55:45>> Councilwoman Horan.

55:48So, you can just put up a sign that's

55:50not in the legal requirement and keep it

55:53lit until the court date. So, I could do

55:56something to

55:58break the law, but until I go to court,

56:00I can keep doing it every day with no

56:02consequences?

56:04>> Potentially.

56:05There are consequences. There are

56:07consequences if you're found guilty.

56:10>> I'm going to make note of that. Thank

56:11you.

56:11>> Okay.

56:13>> [snorts]

56:15>> Councilman Inder.

56:17So, one one question relating back to um

56:20Council President's note. So, um it is

56:23possible, now this is a general

56:25question, for it doesn't have to be

56:27related to this. So, planning can make a

56:29negative recommendation, zoning could

56:31deny the application.

56:33It could go to

56:35um

56:37trial and

56:39and then they could say you're fine, and

56:41then that circumvents zoning?

56:44>> Uh the

56:45the city has to prove their case at the

56:47municipal court level.

56:49I

56:52We we have to prove we we certainly have

56:54to put our case on at the municipal

56:56court level. Correct. I mean, I can't

56:58tell you what a what a independent judge

57:00would

57:00>> No, no, no, I'm not asking that. So, I'm

57:02just asking the court could approve it

57:04and then

57:06if they find in favor of Shriners,

57:11then it could go forward?

57:16>> Potentially.

57:17Uh if the if the court found that there

57:19was no zoning violation, the

57:22the they could

57:24I you know, I I don't know how a court

57:25would rule. I can't tell you.

57:27>> Yeah, but they could they could rule in

57:29in their favor finding no zoning

57:31violation. This is not pertaining to

57:33that, but that could happen. Okay.

57:35Okay. Um well, I'm grateful Yeah, what?

57:39You do? Okay. Um Vice President Horan.

57:43>> Now, I want to say I'm a huge supporter

57:45of the Shriners, but isn't is there a

57:48possibility that they're just going to

57:49be respectful neighbors and good

57:52business and grants and say, "Hey, we're

57:53going to follow the guidelines in which

57:55you and you are signed to follow what

57:57we're supposed to be doing?"

58:01>> I

58:03I can't answer that question. I mean,

58:05that that's not a legal question. That

58:07would be They they certainly have the

58:09right to exercise their legal rights,

58:12um which they're doing.

58:14Um

58:15that would be more of a political

58:17um question than a than a legal

58:18question.

58:19>> Okay, thank you.

58:21Also, I'd like to say grateful for our

58:23attorney Marcella explaining exactly how

58:27this works because for a long time I as

58:30a council person have been very confused

58:33about how we're moving forward with this

58:36violation and how it works in municipal

58:39court. It's very clear to me now. I am

58:43upset that it did take this long to get

58:46them to file This is just a general

58:48statement that it took this long to get

58:50the Shriners to apply for their zoning

58:52waiver

58:53um or variance

58:55um

58:56and come before planning and zoning.

58:59Um so, I am disappointed in that, but

59:01I'm I I feel like we're moving forward

59:03and I know things don't happen fast in

59:06any municipality, in any state. So, I'm

59:09grateful that we're moving forward and

59:11I'm

59:12obviously looking forward to hearing

59:14more about how um

59:16planning and zoning will take a look at

59:18this.

59:19So, anyone else on the committee?

59:23>> I want to be careful how I word this

59:25one.

59:28God, but don't think I can if I don't go

59:30into executive session, but I'm going to

59:31start very slowly. And when I get to a

59:33point where you think I'm

59:35you feel free to interrupt me.

59:37>> Sure.

59:39>> Why is it that they think that they can

59:41violate the law with no recourse?

59:44>> Uh I I can't answer that without going

59:46into executive session.

59:47>> and I you see how I tried to without and

59:50I

59:50>> I have an idea

59:52>> That's very good. So, I'm going to

59:53retract that question.

59:57>> Okay. Um

59:59But I mean I know I'm the chairperson

1:00:01for this. So, I'm going to keep this on

1:00:03for updates.

1:00:05Um

1:00:06Our meeting [clears throat] our next

1:00:07meeting is before we will have an answer

1:00:10from planning or zoning. So, is there

1:00:14another agenda Could this go on to city

1:00:16council agenda for an update?

1:00:19>> Will someone be available to

1:00:22>> Um so, uh zoning is November 12th. So, I

1:00:25don't know when your city council

1:00:26>> It would be the 16th.

1:00:28>> You would have an answer by then.

1:00:29>> Great. Okay.

1:00:30>> Well,

1:00:32Well, we not this city council meeting,

1:00:34obviously.

1:00:35>> November 16th.

1:00:36>> November, yeah.

1:00:37>> Okay.

1:00:38It was the 19th

1:00:40in October.

1:00:41>> October 19th, right?

1:00:41>> Okay.

1:00:42So, maybe we'll move it there if

1:00:44everyone says that's okay. So, great.

1:00:46And we'll look forward to an update

1:00:47then. Um but I'm I'm okay for now now

1:00:49that I fully understand everything and I

1:00:51appreciate that. Thank you.

1:00:52>> Okay. You're welcome.

1:00:54Thank you.

1:00:54>> Okay.

1:00:55>> Thank you.

1:00:55>> Um okay. So, looking like we're all set

1:00:58on that. So, public comment. I'm going

1:01:01to be looking for anybody um in chambers

1:01:04looking to discuss docketed matters

1:01:06only. Um you can come up to the podium,

1:01:09state your name and address, and I will

1:01:11call on you.

1:01:15Okay. Seeing no one in chambers, um may

1:01:18I see if there's anyone online? It looks

1:01:20like no, but

1:01:21>> There is no public comment online.

1:01:23>> Thank you. So, I am going to go ahead

1:01:25and close public comment at 7:27.

1:01:31And next, um, there are no new matters

1:01:34before the committee this evening, which

1:01:36is wonderful. Um, and next we're going

1:01:39to go to council communications. We're

1:01:41going to start with council vice

1:01:42president Haroyan. Um, she would like an

1:01:45update on the pool. I see director

1:01:48Corrao hiding behind the laptop over

1:01:50there, and we would love him to give us

1:01:52an update. So, this is

1:01:55um

1:01:55>> First of all

1:01:57>> pool cover procurement, winterization,

1:01:59warranty coverage, and closure of

1:02:02Vantage Builders.

1:02:05Thank you, director.

1:02:05>> Sure, you're ready?

1:02:07All right. I know you've heard it

1:02:08several times already, but obviously,

1:02:10the primary goal for that pool was to

1:02:12get it open as soon as we could, and

1:02:14that ultimately was this season.

1:02:17You've heard quite a bit about how

1:02:18successful it was, and unfortunately, we

1:02:20had not encountered a couple of issues

1:02:22with the prime contractor.

1:02:24And today, where we stand is Vantage is

1:02:27now out of business.

1:02:29So, they have closed their doors. There

1:02:30is nothing left to the company.

1:02:34What that leaves us with is having to

1:02:36close the pool with the cover,

1:02:38as well as winterization of that pool.

1:02:42Both of those things were originally

1:02:44included in the contract, which we have

1:02:46not paid for yet.

1:02:48So, we still have that money, and what

1:02:50we've done is we've decided to go out

1:02:52with our own small contract to get

1:02:55another contractor to put in the to

1:02:57design the pool cover and install it, as

1:02:59well as

1:03:01winterize the pool for this season.

1:03:06>> Okay.

1:03:07>> As far as warranties,

1:03:09you've got to remember, the the pool

1:03:11warranty is not with Vantage. The

1:03:13warranty of the pool is with SSG, which

1:03:15is South Gonite.

1:03:18They're a major commercial pool builder

1:03:21in Massachusetts.

1:03:23So, they will stand behind the warranty

1:03:25of the pool.

1:03:27The Vantage issues have nothing to do

1:03:29with them other than they are old money

1:03:31by Vantage and that's one of the reasons

1:03:34why they were hesitant to or reluctant

1:03:37to actually come and

1:03:39continue with the design of the cover as

1:03:41well as doing the winterization. We have

1:03:43solicited from them if they were willing

1:03:45to and wanted to put in a bid

1:03:47that we put out asking for the cover and

1:03:49the winterization. Today, we haven't

1:03:52heard anything from them. We have heard

1:03:54back from one and there are three other

1:03:56pool manufacturers in this area that

1:03:58we've solicited proposals from to do

1:04:00that winterization as well as design and

1:04:03install the custom cover.

1:04:09>> Okay, great.

1:04:11Um, Vice President Horrigan.

1:04:13>> Thank you for being here tonight so we

1:04:15could ask these questions.

1:04:17All right, first of all,

1:04:19um

1:04:20if that pool is not covered, will it

1:04:22stain the pool? I had a constituent

1:04:24reach out to me and said they had done a

1:04:26lot of work on pools and were actually

1:04:28starting to damage the pool by it not

1:04:30being covered.

1:04:31>> I wouldn't say there's damage. There's a

1:04:32potential for anything to happen. Right

1:04:34now, the longer the leaves sit there,

1:04:36there's a potential that the acidity

1:04:38from the leaves could potentially stain

1:04:39it because it is a plaster pool.

1:04:42It's not a painted pool. So, we are

1:04:44concerned about that, but primarily what

1:04:46will happen is whoever's going to

1:04:47winterize it

1:04:49will ultimately vacuum all of that out

1:04:52and we're hoping to have somebody on

1:04:53within the next 2 weeks to be able to

1:04:56get that pool at least cleaned up, get

1:04:58the major part of the leaves out of the

1:05:00bottom and the cover itself is probably

1:05:03going to be a

1:05:04anywhere they said 3 to 5 week design

1:05:07period and then they would put it on.

1:05:09But again, before the pool gets covered,

1:05:11they would ensure part of the

1:05:13winterization would be that everything

1:05:14comes out of that pool and it'll get

1:05:16cleaned to the maximum extent possible.

1:05:18>> What does pool cover like that cost

1:05:20around?

1:05:21>> Approximately, you're probably looking

1:05:22anywhere from 25 to 35,000 dollars.

1:05:27>> Okay. And um was this all ARPA money?

1:05:31So, is there a chance that because the

1:05:33company closed out, ARPA money could be

1:05:35in jeopardy?

1:05:37>> I don't believe so because we'll be

1:05:38expending that money before the end of

1:05:39this year and I believe the end of

1:05:41December is when that ARPA money

1:05:44it runs out.

1:05:45>> Do you know when we found out that there

1:05:47was a closure in Vantage Builders, when

1:05:50the city was notified?

1:05:51>> We were notified probably 2 and 1/2

1:05:53weeks ago.

1:05:57>> Um the companies you said you're looking

1:05:59at a few local companies to maybe close

1:06:02the pool and get the cover from. Are

1:06:04they on the state vending list or have

1:06:06they been vetted?

1:06:07>> was not able to find anything on the MPA

1:06:09for pools.

1:06:12>> So, we would be spending 25 to 30,000

1:06:14dollars on a company that hasn't been

1:06:18vetted?

1:06:19>> Well, they would be vetted through the

1:06:20bid process. We'd have to go through the

1:06:22bid waiver and a contract and we

1:06:24ourselves also would evaluate them to

1:06:26know whether or not they've been able to

1:06:28do commercial pools in the past and

1:06:30whether or not they're successful.

1:06:33>> Are they on the state list?

1:06:35>> No.

1:06:36Not to my knowledge.

1:06:38>> Okay.

1:06:40Um

1:06:42the neighbors are getting really upset

1:06:44with this pool not being covered. Um

1:06:47alarms going off from Friday to Sunday

1:06:50in a rainstorm.

1:06:52>> I mean, that was a one-time event that's

1:06:54been resolved. That alarm has not gone

1:06:55off since.

1:06:57And as far as them being concerned,

1:06:59again, as we've reiterated in the past,

1:07:02it's not essential that you close that

1:07:03pool,

1:07:04but the state the city did take on that

1:07:07responsibility when they designed the

1:07:08pool initially that they would cover it.

1:07:11So, many if not all of the commercial uh

1:07:15municipal pools, they're not covered.

1:07:18Both Massachus- I mean both uh

1:07:20Providence, Pawtucket, East Providence,

1:07:22they're not covered. We're going the

1:07:24extra belts and suspenders at this

1:07:26location to be able to get that covered

1:07:29and do what we can to maintain the

1:07:30integrity of the pool.

1:07:32>> Are those cities and towns pool pools

1:07:34made of the same material that Grayson

1:07:36is?

1:07:36>> I don't know what everyone is, but I'm

1:07:37sure some of them are plaster and

1:07:39gunite, yes.

1:07:40>> Good night.

1:07:42All right.

1:07:44>> [snorts]

1:07:44>> Councilman Bizzarro.

1:07:46>> What happens if we don't get the pool

1:07:48covered?

1:07:49>> Nothing. That just means a little more

1:07:51work next year to open up the pool just

1:07:52like you would at your own private pool.

1:07:55>> Is someone taking care of it right now

1:07:57like running the filter and all of that

1:07:59or is it just off?

1:08:01>> No. Everything's off right now.

1:08:02>> And if we don't get it covered,

1:08:03everything will just stay off the whole

1:08:05time?

1:08:06For like the whole winter?

1:08:07>> Stay on or

1:08:09>> No, off.

1:08:10>> Yes. Yeah. As part of the winterization

1:08:12process, everything gets shut off.

1:08:15All the water gets out of any of the

1:08:16pipes that have potential for freezing.

1:08:19And then it would be left like that with

1:08:20the cover for the rest of the season.

1:08:22Till next spring, summer.

1:08:24>> Wait, with the cover on or off?

1:08:26>> On during the winter.

1:08:27>> I'm saying what happens if we don't get

1:08:28it covered?

1:08:30>> Nothing would change.

1:08:31>> Leave it as

1:08:32>> would not have a cover. You'd have water

1:08:33sitting in the pool. And you would be in

1:08:35the same position come next year to

1:08:37refill it, get the filter running, and

1:08:39then be able to do your process just

1:08:40like opening up any pool.

1:08:42>> Thank you.

1:08:45>> Councilman Indihar.

1:08:46>> Director, thank you for being here this

1:08:48evening.

1:08:49Um

1:08:52You're assuring us that we're fine.

1:08:54>> Yes.

1:08:55>> And I know these leaves stain pools.

1:08:59>> Potentially they can.

1:09:00>> So, if we don't cover it, will we have

1:09:02to repaint this thing next year or

1:09:05>> would not anticipating trying to paint

1:09:06the plaster. The plaster itself is the

1:09:08final cover and the final surface.

1:09:11So, there are other chemicals that they

1:09:12might be able to add that you would be

1:09:14able to lessen that if it was the stain.

1:09:16And again, that's all an if.

1:09:18>> And just to reiterate,

1:09:21let's say something breaks, who pays for

1:09:24it?

1:09:25Like if a pipe freezes and we have to

1:09:27like dig it and replace it, a pump goes

1:09:30because it went below zero

1:09:3330 days in a row, what

1:09:35>> Yeah, part of the warranty Part of the

1:09:36warranty would be that it's still

1:09:38covered under the SSG's warranty.

1:09:40>> And SSG is?

1:09:42>> South Shore Gunite, the original

1:09:43installers of the pool.

1:09:45>> Okay, so

1:09:46>> They're still in business. They They had

1:09:47nothing to do with Vantage. Vantage was

1:09:49not the builder. They were pretty much

1:09:50just the construction manager on the

1:09:52project. They hired subcontractors to do

1:09:55all the work.

1:09:55>> So, let's say it rains for 40 straight,

1:09:58there's a sinkhole, and we missed a

1:10:00rebar somewhere, and it comes back on

1:10:03these other people, who pays for fixing

1:10:05that sinkhole when it wasn't our fault

1:10:07and it was this builder that went out of

1:10:09business.

1:10:11>> There's a lot of moving parts to what

1:10:13you just said. If there's a sinkhole

1:10:15that develops around it, it is not the

1:10:16responsibility of the pool itself cuz

1:10:18they're only responsible for the actual

1:10:19construction of the pool and the

1:10:21equipment associated with running the

1:10:23pool.

1:10:23>> So, I don't mean to interrupt you. Let's

1:10:24say 2 ft away from the pool, there was

1:10:27supposed to be a rebar to support some

1:10:28brick or something. That thing collapsed

1:10:30because they didn't put the rebar.

1:10:33We go through it, you go through it, and

1:10:35you realize that a rebar is there, was

1:10:37supposed to be there, and it wasn't in

1:10:38place, who pays for that?

1:10:41I'm asking if there's any insurances or

1:10:43any bonds or

1:10:43>> I can say this, I'm not an attorney, but

1:10:46I have a daughter that's an attorney,

1:10:48and I would have to say I would defer to

1:10:50our legal counsel as to whether or not

1:10:51we would be responsible, but again,

1:10:54the rebar that went in around the pool

1:10:57for the aprons and everything was not

1:10:58part of the SSG work. There was another

1:11:01subcontractor that actually did all the

1:11:02flat work around the pool. So, if there

1:11:05was something to happen there, there's a

1:11:07possibility we could get that other

1:11:08contract back to fix that, but if not,

1:11:11then the city would be on the hook to

1:11:12get that repaired.

1:11:13>> Well, what I'm trying to get at is if

1:11:14this company that went out of business,

1:11:16if something they're responsible for

1:11:17flaws, who pays for it? That's my issue

1:11:20right now.

1:11:21>> Again, it would have been the warranties

1:11:23from the subcontractors that have done

1:11:25the work, not so much Vantage.

1:11:27>> Okay.

1:11:28>> They would have to take the lead to

1:11:29maybe organize it and get it completed,

1:11:32but in the absence of that, we would

1:11:34have to take on that responsibility to

1:11:35go after whatever section of that

1:11:38pool/apron/fencing

1:11:41or whatever that could potentially have

1:11:42had a problem to try to get that

1:11:44corrected.

1:11:45>> And with your career

1:11:47and all the titles you've had,

1:11:49you're 1,000% sure we are fine

1:11:52for the next 30 years with this pool.

1:11:54Well, I should say the next 5 years with

1:11:56this pool or whatever time you give us.

1:11:59>> here within the city of Cranston as

1:12:01public works director, yes.

1:12:03>> So, if the state picks you up in 2

1:12:05months, we're we're up the creek.

1:12:07>> Warranties off.

1:12:08>> Thank you, director.

1:12:10>> Okay. Do you mind if I take one council

1:12:12person after council [clears throat]

1:12:13person? Um Councilman Ritz.

1:12:15>> I just had one question. You might have

1:12:17answered it in the beginning lightning

1:12:19round. Um

1:12:20but I have been asked before about

1:12:22draining the pool, the old pool. I

1:12:24believe it was drained for the winter.

1:12:26Is that an option? I I you're a better

1:12:28expert than me, but that was asked, so I

1:12:29was just wondering.

1:12:30>> Yeah, I would not anticipating draining

1:12:31the pool at all, no. Keeping the water

1:12:33in it is going to be safer for the pool,

1:12:35plus there's a lot of ground water, and

1:12:37the actual new pool is designed to be

1:12:39able to withstand any upward forces as a

1:12:41result of the ground water, and part of

1:12:43keeping the pool in the ground was the

1:12:45weight plus the weight of the water.

1:12:48>> Makes sense. Thank you.

1:12:50>> [snorts]

1:12:51>> Yep.

1:12:52Senator Murray.

1:12:53>> [clears throat]

1:12:53>> Just a kind of simple question.

1:12:56If there's leaves, why can't the city

1:12:58clean out the leaves so we don't take a

1:13:00chance of staying in the lineup?

1:13:01>> That's that's a potential option. We

1:13:04would have to take that up with Parks

1:13:05and Rec, not with Public Works, but they

1:13:07would be responsible for that. And it

1:13:09may be something that we do should we go

1:13:11much longer than now where we are now to

1:13:14be able to get that stuff cleaned up.

1:13:15>> Have you seen the pool recently?

1:13:17>> Uh within the past week, yes. Last week

1:13:20I was there.

1:13:21>> How many leaves were in it? Was there a

1:13:22lot?

1:13:24>> You wanted to find

1:13:25>> I had emails from neighbors.

1:13:26>> What do you Do you want to define a lot?

1:13:29>> If it was in your backyard, would you

1:13:30have cleaned it out?

1:13:31>> Yes.

1:13:32>> If it was a pool in your yard, would you

1:13:34make sure it gets closed? Every one of

1:13:36us on council, I think, would close a

1:13:37pool and clean it in our yard.

1:13:39>> If you're putting it into my own

1:13:40experiences, I do have a pool. And no, I

1:13:43did not close it when I was supposed to.

1:13:45I did go more than a month beyond, and

1:13:47it was still not a problem to close the

1:13:49pool after that month of when I should

1:13:51have done it back in early September.

1:13:52And I did early October.

1:13:56>> All right. We're past early October,

1:13:58though.

1:14:01>> Uh Council President.

1:14:02>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um

1:14:04>> [clears throat]

1:14:05>> Earlier on you mentioned there was money

1:14:07in the contract with uh Vantage.

1:14:10>> Vantage is the prime.

1:14:11>> Vantage uh for closing the pool.

1:14:15How much?

1:14:16>> Well, it Again, the money was in the

1:14:17pool to have

1:14:19SSG

1:14:21close the pool as well as put in in its

1:14:24installed in order the cover.

1:14:27The contract amount at that time was

1:14:29$37,500.

1:14:31>> So the So I that you followed my second

1:14:34question was how much you know, was the

1:14:36cover included in this closing?

1:14:38>> Yes, it was.

1:14:39>> part of the contract. So [snorts] you're

1:14:40looking at 37 and the cover

1:14:44them to make a cover, it's going to cost

1:14:45us between 25 grand.

1:14:47>> No, that 37 included the cover and the

1:14:49winterization.

1:14:50>> So we have that money. So So right now

1:14:53we have if I'm I'm hearing you

1:14:55correctly, about $37,000.

1:14:58>> Plus we did not release the last payment

1:15:00to the prime contractor which they may

1:15:02be entitled to some of it, but we still

1:15:04have some additional money beyond that

1:15:0637,000.

1:15:07>> Would you be able to venture a guess as

1:15:09how how much that was?

1:15:12>> I would speculate right now without

1:15:14being held to an exact number would

1:15:16probably close to $100,000.

1:15:19>> I hope they don't collect it. Um,

1:15:21they put us in a situation. Um

1:15:24Okay, so we they definitely have $37,000

1:15:27and a cover is going to cost us between

1:15:2925 and and 35.

1:15:31>> And And again, that was the contract bid

1:15:34item. These outside vendors, we don't

1:15:36know exactly what they're going to bid

1:15:38to do this work.

1:15:39>> Okay. And that bidding is going to start

1:15:41when?

1:15:42>> It has started. We sent out a proposal

1:15:44last week and we're expecting everything

1:15:45to come in by the middle of next week.

1:15:47>> Okay.

1:15:48So we'll get to know that then.

1:15:50>> Yes.

1:15:50>> Um

1:15:52You did educate me on a plaster bottom

1:15:55pool. Years ago I worked on pools

1:15:57they're rather large and we didn't cover

1:15:59them. But I don't think they were

1:16:01plaster. I think they were concrete.

1:16:04>> This is also concrete.

1:16:05>> painted.

1:16:06>> Yeah, painted. This is a concrete pool.

1:16:08It's a gunite pool.

1:16:09>> Yeah.

1:16:10>> With a plastic coating on the exterior

1:16:12of that gunite.

1:16:13>> But as we we left water. Sorry.

1:16:17Um

1:16:18because that was at the time that was

1:16:20told that that was the best thing to do

1:16:21it wouldn't crack a pool or something to

1:16:23that extent and it lasted an awful long

1:16:24time. But in the spring we had to clean

1:16:27it, scrape it, paint it and get all that

1:16:30gunk which turned out in the winter out

1:16:31of it. Um and we did paint it every

1:16:34year. But this pool you say you do not

1:16:37paint.

1:16:37>> We do not want to paint. So

1:16:39>> So if we do get a stain, we're stuck

1:16:41with a stain.

1:16:42>> If it cannot be removed by other methods

1:16:44of

1:16:44>> By some tech

1:16:45>> It's not the first time It's not the

1:16:47first time there would be a stain on a

1:16:48plaster pool.

1:16:49>> Right.

1:16:49>> So, there are methods of doing it. I'm

1:16:51not familiar with it exactly, but there

1:16:52are ways of having that taken off.

1:16:54>> are methods to take care of it. Which

1:16:56you you preempted my question. Um

1:17:01This is going to sound stupid because

1:17:02this is not a gas grill that you lost

1:17:04the cover for.

1:17:06You might just go to Job Lot and get a

1:17:08top. Is there any type of temporary

1:17:11covering we could have to alleviate some

1:17:12of these issues or is that just

1:17:15I

1:17:15>> You know, I wish there was, but it's

1:17:17such an odd-shaped pool.

1:17:19And it's kind of a resort-style pool.

1:17:21But, it is a truly custom

1:17:23>> Right.

1:17:23>> cover that has to be designed and it'll

1:17:25be designed and placed in probably three

1:17:27to four sections because you can never

1:17:29maneuver and manage something that

1:17:31large.

1:17:31>> I get you, yeah. It's It's rather big.

1:17:33All right. Thank you. That's That's all

1:17:35the questions I have. Thank you.

1:17:37>> Thank you.

1:17:37>> Thank you, Joe.

1:17:38>> Councilman Trafficante.

1:17:39>> Frank, it's a just a

1:17:41simple practical question.

1:17:43You're saying that it's going to take

1:17:45several two or three weeks to get a new

1:17:48contractor on board to to cover the pool

1:17:50and to

1:17:51winterize it.

1:17:52>> No, once once we

1:17:54>> to go to bid, right?

1:17:55>> We're going out to bid and we have those

1:17:56bids coming in by the end of this week

1:17:59and it'll give us a few days next week

1:18:00to evaluate them to come up with the

1:18:01best responsive bidder.

1:18:04>> So, within a couple weeks then we'll

1:18:05have a contractor on board to take care

1:18:07of it.

1:18:08>> To stop the winterization and to clean

1:18:09the pool.

1:18:10>> Well, yes. I was going to say, if it

1:18:11takes longer than that, why not have the

1:18:13public the sorry, recreation department

1:18:15get in there right now to clean the

1:18:17leaves out to avoid any staining

1:18:19possibility?

1:18:20>> Yeah.

1:18:21Again, that is something we can address

1:18:22with parks and rec. Yes.

1:18:25>> Vice President Horan.

1:18:27>> I'm not trying to be difficult or

1:18:28anything, but you just said

1:18:30this won't be the first time a pool gets

1:18:31a stain from leaves. This is a brand new

1:18:34pool. It's not just uh not a big deal if

1:18:36our pool gets stained. It's our job to

1:18:40protect the pool and to keep it up.

1:18:44It is a big deal if a brand new pool

1:18:46gets a liner stained in my eyes. I don't

1:18:49know how everyone else feels, but

1:18:52that's unacceptable.

1:18:53>> Well, again, I don't dis- I don't

1:18:54disagree with you. Unfortunately, that's

1:18:56the cards we were dealt. There's nothing

1:18:58we can do right now.

1:19:02>> If you give me a key, I'll go clean the

1:19:03leaves out weekly.

1:19:08>> So So it sounds like

1:19:11it's my turn.

1:19:13That we can respectfully request, um I

1:19:16think um

1:19:18we can respectfully request that we ask

1:19:21if Parks and Rec would mind doing a turn

1:19:24cleaning out the leaves. It's not as

1:19:26easy as

1:19:27you think it is. It is a lot of work. I

1:19:29know how it's done.

1:19:31Um

1:19:33What What Why can't we request to see if

1:19:35they would do that? I mean, I don't

1:19:36think that's out of out of the realm.

1:19:41So I think we could nicely request that.

1:19:43That's my suggestion.

1:19:46Um And President Wall also um

1:19:51You You asked my question. So it sounds

1:19:53like we have a budget. You're hoping to

1:19:55get bids in around the 37K. You think

1:19:58that'll cover both the

1:20:00pool cover and the winterization.

1:20:03>> Correct.

1:20:04>> Um

1:20:05I'll just ask, is there any way that we

1:20:07could clean out um the pipes from the

1:20:10water, or that is not something that we

1:20:11have

1:20:12clean out the pipes from the water? So

1:20:14Is that not something we have the

1:20:15ability to do?

1:20:18>> As long as you get the water level down

1:20:19below a certain level, just like any

1:20:21built-in pool, there is some water in

1:20:23some of the piping that is above ground.

1:20:25>> Yeah.

1:20:25>> All the big large pipes are below the

1:20:27bottom of the pool. There's really no

1:20:29chance of them ever freezing cuz the

1:20:31entire pool would have to freeze solid.

1:20:33So

1:20:33>> Right. Right. But the top ones are all

1:20:35set as of right now.

1:20:36>> The water level is down below those, but

1:20:38the only thing they would need to do

1:20:40would be to blow those out through an

1:20:41air compressor that you would normally

1:20:43use to seal

1:20:43>> So we could do that.

1:20:45>> Uh we don't have the expertise nor the

1:20:47equipment to do it.

1:20:48>> That's what I was asking. Thank you.

1:20:49>> No.

1:20:50>> Okay. So we cannot do that. I was just

1:20:52asking based on like what's going to

1:20:53happen with the weather. Obviously, it

1:20:56can go any way. I understand it's going

1:20:58to be 80° tomorrow. So who knows it

1:20:59could be December 1st before we have any

1:21:01issues. But um we are up against a

1:21:03deadline. I think a number of council

1:21:06members are concerned about

1:21:08the impacts to a brand new pool from

1:21:11staining. So we're we're we're

1:21:13requesting that we visit the opportunity

1:21:15to um that Parks and Rec could clean the

1:21:18pool if that's something possible that

1:21:20the administration could take on. We

1:21:22would we would love to see that and that

1:21:24would go a long way with our

1:21:25constituents.

1:21:27Um are there any anything else that the

1:21:30um

1:21:32committee members would like to ask?

1:21:36>> Again, I would just like to say, you

1:21:36know, we we share the same concerns.

1:21:39Okay, I spent 2 years of my life getting

1:21:41that pool going over the past couple of

1:21:42years that I've been here. So

1:21:44my goal is to get it done and get it

1:21:46done as quickly as we can.

1:21:49>> I I'm sure everyone is anxious to get it

1:21:51done. I think we just want to impose our

1:21:56concern and that we would like anything

1:21:59that the city can do to ensure that

1:22:02there are no impacts from this business

1:22:05going out.

1:22:07Um

1:22:08that we could get that done if it's

1:22:09possible. That's all.

1:22:11Okay.

1:22:12I think we're good.

1:22:15Um might as well hang out up there,

1:22:16Director, cuz I think you have to answer

1:22:19the next few questions. Um so the next

1:22:21ones are myself.

1:22:25And I just wanted to get an update. It

1:22:27feels like everything went okay on this

1:22:30{quote} unquote [clears throat]

1:22:31nor'easter from September 26th to the

1:22:3328th. I was just seeing if we could get

1:22:35some storm and flooding updates. If you

1:22:37feel like during the storm, you saw any

1:22:40concerns or if there were any issues,

1:22:42obviously we have a number of areas that

1:22:45have flooding on a regular basis and we

1:22:48would like to be closed off if any

1:22:51anything happened. We just want to get

1:22:52an update on any of your comments or

1:22:55concerns.

1:22:56>> Uh the the great thing about the storm

1:22:58that nor'easter, thanks to Mother

1:22:59Nature, it started well south of us and

1:23:02as it came up, it did lose some of its

1:23:04power and I don't think we got the full

1:23:06brunt of the nor'easter.

1:23:09Again, it was also a

1:23:11it was a two-day duration. That type of

1:23:14rainstorm really does not create any

1:23:15problems for us in the city at the

1:23:18hotspots.

1:23:20And when I say hotspots, there are areas

1:23:22within the city right now that we know

1:23:23that when you get that short duration,

1:23:26high-intensity rain, you're going to

1:23:28have a problem.

1:23:29And the good news is during this past

1:23:31storm, we had none of those.

1:23:33The biggest part of this past storm was

1:23:35the soaking rains in the soils and the

1:23:38wind which ultimately toppled several

1:23:40trees.

1:23:42Public Works did approximately remove

1:23:44themselves

1:23:45and I was here on Saturday and Sunday of

1:23:47that weekend, 22 trees

1:23:50that came down all over the city from

1:23:53Edgewood all the way out to the western

1:23:54part.

1:23:55Many of them fell on roadways, some of

1:23:58them fell on a few wires. They needed to

1:24:00do that, but the electric companies were

1:24:01here. They cleaned up quickly. They had

1:24:04their tree service company there. They

1:24:06were able to take care of that. There

1:24:07was only one major tree that came down

1:24:12in the

1:24:13east side in the Edgewood area that we

1:24:16ultimately had to bring a contractor in

1:24:18to do it cuz the diameter of the The was

1:24:20over 4 ft

1:24:21in diameter and it had fallen.

1:24:23Fortunately,

1:24:24knock on wood, it did not fall on the

1:24:26house cuz it probably would have killed

1:24:28the people in the house.

1:24:30But it actually fell into the street and

1:24:32it did touch a couple of the houses on

1:24:34the opposite side of the street, but it

1:24:36was only branches that scratched a

1:24:38little bit of their woodwork on the

1:24:39columns and a little bit of a gutter and

1:24:41that was it for damage. So, we we went

1:24:44through that and we did pretty well

1:24:46relative to any damages as a result.

1:24:48That's done.

1:24:50>> Okay. And that was a a town right-of-way

1:24:52tree?

1:24:54>> That was not. But it actually blocked

1:24:56the roadway and there was no way to get

1:24:58around and that road was blocked.

1:25:00>> Okay.

1:25:00>> The only way to do that was to be able

1:25:02to take it upon ourselves to open that

1:25:03up as quickly as we could and by 9:00 I

1:25:06believe on Saturday night that tree was

1:25:09done and out.

1:25:10>> Okay, I'm only asking cuz that's my

1:25:12area. What street was that on cuz I only

1:25:13called in one tree from our area?

1:25:17Is that was the one I

1:25:19>> Uh I cannot remember the street.

1:25:21It was off of Arlington.

1:25:25What's the little first street first

1:25:26left off of Arlington that loops around?

1:25:29>> Casey? Marcy?

1:25:31>> Uh not Marcy, I think it runs parallel

1:25:34to Narragansett.

1:25:36>> Yeah.

1:25:36>> This one This one comes parallel for

1:25:39sure this and makes a right turn. There

1:25:40was a concern about a

1:25:42a light there once and I can't recall

1:25:44>> Okay.

1:25:45>> what that street was, but it was in that

1:25:46area just off of Narragansett Boulevard.

1:25:49>> Okay. All right, thank you.

1:25:53Sorry, anyone else on on flooding

1:25:55subject? No? No? Oh, well.

1:25:57Thought you would have something.

1:25:59Okay.

1:26:01Flooding.

1:26:04So,

1:26:05I'm just asking if you have any upcoming

1:26:08um proposed storm water projects. I know

1:26:11that on the upcoming bonds we have some

1:26:15proposed storm water projects under

1:26:16that, but um is there anything that you

1:26:19are looking at

1:26:21um

1:26:22to upgrade for the city in FY27 based on

1:26:26flooding?

1:26:27>> I mean, right now the primary goal would

1:26:29be to

1:26:31get a contract on board to maintain our

1:26:33MS4 requirements. We still have catch

1:26:36basins that need to be cleaned on a

1:26:38yearly basis, some every 3 years, and

1:26:40piping as well. Um because of the

1:26:43funding issues, we did not really have

1:26:44that resource available to us in '26. If

1:26:48the bond passes, there is a bond for

1:26:52uh

1:26:53drainage improvements, and as part of

1:26:55that, that would include getting company

1:26:57on board to do that maintenance of that

1:27:00system so that we can report back to DEM

1:27:02on the MS4 in the spring.

1:27:04>> Yeah, and say how important it is for

1:27:07the city to be maintaining their catch

1:27:09basins and having storm water projects

1:27:12um for next year because if we get

1:27:14behind, I I would really have a concern.

1:27:17Um and since we didn't have the budget,

1:27:19I mean, based on your MS4, you're

1:27:20supposed to be cleaning them annually,

1:27:22really spring and fall.

1:27:24>> Yeah, but again, not everyone was

1:27:25annual. Obviously, they did the initial

1:27:27one. That's what established the routine

1:27:29of how those would get done in the

1:27:30future. So, if we saw something that's

1:27:33usually at the bottom of the hill in the

1:27:35sag in the roadway, that usually

1:27:37collects most of it. Some of the catch

1:27:38basins that are up on the higher part of

1:27:40the city where the water would be coming

1:27:42in, there's less chance, so those are on

1:27:44that 3-5 year cycle to be cleaned. Not

1:27:47every basin gets cleaned every single

1:27:48year.

1:27:50>> Oh, okay. Interesting. Um Councilman

1:27:53Vaziri?

1:27:54>> Um how many areas suffer from severe

1:27:57flooding

1:27:59within the city?

1:28:01>> Roughly,

1:28:02you'd probably have

1:28:067 to 10, maybe.

1:28:09>> How much would it cost to fix those

1:28:12areas?

1:28:13>> Several million dollars.

1:28:15>> Several?

1:28:16>> Several.

1:28:20>> I would say eight depending on I mean we

1:28:22you can't you it's impossible to

1:28:23estimate on off the top of your head. I

1:28:25I do know that but generally like you

1:28:28know, you're looking at a million

1:28:29dollars a project. It I mean

1:28:31>> It all depends on what impact you need

1:28:33to do not to mention the environmental

1:28:35permits because it's very easy to fix

1:28:36the problem but you can't move it

1:28:38downstream.

1:28:39So what happens is when you do that you

1:28:41have to take into consideration what's

1:28:43happening downstream where the water is

1:28:44coming from upstream. So you can't just

1:28:47put in a bigger pipe and say okay we

1:28:48solved the problem. All you did is just

1:28:50move it down the road. So that takes

1:28:52time and that takes the analysis and

1:28:54that's where the money goes to actually

1:28:56make that evaluation so that you don't

1:28:57cause a bigger problem downstream.

1:29:00>> Thank you.

1:29:02So so are there any budgeted currently

1:29:05budgeted projects that are not on the

1:29:06bond for storm water for next year?

1:29:09>> No, not to my knowledge.

1:29:10>> No, okay. And so the main project that

1:29:13you have for FY 27 for storm water

1:29:16management is um compliance with your

1:29:20MS4 permit.

1:29:21And well your Nifty's permit for your

1:29:23MS4 system.

1:29:24>> Yes.

1:29:25>> I'll be clear on that.

1:29:26Um and that is that consists of cleaning

1:29:29out all of the catch basins. Do you know

1:29:31how many we have in the city?

1:29:32>> I believe there's over 5,000 catch

1:29:34basins.

1:29:35>> That's it?

1:29:40>> I get confused a little bit with that

1:29:42with the lights. I don't know if it's

1:29:43between 5 to 7,000 would potentially be

1:29:45the catch basins needs to be done every

1:29:48year.

1:29:48>> But that that's that's your that's your

1:29:50concern for next year and if that didn't

1:29:52happen we'd be really deferring it down

1:29:54the road and that could impact flooding

1:29:56it depending on which catch basin it is.

1:29:58>> I I'd be more concerned with the

1:29:59violations with the environmental

1:30:01agencies of not complying with our

1:30:03requirement.

1:30:04>> Oh I

1:30:05I I know. I'd love to talk about that.

1:30:08>> [laughter]

1:30:09>> That that is definitely a concern.

1:30:11>> Yes.

1:30:11>> Yeah. Okay. Um Councilman Andujar.

1:30:14>> Director, um I don't mean to put you on

1:30:15the spot, but you just said that we have

1:30:18about seven areas that get severe

1:30:21flooding. Going back to Councilwoman

1:30:22Luzzi's

1:30:24comment.

1:30:25And we only have $4 million on this

1:30:27bond. So,

1:30:29what areas are going to be

1:30:31not taken care of if this bond were to

1:30:33pass?

1:30:34>> Where to pass or where not to pass?

1:30:36>> Where to pass. So, you get four out of

1:30:37seven.

1:30:38Who's getting left out? That's the

1:30:40question.

1:30:41>> It would be again, depending on the

1:30:43impact that other have. Obviously, more

1:30:45some of them

1:30:47have more drainage and more damage than

1:30:50others. So, you would have to prioritize

1:30:51the one that has the most significant

1:30:53damage to life

1:30:55threatening and property damage. Those

1:30:57would be the ones that would be first to

1:30:58be considered.

1:30:59And then as we go down, as the money

1:31:01runs out, then you're not able to get to

1:31:02the remaining

1:31:05>> And who would decide who gets left out

1:31:07and who does

1:31:09get there?

1:31:10>> You're looking at him.

1:31:12>> Just remember Ward 3. Be very friendly

1:31:14to you.

1:31:16>> Vice President Horrigan.

1:31:18>> What are the seven areas that you

1:31:20consider severe flooding?

1:31:23>> I can't remember all of them. Obviously,

1:31:25Wilbure Avenue Bridge would be one.

1:31:27You've got the area on Wedge Street,

1:31:29which is part of Cranston Street.

1:31:32The Oakland Avenue, which is a state

1:31:34road, but that water some of it does

1:31:36come from our city drainages on the Dean

1:31:38Street area, the Dean

1:31:40Parkway area.

1:31:42Uh

1:31:43there are some areas down near the

1:31:45Pawtuxet River that flood. You've got

1:31:47Fletcher Avenue that could potentially,

1:31:49when you get those heavy rains and

1:31:51constant, they do flood up. And I can't

1:31:54think of any of the other ones. The

1:31:56others could potentially be minor where

1:31:58a street will flood for the few minutes

1:32:00that the rain is there, and then within

1:32:0230 minutes to 1 hour after that, the

1:32:04water dissipates and it's gone. So,

1:32:05those would be the lower priority type

1:32:07areas versus the ones where, like on

1:32:10Wedge Street, you literally have a river

1:32:13that flows through people's backyards,

1:32:15over the roadway, down this person's

1:32:17garage, into adjacent properties, and

1:32:19ultimately ends up in the wetlands

1:32:21behind Wedge Street off of Cranston

1:32:22Street to the Mashapaug Brook.

1:32:28>> Okay.

1:32:29Um

1:32:31personally,

1:32:32would love

1:32:35um and I we can we can talk through the

1:32:37administration and offline, but I'd love

1:32:39to get an idea of what the impacts could

1:32:41be um if we didn't handle um the

1:32:45stormwater management systems that are

1:32:47the stormwater management projects that

1:32:49are proposed for FY27 because I do agree

1:32:51with you. I don't think there's a real

1:32:53understanding of what the impacts could

1:32:54be from the fines from not not complying

1:32:57with the Actually, Rhode Island has

1:32:59their own net um permit, Rhode Island um

1:33:02discharge elimination system permit. Um

1:33:05they don't follow the national one, they

1:33:06do the Rhode Island one. Um but I'm well

1:33:09aware of what the fines and impacts

1:33:11could be. So, I'm I I would love to get

1:33:13a little more information so we can put

1:33:14that out and make people aware of that.

1:33:16So, thank you.

1:33:18Um okay, if no one else has anything on

1:33:20flooding, I'm going to move on.

1:33:22Great. Um Councilman Ritz, looks like

1:33:25you have some items. Um we're looking

1:33:27for waste management updates.

1:33:29>> You have the floor.

1:33:31>> So, yeah, I'll just uh start by saying

1:33:32thank you to the director for his uh

1:33:34appreciate of trying to arrange this

1:33:35meeting and we missed uh one or two

1:33:38meeting dates there. I did uh

1:33:40send over the questions, you know, no

1:33:42open book test here, you know, the

1:33:43conversation we want to have. So, I

1:33:44mean, you know, I get a lot of

1:33:45questions, customer service, procedural

1:33:47questions to talk to them about, you

1:33:49know, Councilman Graziano was going to

1:33:50try and join, too, and you know, I share

1:33:52some of the questions she has, too,

1:33:54about recycling and those type of pieces

1:33:55of it, too. So, um you know, if we can

1:33:57work together maybe with the three of us

1:33:59let's still try and find a date that

1:34:00would work. Appreciate it.

1:34:02>> Yes.

1:34:04>> Fridays are better.

1:34:06>> We can talk offline on it, but uh,

1:34:08Clerk Gonsalves, if you could keep this

1:34:09on the the docket for next time.

1:34:15>> And you want there was some inform- I

1:34:17saw this come through. I'm I'm excited

1:34:19So, there's a public forum with Rhode

1:34:20Island DOT October 22nd, 2026. I just

1:34:25Nope.

1:34:28>> That's uh, 6:00 at Cranston West. Uh,

1:34:30you know, I had met with the mayor

1:34:32before this. Uh, you know, appreciate,

1:34:34you know, it's a big city here, so I

1:34:35appreciate his help with trying to

1:34:37arrange this and you and yourself, too.

1:34:39Uh, I know DOT has uh, several different

1:34:42options that they were going to lay out

1:34:43to us that to try and remedy the

1:34:45situation and and to get some public

1:34:47input and be able to share that. So, I

1:34:49appreciate uh,

1:34:50you know, all the efforts here and I'm

1:34:52I'm excited to hear hear kind of the

1:34:53plan. I didn't know if there was

1:34:54anything else.

1:34:56>> At this time,

1:34:57>> no. Right now, I mean, that is the

1:34:58tentative schedule.

1:35:00Uh, the the Department of Transportation

1:35:02does need to complete their

1:35:03documentation, the report that they

1:35:05have. They need to evaluate what's in

1:35:06there before they present anything and

1:35:08make it public, as well as uh, you know,

1:35:11they're working on a PowerPoint

1:35:12presentation, which is a function of

1:35:14what information they get out of their

1:35:16review

1:35:17of the report. So, hopefully they'll

1:35:19have all of that done and then

1:35:21everything would take place on the 22nd.

1:35:25>> Awesome. We'll be there.

1:35:27We look Hopefully other council members

1:35:29can come.

1:35:30Okay.

1:35:31Thank you. Um, seeing

1:35:34nothing left on the docket, I am going

1:35:37to uh, see if I can get a motion to

1:35:39adjourn.

1:35:39>> Motion to adjourn.

1:35:42>> Um, all those in favor say I.

1:35:44>> I.

1:35:44>> Any opposed?

1:35:46We are adjourned at

1:35:498:01.

1:37:38>> I'd like to call the ordinance committee

1:37:40meeting to order. Today is Tuesday,

1:37:42October 13th. It is 8:06

1:37:468:03 p.m.

1:37:48Um clerk, please take a roll.

1:37:53>> Council Vice President O'Brien.

1:37:55>> Present.

1:37:56>> Councilwoman Visare.

1:37:57>> Present.

1:37:58>> Councilman Campa-Mignone.

1:37:59>> Present.

1:38:00>> Councilman Banano.

1:38:02Councilwoman Graziano.

1:38:06>> Present.

1:38:06>> Councilman Andujar.

1:38:07>> Present.

1:38:08>> Council President Wall.

1:38:09>> Here.

1:38:10>> This time I would like to open the the

1:38:13meeting to public comment. Is there

1:38:15anyone in the audience that would like

1:38:16to speak on docketed items only? Please

1:38:17step up to the podium.

1:38:19You have 4 minutes.

1:38:27>> Good evening. Robert Murray, 75 Debbie

1:38:30Drive, Cranston.

1:38:31Um

1:38:33Chairman, I did provide the to the clerk

1:38:38correspondence which at the appropriate

1:38:39time I would just ask you make part of

1:38:41the record.

1:38:43My letter I think speaks to the most

1:38:45most of what I want to say tonight

1:38:47regarding ordinance

1:38:4809-22-02.

1:38:52I would just like to elaborate on a

1:38:53couple things.

1:38:54First,

1:38:55just so there's no confusion,

1:38:57I want to reiterate my strong support

1:38:59for proper and extensive background

1:39:01checks for any employees who are in the

1:39:03workplace

1:39:04and in direct contact with students or

1:39:06minor age youngsters.

1:39:08I say that because unfortunately in our

1:39:10world of keyboard warriors,

1:39:12I don't want some social media

1:39:14miscreants to twist my words and my

1:39:16position.

1:39:17My concerns relate to what I believe is

1:39:19your

1:39:20respectfully your your lack of authority

1:39:22and legal jurisdiction to pass and try

1:39:24and enforce language as suggested in

1:39:27this ordinance.

1:39:28Uh so often at the national level we

1:39:30hear pundits talk about that we are a

1:39:32nation of laws and so often the rule of

1:39:35law is ignored or twisted.

1:39:37So too is my belief that yeah, even

1:39:40locally we need to apply the rule of

1:39:42law.

1:39:44When we look at issues like

1:39:46what's proposed in this ordinance that I

1:39:49Education in Cranston and management and

1:39:51running of schools is clearly left to

1:39:53the state in the constitution. And any

1:39:56laws passed at the state house are

1:39:58delegated to school committees and

1:39:59school departments.

1:40:01This ordinance speaks not only Cranston

1:40:03public schools, but all schools in

1:40:05Cranston and all providers of services

1:40:07to Cranston schools.

1:40:09The legislature had an opportunity twice

1:40:11last session to pass this so-called no

1:40:14pass the trash legislation, but didn't

1:40:18for whatever reason.

1:40:19By no means should that be seen as an

1:40:21opening, in my opinion, for local city

1:40:23and town solicitor to take such

1:40:24legislation.

1:40:26Before I discuss what this ordinance

1:40:28covers, let's talk about what it doesn't

1:40:29cover.

1:40:31Uh this ordinance, if legal, would not

1:40:33cover any of the current 800 to 900 uh

1:40:36employees working today in Cranston

1:40:38public schools. Would not cover any

1:40:40existing employees or service providers,

1:40:43like outside therapists, food workers,

1:40:45or health professionals.

1:40:47God forbid there was a problem with a

1:40:49current employee, this ordinance would

1:40:50not stop that.

1:40:52The title block says background checks

1:40:54for certain school employees.

1:40:56It talks of persons serving in a

1:40:58position

1:41:00that involves regular contact with uh

1:41:03children or young students or pupils.

1:41:05Regular contact, respectfully, is not

1:41:07defined. Is it every day? Or is it once

1:41:10a week?

1:41:11Consultant or an itinerant?

1:41:13Section 2.0

1:41:15.0

1:41:17.030 entitled penalties,

1:41:20you can try and penalize, discipline,

1:41:22terminate, start terminate someone

1:41:25without any type of pre-termination

1:41:27hearing if they end up getting hired.

1:41:30In section 2.90.040

1:41:34on verification, you assume you have

1:41:37authority over outside former employees

1:41:40for history that may go back 20 years of

1:41:43record keeper.

1:41:45Respectfully, the IRS doesn't even

1:41:46require a company to keep records that

1:41:48long.

1:41:49What if a former employee and an

1:41:51employer had signed a confidentiality

1:41:53agreement or a non-disclosure prior to

1:41:55separation?

1:41:57This starts with a commendable goal, but

1:41:59lays out a road map of high hurdles,

1:42:02unwieldy process, and questionable legal

1:42:05basis.

1:42:06I am comfortable in my position that you

1:42:07have no legal authority to pass this

1:42:09ordinance. Maybe you have some authority

1:42:11over city hiring, but certainly not this

1:42:13ordinance.

1:42:15If you want to express your support for

1:42:16this type of law, I urge you to pass a

1:42:18resolution

1:42:20to the General Assembly.

1:42:22Respectfully, I see four form four

1:42:24former members of the School Committee

1:42:25on this Council tonight.

1:42:27Two former chairpersons.

1:42:29If the roles were reversed and you were

1:42:31still on the School Committee, would you

1:42:33be supporting this type of resolution

1:42:36usurping the rightful jurisdiction over

1:42:39education in the city that's embodied in

1:42:41our Constitution and state law? Thank

1:42:44you.

1:42:45>> Thank you. Is anyone else in the

1:42:46audience that would like to speak on

1:42:47docketed items only?

1:42:50Seeing none, Clerk, is anyone online?

1:42:54>> There is no public comment online.

1:42:56>> This time I'd like to close public

1:42:57comment. Moving on to

1:43:00new matters before the committee.

1:43:02Uh without Is there if there's no

1:43:04objection, I'd like to take the meeting

1:43:06out of order.

1:43:09Seeing none,

1:43:10we are going to begin with ordinance

1:43:140922

1:43:18-02, ordinance to amendment of title

1:43:20two, administration and personnel, City

1:43:22of Cranston Code of Ordinances 2005 to

1:43:24add chapter 90 entitled background

1:43:27checks for certain school employees,

1:43:29sponsored by Councilman Ritz. Councilman

1:43:31Ritz, the floor is yours.

1:43:32>> Thank you. I did write down a few things

1:43:34that uh that I did want to say to the

1:43:36chair. Um I want to take a few minutes

1:43:38to make to explain why I sponsored the

1:43:39ordinance.

1:43:42So I said I just want to take a few

1:43:44minutes to explain a little bit why I

1:43:45sponsored the ordinance. Um you know, I

1:43:48I know we're going to have the the legal

1:43:49discussion and I don't want that to

1:43:50overshadow kind of the goal here. It

1:43:53it's pretty straightforward. I I want us

1:43:55to extend the employment history look

1:43:57back for certain people working with our

1:43:59children to 5 years to 20 years.

1:44:03That that is the heart of what I'm

1:44:04trying to accomplish here. Under this

1:44:05ordinance, when someone applies for a

1:44:07position involving regular contact with

1:44:10students, the covered school entity

1:44:12would look at relevant former school

1:44:15employers where the person has direct

1:44:17contact with children going back 20

1:44:19years. To me, it comes down to to a very

1:44:21simple question. When we're hiring

1:44:23someone who's going to have regular

1:44:25contact with our children, why would we

1:44:27only want part of the person's relevant

1:44:29employment history if more information

1:44:32is reasonably available?

1:44:34Something happened 6 years ago, 10 years

1:44:36ago, 15 years ago that raises a

1:44:38legitimate concern about someone's

1:44:40suitability to work around children, I

1:44:42don't believe we should simply ignore

1:44:44that history because it falls outside of

1:44:46the 5-year window.

1:44:48This is not about making it

1:44:49unnecessarily difficult to hire people

1:44:51like that. That's not my goal at all.

1:44:52It's about doing everything reasonable

1:44:54within our authority to protect the

1:44:55students.

1:44:57I've discussed the concept with the

1:44:58superintendent

1:45:00and um of the teachers union,

1:45:02uh the laborers union, and they all

1:45:03agreed it's a good idea and it wasn't a

1:45:06significant lift for them to look back

1:45:0820 years instead of five. That was

1:45:10important for me to get their input on

1:45:12it because they're the people that are

1:45:13actually doing the work and I don't want

1:45:14to create any roadblocks unnecessarily.

1:45:17Um

1:45:18but then I also want to address the

1:45:20legal questions that have been raised.

1:45:22Um our city council uh

1:45:25solicitor has done his job. He raised

1:45:27concerns to the to Solicitor Malay about

1:45:31portions of the ordinance including some

1:45:33of the vagueness, enforceability, and

1:45:35whether Cranston has the authority to

1:45:37require certain actions of employees

1:45:39outside of the city.

1:45:40Um and those concerns you know

1:45:43are serious to me as Attorney Murray

1:45:45mentioned, too. But I don't want the

1:45:47council to lose sight of the objective

1:45:49because there's legal questions about

1:45:50some of the language.

1:45:51If the language needs to be tightened,

1:45:53let's just tighten it. If something

1:45:55needs to be clarified, let's clarify it.

1:45:57If some provision goes beyond our

1:45:59municipal authority, let's address that

1:46:01provision. But let's not abandon a good

1:46:03idea that that's come forward because of

1:46:05additional safeguards for our children.

1:46:15>> The ordinance

1:46:16>> [clears throat]

1:46:16>> does distinguish between Rhode Island

1:46:28The ordinance

1:46:30does distinguish between Rhode Island

1:46:32and out-of-state

1:46:36>> It's getting worse when you drink that

1:46:37stuff.

1:46:41Take your time. Take your time.

1:46:45>> [clears throat]

1:46:46>> So the ordinance does distinguish

1:46:48between Rhode Island and out-of-state

1:46:50employment.

1:46:51>> [clears throat]

1:46:51>> Councilman Rourke.

1:46:53I'm going to take a 30-second break.

1:46:55We'll go to recess.

1:47:27>> Good.

1:47:27>> All right. We're coming back in from

1:47:29recess.

1:47:31Uh Councilman Ritz, the floor is still

1:47:32yours.

1:47:33>> All right. Thank you. All right. So

1:47:35So I just wanted to close with saying I

1:47:37I don't want to abandon a good idea

1:47:40um

1:47:40that provides additional safeguards for

1:47:42our children if the legal issues can be

1:47:44resolved. The ordinance does distinguish

1:47:46between Rhode Island and out-of-state

1:47:48employment. For an out-of-state

1:47:49application, it calls for documented

1:47:51diligent efforts to obtain information,

1:47:54and if an out-of-state develop employer

1:47:55does not provide it, the ordinance

1:47:57provides for reviewing reasonable

1:47:59available alternative sources.

1:48:01So my perspective as the sponsor, I want

1:48:04the ordinance to pass. I'm not looking

1:48:06to create another layer of bureaucracy.

1:48:08I'm not looking to make hiring

1:48:09unnecessarily hard. I'm looking to

1:48:11strengthen the safeguard for our kids by

1:48:13expanding the period of relevant

1:48:15employment history that gets reviewed.

1:48:17When we're talking about people who are

1:48:19going to have regular contact with

1:48:20students, I think looking back 20 years

1:48:23rather than five is reasonable.

1:48:25We talk all the time about being

1:48:26proactive instead of reactive. This is

1:48:28an opportunity to be proactive.

1:48:30If a legal issue needs to be corrected,

1:48:32like I said, let's correct it. Let's

1:48:34keep our focus on the goal, giving our

1:48:36school system another reasonable tool to

1:48:38make informed [clears throat] hiring

1:48:39decisions,

1:48:39>> [snorts]

1:48:40>> and help protect the children we're

1:48:41entrusted to serve.

1:48:42Um that's why I sponsored this

1:48:44ordinance. That's why I support the

1:48:45ordinance, and I'm asking my colleagues

1:48:47to support it. Thank you.

1:48:49>> Thank you, Councilman Ritz. Before I

1:48:51open this up to our uh fellow council

1:48:53people, I'd like to entertain a motion

1:48:55to enter into the record a letter from

1:48:58Trapp and McSally LLP

1:49:01that also contains two exhibit A's, I

1:49:04believe, of a house bill that failed and

1:49:06a Senate bill that failed. So I'd like

1:49:08to get a motion to enter

1:49:10>> Move.

1:49:11>> these into record.

1:49:12Any discussion on on the entering of the

1:49:15letter?

1:49:16Seeing none, Clerk, please take a roll.

1:49:18>> Council President O'Brien.

1:49:20>> Yes.

1:49:21>> Councilwoman Visary.

1:49:22>> Yes.

1:49:23>> Councilman Campapiano.

1:49:24>> Yes.

1:49:25>> Councilwoman Graziano.

1:49:26>> Yes.

1:49:27>> Councilman Andujar.

1:49:27>> Yes.

1:49:28>> Council President Wall.

1:49:29>> Yes.

1:49:31>> So, before I entertain discussion from

1:49:35our fellow council people, would the

1:49:36administration like to say anything

1:49:37about this? I believe uh

1:49:40Chief of Staff

1:49:42Papalaskas is here or representative or

1:49:45I don't know how you want me to address

1:49:46you.

1:49:48Deputy Chief, there we go. Thank you,

1:49:50Councilman.

1:49:54Thank you, Director. If you could just

1:49:55uh

1:49:56weigh in on this on how the

1:49:57administration feels about this.

1:49:59>> Yeah, the administration's reviewing

1:50:00obviously the testimony that was just

1:50:02submitted uh into the record from uh

1:50:04Attorney Murray and also the legislation

1:50:07um that Frank Ritz uh Councilman Ritz

1:50:09put in. Um

1:50:11obviously, you know, school safety is uh

1:50:14important, but there are concerns about

1:50:16maybe the scope of um

1:50:19this legislation going a little bit far

1:50:21farther outside of the um

1:50:23the capacity that the council has. So, I

1:50:26I I think, you know, there are some

1:50:27legal questions. I would defer to the

1:50:29attorney, but if there are, maybe we

1:50:31should continue this and and try to

1:50:33tighten it up a little bit at this time.

1:50:35Thank

1:50:35>> Thank you, Director.

1:50:37Council President Wall.

1:50:40>> Uh

1:50:40>> [clears throat]

1:50:40>> thank you, Mr. Jim.

1:50:43First, let me start by saying

1:50:44uh thank you for pointing out as a

1:50:46former chairman of the School Committee

1:50:48um I certainly am in favor of anything

1:50:52that strengthens our laws

1:50:55to protect our students

1:50:57our children

1:50:59from uh predators and harmful agents. I

1:51:03like the term miscreant that was used.

1:51:05Um

1:51:06but

1:51:08I would I would be in favor of it. I I

1:51:10can't tell you that I understand the

1:51:12legalities of it, what's wrong or what's

1:51:14right right now.

1:51:15Um

1:51:16I probably would be in favor of what

1:51:18Councilman Reed said.

1:51:20He certainly wants to to make sure

1:51:21everything passes the legal snuff test.

1:51:24Um I'm certain I don't know if

1:51:28uh

1:51:28attorney Igliosi had had an opportunity

1:51:31to to take a look at it, if he has any

1:51:34legal background on this matter.

1:51:36You You probably haven't. I know if I If

1:51:39I may, attorney Igliosi is here today.

1:51:41He's filling in for our solicitor. He's

1:51:43doing us a favor. So, I'm not going to

1:51:45put you on the spot. And I don't believe

1:51:47the solicitor has weighed in on this

1:51:48matter yet. Um deputy.

1:51:53You stick right up. So, I probably can't

1:51:55I can only hear when you guys are

1:51:56talking over there and amongst

1:51:57yourselves.

1:51:59That microphone. Yep. Yep, right there.

1:52:01Thank you, John.

1:52:02>> Good evening, Mr. President, council

1:52:04members. Probably the a prudent course

1:52:06would have that the city solicitor

1:52:09have a review it.

1:52:10>> Yeah.

1:52:11>> And put forward an appropriate legal um

1:52:14memorandum for the council and all of

1:52:16you to review. And then you can then

1:52:19make a determination on

1:52:21pros and cons and what's the next steps.

1:52:23This way I clearly you can hopefully

1:52:25achieve your goal, but hopefully you can

1:52:27avoid any legal

1:52:29>> Yeah.

1:52:30>> you know, obstacles so you can get to

1:52:32where you want to go.

1:52:33So, I think that's just That's a

1:52:35>> No.

1:52:35>> Thank you. That's a legal suggestion.

1:52:36>> That's a legal advice. I'm I'm sure that

1:52:38that

1:52:39that information is coming from the

1:52:40solicitor's office. Probably

1:52:43with I would I think I'm not sure if

1:52:45that's what I heard. I would probably

1:52:46recommend I I would. I know if it was my

1:52:49ordinance and I'd probably recommend to

1:52:51pass it out of committee and then

1:52:52perhaps we'll get that It's It's not

1:52:54passed out of the full council until the

1:52:5619th It doesn't go before us the 19th.

1:52:58Hopefully by that time he can give us

1:52:59some information

1:53:01um by then. And maybe we at that time I

1:53:04know our own attorney will be able to

1:53:05look at some of the the legal issues

1:53:07that perhaps were outlined here

1:53:09Um because I think

1:53:11we can't be safe enough with our

1:53:13students and our children. So,

1:53:15I definitely want to support this

1:53:16evening.

1:53:17>> Thank you. Yeah, it kind of took an

1:53:18unclear path getting here Solicitor

1:53:20Murray.

1:53:21Solicitor Marcella brought this up in

1:53:22March. We have a timeline from June. We

1:53:25went back and forth and Solicitor Murray

1:53:28said okay, but he never sent it with a

1:53:30final version of it. And then a few

1:53:32council sessions ago, I did ask him

1:53:34about it and he said I replied sure and

1:53:36that was his way of saying approve it.

1:53:38But since then, Attorney Marcella and I

1:53:40spoke and he's like I I feel like we

1:53:42need to revisit this one more time to

1:53:44tighten it up. But he also agreed,

1:53:47you know, you can look forward pushing

1:53:48it out of session and then we can

1:53:50tighten it up from there because the the

1:53:52cross of it are there, but you know,

1:53:53like Attorney Murray said, you know, we

1:53:54can tighten up some pieces of it.

1:53:58>> I very well could.

1:53:59>> Now you know what it feels like,

1:53:59Councilman Ritz.

1:54:01Councilman Cambellena.

1:54:02>> Thank you,

1:54:04Chair. [clears throat]

1:54:05Um

1:54:06I want to commend Councilman Ritz for a

1:54:08noble effort. This is something that's

1:54:11definitely

1:54:12important and should be done. But I also

1:54:15would be in favor of tabling it until

1:54:17it's right.

1:54:18I hate to see something come out of

1:54:20committee that's not right. We got We

1:54:22don't even have our solicitor here

1:54:24tonight to ask any questions.

1:54:26We don't have Solicitor Murray here who

1:54:29worked on it.

1:54:30I would like to see it

1:54:32tightened up before it came out of

1:54:34committee so that we need to do this

1:54:36once instead of

1:54:38a passing something that's potentially

1:54:40wrong and then

1:54:41trying to fix it and then coming back.

1:54:44I would be more in favor of tabling it.

1:54:46Let's get it right. Put to a nice clean

1:54:49ordinance. So, bring it to the full

1:54:51council and do it that way. That's where

1:54:53I stand. Thank you.

1:54:54>> Councilwoman Zari.

1:54:58>> I just don't see how the administration

1:54:59can

1:55:00dismiss for our kids' safety. So, I'm in

1:55:02full support of this forward.

1:55:07>> Any other council people?

1:55:09Councilwoman I mean, I I really applaud

1:55:12you for um submitting this. I will be in

1:55:14full support of it. I believe that our

1:55:16kids' safety is first.

1:55:18Um let the lawyers figure it out. Um I

1:55:20think by us moving this forward and I am

1:55:23like I said, I'm in full support. I

1:55:24think it'll put more pressure on them to

1:55:26um

1:55:28tighten it up. So, with that

1:55:31Councilman beyond

1:55:33>> Well, I I mean with

1:55:35if this was the past year and then go to

1:55:38full council, would it take effect

1:55:40immediately?

1:55:42Is that how that would work?

1:55:44>> Council President Wall

1:55:45>> I mean, I think we can amend it as it

1:55:48gets to the full council and then would

1:55:50it go into effect? I'm not sure what the

1:55:52effect date is on it.

1:55:56We may have to Yeah, yeah.

1:55:58I see what you're saying. We may have to

1:56:00I'll be honest with you, we we may have

1:56:02to re-advertise it depending on how much

1:56:05how much is put into it. So, the truth

1:56:06is and I understand the council's

1:56:08approach.

1:56:10Councilman Ricks, it sounds like you put

1:56:11this in into

1:56:14between June

1:56:16and November.

1:56:17terrible things can happen to our

1:56:19children and just going to say it's

1:56:20okay.

1:56:21So, I understand the council's approach.

1:56:23To be honest with you, I'd rather put

1:56:25the little pressure on. Let the lawyers

1:56:27take care of it. Let's get it right. So,

1:56:29I you and I are going to disagree on

1:56:30that matter, but

1:56:32time frame, that's you're talking about

1:56:335 minutes.

1:56:36It's I don't think that's acceptable.

1:56:38>> Any council people any further

1:56:39questions?

1:56:40Again, Councilman Ricks, thank you very

1:56:41much for submitting this. I'm pretty

1:56:43sure our students and our parents

1:56:44appreciate this. So, with that

1:56:46may I entertain a motion to approve?

1:56:48>> Motion to approve. Second.

1:56:49>> Second. Second by Councilwoman

1:56:52Zary, any discussion?

1:56:56>> Actually, could I also Councilwoman

1:56:57Horan?

1:56:58>> I'd like to be added as a sponsor.

1:57:02>> I would like.

1:57:03>> Councilman Capobianco, I'd like to be

1:57:05added as a sponsor.

1:57:07And a question.

1:57:10>> No, it's just a question.

1:57:11>> Okay.

1:57:12>> I'm a sponsor.

1:57:13>> My question is, um, can we have a

1:57:14physical note attached to this when it

1:57:16comes back so we know

1:57:18what's involved?

1:57:23>> I believe the, um, Attorney General's

1:57:25office does background checks for free

1:57:27for school employees.

1:57:30>> And that would include a 20-year look

1:57:31back?

1:57:35Okay.

1:57:37>> Clerk, if you could please, uh, with uh,

1:57:40Councilwoman Rivera's permission, I'd

1:57:41like to be added as a co-sponsor as

1:57:42well.

1:57:44Councilman Visary, Councilman Graziano.

1:57:47Council President Wall.

1:57:51With that,

1:57:53discussion.

1:57:54Councilman Traficante.

1:57:55>> You may, Mr. Traficante.

1:57:56>> I have a quick question.

1:57:59I'm pretty sure being a former educator,

1:58:00former school administrator, also a

1:58:02chairman of the school committee, that

1:58:04background checks are being done and

1:58:07have been done for years and for school

1:58:09employees. I and

1:58:12I and uh

1:58:13I I just don't understand

1:58:16what why the necessity of having this

1:58:18ordinance if we we're doing that

1:58:20already.

1:58:22>> Councilman Rivera.

1:58:24>> Just looking to expand the time frame

1:58:27that it's having. They're only looking

1:58:28back 5 years and the most they could

1:58:30look back was 20 years. When I talked to

1:58:32the superintendent, he said it's a

1:58:33reasonable amount, so I was looking them

1:58:35to do the maximum amount that they could

1:58:37do the background check for and and all

1:58:40of them said it was not a a big lift and

1:58:42and there was no additional there was no

1:58:44expense to it. They could just look back

1:58:46further in case someone had something

1:58:48from

1:58:496 years ago, they fell outside of the

1:58:50window, even 10 years ago and it's it's

1:58:53pertains to child endangerment issues so

1:58:55it's it's kind of critical.

1:58:57>> Okay, fine. Thank you.

1:59:00Councilman Rubits, thank you for closing

1:59:01that loophole.

1:59:03With no further discussion,

1:59:05uh Councilman

1:59:05>> Sorry.

1:59:06Um Councilman Rubits, do you know of any

1:59:08surrounding cities or towns that have

1:59:10this in effect for 20 years?

1:59:13>> Uh not off the top of my head but others

1:59:14do have that in effect.

1:59:17>> Clerk, has your question been answered?

1:59:19>> Can I just verify that

1:59:21those who want to be added as

1:59:22co-sponsors are Council Vice President,

1:59:24Council President, Councilwoman

1:59:26Vellaire, Councilman Angelluar, and

1:59:28Councilwoman Graziano.

1:59:30Is that all?

1:59:31>> Yes.

1:59:31>> Okay, thank you.

1:59:34>> Seeing no further discussion, Clerk,

1:59:35please take a roll.

1:59:38>> Council Vice President Horrigan.

1:59:39>> Yes.

1:59:40>> Councilwoman Vellaire.

1:59:41>> Yes.

1:59:42>> Councilman Capuano.

1:59:43>> Yes.

1:59:46>> Councilwoman Graziano.

1:59:48>> Yes.

1:59:48>> Councilman Angelluar.

1:59:49>> Yes.

1:59:50>> Council President Walsh.

1:59:51>> Yes.

1:59:52>> Councilman Paris, congratulations.

1:59:54Moving on to ordinance

1:59:58092201,

1:59:59ordinance amendment of title 13 of the

2:00:02city of Cranston code of ordinances 2005

2:00:04entitled public services

2:00:06uh sponsored by Mayor Hopkins

2:00:09um sewer system.

2:00:12Director, the floor is yours.

2:00:15>> Okay, thank you. Um as you know, chapter

2:00:1713.08

2:00:19is something that's already in place.

2:00:22What they're looking to do is this part

2:00:25of the ordinance is really got to do

2:00:27with the industrial users

2:00:29in the city of Cranston and this kind of

2:00:31establishes the maximum loads that they

2:00:34can discharge from their facilities into

2:00:37our sewage treatment plant so that we

2:00:39process it.

2:00:42Specifically here, there are

2:00:45three locations or four locations on the

2:00:47second page of that

2:00:49and I'm not even going to begin to try

2:00:50to pronounce all the words that they

2:00:52have here, but it's the BOD5,

2:00:56total nitrogen,

2:00:58ammonia,

2:00:59and total phosphorus.

2:01:02These right now are the actual allowable

2:01:05maximum rates. Anybody who exceeds this,

2:01:08they are reporting this on a monthly

2:01:10basis as they get caught as they are

2:01:13record these, they produce a document at

2:01:16the end of every two to three months,

2:01:18they submit it, and then our

2:01:21sewage treatment plant people, Veolia,

2:01:23do go out there once a year

2:01:25and they do their own independent

2:01:26testing to confirm and verify what's

2:01:28being submitted to us.

2:01:30>> [snorts]

2:01:31>> The reason we need to do this is there

2:01:32is a potential

2:01:35business looking to come into the city

2:01:37of Cranston,

2:01:38which is looking to produce and process

2:01:41waste oil and grease.

2:01:44So, in order for that to happen, the

2:01:46numbers that we mentioned, those four

2:01:47sections, have been modified so that it

2:01:49establishes the maximum rate that they

2:01:52would be able to discharge those

2:01:53chemicals

2:01:55into our sewage treatment plant.

2:01:58The reason they need to do that is

2:02:00there's a process that's in place.

2:02:03DEM has a preliminary review that they

2:02:05do.

2:02:07Then what happens is public works has to

2:02:09produce an ordinance, which will

2:02:11ultimately go back to DEM so that they

2:02:14confirm what's in the ordinance, and

2:02:16then ultimately DEM is in a position to

2:02:19offer a final disposition for this

2:02:21company to do what they need to do to do

2:02:23this processing.

2:02:27So, these are normally these are per day

2:02:29rates

2:02:31of what can be released into our waste

2:02:33management plant.

2:02:35And as a result of this processing of

2:02:37waste oil and grease, and some of the

2:02:40byproducts will be used for biofuel and

2:02:43other type petroleum products. That

2:02:46ultimately gets back to where we need to

2:02:48be as far as a community on what we can

2:02:51allow to be discharged into our system.

2:02:58>> President Wall.

2:02:59>> Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman.

2:03:01So,

2:03:03if I'm hearing you correctly, I'll do it

2:03:04in very simple terms.

2:03:06This entity wants to move in and process

2:03:09this material.

2:03:10Um what are some of the ill effects our

2:03:13environment

2:03:14and around Crescent are going to see as

2:03:16a result of these ill of this entity

2:03:18moving in and processing this material?

2:03:21>> Well, not knowing exactly what the

2:03:22company is or what they actually

2:03:24produce, I I'm not able to give that

2:03:26determination at this time as an

2:03:28engineer.

2:03:28>> We're sure We're certainly worried about

2:03:30those effects on our environment.

2:03:32>> And and again, that company would need

2:03:33to be coming into the city. They would

2:03:35have to go through the process to be

2:03:36qualified and to be able to obtain a

2:03:38building permit to run their facility.

2:03:41And as a result, that would be the

2:03:42opportunity to be vetting the concerns,

2:03:45if there are any, that this would

2:03:46produce.

2:03:47>> Right now, given our current ordinance

2:03:50and our current levels, we could be in a

2:03:52more dangerous environmental situation.

2:03:54Is that what I'm hearing?

2:03:56>> Uh I wouldn't say it's more dangerous.

2:03:59I just believe what it's doing is it's

2:04:00allowing them what they would need to do

2:04:02in order to operate a facility of this

2:04:04nature in our community. At that DEM

2:04:07requires them to have so that they can

2:04:09go back to them to have DEM ultimately

2:04:12give them final approval to be able to

2:04:15conduct that business.

2:04:17>> I think I have.

2:04:18Thank you.

2:04:20>> Director, will this hurt any medium food

2:04:22processing industries like um

2:04:25as far as like grease traps and stuff

2:04:26like that for and I have I consider it a

2:04:30um medium food uh food processing or

2:04:33whatever, Texas Roadhouse, for instance.

2:04:36You know, I is this going to have an

2:04:38increase in their cost now?

2:04:40>> Absolutely not. This has nothing to do

2:04:42with all of the existing facilities that

2:04:44operate within the city of Cranston. The

2:04:46numbers that are added are only for what

2:04:48this potential facility is going to be

2:04:49doing and that's why it's there. It's

2:04:51got nothing to do with any of the

2:04:52existing

2:04:54>> So they're grandfathered in, is that

2:04:55what you're saying?

2:04:56>> It's not even grandfathered in. They

2:04:57already have their own numbers that

2:04:59they're required to meet and that has

2:05:01not changed as a result of this

2:05:02ordinance.

2:05:03>> Okay, thank you.

2:05:05Any uh Councilwoman Ruggiero?

2:05:12>> I guess that's me. Um okay, sorry. All

2:05:15right, so

2:05:16>> [clears throat and cough]

2:05:17>> Okay, um your total nitrogen what what

2:05:20is what are you amending it like from

2:05:24like what is the existing today and what

2:05:25are you amending it to?

2:05:27>> If you'll notice in the top right corner

2:05:28of the number, you'll see 13.

2:05:30>> Yeah.

2:05:31>> 13 is the number that is associated with

2:05:33this type of business that's coming in.

2:05:35So it's the exact same rate that

2:05:36everybody's responsible for today.

2:05:44>> Where's the

2:05:46>> If if you look at total phosphorus, it's

2:05:48a 15 lbs per day and you'll see up in

2:05:51the right

2:05:53suffix there's like a three, I believe.

2:05:56And then the number below it was added

2:05:57which has a 13.

2:06:04>> You're saying it's

2:06:06pounds will be 50?

2:06:08>> Total what? Phosphorus or nitrogen?

2:06:12>> I'm sorry.

2:06:13>> You're on the nitrogen?

2:06:19>> So I'm not just

2:06:21No.

2:06:23>> What they're saying is right now there

2:06:25are certain businesses that are allowed

2:06:26to do 500 lbs per day depending on what

2:06:28their operation is. Others have 250 and

2:06:31what they're saying for this one is this

2:06:33would be 55 lb per day that this new

2:06:35facility would be allowed to be able to

2:06:38produce as a maximum.

2:06:43>> Yeah.

2:06:49Do you have an idea of what is what's

2:06:51the standard?

2:06:53Like what someone else with this

2:06:55description 13

2:06:58It says scrap metal waste materials,

2:07:01particulars to fats, oils, and grease

2:07:03processing. What Let's say what is

2:07:06Warwick have and do we take into account

2:07:10>> [clears throat]

2:07:10>> Well, I have two questions. What What

2:07:11are other comparable municipalities

2:07:14have? And then um

2:07:17What What is How do we define what what

2:07:20It's This is only going into the

2:07:22Pawtuxet River at

2:07:24aired, obviously.

2:07:26>> If we again, these are the numbers that

2:07:28have been established by DEM. So,

2:07:29obviously, we're in compliance with what

2:07:31they would allow to be able to do.

2:07:33>> they would allow.

2:07:34>> Correct. These number There is a I guess

2:07:36there's a maximum limit that DEM has

2:07:39established for all communities to meet,

2:07:41and then we develop our own ordinances

2:07:44to match what they have produced and

2:07:46what they allow.

2:07:47>> So, this is the maximum, but we could go

2:07:49less and be more stringent.

2:07:51>> You could, but I'm not sure what impact

2:07:53that has on the potential business to

2:07:54come in here where they may say, "Well,

2:07:55we can't meet that, so therefore, we may

2:07:58not be coming into your community."

2:08:00Obviously, it would not have an adverse

2:08:01impact based on what this number is

2:08:03because that would be the maximum limit,

2:08:05and they wouldn't put a maximum that's

2:08:07going to allow degradation of anything

2:08:09that we already have in place or the

2:08:11environment.

2:08:12>> Okay, so so I I'm just going to say um

2:08:17I'm definitely not I'm personally not

2:08:19prepared to make a decision today. So,

2:08:20you're not going to get a decision from

2:08:21me, and I'm a scientist, and I do this.

2:08:23So, like I'm not I'm not comfortable

2:08:25until I do more research, but I guess

2:08:27what I'm going to say is

2:08:29um

2:08:31well, I know I would like to be more

2:08:34business friendly and commercial

2:08:37friendly. It is not absolutely going to

2:08:39come at the cost of water of our water

2:08:41impairment. That is a non-negotiable for

2:08:43me. So, um

2:08:45I I I need to do more research. I'm I'm

2:08:48not completely comfortable and then I

2:08:50also don't know

2:08:52um

2:08:54I mean, some of the things that you're

2:08:55going to be testing when you submit your

2:08:57permit for outfalls into these areas,

2:08:59you're going to have to submit your

2:09:01total nitrogen and phosphorus for your

2:09:03um Rhode Island discharge elimination

2:09:04system. And how does this impact when

2:09:06you're testing outfalls?

2:09:08>> Okay.

2:09:10There's a little bit of confusion there.

2:09:11This is the maximum amount that's

2:09:13allowed to come into the treatment

2:09:15plant. This is all processed before it

2:09:17discharges.

2:09:18That's what this This is not effluent

2:09:20that comes out of the treatment plant

2:09:21that's going to be allowed to enter the

2:09:22environment. This is only what enters

2:09:24the plant.

2:09:25>> Thank you.

2:09:26I appreciate that.

2:09:28Great.

2:09:28>> Any other council people?

2:09:29>> I'm Councilwoman

2:09:30>> Go.

2:09:31>> I'm done. I'm [snorts] just going to say

2:09:33that I I would feel more comfortable

2:09:34doing more research and asking some of

2:09:36my friends questions before I made a

2:09:38decision on it.

2:09:42>> Any further discussion? Anybody else?

2:09:44Director, I know you can't name the

2:09:47company coming in, but how many

2:09:48employees or how many

2:09:50um jobs this company do you think or can

2:09:53you guess will

2:09:55>> I'm just like

2:09:56>> Just like the name, I'm not aware of

2:09:58what the actual facility is or how big

2:09:59it is.

2:10:01>> So, we're blind. Okay.

2:10:03Um

2:10:04Do I have any motions to approve, to

2:10:06table? Who do I do I have?

2:10:09>> Motion to continue.

2:10:10>> I have a motion to continue. Is there a

2:10:12second?

2:10:12>> Second.

2:10:14>> Any discussion?

2:10:16Seeing none, clerk, please take a roll.

2:10:21>> Council Vice President Royan.

2:10:23>> Yes.

2:10:24>> Councilwoman Mazzei.

2:10:25>> Yes.

2:10:26>> Councilman Gibbia Piano.

2:10:31Councilman Graziano.

2:10:32>> Yes.

2:10:33>> Councilman Andor.

2:10:34>> Yes.

2:10:35>> Council President Woll.

2:10:36>> Yes.

2:10:39>> Motion has been continued. Moving on. Um

2:10:42ordinance and amendment uh ordinance

2:10:4592203 ordinance and amendment of title

2:10:4710 chapter 12 section 280 of the city of

2:10:50Cranston code of ordinances 2005

2:10:52entitled traffic prohibited on certain

2:10:54streets local access only sponsored by

2:10:56Council President Woll. The floor is

2:10:58yours.

2:10:59>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh Tom, would

2:11:01you mind putting that map this this

2:11:03should be relatively simple.

2:11:04Um

2:11:06basically it seems

2:11:08several things have resulted in high

2:11:10traffic

2:11:11um in the Garden City area

2:11:14and not on the larger streets like

2:11:16Garden City Drive more like Popular and

2:11:18Plantation where people are starting to

2:11:21cut through the neighborhoods more on

2:11:23some of the smaller streets.

2:11:25Um this tiny street goes between Garden

2:11:27City Drive

2:11:29and Cypress Avenue which

2:11:32it's very very highly traveled and

2:11:35people are cutting through to get like

2:11:38into Garden City that way.

2:11:41It's a small street a lot of young

2:11:43families live there some older people

2:11:44live there.

2:11:45Um

2:11:47I've had correspondence. I know

2:11:49Councilwoman Royan has spoke to some

2:11:51constituents there and I I believe

2:11:53Councilman Benanno although he's not

2:11:55here.

2:11:55Um I thought it would be easy fix to

2:11:58just have through traffic. It's a short

2:12:00thing. I don't think it'll change uh

2:12:03change the lives of people

2:12:05ability to travel. It's only a short

2:12:06street. So I put this uh

2:12:09change this amendment in

2:12:12basically for safety.

2:12:13Uh

2:12:14I We

2:12:16uh the support and I ask for support on

2:12:18passing this this evening so it can go

2:12:19to the council.

2:12:21>> Thank you, President Wall.

2:12:23Councilwoman Horan.

2:12:24>> I'll be in full support of this as the

2:12:26same gentleman did reach out to myself

2:12:28and Councilwoman Viscari asking for

2:12:30this. Um, he stated in the last few

2:12:32years traffic is constantly speeding

2:12:35down his street and it's unsafe. He does

2:12:38have young children on the street. Um,

2:12:41he just

2:12:43it needs to be done in South Lake.

2:12:46>> Thank you.

2:12:49Anybody else on the council like to

2:12:50speak before we go into a motion?

2:12:57Director

2:12:58>> Speaking.

2:12:59>> Floor is yours.

2:13:00>> Okay, I mean we have looked at this. I

2:13:02don't know if you've had a traffic study

2:13:04produced. I don't know if you've ever

2:13:06received anything on this.

2:13:08But but I would have to say from my

2:13:09experiences

2:13:11uh we we did this recently on one street

2:13:14and what happened is some of that

2:13:15traffic just moves on to the next street

2:13:18and then you'll have the people on the

2:13:19next street begin to set and ask the

2:13:21same questions of why can't my street be

2:13:23a local street only and all you're doing

2:13:25is actually just moving whatever

2:13:28potential problem and I get and I'm

2:13:30going to say this respectfully to the

2:13:31people who had a request is what it may

2:13:33be a perceived issue. I would challenge

2:13:36before you pass anything, I would

2:13:38welcome any opportunity to go to this

2:13:40roadway during the day

2:13:41and sit there with any of the council

2:13:43people to see exactly what we're talking

2:13:44about here because I don't like to see

2:13:47us putting up signs that we technically

2:13:49are not going to be able to enforce.

2:13:51What that does is it sets a bad

2:13:52precedent

2:13:54with the rest of the community and you

2:13:56can't just keep continually putting

2:13:57these up for a feel good feeling that is

2:14:00making it any safer for anybody who

2:14:03lives in these areas. I mean I was on

2:14:05the state traffic commission in my

2:14:06previous life for 10 years approving

2:14:09traffic control devices on all the state

2:14:11highways.

2:14:12I've seen the consequences of some of

2:14:14these decisions. If they're made for the

2:14:16right reasons, there are safety

2:14:18improvements that you'll gain from it.

2:14:19But if they're just made because

2:14:21somebody wants it, it really just pushes

2:14:23a potential issue, what might be a

2:14:25potential or perceived problem, to the

2:14:27next street over. And I don't want to

2:14:29see the city get into that position of

2:14:31setting that precedent and then

2:14:33constantly having these requests come

2:14:35forward.

2:14:36>> President Wall.

2:14:37>> Yeah. And and certainly Director Rayo, I

2:14:39appreciate the feedback and I certainly

2:14:42value your experience.

2:14:44However,

2:14:46I don't know if I I characterize my

2:14:48statements as feel-good.

2:14:51I think I feel feel safe might be.

2:14:53People are telling me they don't feel

2:14:54safe right now. It's a short street.

2:14:57People are speeding from one one larger

2:14:58street to another. And it's dangerous.

2:15:01Right now, I don't feel good about it.

2:15:03And it I get what you're saying. What I

2:15:05like What I like my street to be clear

2:15:07so I could play hockey out with my kids,

2:15:09yeah. That's not what this is about. I

2:15:11got a small kids on that and that

2:15:13street. It's a short street. People are

2:15:15zipping through. So, I get what you're

2:15:16saying and I know you've done a lot of

2:15:18traffic and I welcome welcome the input

2:15:20of the traffic study when if it if it

2:15:22when it actually comes in. Um

2:15:25It's on the It was introduced last month

2:15:28in meeting. Um I certainly want would

2:15:31like to have him if you have his his

2:15:32feedback. Um I don't know if it'll

2:15:35change my opinion on it um cuz I'm

2:15:37thinking of safety. So, I don't know.

2:15:39Maybe I took a little

2:15:40I don't know. Maybe exception to being

2:15:41characterized. It's not just feeling

2:15:43good. I believe it's safety and this is

2:15:45not just one or two.

2:15:47You've got small children on there. And

2:15:50You and I probably going to disagree on

2:15:51this one. So, I'm not going to go back

2:15:53and forth.

2:15:54>> No, I just know if I can. I mean, we

2:15:56have seen these issues before and there

2:15:57was a similar street on the Westward

2:15:59development that the neighbors were

2:16:01concerned that there was a speeding

2:16:02problem and there was a cut-through. And

2:16:05at least have the opportunity to put the

2:16:06police

2:16:08vehicle up not the vehicle they have a

2:16:09sled that records data and come to find

2:16:12out they were saying they were speeders

2:16:14on the roadway. However, it's a 25 mile

2:16:17an hour speed limit. They had one

2:16:18vehicle go 35 miles an hour and the

2:16:22average speed was 17 miles an hour on

2:16:24that roadway. So when people say there

2:16:25is a speeding what I'm saying is that

2:16:28may be a perception and you're really

2:16:30not solving anything by putting local

2:16:32only cuz the speeding may not exist. So

2:16:35if you could at least get that data from

2:16:37the police department by having them put

2:16:39out their speed study truck vehicle get

2:16:42that feedback information be able to

2:16:43produce that document to say are we

2:16:46really addressing a problem or are we

2:16:48just putting in something to put up a

2:16:49sign that may or may never even get

2:16:52enforced because the police have to be

2:16:54there to see it happen and putting up a

2:16:57sign that really has no enforcement

2:16:58behind it again is not a very effective

2:17:01sign.

2:17:02And in my experiences again what it has

2:17:05done in the past is it creates a

2:17:06disrespect for other signs similar to

2:17:09that going forward. And that's what we

2:17:11found in studies and national studies

2:17:14that have been performed by the National

2:17:16Highway and Safety Traffic Safety.

2:17:18>> Thank you Director.

2:17:20Any other council people Councilwoman

2:17:21Viselli?

2:17:22>> I would like to be added as a co-sponsor

2:17:24to this.

2:17:24>> Councilwoman Viselli would like to be

2:17:25added. Council President Vice President

2:17:28Horoyan would like to be added.

2:17:31Seeing that just want to remind our

2:17:32fellow council people that whether it's

2:17:34one, five or 20 people

2:17:37with a request our we took a note to

2:17:39improve quality of life. So thank you

2:17:41Mr. President. I'm pretty sure the

2:17:42residents

2:17:43uh

2:17:44will be appreciated of this

2:17:46seeing that there's none may I entertain

2:17:48a motion to approve.

2:17:49>> So moved.

2:17:50>> Is there a second?

2:17:51>> Second.

2:17:51>> Second by Councilwoman Graziano. Any

2:17:53discussion?

2:17:54Seeing none Clerk please take a roll.

2:17:56>> Council Vice President Horoyan?

2:17:58>> Yes.

2:17:58>> Councilwoman Viselli?

2:17:59>> Yes.

2:18:00>> Councilwoman Kiefer Piano?

2:18:04>> Yes.

2:18:06Councilman Graziano.

2:18:08>> Yes.

2:18:09>> Councilman Andujar.

2:18:10>> Yes.

2:18:11>> Council President Wu.

2:18:12>> Yes.

2:18:14>> Motion carries.

2:18:15Moving on to adjournment. May I

2:18:17entertain a motion to adjourn?

2:18:19>> Motion to adjourn.

2:18:20>> Is there a second?

2:18:21Any discussion? All those in favor say

2:18:23aye.

2:18:24Ayes have it. Any nays? We are adjourned

2:18:26at 8:44 p.m. Thank you, everybody.

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