2026-10-06 - City Council

03:01Uh, madame clerk, please read the role

03:03of the council.

03:05>> Hogy

03:06>> here.

03:07>> Councilman Lawson

03:08>> here.

03:10>> Council vice president Rigo

03:11>> here.

03:12>> Councilwoman Souza

03:13>> here.

03:14>> Council President Rodri

03:15>> here. The records show there is a

03:19quorum. Thank you. Uh please rise for

03:22the salute.

03:24Salute to the flag.

03:48Thank you, Madame Clerk. If you'll

03:50proceed with the reading of the agenda.

03:54>> Number three, executive session. The

03:56city council of East Providence may meet

03:58in executive session pursuant to Rhode

04:00Island General Laws 42-46-5A2.

04:06>> Is there a motion?

04:10Make a motion to go into executive

04:11session.

04:13>> Motion by second.

04:14>> Councilwoman Souza, seconded by

04:16Councilman Lawson under the law as

04:20quoted to go into executive session at

04:23this time. All all in favor?

04:26>> I. Any opposed? Guys have it. We will be

04:29as brief as possible.

18:40session and resume the meeting.

18:42>> Motion by Councilman Lawson, seconded by

18:45Council Vice President Rigo. All in

18:46favor? I. Any oppose? The eyes have.

18:50Thank you. Madame Clerk, you please uh

18:52resume the agenda. Consent

19:00calendar for discussion and possible

19:02vote. A. Council jourers regular meeting

19:05minutes September 15, 2026.

19:08Cancellations and abatements $562.76.

19:17Letters New property address 31

19:20Harrington Street, East Providence,

19:21Rhode Island 02915.

19:24Map 513, block 32, Posel 011,10

19:30B 83 Allen's Avenue, Allen Avenue, East

19:34Providence, Rhode Island, 02915, Map

19:36412, Block 13, Posel 014.

19:41>> Motion.

19:42>> Thank you. Motion by Councilwoman Souza

19:44to accept.

19:45>> Second. Second by Councilman Lawson. All

19:48in favor?

19:49>> I. Any oppose? The eyes have it.

19:53Thank you. Next,

19:55>> licenses for discussion and possible

19:57vote. A non-public hearing special

19:59evented one-day entertainment license.

20:01Applicant Tina Corsey, trunk or treat.

20:04October 22nd, 3 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

20:07Special evented one-day entertainment

20:09license, Brittany Willard, GJ and

20:11Raffles. October 24th, 2026, 400 p.m. to

20:167:00 p.m. Special evented one-day

20:18entertainment license. Ricardo Cababoro

20:21Halloween haunt display

20:25October 31st 2026 5:00 p p.m. to 10 p.m.

20:29Special event one day entertainment

20:31license Tracy Johnson NEWG

20:36parade and festival October 17 2026

20:4011:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. Special evented one

20:43day entertainment license Jane Espada

20:48private party October 23rd, 2026, 7:00

20:52p.m. to 11:00 p.m. 1-day alcohol

20:55license. Class F, Michelle White, Newman

20:58Congregational Church. October 18th,

21:012026, 400 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Special

21:04event, 1-day alcohol license, Father

21:08Perry, Sacred Heart Church, October

21:1125th, 2026, 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

21:14Special event road race. Gary Menaceian,

21:18Ocean State Multisport, Pierce Field,

21:21September 5th, 2027, 6:00 am to 12 pm.

21:26Road race, Rebecca Chase, East Prost

21:28Annual Turkey Trot, Pierce Field,

21:31September 5th, 2027, 6:00 a.m. to 12:00

21:34p.m.

21:35Special event block party, Tracy

21:37Johnson, Witches Parade.

21:40October 17th, 2026, 11:00 am to 4 pm

21:44special event block party.

21:47Natalie Caribbe October 24th, 2026, 3

21:52p.m. to 6 p.m. New business mobile food

21:56establishment, Jorge Coranzanis,

21:58Iona, Inc.

22:01Miller Mill Milo Albertino

22:05at three kettle point East Providence

22:08New Mobilebile Food Establishment.

22:11Cindy

22:13Stuntz

22:15Cousins Main Lobster 8 Veronica Avenue

22:18Somerset, New Jersey. Block Party

22:20reading only food truck event October

22:233rd, 2026 11:00 a.m. to 400 p.m. One day

22:27alcohol license reading only. Sandra

22:30Melo Haritzfest, October 3rd, 2026, 8

22:33a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

22:36>> Make a motion. Is

22:37>> there a motion bundle, please?

22:39>> Motion by Councilman Lawson, second by

22:43Council Vice President Regal to bundle

22:46the 15 items as read. All in favor?

22:49>> I I. Any opposed? The eyes have it. You

22:53>> motion to approve.

22:55>> Second. Motion by Councilwoman Souza,

22:58seconded by Councilman Lawson to

22:59approve. All in in favor?

23:03>> I. Any opposed? The eyes have.

23:06>> Thank you.

23:06>> And I just want to say the Oak A Haunted

23:10Fest is it's a beautiful thing. It's

23:13they go all out every year decorating

23:15their yard for Halloween. And it's a

23:18special thing. The community loves it.

23:20So if you get a chance, come down to the

23:22Riverside Oakav. It is all and I'm sure

23:25I think there's a few around the city.

23:28Absolutely.

23:30Great. Thank you.

23:36Seems like uh since since the pandemic,

23:39the uh trunk or treats and all of these

23:42other activities are here to stay and

23:45it's probably better than

23:46>> uh the way it used to be done. And

23:48there's still a lot of doortodoor with

23:50kids, but

23:51>> No, they're fun.

23:52>> They absolutely are

23:53>> good. Madame clerk, continue.

23:56>> Public comment. Aaron

24:00Lei.

24:13>> Good evening. Welcome. Just uh name and

24:15address for the record.

24:18Push that button there on the There you

24:21go.

24:22>> Can you hear?

24:24>> Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My

24:25name is Erin Bleki. I live at 13 Silver

24:27Spring Avenue and I'm a W three

24:29constituent. I stand before you tonight

24:31in my last effort to save somebody from

24:33getting hit by a car in the Silver

24:35Spring neighborhood. My daughter attends

24:37Silver Spring Elementary. She is in the

24:39fifth grade, which is the age her

24:41brother was. We allowed him to start

24:43walking to and from school by himself.

24:45We only live 11 houses from the school.

24:48Unfortunately, there are many vehicles

24:50that ignore speed limits, stop signs, do

24:52not enter signs, as well as no left or

24:55right turns.

24:57Staff of the elementary school, as well

24:59as city trucks, garbage trucks, food

25:02delivery vehicles,

25:05and Amazon, FedEx, are all driving the

25:08wrong way down the one-way streets. It

25:10seems as though no one cares. Our

25:13crossing guard was moved from Silver

25:14Spring Avenue at Progress Avenue to

25:17Silver Spring Avenue at Pucket Avenue

25:19this year. The crossing guard we had

25:21last year, Mr. Walter Gilmore, would

25:23direct traffic at the intersection of

25:26Silver Spring Avenue in Progress. I made

25:29he made sure that cars came to a

25:30complete stop at the intersection that

25:32he was attending to. He kept people from

25:35entering Progress Avenue at the do not

25:37enter

25:39and he would correct people coming up

25:41Silver Spring the wrong way. Does this

25:43solve the problem in our neighborhood?

25:45No. But it has definitely getting worse

25:47since he's been moved. The do not enter

25:50sign at Darge Avenue and Hilltop Street

25:53have been completely ignored by the

25:54police department. We've emailed, filled

25:56out forms online, and called them

25:58regarding the traffic patterns being

26:00ignored, and because they are the ones

26:02who are in charge of crossing guards. We

26:04were told that the intersection of

26:06Silver Spring Avenue at Progress was not

26:08deemed unsafe by the chief of police.

26:11Because Progress is a side street and

26:13the traffic patterns deem it that way,

26:15it does not require a crossing guard.

26:18The traffic patterns are being ignored

26:20by the people and the police department.

26:22We've had a crossing guard at Silver

26:23Spring at Progress the entire time my

26:25family has attended Silver Spring Avenue

26:28at Silver Spring School. We do agree

26:30with the police department that a

26:31crossing guard is needed at Pucket

26:33Avenue and Silver Spring Avenue as it is

26:35a four-lane major roadway, but the

26:38reason we've been given is not

26:39sufficient to us as parents and members

26:41of your community. We were told that Dr.

26:44Amity would be the crossing guard. The

26:46principal of the elementary school

26:48should not be

26:54principal of the elementary school

26:56should not be the crossing guard. I can

26:58guarantee you there are better things

27:00for her to be doing in the morning, in

27:01the afternoon, such as taking kids off

27:04and putting them on buses. We've gotten

27:06to the point where we have emailed, we

27:08have called, I've spoken to a few of

27:10you, I've spoken to the community.

27:12Something needs to be done around this

27:14school. Someone is going to get hit. A

27:16kindergartener is going to run out into

27:18the street. We teach them to look both

27:20ways. Why do I have to look that way?

27:22It's a one way. I just want to bring to

27:26your attention before it's too late. Our

27:28neighborhood has become the wild west.

27:30It leaves us to wonder, is there more to

27:33it than that? Is it just because

27:37Avenue is a four-lane high main roadway?

27:41Um, Mr. Gilmore, Walter Gilmore, Stubby,

27:44was our crossing guard at Silver Spring

27:47at Progress. He was the one that was

27:48moved to Pucket Avenue. In previous

27:51years, we've had people at that

27:53intersection to cross. The gentleman

27:55that was there last, I asked him, "Why

27:58don't you get out of your car to cross

28:01kids?" He says, "There's no one to

28:03cross." And when I asked him and I

28:04pushed further, his response was, "Well,

28:07what do you want me to do?" Which I

28:10said, "Face the intersection. You're not

28:12even getting out of your car." Was that

28:14gentleman paid for his time?

28:17So, in conclusion, I come to you as my

28:20last effort to save the children that

28:22are in my neighborhood. Thank you all

28:24for your time.

28:27>> Thank you. [clears throat]

28:28I I don't know if anyone wants to to

28:31comment. Um appreciate the effort you've

28:34put in. And I can just tell you, and I

28:36know you know this already, um, you

28:39know, the council, you know, we we don't

28:41assign crossing guards. Um, but we're

28:45we're still trying to do what we can. I

28:47did talk with the police chief. Um, I I

28:50think you have his email and others do,

28:53but for maybe those who haven't, I'll

28:56paraphrase a little bit what the police

28:58response was uh without reading the

29:02whole thing. Um

29:06and and and I do think that you know the

29:09police

29:10are aware and they are trying. Um

29:14situation has been reviewed over the

29:16past several weeks by the traffic unit

29:18supervisor. Now this is from the chief

29:21of police um and the officer assigned as

29:25the school ambassador for Silver Spring

29:26Elementary. After considering their

29:29observations, the traffic patterns and

29:31our overall staffing and operational

29:33needs, we have determined that uh

29:36crossing God will not be assigned to

29:39Silver Spring and Progress Avenue, but

29:41to Silver Spring and Pucket Avenue,

29:43which we all know. And he goes on to

29:46say, you know, they understand, but um

29:49in a perfect situation, we would have a

29:51crossing guard at every intersection

29:52where a child may walk to or from

29:55school. this is unfortunately not

29:57operationally practical or realistic.

30:01And he goes on to give you his his

30:05response which basically says that they

30:08they feel it's more important to be on

30:10Pucket Avenue and Silver Spring which we

30:13all know is is a busy street but it's

30:16also busy around the school. It's busy

30:18like that. We get calls about

30:20practically every school in the city.

30:22Same thing every September, every

30:25October.

30:27I'm I'm sorry. If you want to come back,

30:29you can, but you have to use the mic

30:30because it's recorded. That's no

30:32problem. Just Just be brief, please.

30:35>> Is the principal at Wington crossing

30:37children? Is the principal at Orllo

30:40crossing?

30:40>> I'm not I'm not arguing that. No, I

30:42agree. They shouldn't be.

30:43>> You understand? And I know we're not

30:44asking for a crossing guard at every

30:46intersection. We're asking for the

30:48crossing guard at the intersection where

30:50parents don't use the stop sign. They're

30:52trying to turn right when the buses are

30:54coming out.

30:56This intersection was not properly

30:58served.

31:00>> I know. Thank you.

31:02>> Yep. No, I get it. It You know what it

31:04does for me though? It it does reinforce

31:07that we have traffic and speeding and

31:10issues throughout the city. you know,

31:12when parents constantly talk about this

31:15and

31:17it it reinforces that we we do have this

31:21concern throughout the city, especially

31:23around schools. I I I get it. But we'll

31:27I'll continue to from my point of view

31:30to have dialogue with the chief, with

31:32the traffic guys, and maybe it can

31:35change. But, uh, thank you for bringing

31:38it up.

31:40Next uh speaker

31:42>> Renee Ignazio

31:50>> welcome just name and address.

31:52>> Good evening. Renee Ignatio 15 Maline

31:54Drive in River. I'm actually here for

31:56the same reason because every school

32:01either has one or two crossing guards at

32:04every school. I know because I've done

32:06them all. I go by them every day and

32:10Silver Spring needs that crossing guard

32:12back. Mr. Ferrar and I spent uh three,

32:16four days down there um watching the

32:19traffic pattern. We have kids coming

32:21down the hill on bikes that might not

32:23stop. We have cars that take the do not

32:26enter sign and he actually stood there

32:29so somebody did not cross into that do

32:32not enter and they told him that they do

32:34it all the time.

32:37Whether it's before or after the buses,

32:39I don't know. But you can't not have a

32:42crossing guard there. We're all about

32:45safety. That's what I hear, especially

32:48from the mayor with his speed cameras

32:49and everything else. So, why isn't

32:52Silver Spring Kids just as important as

32:55every other child that goes to a

32:57different school?

32:58And Mr. Rogers, I'd like to thank you

33:00for replying to my email. Mr. Froggy,

33:04you never did. So, I don't know if you

33:05went down there to look at the

33:06situation, but these parents should not

33:09have to deal with this every day. If a

33:12kid gets killed, then what? If a kid

33:16gets hurt, then what? It's on the city.

33:20I don't know how else to express it. You

33:22know that I'm all about safety and that

33:25is a big issue at Silver Spring. Since

33:28my son went to school at Silver Spring,

33:31there's always been a crossing guard.

33:32>> Do the chair to answer that? I did not

33:34get your email, but I've been down

33:36there.

33:36>> You were connected. So,

33:37>> communicating with Aaron.

33:39>> Okay. Because you guys were on the same

33:40email, so

33:42>> I didn't I didn't get yours. I

33:43apologize.

33:44>> That's all right. No, that's fine.

33:46>> But yeah, I I've been on the scene

33:49addressing it and have input and been

33:52communicating with the W3 residents. So,

33:54I agree about safety.

33:57What one thing that concerns me is I I'm

34:01hearing about uh delivery trucks you

34:04going up a wrong wrong one way.

34:07>> I mean that's

34:08>> even the buses used to go up the way

34:10>> if you get if you get any kind of the

34:12names of those companies and

34:14>> absolutely

34:15>> shoot me a message on that. I'll try to

34:17follow up on that.

34:18>> No, I have something a parent sent me to

34:20read. Would you mind?

34:21>> Can it be brief? [snorts]

34:23>> I am going to make it as brief as I can.

34:27Um,

34:28sorry.

34:29>> It's all right.

34:30>> Um, so to the school committee and city

34:33officials, our hearts are broken on the

34:34first day of school when our family

34:36along with so many other families at

34:38Silver Spring Community realized that

34:40Mr. Walter was missing from his familiar

34:43post. Since kindergarten, my son has

34:45struggled with social emotional skills

34:47and navigating the school environment.

34:49From his very first morning, Mr. Walter

34:51greeted him with a warm smile and a

34:53genuine welcome to school. for our

34:55family. He has been one of the most

34:57positive, reassuring, and consistent

34:59part of my son's school day. Mr. Walter

35:02was built has built something with much

35:06bigger than simply helping children

35:08across the street. He has built

35:09relationships. He knows the childrens by

35:11names, remembers their birthdays and

35:14social occasions, celebrates their

35:16accomplishments, and shows up at for

35:18school events, concerts, and activities.

35:20He has become familiar and trusted face

35:23to the to generations of Silver Spring

35:25students and families. I absolutely

35:28agree that the intersection of Pucket

35:30Avenue and Silver Spring needs

35:33appropriate crossing guard coverage.

35:34However, I am deeply concerned that the

35:36community is now without a person who

35:39has provided not only a sense of safety

35:41but also connection, consistency, and

35:44comfort to our children. We witness

35:46firsthand how difficult drop off and

35:48dismissal have become. vehicles,

35:51speeding, parked cars, and stuff like

35:53that. Everything that's been said,

35:55families have been given different

35:57explanations regarding the situation

35:59from efforts to hire crossing guards to

36:01construction related staffing changes.

36:03>> I I we get the point. Thanks.

36:06>> So, no, I appreciate it. I wanted you to

36:08give her the chance or him the chance.

36:10And um Councilman Fogerty and I, we've

36:13talked a lot about this. We'll we'll go

36:15back again and we'll unannounce we'll

36:17we'll be there. And so and we all love

36:20Stubby Gilmore. He's a great guy. So

36:23>> yeah, and we'll we'll get to the bottom

36:24of it.

36:25>> I just want to tell you one other thing.

36:27Those kids at Silver Spring, they did

36:29their own pro protest to walk up to

36:31Stubby so that they were there and saw

36:33him.

36:33>> Well, they're as tall as he is.

36:35>> Well, that's true.

36:37>> Yeah.

36:37>> So, thank you guys.

36:38>> Thank you. All right. Next person.

36:39>> I just have a question.

36:40>> I'm sorry. Yes. Um, [clears throat] so

36:42I've had emails over the last 6 months

36:44of residents who were inquiring about

36:47being a safety patrol or crossing

36:50position and they were told there were

36:53none in the city uh available. So it

36:55sounds like there potentially are. Is

36:57there a budget issue? I mean, I know

36:59they make, you know, a very small stipen

37:02to be there for the hours of opening the

37:04school. Is anybody in the mayor's office

37:06able to um

37:08>> Are you asking if there are vacancies?

37:10Correct. If there

37:12>> I'm not sure if we have vacancies. Uh

37:14>> it sounds like there's a hole, right?

37:15And if there's a lack of a person to

37:18fill that that spot, there are people

37:20who have reached out asking if they're

37:23they could apply for that position and

37:25they were told that they could not

37:26because there were no they weren't

37:28taking any applications, that there were

37:29no vacancies, but it seems like there

37:31are vacancies. So, I'm confused about

37:33whether we're not wanting to get more

37:35people in.

37:38>> If I may.

37:39>> Yes, Mayor. Go ahead.

37:40>> Thank you, Councilwoman. I will say that

37:42um I've had conversations with both the

37:44police chief and the HR director to um

37:48try to bring on board more civilian

37:51traffic control personnel both for

37:53schools and for details. Um as it is,

37:56there are instances where there are so

37:58many details happening across the city

38:00where we have to rely on outside

38:01agencies to come in and um fill those

38:05details. So, um I know we've gone

38:07through the process. It's a lengthy

38:09process. They do a very thorough

38:12background check on them the sim similar

38:13to like if they were going to be a

38:14police officer because they do wear the

38:16uniform and they're responsible for the

38:18safety of the uh uh commuting public. So

38:22it's it's a lengthy process and then

38:24people come on board and they end up not

38:26staying along that long, right? So we

38:28have a system where people can bid on

38:31these jobs. Um, I know that when we had

38:34a vacancy at Tucket in Silver Spring,

38:37the decision was made by the police

38:39department to move that crossing got to

38:41that location because it's a all lane

38:43road with high-speed traffic and uh

38:46that's why that was that decision was

38:48made. Uh, similar to why there's one on

38:51Pucket Avenue by Ken Heights. Uh but at

38:55Howland and Dover where it's a very very

38:59busy uh intersection with a lot of

39:01traffic uh similar to what was described

39:03at Silver Spring, we don't have um uh

39:06you know a crossing guard there. So I

39:08empathize with the parents of Silver

39:10Spring. Um after hearing what uh Mr.

39:13Pleki had to say, I will have a

39:16conversation with Chief Reposa once

39:18again to see if there's some movement on

39:20trying to find another person to to fill

39:22that spot. Thank you. What

39:24>> mayor, if I may, is there any um

39:26consideration of opening up some uh

39:29applications so that people who are

39:30interested in the community can apply

39:33for that position?

39:34>> Yes, and I'll find out where we are with

39:35that. So, we we go through a regular

39:38hiring process. Uh so, people will

39:40apply, they get vetted, they go through

39:41an interview process, they get selected.

39:43Um and that's how we do things. I guess

39:45back in the day it was done differently.

39:47They used to bring people on and just

39:48put them in uh like at any time. Uh but

39:51we try to do it like a regular hiring

39:52process.

39:52>> I assume there has to be background

39:54checks in this day and age. And

39:57>> not only that, the other holdup uh

39:59because I've been on the chief for this

40:01is but to get them certified on traffic

40:04safety, there's uh one person uh former

40:08Chief Sullivan who was with the uh the

40:11state uh I think DOT or Department of

40:14Transportation

40:15u he's the one that does the training

40:17and certifies these people so that they

40:19have their certification. It's not just

40:21taking somebody off the road, having a

40:22class, and telling them how to cross

40:24people. You would think it'd be that

40:25simple. They make them go through this

40:27whole process. So, um, we we want to

40:30fill those positions as much as the the

40:31residents want to see it filled.

40:34>> Thank you.

40:35>> Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Next

40:38person.

40:40>> Jorge Kavana,

40:48>> is it Kana? What is it?

40:53>> Or

40:58>> not here. Okay. Is there anyone else?

41:00>> Handy seal.

41:02>> That's an easy name to say.

41:15>> Welcome.

41:17>> Thank you, Council President. Thank you,

41:19Madam Clerk. Candy Seal, South Rose

41:21Street 02914.

41:24You'll be happy to know I have about a

41:25minute worth of comment today. It's on

41:28the TIFF resolution, tax incremental

41:31financing resolution. I don't know what

41:33prompted um the council, the sponsors uh

41:38uh to unequivocally

41:42to want to unequivocally reaffirm the

41:46tiff policy which is for industrial and

41:50contaminated industrial sites only. Um

41:55it doesn't matter really what prompted

41:57it. Um what's important is that

41:59developers come into the city know that

42:01there isn't a cookie jar into which they

42:03can thrust their hand and get out a tiff

42:07for any development. It needs to be

42:10specific to those categories.

42:13Uh I want to say on behalf of myself as

42:16a resident and on behalf of keepcomic

42:18green, we unequivocally support the

42:20resolution and hope that it passes.

42:22Thank you very much.

42:24>> Thank you,

42:25>> Mr. President. Yeah, unless you want to

42:27wait till we actually have it.

42:29>> Okay. Well, I just wanted to respond to

42:31Miss C. Sure. Why it h we had the

42:34conversation back in we had a

42:36conversation

42:38via text about this and looking over the

42:43budget and as you said

42:47the developers who are coming into the

42:49city now know that there's no cookie jar

42:51available. So going over the budget and

42:55looking at things,

42:57this is to ensure now and hopefully the

43:01next council and the council after that

43:03that they maintain this because this is

43:05a resolution. So this is an me this is a

43:08message to the developers from out of

43:11state as to why I propose this tiff at

43:14this time. I think it's I think it's

43:16obviously I'm prejudice because it was

43:19my piece of uh legislation I want or

43:22resolution and uh the timing is is right

43:27right now.

43:30>> Thank you, Vice President Rio. And it

43:32would not disappoint me if you took up

43:34the resolution right now so I could go

43:36home. Bye-bye.

43:41>> Well, we can hang on. Are there other

43:42speakers?

43:44Okay, we have another speaker then we'll

43:50>> Hillary Hillary Malingraph.

43:59>> Okay,

44:01>> that was the last one.

44:03>> That's the last one.

44:06>> Sure. Without objection, uh we will move

44:09that TIFF resolution up at this point.

44:13We want Miss Seal to get her rest and

44:15get home tonight. Um, and I I would say

44:18um just to add to what uh Councilman

44:22Regal said and and that um it's it's a

44:27joint resolution. We're both putting

44:28this forward. I I was talking to the

44:30mayor a while ago and then also with

44:33council vice president Rigo and we said,

44:36you know, there's a lot of interest from

44:37developers throughout the city, um good

44:41and otherwise. So, let's let's kind of

44:43get something out there ahead of time.

44:46So, um no one will take advantage of

44:50this and uh uh so working together.

44:53We've crafted this and I I think um as

44:57Mr. Cecile said uh this is good all

45:00around uh for for the city. So, madame

45:04clerk, if you want to um

45:08read that that heading and

45:11>> describe it.

45:13>> Resolution affirming the city council's

45:15policy on the use of tax increment

45:17financing, TIFF, introduced by council

45:20president Rodri and council vice

45:22president Rio.

45:26>> Is there a discussion other than what

45:29we've had?

45:30>> Make a motion to approve. Do you have a

45:31resolution? Motion to approve unless

45:33there's obvious

45:34>> second discussion.

45:35>> Motion by council vice president Rigo to

45:39approve. Seconded by councilman Lawson.

45:41Other council discussion

45:44hearing none at this time. Uh all in

45:46favor I

45:47>> I any opposed the eyes have it 50. Thank

45:51you. And let's revert back to the

45:54regular agenda.

45:59Council members, number one, request to

46:02allocate $550 from the Veterans Account

46:05for the Veterans Appreciation Dinner.

46:08Councilman Lawson. So, uh, fourth annual

46:11city council veterans appreciation

46:13dinner November 12th this year. Um, I

46:16reached out to the Voke School and, uh,

46:19CTC will be our caterer this year. Um,

46:22talk to Rob Perry and Mr. Walker and,

46:26um, it's going to be a pasta dinner. Um

46:28the total cost came to 550. That

46:32includes uh plates, napkins, cutlery,

46:35all that. Um desserts as well. Um

46:39waiting for Frank to confirm St.

46:41Martha's. That seems to be a good

46:43location. I um secured the beverage

46:46donation again um from Coca-Cola. So the

46:51total cost will be 550. Um I'll probably

46:54pick up a box of Joe. I can't imagine we

46:57need to spend more city money on coffee

46:59for that night. But yeah, no, we'll take

47:02care of that. We could do that. Um, so I

47:05just want to thank you guys. You guys

47:07have been amazing these last four years.

47:09All the veteran initiatives I put

47:12forward, you guys have been amazing.

47:14Your support and it's been noticed by

47:17the veterans. And um, so I don't know if

47:21we need an actual vote, but it would be

47:23550. I confirmed with uh finance

47:25director. There's money in the veterans

47:28account that will cover it. Um this is a

47:31no-brainer. It's grown every year. If

47:33that's a motion, is there a second?

47:34>> Second.

47:35>> Second. Councilwoman Soua. Also, uh the

47:38rest of the council. Uh

47:39>> all in favor? I

47:41>> I. Any oppose? The only thing I got to

47:43check the date again? November 12th.

47:45>> 12th. And we're waiting for

47:46confirmation. Same. Um, there was a

47:49question about W9 for the school, the

47:52Towny Pride Cafe. Is that still needed?

47:55>> No, it's they're all set.

47:57>> So, everything's all set. Okay. So,

47:59we're good.

48:01>> Great. Bring your doggy bag, Bob.

48:03>> Uh, I I don't have doggy bags. I finish

48:06every meal.

48:07>> There you go.

48:08>> Thank you. Thank you.

48:09>> Thank you for your work on that,

48:11Councilman. Next item.

48:13>> Public hearings. Ordinance for second

48:15and or final passes for discussion and

48:17possible vote. Number one, an ordinance

48:20in amendment of chapter 18 of the

48:22revised ordinances of the city of East

48:24Providence, Rhode Island 1998 as amended

48:27entitled vehicles and traffic amending

48:30section 18-308

48:32entitled parking time limitations 60

48:36minutes summaries section 18-308. The

48:39purpose of this ordinance is to place a

48:4160-minute parking sign at Warren Avenue,

48:44southside, from a point 65 ft west of

48:48South Hall Street Westly, 60 feet from

48:528:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from Monday to

48:54Friday. Sponsored by Council President

48:56Rodri.

48:59>> Pretty selfexplanatory.

49:02Um,

49:03any other thoughts or comments on it?

49:07Councilman Fogerty

49:10motion

49:12public hearing. So in um we do have a

49:15motion. Is there a second? Second.

49:17Second. Councilman Lawson. Thank you. So

49:19I will open it up for public hearing. Is

49:22there anyone here who wants to speak for

49:24or against this?

49:29Once again, is there anyone here who

49:31wants to speak for or against this?

49:35It's just solicit first passage.

49:38>> Second. So it is second. So last chance

49:40uh hearing and seeing none I'll close

49:43the public hearing. Other council

49:45comment then all in favor I

49:49>> I. Any oppose? The eyes have it. Thank

49:51you. Next item

49:56that

50:00we'll save the budget. We might as well

50:02clean up the resolutions and the bit

50:05council business.

50:20>> I'm sure we can finish. Mayor

50:22communications.

50:24>> New business. Mayor communications.

50:26Director of policy and constituent

50:28services. Andre Herrera.

50:32that that happened to be next so

50:34everyone knows we're not jumping around

50:36too much.

50:37>> Good evening, council president, members

50:39of the city council,

50:42>> mayor communications, director of policy

50:44and constituent services, Andre Herrera.

50:47Item one, appointment reappoint

50:50requiring council confirmation.

50:52We have the appointment of Matthew

50:55Thompson Hefner to the Economic

50:57Development Commission for a 5-year term

51:00effective 94203

51:03through 93 2028.

51:05>> I think the world of Matt I think he'll

51:07be an asset to the EDC and I make a

51:10[clears throat] motion that we approve

51:11this.

51:12>> Second.

51:13>> Motion by Councilman Lawson, seconded by

51:15Councilwoman Souza. I concur. Very

51:18energetic young young man and this is

51:21what we want to see. some more youth get

51:23active in the city. All in favor?

51:26>> I

51:27>> I Any oppose? The eyes have.

51:29Congratulations, Mr. Hector.

51:34>> Item number two, appointment reappoint

51:37not requiring council confirmation. We

51:40have the appointment of Andrea Dart

51:42Campos to the mayor's bicycle and

51:44pedestrian advisory committee for a

51:46one-year term effective 81126 through

51:4981027.

51:52Next, we have the appointment of Melody

51:54P. Pimemental to the mayor's bicycle and

51:56pedestrian advisory committee for a

51:58one-year term effective 81126 to 81027.

52:04Additionally, we have a procedural

52:07uh

52:09confirmation change to Clayton Lee

52:12Graham to switch his spot to alternate

52:16one.

52:19Number three, items for announcement and

52:22discussion. We have a proclamation

52:24honoring Captain Mark S. Katarat upon

52:28his retirement after 25 years of

52:30dedicated service to the East Providence

52:33Police Department.

52:35Next, we have a proclamation recognizing

52:38October 5th through October 11th as

52:40Dyslexia Awareness Week in the City of

52:43East Providence.

52:46Next, we have a proclamation recognizing

52:48October 11th through October 17th as

52:50obsessive compulsive disorder OCD

52:53awareness week in the city of East

52:54Providence.

52:56Next, we have a proclamation recognizing

52:58October 23rd through October 31st as Red

53:01Ribbon Week in the city of East

53:03Providence. That is all. Thank you,

53:05council members.

53:07>> Thank you.

53:07>> Thank you for the report.

53:10Next item.

53:12C, handicap parking sign request.

53:18C, handicap parking sign request.

53:21>> Yes, this is at um 23 Dover Avenue, Nich

53:27Providence. Um, this is coming through.

53:30Is it the police department or DPW? Is

53:33Yeah, DPW is um director here or someone

53:36from DPW. I I think we have all the

53:39paperwork. It looks like it's been

53:43standard. He's they're recommending

53:45approval. Um,

53:48hi. U Dan, do you want to add anything

53:51to this or

53:52>> uh No, I don't have anything to add. The

53:54um information that was provided to the

53:56council um was provided by the

53:58engineering department. So they went out

54:00um assessed the three locations you have

54:02before you um and those are merely

54:04recommendations uh based on

54:06accessibility

54:08uh so on and so forth and and just for

54:10the edification of people here um you

54:14know people have to provide their their

54:17certificate handicap certificate car

54:19registration information staff goes out

54:22to make sure that it's physically

54:24appropriate and that u there isn't an an

54:28other or better alternative. So, you

54:31recommend approval for all three of

54:32these, right?

54:33>> I believe Mr. Scadberg, um, the city

54:36engineer and deputy director, uh,

54:38reviewed those and provided comment.

54:42>> I'm sorry.

54:44>> There w there. Yeah, there was one. I

54:47I'm not sure which one was the

54:48recommend.

54:48>> Can you right, but these three, Dover,

54:52Groer, and Waterman, which are the

54:54approved? Uh I I don't have

54:56>> Dover and Waterman are approved.

54:58>> So Dover, hang on, guys. So Dover and

55:00Waterman are approved.

55:03>> Recommended approval on Dover and

55:04Waterman. Um and Groves was a

55:06recommended. Uh

55:07>> All right. So is there a motion for the

55:10approval?

55:11>> Make a motion to approve the do

55:14have one. We got to do them one by one,

55:16right? Yeah.

55:18>> Uh make a motion to approve the do.

55:20>> Okay. Second.

55:21>> Second.

55:21>> Second by council vice president Rigo.

55:23is for number 23 Dover Avenue. All in

55:27favor?

55:27>> I

55:28>> I. Any oppose? The eyes have it. Is

55:29there a motion for the Waterman Avenue?

55:32>> Make a motion.

55:33>> Approve.

55:34>> Motion second.

55:35>> Councilwoman Soua, seconded by

55:37Councilman Lawson. This is 212 Waterman

55:40Avenue. All in favor?

55:41>> I.

55:42>> I. Any oppose? The ISAP.

55:44>> Thank you.

55:46And

55:46>> and to make it official, I'll based on

55:49the recommendation of the administr uh

55:51make a motion to deny number two at 250

55:54gross.

55:56>> So just for the record, so you know the

55:58applicant, if they're watching or

56:00anybody wants to know because we

56:01typically don't deny um handicap uh

56:04placers because we want people to have

56:06safe access into the home. The

56:07recommendation was that the driveway um

56:10area appeared adequate with safer access

56:12than the off- streetet um distance um

56:15between the driveway and it didn't allow

56:16for the 3 ft um distance that's

56:19required. Um it is a double driveway and

56:21it it's not a huge slope as mentioned

56:23with one of the other um uh properties.

56:26So I I don't disagree with the

56:29assessment that the um DPW department

56:32and the um engineer department provided.

56:35So I second that motion.

56:38>> All in favor?

56:39>> I I any oppose? The eyes have it. So

56:42that one is is not approved.

56:46>> Thank you. Uh director.

56:49Next item.

56:51>> F resolutions for discussion and

56:53>> Oh, wait. I I wanted to make a comment.

56:55>> Oh, sure.

56:56>> You he you did um Councilman Lawson did

56:59report to me that he has a brief school

57:01committee liaison report.

57:03>> Yeah. So, we've been hearing talk the

57:07school, you know, they were running a

57:09budget. It looked like deficit and

57:11stuff. I just want to inform the public

57:14the major drivers. We're paying $8

57:17million for our special ed kids, which I

57:20a thousand% support. Spent a decade of

57:24my life in special ed classrooms.

57:26But this is 8 million above our teachers

57:30in the classroom. This is for out

57:32ofstate placements that uh we are liable

57:36for paying. This is about when kids go

57:38to the Groonen Center and others. That's

57:41$8 million above what we're doing in the

57:44classrooms now. And then transportation

57:47is another $7.9 million. You know, you

57:51could drive from the top of Newport

57:53Attuck line down to the carousel, 7.5

57:57miles, and we're paying almost $8

57:59million to get our kids into the

58:02schools. So, I just want to mention this

58:05stuff because it's so easy for the

58:07social media to just criticize that it's

58:10all fluff that these people are just

58:12recklessly spending. We're not. We're

58:15not. And whoever made the decision to

58:18fund public education on the backs of

58:20property owners, we we need to revisit

58:22that. We need more help. And the state

58:25reps were great in getting the craft

58:28proposal done where we were paying for

58:30kids that were coming to Bradley into

58:32the group homes. That was needed. It was

58:35done. We need help with the special

58:38needs and the transportation cost. That

58:41should be an easy lift because craft it

58:43was we were the only ones affected.

58:46Every community is affected by the needs

58:48of our special population and

58:50transportation. So, I just want to get

58:52this out into the public discourse. You

58:54know, it's the most sacred bond in

58:57education between a student and a

58:59teacher. And we have amazing teachers

59:01and they deserve I think every school

59:04building should be a palace. That's why

59:05we fight for the school building fund.

59:08Um, you know, so I just want people to

59:10understand that these are drivers of the

59:15school department's budget and we have

59:17to meet these obligations. These kids,

59:20they're they're townies. They're part of

59:22our community. We have an obligation to

59:24look out for them. So, I apologize for

59:27missing last meeting. Um, the cold and

59:29flu season here in my house, but um I I

59:33strongly support the schools and I as

59:35the liaison I pay attention everything

59:37that's going on. There's no fluff in

59:39that budget. It's if anything I wish we

59:42had more teachers. I wish we could

59:44provide smaller classroom sizes, but

59:47finances dictate that. And you know,

59:50there's only so much that can be spent.

59:52But I just want people to be aware of

59:54what the biggest driver is and it's the

59:56special needs out of the classrooms in

59:58EP and transportation costs. So thank

1:00:02you. I just wanted to get that on the

1:00:04record. Let people understand that you

1:00:06know it it's tough funding public

1:00:08education. It is appreciate it. Next

1:00:12item

1:00:14>> resolutions for discussion and possible

1:00:16vote. Number one, resolution authorizing

1:00:20the mayor to enter into a contract with

1:00:22MUN link for billing soft for the water

1:00:25utilities division introduced by

1:00:28President Rogers, Vice President Regal,

1:00:30and Councilman Fogerty.

1:00:34>> Thank you.

1:00:37And uh Dan, I think that this is kind of

1:00:40a continuation of

1:00:43you can explain it more technically.

1:00:46>> Yeah. So, just to provide the council a

1:00:47little bit of an update. Um, we've been

1:00:49working on we've implemented a uh we're

1:00:52in the implementation stages of uh

1:00:54putting MUN link out. Um, it is a new

1:00:57billing software that would be used

1:00:58internally uh by city staff. Uh, no

1:01:02changes to resident facing bills. This

1:01:04would just be a change internally. Um,

1:01:06gives us better flexibility from an

1:01:09operational standpoint for tracking work

1:01:10orders, so on and so forth. Um, and it

1:01:13also is a benefit to the city with

1:01:16approximately

1:01:18$10,000 in savings per year. Let me give

1:01:23you the actual number.

1:01:31Yeah. So, we'll realize annually um

1:01:36approximately $18,900 in annual savings.

1:01:40So

1:01:41>> savings and more efficient,

1:01:43>> correct?

1:01:44>> Yes.

1:01:45>> Is the funding from the enterprise fund?

1:01:47I didn't

1:01:48>> it'll it'll essentially take the place

1:01:49of the existing billing software that we

1:01:51currently pay for. Um and this will take

1:01:54take place of that.

1:01:55>> Motion to approve.

1:01:57>> Second.

1:01:57>> Motion by Councilman Lawson to approve.

1:01:59Seconded by Councilwoman Souza. All in

1:02:02favor?

1:02:03>> I. Any opposed?

1:02:05>> The eyes have.

1:02:06>> Thank you. Next

1:02:09>> resolution authorizing the mayor to

1:02:11enter into an amended cost sharing

1:02:13agreement with the Bristol County Water

1:02:15Authority for phase two of the Pucket

1:02:18Pipeline Connection Project introduced

1:02:20by Council President Rogers, Council

1:02:22Vice President Regal, Councilman Fogy.

1:02:28>> Again, uh phase two of this um project

1:02:31that's been very much needed.

1:02:34>> Yes. So, this is a contract amendment uh

1:02:36with the the uh engineering firm who is

1:02:39working on the design for the East

1:02:40Providence Pucket interconnection

1:02:42project. Um there was additional work uh

1:02:45permitting requirements that um were not

1:02:48originally seen um at the beginning of

1:02:50the contract. Since this project is so

1:02:52large, there's a lot of complexities. Um

1:02:55so, this is something that came up, you

1:02:56know, in design and needs to be

1:02:58addressed in order to take it for Ryland

1:03:00DOT, DEM, and other agencies.

1:03:07And how far along are we with the whole

1:03:10process?

1:03:11>> So, we're at a 90% uh design package at

1:03:14the moment. Uh we we're currently

1:03:16working on a 60% design package for uh

1:03:20chemical blending station that'll be

1:03:21housed at Kent Heights. That's

1:03:23[clears throat] currently under review

1:03:24by city staff as well as myself. Um

1:03:27we'll be providing comments back to the

1:03:29engineer uh hopefully within the next uh

1:03:31month or so. Um, and then we're working

1:03:34with uh that same engineer to to

1:03:37strategically determine how we'll go out

1:03:39to bid um on this project since it's so

1:03:42large. Uh we may do it in a phased

1:03:44approach um to try to make it a little

1:03:46more palatable um on the wallet.

1:03:50>> When's the timetable that this will be

1:03:53finished? any

1:03:55>> right now we don't right now we don't

1:03:56have one and it it's really not safe to

1:03:58say that we're going to start in 2028

1:04:00and be done by I mean it's a multi-year

1:04:03project we're still in the early phases

1:04:05of sort of figuring out the construction

1:04:08uh scheduling so it's really not it's

1:04:11hard to tell right now likely not for

1:04:14another year to two years before we

1:04:17really see anything happening

1:04:18>> because you had to keep on going back

1:04:20with DOT and back with all the state

1:04:23agencies

1:04:24Yeah, it's a extremely complex project,

1:04:27right? We have um a trenchless crossing

1:04:30under 195 that needs to get permitted

1:04:32with DOT separate from all the other

1:04:35work that is happening on state roads.

1:04:37Um there's utility relocations in order

1:04:40to make this larger pipe fit in in

1:04:42roads. So there's a lot of coordination

1:04:44with um agencies on top of uh working

1:04:47with department of health to now take um

1:04:51Pucket water which is a different water

1:04:53chemistry than East Providence and

1:04:55ensuring that we're putting the right

1:04:57chemical into that water to make the

1:04:59chemistry the same so that we don't have

1:05:01any um issues with

1:05:04reaction of of two different water

1:05:06qualities.

1:05:09I'm laughing because a former council

1:05:10woman was against it because I don't

1:05:13want Kentucky water.

1:05:15Um I motion to

1:05:18I'm sorry. I make a motion to approve.

1:05:22>> Motion Councilman Lawson, seconded by

1:05:24Councilman Fogerty. All in favor?

1:05:27>> I. Any opposed? I have it.

1:05:29>> Dan, who who's the railroad entity these

1:05:31days? Providence and Worcester is gone,

1:05:34right?

1:05:34>> I'm sorry.

1:05:35>> Who's the railroad entity these days?

1:05:37It's Yeah. Yeah. Jennese, Wyoming.

1:05:40>> Wyoming.

1:05:41>> They're out of Michigan or Ohio. Yeah,

1:05:44Michigan. I know that. Well,

1:05:47>> thank you. Next item.

1:05:48>> Number three, resolution authorizing the

1:05:50mayor to grant an easement to Wolf

1:05:52School located at 215 Ferris Avenue.

1:05:56Introduced by Council Vice President

1:05:57Rio.

1:05:58>> Council Vice President.

1:06:00>> Thank you, Mr. President. Uh,

1:06:03the Wolf School has been in

1:06:06Ward One for

1:06:09a while now. They do great work with

1:06:11kids that are on the spectrum. I had the

1:06:14honor of being there for the

1:06:17uh ceremony for their addition, the

1:06:20groundbreaking. Um, so this is just a

1:06:24little an easement that they need to

1:06:26continue uh with this project. So I move

1:06:29passage immediately. Second

1:06:31>> motion by council vice president Rigo,

1:06:33seconded by Councilman Lawson. Passage.

1:06:37Other comments for the council. All in

1:06:39favor?

1:06:40>> I. Any oppose?

1:06:44You have your approval. Thank you.

1:06:46>> All set.

1:06:47>> Next item.

1:06:48>> Number four. Resolution authorizing the

1:06:50mayor to enter into a contract with

1:06:52Luciano's Excavation Inc. for the

1:06:55Crescent Park Slope Stabilization

1:06:57Project. introduced by council president

1:06:59Rogers and vice president Rigo.

1:07:03>> Yes, continue please. Uh, director,

1:07:06>> so I do have um some additional

1:07:08information um that I can provide you. I

1:07:10have the bid tabulation from the results

1:07:12of the bid. Um there were okay

1:07:13>> six six biders. Um Luchiano was um the

1:07:18low bidder. We vetted the contractor and

1:07:21feel confident that they can complete

1:07:22the work. I'll I'll just hand these out

1:07:24to you guys so you have them.

1:07:26>> Thank you.

1:07:36Thank you, Dan.

1:07:40And I got a couple questions.

1:07:46>> Yes. Yes. So, if the council has any

1:07:48questions, I mean, the the scope of this

1:07:50project is to continue the seaw wall um

1:07:52from the existing location where we

1:07:54ended um to the essentially the limits

1:07:57of of the terrace.

1:07:59>> Yes, Councilman Lawson. So, well, first

1:08:02I want to point out another resolution,

1:08:04W 4 that didn't even come to the W four

1:08:07counselor, but I've had a few people

1:08:09reach out concerned that there was a $2

1:08:11million gap between the low bid and the

1:08:14next bid.

1:08:16Are we comfortable that they understand

1:08:18what's going now? This says the contract

1:08:22is not to exceed the amount in this

1:08:24resolution.

1:08:26They fully understand because that's a

1:08:28big gap between bids. They do. We we

1:08:31were we had the same concern when we saw

1:08:33the number. Um we did sit down with the

1:08:35contractor, had a conversation with

1:08:36them. Um what they explained was that

1:08:40it's essentially work that's going to be

1:08:41happening throughout the winter. So it's

1:08:43a good opportunity for them to keep

1:08:45their staff employed. Um they understand

1:08:48it's a low number, a tight margin. Um

1:08:50and ultimately they're not looking to

1:08:52make a lot of money, but they want to

1:08:54keep their staff busy. Um we they're the

1:08:58engineering firm FR Engineering who did

1:09:00the design uh for this project has

1:09:03worked with Luchiano many times. They're

1:09:05actually one of the recommended

1:09:06contractors um that they said, you know,

1:09:09that they had mentioned to the city uh

1:09:11back when they were going out to bid. Um

1:09:13so they feel very confident with their

1:09:14abilities um you know, more so compared

1:09:17to some of the other contractors you see

1:09:20before you. So yes, I certainly do.

1:09:22>> Yeah. and and I did research the company

1:09:25and I I was very comfortable with, you

1:09:27know, what I saw and stuff like that. It

1:09:29was just it was a concern, you know, so

1:09:33trees are coming down, correct?

1:09:35>> Correct.

1:09:36>> So, I want to let the public know it's

1:09:39needed. You know, I understand people

1:09:41freak out when trees come down. Contact

1:09:43me. I will explain to you why they have

1:09:46to come down because we don't want that

1:09:48slope to disappear. And that is a very

1:09:52important thing to protect. You know, if

1:09:54people been down in Crescent Park, it's

1:09:56a high bluff, you know. Um, just in case

1:10:00people ask, is there a reason why we

1:10:02couldn't go with the stone wall?

1:10:04>> Uh, from a permitting standpoint, uh,

1:10:06CRMC would not allow a similar type uh,

1:10:10wall to what was current was constructed

1:10:13in, you know, was part of the the

1:10:15original set. So, you'll see a stone

1:10:17revetment at the bottom of this slope.

1:10:19um won't see a vertical seaw wall

1:10:22similar to what was already installed.

1:10:24What you'll see is a vegetated slope

1:10:26that runs up. So it'll have all

1:10:28>> Is that like rolled mat things those

1:10:30going in

1:10:30>> and it'll have uh plantings throughout

1:10:32>> okay

1:10:33>> the slope

1:10:34>> and we're comfortable that's going to

1:10:35stabilize that slope from deterioration

1:10:38erosion.

1:10:38>> The revetment [clears throat]

1:10:39uh goes up to the 100redyear flood plane

1:10:42and then from there it slopes up with

1:10:44the the vegetated slope.

1:10:45>> Okay. And I will just say those that are

1:10:48upset about losing trees, we're going to

1:10:50have a beautiful view of the best

1:10:51sunsets.

1:10:52>> So,

1:10:53>> and and on some of those trees already

1:10:55falling down, erosion,

1:10:57>> it doesn't matter about the problem.

1:10:59Yeah.

1:10:59>> I make a motion to approve.

1:11:01>> Second.

1:11:01>> Motion by Councilman Lawson to approve.

1:11:04Seconded by Councilwoman Souza. All in

1:11:06favor? I. I. Any opposed? The eyes have.

1:11:11>> Thank you all. Next item. Number five,

1:11:14resolution authorizing the mayor to

1:11:16enter into a contract with FR

1:11:18Engineering in the amount not to exceed

1:11:21$200,000 for phase two of the Crescent

1:11:24Park stabilization project introduced by

1:11:27Council President Rogers and Vice

1:11:29President Ria.

1:11:30>> Make a motion to approve. This is the

1:11:32engineering part of the project.

1:11:35>> Pretty standard um motion by Councilman

1:11:37Lawson, seconded by Councilwoman Souza

1:11:40to approve. All in favor? I I any

1:11:43opposed? You guys have it. We're trying

1:11:46to get this project done, right?

1:11:47>> Just a quick question.

1:11:48>> Yes. Question.

1:11:49>> Is it going to be coming before the

1:11:50council for the con uh contingency

1:11:52amount? I know in the um

1:11:56>> that's in the resolution.

1:11:57>> It's part of the resolution.

1:11:59>> 10.8 million total

1:12:00>> in this resolution, but that's with the

1:12:03built-in contingency.

1:12:04>> Correct. Yeah. The built-in contingency

1:12:06is just in the event that additional

1:12:08stone is needed above right asked. It's

1:12:10a small buffer to to be able to ensure

1:12:12that we don't have to come back

1:12:14>> come back to us. Yeah.

1:12:15>> To delay the project until we can get it

1:12:17approved. So,

1:12:17>> thank you for clarifying.

1:12:19>> Thank you, council.

1:12:21>> Thank you, Dan. Uh, next item.

1:12:23>> Continued business. Council workshop

1:12:26discussion and possible vote on the

1:12:28proposed fiscal year 2026 2027 budget.

1:12:35>> Do you want to go in order of the agenda

1:12:37or do you have

1:12:38>> Yeah. So, I think we'll stay with the

1:12:40agenda unless there's a reason to

1:12:43digress. Um, we we did have a major

1:12:47budget hearing already with some of the

1:12:50major departments. We have some others

1:12:52today. If you want to um start with the

1:12:55first

1:12:57first group

1:12:58>> number one, community service, parks and

1:13:00recreation library, Meredith Barnes

1:13:03Harmon, library director

1:13:18Welcome uh director

1:13:21>> the state of the libraries uh pretty

1:13:25good I guess

1:13:27>> overall

1:13:27>> definitely

1:13:28>> you have a summary you'd like to um

1:13:31>> well

1:13:33I wear a few hats so I'd love to say

1:13:35thank you on two fronts.

1:13:37>> Sure. Um, first and foremost, the

1:13:38library. Um, thank you for all of your

1:13:41support, ongoing support. Um, thank you,

1:13:44Councilwoman Souza. I appreciate the,

1:13:47um, signage that's being improved out

1:13:50front. It's making a difference with,

1:13:51um, coming and going from our traffic

1:13:53circle there.

1:13:54>> You're welcome.

1:13:55>> Um, I am also chairing the 250

1:13:58commission. So, I want to thank you all

1:13:59for your support um and the funding you

1:14:02provided and um your engagement with the

1:14:05commission has been really meaningful to

1:14:08us. So, thank you. As we uh begin to

1:14:11wrap up for the year, um we still have a

1:14:13few more events, but um it's been a nice

1:14:17um experience. So, thank you for that.

1:14:20Um I don't have a presentation prepared.

1:14:23I can answer any questions that you

1:14:24have. of the library did see increases.

1:14:27Um, so we're in a good position

1:14:30financially for fiscal year 27.

1:14:36>> Just getting to your page here. One

1:14:38second.

1:14:39>> Um,

1:14:40>> yes, Councilman.

1:14:41>> I I'd like folks to know that libraries

1:14:44are more than checking out a book.

1:14:46>> It's a source that a lot of families

1:14:47utilize to rent movies for

1:14:49entertainment. It's a place for

1:14:51gathering. We hold meetings there in the

1:14:53meeting room. It is a um it's just an

1:14:57amazing resource for this community and

1:15:00I can't speak highly enough about Weaver

1:15:04Riverside. You guys are amazing and full

1:15:06is under you too. Um you guys are

1:15:09awesome. It's I just renewed my library

1:15:11card. Um you got my full support. My

1:15:14only request is that Trustee Kahoun host

1:15:17the Earnest Hemingway week. Um maybe

1:15:21twice a year.

1:15:22>> Noted. Thank you.

1:15:25>> Thank you for comments. Uh we really

1:15:27pride ourselves in being a safe um

1:15:31neutral

1:15:32>> computers too.

1:15:34>> People that need access to the internet

1:15:35that don't have it at home.

1:15:37>> So there's a lot of value in our library

1:15:39system.

1:15:40>> Yep. There are many things that people

1:15:41don't realize that we offer. English

1:15:44classes, social workes, our community

1:15:47closet where people from the community

1:15:50can take things items that they need.

1:15:52Um,

1:15:53>> and you have your own web page, correct?

1:15:55>> Yes, we have our own.

1:15:56>> And what's that URL that we can share to

1:15:58the public?

1:15:59>> It's providence library.com.

1:16:02>> Okay.

1:16:05>> Also, I want to acknowledge the good

1:16:06work of your um volunteer um do we call

1:16:10them board of directors? Is there a

1:16:12formal name other than that? Uh, I think

1:16:14some are here tonight. I don't know. I I

1:16:17see the trustees. Is that the name?

1:16:19Board of trustees. And um I see um

1:16:23Nathan Cahoun is here who's done uh I've

1:16:27gone to a couple of the meetings and uh

1:16:30very wellrun and I appreciate that. Are

1:16:33there other trustees here that I didn't

1:16:35identify? I don't know. I see um Mr.

1:16:38Cahoun um going to ring his bell a

1:16:42little bit also. He's going inducted in

1:16:44a couple of weeks to the East Province

1:16:46High School Hall of Fame. uh great

1:16:48military and educational career, public

1:16:51service, former school committee member,

1:16:53former city council member, helping out

1:16:56with our libraries now. Appreciate what

1:16:58you do, sir. And any other questions of

1:17:01the library? Do you have any burning

1:17:05concern that you you want to tell us

1:17:07about now? Now's your chance. Your other

1:17:10pretty well

1:17:11>> Yeah, we're

1:17:12>> supported and funded

1:17:14>> increases in this fiscal year. So we

1:17:17have the the funds.

1:17:19>> Mayor was pretty good to you, I guess.

1:17:21Okay.

1:17:21>> I want to point out the state reimbures.

1:17:23It's a half your budget.

1:17:25>> A quarter of our budget.

1:17:26>> Quarter of the budget. So

1:17:27>> comes from the state.

1:17:29>> The more we put in, the more the state.

1:17:31>> Sure. All right. Thank you. We um

1:17:36appreciate your time tonight and your

1:17:38patience. Uh next uh you have other

1:17:42departments. Did you say no? You covered

1:17:43everything. Okay. Who's next? Um,

1:17:46>> thank you.

1:17:48>> Carousel Tracy Johnson, Carousel

1:17:50Manager.

1:18:11>> Welcome. Thank you for being here.

1:18:15Do you have any kind of an opening

1:18:16statement or summary or

1:18:23>> I'd like to take a moment to take city

1:18:26council for your continued support of

1:18:28the carousel both through funding the

1:18:31city provides and through your support

1:18:33of our fundraising efforts. your

1:18:35continued belief in the importance of

1:18:37preserving the incredible piece of

1:18:39history. Our community,

1:18:42excuse me, incredible piece of

1:18:44community's history means so much to us.

1:18:48We truly appreciate everything you do to

1:18:50help us keep the carousel running,

1:18:52restored, and here for generations to

1:18:54come.

1:18:56>> Thank you. It's such a piece of history

1:18:59here in Rhode Island as well as uh East

1:19:02East Providence. Um

1:19:06questions from the council. It seems

1:19:08like carousel is on our agenda almost

1:19:10every meeting, the projects. Uh yes,

1:19:14council vice president.

1:19:15>> Thank you. Uh Miss [clears throat]

1:19:17Johnson, it was great to have that tour

1:19:19yesterday of the facility and seeing the

1:19:23update and the way the construction's

1:19:25coming along. And one thing that came to

1:19:28my mind yesterday was we're g you're

1:19:30going to have this great tent

1:19:33and I'm looking here unless I'm missing

1:19:36it.

1:19:39We need to get you

1:19:42we got to figure out a way of getting

1:19:43some money. We got to advertise that

1:19:45tent.

1:19:48people are going to have weddings or

1:19:50function. You know, I had a friend who

1:19:53works for a company and last week they

1:19:56came down to Newport for their for their

1:20:00annual meeting

1:20:03just be this shouldn't be a Saturday

1:20:06Sunday. We could get companies that have

1:20:09their sales meetings.

1:20:12So,

1:20:14I know where we have a tight budget

1:20:16here. That's something we need we really

1:20:19need to look at is the marketing of that

1:20:22facility because it's just not a sat

1:20:25it's not a Friday, Saturday, Sunday

1:20:27wedding venue.

1:20:30It's during the week,

1:20:32>> right?

1:20:32>> And and obviously the more money that

1:20:34comes in, the more money we have to keep

1:20:37that historical carousel

1:20:40in great shape because obviously The

1:20:42older it gets, the more money it's going

1:20:43to cost to keep it in working condition.

1:20:47So, if you can come up with any ideas

1:20:50>> as often as we can.

1:20:54So

1:20:56I know have you know being in the sales

1:20:58and marketing and having a company and

1:21:00spending in corporate world we we really

1:21:03need to figure out a way

1:21:07in this budget to get you you know we

1:21:09got to walk before we can run obviously

1:21:11but we have to let the world know or New

1:21:14England know that we have a tent that's

1:21:17available

1:21:19in a great location. and you walk, you

1:21:22see that, you know, you see the ocean

1:21:24across, you know, you see the water, you

1:21:25see the bay.

1:21:28So, I'm here to help you with that.

1:21:33And and I would say you you do pretty

1:21:35good job already, right? How many

1:21:36weddings you already had there? And we

1:21:38don't even have the tent up yet. And I'm

1:21:40saying tent, but this is a permanent

1:21:42structure. It's not your backyard tent,

1:21:45per se, but um you've had through the

1:21:48last couple of years quite a few, right?

1:21:49And you also have some scheduled.

1:21:52>> We've been doing

1:21:54pretty steady weddings. Um 15 years, but

1:21:58weddings at the carousel honestly

1:22:02been going on.

1:22:04>> Sure.

1:22:05>> Um so the number that we've completed is

1:22:08unknown. Uh we did several weddings this

1:22:12season. Even though we were under

1:22:13construction, it was difficult. Um, and

1:22:16with the condition of the carousel, we

1:22:19have cut back a little bit on our

1:22:22private rentals, whether they be

1:22:24weddings, retirements, birthdays. Um,

1:22:27however, with phase two on the horizon,

1:22:31I'm really looking forward to next year

1:22:34being not only having the tent, the new

1:22:38facility, but actually being able to

1:22:39open a full schedule.

1:22:42>> Yep. And I think this council has been

1:22:44providing a lot of um attention and

1:22:48support and funding. So other questions

1:22:50about

1:22:51>> I was part of the budget.

1:22:53>> I've worked with Tracy off and on over a

1:22:55decade from when I ran the arts council

1:22:58coordinating the lof and as a council

1:23:00member the carousel.

1:23:03The work she does is absolutely amazing.

1:23:06Um she coordinates every event. She

1:23:09makes sure things are flowing, that

1:23:10people got what they need. Uh if you go

1:23:14to Crescent Park in the summertime, it's

1:23:16a great great environment and that is a

1:23:20tremendous part of Tracy and I just want

1:23:23to publicly thank you the work you put

1:23:25in, the BS you have to put up with. Um I

1:23:30hope we give you a big pay raise.

1:23:32>> A lot of that came from you, Councilman

1:23:34Lawson, by driving.

1:23:35>> It probably was. It probably was. I

1:23:37wouldn't deny that. you know, the

1:23:38lofoof. I I was kind of, you know, I

1:23:40wouldn't deny that at all. But, um, I

1:23:43see firsthand the work Tracy puts in,

1:23:45whether it's working with the vendor at

1:23:47the clamshack and coordinating all the

1:23:50other thing at how often are we

1:23:52approving events that the rec center and

1:23:55Tracy down the carousel. Well, she is

1:23:57part of the rec department. Um, the work

1:24:00that they put in and right now it's just

1:24:02the two of you for our recck department.

1:24:04Correct.

1:24:05you and Becky.

1:24:07>> Um, no, we have Courtney who's also

1:24:10under recreation.

1:24:12>> Okay. But we're city about we're

1:24:15probably close to 50 grand now. And what

1:24:18they offer is amazing. If you think

1:24:21about all the things that this city

1:24:23offers from the recck department and

1:24:26Tracy and Becky, I can't give you enough

1:24:29credit. You guys are amazing. So, um, I

1:24:32have no questions budgetwise. Um, do you

1:24:35want to briefly mention part two of

1:24:37stabilization or are we farther down the

1:24:41line for that?

1:24:44>> I don't.

1:24:45>> We can wait. We can wait. Yeah. Not a

1:24:46big deal. I think people understand that

1:24:48the carousel is over 100 years old and

1:24:51we just had to put footings in because

1:24:54we spin from the top, not the bottom.

1:24:56Correct.

1:24:56>> Yeah.

1:24:57>> To anybody who doesn't know is main and

1:25:00center bearings.

1:25:02>> Why we only run people ride um and why

1:25:06everyone's upset there are more empty

1:25:10when this project is complete we will be

1:25:13able to go back to normal operation I'm

1:25:15a little hesitant to talk because I have

1:25:17a big meeting tomorrow

1:25:18>> okay

1:25:19>> hopefully we're going to have an arrival

1:25:22date and a schedule

1:25:24>> no worries thank you other questions on

1:25:29this part of the budget uh hearing none

1:25:32thank you for being here We'll continue

1:25:34to uh support you as much as we can.

1:25:37Thanks.

1:25:40>> Rec recreation. Rebecca Chase,

1:25:42recreation director.

1:26:00Good evening and welcome

1:26:03Do you have any kind of an opening

1:26:06>> comment or don't? Thank you for having

1:26:09us here.

1:26:12>> Great. Yeah. Questions again. Excited

1:26:16about the new facility.

1:26:18>> I'm very excited about the new building.

1:26:19I'm looking forward to being able to

1:26:22>> Yeah. pull that a little closer to you.

1:26:24looking forward to being able to uh have

1:26:26a lot of uh new activities and um

1:26:29community partnerships for the

1:26:31community.

1:26:33>> Now, I remember the work you did in our

1:26:35old rec center and if if people remember

1:26:38the old Riverside Junior High,

1:26:42you were in a basement. It was a broken

1:26:44rundown pipes and everything. Um, and

1:26:48Becky created an amazing atmosphere,

1:26:51programming, everything. And I was very

1:26:55happy to see you step up when Diane

1:26:57left. And um, I think again, I'm going

1:27:01to reiterate, I think you guys do

1:27:02amazing, amazing work. Um, you know,

1:27:05we're a city and being a towny, people

1:27:09love, you know, Bob and I talk all the

1:27:11time about, you know, summer camps when

1:27:13we were kids and, well, he was a

1:27:15counselor. I was a kid. Um, you know,

1:27:18now it's all at PS which is great and

1:27:20stuff and you know you and you do an

1:27:23amazing job providing recreation to the

1:27:26city. So, I just want to say thank you.

1:27:28I don't have questions regarding her

1:27:31budget. I wish we would fund the summer

1:27:33kid program so families didn't have to

1:27:36pay, but I get that's not going to

1:27:38happen. But, um, you guys are amazing. I

1:27:41just wanted to say that

1:27:43>> the the program uh does so much. I don't

1:27:46think people realize even provide summer

1:27:48lunches. Some think that's a little um

1:27:53extravagant. I I don't We have families

1:27:55in this city that um once schools are

1:27:58closed um kids uh could use a a a good

1:28:03lunch in the summertime. Um and you

1:28:07provide that for the various camps

1:28:09throughout the city. Um, we have

1:28:13all you need to do is go to uh Pierce

1:28:18Field on almost any given night, even

1:28:21during the cold days. And there are

1:28:26there is activity everywhere. And I'm

1:28:28there often, as I think all of us are,

1:28:31and I'll see kids playing basketball.

1:28:34I'll see um baseball in the big fields,

1:28:37then the little fields. I'll see girls

1:28:40playing softball. I'll see families just

1:28:42sitting in the nice grassy area under

1:28:45the trees having uh something to eat or

1:28:48buying something from the ice cream

1:28:50truck. Um and it's all the time people

1:28:53have said, "We built a high school. What

1:28:55are you doing with Pierce Stadium? Just

1:28:57I'm not even going to talk about it.

1:28:59Just go there and look, take a ride.

1:29:01It's being used as much as ever. And

1:29:04we've improved it a lot. When I first

1:29:07got elected and the mayor got elected

1:29:12and I took him to Pierce Field, which of

1:29:15course he knew about, and we walked

1:29:18around and we spotted all the

1:29:19deficiencies, rusted fences. We had a

1:29:22football stadium, and I I'm not going to

1:29:25apologize for going on for a couple

1:29:27minutes here because this is big time

1:29:29stuff in face of some of the uh negative

1:29:33things we hear in the city. We had a

1:29:36football stadium which we were using for

1:29:38high school. Then scoreboard didn't

1:29:41work. PA system didn't work. The school

1:29:45department had to go out and rent a

1:29:47little scoreboard and put it on a table

1:29:48like those way out in the end zone. You

1:29:52couldn't even see the score. Um there

1:29:55were bathrooms that didn't really work.

1:29:58Um the baseball side had no scoreboard,

1:30:03had a PA system that didn't work.

1:30:06Kids and parents were coming up to me

1:30:08and said, "Look at the fence. You know,

1:30:10if you know baseball or softball, you

1:30:12have a back stop. Catcher misses a ball.

1:30:15Our catchers don't miss much, but when

1:30:17they do, they run back and the fence was

1:30:20curled up with spikes,

1:30:23could tear somebody's leg apart. So, the

1:30:26mayor immediately said, "Councilman,

1:30:28we're going to fix this." And we did.

1:30:31And it was a team effort. a lot of

1:30:33people uh the recck department, the box

1:30:36department, the public works grants. And

1:30:39let me tell you, a lot of that stuff, if

1:30:41not all of it, was grant funded, not

1:30:45really killing the budget. And so, we're

1:30:48continuing to do that. And I need to say

1:30:50all that because you get tired sometimes

1:30:53of the negative critiques.

1:30:56constructive criticism is fine, but

1:30:58let's acknowledge the the road we've

1:31:01come back from and we're continuing to

1:31:04do it and and and you um Miss Chase are

1:31:08a leader that's continuing that for us.

1:31:11I appreciate it. Any other comments on

1:31:14the recreation and council woman, do you

1:31:17want to add anything? You've been a big

1:31:18help there also. Um,

1:31:21>> no, just really excited about all the

1:31:22work that's been done for the community

1:31:24is a lot of feedback. Um, and we try to

1:31:26give you as much as we can and I know

1:31:28having this new building, um, is just

1:31:31going to expand all of that for the

1:31:33community, which they've been wanting

1:31:35for a very long time. And I'm assuming

1:31:37by certain increases in the budget, it's

1:31:40reflecting um, having that building open

1:31:44um, and the increased cost that that's

1:31:45going to cost um, to to maintain and and

1:31:49staff all of that. So, I have no further

1:31:51questions. Thank you.

1:31:54>> Thank you. We're all set with you. Thank

1:31:56you for your patience.

1:32:05>> We're all set with this guy. That's a

1:32:08line from a movie. I'm not being

1:32:09flippant. Right. Uh, next.

1:32:12>> City Operations, Finance, Controls, and

1:32:14Accounts, Office of Municipal Integrity.

1:32:17Elma Pina, Municipal Integrity Clerk. I

1:32:21>> think you have the longest title in the

1:32:22budget, sir.

1:32:28>> Welcome and thank you for waiting.

1:32:32>> Good evening. Good evening tonight.

1:32:34Thank you for having me. Uh I haven't

1:32:36prepared anything really um this evening

1:32:39other than just uh thank you for um your

1:32:41years of u really promoting um diversity

1:32:45inclusion in the city. Uh thank you for

1:32:47uh the budget that allowed me to expand

1:32:50uh our programs that we're uh constantly

1:32:52giving to the East Providence as well as

1:32:54uh Mayor Dilva really uh being uh uh a

1:32:57staple in really expanding and uh

1:33:00diversifying our workforce which is

1:33:02important uh to uh hire people who look

1:33:05like me that sound like me and and also

1:33:07and uh hiring uh women to um

1:33:11women into uh government that can make

1:33:14um sustain sustainable changes in our

1:33:16city government. So, thank you for that.

1:33:18>> Well said. Appreciate all all you do. Um

1:33:22pretty satisfied the budget uh overall.

1:33:25Any

1:33:25>> Yes, sir. Um I I am satisfied. Um again,

1:33:29having this budget can really uh help me

1:33:32uh expand our programs. Uh we were able

1:33:34to collaborate with the East Province

1:33:35High School last year. Um with we did a

1:33:37Dr. Martin Luther King program, uh a

1:33:40black history month program. Um also a

1:33:42pow-wow. you you know we just celebrated

1:33:44our second annual pow-wow um uh this

1:33:46past summer um at Crescent Park which

1:33:49was amazing and we're looking to expand

1:33:50that again this year and with the funds

1:33:52that I have uh we able to do it bigger

1:33:54and better.

1:33:56>> Thank you. Questions council vice

1:33:58president?

1:33:58>> Yes, sir.

1:33:59>> Well, I'm happy that the power was in

1:34:01the budget this year as we gave you the

1:34:05money last year. We pulled it out of our

1:34:07city council fund to take care of it.

1:34:09But the power is here. But one thing

1:34:14that we talked about, this is our fourth

1:34:17time as a council

1:34:20handling budgets and

1:34:23as council president said, you wear many

1:34:26hats

1:34:28and you've asked

1:34:31and the community has asked for you to

1:34:36have some assistance.

1:34:39I figured out a way to do this for you.

1:34:42It's a start.

1:34:45Again, it's a start. So, what I propose

1:34:47tonight is that we're going to move from

1:34:50our city council part-time temporary pay

1:34:53budget of $13,000.

1:34:56And I want to move that into your

1:34:59department. So, that gives you that

1:35:01person

1:35:04to help you and to, you know, to do some

1:35:07of the things

1:35:10promoting events and everything like

1:35:11that. It's a start. I promised you, I

1:35:14promised Angie.

1:35:16I'm a man of my word. It took me, you

1:35:19know, it took time to figure out where

1:35:21to, you know, move it, but we've had

1:35:24this in our budget

1:35:26in our in our city council budget now

1:35:29for three years and we haven't done

1:35:31anything with it. It's time that it gets

1:35:34to good use and goes to you, Elma. Thank

1:35:37you so much, Council Vice President Rio.

1:35:39Um this this uh money allocated to that

1:35:41part-time line and would be a huge help.

1:35:43Um a lot of times I'm not in the office.

1:35:45Either I'm out talking to constituents

1:35:47or I'm out um doing investigations or

1:35:49speaking to employees. Uh this will have

1:35:51a a a big effect in the office keeping

1:35:54our door open. Uh nothing hurts me more

1:35:55than closing my door and leaving the

1:35:57building. It kind of gives the

1:35:58impression that nobody's on the third

1:36:00floor. Um on my side of the building, I

1:36:02should say. So this is uh this is a huge

1:36:03help and I and I thank you and I thank

1:36:05the council um and also uh Mary to Silva

1:36:08for really coming out and supporting our

1:36:10office. Thank you.

1:36:11>> Is is that all recorded so that it's

1:36:13there so it gets it's a transfer.

1:36:19>> Okay.

1:36:19>> Yep.

1:36:20>> And again

1:36:22told you I told Angie I told you know

1:36:26>> we would figure out a way and

1:36:28>> we finally got it for you.

1:36:30>> Yes. You're welcome.

1:36:32>> Other comments from councel.

1:36:33>> I you know I think the world of you I've

1:36:36mentioned it before. People that look

1:36:38like me need to go to these events to

1:36:41get a better understanding of our

1:36:43community of the people we live with.

1:36:45And you do an amazing job of

1:36:48facilitating these events and stuff. I

1:36:51regret we couldn't hook up with the

1:36:52music thing. It just schedule wise

1:36:54didn't happen. But now that I'm going to

1:36:57be out of office in a minute, we're

1:36:59going to revisit that. But um I got zero

1:37:02problem with this budget and I think

1:37:04you're such an asset to the city.

1:37:06>> Thank you, Councilman Lawson.

1:37:07>> Yep.

1:37:10>> Any other comments or questions? Um

1:37:13we're all done with you.

1:37:15>> Thank you.

1:37:16>> Thank you.

1:37:17>> Thank you.

1:37:21City government, city council, Mayor

1:37:23Dilva.

1:37:30>> Thank you. Council President, council

1:37:33vice president, members of the council.

1:37:34The city council budget is uh a budget

1:37:37that we work collaboratively with uh

1:37:40council president and vice president.

1:37:41So, it's really uh it's your budget and

1:37:44I'm here just to offer any guidance or

1:37:48assistance should you want to take a

1:37:50look at things.

1:37:51Anyone want to add anything to this?

1:37:54Take away or

1:37:55>> It should be noted that we increased so

1:37:57the council previously voted to increase

1:37:59salaries for future council members and

1:38:02for the mayor's office. And you will see

1:38:04that the main increase in this budget

1:38:06really is uh in the salary line we see

1:38:10an increase.

1:38:14Other than that pretty much the same.

1:38:16Now we'll be taking if we vote, you

1:38:18know, when later on when we vote, we

1:38:21would move that um position out, just a

1:38:26transfer.

1:38:27>> Um

1:38:28>> and if the public's interested in

1:38:29knowing there's a $62,000 uh line item

1:38:32uh that is for the annual required audit

1:38:35that is required by state law. Our books

1:38:38are audited annually and that comes out

1:38:40of the council budget line as the

1:38:42council is the one really who gets to

1:38:44choose the uh the auditor approve the

1:38:46audit

1:38:47>> and the audit is the audit is being

1:38:51slowed down right now because of the

1:38:53school department. Correct. As to we're

1:38:56waiting with the transfer of uh

1:38:59>> it's a multi it's a multi uh multiaceted

1:39:02uh process with the audit. We actually

1:39:04have uh our finance director, we have

1:39:06joint meetings with uh the school

1:39:08department uh staff and their finance

1:39:11team and I jump on those teams with the

1:39:14uh auditor general and uh we are on top

1:39:17of it. It's not just the school

1:39:18department, believe it or not. It's also

1:39:20the auditing firms and everybody

1:39:22involved. It's it's hard for it's

1:39:25actually one of the things that came up

1:39:26at the last discussion was that these

1:39:28firms are having a hard time hiring

1:39:30personnel uh for these very important

1:39:32jobs and u and so it kind of slows us

1:39:35down but it's a multifaceted issue. Some

1:39:37of it has to do with us being an

1:39:38off-year fiscally from the state that

1:39:41slows down uh us getting our uh reports

1:39:43from the state that are required to to

1:39:45complete the audit. But Glenda could um

1:39:47could explain that more. Yeah, something

1:39:49else that I wanted to mention on that

1:39:51was the uh change in staffing um in both

1:39:55city and school definitely changed down

1:39:58um changed how long you know turnover is

1:40:01and we couldn't really get as much items

1:40:03off of the PBC list the prepared by

1:40:05client list over to our auditors and

1:40:06it's taking a little bit more time. Both

1:40:08departments are now fully staffed. So

1:40:11that should be changing.

1:40:13>> And when we awarded the contract to the

1:40:16new auditing firm, when that gentleman

1:40:18came here in February, March,

1:40:22they seemed to have the right personnel

1:40:25and the right amount of personnel. He

1:40:28almost

1:40:29didn't want to 100% guarantee it, but I

1:40:32think there'll be more

1:40:35people overseeing our budget. compared

1:40:38to

1:40:40what was present who had the contract

1:40:42before the other.

1:40:44>> Yeah. So, unfortunately the firm I I

1:40:46loved both firms CLA and CBIZ have been

1:40:48great to work with. Unfortunately, uh

1:40:51CLA also had staff turnover which

1:40:54extended our 24 um auditing. Um I don't

1:40:58foresee that happening with CBIZ.

1:41:00>> I mean, a lot of that is out of our

1:41:02control. It's the auditing firms that

1:41:05slow the process down.

1:41:08We're not alone. We're not unique in uh

1:41:12you know, we're not the only

1:41:13municipality that's in this in this

1:41:14situation. So, uh but we are working to

1:41:17to move our process along. Other

1:41:19questions in in regards to the city

1:41:22council budget itself

1:41:26from from members of the council when

1:41:28when we we're almost done when we get

1:41:30through the mayor's office, city clerks

1:41:32and we'll open it up public um

1:41:35discussion. Anyone has questions,

1:41:37comments?

1:41:39Um,

1:41:41moving on to the office of the mayor.

1:41:46You want to make any opening statement

1:41:47or do you want us just ask questions?

1:41:50>> So, over the last eight years, uh, we've

1:41:53pretty much been able to keep our budget

1:41:55uh, from pretty level. Uh, you know,

1:41:582021, we were at 46329.

1:42:02uh 20 20 I'm I'm sorry that was 2020 463

1:42:07uh 291 2021 464 761 22 464 491 23 471

1:42:14234

1:42:15and now we're at uh in the last more

1:42:19recent years 464

1:42:2155 and and 24 461 531 and 25 and 497 245

1:42:28and 26. This year you see an increase uh

1:42:31going to 596831.

1:42:34Uh the drive one of the driving factors

1:42:35is the increase in the mayor salary. Uh

1:42:38the salary for the position of mayor has

1:42:40not moved for the last eight years. It's

1:42:42been uh at 90,000. The council

1:42:44authorized an increase which I certainly

1:42:46appreciate for whoever the next mayor

1:42:47is. Um additionally, you'll see that

1:42:51there's an increase in uh benefits. Uh

1:42:54sometimes the city benefits from having

1:42:57employees who may have health insurance

1:42:59from other sources or from their

1:43:01spouses. Um and so you see that uh our

1:43:04health benefits have gone up. Uh

1:43:06additionally for the position of chief

1:43:08of staff slire administration, we've

1:43:12been uh I've been interviewing people uh

1:43:14trying to bring on someone to fill the

1:43:16role. Um and the money that was in that

1:43:19budget just does not uh meet uh the

1:43:22going rate nowadays. Um if you look at

1:43:26uh people who who bring the required

1:43:28skill set and background and experience

1:43:31uh it's a it's a it's a much more

1:43:34expensive um it's a much more cost

1:43:37costly uh role than what we had

1:43:38available and we did not have at the

1:43:40time healthcare coverage budgeted for

1:43:43that other position in the past. So all

1:43:45these things uh have contributed to

1:43:47adding more uh to this budget. But I

1:43:50will say this,

1:43:52if you look at what the uh

1:43:55consumer inflation rate uh was over the

1:43:58last same period that we've been in

1:44:00office, it was 31.03%.

1:44:03And the increase in our budget is

1:44:0628.02%.

1:44:08Uh so if you take that across the

1:44:11expanse of the time we've been here,

1:44:12we're still under inflation and over the

1:44:15last um seven years, we've been able to

1:44:18keep a stable budget. In some cases, the

1:44:21budget number actually went down instead

1:44:23of going up. So

1:44:27thank you, Mayor General Summation.

1:44:30questions from the council

1:44:33comments?

1:44:38>> Yes.

1:44:38>> Yes. No, but I have capital questions.

1:44:42>> I'm sorry.

1:44:43>> I have questions about capital spending.

1:44:45But

1:44:46>> is that in the mayor's office?

1:44:48>> No.

1:44:48>> No, but I don't You guys didn't discuss

1:44:51it last meeting, right?

1:44:55>> Okay.

1:45:01comments again. Mayor's office

1:45:05budget items.

1:45:09>> Okay.

1:45:10>> Thank you, Council.

1:45:10>> Thank you, Mayor.

1:45:12>> Don't go nowhere.

1:45:16>> City clerk and Dresa Skipper. City

1:45:17clerk.

1:45:18>> City clerk. Madame clerk, do you have

1:45:21any comments um about your office or

1:45:25are you

1:45:26>> has comments but no I don't I don't have

1:45:29any

1:45:30>> Yeah, we hear about the staff coming

1:45:33>> but you're seriously you're uh okay with

1:45:37the budget and no real increases or

1:45:39>> no increases. We I actually been

1:45:41decreasing so it's been going pretty

1:45:43well.

1:45:44>> Decreasing is good

1:45:48I think. Well, one of the things in when

1:45:50we first took over as a council, I think

1:45:54to streamline the tickets, I mean, your

1:45:59your office isn't inundated anymore with

1:46:02people coming in wanting to pay for

1:46:04their

1:46:06red light tickets or anything like that.

1:46:08It's It's a lot less if you've obviously

1:46:10you've only been here two years, but I

1:46:13think the staff will tell you that it's

1:46:15definitely been streamlined, which gives

1:46:17them more time to do what they need to

1:46:20do.

1:46:23>> Well, they would say that they're

1:46:24actually going to increase, but um

1:46:26>> of course they would.

1:46:27>> I'll go with what you say.

1:46:32Um I do observe a lot of the red tickets

1:46:35people red um tickets they are coming in

1:46:38like daily. They do come in daily.

1:46:40>> What what's a red ticket? You mean red

1:46:42light ticket?

1:46:43>> Yeah.

1:46:44>> Yeah.

1:46:45>> But as far as like

1:46:48streamlining as far as the process and

1:46:50everything, it's a lot easier for not

1:46:53there anymore handing the envelopes are

1:46:56still working.

1:46:58Yes,

1:46:58>> that that's what I meant as far as you

1:47:00know [clears throat] the number probably

1:47:02hasn't slowed down but the streamline

1:47:04where they don't have to go through that

1:47:06whole process and it's right there.

1:47:09>> Yes. And if someone comes in with a

1:47:11check um to pay that we do take that I

1:47:13mean at the end of the week as well.

1:47:17>> Any other questions regarding the city

1:47:19clerk's department?

1:47:23Okay. Hearing none. Thank you. Those are

1:47:26the departments on the agenda tonight.

1:47:29I'll uh open up for public questions and

1:47:35comments on anything that we've talked

1:47:37about tonight.

1:47:40So for those who are here, is there

1:47:42anyone that

1:47:44Yes. Did you want to add something,

1:47:45Mayor?

1:47:46>> Yes. I'm I'm sorry, Council President. I

1:47:47just want to reiterate what all of the

1:47:48council members said here earlier. the

1:47:50today's uh departments really are the

1:47:52heartbeat of this community between the

1:47:54library, the um wreck department, the

1:47:58carousel, and our senior services. It's

1:48:02an incredible amount of work that this

1:48:04small group of people do to keep our

1:48:06community engaged and also to look out

1:48:08for their health and well-being. So, I

1:48:10want to thank all of the council members

1:48:11who had incredible things to say about

1:48:14the people who came and spoke to you

1:48:15before. they deserve all of those uh

1:48:18flowers and kudos uh because they put

1:48:20the work in and it's quite amazing the

1:48:23amount of work that the amount of events

1:48:25that we see at the carousel and the rec

1:48:27center and we're super excited about the

1:48:29community center becoming a reality for

1:48:30our community. Thank you.

1:48:31>> Thank you. So members of the community

1:48:35who are here

1:48:37want to add anything, ask anything or

1:48:41make a general comment.

1:48:48Hearing none, seeing none,

1:48:53>> we will um right uh it's okay. We're

1:48:57going to report out from the claims

1:48:59committee.

1:49:02Yes, solicitor.

1:49:03>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um, as you

1:49:05know, the claims committee met uh in

1:49:06executive session prior to the start of

1:49:08the open session. The claims of Eric and

1:49:11Wendy Syla of $231 was approved. Claim

1:49:15of Steven O'Hara in the amount of $2943

1:49:18was approved. Claim for Richard Farrell

1:49:20in the amount of $200 was approved.

1:49:23Claim of Robert Lima of $165 was

1:49:25approved. The claim of Peon Management

1:49:29LLC in the amount of $1,50 was approved

1:49:32related to a sewer backup. Claim of

1:49:36Lewis Danuano in the amount of $1,800

1:49:39was also approved uh related to a sewer

1:49:42backup. Claim of Dan Patty

1:49:46uh for a sewer backup in the amount of

1:49:47$400 was approved. Claim of Eduarda

1:49:50Moore was held for further information.

1:49:54Uh, and the claim of Nicole and Matthew

1:49:56Stoto in the amount of $1,645

1:50:00was also approved. My report.

1:50:03>> Thank you. So, what we will do for um

1:50:07our next uh meeting, I'll work with the

1:50:11solicitor and vice president and then

1:50:15we'll put together. Now, what what we

1:50:17talked about tonight, does that mean

1:50:19that all this has been approved? doesn't

1:50:21mean that we've um cut anything. Um

1:50:24we've vetted everything. So we will at

1:50:28our next meeting um probably u get down

1:50:32to the actual voting. So council members

1:50:36if you have a specific uh item or

1:50:40comments I mean in general of course you

1:50:42comment on anything but make sure we get

1:50:44it on the agenda as an agenda item. For

1:50:46instance, capital other areas. Um I

1:50:50don't see at this point I I think we

1:50:52don't need workshops per se anymore.

1:50:55We've we've had these um we can go to

1:50:59our next regular meeting and so uh Mr.

1:51:03Solicitor

1:51:04>> So the next scheduled meeting is uh

1:51:06>> the 20th.

1:51:07>> Next next Tuesday, correct? Which would

1:51:09be what?

1:51:09>> No, the 20th. 13th we got we we lost a

1:51:12facility.

1:51:14>> No, we didn't. The 13th.

1:51:17>> Yeah, we lost a facility. I just got I

1:51:19got to check the schedule because I

1:51:20think it's either the 13th or the 20th

1:51:22is the last day that the uh

1:51:25>> last day to approve, but the last day to

1:51:27make changes is I believe

1:51:29>> is around the 20th.

1:51:30>> Believe I believe it's

1:51:31>> why I was adamant about the 13th.

1:51:35>> No, we're not.

1:51:36>> Well, we we have a scheduled meeting for

1:51:38the 13th. It may not be in this chamber,

1:51:39but we

1:51:40>> it may not be here, but we have a

1:51:42scheduled meeting.

1:51:43>> They changed.

1:51:43>> We have a tentative.

1:51:45>> All right.

1:51:45>> We have booked the 13th.

1:51:47Where we meet, we don't know. But with

1:51:49we can have a meeting. It's been put

1:51:52aside. If you want a meeting on the 13th

1:51:54to finish up

1:51:55>> public hearing or whatever you need to

1:51:56do for additional comments, you can do

1:51:58so. I believe it's the 20th or the 13th.

1:52:00And I'll get back to you tomorrow with

1:52:02the last day that you can make changes.

1:52:03>> All right. And then we'll have it

1:52:04advertised. And

1:52:06>> so, so for process, you have to

1:52:08readvertise any changes we make because

1:52:11the budget, we have to make we have to

1:52:12>> additions not subtractions. We we've

1:52:15done both to be honest with you, but the

1:52:16charter specifically says additions.

1:52:17>> What about transfer?

1:52:19>> I don't think a transfer because it

1:52:20doesn't affect the bottom bottom.

1:52:22>> Yep.

1:52:22>> But um additions definitely.

1:52:25>> So what's the deadline day we have to

1:52:27vote?

1:52:28>> The deadline date that you have to

1:52:29approve the budget is the 26th.

1:52:32>> Okay.

1:52:32>> Okay. The deadline date for which if

1:52:34you're going to make changes, I believe

1:52:36is either the 13th or the 20th. You have

1:52:38to advertise that.

1:52:40>> So once you make those changes, it has

1:52:41to be advertised. the next meeting would

1:52:43be a public hearing on those changes and

1:52:46then you can then you take the final

1:52:47vote if after the public comment you may

1:52:49might reverse yourself or whatever.

1:52:50>> So if we meet next Tuesday

1:52:53>> and we finalize our thoughts on the

1:52:56budget if there's changes we have to

1:52:58advertise and then we can final vote on

1:53:00the 20th

1:53:01>> correct if there are no changes then you

1:53:03can vote in

1:53:04>> and that gives us that leeway for veto

1:53:06possibility.

1:53:06>> Correct.

1:53:07>> Gotcha. Okay. Yep. So, next Tuesday, why

1:53:10can't we meet here?

1:53:12>> There was

1:53:13>> Well, there was a a scheduled um event

1:53:16on

1:53:18>> I don't know if they've changed that.

1:53:19>> Does the city council have priority? And

1:53:21it's a budget.

1:53:23>> So, I guess the question is, do you want

1:53:24to meet next Tuesday? And if so, we'll

1:53:26find a place to meet. I think at 306,

1:53:28>> but we need a canvas, right?

1:53:30>> We need this

1:53:33zoom it or whatever.

1:53:34>> So, we could just go to the 20th,

1:53:37right?

1:53:38I think next week Tuesday makes sense.

1:53:42>> Yeah.

1:53:43>> The question is is the chambers with

1:53:45with

1:53:47>> we have priority.

1:53:48>> I you would think so. Yeah.

1:53:51>> Who's taking over the chamber?

1:53:52>> So is that meeting on the 13th? Madam

1:53:54clerk, is that confirmed? Are they

1:53:56meeting here?

1:53:58>> Right. It's a debate, right? Can't they

1:54:00move to the high school or something?

1:54:04>> But that could be held on the third

1:54:06floor, right?

1:54:11Yeah. Well, we'll have to know.

1:54:13>> So, I wasn't wrong in the beginning when

1:54:15there was the issue with the 13th.

1:54:18>> I'm not suggesting that the the meeting

1:54:21we can meet. She always reserved the

1:54:2313th,

1:54:23>> but I want here because of the fact I

1:54:25want the public to see what's going on.

1:54:27That's fine. And this is our chamber.

1:54:29That was my that was my point.

1:54:31>> If if we have to talk to the the people

1:54:34that can whether or not we can um

1:54:37broadcast from 306. I I don't know that.

1:54:39>> Yeah. I mean, the last time I remember

1:54:42trying to broadcast not this council,

1:54:44but you know, other other things from

1:54:46306.

1:54:48If we were just talking about stop signs

1:54:50and approving licenses, one thing, but

1:54:52this is the budget and this is our

1:54:55chamber and we owe it to the taxpayers

1:54:58of the city. this is where we need to

1:55:00meet so that there isn't the boogeyman,

1:55:04you know, we we get accused of being

1:55:06with boogeymen all over the place. So,

1:55:09this is

1:55:11a very important this is the most

1:55:14important thing we do is the budget and

1:55:16we need to be in our house.

1:55:20>> We will figure it out. If you want to

1:55:21meet the 13th, we'll schedule the 13th

1:55:23and we'll figure out where it will be.

1:55:24And then also point of order on the

1:55:2613th. We need it needs to be posted by

1:55:29six o'clock on the 8th

1:55:32>> Thursday because of the holiday

1:55:34>> because of the holiday. Just point of

1:55:35order. It can't go on Friday. It has to

1:55:37be posted this Friday. I mean this

1:55:39Thursday at 6 by 6 or six o'clock when

1:55:42city

1:55:42>> Yeah. because of Monday's holiday.

1:55:44>> You will need to tell us what um what

1:55:47departments you're going to post the

1:55:49whole budget whatever.

1:55:50>> Yeah. I would just list all the

1:55:51departments. We may not call them all in

1:55:54but we've already gone through

1:55:56departments that

1:55:57>> it's more

1:55:58>> council members have requested. So make

1:56:00sure on it's list capital

1:56:03>> miscellaneous

1:56:04>> we'll um we'll also put on the uh hands

1:56:07ordinance for the first passage for that

1:56:10>> the actual budget ordinance as well.

1:56:12Right now you just have a you have a

1:56:13budget document. You don't have a you

1:56:16don't have the actual ordinance. We pass

1:56:17an actual ordinance that sets the

1:56:18>> yeah rate and not the rate but the

1:56:20interest rate and all that kind

1:56:25>> I think the uh deputy clerk does the

1:56:28advertising portion of it as far as is

1:56:31to make sure there's a placeholder let

1:56:33them know because of

1:56:36the short weeks and everything there's a

1:56:38placeholder you know so that we have a

1:56:40placeholder on that Wednesday the 14th

1:56:43so it goes in on the 15th

1:56:45>> we have met our advertising deadline

1:56:46lines up until this point. Again, the

1:56:50reason why we scheduled the 13th is for

1:56:52I believe that's the last date that you

1:56:54can make changes to the budget and still

1:56:56be advertised. So, yes, we have

1:56:57scheduled that in this.

1:56:58>> And what time is that to be?

1:57:01>> I don't know.

1:57:02>> Same time.

1:57:02>> What's the same time?

1:57:04>> Six.

1:57:04>> Six. I was going to say if they could go

1:57:06to seven and we could meet at five or

1:57:09early some but

1:57:11>> yeah, we're here.

1:57:12>> Either way.

1:57:14>> Okay. Either way, we're here the 13th.

1:57:19>> Any other comments about

1:57:21>> Thank everyone for coming. Thank you.

1:57:23Great job.

1:57:24>> Thank you, Councilman. Is there a motion

1:57:25to adjourn?

1:57:29>> Motion uh Councilman Lawson to adjourn.

1:57:32Seconded by Council Vice President

1:57:34Regal. All in favor? I. Any opposed? The

1:57:37eyes have. Meeting is adjourned.

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