2026-09-15 - City Council

00:42Good evening and welcome to the East

00:44Providence City Council meeting of

00:46September 15, 2026.

00:50Starting a couple minutes late. We're

00:52getting some technology fixed, but we're

00:54in business now. Madame Clerk, would you

00:57please call the role of the council?

00:59Councilman Fogerty

01:00>> here.

01:01>> Councilman Lawson

01:02>> here.

01:03>> Council Vice President Rio

01:04>> here.

01:05>> Councilwoman Soua

01:06>> here.

01:07>> Council President Rodri

01:09>> here. Let the record show that all five

01:12members of the council are present.

01:15There's no executive session. Uh please

01:18rise for the salute to the flag.

01:41Thank you. Madame clerk, if you would

01:43begin the reading of the agenda.

01:49>> Consent calendar for discussion and

01:51possible vote. A. Council journals

01:54regular meeting minutes September 1st

01:562026

01:58cancellations and abatements.

02:02>> Make a motion to accept the consent

02:04calendar.

02:05>> Okay.

02:06>> Second.

02:08>> Motion made by Councilman Lawson,

02:10seconded by Councilman Fogerty to

02:13approve the consent calendar as read.

02:15All in favor?

02:16>> I. Any opposed? The eyes have.

02:19>> Next. Licenses for discussion and

02:21possible vote. A non-public hearing for

02:25non-public hearings. Special evented

02:27one-day entertainment license. Molly

02:29Burgess housewarming piano. Date

02:33September 19th 400 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

02:36Special evented one-day entertainment

02:38license. Steve Saltz cornhole

02:40competition.

02:41September 16th 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

02:45Special evented one-day alcohol license.

02:48Ryan Benedict, Dips and Dips Catering,

02:51Witches Parade, October 17th, 9:00 am to

02:554 PM. Special event, block party, Drew

02:58Shannon, reading only. Um, Crescent

03:02Park, September 8th, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00

03:05p.m. Rock the Vote. Special event,

03:08one-day entertainment license, read

03:10only, Crest of the Park, Rock the Vote,

03:13September 8th, 5:00 p. p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

03:16New Mobilebile Food Establishment,

03:19Readin Only, PA

03:21X. Sam's New York system 9 um the event

03:26date was September 8th, 2026.

03:29New Mobilebile Food Establishment

03:31Reading Only Rich Guckle FYI Food LLC

03:37event date September 8th 2026.

03:41>> There a motion to bundle.

03:44>> So moved.

03:47>> Motion by Councilman Lawson. Is there a

03:49second?

03:50>> Second.

03:51>> Second by Council Vice President Rio.

03:53All in favor of the bundle for the seven

03:56I

03:56>> I

03:56>> I. Any opposed? Motion to approve

04:00>> items one through seven.

04:03>> Motion Councilman Lawson to approve

04:05items one through seven as read.

04:08>> There a second.

04:10>> Second.

04:11>> Second. Council Vice President Regal.

04:13All in favor?

04:14>> I I. Any opposed?

04:16>> The eyes have. Thank you. Next item.

04:19>> Communications. Nancy Hill will not be

04:22able to attend today.

04:27Council

04:29members,

04:32>> public comment.

04:33>> No one signed up for public comment.

04:36>> Okay. Um, Captain Ferrer, you had

04:39mentioned to me before the sheet wasn't

04:41out yet. Did you want to comment

04:43>> without um What's that?

04:45>> Well, I think when he was here, it

04:47wasn't out. So,

04:48>> no. No objection. Council,

04:49>> if there's no objection, uh, Captain

04:51Ferrer, you can come up at this time.

05:06Captain, just uh name and address for

05:08the record.

05:08>> Yes, for the record. Richard Ferrer, 51

05:11Arrowhead Avenue, Riverside, Rhode

05:13Island.

05:15>> Thank you. Welcome.

05:16>> Thank you. Uh Mr. President, I'd just

05:19like to say um before I start, this is

05:24uh no

05:26espersions against the fire department

05:29at all. You got a great fire department.

05:31I know I've used them in a rescue, so I

05:34know what they can do. However, there is

05:38a seems to be a problem with the inter

05:41mural assistance between cities.

05:45East Proidence residents, some are very

05:47old, are getting supplementary bills

05:51from Warren and other cities

05:55for that. They haven't called the

05:57rescue, but because the rescue was busy,

06:01rescues had to come in from other cities

06:03to assist like we do with Providence and

06:07vice versa.

06:09In a couple of cases, these elderly

06:11people received bills of $200.

06:14or the supplementary

06:17uh um cardiac evaluations going to the

06:21hospital.

06:23Now, East Proidence residents should not

06:25have to pay for rescue services.

06:30That's unacceptable.

06:32It happens. And when these people call

06:35me because they know the next cop and I

06:37must know what's going on, um I tell

06:40them just call. But they shouldn't have

06:42to. Some people have dementia. They

06:45don't. They have guardians that that you

06:47know just look at it and they panic and

06:49they pay the bill and it's not right. So

06:53the intermural

06:55uh agreement between cities should be

06:59finalized

07:00to a point where the residents of that

07:03community should not be given

07:05supplementary bills for emergency

07:08services.

07:10Secondly,

07:12potholes. I know it's a picky thing. How

07:16many going to say this? Ferrari is very

07:18picky. Well, if we were picky about the

07:20Washington Bridge, I wouldn't be here

07:23talking about it.

07:25So, a contract I've been work details as

07:28a police officer for 30 years.

07:31Contractors

07:33are coming in putting asphalt down,

07:36leaving potholes at the drains instead

07:40of lifting the drains up.

07:44And when the asphalt comes, it covers

07:46them so you have a straight road.

07:50And it wasn't being done recently.

07:54uh between the fire department and

07:56[clears throat] 114 Trail go to

07:58Bucket Avenue

08:00when I come off 114 uh east expressway

08:05hit a bump and I'm saying what the heck

08:07that was just done.

08:09There was a big big pothole there

08:11man-made not by the

08:14frost heaves or the winter or mother

08:16nature. That contractor should not have

08:19been paid. That should have been

08:21inspected and the contractor should not

08:24have been paid

08:26until that's finished. The last thing,

08:29and this happens, this has happened many

08:32times. Now, it's a state road. It's not

08:35a city responsibility directly,

08:39but if I sent a letter to the Department

08:42of Transportation,

08:44they put it in file 13. city clerk does

08:47it because the council is aware and our

08:50public works director it's a different

08:52story I'm not talking about city roads

08:55now talking about the state roads

08:59old ham school

09:02I think the Rick and I will disagree by

09:05the way thank you Rick for your service

09:07for the vets in in in a soua for help us

09:12um [clears throat]

09:14old school

09:16I know the city wants to put u housing

09:20in there.

09:22We need urgent care this side of

09:25Washington Bridge. As a matter of fact,

09:28we need a hospital on this side

09:31because people in Riverside,

09:33particularly all around that area,

09:36you either have to go to Warren Avenue

09:38for urgent care and half the parking lot

09:42is full or you can't get in

09:45and it's just not a good convenient way

09:48to have health care. Oldham School

09:50should be an urgent care center. The

09:52city should use that property for that

09:54reason.

09:56And uh um people are going to the

09:59emergency rooms spending hours and hours

10:02when they can easily go to an emergency

10:04care get preliminary tested and if

10:07hospital is necessary go but here's the

10:10ironic thing. I worked in a hospital for

10:1210 years as director of security at VA

10:15hospital. So I know the system

10:19the emergency rooms generate about 15%

10:22of the inpatients.

10:24the hospitals will lobby behind the

10:26scenes against too many urgent cares

10:29unless they are directly involved with

10:31it.

10:33I know Rick and I disagree on that

10:35issue, but that's it. Thank you.

10:38>> Thank Thank [clears throat] you,

10:38Captain. Uh, regarding your your first

10:41comment, uh, you you are correct. uh

10:43city residents do not have to pay for

10:47rescue service either from within East

10:50Providence or when there is mutual aid

10:54and in fact [clears throat] question had

10:55come up yesterday to me from someone

10:57else and fire chief and to the mayor's

11:01office reiterated that no they don't

11:04have to worry about those bills however

11:06they do any of us get a bill we we get

11:08concerned so I will ask the mayor's

11:10office Andre maybe I'm not sure if It's

11:12on the city website, but maybe there

11:15should be a little bit of a

11:16clarification for people. Not everyone

11:18goes on website, so that won't be the be

11:21all end all.

11:22>> Why are we even sending a bill?

11:24>> Oh, we're not. I know what

11:25>> No, we're

11:26>> Problem is when

11:27>> Yes. Hold on. Councilman Lawson, you

11:29have the floor. I understand it's mutual

11:31aid and it's probably just the system,

11:35but systems can be adjusted that these

11:37folks in East Providence that have to

11:40get a fire truck from CCON warrant,

11:42they're not getting a bill from those

11:44communities. Maybe that bill can go to

11:47city hall or whatever rather than the

11:49individual who, like you said, sees a

11:51bill. Well, sometimes the other

11:53communities, we don't control them. They

11:55send to the family and then if the

11:59family gives it to one of us, we can

12:01give it to the fire department. They

12:03take care of it. But the sending

12:05communities

12:08should send the bill to our fire

12:11department.

12:11>> I'm saying just bypass sending.

12:13>> But we can't control seek conquerobid

12:15property.

12:15>> We sign a mutual aid pack. They should

12:17know that we could do but

12:19>> but the bottom line is people don't have

12:21to pay. Yes, council vice.

12:22>> That's the problem. It's it's not the

12:25city of East Provin sending the it's

12:28when that computer when that out of town

12:31rescue comes or even our system when

12:35they when they pick somebody up you know

12:37somebody gets sick here and they live in

12:39Warrick that automatic automatically

12:41generates it. So on those calls, we I

12:45mean hopefully technology and uh with

12:49the different solicitors, you do come up

12:51with the plan that as soon as that

12:52mutual aids call that that bill goes to

12:55the East Providence [snorts] Fire

12:58Department and they negate it. I mean,

13:00that's it's a simple

13:03it's a simple computer process, you

13:05know. I just I just don't need anybody

13:08out there right now saying that the city

13:10of East Providence is sending and that

13:13this isn't directly at you, Captain. I

13:15just don't want the public out there,

13:17you know, all of a sudden saying East

13:19Providence is sending bills out. It's

13:21the out of town rescues that's doing it.

13:23I don't need to have on social media

13:26blowing up that we're sending bills.

13:29We're not sending bills. It's a glitch

13:31in the system. It happens everything,

13:33you know, it happens everywhere because

13:35if you get you get in a car accident in

13:37Warren and you're from East Providence,

13:39as soon as they pick you up and you have

13:41to go to the hospital, you're getting

13:43you're getting builds. So that and that

13:45that's what I mean. So again, my I just

13:48want to reiterate so before it's not

13:50blasted all over the place, City of East

13:52Providence is not sending the bills.

13:55Thank you.

13:57>> Okay. Okay. And regarding um the pothole

14:01thing, I mean, we can certainly um put

14:04together a letter. We'll talk with city

14:07clerk and and I I think what happens is

14:10if it's not inspected after, we don't

14:13know until someone like yourself drives

14:15over it and then, you know, it's too

14:17late then. So, you know, we can um we

14:20can pursue that. And as far as the um

14:24medical service at Oldm School, you

14:26know, the East Bay would probably love

14:29something here, but I would think that's

14:31a long a long bet away. Look at they

14:35couldn't even maintain Memorial Hospital

14:37in Pucket. You know, hospitals are

14:40pretty much down. I mean, the council

14:41woman was probably the expert on this,

14:43but um I I even physically I couldn't

14:48see the building being retrofitted for a

14:50hospital or a urgent care center without

14:54a lot of cost. When when the bridge went

14:56down, it came to light that there's no

14:58trauma center on this side of the

14:59bridge. So thankfully the whole bridge

15:02didn't go down because if not if you

15:04were having a a heart episode or

15:05something you're going in a a river or a

15:08helicopter wreck

15:09>> or Newport hospital or something.

15:11>> Yeah it is.

15:12>> But good points. Um do you want to add

15:14to that council woman?

15:16>> Thank you. Um Captain, thank you for

15:17your service and thank you for coming up

15:19here and and bringing to light some of

15:20the concerns that you have about the

15:22community. Um just to speak on I know

15:25the pothole situation. And this is

15:26something that I know I've talked about

15:27many of times, especially during the

15:30repaving season um in asking the city to

15:33please go out and inspect all work.

15:36We've had multiple issues throughout the

15:39life the last eight years with

15:41contractors and their work um that

15:43they've provided for the city. Some

15:45streets come out great. Other streets

15:47are left to be desired. Um and that goes

15:50from curbing to the threshold for

15:54driveways. there's been ongoing issues.

15:56Um, unfortunately, I don't personally

15:59know the process of when they get paid,

16:02if we get paid up front, if they get

16:03paid halfway through, if they get paid

16:05after inspection. Um, but the ongoing

16:08um, response has been that there's like

16:11one or two people in our city building

16:14that go around and inspect the work that

16:16our contractors do. And as we know, on

16:18any given day during the contract

16:20season, we have things going on all over

16:23the place. So, they're just not able to

16:26get things uh inspected the way I think

16:28we would appreciate them to be done, but

16:31they're doing the best that they can.

16:32So, see something, report it so that way

16:35they can go back and then hold them

16:36accountable, which I know that they are

16:38really good about doing. So, thank you

16:39for bringing that to light and certainly

16:42hopefully there wasn't damage done to

16:44your vehicle and there isn't going to be

16:45damage done to other people's vehicles

16:47um because of it. Um I agree with the um

16:51the urgent care. I mean there's we have

16:53our aging population that are requiring

16:55more medical services. Um I know that uh

16:59Brown um her uh health university has

17:03expanded throughout the state since

17:05merging um with Rhode Island Hospital

17:07and the rest of their entities. Um but

17:09there's obviously a lot of work still to

17:11be done. Uh the city of East Providence

17:13does have multiple uh urgent cares.

17:15Unfortunately, they're all here in the

17:17center of the city. They're not towards

17:19the other end. Um, and I think Barington

17:21probably has something uh off of the um

17:24>> Does Maple A still have theirs?

17:27>> Yeah. But again, it would be nice to

17:30have things a little bit more spread out

17:32throughout the community. Um, so uh food

17:34for thought, I guess, with, you know,

17:36talking with healthcare providers or

17:38even uh practitioners who might be

17:40interested in opening some a practice

17:42up. So, thank you again for coming up

17:44and discussing that with us. We

17:45appreciate it.

17:47>> Thank you all. Next item, Madam Clerk.

17:49Council

17:51members,

17:52[clears throat] sorry, it says none, but

17:55um number one is the fiscal year 2027

17:58budget dates and hearings. Council

18:00President Rodri's.

18:01>> So, Council Vice President Rio and

18:04myself uh started to uh formulate a

18:07schedule. We met uh at the mayor's

18:10office yesterday and with the finance uh

18:14director also. So we don't want to delay

18:18too too long. We have our budget process

18:21uh on underway. So we've have some

18:25suggested dates. A lot of this has to

18:28coincide with uh legal advertisement

18:32dates. So we discussed this with the

18:34solicitor and

18:36the city clerk. So these are we we can

18:40change a little bit. We have some

18:42flexibility, but with the mandated

18:46schedule, not there isn't much

18:48flexibility.

18:50Um, madame clerk, if you want to uh read

18:54the dates, unless you want me to read

18:56them or

18:57>> Oh, they're pretty much just every

18:58Tuesday going forward.

19:00>> So,

19:01>> yes, we do have to make

19:02>> solicitor

19:03>> number E. There is a change that's

19:04that's

19:05>> yes,

19:06>> Saturday. It should be October 13th.

19:08>> Um, okay. So that we have to make that

19:11change. Um after the mayor presents his

19:13budget on on September 17, 20 26. Uh the

19:18most important date after that is the

19:20public hearing on September 29th, 2026.

19:23When we revised the schedule, we kept it

19:25to a Tuesday because that's what we were

19:27indicated that we had passed and that's

19:30dates that you council members usually

19:31reserve that date. But you could have

19:33meetings any between those weeks if you

19:36want us notice. We can schedule 48 hours

19:41notice but these are dates on a Tuesday.

19:43So the most important date is the after

19:46the public hearing on the mayor's budget

19:47September 29th you can meet every other

19:49day if you want

19:52>> and then the last day to approve the

19:54budget is October 66.

19:58So that's those are the dates but um

20:00these are all the Tuesday dates are

20:02basically because that's when the

20:03council usually meets

20:05>> um then the deadline dates are set by

20:08>> right so and we'll publish and publicize

20:11but just quickly they are Tuesdays in

20:14September the 17th 22nd 29th in October

20:18it is the 6th the 13th the 20th and the

20:2326th and that would be the last day to

20:26approve the fiscal year 27 budget

20:29>> 17th council president is just the

20:32transmission of a budget to the city

20:34clerk to you the rest

20:36>> okay so that's that's not actually a

20:38workshop okay

20:40>> correct

20:42>> right so this is just setting up the um

20:45housekeeping for the process any uh

20:49problems with this these hearings

20:51>> no someone oh I apologize ahead

20:53>> thank you so um as I discussed um with

20:56the council president. Um my schedule

21:00for my shifts are two months out. So I

21:03already have my schedule set for

21:04September and October at the hospitals.

21:06Um I do have Tuesdays reserved for

21:09council meetings, but other Tuesdays in

21:11the month I do work um because I'm not

21:13already scheduled um for council

21:16meetings. So I do have some conflicts.

21:18Um I will however try to make some uh

21:21shift changes if possible. Um, but if

21:24not, I will uh let the council know and

21:26maybe we can change it to a different

21:29day during the week that I'm uh

21:31available.

21:32>> Sure. Uh let let me know and I'll

21:34>> the 22nd and the 29th. Um I am currently

21:37not available. So I will work on trying

21:40to get that. Um

21:42>> okay. So we we we can discuss that

21:45quickly now. Do you want to go on those

21:47two dates

21:48>> to the sorry the 29th is a set date that

21:51has to have to meet that That's that's

21:54that's that's a charter driven

21:58>> and that's the public though. That's

21:59>> that's a public hearing.

22:00>> Yeah.

22:00>> So that's when the public gets after the

22:02mayor mayor presents his budget has a

22:05right to the public on that budget

22:10and usually what we've done in the past

22:12is that um we then you use a use as a

22:15workshop after that. We haven't had

22:19>> right.

22:19>> Can I just for a quick question? So if

22:22there are any changes made to the

22:25budget, we do have to have then another

22:27public hearing. Correct.

22:31>> October 13th, I believe on the regular

22:33council is October 20th. So yes, there

22:35is a regular council meeting budget is

22:37October

22:39that's reg uh I think I think it's the

22:4213th is the date. The last day that you

22:43guys need to make changes because then

22:45we have to have public hearing on your

22:47changes on October.

22:50>> Okay. Do we want to try to go to the

22:5223rd

22:55council woman or just leave it the way

22:57it is and

22:58>> Yeah, I'll I can find out when the next

22:59>> Okay. Okay. So, we'll leave it the way

23:02I've

23:02>> and when we get it Thursday, do we email

23:05you requesting who we'd like here for

23:08the 22nd?

23:10>> Yes. Let me know. And I I think past

23:12practice has been to be the major

23:14department heads. We may not need

23:16>> Yeah, we may not need all of them. So, I

23:18make them show up to sit here all day.

23:20>> Yes, exactly. We'll we will let them

23:22know.

23:23>> Uh, Mr. Solicitor, do we need to vote on

23:25these dates? No, it's justformational

23:27only. Okay. This is not a public

23:29hearing, but do you have a question

23:31about these dates, ma'am?

23:37Yeah.

23:42Right. You're Mrs. You're Anna Rigo,

23:44right? Yeah. Did you sign up to speak

23:47tonight?

23:49You came in after the thing. Okay. Let's

23:52see if we can get through this and if we

23:54have some time, we'll have you speak. I

23:56know you and I spoke on the phone a

23:57couple days ago or maybe it's a week

24:00now. Yeah. And uh again, it's still in

24:03the lawyer's hands, but so if you want

24:06to hang on a few minutes, but we have to

24:08go with the legally advertised docket

24:11for now. But if there's no objection

24:13later, we'll have you come up. Okay. So,

24:17next item, please.

24:18>> Public hearings ordinance for second or

24:21and or final passes for discussion and

24:23possible vote. Number one, an ordinance

24:26and amendment of chapter 18 of the

24:28revised ordinances of the city of East

24:30Providence, Rhode Island, 1998, as

24:33amended, entitled Vehicles and Traffic

24:36Summary to make Bourne Avenue westbound

24:39from Bratton Avenue to Frederick Street

24:41a one-way street during the hours of

24:448:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to

24:473:30 p.m. on school days. Sponsored by

24:50Council Vice President Rigo.

24:52>> Yes, Council Vice President. It's the

24:53second passage. Uh it's Bourne Avenue to

24:57Brighton. Um as you as you if you know

25:01that area there, that street gets very

25:04tight with cars off streetet parking.

25:07This way this will eliminate any god

25:11forbid accidents with cars or children

25:14dashing off people dropping off their

25:17kids. So this is a safety measure that

25:20was requested by the principal and the

25:23superintendent to me and I move passage

25:26at this time.

25:27>> Second.

25:28>> Okay. One second. It's a public hearing.

25:30So um are there other comments from

25:33council members? If if not, open it up

25:36to the public. Is there anyone here that

25:37would like to speak on this item?

25:41Once again, is there anyone here that

25:43would like to speak for or against this?

25:46Seeing none, I'll close the public

25:47hearing. And we had the motion and

25:50second. Madame clerk, did you get that?

25:52The motion and the second. All in favor?

25:54>> I. Any opposed? The eyes have it. Thank

25:57you. Next item. Number two, an ordinance

26:00and amendment of chapter 18 of the

26:02revised ordinance of the city of East

26:04Providence, Rhode Island, 1998 as

26:07amended entitled vehicles and traffic

26:09summary to place a stop sign at Roads

26:12Avenue northbound and southbound traffic

26:14at Burnside Avenue sponsored by Council

26:17President Rogers.

26:19>> Again, we discussed this at the last

26:21meeting. There was first passage. Uh

26:24there was really no no disscent. Um,

26:27there are no other comments. We'll open

26:29it up for public comment.

26:34Anyone here that'd like to speak on

26:36this?

26:39Seeing none, is there a motion?

26:41>> Motion to approve.

26:42>> Motion by Councilwoman Souza to approve.

26:44Seconded by Councilman Lawson. All in

26:46favor? I. Any opposed? The eyes have.

26:49Thank you. Next item.

26:53>> New business. A. Mayor Communications

26:56Director of Policy and Constituent

26:58Services, Andre Herrera.

27:06>> Welcome, Andre.

27:09>> Good evening, council president, members

27:11of the city council.

27:15Tonight, I'm going to go through these

27:17items. Appointment, reappoint, requiring

27:19council confirmation. We have none.

27:23Second, appointment reappointment not

27:25requiring council confirmation. We have

27:27none. And item three, we have a

27:30presentation on the SOAMS national

27:32heritage area feasibility study that is

27:36going to be presented by Jim Moran with

27:39help by Laura McNamera.

27:50Welcome back to your your former

27:54residence. Thank you,

27:55>> Jim. And welcome, Laura.

27:57>> Thank you.

27:58>> Back here in the city council chambers.

28:00Uh

28:00>> enjoying retirement.

28:02>> I am very much so and um as you can

28:04tell, I've been involved with a few

28:05things postretirement, including uh the

28:08PS heritage area. So, I appreciate the

28:11council uh giving uh giving us the time

28:13to present our uh proposal here. We have

28:17a feasibility study that we have

28:19completed. And I did a a a brief

28:23PowerPoint presentation. Um but before I

28:27really get started, I just wanted to

28:28give uh kudos to the board of members

28:30that are part of the PS heritage area.

28:33Right now this evening, uh Laura, who

28:36needs no introduction, has a storied

28:39history here in East Providence along

28:40with her efforts with the Blackstone

28:42Valley Tourism Council, but she also

28:44serves as the vice chair of the Psalms

28:46Heritage Area and um has been doing a

28:50great job in terms of uh the work we've

28:51all been doing over the past uh four

28:53years to bring this feasibility study to

28:56fruition. So, just to give you a quick

28:59overview of where we stand, um the the

29:02the heritage area basically got started

29:05back in 20 uh 2022. We met as a group um

29:09going back I can't remember exactly. I

29:11think it was at Barington Town Hall at

29:13one of the early meetings we had and got

29:15together discussed this whole uh process

29:17of moving forward. Um if you don't mind,

29:19I'm going to just so

29:23use this my vision's not too bad. I uh

29:26sometimes have to wear the glasses, but

29:27I think I could probably use this

29:29particular television.

29:31>> Yeah, sure. Uh this particular

29:33television to kind of go through the

29:35presentation. Um

29:37>> you you're welcome if you want to sit in

29:38that chair and you can see better. Uh

29:41>> um Sure. I could do that.

29:42>> Could just turn that mic on when you sit

29:44there and

29:58mic almost fell off one.

29:59>> Good point. Good point. Thank you.

30:03So, basically uh again, this goes back

30:05to 2022. Um we had as a group um the

30:10board of directors have been working on

30:11this for quite some time. And at this

30:14point, we have uh a a presentation that

30:18would be uh presenting this feasibility

30:21study to the city council at this

30:24meeting. And we have some um overview

30:27information here on our presentation

30:28that we'd like to go through and discuss

30:31what led to where we are today. So, if

30:34we could go to the next slide. Um the

30:37INDUP study in its findings demonstrate

30:39that the region of PS satisfies the

30:41criteria for federal designation by

30:43Congress as a national heritage area.

30:46And um it's important to note that the

30:49current heritage area is a local

30:51heritage area, but it has not received

30:54national heritage area designation. So

30:57what this feasibility study does is

30:59determines if we meet the criteria, if

31:02the Psalms region meets the criteria for

31:05designation as a uh national heritage

31:08area.

31:10Next slide.

31:13And you know the history of this area is

31:15very interesting going back more than

31:1812,000 years. Tribes have existed here

31:21for that long. Um the history's been

31:23rich over those years. There's been a

31:24lot of various communities that have

31:26been here over that time. And um the

31:29important thing about this PS heritage

31:32area is that it takes a look at the

31:33entirety of the history of this area and

31:36the impact of all the cultures and

31:39peoples that have existed here over

31:41these uh these millennia. So it really

31:44does talk about the rich history and I

31:46think we're all very familiar with the

31:48King Phillips War, Massoy, all the

31:50various colonial history. But there is

31:53also a prehistory here that uh goes back

31:57amazingly 12,000 years. It's hard to

31:59believe that uh you know that's that's

32:01as far back as our our our c cultural uh

32:06communities go back and really kind of

32:07an amazing thing. Uh next please.

32:12Um this is just a couple of images from

32:14the the more than 460 meetings that we

32:17conducted over the period from n from

32:192022 to uh approximately 2025.

32:24And you're seeing a couple of meetings

32:25where we u had conducted uh special

32:28meetings where we were getting impact

32:30from board members. We had many public

32:32meetings. Uh Laura, I think you know you

32:35were a part of the places of the heart

32:36discussion. That was a lot of the work

32:38you did. So that was excellent. that

32:40particular um theme brought together a

32:43lot of people and brought together a lot

32:45of great comments that came in as we

32:46were developing this feasibility study.

32:49Uh next

32:53and you know you take a look at the the

32:55early history of the uh colonial history

32:59when Roger Williams and uh the members

33:01of the the Pocona tribe first uh met uh

33:05in 1621. um you know they both basically

33:09um

33:11were

33:13kind of unsure of each other initially

33:15but made a pact of non-aggression for 50

33:18years that non-aggression treaty held up

33:20and and each saw mutual survival in that

33:24watershed alliance but divergent

33:26concepts of law land ownership and

33:28personal freedom were worlds apart and

33:30would change the course of history and

33:32of course we all know that the history

33:34in the late 1600s into the early 1700s

33:37was quite u divergent indeed.

33:41Um that image of course is a the peace

33:43treaty that was signed between uh the

33:46white um settlers and the poken hook.

33:50Next please.

33:53Um what you see on this screen are the

33:56nine communities that represent the uh

33:58area that comprises the PS area.

34:01Bristol, Barington, East Providence,

34:03Providence, Rahobath, Secon, Somerset,

34:06Swansea and Warren and um diverse

34:09members from the each of these

34:11communities participated in the many

34:13meetings that we developed and I think

34:15when you look at the uh cooperation that

34:17existed between all of us. Uh it was a

34:20very productive uh period uh putting

34:23this all together. We worked with uh

34:25Point Heritage Development Consulting

34:27who did an excellent job of developing

34:29this uh feasibility study throughout the

34:31process. We spoke with them. Uh they

34:34came to meetings uh uh one one of the

34:38principles was from Colorado, another

34:39was from Pittsburgh. Uh so they all came

34:42together from those areas and and and

34:44came here on multiple occasions and work

34:46with us uh virtually in multiple Zoom

34:49meetings to develop uh all kinds of

34:53things. We had meetings with ST uh

34:54stakeholders. Uh it was a very

34:57productive discussion that that took

34:58quite a time amount of time but it was

35:00very productive and uh if you look at

35:02the map you can kind of see the map of

35:04the area that comprises this area. Um

35:07and some of the major uh areas it's hard

35:10to see um for the for the people

35:13attending this but there are a number of

35:15locations within the PS heritage area

35:17that are very important part of the

35:19cultural uh aspects of the community.

35:22Um, next.

35:25Um, and you know, we talk about our

35:27vision. One of the things we talked

35:29about a great deal was the vision for

35:31our uh for this uh community study. And

35:35and I'll just kind of read that off as

35:37um we envision a vibrant network of

35:39diverse communities united by a shared

35:41respect for the living history of

35:43Psalms. We aim to create a space where

35:45everyone feels a deep connection to this

35:47landscape where the legacies of those

35:49who come be came before us are honored

35:52and the land and water are cherished for

35:54future generations. So that's that's the

35:56vision we generated as part of the study

35:58and is one of the major themes that's

36:00written with within this feasibility

36:01study. Um and guided by the criteria for

36:05the National Heritage Area Act of 23,

36:07the plane team focused on three core

36:09questions. What nationally significant

36:12stories link the region's communities

36:14and help define the American experience?

36:16Do the region's historic, cultural, and

36:19natural resources possess the integrity

36:21and concentration needed to convey these

36:23stories? And does PS have the

36:26organizational capacity and partnerships

36:27to steward these resources, enrich

36:30quality of life, share important

36:31history, and foster sustainable economic

36:34development. So those were the three

36:36core questions that the feasibility

36:37study were looking at and what the uh

36:40313 pages within this document kind of

36:43puts together as the answers that we

36:45need to come to to determine its

36:46feasibility. Um next slide and if you

36:50look at the criteria these are the

36:51criteria that are identified. I won't go

36:54through all the details but there are

36:56these uh seven criteria nationally

37:00significant living landscape

37:02um traditions and customs which they

37:05certainly are when you look at the

37:06Poconocs and the rich cultural history

37:09they have conservation recreation and

37:12education

37:13um criteria D is significant resources

37:16criteria E engaged sustainable and

37:19supported which uh this group has shown

37:22over this past four years that there's

37:24plenty of support for the uh for the

37:26national heritage area. Um partnership

37:29management entity. Uh along the whole

37:32process of this, we've been trying to

37:33develop partnerships and making sure

37:35that everyone has an an opportunity to

37:37come to the table and talk about uh what

37:40is important for this uh national

37:41heritage area. And then uh a community

37:45supported boundary which over the years

37:47that we've been putting this feasibility

37:49dis together we have um gotten great

37:52support from all the communities

37:54including the city of East Province and

37:56including this city council which is

37:57much appreciated. Uh next slide.

38:01Um and again going back to consistent

38:04support and reaching our goal we've

38:06received consistent support from the

38:08mayor. Mayor Diller has attended events.

38:10I believe at this particular photo is

38:13him attending um our session at the

38:15Newman Church and again we had a large

38:18number of attendees at that meeting. It

38:19was very successful and uh we got a lot

38:22of support from there but we also

38:24appreciate the strong support that we've

38:26received from the city council. I know

38:28that when we were putting this together

38:29was a resolution of support as we were

38:31proceeding through this process and all

38:33of those resolutions and order and

38:35support were very important in our

38:37ability to keep this process moving

38:39forward. So, um I personally thank the

38:41council for for their assistance on

38:43that. Um next,

38:48uh the Psalms board of directors

38:49sincerely appreciates these province

38:51city council's support of our efforts to

38:53attain federal designation as a national

38:55heritage area. Uh and this evening, the

38:57S board of directors, as which Laura and

39:01I are representing here this evening, um

39:04now asked the city council take the

39:06additional steps of accepting this

39:07completed physibility feasibility study

39:10and initiating all actions that it deems

39:12prudent to impress upon our elect our

39:15elected federal delegation to support

39:17the findings of this study and move to

39:19see the local SS heritage area

39:21designated as a federally designated

39:23national heritage area. So um this

39:26evening um this feasibility report is

39:30being officially uh transmitted to you.

39:33Uh

39:34I guess one other thing I would say is

39:37you know this is obviously a large

39:38document but it is available on the u

39:42psalms.org web page. So if anybody want

39:44to be able to take a look at this out in

39:46the public or if you're watching on

39:48television or or YouTube or wherever

39:50you're watching this uh you can go to

39:52the psalms.org or and on the front page,

39:56it actually talks about the uh the

39:58study. Uh on the top of the uh drop-down

40:01menu, there's a a drop down for the

40:03feasibility study. You can just select

40:05that, hit the button, and it will open

40:07up as a PDF for anybody to read. And it

40:09includes the full document, so anybody

40:11can read it and uh and uh basically uh

40:15save a few trees by not having to print

40:17it.

40:22You have to use the mic because it's

40:23being recorded. Thanks. Just push that

40:25button on.

40:27>> Thank you, M. M.

40:28>> There's also an executive summary which

40:30is the shortened version of this which

40:31will give you the highlights of the

40:33report, but we hope that you will read

40:34it. Um, in addition to your letter of

40:36support, we have 73 other letters

40:38letters of support from the nine

40:40communities. And if you want to talk

40:41about trying to get elected officials to

40:43agree on something, try hurting nine

40:45communities together to make it happen.

40:47And we were able to accomplish that. We

40:48thank you for your support.

40:50>> Absolutely. And and the you know the

40:53other thing too is that um this

40:56is basically an ongoing process. You

40:58know as we move forward we are going to

41:01be working um as a body. The board of

41:04directors will continue to meet and work

41:06diligently to uh see this uh area um

41:10reach its designation as a as a

41:12federally uh designated national

41:14heritage area. So, Laura and I, we're

41:17here to answer any questions that you

41:18might have and we really do appreciate

41:21your time this evening to allow us to

41:22present this study and answer any

41:24questions you

41:25>> Oh, I'm sure we appreciate your time and

41:27I know this goes back some years uh in

41:30the working. I want to thank also former

41:32Councilman Cahoun who I know with myself

41:35has started attending some of these uh

41:37early sessions years ago.

41:41legally or officially tonight? Are you

41:43requesting us to approve or accept the

41:47report that you're presenting? I guess

41:49that would make it official.

41:51>> That's what we're doing tonight. We're

41:52we're presenting it to the council. U we

41:55had talked with Andre about whether or

41:57not we wanted to discuss a resolution to

41:59support the uh findings of the

42:01feasibility study. That can certainly be

42:03discussed. Uh if we needed to do that at

42:05a future uh meeting, we can do that. And

42:08then anything else that the council

42:09feels that that would help us uh uh

42:12strengthen our our our our case for a

42:15national heritage area would be greatly

42:17appreciated.

42:17>> Sure. I would think after comments and

42:20questions, we could um I'll entertain a

42:23motion to accept the report tonight and

42:25then we could work on a more formal

42:27resolution for the next meeting so you

42:30can have that in hand also. But are

42:32there other comments or questions of the

42:34council?

42:35>> Yeah.

42:35>> Yes, councilwoman. Um, so thank you both

42:37for being here and thank you so much for

42:39your years of work and dedication

42:42towards this. It's really something very

42:43important. It affects a lot of people in

42:45our community um in in our state. Um,

42:48couple of questions. One,

42:50[clears throat]

42:50that executive um synopsis, is it online

42:54also or do you have Okay. Is it like at

42:56the end? Um, I'm just I you we were nice

43:01enough to get the brochure. Um, and I

43:02know we have a pile. So, I'd ask the

43:04city clerk to um put some at the uh

43:07office at the city clerk's office and

43:09maybe at the table outside um the

43:12elevators so that uh the community when

43:14they come into city hall if they wanted

43:16they can grab it. Um, additionally, the

43:18QRS code also scans and goes right to

43:21that website that has the feasibility

43:23study which I did while you guys were

43:24talking just to make sure. Um so I just

43:27wanted to because again 317 pages as you

43:30correctly

43:32uh stated um is is going to be daunting

43:35to read through. Um so I am interested

43:37in the the cliffnote version this

43:40[clears throat] um but where would that

43:41I don't see that techn is it on the last

43:44page of the physibility study

43:46>> at the top of the page. I haven't looked

43:48at it. It might be on the desktop

43:49version but I can

43:50>> Okay. Yeah later on.

43:51>> That's fair. So yeah, I'll check it

43:53online just to make sure on the computer

43:54because a lot of things do not translate

43:56onto mobile devices. So thank you for

43:58that. Um otherwise um I am I think it's

44:02a great idea to put something formal

44:04from the entire council sponsoring uh a

44:07resolution um and doing that for the

44:09next council meeting. So whatever

44:10language you guys

44:12>> uh want to provide and then we can add

44:14some more meat and potatoes to it and

44:16that'd be great.

44:17>> Be great.

44:17>> Thank you. And the other thing we we

44:19would ask if you speak with any of our

44:20congressional delegation, please remind

44:22them about this. Um that's our next step

44:24to go to Congress. We do need to

44:26sponsor. So we're going to the

44:27Massachusetts and Rhode Island

44:29congressional delegation to put it into

44:31effect. And hopefully we'll get moving

44:33on it this year. There are some national

44:35heritage areas being considered right

44:37now on a bill. So we're hoping to get um

44:39put into that package and then

44:42year.

44:43>> We'll we'll do council vice president.

44:45You just Laura, you just answered one of

44:47my questions. Obviously, this is

44:50interstate, so it's going to be

44:51delegations from Rhode Island and

44:53Massachusetts being involved. My next

44:56question is, how long is the process

44:59taking Congress to uh get this area

45:03recognized?

45:04>> It depends on how long they want to talk

45:06about it. Um it could they could put it

45:09in now. Um they're going back in um one

45:12more week. I think they're going back

45:13into session. Um, it could be done as

45:15early as the end of this year or they

45:17could table it and then put it towards

45:19next year. Um, they're all unique and

45:21different. It depends how many national

45:23heritage areas are they're considering.

45:24There's 62 right now that are already in

45:27in um existence around the country. We

45:30heard that there was at least three or

45:32four under consideration right now and

45:34we hope to be part of that.

45:35>> Right. That's what we're trying to see

45:36if we can get that incorporated into the

45:39other national heritage areas that are

45:41being uh discussed. And in fact, I think

45:44our consultant actually is involved with

45:45the designation of another one that's

45:47located, I think, in Arkansas. So, we're

45:50trying to work to see if we can't get

45:51that added to the discussion. We've got

45:54a lot of people talking to one another.

45:55We've got great members on our board who

45:58are very active and um have been

46:00discussing this and it's been a very

46:02important part of trying to make sure

46:04that our our our delegation is fully

46:06aware of exactly what we've accomplished

46:09and we want how we want to move forward

46:10with this.

46:12Thank you. Uh, is there a motion to

46:15accept the the report as received

46:18tonight?

46:18>> Motion to accept.

46:19>> Second.

46:20>> Motion, Councilman Lawson, seconded by

46:22Councilwoman Soua. All in favor?

46:25>> I. Any opposed?

46:26>> The eyes have it. Uh Jim, would you um

46:29have some time over the next several

46:31days or weeks, whatever, to work with

46:34the solicitor on wording for a

46:36resolution? Sure. And then we'll um

46:40we'll get that ready for the next

46:41meeting or two.

46:42>> Yeah, that's fine. And and also I I I've

46:46been working occasionally with the

46:48planning department to discuss things.

46:50>> Sure. whomever if you work with them to

46:52also

46:53>> and talk with uh Patrick Hanner has kind

46:55of been since my retirement Patrick has

46:58kind of taken the local role of uh being

47:00the planning department's contact for

47:02the psalms discussion so look forward to

47:04talking with him as well

47:06>> one quick I I will gladly text

47:08Congressman tomorrow to get this going

47:11but um department of interior have any

47:14say in any of this

47:16>> that's where it starts with them and

47:18they're under the national park service

47:19Okay.

47:20>> They're they're the ones that sign off

47:22on it.

47:23>> Okay. Are we anticipating any problem?

47:26>> We haven't run into any. Uh National has

47:29reviewed it and we met all the criteria.

47:31Um there are some groups that put their

47:34um paperwork together with a lot missing

47:36and ours is ready to go. So just need

47:39the sponsorship and then we can present

47:41it.

47:41>> Okay. So they put it forward in front of

47:44Congress or any congressman can put it

47:47forward. Any can, but we would prefer to

47:49have a Rhode Island or Mass andor

47:51Massachusetts congressman,

47:53>> right? No. No. My only concern is with

47:56the national political environment if

47:58there's going to be any push back from

48:01the administration on stuff like this,

48:03but that's it.

48:04>> We don't anticipate any, but you it

48:06shouldn't. It absolutely shouldn't, but

48:08Okay. Thanks.

48:09>> Just one follow-up question. Do we have

48:11any have there been any other

48:13municipalities either in Rhode Island or

48:15Massachusetts that have already provided

48:16a resolution or supporting um documents

48:21that

48:21>> we we've received resolutions of support

48:23from all of the communities

48:26the nine alto together and as we move

48:29forward with the presentation of the

48:30feasibility study. I don't know how many

48:33I think we're one of the first to

48:35actually present the feasibility study

48:37to the council.

48:38>> Last night I was in Bington

48:40Oh, good. Okay. So, we so we're working

48:42on getting these all to the council so

48:45they can accept them and then we can

48:46move to the next step of really

48:48lobbying.

48:48>> So, there hasn't been resolutions

48:50request in the congressional delegations

48:52yet

48:54>> because I was going to say we just copy

48:56and paste.

48:57>> Well, we can go now. We don't need the

48:59resolution. Already approved it whenized

49:03it.

49:03>> But when you said other communities

49:04voted on it, that was about the

49:05feasibility part, right? Not the actual

49:08request, the concept. heritage. No,

49:10we've already received support on that.

49:12There's 72 letters in that document.

49:15>> Yeah, we we approved it like a couple of

49:17months ago.

49:18>> You did. That's correct. Yeah. And

49:19again, that was uh very helpful because

49:22as we're talking to the National Park

49:23Service, I mean, it's one of those

49:26things where too many letters of support

49:28is not a problem. as many letters of

49:31support as possible are better and the

49:34more we get the more strength we have in

49:37our argument that this is a popular and

49:40uh very uh culturally significant effort

49:43and quite frankly you know we've said it

49:45all along too that it's certainly from a

49:47recreation standpoint from a lot of

49:49various aspects it's very important but

49:51it's also important for economic

49:52development for re receiving future

49:54federal grants if we're applying for

49:56federal funding all the communities that

49:59might be applying ing for that funding

50:00would be would strengthen their ability

50:03to receive funding, especially in areas

50:05that support the the heritage area. So,

50:07these are all positives that I think

50:09would bring a lot of um great things to

50:12this region,

50:12>> just like the Blackstone Valley

50:14designation.

50:14>> Exactly.

50:15>> Yeah, that's right. Exactly.

50:16>> Perfect.

50:17>> Thank you.

50:17>> I will say over the years working with

50:19you two, I know everything's going to be

50:21topnotch and you got my full support.

50:24So, whatever you guys need.

50:26>> Thank you, Councilman. Appreciate. Thank

50:27you both uh for being here in and Jim in

50:29retirement. Thank you for your civic uh

50:31involvement still.

50:32>> My pleasure. Thank you.

50:33>> Much appreciated. Thanks again.

50:38>> Next item.

50:40>> Resolutions for discussion and possible

50:42vote. Number one, resolution authorizing

50:45the mayor to enter into a contract with

50:48Osheen, Inc. to support cyber security

50:51improvements within the city.

50:54$268,450

50:57grant funds will be used to build the

50:58fiber backbone throughout the city and

51:0170,670

51:05of the grant funds will use will be used

51:07for the necessary hardware to support

51:10network redundancy introduced by council

51:13president Rodri and council vice

51:15president Rigo. So this large amount of

51:19um grant funding uh is to help with uh

51:23cyber security mostly in uh public

51:26safety areas and related areas and is

51:31especially uh important in in this day

51:34and age of um ransomware and AI

51:40inevitability and abuses uh that we are

51:44getting. So I I have asked our director

51:46of IT to um present this a little

51:51clearer picture for us and describe uh

51:55what we're going to do with this uh

51:57large award.

52:00>> Uh thank you councel.

52:01>> Thank thank you and just your name and

52:03title for the record.

52:04>> My apologies. My name is Carlos Sbrano

52:06the director of technology for the city

52:08of East Providence.

52:10Um so for the first project is basically

52:13for a um to make our networks better. So

52:18it's going to be like an SDWAN project.

52:20So basically it's going to be a fiber

52:22buildout uh for all emergency responding

52:26buildings to include DPW city hall the

52:30four uh fire station the police station.

52:33Um in the past uh there has been some

52:35issues with the network and uh this is

52:38going to be improving it and also making

52:40it more resilient in case um it does go

52:43down via like any um LAN connection.

52:47We're going to have like a a wireless

52:49backup through either AT&T or any of the

52:52other carriers depending on the

52:53buildings and what uh carrier has the

52:56best um service in that area and that's

52:58fastest service in the area. So, it's

53:00going to be more secure, uh, more

53:02resilient in the sense like the it going

53:04to be multiple ways into the city in

53:06each building. Um, and overall, it's

53:09just going to improve like the security

53:10in the city overall.

53:15>> And do you want to describe the second

53:17part of this while while you're there?

53:20>> The second portion of it is basically

53:22going to be um the networking equipment

53:24that goes in the background. uh that

53:26basically will support this uh network

53:28infrastructure. Um this is uh basically

53:32we have to replace it around every seven

53:34to eight years. So basically we were

53:36able to get uh federal grant federal

53:39grant funding to uh basically take care

53:42of the this part of the project too as

53:43well sir. So the duration will be about

53:46seven

53:48or the smaller part of networking

53:51equipment like the uh fiber usually um

53:54now [clears throat] they're kind of like

53:55warrantying it for like 50 years. I

53:58can't guarantee that but that's what

54:00it's supposed to last. So that uh bigger

54:04chunk should not be like needed for

54:07another at least 20 to 30 years. They do

54:10warranty it for like 50 years sir. So

54:13certainly seems like something we we uh

54:16don't want to miss the boat on. Yes,

54:18council vice president.

54:21>> I'd like to commend the director first

54:24for his

54:26work here in the last three years. Is it

54:29been two years you've been here with us

54:31so far? Two and a half years.

54:32>> Uh two and a half, sir.

54:34>> Years. I want to commend you on that.

54:36But besides all the technology upgrades

54:39you've done, you've gone beyond and

54:44getting these grants where you just

54:46didn't worry about the IT information,

54:49making sure everything flew

54:52right in the city. Your uh diligence and

54:55going out and getting these grants, I

54:58commend you on saving the taxpayers of

55:00the city of East Providence boatload of

55:03money. I thank you again.

55:06I I appreciate those words, sir, but I

55:08can't take all the credit because uh

55:10Chief Kerry has helped me a lot with

55:11this grant. So,

55:13>> it's all you car.

55:15>> It's a team uh it's a team effort, sir.

55:17>> Said that.

55:19>> No, thank you. Uh well, well said. Uh

55:22>> both of you both of you for what you've

55:24done. You say you're saving the

55:26taxpayers money, things that don't go

55:30that go unappreciated.

55:32And um I commend you again. I commend

55:36the you know the chief as well.

55:39>> Other questions or comments?

55:41Councilwoman

55:42>> just want to say that thank you. I had

55:43had my questions and you answered them

55:45before um the meeting. Um so uh thank

55:48you for that clarification.

55:50>> You're welcome. Councilwoman

55:51>> further questions.

55:53>> Thank you councilwoman.

55:55Okay. Is there a motion to

55:57>> motion on the first resolution? I move

56:00passage. Second

56:02>> motion by council vice president Rigo on

56:05the first resolution

56:08that was read uh that's letter D and

56:11seconded by councilwoman Souza.

56:14>> Further discussion all in favor?

56:16>> I

56:17>> I any opposed? The eyes have it.

56:20>> Councilwoman Soua motion uh approves of

56:24the second resolution number two under

56:26letter D. Is there a second?

56:28>> Yeah. Can we just read it into the

56:29record?

56:30>> Oh, sure. We didn't read that yet. Okay.

56:32Madame Clerk, you want to read part two?

56:35>> Number two, resolution authorizing the

56:37mayor to enter into a contract with

56:39Staret Solutions, Inc. in the amount of

56:42$197,92

56:44to support the cyber security matters

56:46introduced by Council President Rogers

56:49and Council Vice President Rego.

56:51>> I make a motion to approve. Um, and just

56:53for the record, um, that is also part of

56:56grant funding.

56:58>> Yes. Second. Is there a second?

57:00Second.

57:01>> Second. Councilman Fogerty. All in

57:04favor? I. Any opposed? The eyes have it.

57:08Thank you, director.

57:09>> Appreciate it.

57:10>> Thank you.

57:12>> Next item.

57:20Number three, resolution authorizing the

57:22mayor to enter into a contract with me.

57:25O'Brien and Sons for improvements to

57:27Glenn Lion Park and Liborne Park

57:31sponsored by Vice President Ria.

57:34>> Yes, council vice president.

57:35>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um,

57:39this is the end of the opera funding to

57:43improve both these playgrounds. As I

57:46spoke at the last meeting, it's been

57:47over 30 years that the pox in the

57:52northern part of the city were touched.

57:54Uh great improvements again to the

57:57walkway lighting. And this is the final

58:01step as far as new play equipment for

58:05both uh from newborns all the way up to

58:10teenagers. When we were up at Glenline,

58:13we even had some of the teenage kids

58:16look at the books and picked out the

58:18equipment. They stayed in budget, which

58:20was a good thing, but um it's nice we'll

58:24have more playgrounds in the city uh

58:28that have adaptive

58:31playground for children with disability.

58:33Both of these playgrounds will have

58:35that. So I move passage. Thank you.

58:38>> Second.

58:40>> Motion by council vice president Rigo,

58:42seconded by Councilwoman Souza. All in

58:45favor?

58:46>> I. Any opposed? The eyes have it.

58:50>> Point of order, Mr. President.

58:51>> Yes.

58:52>> Uh we skipped number C for my fellow

58:56council person uh report of the uh

58:58school committee leaison that got

59:00skipped over. So I at this time I asked

59:03that we move to that back to that.

59:07>> Sure, we can go to that. I don't think

59:08anything was on the agenda, but you can

59:10some general

59:11>> The update is they passed their budget.

59:13Um I believe they're going to be asking

59:15106 mil. Um, they were supposed to

59:18trade. Did you receive the budget and

59:20the list of positions? They said that

59:22they were going to send it for you to

59:23send to us. Have you received that yet

59:25from the school department?

59:26>> Got it. Um, Glenda just received it at 1

59:29p.m. So,

59:30>> all right. Can you forward that to us

59:31tomorrow?

59:32>> I haven't gotten it yet. It was just

59:34sent to Jen to um the director of

59:38>> Okay. They had mentioned they were going

59:39to send it to you to send to the

59:40council. So, I'll follow up with the

59:41superintendent on that. um you know

59:45biggest drivers um transportation

59:48special ed um you know this is a issue

59:52that it's a wider discussion than just

59:55East Providence every school department

59:57in the state of Rhode Island probably

1:00:00across the country is dealing with cost

1:00:03and you know the amount of money we get

1:00:07from the fed and state we're

1:00:09appreciative but the way we fund is on

1:00:12the backs of property owners and I don't

1:00:14know who in America made that decision

1:00:16but um we definitely need to work with

1:00:19our state reps and find a way to help.

1:00:24And the other secret, it's not really a

1:00:27secret, but the more we're building

1:00:28house and that's on the higher end and

1:00:30attracting wealthier people, our average

1:00:33median income is rising and

1:00:35[clears throat] that affects state aid

1:00:36formulas. Um the bills don't go down,

1:00:40but the amount of aid we'd received does

1:00:42because of that change. So um I was a

1:00:46little disappointed a couple members,

1:00:48you know, they do their yearly. Oh, the

1:00:49council better do this and they they got

1:00:52to give us the money. Well, you know,

1:00:54you do your job, we'll do us, you know,

1:00:57um I'm going to push back on them a

1:00:59little bit on that. We have shown over

1:01:01the last four years how supportive we

1:01:03are. We approved that budget. Um Bob

1:01:06worked to create the um school building

1:01:09fund to help with all the repairs and

1:01:11stuff. So to hear a couple of them kind

1:01:14of criticize the council and stuff was

1:01:16was you know I I noticed it and I I'll

1:01:20have words with them when I see them.

1:01:21But um you know it is what it is.

1:01:24They're going to they asked for what

1:01:26they think is the appropriate number and

1:01:30um hopefully we receive it tomorrow and

1:01:33uh we can start looking at it. I'm going

1:01:35to assume maybe next Tuesday the school

1:01:38be one of the departments we ask for the

1:01:41workshop. Um because that's the biggest

1:01:43part of the city budget. Um 106

1:01:47million's a little less than what are we

1:01:49asking for? 209 did I see? Um, so it's

1:01:54about 50%. So, um, I got some questions,

1:01:58but overall it's not it's not a budget

1:02:01of frivolous spending. It's the drivers,

1:02:04you know, um, heat, electricity cost,

1:02:07the utility cost. Um, as we know, the

1:02:10price of fuel has gone up these last few

1:02:12months. And because our budget Yeah. is

1:02:16not aligned with the state when they

1:02:18start at this time of the year. They're

1:02:20running on fumes with the cash on hand

1:02:22that they have because they're not going

1:02:24to get the money until November one

1:02:27after we pass well after we pass our

1:02:29budget. So, um there's a lot of systemic

1:02:33things that cause the school budgets to

1:02:35rise and it's not any individuals.

1:02:38Um there's always something in the

1:02:40budget somebody can point out that oh,

1:02:43why are we spending on that? But bottom

1:02:45line is you got to pay teachers, you got

1:02:47to maintain buildings, you got to have

1:02:48supplies, you need the support staff,

1:02:50custodians and stuff and that costs

1:02:53money and taxpayers. We want an educated

1:02:56society. So, um, just a heads up, it's

1:02:59going to be coming.

1:03:00>> No, thank thank you. And as you noted,

1:03:02uh, we have not yet received the school

1:03:05budget. So, I'll I'll reserve comment

1:03:07until we get that and start our budget

1:03:09process. I would only make one one

1:03:11statement tonight. um all of us, but

1:03:14I'll speak for myself since I've been on

1:03:16this council, we have given the school

1:03:20committee

1:03:21every penny they've asked for. Plus, as

1:03:25a matter of fact, last year, I think at

1:03:27your urging, um Councilman Lawson, we we

1:03:31increased the amount even though the

1:03:33school department was fairly satisfied

1:03:35with. So, we're there. We've been

1:03:37providing education with the necessary

1:03:40funding. Plus, now we're going to work

1:03:43together. This is not an us against them

1:03:45thing. We'll we'll figure this out, but

1:03:47the budget process will be starting very

1:03:50shortly. So, thank you for that. Uh

1:03:53before we adjourn, um if there's no

1:03:56objection,

1:03:58oh, we didn't have another ordinance. I

1:04:00missed. Sorry.

1:04:02And it's mine. Oh, okay. We didn't

1:04:05forget you, Miss Rio. But, uh you want

1:04:07to read that last ordinance? An

1:04:10introduction of ordinance for discussion

1:04:12and possible vote. An ordinance and

1:04:14amendment of chapter 18 of the revised

1:04:16ordinances of the city of East

1:04:18Providence, Rhode Island 1998 as amended

1:04:21entitled vehicles and traffic amending

1:04:24section 18-308

1:04:26entitled parking time limitations 60

1:04:30minutes. Summary section 18-308.

1:04:33The purpose of this ordinance is to

1:04:35place a 60-minute parking sign at Warren

1:04:38Avenue, Southside, from a point 65 ft

1:04:42west of South Hall Street, Westerly, 60

1:04:45ft from

1:04:478:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from Monday to

1:04:50Friday. Sponsored by Council President

1:04:52Roger.

1:04:53>> Actually, also that should be sponsored

1:04:55with Councilwoman Souza and uh she has

1:04:59done the uh follow-up leg work on on

1:05:02this. So I would defer to you at this

1:05:04point.

1:05:04>> All right. Thank you, council president.

1:05:06So um mentioned this uh two weeks ago um

1:05:09and so it's back before the council with

1:05:11an amendment after speaking with the uh

1:05:14business owner and um others in the

1:05:17area. Um we updated it to a 60 minute um

1:05:22time frame um during business hours for

1:05:24the businesses in that direct area and

1:05:27it conforms with the parking that is

1:05:30generally along Warren Avenue. Um most

1:05:32of it is um timelmited um because of

1:05:36businesses and to keep the flow um for

1:05:39residents. We don't want to um

1:05:40inadvertently negatively affect any of

1:05:43the residents who live in that area

1:05:44because it is a multi- um a lot of

1:05:47multifamilies in that area and they do

1:05:49use that on uh off- streetet park uh on

1:05:52street parking. So I think this was a

1:05:54good compromise. Um the business owners

1:05:57were were pleased with it. There wasn't

1:05:59any um push back which is always um you

1:06:03know good to do. Make sure everybody's

1:06:05on the same page with things. Um, so I

1:06:07move passage for this uh first passage

1:06:10for this ordinance.

1:06:11>> Second motion by Councilwoman Souza for

1:06:13first passage, seconded by Councilman

1:06:15Lawson. All in favor?

1:06:17>> I

1:06:17>> I. Any opposed? The eyes have it. Thank

1:06:21you.

1:06:24>> Um, Mr. We go. If you would like to come

1:06:26forward,

1:06:36just pull that down a little so we can

1:06:38hear. I mean, the top part there. Okay.

1:06:42Everybody

1:06:44uh I was here the first of this month

1:06:47and I did call the president to tell him

1:06:51was on a Friday to see what's going on

1:06:54and he said he was looking into it to

1:06:57get a response what's going on again. No

1:07:00respond. Nobody called me back.

1:07:03So I just want to see what's going on

1:07:06with my property with my belongings.

1:07:10>> Right. So um and what I had did mention

1:07:13to you is you know you could come back

1:07:15here.

1:07:16I hesitate to get in the middle of a

1:07:18legal issue. I will ask the solicitor. I

1:07:21did call the day you and I talked did

1:07:24talk with our solicitor that day and um

1:07:28he may have other information but I'll

1:07:31turn this over to the solicitor at this

1:07:33time.

1:07:33>> Mr. President, as council requested the

1:07:35next I think the next day the day after

1:07:37I did call the adjuster in the matter.

1:07:38Um, unfortunately I have not heard back

1:07:40from him, but I did I do have an email

1:07:42and I and I I'm reluctant to get into

1:07:44too much of the details because Miss

1:07:45Rigo is represented by council. Um,

1:07:47she's represented by Mr. Jimmyfield

1:07:50who's a very qualified lawyer who I know

1:07:51personally and is a good lawyer.

1:07:54Apparently, this seems to be dispute

1:07:55between uh Clean Care and her and the

1:07:58return of some of the

1:07:58>> Use that mic a little more. Sorry. This

1:08:01appears to be a little bit of a dispute

1:08:04between Clean Care uh who is the company

1:08:07that was hired to do some of the um

1:08:09cleaning of the goods and services. Um

1:08:11they were the uh Rhode Island Interlock

1:08:13Trust vendor at the time of the loss. Um

1:08:16at uh about a week ago on September 4th,

1:08:20I was told that um the representative

1:08:23from Clean Care, Mr. Ernie Pulano uh had

1:08:27spoken to attorney Birfield about the

1:08:29contents matter and it was the the email

1:08:32that we got was that they are currently

1:08:33in the process of a negotiating terms of

1:08:35delivery so she get her items and

1:08:37cleaning here gets paid for the things

1:08:38he cleaned and it's held for her during

1:08:40the dispute. Um the email goes on to the

1:08:44resident, however, is complicating the

1:08:46return of her items because now she's

1:08:48refusing to take many of her contents

1:08:50back or to sign a document authorizing

1:08:52the disposal of the items she doesn't

1:08:54want returned. Um and furthermore, she's

1:08:56refusing to pay for additional storage

1:08:58based upon uh the charges that she was

1:09:00incurred. That's all I know. Um it seems

1:09:03like this is now a dispute between Miss

1:09:05Rigo and the Clean Care Company. Um, and

1:09:09I I don't really want to get too much

1:09:10into detail because I really don't know

1:09:12anything else about it. This, you know,

1:09:14>> but I do.

1:09:14>> She is she is represented by council.

1:09:16Um, as you know, this council has

1:09:18nothing to do with this. There's nothing

1:09:21we we can do. Um,

1:09:23>> it is something you can do.

1:09:24>> Well, ma'am, we do not

1:09:25>> Yeah, let let him finish.

1:09:26>> Do not we we do not control clean care.

1:09:29We do not control the relative to local

1:09:30trust. Um this seems to be a dispute

1:09:32between um someone who suffered some

1:09:36property damage uh and uh the vendor and

1:09:39that's all I can say at this point. I'm

1:09:41I am not involved in this and frankly

1:09:44>> the council should be.

1:09:45>> What can you add to that?

1:09:47>> I was there two days ago. Is it possible

1:09:49I could put my photos on this TV?

1:09:52>> Not tonight. No.

1:09:53>> Not tonight, sir. Okay. I would like to

1:09:55come to the second meeting.

1:09:56>> You said you were there yesterday. Where

1:09:58were you yesterday?

1:09:58>> I was there to clean care. Okay,

1:10:00>> sir. They opened the bags and I said,

1:10:03"What's the smell?"

1:10:05They opened the bags. I video and took

1:10:07pictures. Some of the stuff was clean.

1:10:10You can see the where the package was.

1:10:12He took it out one of the pillows

1:10:15and was still in there. The

1:10:18blankets, videos don't lie. And that was

1:10:21yesterday.

1:10:22>> Mild,

1:10:23>> mildew, and everything. I even told him,

1:10:26"What's the smell?"

1:10:28And he says, "We've been spraying every

1:10:30week. We come down here and spray. I'm

1:10:33not going to take those products." No,

1:10:35you're right about that. I'm not I'm not

1:10:39going to give that to my family

1:10:41to use. They took all the furniture, all

1:10:46the baby stuff. I still didn't get burst

1:10:49for my personal stuff. But I do have

1:10:52photos where they have all the stuff

1:10:55what they done to me with the food.

1:10:58And Danny said, "Oh, maybe it wasn't

1:11:00clean." But it was in a yellow tape

1:11:04where all the stuff with bags closed was

1:11:07clean. When he opened that bag and I

1:11:09have a video, he didn't know I was

1:11:11videoing him and I took pictures.

1:11:14And I even asked him, I thought you say

1:11:16you're going to throw that stuff away.

1:11:18He got the mattress that matches the

1:11:20baby with mocks on it. And I says,

1:11:23"We're not going to take that."

1:11:26And he goes, "Oh, we want to make sure

1:11:27you sign it off." And I said, "Okay." I

1:11:30asked, "Where's the sign for me to sign

1:11:32it off?" Never gave it to me. He goes,

1:11:34"Oh, you're going to come back." So, we

1:11:36made an appointment to come back

1:11:38Saturday started Saturday.

1:11:41Well, all the other stuff they throw

1:11:43away, they didn't talk about reversing

1:11:45me, nothing. So, I want to know what's

1:11:48the best way to deal with it. I don't

1:11:49know what is he talking about the

1:11:51lawyer. And this is nothing to do with

1:11:52lawyer. I want my stuff back. I'm not

1:11:55asking for much. I'm asking what's mine.

1:11:58What was ruined?

1:11:59>> What? What? What? And I, you know,

1:12:02again, we're blind on this issue, but

1:12:04what is it you want back? If you said

1:12:06you didn't want to take the soil stuff,

1:12:09>> you guys throw all my furniture on.

1:12:10>> We didn't take anything.

1:12:12>> You know, the whatever they whatever

1:12:14they sent to my house,

1:12:15>> the the insurance company sent whatever

1:12:17they sent to the house.

1:12:18>> Clean care company, right?

1:12:19>> Whatever they sent to the house, they

1:12:21throw everything. What is good that you

1:12:23want back?

1:12:26>> We're supposed to go there Saturday.

1:12:31>> Yep. Yep.

1:12:34>> She she was there yesterday or the day

1:12:36before.

1:12:36>> It was yesterday.

1:12:37>> And from the pictures I seen, there's

1:12:39not much you can take.

1:12:41>> Yeah. I I don't doubt you. I don't even

1:12:43need the pictures. I believe what you're

1:12:44saying that this stuff is not worth

1:12:46taking back. But you just I don't know

1:12:48what it is you want returned back that

1:12:52is good.

1:12:53>> I'm going to be responded to refund my

1:12:55money for my stuff I lost.

1:12:57>> So you're talking about just being

1:12:59reimbured for loss

1:13:00>> of the furniture, everything I lost.

1:13:02>> Now you've talked to an attorney, you

1:13:04said.

1:13:05>> Yes.

1:13:05>> What do they say?

1:13:06>> Well, I didn't talk to him about this

1:13:07stuff like this because I figured this

1:13:09is my stuff, right? To get it.

1:13:11>> Well, I would I'm not an attorney, but

1:13:14>> you know what I mean? I'm probably

1:13:15saying more than I should, but I would

1:13:17have your attorney call the attorney for

1:13:19clean care company.

1:13:21>> They never respond to him

1:13:22>> and hammer this out.

1:13:23>> It took him four months to get clean

1:13:25care to get to reach to the lawyer.

1:13:28>> But you said your lawyer has not talked

1:13:30to them about this.

1:13:31>> He did. He's the one to call me cuz

1:13:33somebody just said it. He got in touch

1:13:35with them for me to go check my stuff to

1:13:37go pick it up to see when can

1:13:39>> you do that Saturday?

1:13:40>> Yeah, we're going to do that. I was

1:13:42there with my daughter and my grandson.

1:13:44just think some of the stuff for the

1:13:45baby's clothes and everything still was

1:13:47okay. Of course, 6 months the baby grow.

1:13:49The clothes is there was still marks on

1:13:51it. The clothes is not even going to

1:13:52need it for the baby right now. So, what

1:13:55I'm trying to say is if they throw the

1:13:57pillows the way they look, how do you

1:14:00figure the mattress would be if the

1:14:02pillows is on top of the bed?

1:14:05It just don't make sense to me why they

1:14:07will save that stuff

1:14:09>> and to to see what this gentleman was

1:14:11saying about oh uh they they don't want

1:14:14to pay the storage. No, because I got a

1:14:16storage. I got proof of the storage I

1:14:18bought. They were say they were going to

1:14:20bring the stuff back and they never did.

1:14:23So why should I pay them if they never

1:14:25bring my stuff back when I bought a

1:14:27storage for them to deliver the stuff?

1:14:29>> They the day that clean contact us to

1:14:32come and pick up the ConX box. They had

1:14:33a conx box.

1:14:35stuff there. We already been we've been

1:14:37through this already. I contact Clean

1:14:40Care and I told them, "You guys can come

1:14:42and pick up uh and drop our stuff off

1:14:45the same day they come and take the ConX

1:14:48box." They never responded to us. And we

1:14:50have proof that we contact them directly

1:14:54multiple times and they never responded.

1:14:56And now they they want to charge us um

1:14:59storage fees, which I I don't think it's

1:15:02right. when we told them we even told

1:15:04them we're going to get a storage and

1:15:06instead of bringing the stuff here you

1:15:07we can meet you at the storage and drop

1:15:09it there because we got to go through

1:15:10stuff we don't know what we going to get

1:15:12we not going to get

1:15:12>> so it sounds to me like

1:15:15they are not releasing some stuff

1:15:18because they feel you you have to pay

1:15:20the storage first

1:15:21>> I'm going to pay the storage

1:15:22>> right I'm not saying that's right or

1:15:23wrong I'm saying that seems to be where

1:15:26we are

1:15:27>> from what from what we just heard now

1:15:29now it seems like they're holding that

1:15:31>> so

1:15:32What's

1:15:33>> I I I guess if I could ask, ma'am, I I'm

1:15:35a little confused as to what you think

1:15:36this council could do to assist you. I

1:15:39guess that's my question to you. What

1:15:40what how how do you think this council

1:15:42could assist you in this? Yes. In in

1:15:45this matter. And again,

1:15:46>> I do pay taxes in East Province.

1:15:48>> Okay. I understand that.

1:15:49>> Okay. I've been living in East Province

1:15:51for 27 years. I've been paying taxes.

1:15:54I'm a Maric. So, I need to call him

1:15:56here.

1:15:56>> No, I'm I'm I'm not suggesting you

1:15:58can't, but I don't know. I don't know

1:15:59how this council can assist you. You

1:16:01have a lawyer.

1:16:02>> I just got a lawyer four weeks ago.

1:16:04>> Okay. You have

1:16:05>> And how many times I've been here?

1:16:06>> I understand that.

1:16:07>> Let Let him finish.

1:16:08>> You have a lawyer. There seems to be

1:16:10dispute between you and a cleaning

1:16:12company as a result of a property damage

1:16:14that occurred. And the way they handle

1:16:16that is to deal with the lawyer and

1:16:18their lawyer and whatnot. I am the

1:16:20lawyer for this council. I'm telling

1:16:22them there is nothing they can do. They

1:16:24cannot order a private company to give

1:16:26you your property back because you don't

1:16:28even want the property back. Now I

1:16:30understand you. Yes, sir. Yes. Yes, sir.

1:16:33>> So, this this sewage company is hired by

1:16:36the city to to to provide the service,

1:16:39right?

1:16:39>> The sewage company is is is is

1:16:41contracted to run the uh the plant for

1:16:43the city. Yes. It's a contract. Yes.

1:16:44They're a vendor. Yes.

1:16:45>> So, us as taxpayers, we pay the city for

1:16:48the for the services. Who's contracted

1:16:51the sewage company?

1:16:53>> Okay. So, the sewage company hired these

1:16:55clean people to come and take care of

1:16:58the problem.

1:16:58>> No. Well, the the the the the city's

1:17:02insurer, the Rena Intel Trust, hired

1:17:04this cleaning company to clean up your

1:17:07house.

1:17:08>> Okay. So, so it's all it's kind of a

1:17:10circle. It's all connected. So,

1:17:12>> so if like on the bottom because the

1:17:16cleaning service like the bottom, so if

1:17:17they're not doing the job, don't you

1:17:19think the person above that should make

1:17:22sure they getting the the stuff done

1:17:24right or even if the second step right?

1:17:27>> Yeah. Now, I understand that you're not

1:17:28satisfied what the cleaning company has

1:17:29done, and I and I appreciate that. I I

1:17:31understand that you're not happy with

1:17:32the with the services that they

1:17:34provided, and I and I and that's

1:17:36something that we could talk to the

1:17:37insurance carrier with, but it seems to

1:17:39me now that there seems to be a dispute

1:17:41as you're not happy with the the um the

1:17:44services they they provided. They're

1:17:47charging you money for storage which you

1:17:48don't believe you should um have and you

1:17:51have hired a lawyer to either try to get

1:17:53yourself stuff back or to get reimbured

1:17:55for the stuff that you don't want

1:17:57anymore. And I just don't see we can't

1:17:59order we can't order the payment by the

1:18:02by the cleaning company to give you

1:18:03money because we don't control the

1:18:04cleaning company, I guess, is my point.

1:18:06And and I think you're going the right

1:18:08route. I think you had went the right

1:18:09route by hiring a lawyer, but there's

1:18:11nothing that we can do here. I and other

1:18:14than bringing it up and and we've made

1:18:16the calls and I have made the calls, but

1:18:17I just don't see and I and I appreciate

1:18:20this and I'm not trying to be um uh

1:18:24dismissive of your concerns, but I just

1:18:25don't know how this council as a body

1:18:28could help solve your problems other

1:18:30than making the calls that we've already

1:18:32done and get more information. because

1:18:34it does seem to be a dispute sir and

1:18:36ma'am between you the cleaning comp and

1:18:40the cleaning company and to try to get

1:18:41your now it seems also to be dispute of

1:18:43you don't think you're getting

1:18:44reimbursed enough and there's a process

1:18:46to go through and that's all through

1:18:48with your lawyer and

1:18:49>> you say it was not embarrassing enough

1:18:50you guys never offer me anything

1:18:52>> we're not we're not the ones who would

1:18:54offer you would we we would not be the

1:18:55ones to do that ma'am it wouldn't be the

1:18:57city it wouldn't be the city

1:18:58>> okay whoever put these people in my

1:19:01house they throw the baby's room crib,

1:19:04my living room, my son's room, who's

1:19:07responsible for all that they put on the

1:19:09trash.

1:19:12>> Ma'am, all I can tell you is that the

1:19:14cleaning company or the company that was

1:19:16hired by the interlocal trust removed

1:19:19that material. Correct. That's they're

1:19:21the ones who moved it. Clean clean care

1:19:22removed that material. Right. So, yes.

1:19:23So, and it seems to me that you're in a

1:19:26dispute as to who should reimburse you

1:19:28for that or what the damage was. And

1:19:30that's between you, your lawyer, and

1:19:33clean care and the c and the town's

1:19:35insurer. And the process is going

1:19:36forward. You may not like the speed of

1:19:38the process, and I understand that

1:19:39>> because I have a baby sleeping still and

1:19:42a play pen and so is my son sleeping in

1:19:45mattress for 6 months.

1:19:47>> But there's a dispute going on and and I

1:19:49can't we cannot solve that dispute.

1:19:50>> This is not right. You guys, the way you

1:19:52treating people, even yesterday when I

1:19:55went to get the stuff, the way you says

1:19:57I'm not happy with clean care. Will you

1:19:59accept the way they giving me things? I

1:20:01got videos and pictures

1:20:04if I may. So the and I appreciate that

1:20:06you've come here and that you can

1:20:08continue to come here and voice.

1:20:09>> Oh, it seems like it's not for help. He

1:20:11just said it himself. You know what I

1:20:13mean?

1:20:13>> Yeah. So having been somebody who had to

1:20:16deal with insuranceances with my own

1:20:18properties, I understand and can relate

1:20:21to the frustration. Um it does take a

1:20:23lot of time. They don't want to do

1:20:25things. It's not a pleasant experience.

1:20:28Um I think one of the things you want is

1:20:31what it sounds like to me that you're

1:20:33looking for is maybe our insurer or

1:20:35somebody at the insurance

1:20:37>> just to get my property to use every day

1:20:39>> more with why the vendor that they hired

1:20:43is did what they did or you can't

1:20:45resolve the issues that you've had with

1:20:47that vendor the clean company. I think

1:20:49it's a reasonable ask. I don't know if

1:20:51you've spoken to the insurance company

1:20:53or if you've had your attorney reach out

1:20:55to the insurance company that hired the

1:20:58vendor.

1:21:02>> He's not pleasant.

1:21:03>> Not pleasant. Not the way he talked to

1:21:05me. That's why I went to get a lawyer

1:21:06because the way he was talking to me.

1:21:08>> Again, I know it's a very difficult

1:21:10situation to go through.

1:21:11>> But the gentleman works here, I forgot

1:21:13his name, on the front desk. That

1:21:15happened to him last year. Sue was back

1:21:17up in his house. White was so fast with

1:21:21him. He made three uh claims. The city

1:21:24paid him so fast like this. What's going

1:21:27on with me? Well, I believe that

1:21:29situation was different. It depends on

1:21:31the amount of money that's in the claim.

1:21:33So, some things the city council can

1:21:36approve. Um, but after a certain

1:21:38threshold or amount or cost of repairs

1:21:42and cleans, it then has to go through

1:21:43our insurance company. Similar like if

1:21:45we got into a car accident and you just

1:21:46had a fender bend,

1:21:47>> but they never

1:21:48>> fix it yourself. So you don't go to

1:21:50through your insurance, but if it was a

1:21:51big accident and you can't afford, you

1:21:53know, your car's total, you go through

1:21:54your insurance. So because your

1:21:56situation was a big situation, it went

1:21:59through, it's going through our city's

1:22:01insurance. I think you're just bringing

1:22:03to light that potentially that vendor is

1:22:05not practicing in good business with

1:22:08with obviously one of our citizens and

1:22:09it would be nice if they could just come

1:22:11to an agreement and you guys could

1:22:13mutually figure something out. Um I

1:22:16>> my things to use every day

1:22:19something needs to be done.

1:22:20>> So we we're not going to solve this

1:22:22tonight. My only last advice is

1:22:25>> this is

1:22:26>> if you don't want to do it yourself,

1:22:28your attorney has to keep pressuring

1:22:31pressuring the

1:22:34clean care company or the insurance

1:22:37company

1:22:39and and keep pressing them. Now, I'm

1:22:41sure lawyers know how to do that. So,

1:22:44your your lawyer needs to call the

1:22:47lawyer for the insurance company. If you

1:22:52need that information, we can give you

1:22:54uh the

1:22:56contact information for the insurance

1:22:58company to give to your lawyer if your

1:23:00lawyer doesn't have it. And that's the

1:23:02next step here. The we're not going to

1:23:04solve this.

1:23:05>> Is that Jamie Peterson? He's he's the

1:23:09trust.

1:23:10I don't know the attorney at the

1:23:12>> He's the adjuster.

1:23:14>> Okay. So, who am I looking for then?

1:23:16>> Well, I would go back to him with your

1:23:18lawyer to Peterson

1:23:20and hammer it out.

1:23:23>> We We can't solve this tonight here.

1:23:26>> I understand. But this is the guy told

1:23:29in front of the people from daycare,

1:23:31"This son could still sleep down here

1:23:33with all this mess going on."

1:23:35>> I don't know. I wasn't there.

1:23:36>> You know what I'm saying?

1:23:37>> Yeah. None none of this is good. We we

1:23:41treated us. It's not good

1:23:43>> when other people had the same problems

1:23:45we did

1:23:46>> and they just got reimbured for

1:23:48everything and we not

1:23:50>> well.

1:23:51>> And I'm not asking for much. I'm asking

1:23:53for the stuff for everyday use at home.

1:23:55>> We we get it. We get it. All right. So,

1:23:58let's let's do that. seeing what we

1:24:00going through that

1:24:03the city or the mayor's office really

1:24:06like digs into what kind of people they

1:24:08hire to do stuff like this. Not

1:24:11>> but we didn't hire clean care.

1:24:13>> I understand that but like like I say it

1:24:15goes from here to the sewage company

1:24:17then to the cleaning care and stuff like

1:24:19that. So I think they should look into

1:24:22it more how how they're doing business

1:24:25representing not just the the sewer

1:24:27company but also the city east province.

1:24:30>> Well the first problem is how why did we

1:24:32have this sewage back up to begin with.

1:24:34You know that shouldn't have happened

1:24:35but it does happen. I know of people in

1:24:38other cities. It's happened in our city.

1:24:40It it it's a very sad thing.

1:24:43>> Like you said before it happened 14

1:24:44years ago. It didn't fix the problem and

1:24:47it happened again was worse. All right.

1:24:49Well, we'll continue

1:24:51>> again. So,

1:24:52>> thanks for coming out. Hopefully,

1:24:54>> thank you for

1:24:55>> Yep. If I can think of anything else,

1:24:57we'll we'll try to make some calls and

1:24:59move this along. Thank you. There a

1:25:03motion to adjurnn.

1:25:04>> Motion to adjurnn.

1:25:05>> Motion Councilwoman Souza,

1:25:08>> seconded by Councilman Lawson. All in

1:25:10favor?

1:25:11>> I. Any opposed? Meeting.

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