2026-10-06 - Town Council

06:11I will call the October 6, 2026 North

06:14Providence Town Council meeting to

06:16order. Please stand for the pledge of

06:18allegiance and remain standing for a

06:19moment of silence

06:22to the flag of the United States of

06:24America to the republic for it standy

06:32and justice for all.

06:53Item number one, acceptance of meeting

06:56minutes. Discussion and possible action

06:58and vote with regard to the acceptance

07:00of meeting minutes from the meetings of

07:02September 1st and September 16th, 2026.

07:05Do I have a motion to accept?

07:07>> So move second.

07:08>> Motion's been made by Councilman Bala,

07:09seconded by Councilman Dorenzo. All

07:11those in favor.

07:12>> All those opposed, the eyes have it.

07:14Item number two, municipal road and

07:16bridge program. Mayor Lombati requests

07:18discussion and possible vote on the

07:20municipal road and bridge programs.

07:22Mayor Lomb.

07:24Mayor,

07:32Mr. Chairman, members of the council,

07:35we've uh been awarded um significant

07:39amount of money. The new road restore

07:41program.

07:44got about uh 2 and uh 32,000 that we'd

07:48have to pay out of an approximate

07:50$700,000 of work. So 33%.

07:54Um thinking about this,

07:58the possibility we could get the funds

08:01from this program to rebuild the bridge

08:04should any of the other grants be a

08:06little uh late on receiving so to say.

08:11Now, a project in speaking with them

08:13could be if we were to name eight

08:15streets and said, "This is a project."

08:19That could be our project. I also want

08:21you to know that in the last two years,

08:25we've paved

08:29129 roads. We have a total of about 660

08:33roads in town.

08:36So, the reason why I think it's the

08:38right thing for us to get uh involved in

08:40this program is that we have

08:43roughly 700,000

08:46to spend and only a cost of 232.

08:52Um

08:54to me, I think this really is um

08:57important. Basically, it would be a a a

09:01no-brainer for us. Um, once we hopefully

09:06uh this would have to be by December,

09:08we'd have to uh make this proposal.

09:10Hopefully by that time we'll know where

09:12we are with the the bridge at Brook

09:14Farm. Uh, and while I'm on that, um, and

09:18talking with the Dave Demo is here. We

09:21also uh engaged a new company a couple

09:25of days ago uh for the design of that

09:30bridge. As you know, we tried to rebuild

09:33that bridge with a design build uh

09:36program, but uh no one bid on it because

09:38they wanted to they wanted to know the

09:41design. So,

09:44everyone problem we're facing right now

09:46is everyone is busy. So, but we did um

09:51get a commitment uh two days ago uh

09:54yesterday actually yesterday uh early

09:56day yesterday from a new company that's

09:58going to get on it as far as the design

10:01for that bridge. Asked them to move

10:04along as quick as possible so we could

10:06go out to bid and and uh take care of

10:09that that issue. But I thought you

10:11should know um the particulars of this

10:14grant that we did receive and um

10:16hopefully we agree to support it.

10:19>> Okay. There any questions?

10:23Councilman?

10:23>> Yeah. So So mayor, what do you need from

10:25us? The uh an authorization to

10:27>> actually to make the money.

10:28>> To be very to be very honest with you,

10:31they didn't ask for um a support or vote

10:35from any town or city council. I know is

10:38the right thing to come here and discuss

10:40this with you, bring you up to date as

10:42to um I think it's basically a

10:44no-brainer to get involved in it. Uh

10:47whether it becomes a a five, six, seven

10:50or eight street program or we have a

10:53little more information on the bridge. I

10:56I think it's the right thing to do.

10:58>> Do the streets have to be stupid? Maybe

11:00it's a stupid question. They got to be

11:01around the surrounding area or it's any

11:03>> No, no, no. If if you know council you

11:06know if the each district let's just say

11:08was put to present three streets and you

11:10know became nine street program then

11:13that's what it could be.

11:15>> Okay. Any other questions?

11:16>> So would the town portion be paid out of

11:18our road allocation in the budget?

11:21>> Either road allocation or if uh we don't

11:24have the money available in the budget

11:26then we'd have to go to the surplus

11:27monies. But I still think it's it's a

11:30$600,000

11:32or seven really

11:35gift.

11:36>> Any other questions?

11:38Have a motion to support

11:40>> program. So moved.

11:42>> Motion's been made by Councilman Bal.

11:44Second by Councilman Pollock. Any

11:45questions? There being none. All those

11:47in favor?

11:48>> I.

11:48>> All those opposed? The eyes have it.

11:50Thank you.

11:50>> Thank you.

11:51>> Item number three, zone change

11:53amendment. Town Council to consider

11:54approval of an application for from

11:56Smith Realy LLC to amend article 2

12:00section 203 a use table of the zoning

12:03ordinance of the town of North

12:04Providence to classify doggy daycare as

12:06permitted use in CP CV and CG districts

12:10only. This application was advertised in

12:11the Providence Journal on February 6th,

12:1413th and 20th, 2026

12:17for a hearing on this date continued

12:18from the September meeting. This matter

12:21was discussed at length in the ordinance

12:24committee and a motion was made to deny

12:27the zone change amendment. So uh that

12:31will be included in the zoning report.

12:32So I have a motion to deny.

12:34>> So moved.

12:35>> Motion's been made by council vala. Is

12:38there a second by council poach?

12:40>> Yeah. So my question is do we need to

12:42put anything on the record with regard

12:43to why we're denying the zone change?

12:46And the reason why I ask is we we

12:49recently had um and I know it's a little

12:51bit different but we recently had a

12:53planning board decision that went up to

12:56spher

12:57came back because there wasn't enough on

13:00the record with regard to why they ruled

13:03the way they did. I I have no idea. I'm

13:05asking you

13:13planning. So I would say that you do not

13:16You're welcome. If you like,

13:19if you'd like to put some rale on the

13:21record, you may.

13:27What do you guys think?

13:31>> Okay. Motion's been made to deny. All

13:32those in favor? I.

13:33>> All those opposed? The eyes have it.

13:35Item number proposed ordinance. Notice

13:38was given of a public hearing on this

13:39day whereby town council will consider

13:41passage of the following proposed

13:42ordinances. Item number four, ordinance

13:4526-00002Z,

13:47an ordinance amending the town of North

13:49Providence zoning ordinance, article 2,

13:50section 203, use table. This item is in

13:54connection with the previous zone change

13:56item and continued from the September

13:58meeting. Do I have a motion to deny?

14:00>> Motion been made by Councilman Foler. Is

14:02there a second?

14:02>> Second.

14:03>> Second by Councilman Bala. All those in

14:04favor.

14:05>> All those opposed, the eyes have it.

14:09Item number five, class A liquor license

14:11transfer. Notice was given of a public

14:13hearing to be held on this date in the

14:14Providence Journal on September 28th and

14:16October 5th, 2026

14:19for a transfer of a class A liquor

14:22license from RP Liquors, DBA Loritos

14:25Liquors, 1974 Middle Spring Avenue,

14:28North Providence, Rhode Island to Spring

14:30Spirit LLC, DBA MS Liquors, 1974 Middle

14:35Spring Avenue, North Providence, Rhode

14:37Island. Is there anyone here?

14:40Please step up to the mic, please.

14:44Can you just state your name for the

14:46record?

14:46>> Certainly. My name is uh Good evening

14:48everybody. Mark Gertzikov. Ge R S A C.

14:54I'm an attorney and I represent Spring

14:57Spirit LLC. This class A transfer

14:59application.

15:01Um, with me tonight in the audience, uh,

15:05we have the representative of the

15:06seller, Mr. Ranes Patel, and

15:09representative of the buyer, Mr. Pangu

15:12Panku Kumar Patel, excuse me, my

15:16apologies. Also known as Peter.

15:20Um, uh, this is, you know, transferable

15:24class A liquor license. The store is

15:26basically going to remain the same. Um,

15:29you may see a name change in the future,

15:32but other than that, I think everything

15:34else is going to remain the same. Hours,

15:37selection, sort of class A service that

15:39you'd expect from a respectable liquor

15:41store like it it's been operating for a

15:44long number of years.

15:46>> Okay, you all have the information in

15:47front of you. Is there any questions?

15:49Councilman

15:49>> one, does the buyer have any experience

15:51in the liquor industry?

15:52>> He does.

15:53>> Can you just uh describe that a little

15:54bit? Uh it's been they have uh several

15:57stores owned by several different family

15:59members all throughout New England.

16:01Okay.

16:02>> So,

16:03>> okay. Do I have a motion to approve the

16:04class A liquor license transfer?

16:05>> So, move.

16:06>> Motion been made by Councilman Leaporio.

16:08Is there a second?

16:08>> Second.

16:09>> Seconded by Councilman Dorenzo. Any

16:11questions? Any questions from the

16:12audience?

16:14All those in favor?

16:16>> All those opposed? You guys have it.

16:17Thank you. Good luck.

16:18>> Thank you so much.

16:20>> Head number six, victing license. Town

16:22Council to consider the approval of a

16:24victing license for SM Foods LLC DBA

16:27Hangry Joe's at 1650 Mineral Spring

16:29Avenue, North Proidence, Rhode Island.

16:31Is there anyone here from Hangry Joe's?

16:35Is there anyone here from Hangry Joe's?

16:39>> Can we tell them anytime? This is like

16:42the fourth or fifth time.

16:44>> Do that. This has been the third time

16:45it's been on the agenda. I'm going to

16:47make a motion to remove this in the

16:49agenda.

16:49>> So move.

16:50>> Motion has been made by Councilman

16:51McColl. Is there a second?

16:52>> Second.

16:53>> Seconded by council porch. All those in

16:54favor?

16:55>> I.

16:55>> All those opposed? The eyes have it.

16:57Item number seven, victing license. Town

16:59council to consider the approval of a

17:00victing license for the game house LLC.

17:02DVA. The game house 1726 Smith Street,

17:06North Proidence, Rhode Island. They

17:08called and asked this that this item be

17:10continued to the November meeting. Okay.

17:13Do I have a motion to continue?

17:14>> So moved. Second.

17:15>> Motion been made by Councilman Bala,

17:16seconded by Councilman Dorenzo. All

17:18those in favor?

17:19>> All those opposed? The eyes have it.

17:21Item number eight, vixeling license.

17:23Town council to consider the approval of

17:24a vickling license for Chew and Brew LLC

17:27DBA. Chew and Brew, 2009 Smith Street,

17:31North Providence, Rhode Island. Is there

17:32anyone here from Chew and Brew?

17:39Just state your name for the record,

17:40please.

17:40>> Andrea Deo.

17:41>> Thank you.

17:43>> Thank you. Okay, you all have the

17:45information in front of you. Is there

17:46any questions?

17:48Great play on words with the name.

17:51>> Cute, huh?

17:51>> Yeah.

17:53>> This is a well-needed bakery in the

17:55town. So, look forward to it.

17:56>> Good luck. Good luck.

17:58>> Okay. Do I have a motion to approve?

18:00>> Second.

18:00>> Motion's been made by Councilman

18:02Dorenzo, seconded by Councilman Pollock.

18:04All those in favor?

18:06>> All those opposed? The eyes have it.

18:07Good luck with everything.

18:08>> Thank you.

18:10>> Item number nine, peddler vendor

18:11license. Town Council to consider the

18:14approval of a peddler vendor license for

18:16Jennifer Delbasian DBA Doly's Coffee

18:18Bar, 10 Autumn Drive, Johnson, Rhode

18:20Island.

18:22>> State your name for the record, please.

18:25>> Jennifer Delbasian.

18:26>> Thank you. Any questions? Have a motion

18:29to approve.

18:30>> So moved.

18:31>> Motion has been made by Councilman Bala,

18:32seconded by Councilman Fiola. All those

18:34in favor?

18:35>> All those opposed, the eyes have it.

18:36Thank you. Good luck.

18:37>> Thank you.

18:38>> Good luck.

18:39>> Item number 10, class F1 liquor license.

18:41Town Council to consider a vote for the

18:42approval of a class F1 liquor license

18:44for Easy Bar LLC for an event at Camp

18:46Meion on October 29th, 2026. Do I have a

18:49motion to approve?

18:50>> So move.

18:51>> Motion's been made by Councilman Laorio,

18:53second by Councilman Bala. All those in

18:55favor?

18:55>> All those opposed? The eyes have it.

18:57Item number 11, class F1 liquor license.

19:00town council to consider a vote for the

19:02approval of a class F1 liquor license

19:04for Crazy Hour RARI for an event at Camp

19:07Mian that took place on September 11th,

19:102026.

19:12Yep. Okay. Do I have a motion to

19:13approve?

19:14>> So move.

19:15>> Motion's been made by Councilman Fiola.

19:16Is there a second?

19:17>> Second.

19:17>> Seconded by Councilman Bala. All those

19:19in favor?

19:20>> All those opposed? The eyes have it.

19:23[clears throat] Item number 12, parking

19:24in lot owned by Castanzo Holding.

19:26Anthony Castanzo request discussion and

19:28possible vote on the parking in the lot

19:30owned by Castanzo Holding. State your

19:33name for the record, please.

19:34>> Hello, Councilman.

19:36>> Um, this is Anthony Castanzo. Uh,

19:38Castanzo Holding Group. As you all know,

19:41the lot's right there. Um, on a daily

19:44basis, we've got cars parked in the lot

19:46that are not my cars.

19:49um you've all read the wonderful

19:54uh information in the uh Northstar or

19:56whatever the newspaper is and um we just

20:00got to come to some agreement on that.

20:02Um time has passed. Um it keeps

20:06happening. I got 175 license plates in

20:10my phone right now. Um and they're none

20:14none of them are my customers. Um

20:16they're all people that are either

20:18working here or visiting here. Um it's

20:21happening on a regular basis. It's not

20:24stopping and it's been going on for

20:26about six years.

20:29Before the town paid to use the lot and

20:31I was okay with that. Now the town

20:33refuses to pay. So I'm requesting

20:37we go back to what was before and uh

20:40stop paying on what was and uh move

20:43ahead from there. So

20:46What was the original agreement?

20:48>> $400 per month.

20:50>> And how long How long did we pay that?

20:52>> Years.

20:54>> Two years. Five years, 10 years.

20:56>> Uh I think five years.

20:58>> And the insurance company was okay with

21:00them parking me when you're getting paid

21:01for it?

21:02>> Mine or yours?

21:03>> The one that you're on your letter here?

21:06>> My insurance company? Yeah, I paid them.

21:08I had to pay a little extra. Wasn't a

21:10lot, but it was extra. And I did have to

21:12verify it with them that outside people

21:15were going to be parking in the lot. So

21:16I had to pay an extra premium for that.

21:19>> So I have one question. If

21:21[clears throat] somebody's coming not

21:22coming to town hall and parks there, how

21:24is that the town's responsibility?

21:26>> Who's coming not the town hall?

21:29>> I'm asking there's people that live

21:30around here. There's people that come

21:31they go live. We know that for a fact

21:33then

21:34>> I do. Every plate I can tell you because

21:36I I've I've actually semi-retired. So I

21:39kind of have a little time on my hands.

21:40So I I actually asked the person, "Are

21:43you parked here for the town hall?" When

21:45they come out, and they're usually

21:46pretty,

21:47>> "Yeah, where am I supposed to park?" I'm

21:49like, "I don't know, over there.

21:51>> There's no place to park over there."

21:52They yell at me.

21:54>> If the if the town doesn't agree to any

21:56of this, what what's the solution to get

21:58people to stop?

21:59>> I'm going to have to take the town to

22:00court

22:02>> the people out of parking instead of

22:03just towing their cars.

22:04>> Uh I've already towed a dozen cars.

22:07>> Okay.

22:08>> And I'm not going to tow any more cars.

22:09And you can't put like the mayor says,

22:11"Put up a fence." I'm not going to put

22:13up a fence because the fire department

22:14won't allow a fence to be put there to

22:16protect this building and my building.

22:19They need to be able to get access

22:20through there.

22:22So, we cannot put up a fence.

22:24>> I I thought I've seen vehicles park in

22:27the back and people go through the

22:29condos that

22:30>> Well, those back spots there, those all

22:32belong to the condo.

22:33>> So, they're not your spots.

22:35>> Those are not my spots. And I have no

22:38problem with that at all because it's

22:39not my land. And you can clearly see

22:42where the line is. If you go back there,

22:45you can see I I had my land tred about

22:4915 years ago. Hasn't held up that well.

22:52Um but nevertheless, you can see where

22:55the line is. It's basically where your

22:56white fence is back there. It just

22:58shoots across.

23:00>> So how do they how do they get access?

23:02>> How does how the people parking there

23:04for the apartments to condos? They come

23:05up that hill or uh

23:07>> on the back side of your property.

23:09>> No, that's their property.

23:10>> Not Mil Street.

23:11>> So, it comes up that way.

23:12>> Mil Street.

23:13>> And they park right there.

23:14>> Yeah. And um

23:18that's legal. They can do that. They're

23:20not actually getting any, you know,

23:22>> and we don't know if it's anybody

23:23visiting those people parking there.

23:25It's all people coming to town hall. So,

23:26the 12 cars that you you you towed were

23:29all from They said I went to town hall.

23:31>> They were all town hall. Yeah. Unless

23:33it's at night. Unless it's at night,

23:36then they usually belong to another

23:38local business.

23:41So, I'm not asking for anything unless

23:43you just don't want to tax me. You know,

23:45that's up to you. So, it's either tax me

23:48or pay me for the land for the use of

23:50the land.

23:53>> The mayor is here. Uh mayor,

23:57>> can we not put up a fence?

24:13park on his property that my advice to

24:16Mr. Castano once before was put up a

24:18fence.

24:20I don't think put up a fence is out of

24:22responsibility at this point in time and

24:25I will say this to all due respect. We

24:28did have more cars in the last few

24:31months when people were coming here

24:33early in the week and we talked with

24:36them, asked them not to park there. I

24:38can tell you this in your voting, we're

24:40going to put someone out there in one of

24:42our custodians and to make sure that

24:44people uh do not park there. I will also

24:47tell you that

24:49the deliveries

24:51uh to Mr. Castanzo, the bigger trucks,

24:54they come in and out our property to get

24:57to his to make a delivery.

25:00>> Is that your property or is that the

25:01town's property?

25:04>> Our property.

25:06>> Right. So, any vehicle can go on

25:08taxpayers.

25:09>> Is that put a Anthony put a fence up?

25:12you're here asking

25:14>> I'm requesting that the town verify with

25:17the fire department that I can put a

25:19fence up and I'll do so

25:21>> because I'm not going to go through the

25:23process of asking everybody in the fire

25:26department to approve the fence and then

25:29find out later it's in the way. It

25:31causes a problem. It's a locked fence.

25:34No one's gaining access to it and in a

25:36fire it's going to be an issue. So, I'm

25:38not going to deal with that. I just need

25:40absolute approval to put a fence there.

25:42So,

25:43>> can I ask a simple question? Why can't

25:45it be two poles with a with a chain? Why

25:46is it got to be a full fence? Just in

25:48case I tried that already.

25:49>> Just in case an emergency people driving

25:51through it.

25:51>> I tried it. They just tear it down. And

25:54the town actually produced a sign once

25:57and that got destroyed.

25:59>> Okay. I mean, I'm just asking. I'm not

26:01trying to get confrontated. I'm just

26:02asking.

26:02>> I don't have a problem with that. But

26:03they do take it down.

26:05>> You know, [clears throat]

26:06>> just wise up. I had um I had those

26:11pylons and they disappeared.

26:16>> I had three of them I think.

26:22We have 51

26:25available parking streets across the

26:29street on the site and in the back at

26:31this in time we don't need any

26:34additional parking

26:36for our employees or normal traffic in

26:40the town. Only thing I can say is we'll

26:43talk with the fire department and ask

26:45them for their opinion here and um

26:52>> and as far as the street mayor that's on

26:54the side of town hall is that a public

26:56street or is that half owned by both

26:58half and half?

27:02>> All right. So it's nothing that we can

27:04So if you

27:05>> if you want to check water waterman

27:07engineering did a survey of that and not

27:09that I'm claiming it. No, I'm I'm

27:11>> there's about 6 in of this building are

27:13on my land, but I don't care about that

27:16because there's nothing we're doing

27:17about that cuz they didn't have GPS back

27:19then. So,

27:20>> I got you.

27:21>> And the sat the satellite image show is

27:23is how they do the actual, you know,

27:26calculations now.

27:28>> But I I'm not going to I'm not going to

27:30go forward with this. I'm just going to

27:32seek legal advice and that's it. I'm

27:34done. Okay. I may even sell my building.

27:36I'm so tired of it. So, the town's not

27:39being fair. You're you're taxing me on

27:43something that is not entirely for my

27:46use. None of you would appreciate it if

27:49someone was parked in your yard uh when

27:51you came home from work. None of you

27:54you'd you'd be crazy about it.

27:56>> I agree. If you don't mind, uh

27:58>> I'm all set. I'm I'm going to get back

27:59to work. I got people waiting for me.

28:01Council President, can we put in the

28:03form of a motion to ask the fire

28:05department just to see if that's what we

28:07can and can't do there if he

28:08>> It would be a locked gate.

28:10>> It'd be a locked gate, fence, aluminum,

28:12wood, whatever we want, whatever he

28:13wants. The

28:13>> motion has been made by Councilman Bala,

28:15seconded by Councilman Pollock. All

28:16those in favor?

28:17>> I.

28:18>> All those opposed, the eyes have it.

28:19>> Thank you.

28:19>> We'll get back to you when we hear a

28:21response. Thank you.

28:23Item number 13, ordinance introduction,

28:25discussion, and possible vote on the

28:26introduction of ordinance 26-015Z

28:30amending the North Providence zoning

28:31ordinance establishing a mixeduse

28:33commercial corridor overlay district.

28:36Again, I don't think there's been much

28:37discussion between the attorneys. So,

28:39I'm going to ask that this is continued

28:42to the November meeting.

28:44>> So moved.

28:44>> Motion's been made by Councilman Baller.

28:46Is there a second?

28:47>> Second.

28:47>> Second by Councilman Fiola. All those in

28:49favor?

28:51>> All those opposed? The eyes have it.

28:53Item number 14, attorney to be hired by

28:55town council. Discussion and possible

28:56vote on the council hiring an attorney

28:58to represent them concerning the storage

29:00facility located at 1204 Douglas Avenue.

29:07What's that?

29:12Okay.

29:14I thought someone asked a question. I'm

29:15sorry.

29:17Okay. This matter uh is being was

29:20continued from the special meeting we

29:22had about the storage facility that is

29:25being built on at 1204 Douglas Avenue.

29:29Uh it's been brought to my attention

29:31that there's been some meetings uh

29:33between the attorneys that represent the

29:37storage facility and attorneys for the

29:40town. And I know Councilman Dorenzo has

29:42attended some of those meetings which I

29:43think is very thank we're thankful that

29:47you've you've done that. Um

29:50I still have concerns about what's being

29:53built there. As I've said I've stated

29:55for the record many times. That is not

29:57what I voted for. I don't agree with the

30:00dog and pony show that was put on at the

30:02last council meeting. I thought it was

30:04actually very very disturbing that an

30:08attorney that does not no no longer work

30:09for the town would come here and do that

30:13and work against residents of the town.

30:15But that's the predicament we're in. So

30:19um

30:22I'll leave it up to you guys. Is there

30:23any statements for the record? I have to

30:25recuse from this. For the record, uh

30:27Councilman Lao will be recusing it.

30:30>> So I have a couple minutes. Sure.

30:34uh

30:36to hire an outside attorney. Uh God

30:40knows how long and for what it's going

30:42to cost. Um we do have two attorneys

30:46that are currently

30:48uh on stipens from this town. Am I

30:50correct? One would be Charles.

30:52>> Yes.

30:52>> The other one would be, you know, a

30:53solicitor. I I don't why which we get

30:57basically for you paid them already. Why

31:00would we be looking for another uh bill

31:03from a different lawyer? Listen, we're

31:04all we're all not happy with what's

31:06going on there and that's obvious, but

31:08I'm looking for the taxpayers because

31:11that could it could get substantial.

31:14Uh if it if it is prolonged. So, I have

31:18a question on that. I think me and Mario

31:20talked about this a little bit.

31:23I I I don't know what the point. So my

31:26my opinion is when you have kind of

31:28specialized legal issues, you typically

31:31hire specialized legal counsel. So you

31:35know this is I think a specialized issue

31:37um that not that Charles isn't capable,

31:41but I know it's not his areas of

31:42expertise. I would prefer to uh you know

31:47I would prefer that we we if we were

31:49going to hire it shouldn't be somebody

31:51that this is something they do. Um

31:55And you know, for the record, I haven't

31:57been satisfied with any of the answers

31:58I've been given. Not that I think we've

32:00been given many answers. Um, you know,

32:03we we I'm I still don't know why a

32:07provision of the ordinance is not being

32:09adhered to. Um, I still don't know how

32:12Brent approved a minor change when we

32:13don't have a definition of minor change

32:15in our regs. Um, you know, we've asked

32:19our solicitor who came last time and

32:21stood up um in in in solidarity with the

32:26developer, which okay. Um, but I haven't

32:28received a memo. I haven't received

32:30anything in writing with regard to, you

32:33know, why this was a legal process that

32:37was followed appropriately. I mean, I'm

32:40a solicitor in other towns. We do memos

32:42all the time and I haven't received a

32:44satisfactory answer on any of this

32:46stuff. So, you know, I I I'm not saying

32:50we need to hire an attorney definitely

32:52to take legal action, but I think it

32:55makes sense to hire an attorney who does

32:57this stuff to see if the process that

33:00was followed was legal. If

33:01>> you don't mind me asking, do we get it

33:03to a point where our solicitors could at

33:05least stop the ball rolling and see

33:08where this goes in court? If the judge

33:09says it's going to it's going to go

33:11further, then you get somebody that's

33:12got that expertise in there. Or is it

33:14something we need to start from the

33:16beginning with? I'm just asking. I'm not

33:18a lawyer, but sometimes I play one on

33:20television. But I mean,

33:23>> no, I was going to say I think you'd

33:24have a convergent opinion, you know,

33:26from what was offered originally by

33:28Brent versus the course of the legal

33:31course that you're trying to pursue at

33:33the council. So I think there would have

33:34to be representation potentially for

33:37Brent as it proceeds through there and

33:40you have existing opinion from the

33:42solicitor that was offered during the

33:43last. So I think you have the burdens

33:47between the representation potentially

33:49of the council and um the town

33:52administration. So in that instance and

33:56I will say candly I don't think this is

33:58encompassed in my representation right

34:01now of the council um could I assist you

34:05and guide you through the process yes

34:07but ultimately through the litigation I

34:09think time consuming and you want

34:12someone that has an expertise in land

34:15use area that I do not

34:18I would not to have so I agree with

34:22Mario as it relates to the scope of the

34:24representation.

34:27I think maybe it' be helpful just at

34:28least have a consultation

34:31as you know a first step and and by the

34:34way we may talk to somebody and they say

34:35you you guys are absolutely wrong. I'm

34:37not forclosing that you know

34:40possibility. Uh I I just have not

34:43received frankly any uh to satisfaction

34:47of no

34:55Good evening, council people. Uh,

34:58Tanessa Aar, attorney on behalf of TAC

35:01North Providence LLC and their affiliate

35:03Montar Group. Um, I wanted to be

35:05available as part of this discussion as,

35:07you know, the developer of the project.

35:09as kind of mentioned, you know, since

35:11the last meeting, we've been working

35:13with the town staff and Councilman

35:16Dorenzo has been kind enough to give us

35:18some time and talk to us about, you

35:20know, everything that's going on. Um, it

35:23it seemed like the groups were kind of

35:24working to, you know, maybe get a

35:27solution that might put some buffering

35:29up for the neighbors and kind of address

35:31this, but tonight it seems like maybe a

35:33different path is being taken. So, I

35:36wanted to, you know, be available to

35:38discuss

35:39Like I said, our understanding was in

35:41the interim, we've been trying to we

35:44maintain that what was done was proper,

35:45but we've been trying to be neighborly.

35:47Um, we, you know, have had a site visit

35:50with the building department out to the

35:52site to look for potential planting

35:54locations. We've proposed some

35:57plantings, but that was with the

35:59understanding that, you know, that would

36:01kind of address the issue. It sounds

36:02like now you're you're taking a little

36:04bit of a a different turn. So, I wanted

36:06to to check in. But the planting was

36:08already supposed to be done ordinance

36:11that was passed.

36:12>> So there was supposed to be buffer

36:13planting which was on the landscape

36:15plan. This would be above that and in

36:17addition because the current layout of

36:20the site is such that with the grade any

36:23plantings on my client's property would

36:25be too low down. This was looking for

36:27another solution to put plantings at a

36:29higher elevation. So, like I said, we we

36:32went out there, we walked the site with

36:34the, you know, understanding that if the

36:36neighbors are are, you know, interested,

36:39there could be some plantings on either

36:41their properties or Terrace Street. So,

36:44this wouldn't be something that would

36:45have been on a landscape plan because it

36:47couldn't be because my clients don't

36:48control those uh those properties.

36:51>> I have a question. So

36:54without

36:55what you're doing right now, is it your

36:58opinion that the provision in the

37:02ordinance that says there shall be

37:03appropriate fencing and landscaping so

37:06that the premises is conducive to the

37:07abuing neighborhood that would only

37:10require you planting on your property

37:13and not high enough to block the

37:16neighboring properties.

37:17>> It's impossible based on the grading for

37:19it to be high enough. So, yes, any

37:21plantings on my client's property

37:24because of the change in elevation, it

37:25it couldn't it couldn't be as effective

37:29as maybe what some of the neighbors

37:30might like

37:33>> because the plan that was passed, you

37:35weren't supposed to see the building,

37:37>> right?

37:37>> Yeah.

37:38>> Sorry, what did you say? I just didn't

37:39hear.

37:39>> Plan that was passed, you weren't

37:40supposed to see the building.

37:41>> It didn't It didn't say that. It didn't

37:43say you couldn't see the building. I'm

37:44I'm you know,

37:45>> but if the grade wasn't high enough to

37:47begin with, then you no matter what you

37:48planted there, unless you were put uh

37:51>> planting 40 foot or 50 foot trees, you

37:53were never So, right now, you planning

37:54on putting 50 or 40 or 50 foot trees

37:56from the bottom all the way to the top.

37:58>> No, no, not on our property. No, like I

38:00said, it was never in the ordinance that

38:01you can't see the building from any, you

38:03know.

38:03>> No, but in the original plan, in order

38:05for you to put that on the plan, I'm

38:07just listen. I'm just saying it from

38:08>> No, I understand.

38:10>> Well, common sense that what I'm looking

38:12at, I'm putting this here. So you're

38:13buffering it so you can't see it. I have

38:14to have another item on here that's

38:16considering the same thing. So I mean if

38:18you're not taking that into

38:19consideration what really was on there.

38:21>> I just said not to completely hide. It

38:23was it was meant to to buffer. But

38:25>> listen, I I I get it.

38:26>> Yeah.

38:26>> But to me still if you're 20t down and

38:29you're only putting a 10ft tree. Well,

38:31how long before that becomes 30 feet and

38:33you don't you don't see any buffer?

38:37>> Well, did I just make that not common?

38:39My my my problem with it is, you know,

38:42again, we're we're in my opinion, we're

38:45disregarding the plain reading of the

38:46ordinance. The ordinance says there

38:48shall be appropriate fencing and

38:50landscaping so that the premises is

38:52conducive to the abuing neighborhood.

38:54Now, that may have been fine because the

38:57original plan was singlestory buildings.

38:59Now, I think you have to change your

39:01landscaping and fencing plan because you

39:04decided to build a three-story building.

39:07it. So it very specifically says that

39:08the fencing is approved by the building

39:10and planning offices. So it's in their

39:12discretion. They've they've approved

39:14what was proposed.

39:15>> So they've already approved it.

39:16>> Yeah. Because they when when we came in

39:18for the amendment So when we came in for

39:19the amendment, a complete plan set was

39:21given to them that included a

39:23landscaping plan.

39:24>> And what did they approve? I'm I'm

39:27>> Yeah, let me I I don't mean to act like,

39:32but I'm a little frustrated, not with

39:34you uh with the situation. Understood.

39:36>> Um,

39:37>> what was what was in that plan if you

39:39don't mind me asking? I don't know. You

39:40know, if you

39:40>> Yeah. So, I I don't I don't have it off

39:42the top of my head, but there was a

39:43there was a you know, a series of

39:46plantings along the the area between the

39:49project and the neighbors on on on our

39:52on our client's property.

39:54>> And look, not to to block the whole

39:56building. No, like like I said, the the

39:58with the way the elevation is, it's it

40:00you couldn't block the entire building,

40:02but like I said, it says in the

40:04ordinance that the the fencing and

40:05landscaping is approved by planning and

40:07zoning.

40:08>> 100% right. I I didn't realize they had

40:10approved there already,

40:11>> right? Like so as part when you when we

40:12went in for the amendment, they got an

40:14entire plan set and that plan set had a

40:16landscape plan included as one of the

40:18sheets.

40:19>> Do we ever get a copy of that?

40:21>> No. And we asked for it. Okay. Uh, thank

40:23you.

40:23>> So, we have we have a full No, I don't

40:25think I don't think anyone asked us for

40:27it. We have

40:28>> Okay, we have a there's a full plan sets

40:30are available. They were, you know, the

40:32building has them. Planning has them.

40:34They they had to have them to get a a

40:36building permit.

40:37>> And again, it's nothing against you.

40:39Originally, that original plan, I

40:40guarantee you, did not have a retaining

40:42wall that that was that high. And then

40:44the plantings would have been on top of

40:45that. Now, you're going to be on top of

40:47that. So at a lower grade, you wouldn't

40:49have had to without that building that

40:50size, you wouldn't have had to put up a

40:51retaining wall that big.

40:52>> So there's an existing retaining wall.

40:54The area where the new retaining wall is

40:56being built is not really the area in

40:58question that the that we're looking at

41:00for these plantings.

41:02If you look at the site, there's an

41:04existing wall and then an area is going

41:06to have a new wall. The plantings are

41:08proposed in the area where the existing

41:09wall is.

41:13>> There's all houses behind everything.

41:15you you walked

41:16>> there are some there's some existing

41:18vegetation in certain areas

41:19>> there there's there's three houses in

41:21question uh one is the Cheryl's house

41:24and then there's two over there I think

41:26that gentleman over there there's two

41:27houses there

41:29>> the house on the left the charello field

41:31from from their property has a lot of

41:33trees already

41:36>> uh they

41:37>> will those will those be trees will they

41:39be trees during the

41:40>> one of them is very very big

41:41>> but will they be will they be the same

41:42in the winter as they are in the summer

41:44when the leaves leave, you're going to

41:45see everything.

41:45>> Well, when the leaves leave, they leave.

41:46I mean, you know what? You know, but

41:48listen, I'm with when I would talk to

41:50these folks here, we were talking about

41:51abroades all the way across so that they

41:54would stay forever. There's no there's

41:57no leaves leaving.

41:58>> I'm with you.

41:59>> So, uh, and I think they were going to

42:01be eight and 10 foot high to start off

42:04with. Within three or four years, they

42:06could be as high as 12 or 15. I don't

42:08know.

42:08>> They grow about three feet a year. They

42:09grow about three feet a year.

42:10>> Okay. So, three feet. at the end of two

42:12three years you you know you you may not

42:14see anything. They also agreed to I

42:16don't know exactly what you call a pet

42:18hair I think is what you call it which

42:20the roof is white

42:21>> and they agreed or they were okay with

42:25painting or making it a little softer

42:28instead of that white. Um listen I again

42:33no one's happy with what happened here.

42:35My question is with retaining a lawyer

42:37is

42:39>> are we retaining a lawyer for the

42:41mistakes that

42:43>> the town made? The town made

42:45>> we made

42:47to mistakes that these folks made.

42:50>> That's what there's my question on

42:52spending that money

42:53>> is I think it's something that should be

42:55taken care of here. I I don't listen

42:59that's just my opinion.

43:02I am absolutely flabbergasted that our

43:05town planning department approved a

43:08three-story building when they shouldn't

43:09have and I know we disagree. Uh and not

43:13only did they approve a three-story

43:14building, but they approved a

43:16landscaping plan that doesn't block any

43:17of it. It is absolutely astounding. I am

43:21now more convinced than ever that we

43:22need to hire an attorney. We need to

43:24investigate the planning department. It

43:26is absolutely ridiculous that they are

43:29making these kinds of mistakes that are

43:30hurting our residents. And I I apologize

43:34not to I have to clarify like where does

43:36you know in our opinion our client is

43:37fully within their rights. They have

43:39approvals that are valid that you know

43:41there the amendment is beyond the period

43:44to appeal the building the building uh

43:47permit has been issued. There's no

43:49construction related violations.

43:52you know, we we stand that and if and if

43:55we're brought into that kind of

43:56litigation, we'll have to defend their

43:57right to continue the project and then

43:59we move completely away from screening

44:01and other kinds of things we've been

44:02working on. It it sets us on a whole

44:04different path. Our our goal up here is

44:06to be neighborly if you you know and but

44:09if if that's a different tone, it it it

44:10changes the conversation. We believe we

44:12were correct and relying on the town's

44:14decisions.

44:15>> I I understand and I I don't mean to

44:18direct my anger at you. Uh, I feel like

44:22there were some serious mistakes that

44:24were made here. Uh, mistakes that are

44:26costing our residents. Uh, I'm worried

44:29that mistakes are going to continue to

44:30happen unless we nip this in the bud.

44:33Although, you know, I don't think we're

44:34nipping it in the bud. I think we're

44:36well past that. Uh I I I mean um I was I

44:41was working under the impression that we

44:43at the very least and again I don't

44:46concede the point that this was done

44:48appropriately, not by you. Uh but I was

44:51at the very least working under the

44:53impression that we still had the

44:55opportunity to put appropriate fencing

44:57and landscaping in to protect the

44:59neighbors. And we already approved

45:01something that doesn't protect them at

45:03all. What are we doing? I I'm I'm I'm

45:08absolutely

45:09>> I am at a loss for words.

45:10>> Loss for words.

45:12>> Would anybody else like to speak on this

45:13matter?

45:14>> One other item we have been working with

45:16solicitor Galone. I believe he's having

45:18someone look into the, you know, the

45:20approval process and retaining council

45:22to evaluate it, but I won't speak for

45:24him as he's not here. Um, like I said,

45:27we have been willing to work and find a

45:30landscaping plan either on the terrace

45:33street that's not owned by my clients or

45:36the neighbors own land and address some

45:38of the the the buffering, but that's a

45:42separate discussion if this turns a

45:44different way. So,

45:44>> thank you.

45:45>> Thank you.

45:50>> Hi, my name is Margot Conklin. I live at

45:5244 Cushing Street. Um, I have so many

45:56concerns about so many different things,

45:58but the buffering plans that they have

46:02laid out. Um,

46:06so when this all first started, we were

46:08promised a retaining wall. And already

46:11with last week's storm, especially now

46:13with all the construction that has

46:15happened, we are seeing more erosion of

46:17the land that some of us like I that

46:21that uh of the paper road behind our

46:23houses. So I know my neighbor's house

46:27can see in the back of his yard the land

46:29dipped by his fence. So without a

46:33retaining wall like some bushes, yeah,

46:35that'll be nice. It'll block the view,

46:38but our land that we are supposedly have

46:41is going to just disappear.

46:44Uh I know originally in

46:50when the project first started with the

46:52other developer, they stopped work when

46:56the retaining wall wasn't built. We went

46:59to we went to the inspections office,

47:02the old inspector, and we were like,

47:04"They're not building a retaining wall.

47:05they've just shoved some rocks into the

47:07side of the dirt and they stopped work

47:09because there was no retaining wall and

47:11then it never started again. Um,

47:15I also think that just putting Abraite

47:19behind the three houses is a waste

47:22because you'll have large gaps of behind

47:26the other house behind Lou's house or

47:30the other side of Lou's house, excuse

47:31me. Also, there is the house to on the

47:36other side of me that is set back

47:38further and doesn't the property doesn't

47:40come all the way out.

47:42That that'll just be wide open and

47:44you'll just see like a roof. So, I if

47:48there is going to be if this is the

47:50solution, I feel like it should go all

47:53the way across from one end of terrace

47:55to behind

47:58uh what is it? 46 Cushing 48 Cushing.

48:02Um,

48:04this whole thing has been so

48:05disappointing. We've been to the

48:07building and inspector's office multiple

48:09times. We asked about the foliage plans.

48:13He we were told they don't have any.

48:17We asked we we we've been to the

48:20inspections office so many times this

48:21summer asking all of these questions and

48:25got absolutely nowhere. And

48:30this whole thing has been really

48:32disheartening.

48:34>> Thank you. Is there anyone else that

48:36would like to speak on this matter? Just

48:39state your name for the record, please.

48:42>> Good evening. Shane Piche, 8 Robert

48:44Drive.

48:45Uh, let me first put on the record that

48:48I was a member of the planning board for

48:49over eight years. I was on the planning

48:51board when this plan did come before us

48:55back in 2017. I have some documentation

48:59that I'd also like to pass along to

49:02members of the council here

49:05if I could.

49:13Uh so I will try to be as brief as

49:16possible but I will make no promises as

49:17there are a lot of things to discuss uh

49:19tonight and I want to make sure I do a

49:21thorough job to give this council the

49:24most information uh possible so that we

49:26can rectify this problem. Um as uh as we

49:30aware I was at the last meeting as well.

49:32It was a special meeting and I I would

49:35be remiss if I didn't address something

49:37that happened and I hope you'll all

49:38allow me to put this into the record,

49:40but at the last meeting uh I was called

49:42out specifically by name by our former

49:44solicitor who was uh the solicitor to

49:46the planning board as I was a member of

49:48the board. Myself and that uh uh that

49:51solicitor had had uh many contentious

49:54moments you can say on the planning

49:56board because I do believe that as Mr.

49:58Mone has pointed out there are some

50:00major failures in our planning and

50:03building and zoning departments. Um, and

50:06at that last meeting there were some

50:07comments made and I'd like to read to

50:09you uh which you all have a copy of, but

50:11I'd like to read to you a letter that

50:12was uh delivered to me, handd delivered

50:14uh by a uh a constable and this was uh

50:18dated on September 24th, but I'd like to

50:20be in the record. Um says, "Dear Mr.

50:22Piche, I write to demand that you

50:24immediately cease and desist all

50:26defamatory statements."

50:27>> Yes. just stick to

50:29>> Well, I Well, I I want to make this

50:30point because the

50:31>> zoning stuff.

50:32>> All right. Well, let's stick to it. So,

50:34so the long story short is I guess you

50:35guys don't want me to put it on, but

50:37this was this is a request essentially

50:38from that solicitor who said that I

50:40somehow disparaged her. Well, let me let

50:43me explain how I did not disparage her.

50:45The comments in in particular that she

50:47that she took exception to were um

50:53incompetence or nefarious. And I stand

50:56by those statements. It can be one or

50:58the other. Maybe it could be both, but

51:00it's one or the other. In 2017,

51:03specifically April 7th, this uh matter

51:06became before the planning board. At

51:09that time, our town planner Dave

51:11Wescott, God rest his soul, if he was

51:13here today, he could solve a lot of

51:14these issues. Uh recused himself in this

51:18matter because he had a conflict because

51:20at one point he was employed by the

51:22developer.

51:24At that point,

51:26Miss then Miss Kelly Nixon Mars was the

51:30assistant solicitor. She uh stepped in

51:34to do the opinion.

51:37Frankly, in my opinion, as the

51:38solicitor, her job is to provide counsel

51:40to the board members, not to step in and

51:42do the findings, not to step in and act

51:44as the town planner. My opinion, don't

51:47know if that's the case. I don't know if

51:48this board would accept that, but

51:50there's a reason why we have a planning

51:51board. There's a reason why we had a

51:52town planner. I don't know why an

51:54outside town hired attorney would be the

51:57person to step in place of a planner who

51:59had to recuse themselves.

52:01However, that is exactly what happened.

52:04And uh what is what is concerning what's

52:09concerning to me then is why I voted

52:10against it. It's concerning to me today.

52:13That property was zoned commercial

52:14village with a portion of it commercial

52:16general. the town's comp plan at the

52:19time called for it to stay that way and

52:21actually have a less impactful use. Now,

52:24again, eight years on the planning

52:26board, I'm not going to tell you I'm a

52:27zoning official or I'm I'm a

52:28professional, but I can tell you I have

52:30a little experience. There is not a

52:32place that I know of and a person that I

52:35know of that hasn't knows anything about

52:36zoning and planning that would ever tell

52:38you when you're going to make a change

52:40in zoning, you go for a a more extreme

52:43use. You always go to a lesser use. So

52:45if you have a CV zone, the last thing

52:46you want to do is create a manufacturing

52:49limited zone. But that's exactly what

52:51was recommended by then solicitor

52:54because that was the only way that

52:56storage could be allowed by a special

52:58use permit. So what we did is we we our

53:01council at the time, which many of you

53:02were not on on this, I think Dino may be

53:05the only one that was there. I don't

53:06know if you were there at that point,

53:07Steve. um but you were convinced by the

53:10planning board or by the the findings of

53:13the person who wrote it that you should

53:16make this change. Now again I I don't

53:18know if any of you are planning

53:20professionals but you're going based on

53:23the recommendation of the board. I

53:24thought it was the wrong recommendation

53:26then. I still think it's the wrong

53:27recommendation because what we've done

53:29essentially is we screwed our neighbors.

53:31Okay. But nonetheless that was what was

53:33done. I do I believe that right then and

53:35there is when this started to become a

53:37problem because the person who made this

53:39decision and wrote this decision in fact

53:42is that solicitor who came and chastised

53:44you two weeks ago.

53:46If you go through the rest of that, they

53:49talk about a hardship on the property

53:52and it clearly states, if you want to

53:53read underneath there, there wasn't

53:54really a hardship because the property

53:56wasn't marketed in in any other way when

53:59and I don't know if Miss Aar were you

54:01working with Copen Group when they came

54:03to us for the first time.

54:06>> Respond.

54:07>> You can.

54:08>> So I was I worked for Moses Ryan who

54:10worked for I wasn't at the meeting or

54:13any of that. So, you weren't involved in

54:14that because I don't recall you being

54:16there. That's why I asked,

54:19>> but you didn't testify before us because

54:20I don't recall that.

54:22>> Uh, what I do recall is when they

54:23testified before us at the time, the way

54:25Caponado presented it and and I said to

54:27them, I said, uh, you know, why are you

54:29giving us storage? You you built Chapel

54:31View, you build all these beautiful

54:32developments, why why would you why do

54:34you want to build storage there? And

54:36their answer was, well, it's Douglas

54:37Avenue in North Providence. So, you can

54:39imagine how much exception I took to

54:40that. And I think I said that the last

54:42time I was here, but the point I made

54:44was why would we allow this to happen?

54:46Well, unfortunately, in my opinion, it

54:48got stuffed through. Uh would you

54:51confirm for me that um your firm was

54:54representing Copen Group for on this

54:56application?

54:57>> Yeah, you can just Shane ask me,

55:00>> right? Okay.

55:02>> You did, right? And Moses Ryan, correct?

55:05>> That's that's your firm. Yes. Okay.

55:10For those listen, for those who may not

55:11know, for for those who may not know,

55:13>> ask me the question, then I'll ask.

55:14>> Okay. Well, I just wanted to confirm

55:16that because um I I know there's a

55:18revolving door law and I know that this

55:21specific uh situation is is outside of

55:23those terms that the state has. But to

55:25be on the record, Miss Mars or Nixon

55:28Mars at the time did work for that firm

55:31for about 12 years. That firm came

55:33before us. I know that the revolving

55:35door, but Mr. Wescott recused himself

55:38because in the past he had worked for

55:40Capion Group. Miss Mars never disclosed

55:43that she at that time at least that I

55:45recall that she was a a former partner

55:48in that firm. So I I just find it as a

55:50conflict that this firm came before us

55:53to ask for storage which was not an

55:54allowed use anywhere in town. The only

55:56way you could do it is by getting this

55:58specific ML zone and ask for a special

56:01use permit. So she basically wrote this

56:04for a former

56:06partnership. So that's just a fact that

56:08we can it's there. So now we move

56:10forward and the original proposal is

56:12eight small buildings. And it was

56:14literally told at the meeting that it

56:17was going to be similar to what we have

56:18behind the stop and shop on Mineral

56:20Spring Avenue and what we have on Route

56:2244. All these neighbors that are here

56:24know that because I recognized them and

56:26spoke to them all the time.

56:30Obviously that's not what we got. You

56:32fast forward to what the situation is

56:34now. We have a new town planner who was

56:37who was not involved in that original

56:39plan

56:40who is going through the terrible

56:43records that we have, the little that we

56:44do have. And he reaches out to his then

56:49solicitor to get an opinion. And that

56:52solicitor's opinion was that he could do

56:55what was done. Now

56:59again,

57:01we may not particularly define minor in

57:04our ordinance, but the word minor itself

57:06has a definition. In no way is this

57:09original plan anything close to what was

57:12built that without question should have

57:14gone back immediately because how did

57:16they get a preliminary plan? Who put

57:18their eyes on the changes? the walls

57:21that we're talking about the buffer it

57:23clearly states as Dino as you pointed

57:24out um when you look at the original

57:28motion um there was a there was certain

57:32regulations as well as a planting plan

57:34that would have to be approved by the

57:36planning board before final approval on

57:38the plan it says so right here number

57:40five. So that's going back to 2017. So

57:44there's [clears throat] no question that

57:45our town planner and again just maybe

57:49for lack of [snorts] knowledge didn't

57:50act in the way that he should have. And

57:51there's definitely a situation in terms

57:54of the solicitor allowing or advising

57:58especially when it's something so

58:00significant you would want to default

58:02and say you know what that's probably

58:04something that needs to go back to the

58:05planning board. Well well why wouldn't

58:07why wouldn't that person do that? It

58:08makes no sense. I mean, I can connect

58:10some dots and tell you my opinion on

58:12why, but I do believe it's incumbent

58:15upon this board and this town to not

58:17allow our neighbors to suffer what

58:19they're suffering because, and I'll I'll

58:22provide this information. I don't have

58:23to beat you to death with it, but if you

58:25want to go, it's customary, okay, this

58:27is, you know, anybody can figure this

58:28out. In zoning law, it is customary to

58:30allow a less impactful use, often

58:32referred to as less intensive. The most

58:34the least intensive use is single

58:36family. When you get into ML and

58:38industrial, that's some of the most

58:39intensive use. Why would any zoning and

58:43planning professional ever recommend

58:46that's working on behalf of the town,

58:48they're representing us, not the

58:50developer. Why would they ever recommend

58:52us to make that an ML zone and allow for

58:54storage anyway, whether it's the small

58:55storage, big storage, or anything. Why

58:57would they do that? That's not that's

58:59not someone who's representing on behalf

59:00of you. If I hired that person, that's a

59:02failure. So now, let me go back and get

59:04back to my point of a trend.

59:09remind everyone this was 2017 that this

59:12happened.

59:13I want to fast forward to February um of

59:172019.

59:20February of 2019 as a member of the

59:22planning board.

59:25Ironically, ready? the earlier the

59:28earlier um

59:34so

59:37the property next door which is 1164

59:39Douglas it's a couple buildings down

59:41that is a actually uh zone manufacturing

59:44general the person came forward and they

59:46wanted to make that a gym if we all know

59:48there's a gym there boxing gym and a

59:49barber shop that you know that was

59:51trending in the right direction this is

59:53trending in the wrong direction but on

59:55that same meeting back in February

59:57I want to point out a trend.

59:59[clears throat]

1:00:03There was a request

1:00:05for us to allow an for for a zone

1:00:10variance, if you will, on three separate

1:00:13lots of record

1:00:15that the town had basically taken by

1:00:18through tax situation, right? So a

1:00:21speculator comes in essentially what

1:00:23they do and they try to buy up these

1:00:24little lots and now they want to develop

1:00:25it. There were three lots. They totaled

1:00:273200 f feet. They were on North Elmore

1:00:30right at the end of if anybody's

1:00:31familiar with that neighborhood. There's

1:00:32a pumping station that used to be uh

1:00:34East Smithfield Water District and

1:00:35there's a path that walks directly into

1:00:37this property that I'm talking about.

1:00:39And the gentleman came before us on the

1:00:41planning board and he asked to build

1:00:42this house which has no business being

1:00:44there because number one they were three

1:00:46individual lots. They had always been

1:00:48that way. They were brought together and

1:00:50they were still a substandard lot. But

1:00:51the point I want to make is that the

1:00:53planning board voted to not approve the

1:00:57zone change. That was the vote from the

1:01:00planning board to not approve the zone

1:01:03change.

1:01:05I have it right here.

1:01:08Okay? Because it would not be consistent

1:01:10with the comprehensive plan. Um

1:01:14I'll provide you guys with this

1:01:15information if you care to get further.

1:01:17But the point I want to make is shortly

1:01:19after this, few months later, as I was

1:01:21driving out of the neighborhood, I

1:01:23noticed an excavator sitting on this

1:01:24property and I called Mr. Wescott and I

1:01:27asked him, I said, "Dave, what what's

1:01:28going on in that property?" And he said,

1:01:30"Well, the zone change got approved."

1:01:32And I said, "What do you mean it got

1:01:33approved?" He said, "Yeah." He said,

1:01:34"Uh, went before zoning and uh and based

1:01:37on the planning board's recommendation,

1:01:38they approved it." I said, "But we we

1:01:40recommended to not approve it." He goes,

1:01:42"Well, you'd have to you'd have to talk

1:01:43to Kelly Morris about that."

1:01:46So, as you can imagine, and and sorry,

1:01:49Charlie, but I might have to put you on

1:01:51the spot here. As you can imagine, I was

1:01:53quite upset with what I saw.

1:01:55>> And I went directly to the mayor and I

1:01:56explained to him what happened. And to

1:01:58his credit, he addressed the issue. A

1:02:01foundation was in the ground. A house

1:02:04was halfformed, half framed. A stopwork

1:02:07order was issued. The framing was torn

1:02:09down. The house was not built because it

1:02:12shouldn't have been done.

1:02:14Now

1:02:16the the excuse or the answer given by

1:02:20Miss Mars on how this happened was an

1:02:23error. She made an error. The same

1:02:25solicitor who stood here two weeks ago

1:02:27and told you that words matter and

1:02:29what's on paper matters made an error on

1:02:31paper and a very big one because she

1:02:33said I left out the word not. It was a

1:02:34it was a mistake. It was a clerical

1:02:36error. So either you're an incompetent

1:02:38attorney or you were doing something

1:02:39nefarious. You can choose but you can't

1:02:41you can't say you you can't say you're

1:02:43not right.

1:02:44>> Secret comments specific to

1:02:47Right. So my but my point is is the

1:02:49trend to this. So in 2017 when this came

1:02:52before us you can see that what what

1:02:54we're building. What I'm saying is many

1:02:55mistakes have been made in the planning

1:02:57department.

1:02:59Many mistakes have been made throughout

1:03:01many different developments. I've seen I

1:03:02can't tell you if if I wish our video I

1:03:05wish our uh meetings were recorded so

1:03:07people could really get it. not you

1:03:08don't get the the true effect of the

1:03:10meeting from a transcript like you do

1:03:12when it's in person and you can see

1:03:13what's going on. But eight years I

1:03:16fought on that planning board for what

1:03:18was in the best interest of the town

1:03:19based on the Tom's comprehensive plan

1:03:21and what was what was what we deserve as

1:03:24development in this town. This is a

1:03:26planning and zoning nightmare. Okay? And

1:03:28it's been allowed to be that way because

1:03:30of frankly the wrong people in the wrong

1:03:33position. But there's a track record

1:03:35here and it's a shame that we don't take

1:03:37it to the fullest extent that we can

1:03:39because I believe and again I'm an

1:03:41attorney but I believe that there's

1:03:42enough information here to prove that

1:03:47our planning and zoning department and

1:03:49building department did not act in the

1:03:51way that they are supposed to act and

1:03:53they certainly did not act in the best

1:03:55interest of the town. In this has

1:03:56nothing to do with the developer that's

1:03:58there now other than the fact that they

1:04:00put the application in prior to owning

1:04:02the property. It was granted prior to

1:04:04them actually taking ownership. There

1:04:06was a transfer from one group to

1:04:08another.

1:04:10Why would we issue a new developer

1:04:15a a a

1:04:16minor change as they want to call it

1:04:19when it's a whole new plan, whole new

1:04:20development, and no one ever saw it?

1:04:22Come on, guys. What are we talking

1:04:23about? We all know it. No one was ever

1:04:25going to approve a three-story building

1:04:27behind all those homes. It was never

1:04:29going to happen. and and the fact that

1:04:31this became an ML zone

1:04:34is without question their election of

1:04:37duty in my opinion. The person that

1:04:39recommended that back in 2017, that's

1:04:41the person responsible for the problem.

1:04:43That's the person that should be held

1:04:44responsible for the problem and that's

1:04:46the person who also gave the advice in

1:04:482024 that our town planet could do that

1:04:50administratively. Having worked with

1:04:52Dave Wescott for a number of years, I

1:04:54could tell you with 100% certainty as a

1:04:57town planner, he would have never ever

1:05:00made that decision without it going back

1:05:02to the planning board and having the

1:05:04opportunity for it to go through the

1:05:05correct process like every other

1:05:07neighbors would have to be notified with

1:05:09that type of development being built in

1:05:11their property. They used the

1:05:12technicality to facilitate a deal to

1:05:15build a monstrosity because it worked

1:05:18economically for the developers, but it

1:05:20didn't work for us in the town. And

1:05:21Mario, I share your sentiment. I could

1:05:23go on for days, but the reality is you

1:05:25must go to that level here because we

1:05:29cannot allow this town to continue to be

1:05:31decimated by bad development like it has

1:05:34been for the last 50 years. Thank you.

1:05:37>> Thank you. Any other questions?

1:05:40Sure.

1:05:44>> Just as to the last point made about the

1:05:46applicant not having ownership of the

1:05:48property when they applied, the

1:05:50approvals run with the land. So you

1:05:53don't have to own a property to be an

1:05:55applicant as long as you have the

1:05:57approval of the current owner. You're

1:05:59free to apply for land development

1:06:02projects, subdivisions, all of those as

1:06:04long as the owner gives you the blessing

1:06:06to apply. I want to clarify that. And

1:06:08also to clarify that uh uh solicitor Mor

1:06:12Salvatore was not working at the firm at

1:06:14the same time she made these decisions.

1:06:16It was former. It was not a concurrent

1:06:19situation where she was deciding this

1:06:21and working at Moses Ryan. I just wanted

1:06:23to it was a little unclear to me through

1:06:25through the the telling of it. It was

1:06:27she was not working at the same time she

1:06:29made these decisions.

1:06:30>> Do you know when she left?

1:06:32>> I don't know the exact period of time

1:06:33cuz she had she had left before I worked

1:06:35there. So 2012 maybe. So maybe 5 years

1:06:37prior. There was a period of time

1:06:39before. Um so those were two

1:06:41clarifications for the record I thought

1:06:43were important to to make based on what

1:06:45we just heard.

1:06:46>> Thank you.

1:06:49>> Is there any other comments?

1:06:57>> Chris Conklin, 44ing Street. Um how long

1:07:01does the town hold engineering prints

1:07:04for? Would we still have prints that

1:07:07were submitted in 2017?

1:07:09>> We shouldn't. I would think.

1:07:11>> And so,

1:07:13>> uh, for the existing or so-called

1:07:15existing retaining wall that is on the

1:07:17property that's supposedly only up the

1:07:19bank,

1:07:20>> um, I would like to request

1:07:25that

1:07:28or plan for that wall. I don't believe

1:07:31one exists. Um,

1:07:34so you know, things run with the land. I

1:07:37would assume the problems run with the

1:07:39land, too. Um, and I do not believe that

1:07:42that

1:07:44plan exists because one, it's too tall

1:07:47for it to not have an engineering print,

1:07:50and one, it's just a pile of rocks that

1:07:52was put there by an excavator. Um, so if

1:07:55somebody could provide that some point

1:07:58in time, that would be super awesome.

1:08:00>> Thank you.

1:08:04just from our

1:08:07planning

1:08:09land development subdivision

1:08:11regulations.

1:08:13Uh other parts of the application record

1:08:15for subdivision and land development

1:08:17projects included all meeting records

1:08:18approved master plan preliminary plan

1:08:20site analysis, impact analysis, all

1:08:22legal agreements records of the public

1:08:24hearings and the entire final approval

1:08:26set of drawings shall be kept

1:08:28permanently by the department of

1:08:30planning and community development. So,

1:08:32we should have all this

1:08:35>> one last thing uh if I if I may. Uh in

1:08:40in what I provided you, there is a

1:08:41letter from another uh applicant. I

1:08:44mean, excuse me, another another ab

1:08:45butter uh who at the time in 2017

1:08:49uh couldn't make the meeting and she put

1:08:50it in. But there was a um there was a

1:08:53point there that some of the work that

1:08:55had been done and started specifically

1:08:56clearing the trees on that lot were done

1:08:58before there was any approval to do

1:09:01anything. Uh if you look at that letter,

1:09:02I just want to point it out there. So,

1:09:04um, when you when you look at where the

1:09:06where the community felt on this and how

1:09:09engaged they were, um, there's there's

1:09:11no question that the the zone should

1:09:12have never been altered. It it should

1:09:14have been CV or CG at very worst. And we

1:09:17really did a disservice to those people.

1:09:19And I will provide more information on

1:09:20how we uh that change of zoning really

1:09:24does,

1:09:26for lack of a better term, destroy the

1:09:28values around it. So just but I want to

1:09:30make sure you know that's

1:09:36>> brief comments on both of those. Um we

1:09:38did have Whiteststone uh engineering

1:09:41take a look at the existing retaining

1:09:42wall and they gave a letter saying that

1:09:45you know it it's sound um that was

1:09:47provided to the building department um

1:09:50separate from whatever records they may

1:09:51have. was a new letter. Um, and I

1:09:54understand that they're there's trying

1:09:56to go back in history back to this zone

1:09:58change. This zone was properly changed

1:10:00to ML. Um, the the discussion of the

1:10:03comprehensive uh plan. The comprehensive

1:10:06plan was simultaneously amended so that

1:10:08the zone change was in a for you know in

1:10:11in conformance with the comprehensive

1:10:13plan. I I I hate to say it but it's been

1:10:16you know many years that that zone

1:10:18change is not subject to appeal or

1:10:20anything like that. uh at this time. So

1:10:23to go back and talk about what comments

1:10:26there might have been or other zone

1:10:27changes that weren't approved, there's

1:10:29nothing in this record that there were

1:10:31any errors like mentioned for that other

1:10:33project where a no was presented as a

1:10:36yes. None of that is in the record for

1:10:38this project. I just want to clarify

1:10:39since it was brought up uh previously.

1:10:42>> Thank you.

1:10:43>> Do you want me to stay up here in case

1:10:44you have any questions or

1:10:45>> does anybody have any questions?

1:10:46>> No.

1:10:48>> Is there any other comments? Any

1:10:49neighbors here that would like to speak?

1:10:52Yeah. What's the pleasure of the

1:10:54council?

1:10:56>> Is the motion still to hire an attorney?

1:10:59>> Well, we haven't made the We haven't

1:11:00made We haven't made a motion yet. So,

1:11:02>> yeah. I mean, I I I I think at the very

1:11:04least uh make a motion. Uh, well, I

1:11:09would it be for

1:11:11our attorney to consult with an attorney

1:11:14or I'm not sure exactly what I think we

1:11:17should at least talk to somebody who has

1:11:18an expertise in that area to take a look

1:11:21at it. And if they tell us we got no

1:11:24case at all, okay, I mean, but if they

1:11:26tell us that there's some real problems

1:11:28here, then I think we got to, you know,

1:11:30reassess and decide what we

1:11:31>> So, you had another an independent

1:11:33lawyer review what's going on versus

1:11:36versus navigation in any way, shape, or

1:11:38form.

1:11:39>> I'm fine doing, you know, taking the

1:11:41first step, seeing if there's anything

1:11:43here. You know, like I said, I I I think

1:11:46so. Uh and but if if there's somebody

1:11:50that that's that's what they do for a

1:11:52living, and they tell us, "Nope, we we

1:11:54got nothing here." I'd be surprised.

1:11:57But, you know, then I think we got to

1:11:58decide what we want to do, and then I

1:12:00think at that point becomes a much

1:12:01tougher decision.

1:12:02>> Okay. Is there a motion? So I guess I I

1:12:05still don't know what what so my

1:12:06question so my question

1:12:07>> let me help perhaps if I can I think

1:12:09perhaps it would make the most sense to

1:12:12have a motion for myself maybe president

1:12:17with an outside attorney for the

1:12:19purposes of doing an independent

1:12:21evaluation and then either having an

1:12:24opportunity have a discussion with that

1:12:26attorney in executive session regarding

1:12:28that evaluation. Um I think that would

1:12:31probably make the most sense as

1:12:33appropriate next step.

1:12:36>> That's the pleasure of the council

1:12:39to go down that road. I think that would

1:12:40be a good step for engaging beyond.

1:12:46>> No, I'll make that motion.

1:12:47>> Is there any other questions?

1:12:50Okay. Motion's been made by Councilman

1:12:52Bala. Is there a second?

1:12:53>> Second.

1:12:54>> Second by Council Matau. Any other

1:12:56questions?

1:12:59How do we get the uh plans that this

1:13:02gentleman has requested several times?

1:13:05Um

1:13:06>> so maybe let's maybe do this motion and

1:13:08then we'll make a second motion.

1:13:09>> Okay. Motion's been made and second it.

1:13:10All those in favor?

1:13:12>> I.

1:13:12>> All those opposed? The eyes have it.

1:13:16My my motion would be for a copy of uh

1:13:20all plans in the planning department

1:13:23regarding this property going back as

1:13:26many years as they go back. Um be

1:13:29provided to our town clerk by Friday.

1:13:32>> Okay. Motion's been made. Is there a

1:13:34second?

1:13:34>> Second

1:13:35>> by Council Mone, seconded by Councilman

1:13:36Bala. All those in favor?

1:13:39>> All those opposed? The eyes have it.

1:13:41Thank you.

1:13:42Item number 15, board appointment. Town

1:13:45council discussion and action with

1:13:46regard to the appointment to be made to

1:13:48the following board. A reappoint land

1:13:51trust advisory board Anthony Natali. Do

1:13:53I have a motion to reappoint?

1:13:54>> So move.

1:13:55>> Motion been made by Councilman Pollock.

1:13:57Is there a second?

1:13:58>> Second.

1:13:58>> Seconded by who was that? Councilman

1:14:00Fiola. All those in favor? All those

1:14:02opposed? The eyes have it. Item number

1:14:0416, resident parking only. Councilman

1:14:06Fiola requests discussion and possible

1:14:08vote on resident parking only on Jane

1:14:10Street. This item has been will be

1:14:12removed from the agenda.

1:14:15Item number 17, former public safety

1:14:17building. Councilman Bala request

1:14:19discussion and possible vote on putting

1:14:20the former public safety building back

1:14:22up for sale. Councilman Bala. Uh

1:14:24gentlemen, I I after seeing I think it's

1:14:28time to move on. I mean, unless anybody

1:14:30has any objections, I think we should

1:14:32put this back up for uh back up for

1:14:34sale. I know it's been some back and

1:14:36forth and to my knowledge there been no

1:14:38agreement and no anything signed. So I'd

1:14:41like to make a motion to send this to

1:14:43the mayor's office to have them put it

1:14:45the administration put the building back

1:14:46up for sale and and see what happens.

1:14:49>> I agree. Is there any questions?

1:14:52Okay. Motion's been made by Councilman

1:14:54Ber. Is there a second?

1:14:57>> Seconded by Council Poche. All those in

1:14:58favor.

1:15:00>> All those opposed. The eyes have it.

1:15:02Item number 18, trees at Wood Haven

1:15:04School. Councilman McColla request

1:15:06discussion and possible vote regarding

1:15:07trees at Wood Haven School. Councilman,

1:15:09I

1:15:09>> I guess I've been coming I got a lesson

1:15:11in arborism or not being an aberist and

1:15:14everything, but talking about our

1:15:15advvicees at Whan School when we flipped

1:15:19the building to the field. I remember

1:15:21being on the building committee along

1:15:22with Mr. Maton. I know we stepped out

1:15:24for a minute, but we were supposed to

1:15:26put a buffer up for the constituents and

1:15:30I know it was part of it. How big they

1:15:32were, how many there were, I I don't

1:15:33know. But if anybody's been to that

1:15:35property right now, it's a beautiful

1:15:36school. I mean, I know we needed it.

1:15:38Everything's there. But we may have six

1:15:41or seven houses. Some people may say

1:15:42three, six, but I think that whole

1:15:44backside need some aravites, which you

1:15:47can get that are like six or seven feet

1:15:49tall and they grow about 3 feet a year.

1:15:51They don't take any maintenance. It's

1:15:53pretty the easiest thing to to plant and

1:15:55to get, you know, to grow and to get

1:15:57some coverage in it. So, um I don't know

1:16:01where this goes, if it goes back to the

1:16:02building committee. Maybe Mario or

1:16:04somebody can help me navigate it or

1:16:07where the where the funds are coming

1:16:09from or what's what, but I know it was

1:16:11in the building committee to put them

1:16:12in. I know there is a subcommittee on

1:16:13the building committee that I'm not part

1:16:16of, but I do remember this being part of

1:16:18it. So, I'd like to know where it or

1:16:19where we're going to send a letter to to

1:16:21get information of where we are and

1:16:23what's what. It's a quality of life

1:16:24issue, I think, for the residents that

1:16:26are there. And I think also for the

1:16:27students that are in the building, you

1:16:28know, especially now that it's getting

1:16:30nighttime, people's lights are on,

1:16:31people are sitting in their houses, you

1:16:33know, they had they didn't they didn't

1:16:35have that before, but now I think we

1:16:36need to kind of make it right for

1:16:37everybody. So

1:16:39>> what I would do is send it we could send

1:16:41a letter to the building committee

1:16:43asking what money is left over an

1:16:45accounting of the money left over from

1:16:47the bond and asking that that money be

1:16:50put towards putting these trees to

1:16:52create the buffer zone that these

1:16:53>> I will put that in the form of a motion

1:16:54or what

1:16:55>> is that is that is the money that's left

1:16:58over is it part of the school committee

1:17:00or is it part of the town's money? Well,

1:17:03in one second school committ in the

1:17:05original building committee, this was in

1:17:08the budget for the building committee.

1:17:10So, it was already planned in there.

1:17:12Now, I don't know where it went or what

1:17:13we haven't done or what money is extra

1:17:15or where it's coming from, but at some

1:17:17point we got to just ask

1:17:19>> where the plans are.

1:17:20>> When work stops for the school

1:17:21committee, it now becomes on us. Am I

1:17:23correct?

1:17:24>> Well, I don't think the school building

1:17:26committee is done yet.

1:17:27>> Okay.

1:17:27>> So, I'm just I don't think so because I

1:17:29I'm a member of it. Mario, did you get a

1:17:31letter saying we're we're done? And

1:17:33Chuck, also so there's still a building

1:17:35committee. It just hasn't because not I

1:17:37don't think everything's 100% complete.

1:17:39>> I think there is.

1:17:41>> Yeah. Steve, your answer, I don't know.

1:17:43I'm just saying. But we need to do

1:17:45something for the neighbors. It's not

1:17:46going to be something we're just going

1:17:47to just say, okay, well, now we forgot

1:17:48about it.

1:17:49>> Murphy court. They need it.

1:17:50>> Yeah. Yeah. So,

1:17:52>> okay. Motion's been made and seconded.

1:17:53All those in favor?

1:17:54>> I.

1:17:54>> All those opposed? The eyes.

1:17:56>> Steve.

1:17:57>> Yeah.

1:17:59Okay. Item number 19, IT person at all

1:18:02meetings. Oh, hold on one second. Let me

1:18:05go. I was on a roll, but that's okay.

1:18:07That's

1:18:08>> Sorry. Uh,

1:18:11item number six, victing license. Town

1:18:12council to consider the approval of a

1:18:14victing license for SM Foods LLC DBA

1:18:18Henry Joe's at 1650 Mineral Spring

1:18:20Avenue, North Providence, Rhode Island.

1:18:22Just state your name for the record,

1:18:23please. Sorry.

1:18:24>> State your name for the record. Mama.

1:18:27Thank you. You all have the information

1:18:30in front of you. Is there any questions?

1:18:33>> Uh

1:18:33>> yeah, I know there's some people waiting

1:18:34to eat there. So was kind of

1:18:36disappointed when you weren't here. So

1:18:37>> yeah, we just waiting for the approvals

1:18:39and everything for the town. Okay. And

1:18:42uh so

1:18:43>> Okay. Do I have a motion to approve the

1:18:45vixeling?

1:18:45>> So move.

1:18:46>> Second.

1:18:46>> Motion been made by Councilman Bala,

1:18:48seconded by Councilman Dorenzo. All

1:18:50those in favor.

1:18:51>> All those opposed, the eyes have it.

1:18:52>> Good luck.

1:18:53>> Good luck.

1:18:53>> Good luck. Thank you, sir.

1:18:55>> Okay. Item number 19. IT person at all

1:18:58meetings. Councilman Pala requests

1:18:59discussion possible vote on having an IT

1:19:01person at every planning, zoning, and

1:19:03council meeting.

1:19:04>> Um, gentlemen, I put this on the agenda

1:19:06and I'm not sure if this is the right

1:19:07way to put it on, but I I know no other

1:19:09way. We were here for a special meeting

1:19:12for a couple of projects a week ago and

1:19:15the meeting started 35 minutes late as

1:19:17we had some IT problems in AV. I I know

1:19:20>> I don't know if any one of us up here IT

1:19:23specialist or if anybody but I always

1:19:25see someone on the phone talking to

1:19:26somebody running back and forth and

1:19:28everything. So either maybe we can have

1:19:30somebody look at the system just to give

1:19:32us an upgrade or to let us know you know

1:19:34what the equipment is or give somebody a

1:19:35lesson or if we can have somebody from

1:19:38it at the meetings. I mean fortunately

1:19:39enough our council meetings we haven't

1:19:41had too many problems but I don't know

1:19:43if it's because of the wonderful staff

1:19:44we have here and they're very

1:19:46knowledgeable but in some of these meet

1:19:47I will tell you we had some elderly uh

1:19:50people here and a bunch of other

1:19:52constituents and we sat here for 35

1:19:54minutes and you know I just don't want

1:19:55it to be a joke and a running joke that

1:19:57you know we have meetings and we can't

1:19:58even facilitate or we can't do the

1:20:00meeting without recording it. So I just

1:20:01don't know what the

1:20:03>> I wanted to put it on the agenda. I

1:20:04don't know how to put the emotion in

1:20:06there or send it.

1:20:07>> Can I ask?

1:20:09>> Um, and I agree 100%.

1:20:11>> We're fortunate to have people here that

1:20:13when people are speaking, they can bring

1:20:15the camera and look at the people that

1:20:17are speaking. When they have the

1:20:19planning or zoning board meeting and

1:20:22they stop the the tape or the live feed,

1:20:25it's only one

1:20:27one angle from up there. One view. And

1:20:30you know, I think people want to see

1:20:31who's speaking if they're presenting

1:20:33something aboard like they want to see

1:20:34what's going on. So if that means

1:20:37getting or you know, having someone come

1:20:40that's not involved in the meeting to

1:20:42run that that's probably what it needs

1:20:44because they just start it and leave it

1:20:47alone. So there should be a second

1:20:49person to sit over there to be able to

1:20:51do that. Again, I'll I'll put this in a

1:20:53form of a motion to send it to Ralph at

1:20:55our IT department to give us some

1:20:56suggestions, some help, and just

1:20:58something whether it's the equipment, he

1:21:00needs to do it remotely or whatever, but

1:21:02you know, it just is uh frustrating. So,

1:21:04I'll put that in the form of a motion.

1:21:05>> I'll second.

1:21:06>> Okay. Motion has been made by Councilman

1:21:07Bala, seconded by Councilman Pollock.

1:21:09All those in favor.

1:21:10>> All those opposed, the eyes have it.

1:21:12Item number 20, congressional grant for

1:21:14Fruit Hill Avenue. Council Laor Porche

1:21:16requests discussion and possible vote

1:21:18concerning an update on the

1:21:19congressional grant for Fruit Hill

1:21:21Avenue. Councilman,

1:21:22>> thank you, Mr. President. Uh we have uh

1:21:26the engineer for the plan, Dave Deiko's

1:21:28here. Uh Dave was nice enough to supply

1:21:30us with uh some drawings today. I

1:21:34believe we got them. Uh and my

1:21:37questions, if I could

1:21:45How are you, sir?

1:21:46>> Good evening.

1:21:47>> Good evening. Just state your name for

1:21:48the record, please.

1:21:49>> David Demo.

1:21:50>> Thank you. Uh, Demo Engineering with

1:21:53offices at 2080 Middle Spring Avenue in

1:21:56North Providence. And I am acting as the

1:21:59town's on call engineer tonight. And

1:22:03what I'd like to do um is uh if you if

1:22:09you know the council uh would like me to

1:22:12I can give you a rundown of uh our

1:22:15design progress and uh thank you um uh

1:22:20for putting that up on the screen. I I

1:22:23would like to use my um my pointer but

1:22:27it doesn't show up on these screens. I I

1:22:30checked it out, but I'll try to do a a

1:22:33decent job. I probably could walk over

1:22:35there and be loud enough. Um so

1:22:40um cheap is about uh a little over maybe

1:22:45a year and a half. Um I had been given

1:22:49the uh approval to go ahead and do the

1:22:53design. We had received a grant from the

1:22:57uh Rhode Island um emergency management

1:23:02uh office uh for um design for just

1:23:06design and permitting. So I was able to

1:23:10um uh get that rolling and um that is uh

1:23:14a combination of Demo Engineering and

1:23:17and Crossman Engineering. And so we set

1:23:20out uh about uh um I'm going to say in

1:23:24late uh fall last year um we wanted to

1:23:28kind of wait till the uh leaves fell so

1:23:30we could get into the nooks and crannies

1:23:33of this neighborhood. So we we call it

1:23:37um uh Fruit Hill uh AB West. So this is

1:23:41the west side of Fruit Hill AB. That's

1:23:43about the top of the hill when when

1:23:47we're talking about watershed. So that

1:23:50um if you're coming from Middle Spring

1:23:52Avenue, that right side of uh of Fruit

1:23:57Hill is flowing to the west.

1:23:59>> Is that where a wonderful Sergeant of

1:24:01Bombs might reside? [laughter]

1:24:04>> I I'm not 100% sure. Uh but uh I'm

1:24:09there. It's quite a neighborhood. It's

1:24:11quite a neighborhood. And so one of the

1:24:15problems that we, you know, the DPW had

1:24:19identified with a lot of calls over

1:24:21there uh over winter months is that the

1:24:26drainage system in this neighborhood is

1:24:30antiquated.

1:24:32It's peace meal and in some in a lot of

1:24:35cases it's not it's non-existent. All

1:24:38right. So, and and you could see how

1:24:42populated that is. There is some

1:24:45wetlands uh kind of skirted in there. Um

1:24:48and those have all been identified. Um

1:24:52and uh we've con uh we've completed all

1:24:55the survey and we've um essentially we

1:25:00are at approximately 75 80% design uh

1:25:06completion. we're ready to make an

1:25:10application to our IDM for this. Um,

1:25:14originally,

1:25:16um, you know, just to give you an idea,

1:25:19uh, my original, uh, uh, estimate is

1:25:23about $2.7 million for this. So, we've

1:25:29tried to keep that in mind so that we

1:25:33can break it up into pieces. All right?

1:25:35So we don't have to go in here and do

1:25:40every catch basin. We can take a street

1:25:44um uh for instance you know cottage

1:25:48cottage a which um it's kind of tough to

1:25:52see. I wonder if could I step away? Uh

1:25:56>> that's it. I'm gonna step away and just

1:25:59try to be loud.

1:26:02Cottage Avenue

1:26:05is taking a lot.

1:26:08>> There you go.

1:26:11>> And it's taking really the front of all

1:26:14the runoff coming down from

1:26:18Avenue,

1:26:20uh, West View, Highland. It really is.

1:26:23And there are just a few catch bases

1:26:26there. They collect the water and they

1:26:28run through people's backs.

1:26:32And what we want to do, one of the key

1:26:35things

1:26:36can look Oh, excuse me. Let me give you

1:26:43look a little closer.

1:26:46So that's what's up on the screen.

1:26:55in

1:26:58spring

1:27:0025.

1:27:18And what happens is around the hill,

1:27:22a lot of the groundwater leaks right out

1:27:24of the um leaks right out of the surface

1:27:28and onto the roadways and it was really

1:27:31causing uh the DPW

1:27:34um you know problems within uh with the

1:27:38uh with freezing up at night and

1:27:41whatnot. So it really so we can

1:27:45definitely

1:27:47uh solve that problem. Uh and what we

1:27:50have is we've designed it. One of the

1:27:52elements that you see if you look on on

1:27:57your plan you'll look you'll see these

1:27:59three

1:28:00um and they look like rectangular boxes

1:28:03and they're all together.

1:28:05So what we have what the problem is and

1:28:09and one of the reasons why we feel we're

1:28:12about a couple of months behind with our

1:28:15design

1:28:16is once we get down to the bottom we do

1:28:21not have enough capacity in the pipes

1:28:24that are below at the low point. Right?

1:28:27So we um so we have to store water in

1:28:31the upper reaches, what we call the

1:28:34upper reaches to hold it back so that we

1:28:37can meter that water out to not over

1:28:43uh tax and and exceed the capacity.

1:28:46>> In terms you need to slow the water

1:28:48down.

1:28:48>> We need to we do because the pipes below

1:28:51do not cannot hit it.

1:28:53>> Simple as that. And these so we've had

1:28:56to um come up with these designs of

1:28:59these structures. These essentially a

1:29:02concrete structures that are about 10

1:29:06feet in height and this is only 8 feet

1:29:09but 10 ft in height concrete. They would

1:29:12be subsurface and they would store the

1:29:15water. we we're talking about almost 38

1:29:18acres, if you can believe it, of whed

1:29:21here that that comes down in this area.

1:29:24So, so certainly not a um a small

1:29:29project at all and um you know, and what

1:29:33we've proposed here is really going to

1:29:36make a huge difference to this. Let me

1:29:39ask you Dave because I know you're an

1:29:40engineer. You can go on and and on and

1:29:42>> I can out of this are but

1:29:44>> when I look at this plan and I know we

1:29:46can't do everything all at once.

1:29:48>> What's the major which one would be the

1:29:50one you'd want to do first that would

1:29:51actually have the most impact if it was

1:29:53something that we can do or is it No, it

1:29:55has to be all or nothing like you can do

1:29:56it in phases.

1:29:58>> We definitely do it in phases.

1:30:00>> You start from the bottom and work up.

1:30:01Yeah, I think No, we we Yeah, generally

1:30:04we would um we would definitely start at

1:30:07the bottom, but I think we want to see

1:30:09if we can get this uh

1:30:12>> uh Aanahe Avenue. I believe that's the

1:30:15way you say it. Aanahe Avenue. I think

1:30:18>> we all call it the Indian village. So,

1:30:20it's

1:30:20>> Right. Right. That's it. They're all

1:30:22Indians. So, I think that would be the

1:30:24the first one that I would like to um

1:30:27that we should tackle because

1:30:30>> you can actually see the bleed out of of

1:30:33uh of water.

1:30:34>> I think that's the one causing the most

1:30:36ice problems and everything else that

1:30:38that everybody's when they're coming

1:30:39down that hill, they're complaining,

1:30:41especially correct.

1:30:42>> You know, no matter what, there's always

1:30:43ice there.

1:30:43>> There's always ice and it's and we and

1:30:46we have a method of gra of taking care

1:30:48of that and that's what this does. So, I

1:30:51think that is one, you know, maybe

1:30:53that's a $800,000,

1:30:56you know, project or somewhere in there.

1:30:59So,

1:31:00>> how much How much is the grant for?

1:31:02>> Excuse me.

1:31:02>> How much is the grant for?

1:31:03>> 639,000.

1:31:05>> So, we're 200 grand shy just the just

1:31:07for the one pot.

1:31:08>> Oh, yeah.

1:31:08>> Additional 80,000

1:31:10>> I think is gone now, right?

1:31:13>> 80,000 for uh for design. Yeah. I would

1:31:17have to

1:31:17>> And that was it. Okay.

1:31:20>> Good evening. Hi.

1:31:22>> Hi.

1:31:23>> How are you? Um, I can clarify, I think.

1:31:26So, the design grant is from the Rhode

1:31:30Island Infrastructure Bank and that's

1:31:32the $80,000 that we're currently doing

1:31:34the design work on. Now, um, as soon as

1:31:37Dave submits his designs to DEM for

1:31:40permitting, then I will begin to work

1:31:43with the purchasing agent. will begin to

1:31:44draft an RFP for the congressional

1:31:47grant, which is the $639,000.

1:31:50We can use the current grant um as a

1:31:54match, partial match. And um yeah, what

1:31:59we'll do is we'll have to obligate that

1:32:01money based on whatever the design is

1:32:04and what the concept will be in terms of

1:32:06how we want to parcel out the work. And

1:32:08that's how we'll obligate that

1:32:10congressional grant. Um, and we'll

1:32:12probably we have no choice. We have to

1:32:14do that within the next couple of

1:32:16months.

1:32:16>> It It looks like that initial grant

1:32:18question. Go ahead.

1:32:19>> Yeah.

1:32:19>> Sorry. Go ahead.

1:32:22>> When did we get this grant originally?

1:32:25The $80,000 grant.

1:32:27>> The $80,000 grant. I I'd have to look in

1:32:30my records. Um, this predated me. So,

1:32:33>> 2024.

1:32:34>> 2024.

1:32:36>> Why is it take so long to be

1:32:38implemented?

1:32:40We're going to lose this grant if

1:32:42potentially

1:32:44David can't have this complete by the

1:32:4631st. Correct.

1:32:48>> We would not be able to reimburse

1:32:51ourselves for anything beyond the 31st.

1:32:54>> That's another way of saying we would

1:32:55lose that money.

1:32:56>> Whatever hasn't been claimed. Yes.

1:32:58>> Correct.

1:33:00My issue with the whole thing is it's

1:33:01been 2024. I have been to the site maybe

1:33:0610 times with different residents with

1:33:09chief of police with the ICE. We thought

1:33:12it was a very very important thing to

1:33:15attack at that moment.

1:33:17Why haven't it been attacked? Why is it

1:33:20waiting till now when we're in the 11th

1:33:22hour to get the finalized?

1:33:28>> I don't I can't answer that question.

1:33:31>> Who can

1:33:32>> because someone has to be able to answer

1:33:34that question on behalf of the town. Uh,

1:33:37I was I think you could look at my

1:33:40records. I was I believe I was

1:33:42authorized to proceed with design at the

1:33:46end of 20125.

1:33:49Okay.

1:33:50>> I believe

1:33:51>> a year after this potentially has been

1:33:55put on the on the books for us to look

1:33:57at.

1:33:58>> I can't answer that. I don't know when

1:34:00it came on the books, but I know that,

1:34:03>> you know, I was I did help with the

1:34:05grant.

1:34:06>> Yeah. I'm not

1:34:07>> Yeah. Yeah. So, I helped I came up with,

1:34:10you know, some schematics and everything

1:34:12like that and then I kind of lose it

1:34:14after that. That's not really

1:34:16>> How much if you have we allocated

1:34:19already though to the bill? I well I

1:34:22mean I'm gonna I from what I was

1:34:25understanding we have until the end of

1:34:27the year to spend the 80,000. I if I'm

1:34:32if I make the um submission we'll be you

1:34:38know like 80% complete. I'd like the

1:34:42other 20% to handle some of the DEM uh

1:34:47permit permit, you know, the per I'm

1:34:50going to get comments. This is pretty

1:34:51big uh project. I'm going to have

1:34:54comments. So, you know, I'd like to have

1:34:56that money, but maybe that could be your

1:34:59match money and you know, we could I'm

1:35:02I'm sure we could bill the 80,000.

1:35:06Matter of fact, to be honest with you, I

1:35:09believe my contract with you is like

1:35:1198,000

1:35:13for design. I believe my dollars. So,

1:35:17that matches in there. That matches in

1:35:20my uh purview because I I just we're

1:35:23going to end up preparing the plans a

1:35:26little probably beyond the permitting

1:35:30stage a bit, right? So, a lot of times

1:35:34the permitting plans are not actually

1:35:37bid plans,

1:35:39>> right? They're just they're you give

1:35:41enough information to get the permit and

1:35:44there are some items in there that we

1:35:46don't have to address for the permit.

1:35:48So, so that's that's what's going on.

1:35:51So, I believe we're going to be fine for

1:35:54the 80,000. We've already drawn on it.

1:35:57Um, but I don't know much about the

1:36:01construction and when that ends.

1:36:03>> I am more concerned

1:36:05not with your compensation because

1:36:08whatever you earn you deserve

1:36:13about being and meeting the deadline.

1:36:16You have many other things on that

1:36:18you're doing. I'm sure and I'm sure you

1:36:21can handle. Can we hear from you that

1:36:24it's going to be 100% complete by the

1:36:27deadline date so that we at least can

1:36:30say here's the 80,000 we're on a good

1:36:33road right now. We know we only have

1:36:35639,000 once this is approved.

1:36:39>> We're going to [snorts] have to beg,

1:36:40borrow, steal. However we do it, we've

1:36:42got to get it implemented. And I'm only

1:36:43asking this

1:36:45>> because for two years I was told a year

1:36:49ago shovels would be in the ground in

1:36:51the spring. What do I do?

1:36:54>> Mr. Resident, shovels will be in the

1:36:56around in 2000 in the spring. It got

1:36:59blocked. I really want to know why.

1:37:03And I want to know that we can go back

1:37:04with confidence to tell the people in

1:37:07our district round of mine and the

1:37:09residents, yes, this is going to get

1:37:11done.

1:37:13Well, the design I I in that file that I

1:37:18that you see, you can you can flip

1:37:21through the engineering drawings. Not

1:37:23not this this here. It's just my

1:37:26>> aerial, but if you just Yeah. So, you

1:37:28can you can flip through those are

1:37:31advanced engineering drawings. If you

1:37:34just flip through them

1:37:35>> very

1:37:36>> uh you know um so they're they're ready.

1:37:39They're pretty much ready to go. So

1:37:42we're working on some details and I can

1:37:44tell you one of the reasons why you know

1:37:49we feel we're you know a couple of weeks

1:37:51be a couple of months behind relative to

1:37:54our design and we always had the

1:37:57deadline of this year

1:37:59>> from my perspective is uh we went out uh

1:38:03and I can just give you an example. We

1:38:06went out this week to do some more

1:38:08survey and we essentially were denied

1:38:11access. Uh, you know, people in this

1:38:14area would not let us survey, you know,

1:38:19a an issue that we have to, you know,

1:38:22address and they wouldn't let us survey.

1:38:26So, what are we gonna, you know, what am

1:38:28I going to do? We can't force ourselves

1:38:29onto this property, you know, and it's

1:38:32an easement that we're going to need to

1:38:34get a pipe through and we're looking at

1:38:36another now we have to look at another

1:38:38avenue. I have to come and do some more

1:38:41survey because we have to go in another

1:38:43direction. So, I mean, I'm not

1:38:46>> that's not an excuse. It's just the

1:38:49issues that we that we end up, you know,

1:38:52finding when we're doing this design. So

1:38:56you know uh even this method that you

1:38:59see here is like after a number of

1:39:03reiterations because we tried to go with

1:39:06surface storage. All right. We just

1:39:10couldn't. We didn't have enough land for

1:39:13surface storage, right? Um like we were

1:39:16able to do with um uh with Lincoln

1:39:20Wendell. Lincoln Wendell, we solved that

1:39:23problem because we were able to do

1:39:26storage up above the area and that's

1:39:30what we did. Uh so, you know, it's taken

1:39:33this this has, you know, uh and plus the

1:39:36other thing you could see fit in pipes

1:39:40through a neighborhood that's already

1:39:43got sewer, water, gas in it. We have to

1:39:48somehow thread the needle of those pipes

1:39:51through there and be economical with it,

1:39:54right? Are

1:39:55>> you saying residents denied you access

1:39:56to their to their yards knowing that

1:39:59>> you wanted that to go on there to fix up

1:40:01problem?

1:40:01>> Yeah. Yeah. This particular and I've

1:40:04talked with the DPW director about it

1:40:06and this particular, you know, resident

1:40:10doesn't want anybody near his property.

1:40:12You know,

1:40:13>> that's the importance of timing on these

1:40:15things. when we get these things, we

1:40:17should act on them in case we run into a

1:40:19roadblock like this. Now, we can massage

1:40:21that person and say, "Hey, listen, this

1:40:23is for the betterment of your property

1:40:25and your around the surrounding

1:40:27neighbors and the town."

1:40:29>> So, that that's why I'm asking the

1:40:30timing questions.

1:40:32>> I if we run into this roadblock,

1:40:34>> Yeah.

1:40:34>> we're going to lose this money,

1:40:36>> right? And I don't know how you would

1:40:39get compensated from that

1:40:42>> if you if it's we lose it.

1:40:45>> Have to pay us obviously.

1:40:47>> Yeah. Yeah. You do. You do. And I

1:40:51believe you've already paid a number of

1:40:54invoices because you it's a

1:40:56reimbursement. It's not It's a

1:40:58reimbursement uh

1:41:01>> grant, right? It's a reimbursement

1:41:03grant. So, you actually have to pay.

1:41:05When would we get another? You go first.

1:41:08>> I'm I'm just I want to make sure I

1:41:09understand.

1:41:11>> So, what the the deadline is to spend

1:41:13down that $80,000 design money?

1:41:16>> Yes. The deadline for December 31st is

1:41:19to close out the current Rhode Island

1:41:21Infrastructure Bank $80,000 that's

1:41:23funding the design bar.

1:41:24>> Okay. And that 639,000

1:41:28that that's that's not a deadline of

1:41:29December 31st.

1:41:30>> Oh, no.

1:41:31>> Okay. That would be what we would then

1:41:34tap into to perform the actual

1:41:36construction work based on the design

1:41:38when we decide what makes sense to

1:41:40parcel out.

1:41:41>> And in order to qualify for the full

1:41:44$80,000 reimbursement, what has to

1:41:46happen by December 31st?

1:41:48>> Paperwork.

1:41:49>> All Yep. paperwork essentially. That's

1:41:51correct. All of the invoices have to be

1:41:53submitted and paid and then we would

1:41:56take all of that receipt and I submit or

1:41:59the finance department will submit to

1:42:01the funer and the money gets reimbured

1:42:03to us and approved.

1:42:05>> And approved

1:42:06>> and approved. Yep.

1:42:08>> But EPA can say no.

1:42:12>> Yeah. Yeah, but but but Dave's saying

1:42:14that he already did not $50,000. What?

1:42:19>> So

1:42:20>> 20 has already been spent and reimbursed

1:42:22to us. So there's Yep.

1:42:24>> 60.

1:42:24>> So there's another 60 still on the grant

1:42:26and we'll have a 20 match.

1:42:28>> And now if he's already just for the

1:42:30sake of argument sake, he's already done

1:42:31another $50,000 worth of work.

1:42:34>> We could can we submit that paperwork

1:42:36right away?

1:42:36>> Absolutely. and and regardless of where

1:42:39he's at in his process by December 31st,

1:42:42as long as you submit that paperwork and

1:42:43it gets approved, we get reimbursed.

1:42:46>> We can, but you know, it's important to

1:42:48remember that our obligation is to

1:42:50finish the design. That's what the grant

1:42:54for. What I'm asking is what what needs

1:42:58I know you have to submit the invoices

1:43:00but what needs to what have you need

1:43:04>> the designs should be

1:43:05>> in order to qualify to get the

1:43:08restoration

1:43:08>> the designs in order for us to fulfill

1:43:10our obligation the designs have to be

1:43:12submitted to DEM so that they are going

1:43:15to be permitted and then we can take

1:43:17those designs there are actual permitted

1:43:20designs and then we'll continue with the

1:43:22work but that's what we need for this

1:43:24grant are the designs submitted to him.

1:43:26>> So, okay. I'm sorry. Just one more

1:43:28follow. So, the designs just have to be

1:43:30submitted or they have to be approved by

1:43:32the

1:43:33>> They should be submitted. Yeah.

1:43:35>> And we think we can get those submitted

1:43:37before December 31st.

1:43:38>> Yeah. We've been working for the end of

1:43:40October. That's been our goal. That's

1:43:44been our goal all along. So, it does

1:43:46give us the buffer, you know, the

1:43:49two-month buffer.

1:43:50Yeah. And and they would never hold us

1:43:53to the approval process. That can

1:43:56>> that because I know that could be

1:43:57>> Yeah, that can go on. No one can predict

1:43:59that, right?

1:44:00>> Another year.

1:44:00>> Yeah, it really could. I don't think so.

1:44:03I in this particular case, we're not

1:44:05really um impacting any wetlands here.

1:44:09So, this one will be like more of a

1:44:11storm water permit than anything else.

1:44:14So, um so uh and a rippies more of a

1:44:17rippies permit. So, it really should go

1:44:20faster. But, um, yeah. So, our goal has

1:44:24been to get it in. We we we have a lot

1:44:27we have the plans designed. We're just,

1:44:30you know, working on details right now

1:44:33enough to get this in. Right. So, and

1:44:36then one of the things that Sher will

1:44:39have to do, and I believe we've just

1:44:41done it, we've submitted these plans as

1:44:44progress. So we've been given progress

1:44:47reports to them

1:44:49>> to the funer.

1:44:50>> To the fun. Yes.

1:44:51>> I have to

1:44:54>> I am I have to give periodical reports

1:44:57to every funer whether we've completed

1:45:00the project or not. Um they just need to

1:45:02know our progress. And so the last

1:45:04report was due I submitted it last week

1:45:08and these plans and our timeline from

1:45:12this point to the end of the grant

1:45:14period were all submitted.

1:45:16>> Councilman Dorenzo has a couple

1:45:17questions.

1:45:18>> Okay. So um extensions, are we all

1:45:21through with extensions? We're done

1:45:23December 31st. There's no more

1:45:25extensions for

1:45:26>> there. We will not have another

1:45:27extension. We are done on December 31st.

1:45:30And secondly, when you submit the plans

1:45:33that Dave Deik is going to come up with

1:45:35to DEM, whoever you're sending them to,

1:45:38what is the normal time frame of those

1:45:40getting approved?

1:45:42>> You could probably answer that better.

1:45:44>> Um,

1:45:46let's just go with like for instance

1:45:49Wendell and Link.

1:45:51>> Yeah.

1:45:52>> Not not too dissimilar at all. Right.

1:45:56Um, this one's bigger. Um, I believe it

1:46:00took

1:46:02n a little over 90 days um for that

1:46:05approval from DM and it might have been

1:46:09it actually might have been four months

1:46:11because we did have some comments in

1:46:14there that we had to address.

1:46:16>> So, so does the grant go away

1:46:21if that's not if that's not done by the

1:46:2331st? For instance, let's say we we put

1:46:26in October 31st. Let's call it November

1:46:281st. 90 days. There was 60 days go by

1:46:31and now it's December 31st. They do have

1:46:33their plans, but it's not okay yet. Do

1:46:35we lose it?

1:46:36>> Do we lose the design grant?

1:46:38>> Do we lose the grant?

1:46:40>> No. No. No. No. Not at all.

1:46:42>> Once the paperwork is in,

1:46:43>> yeah,

1:46:44>> whether it's approved or not, we're

1:46:46okay.

1:46:47>> We We're okay. We've done our job. We've

1:46:49done the design and submitted it. If

1:46:51there's anything after the 31st, it's

1:46:53almost like they're now giving it a

1:46:54little bit of an extension on their end,

1:46:56not here.

1:46:58>> Yeah. Basically, right? Because it's

1:46:59going to take them time to approve it,

1:47:01which we will simultaneously be

1:47:04>> preparing to bid.

1:47:05>> Right. So, if it's again, and I used

1:47:07that word before, approved.

1:47:10>> In essence, what you're saying is it

1:47:12does not have to be approved by 12:31.

1:47:15>> No, I don't think it would be possible

1:47:17to approve it by 123 bill.

1:47:19>> Yeah. I think that we just have to

1:47:22complete our side of the bargain. Yeah,

1:47:25>> you have to get the proper paper.

1:47:27Correct.

1:47:27>> In extra amount of time.

1:47:29>> Correct.

1:47:30>> Yes.

1:47:31>> That was our judge. Okay. So Dave

1:47:33>> and then and then that's why I was

1:47:35saying with the 80 I believe my contract

1:47:38in with town we and we did we you know

1:47:41got a manh hour uh proposal in I believe

1:47:45it's for 98,000 because we're you know

1:47:49they never give us the full amount they

1:47:51gave us 80,000 and I don't know where

1:47:54that 80,000 came from by the way right

1:47:58because was it was it because I had a

1:48:012.7 7 million project here and I'm not

1:48:05looking at 80 the 80,000 was a bargain

1:48:09>> right as far as I'm concerned and and

1:48:11and you know we just unless anybody's

1:48:14got any other questions just to move

1:48:16along should we have you come back for

1:48:17the December meeting just for an update

1:48:19grant writer to see what's I know is

1:48:21probably going to be too quick but

1:48:23unless council la or council deal you

1:48:25have any other

1:48:27>> question I mean say from the deadline so

1:48:28at least in December which would that

1:48:30what meeting would that be uh Maryann

1:48:32um

1:48:32>> December

1:48:35>> I on my calendar just in case you can

1:48:36come to give us let us know what and

1:48:38obviously

1:48:39>> the project's that big and we're going

1:48:41to take it step by step

1:48:42>> December 8th so you think that's okay to

1:48:44>> yes first

1:48:46>> December 1st sorry December 1st yeah

1:48:48>> so I'll entertain a motion to have uh

1:48:51Mr. Come back.

1:48:52>> Excuse me. Um,

1:48:54>> is it your birthday?

1:48:54>> I'm I'm here. No, no, the [laughter] No,

1:48:57the fifth. The fifth is actually my

1:48:59birthday. I But I No, I have a uh

1:49:03uh anniversary.

1:49:04>> All right. I'd like to put that in I'd

1:49:05like to put that in a form of a motion

1:49:07to have Mr. Demo come back

1:49:09>> uh December 1st.

1:49:13>> Correct.

1:49:15>> Yes. Yes. A Graham writer and Mr. Demo.

1:49:17So move. Uh it's

1:49:18>> been approved by Councilman Laoro. Is

1:49:20there a second? Seconded by council

1:49:22Maton. All those in favor? Any nays?

1:49:26>> Okay, the eyes have it.

1:49:29>> Council president's back. Thank you.

1:49:32>> Item number 21.

1:49:33>> Thank you. Item number 21, pole

1:49:35location. Discussion and possible vote

1:49:37with regard to the approval by the town

1:49:38council concerning pole location on

1:49:41Douglas Avenue.

1:49:47>> Yeah. Do I have a motion to grant? Show

1:49:49move.

1:49:50>> Motion's been made by Councilman Bali.

1:49:52Is there a second?

1:49:53>> Second.

1:49:53>> Seconded by Councilman Fola. All those

1:49:55in favor? All those opposed? The eyes

1:49:57have it. Item number 22, tax agendas.

1:49:59Town council discussion and action and

1:50:01vote with regard to the list of tax

1:50:03addendas received from the tax assessor

1:50:04in the amount of $21,580.78

1:50:09for real estate. What am I doing? Do I

1:50:11have a motion to grant?

1:50:12>> So moved.

1:50:13>> Motion's been made by Councilman Baller.

1:50:14Is there a second?

1:50:15>> Second.

1:50:16>> Second by Councilman Fiola. All those in

1:50:18favor.

1:50:19>> All those opposed. The eyes have it.

1:50:21Item number 23, tax abatements under

1:50:23$1,000. Town council discussion and

1:50:24action and possible vote for the for the

1:50:28approval of the list of tax abatements

1:50:29under a,000 received from the tax

1:50:31assessor in the amount of $1,376.26

1:50:35for real estate and $380.77

1:50:39for tangibles. Motion. I have a motion

1:50:42to abate.

1:50:43>> So motion been made by Councilman Viola.

1:50:46Seconded by Councilman Laorio. All those

1:50:48in favor I.

1:50:49>> All those opposed? The eyes have it.

1:50:50Item number 24, tax abatements over

1:50:52$1,000. Town council discussion and

1:50:55action and possible vote for the

1:50:57approval of the list of tax abatements

1:50:59over a,000 received from the tax

1:51:00assessor in the amount of $10,475.86

1:51:05for real estate financing. Have a motion

1:51:08to motion made by Councilman Martone,

1:51:10seconded by Councilman Bala.

1:51:12>> All those in favor? All those opposed?

1:51:15The eyes have it. Item number 25, claims

1:51:17submitted. Town council discussion and

1:51:19possible vote with regard to claims

1:51:21received but from the following. Edward

1:51:24R. McCormack Esquire for Peter

1:51:27Bray Woo 1319 Cranson Street Cranson

1:51:30Rhode Island 02920

1:51:34and Patricia Beckford 5 Gabaldi Street

1:51:37Apartment 35 North Providence Rhode

1:51:39Island 02911.

1:51:42Do I have a motion to send those to the

1:51:43claims committee? So moved.

1:51:45>> Motion's been made by Councilman Bala,

1:51:47seconded by Councilman Laorio. All those

1:51:48in favor, all those opposed. The eyes

1:51:51have it. Item number 26, claims

1:51:52committee report, town council

1:51:54discussion, action regard to the claims

1:51:55committee report to be presented by

1:51:57Councilman Bala.

1:51:58>> Gentlemen, uh the claims committee met

1:52:00tonight at uh 5:45.

1:52:02Um I do not have didn't have time to

1:52:04read the to send the report. I will send

1:52:06it to Maryanne in the morning, but I

1:52:09would uh ask you approve as submitted.

1:52:11>> Yeah. Motion has been made by Councilman

1:52:12Baller. Is there a second?

1:52:14>> Second.

1:52:15>> Seconded by Councilman was

1:52:17fail. All those in favor.

1:52:20>> All those oppos have it. Item number 27,

1:52:23public service committee report. Town

1:52:25council discussion action regard to the

1:52:27public service committee report to

1:52:28presented by Councilman Leapor.

1:52:30Councilman.

1:52:30>> Thank you, Mr. President. I have

1:52:32submitted the report this evening. You

1:52:34all have a copy. I request that be

1:52:37approved as submitted.

1:52:38>> Okay. Motion been made by Councilman

1:52:40Lecho, seconded by Councilman Dorenzo.

1:52:42All those in favor.

1:52:43>> All those opposed. The eyes have it. And

1:52:46item number 28, ordinance committee

1:52:48report, town council discussion, action

1:52:50regard to the ordinance committee report

1:52:51to be presented by Councilman Fiola.

1:52:53Councilman,

1:52:53>> I'd like to make a motion to accept the

1:52:55report as submitted.

1:52:56>> Okay. A motion has been made by

1:52:57Councilman Fiola. Is there a second?

1:52:59>> Second.

1:53:00>> Seconded by Council Laoro. All those in

1:53:01favor.

1:53:02>> All those opposed? The eyes have it. A

1:53:04motion to adjurnn. So move.

1:53:05>> Second and seconded.