2026-10-15 - City Council

00:00Good evening counselors and welcome to

00:02this regular council meeting of the

00:04Providence City Council on this

00:06Thursday, October 15th. Madam Clerk,

00:08please call the roll.

00:10>> Council President Miller. Present.

00:11Deputy Majority Whip Vanderbouck.

00:13>> Present.

00:14>> Councilor Davidson.

00:16Majority Leader Espinal is absent.

00:19Senior Deputy Majority Leader Goncalves.

00:21>> Present.

00:22>> Councilwoman Graves. Deputy Majority

00:25Leader Harris.

00:26>> Present.

00:27>> Councilwoman Peterson.

00:29Council President and Pro Tempore

00:30Pichardo.

00:31>> Present.

00:32>> Councilor Reyes.

00:33>> Present.

00:34>> Councilwoman Ryan.

00:36>> Present.

00:37>> Majority Whip Sanchez is absent.

00:39Councilman Taylor is absent.

00:42Councilwoman Ana Vargas is absent.

00:45Councilman Oscar Vargas.

00:46>> Present.

00:47>> You have 11 present and four absent. You

00:49have a quorum.

00:50>> Thank you, Madam Clerk. This evening,

00:52the invocation will be given by

00:53Councilor Jill Davidson. Will everyone

00:55please rise?

00:59>> Thank you, Madam President. Good

01:00evening, everybody.

01:02Now, as we gather for today's Providence

01:04City Council meeting, I want to

01:06acknowledge and celebrate the members of

01:09the public who have joined us today,

01:11both here in this room,

01:13along with everybody who's following

01:15this meeting on Zoom,

01:17members of the press, City of Providence

01:20employees, City Council staff members,

01:23and of course, my fellow councilors.

01:25We're all gathered here today with our

01:27best intentions to make Providence a

01:30better place for each and every

01:32resident.

01:34Because our strength is in our

01:36collaboration and shared purpose, I'm

01:39honored and gratified to be with all of

01:40you tonight. The matters in front of us

01:43tonight encompass so many issues, the

01:45legacy of our history, investments in

01:48our future, the balance of personal

01:50security and public safety, roads,

01:53bridges, buildings, rivers, and much

01:56more. So, let's all consider these

01:59matters wisely and make the decisions

02:01that are best for Providence now and far

02:03into the future.

02:05Thank you.

02:07>> Thank you. And tonight's the Pledge of

02:09Allegiance will be led by Councilman

02:11John Goncalves.

02:13>> Thank you.

02:14>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

02:17United States of America and to the

02:20republic for which it stands, one nation

02:23under God, indivisible with liberty and

02:26justice for all.

02:30>> Thank you.

02:34Madam Clerk, item three.

02:38>> Motion to waive the reading of item

02:39three and move approval.

02:41>> Second.

02:42>> We have a motion from Councilwoman

02:43Andaraw and a second from

02:46Deputy Majority Leader Harris. All in

02:48favor.

02:48>> I.

02:49>> Any opposed? Any abstentions? The motion

02:52passes. Item four.

02:54>> Motion to waive the reading of items

02:56four through 28.

02:57>> Second.

02:59>> We have a motion on items four through

03:0028. Any discussion? Councilwoman

03:03Andaraw.

03:05>> Thank you, Council President. I'm rising

03:07in strong support of item four

03:12to ban Flock cameras and license plate

03:14readers across the city.

03:16And I'm really grateful to you, Council

03:17President, and also to Miguel Sanchez or

03:20Councilman Sanchez, who is not with us

03:22tonight,

03:23for your co-sponsorship. I just want to

03:26share a few quick thoughts. I know this

03:28will go to committee and I urge our

03:30constituents to please come and share

03:31your your thoughts during those times.

03:34But Flock cameras and others constant

03:36surveillance are a direct infringement

03:38on our civil rights. As we've seen

03:40[snorts] in the news, it's been

03:41documented cases of ICE using this to

03:43track immigrants,

03:45punish women for crossing state lines

03:47for health care.

03:48And we've seen other places um cameras

03:51and other license plate readers used by

03:53law enforcement to stalk ex-partners and

03:55use inappropriately.

03:57We don't need to rely on the news though

03:59or anecdotes to know that this is

04:00problematic. I'm grateful to Rick,

04:02Professor Robin Lindy, who's also a

04:04constituent of mine, and her students at

04:07Rick who analyzed our actual Flock data

04:10um and presented it at a public meeting

04:12of the Special Committee on the

04:13Environment and Resiliency earlier this

04:15spring. And we [snorts] saw millions of

04:17searches of Flock data, um pings in

04:19places where we don't have data sharing

04:21agreements, millions and millions of

04:22searches

04:24um

04:26that just draw so much concern.

04:29Um Flock and supporters of surveillance

04:31will say that there are safeguards in

04:32place, that we should trust that

04:34everything will be okay, that we can

04:35have trust in the system. And to me that

04:38feels like making policy based on

04:39corporate vibes and bad talking points.

04:41We have real data that shows that even a

04:44city that means well and that has an

04:45excellent police force with a really

04:47great chief of a chief of police, the

04:49data is leaky, the data can be accessed,

04:52the data can get into the wrong hands.

04:54We need to think about the tradeoffs

04:56between our personal safety as as

04:58Councilwoman Davidson already said and

05:00this constant surveillance.

05:02Um I often I also want to address the

05:04thing that comes up frequently of but

05:06what what about how it helped us in the

05:08Brown shooting? And I want to be really

05:10clear, not a single person was safer

05:11because of Flock in the Brown shooting.

05:14Multiple people died at Brown in my

05:16neighborhood and Councilwoman Davidson's

05:18neighborhood that evening and then the

05:20shooter went on to drive to another

05:22state, kill somebody else, and then

05:24drive to a third state where he then

05:26killed himself. Flock did not prevent

05:28any of those murders. It did not make us

05:29any more safe. What made us safer that

05:33night, my friends, was

05:35an unhoused man named John who lived in

05:37the neighborhood and because he's a part

05:39of our community

05:40recognized that something was wrong and

05:43flagged it. He flagged it on Reddit. He

05:44flagged it ahead of time for security.

05:46He flagged it so many times. So, instead

05:49of investing in the types of things that

05:51are constantly modernizing us, I ask us

05:54to please invest in our community,

05:55invest in our people, invest in the

05:57things that actually make us safer, that

06:00don't just sell our data, our

06:02whereabouts, and the whereabouts of our

06:04neighbors

06:05to a big corporation that benefits from

06:08our data and knowledge of us and makes

06:10us less safe. Many other cities and

06:12towns in Rhode Island have already taken

06:13this step. Um in this time of fear and

06:16federal overreach, Providence needs to

06:18stand firm against being a surveillance

06:20state and join the rest of our um fellow

06:23cities and towns in Rhode Island in

06:25getting rid of this technology. Thank

06:26you so much, Madam President.

06:28>> Thank you, Councilor.

06:32Further discussion on items 4 through

06:3528. Councilman Gangloff.

06:38>> Thank you, Madam President, and thank

06:39you, Councilwoman Andreozzi, for leading

06:42the effort. Um

06:44I was

06:46very much touched by those remarks and

06:49uh I've been getting a number of emails

06:51from my constituents about this.

06:54Um I want to remind people that back in

06:562022,

06:59uh it was actually you and I, I think,

07:01the Council President, who introduced a

07:03resolution expressing some of our

07:06concerns about this technology.

07:09And at that time, we were actually

07:11circumvented as as the legislative

07:13branch of government as uh

07:17the technology was deployed in spite of

07:19some of our objections about some of the

07:22civil liberties that we uh back then

07:25were very concerned about. And we know,

07:28certainly, that Flock technology has

07:30helped police recover stolen vehicles

07:33or, in the case of the Brown University

07:36shooting that happened in in in Ward 1,

07:39helped uh with that situation, and it's

07:42helped locate missing people and I trust

07:45that, uh, the the men and women of our

07:48law enforcement in the Providence Police

07:50Department, uh,

07:52do act professionally with this

07:54technology. I recognize that value, but

07:58the usefulness of this tool,

08:02um, does not place

08:05a surveillance system beyond scrutiny.

08:08And these cameras record passing

08:11vehicles, every single passing vehicle,

08:14uh, continuously, including their

08:17location and the time they were seen,

08:19regardless of whether anyone is

08:22suspected of a crime.

08:25And as many of you may be aware, Flock

08:28offers drones and additional AI-powered

08:31tools,

08:32and this is only expanding their

08:35surveillance network.

08:37I've heard from several of my

08:39constituents, in fact, today that, uh,

08:41they would like to see me support this

08:44ordinance and that's something that, uh,

08:46I intend to do,

08:48because being watched is not the same as

08:51being safe.

08:53And I'm also concerned about the civil

08:55liberties and in fact, I what I'm really

08:58concerned about

09:00is the reinforcing

09:03systemic racism.

09:05We are not immune to

09:09these systems, whether it's artificial

09:11intelligence or these systems,

09:14uh,

09:16reinforcing that systemic racism. And we

09:19are a community, uh,

09:22that is diverse. As, uh, my colleague

09:25mentioned, we're certainly concerned

09:27about

09:28ICE in our city,

09:30and I think about a city that's

09:33disproportionately

09:35black and brown. We've seen this time

09:37and time again where surveillance

09:40systems are actually used to harm those

09:43very communities.

09:45And so, I intend to support this

09:49legislation.

09:51And we need to certainly have

09:55oversight and accountability.

09:58We want safety for all the members of

10:00our community.

10:02There's no question about that. But

10:04residents, especially law-abiding

10:07citizens in our community, should not

10:09have to surrender their privacy simply

10:12to travel throughout our city. So, I

10:15just want to thank you for your efforts

10:17on this, Councilwoman Andrew Boa. And I

10:20do hope that our city and the residents

10:24of our city will support us in this

10:27effort. And I hope that each and every

10:29one of you will support this as well.

10:31Thank you, Madam President.

10:33>> Thank you, counselor. Further

10:34discussion, items 4 through 28.

10:40Pro Tem Pichardo.

10:42>> Thank you, Madam President. I just

10:43wanted to rise

10:45as a

10:47as the chairman of

10:48the Committee on Hope

10:50and to say that this issue will be

10:53coming before the Committee of Hope.

10:56Uh

10:57and I ask people

10:59to weigh in on this issue when we have

11:02the notice notification to ensure that

11:05we hear your voice.

11:06Because we all know when

11:09uh policies like these are offered,

11:12we all know how technology is

11:15encroaching on our families, on our

11:17data, on our way of life.

11:20And while we can hear from different

11:23sources that certain things are good for

11:26you, certain things are bad for you,

11:28but we need the

11:30public's input. We need the data.

11:34Uh just recently you start hearing about

11:37the issue of AI.

11:39How AI in the beginning was the most

11:43uh most important thing that we're going

11:44to have in our in this century coming

11:46up. Now all the founders and all the

11:49intellectuals are saying, "Hold on 1

11:51second. Maybe we should uh

11:53uh

11:53slow down and stop on this AI." But the

11:57AI movement has been now the the

12:00as they say the rabbit is out of the

12:02box. And so it's hard to put it back.

12:05This is an opportunity for us as a city

12:08to ensure that we hear from people, but

12:11also for us as a city and as a state to

12:13really get a handle on this technology

12:17uh that eventually and it will continue

12:19to encroach in our uh private lives. So

12:22we look forward to hearing from you and

12:24all the people in the city of

12:25Providence. Thank you.

12:27>> Thank you, Chairman.

12:28Further discussion?

12:31Hearing none, all in favor?

12:34Any opposed? Any abstentions? The motion

12:37passes. Madam Clerk,

12:40please refer item four to the Committee

12:42on Hope,

12:43five to the Committee on Public Works,

12:46six to the uh Special Committee on

12:49Environment and Resiliency,

12:52uh seven through 22 to the Special

12:55Committee on Ways and Means,

12:58uh 23 and 28 to 23 to 28

13:04to the Committee on Public Works. So

13:06noted. Item 29.

13:09>> Motion to uh Madam President,

13:11Councilwoman Ayala not usually in this

13:13role. Motion to waive the reading of

13:15items 29 and 30 and pass at the first

13:18time on a roll call vote.

13:19>> Second, Madam President.

13:21>> We have a motion and a second.

13:22Discussion?

13:25>> Super quick.

13:26>> Councilwoman.

13:27>> Um, very quick.

13:30Just explanation for 30. Um,

13:32and I am grateful to everyone who's

13:34going to vote yes, which is all of you.

13:35Thank you so much um in advance for

13:37that. Um, this really is a super simple.

13:39It just clarify just in case folks

13:40didn't get a chance to read it. It

13:41really just clarifies you're not allowed

13:43to park within a certain distance from a

13:44crosswalk or an intersection. That was

13:46already the law. It was state law. Our

13:48local cops and parking enforcement

13:50officers couldn't enforce it because it

13:51was not in city ordinance allowing um

13:54our parking enforcement officers to

13:55enforce it. So, we were not. And so, now

13:58we can and it will be safer for

13:59everyone. I also just want to shout out

14:01Councilwoman Davidson for number 29. Um,

14:04this is a really important um

14:06uh ordinance and it was also the first

14:08one she wrote. And so, I just want to

14:09shout her out for how amazing she is for

14:11this great ordinance.

14:15>> Councilwoman.

14:16>> Thank you. Yeah, this was um

14:18>> [laughter]

14:19>> It It's funny is one of the first thing

14:20I did and I'm so glad that we're

14:21actually able to um vote on it tonight.

14:24Very briefly, um

14:27this ordinance aligns um

14:29city building regulations with those

14:31that already in place in the state to

14:32ensure that when we build in a flood

14:35plain or in flood prone areas, we have

14:38we mandate that devices such as sump

14:41pumps,

14:42sewage ejectors, and um other

14:45appurtenances must be part of the

14:48building so that the so that the

14:50construction that is happening will know

14:52will not later

14:54be will be protected from flood, from

14:56sewage backups, from the basics. I mean,

14:58this is sort of like a basic nuts and

15:00bolts thing, but we didn't have it. And

15:03um even before I was sworn in, I heard

15:05from constituents who were dealing with

15:07some pretty horrible issues due to

15:10flooding and our sort of challenged and

15:12failing sewer systems. So, this felt

15:14like a basic thing. I was surprised we

15:16didn't have it and grateful to work with

15:18the policy staff to make it happen and

15:19grateful to all of you for supporting

15:21it. Thanks.

15:22>> Thank you, counselor. Further discussion

15:25on uh 29

15:28or 30.

15:33Councilwoman Harris?

15:35>> I

15:35>> No.

15:36>> Okay.

15:36>> I

15:36>> Uh

15:37>> I'm sorry.

15:37>> [laughter]

15:38>> Hearing none, Madam Clerk, please call

15:39the roll. Council President Miller.

15:41>> I.

15:42>> Deputy Majority Whip Vanderbua.

15:44>> I.

15:45>> Counselor Davidson.

15:46>> I.

15:47>> Majority Leader Espinal is absent.

15:50Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonzales.

15:52>> I.

15:53>> Councilwoman Graves.

15:55Deputy Majority Leader Harris.

15:57>> I.

15:58>> Councilwoman Peterson.

15:59>> I.

16:01>> Council President Pro Tem Pore Pichardo.

16:04>> I.

16:05>> Counselor Reyes.

16:07>> I.

16:07>> Councilwoman Ryan.

16:09>> I.

16:10>> Majority Whip Sanchez is absent.

16:12Councilman Taylor is absent.

16:14Councilwoman Ana Vargas is absent.

16:16Councilman Oscar Vargas.

16:18>> I.

16:19>> You have 11 eyes, four absent. The

16:22motion carries. The matters are passed

16:24for the first time on a roll call vote.

16:26>> Thank you, Madam Clerk.

16:28Item 31.

16:29>> Madam President.

16:30>> Counselor.

16:31>> Motion to waive the reading of items 31

16:33through 33 and pass it on a voice vote.

16:35>> Second, Madam President.

16:37>> We have a motion and a second. Uh

16:40discussion. Councilman Goncalves.

16:42>> Thank you, Madam President. Uh tonight I

16:44just wanted to take a moment to honor

16:47the life and legacy and the

16:49extraordinary public service of Reverend

16:52Naomi Craig. And uh in a moment I hope

16:55that that could be read into the record,

16:57but uh very briefly I'm I'm proud to

17:00honor Reverend Naomi Craig, whose life

17:03reminds us that uh public service

17:05certainly uh extends beyond her

17:09her work and her her uh passing. Uh as a

17:13pastor of the Sheldon Street Church and

17:15a respected civic activist. She served

17:18Providence with faith and purpose. And I

17:22believe her son is here tonight, Mr.

17:25David Craig. If you wouldn't mind

17:26standing.

17:28And if we could uh just give him a round

17:30of applause for

17:32being here tonight and recognizing

17:35his mother.

17:37Um her legacy continues uh today. And so

17:41uh

17:42we are proposing an honorary uh

17:44designation. Uh and for those of uh us

17:48who call Fox Point Home, uh honoring

17:51Reverend Craig means ensuring that

17:53future generations um know the people

17:56who helped shape the neighborhood. So,

17:58the proposed memorial square

18:01uh will

18:02uh give that legacy a lasting place in

18:05our community. And so, I'll turn it over

18:07to uh the Madam Clerk to read

18:10uh the item for the record.

18:14>> Whereas, Reverend E. Naomi Craig was

18:16born in Providence, Rhode Island on

18:18April 6th, 1917,

18:21and devoted nearly a century of her life

18:23to serving the people of Providence

18:25through faith, education, civil rights

18:27advocacy, public service, and community

18:30leadership. And whereas, Reverend Craig

18:33was educated in the Providence public

18:35schools and graduated from Vineyard

18:38Street School, where she was awarded the

18:40prestigious Anthony Medal in recognition

18:43of academic excellence and leadership.

18:46And whereas, Reverend Craig dedicated 23

18:49years of service to the state of Rhode

18:50Island, retiring as a counselor for the

18:53Department of Employment Security,

18:55helping Rhode Islanders achieve economic

18:57self-sufficiency and opportunity.

19:00And whereas, demonstrating her lifelong

19:03commitment to learning and personal

19:05growth, Reverend Craig enrolled in

19:07college immediately upon retirement,

19:10earning degrees from Roger Williams

19:12College, Barrington College, and Rhode

19:14Island College, graduating magna

19:17laude, and becoming a powerful example

19:19that education has no age limit.

19:22And whereas, Reverend Craig married

19:25Horace H. Craig in 1943,

19:28and together they became one of

19:29Providence's most respected families of

19:32public service, community leadership,

19:34and civic engagement. And whereas,

19:38Reverend Craig played an instrumental

19:40role in the Fox Point neighborhood,

19:42serving as the first president of the

19:44Fox Point School PTA, helping establish

19:47its first brownie troop, and earning an

19:50honorary life membership in recognition

19:53of her dedication to local children and

19:55families.

19:56And whereas, Reverend Craig served for

19:59more than a decade on the Providence

20:01Human Relations Commission, worked to

20:04advance racial equity and understanding

20:07throughout the city, and served as

20:08secretary of the Governor's Advisory

20:11Commission on Aging.

20:14And whereas, Reverend Craig later served

20:16as president of the Board of Directors

20:18of Bannister House, formerly the Home

20:21for Aged Colored Women, and remained a

20:23dedicated volunteer in service to Rhode

20:26Island senior citizens.

20:28And whereas, Reverend Craig was a

20:30pioneer in public health outreach,

20:32spearheading hypertension screening

20:34programs in black churches throughout

20:36Rhode Island, and receiving recognition

20:39from the Rhode Rhode Island Heart

20:40Association for creating innovative

20:43community health initiatives.

20:45And whereas, Reverend Craig served in

20:47the leadership in leadership positions

20:50with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the

20:53American Association of University

20:55Women, the Urban League, the National

20:57Association for the Advancement of

21:00Colored People, the Henrietta Barge

21:03Black Social Workers Association of

21:05Rhode Island, the Long Term Care

21:07Coordinating Council, and numerous other

21:10organizations dedicated to advancing

21:13civil rights, educational opportunity,

21:15and social justice.

21:20And whereas, Reverend Craig was a

21:21charter member of the Henrietta Barge

21:24Black Social Workers Association, a life

21:27member of the NAACP,

21:29and recipient of the Joseph G. LeCount

21:32Medal for community service in

21:34recognition of her distinguished service

21:36to the community.

21:38And whereas, Reverend Craig participated

21:40in the historic in 1963 March on

21:43Washington for jobs and freedom, where

21:46she witnessed Dr. Martin Luther King

21:49Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech first hand,

21:52an experience that deepened her lifelong

21:54commitment to civil rights and equality.

21:57And whereas, Reverend Craig remained

22:00active in the struggle for racial

22:02justice throughout her life and returned

22:04to Washington D.C. in 1993

22:07for the 30th anniversary of the March on

22:10Washington.

22:11And whereas, in June of 1996, Reverend

22:15Craig was ordained and installed as

22:17pastor of the historic Sheldon Street

22:19Church in the Fox Point neighborhood of

22:21Providence, becoming a transformative

22:24spiritual leader who revitalized one of

22:26the nation's oldest Cape Verdean

22:28congregations and strengthened its role

22:32as a pillar of the community.

22:35And whereas, Reverend Craig was honored

22:37with the American Baptist National Jitsu

22:41Morikawa Evangelism Award for her

22:44significant leadership and holistic

22:46approach to ministry and evangelism.

22:49Whereas, Reverend Craig received the

22:51Jefferson Award for public service, the

22:54Jean Hicks Award for outstanding

22:56community involvement, the David Sweet

22:58Award for community service, the Robert

23:01W. MacCreaner Senior Service Award, and

23:05numerous other honors recognizing her

23:07extraordinary commitment to improving

23:09the lives of Rhode Islanders.

23:11And whereas in 1997, Reverend Craig was

23:15named Rhode Island Woman of the Year by

23:17the Rhode Island Commission on Women,

23:19one of the highest honors bestowed upon

23:22a woman in the state of Rhode Island.

23:24And whereas Reverend Craig's

23:26accomplishments and contributions were

23:28further recognized through her inclusion

23:30in Who's Who of American Women,

23:33celebrating women whose achievements

23:35significantly contributed to the

23:37advancement of American society.

23:40And whereas Reverend Craig served as

23:42co-chair of the Elder Minority Task

23:44Force, Secretary of the Long-Term Care

23:47Coordinating Council, Chaplain of the

23:49Rhode Island Cape Verdean Association,

23:52and maintained an active schedule as a

23:54public speaker, mentor, and advocate

23:57well into her later years.

23:59And whereas Reverend Craig and her

24:01husband, Horace Craig, were pioneers of

24:04Senior Journal,

24:06a television program produced by and for

24:09senior citizens that amplified the

24:11voices and experiences of older Rhode

24:14Islanders.

24:15And whereas in recognition of their

24:18lifetime of service, the Fox Point

24:20community and members of Sheldon Street

24:22Church established the Horace and

24:24Reverend E. Naomi Craig Scholarship Fund

24:27in 2000 to expand educational

24:30opportunities for young people and

24:32ensure that future generations would

24:34benefit from their legacy. And whereas

24:36Reverend Craig was widely known

24:38throughout throughout Rhode Island as a

24:41humanitarian, educator, mentor,

24:43philanthropist, evangelist, and

24:46community builder whose life embodied

24:48the values of service, faith, justice,

24:50and compassion.

24:52And whereas Reverend Craig passed away

24:54on February 1st, 2012 at the age of 94,

24:58leaving behind an extraordinary legacy

25:01of public service, faith, leadership,

25:03and community

25:07empowerment that continues to inspire

25:09generations of Providence residents.

25:12Now, therefore, be it resolved that the

25:14Providence City Council hereby honors

25:16and celebrates the life, legacy, and

25:18countless contributions of Reverend E.

25:21Naomi Craig, whose extraordinary service

25:24helped shape the city of Providence and

25:26improved the lives of countless

25:27residents. And be it further resolved

25:30that the Providence City Council hereby

25:32requests the intersection of Hope Street

25:34and John Street, located in the heart of

25:37the historic Fox Point neighborhood she

25:39loved and served, be designated as

25:42Reverend E. Naomi Craig Memorial Square

25:45as a lasting tribute to her remarkable

25:48life and enduring contributions to the

25:50city of Providence. And be it further

25:52resolved that the Providence City

25:54Council recognizes Reverend E. Naomi

25:57Craig as a pioneering African American

26:00and Cape Verdean faith healer, civil

26:03rights advocate, educator, and community

26:06service whose legacy represents the very

26:08best of Providence's history and values.

26:11And be it further resolved

26:14that the City Clerk be and is hereby

26:16directed to transmit duly certified

26:18copies of this resolution to the family

26:21of Reverend E. Naomi Craig, the Historic

26:23Sheldon Street Church, the Fox Point

26:26Neighborhood Association, the Board of

26:28Directors of the Fox Point Cape Verdean

26:30Heritage Place Project, the Cape Verdean

26:33Museum, and to the City of Providence

26:35Department of Public Works for

26:37implementation.

26:41Thank you, Madam Clerk.

26:43Further discussion on items 31 through

26:4533.

26:50Hearing none. All in favor.

26:53Any opposed? Any abstentions? The motion

26:56passes. I want to take a moment of

26:59personal preference and just thank Mr.

27:01Craig for joining us in committee last

27:05week, was it? That was such a beautiful

27:07meeting hearing from you directly about

27:12Reverend Craig was beautiful and

27:14something worth missing and and not

27:16worth not missing. And something that

27:18anyone can look up online. So, it was it

27:20was really wonderful. Thank you,

27:21counselor, for bringing that forward and

27:23thank you, chairwoman Harris,

27:26for leading that conversation.

27:29Madam Clerk, item 34.

27:31>> Madam President.

27:32>> Majority Councilwoman Underwood.

27:35>> Motion to waive the reading of item 34

27:37substitute and pass on a roll call vote

27:39as amended.

27:40>> Second.

27:41>> We have a motion and a second. We have

27:43our city solicitor to answer any

27:44questions.

27:46Councilwoman Ryan for discussion.

27:47>> much, Madam President. My first question

27:50to the city solicitor, can we substitute

27:52that item

27:54that's before us tonight? It is

27:56different from the language that came

27:58out of committee. Is that true? Is this

28:01a technical substitution or not?

28:04>> Yes. So, the changes to the amended

28:07version include

28:09specifically identifying the property,

28:12the real property which will benefit

28:13from this amendment. So, the plat and

28:16lot numbers

28:18have been added.

28:22And um

28:24the reason

28:26for that specificity

28:28um

28:29is because some of the owners were

28:32broadly identified in the last version

28:35to include certain portion of properties

28:38that aren't used for AS 220 purposes and

28:40would not be consistent with the intent

28:43of the resolution.

28:47>> So, once again,

28:49is this qualified the language that's

28:51before us as a substitution? Does it

28:54qualify as a technical amendment and

28:57allow us to vote on it tonight without

28:58sending it back to committee for

29:00clarification?

29:01>> Yes, it can be voted on tonight.

29:06>> Thank you, counselor and

29:08city solicitor.

29:09Any further discussion on item 34?

29:11>> Councilman Ryan.

29:12>> Second rise on this issue, Madam

29:14President.

29:16There's no fiscal note attached to

29:18what's before us. I'm

29:21I'm concerned that we're abating taxes

29:25on

29:26retroactively retroactively

29:29in this budget year. I'm

29:32it is a bad practice.

29:34On this ordinance particularly, there's

29:38been a lot of discussion on it because

29:39there was commercial there was an

29:41attempt to abate taxes on commercial

29:43properties and what has been worked

29:46through in committee has been trying to

29:48exclude the commercial properties from

29:51the abatement. I'm However, the question

29:55I raise is where is the fiscal note?

29:58What is the budget offsets to this? So

30:01we're basically opening the budget once

30:03again

30:04and retroactively forgiving taxes for an

30:07entity whether deserved or not. There's

30:10a fiscal impact. What is it? We're

30:12voting tonight on this. We don't know

30:15where the money is coming from in the

30:16budget.

30:18Can I have a sponsor talk speak to that?

30:21What are the offsets to this and how is

30:23it hitting our budget? And why don't we

30:25have a fiscal note?

30:31>> Any further discussion? I can certainly

30:35I don't have that information in front

30:36of me. I did at various points of this

30:39process, but as you noted this has been

30:42ongoing for quite some time. Um does

30:45anyone else have any discussion

30:48before I take a moment with our chief of

30:50staff and see if we have any of that on

30:51hand?

30:55Okay. Thank you. Give me a second. Uh I

30:57guess a brief

30:58>> Thank you, Council President.

30:59>> Sure.

32:27All right. Thank you for that moment. We

32:29are back. Uh

32:32it was uh thoroughly vetted and

32:34discussed in committee. I don't have

32:36that number at my fingertips, so I would

32:38ask is for us to actually

32:41uh

32:43I believe Councilman Andaraw went to use

32:44the restroom, but I would ask that we

32:46lay this item on the table until the end

32:48of the meeting and I can just give you

32:49that information. I just don't have it

32:51physically with me.

32:52Um

32:56Councilwoman

32:56>> Just if I may follow up then on your

32:58response on we're being asked to vote on

33:01something that hits our budget without a

33:03fiscal note. It's inappropriate. I don't

33:06think it's ever been done on and it has

33:09real uh consequences to the budget. We

33:12need to know what we're voting on.

33:14>> Councilwoman, I

33:16firmly agree with you. As I said, this

33:18was

33:18>> Yep.

33:19>> Okay.

33:20>> vetted and discussed in committee. I

33:21just don't have it with me right this

33:22second.

33:23>> I didn't hear it. So, I'm interested in

33:25hearing what uh

33:26what you have. Thank you.

33:28>> Okay.

33:28Uh counselor, would you mind uh

33:32what I'd like to do What number are we

33:34at?

33:35>> 34

33:35>> 34. Thank you very much. Would you mind

33:38uh

33:39rescinding your motion

33:42um and instead laying item 34 on the

33:44table till the end of the meeting. Is

33:46that a

33:47uh

33:48proper procedure that we can do just

33:50moving the order of it? Uh Madam Clerk?

33:53>> Taking it out of order, but putting it

33:55on hold would be what we want to do.

33:57Don't lay it on the table.

34:02And move on to 35.

34:03>> Okay. So, uh what I'd like to is to

34:08uh take back your motion on 34 and

34:11instead move to take item 35 out of

34:13order.

34:14>> Okay. Uh I would like to rescind my

34:17motion. Is that what I say?

34:18>> Rescind my second.

34:21on 34

34:22>> Thank you.

34:23>> I uh Madam President, I would like to

34:25motion to take item 35 out of order and

34:28motion to waive the reading of item 35

34:30and pass it on a voice vote.

34:32>> Second.

34:33>> Any discussion on item 35?

34:38Hearing none, all in favor.

34:40>> I.

34:41>> Any opposed? Any abstentions? The motion

34:43passes.

34:45Item 36.

34:46>> Madam President.

34:47>> Councilwoman.

34:48>> Motion to waive the reading of items 36

34:50and 37 and pass for the first time on a

34:52roll call vote.

34:54>> Second, Madam President.

34:55>> Any discussion on items 36 or 37?

35:01Hearing none, Madam Clerk, please call

35:03the roll.

35:05Council President Miller.

35:06>> I.

35:07>> Deputy Majority Whip Anderbo.

35:09>> I.

35:10>> Councilor Davidson.

35:11>> I.

35:12>> Majority Leader Espinal is absent.

35:14Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonsalves.

35:16>> I.

35:17>> Councilwoman Graves.

35:19>> I.

35:19>> Deputy Majority Leader Harris.

35:21>> I.

35:22>> Councilwoman Peterson.

35:25>> I.

35:25>> I.

35:26>> Council President Pro Tem Pore Pichardo.

35:29>> I.

35:29>> Councilor Reyes.

35:32Councilwoman Ryan.

35:34Majority Whip Sanchez is absent.

35:36Councilman Taylor is absent.

35:38Councilwoman Anna Vargas is absent.

35:41Councilman Oscar Vargas.

35:42>> I.

35:43>> You have 11 eyes, four absent. The

35:46motion carries. The matters are passed

35:47for the first time on a roll call vote.

35:49>> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Item 38.

35:52>> Madam President.

35:53>> Councilwoman.

35:55>> Motion to waive the reading of items 38

35:56and 39 and pass on a roll call vote.

35:59>> Second.

36:00>> Any discussion on 38 and 39?

36:05Hearing none, Madam Clerk, please call

36:07the roll. Oh, Councilwoman Ryan.

36:10>> [laughter]

36:11>> Thank you. Sorry,

36:13Council President. Um, my issue is the

36:15same on 38, 39. Again, we're being asked

36:19to vote on on abatements on that impact

36:22the budget this budget year. Again, it's

36:25a retroactive tax abatement. The budget

36:28passed. We all voted on a budget. We all

36:30voted on the levy. It is what it is. And

36:34we have to work toward that budget. When

36:36we amend on that budget, we abate items.

36:41We have a duty and a responsibility to

36:43do so transparently. Without fiscal

36:46notes, without a dollar amount, we don't

36:48know what we're doing. We don't know

36:50what we're voting on.

36:53So, again, on 38, I believe 39. I don't

36:58have the

36:59item in front of me, but I've got the

37:01same issue with 38 and 39. And I'd ask

37:04that we not be asked to vote on these

37:07blindly unless we have a fiscal note and

37:10the true cost of this and what the

37:12offsets to the existing budget is.

37:16>> Thank you. Further discussion on 38 and

37:1939. Councilwoman Graves.

37:22>> I'm speaking on 38. 38 we have already

37:26voted each and every year for this to go

37:29through. We had to do it for 3 years,

37:32but each year we had elected that we

37:34would bring it before the board.

37:38This is a last

37:40and

37:41one of these things.

37:43It has been discussed over and over and

37:45over again.

37:47I don't think we need to beat this horse

37:49to the ground any longer.

37:53>> Further discussion on 38 or 39.

37:58Councilwoman

38:01>> Madam President. This is the same

38:03situation where

38:06we had already excused this and had

38:08voted on it. However,

38:12the it was an error and I do believe I

38:15do believe the

38:17the person who brought it to us or

38:20the organizations sponsored around this

38:24definitely made a mistake in not being

38:27able to include 2026. I know they're

38:29very wise person. This is also went

38:31through the state. And we're asking at

38:34this time because of the burden of such

38:38um situations that's happening right

38:41now, especially around the country. As

38:44you know, this particular one is on um

38:47domestic violence, you know, and women

38:49especially in domestic violence. Um I

38:54was really um

38:55disturbed by a a situation that happened

38:59in New York, Bro- in the Bronx in New

39:01York, where a boyfriend pushed a

39:05girlfriend from a 15-story with the

39:07baby, 2-year-old baby, from a

39:0915-year-old from from a 15-stories

39:12balcony. And we also see um troubles

39:15here in Rhode Island as well, but that

39:18one stuck really hard to me because I

39:21believe that there is more and more

39:24domestic violence based on the fact of

39:26poverty and every I I I'm not a doctor.

39:28I'm not an expert and I'm not a

39:30therapist and all of that, but I do know

39:32that I spend a lot of time speaking with

39:34people or who is experiencing bad times

39:38right now, really bad times where they

39:42are impacted with violence in their

39:44home. The last I would want to do is not

39:48be able to excuse this and allow this to

39:50happen. And you know, we have uh really

39:53sort of um

39:56sort of boycotted us, pushed back on a

39:59lot of the social services that are

40:01coming into Ward 11. However, in this

40:05situation, having this house for these

40:08women to be able to be placed

40:11is very important. And so I know that we

40:15we a budget and we do all kind of things

40:16with that budget. We go in and out of

40:18the budget. I mean, this is not my first

40:20rodeo. I've been around here 12 years

40:22and I've seen this happen over and over.

40:25I mean, I'm just really at this point

40:28um

40:29I do believe that this can be done.

40:32And excuse in this would be great. And I

40:34would really encourage my colleagues

40:36to really, really um support this based

40:40on the fact that

40:41there was an error made for 2026. We

40:44bring it back because the taxes weren't

40:46included in 2026.

40:48Thank you.

40:49>> Thank you. Further discussion.

40:51>> Council President, once again

40:53>> while I appreciate my colleagues

40:56passionate um

40:57comments I'm not questioning the mission

41:00of the organizations.

41:02My point is um

41:04that this is impacting this vote is

41:07impacting the budget. We don't know what

41:09the cost is. We should have a fiscal

41:12note signed off so that anyone who opens

41:15this, anyone who appeals their taxes

41:20can look at the decisions that were made

41:22in the city council and understand what

41:26we did. Um and quite honestly, without

41:29offsets,

41:30I don't know what I'm voting for here.

41:32And that's what the issue is.

41:35>> Councilwoman Peterson

41:36>> Thank you very much, Council President.

41:38I would like to make sure that I was

41:40able to find my paperwork from the Ways

41:42and Means Committee where these were

41:43discussed. And I'd like to um answer the

41:47councilor's request for a basic

41:49understanding of what the cost would be

41:51on these two properties. I can't speak

41:54to the other one. I apologize. I don't

41:55have that paperwork. But for two for

41:572026 on number 38, the remaining

42:00outstanding balance was $32,774.08.

42:04On the property for number 39 um there

42:09was

42:10I can't do the math in my head. Forgive

42:12me. It's Thursday at night.

42:14>> [laughter]

42:14>> Um $18,969.60

42:17for one property and $1,775.36

42:22for the other property. Um to the point

42:25that Counselor Harris made, um we vetted

42:28these. I understand that there's an

42:30there's um an additional concern, but

42:32the truth is is that there were a lot of

42:35extenuating circumstances on both of

42:37these properties that we vetted pretty

42:38thoroughly in that committee. We asked

42:41substantial questions with regards to

42:44um number 39 and the

42:46uh the original thought that this

42:48property was a mixed-use property, which

42:50has been in committee discussed and

42:52verified that the property is solely for

42:56domestic violence uh the support of the

42:58domestic violence organization. With

43:00regards to number 38, which is Shiloh

43:02Gospel Temple,

43:04um there were because of the situation

43:07that was at hand, this particular

43:08property had been put up for tax sale

43:10several times to the point where they

43:12would have to then go back to their

43:14donors to start again the process and

43:17lose the opportunity of the funding that

43:19they had to be able to do the things

43:20that they needed to do to um

43:23renovate the property, which they've

43:25been trying to do for the last 3 years.

43:27I am very well aware of the budget and

43:29the budgetary constraints that we have

43:30in the city, but I do also understand

43:32that these are opportunities for us to

43:34be able to support our community when we

43:36need it the most. Um the Blackstone

43:39Valley Advocacy Center the year prior in

43:422025 was able to receive a city grant as

43:45a result to be able to support their tax

43:46payment on that. So, we are trying to

43:49find ways. The city is also trying to

43:50find ways, and I understand um as

43:53mentioned before that these are

43:55um situations where

43:58we also have to be mindful of what's

44:00happening here, but we have purchased

44:01properties

44:03with this body um to the two for

44:05organizations, and all of those have

44:07been vetted, and we found the budgeting

44:08for that. We should be able to support

44:10the community organizations that are

44:12doing the work to help our community in

44:14a in robust ways. Thank you.

44:16>> Thank you, Councilwoman Peterson. I

44:18appreciate that and uh you know, we are

44:20missing our chairman for uh the special

44:24committee on ways and means tonight. He

44:25is traveling for a conference, so I

44:27really appreciate you stepping in with

44:28some notes.

44:29Uh further discussion on items 38 or 39.

44:34Hearing none, Madam Clerk, please call

44:35the roll.

44:36>> Council President Miller.

44:37>> Aye.

44:38>> Deputy Majority Whip Anderbohr.

44:40>> Aye.

44:41>> Councilor Davidson.

44:43>> Aye.

44:44>> Majority Leader Espinal is absent.

44:47Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonsalves.

44:49>> Aye.

44:50>> Councilwoman Graves.

44:51>> Aye.

44:52>> Deputy Majority Leader Harris.

44:54>> Aye.

44:55>> Councilwoman Peterson.

44:57>> Aye.

44:58>> Council President Pro Tem Por Pichardo.

45:00>> Aye.

45:01>> Councilor Reyes.

45:03>> Aye.

45:04>> Councilwoman Ryan.

45:05>> Nay.

45:07>> Majority Whip Sanchez is absent.

45:09Councilman Taylor is absent.

45:11Councilwoman Anna Vargas is absent.

45:14Councilman Oscar Vargas.

45:16>> Aye.

45:17>> You have 10 ayes, one nay, four absent.

45:21The motion carries. The matters are

45:23approved on a roll call vote.

45:24>> Thank you, Madam Clerk. And at this

45:26time, I would like to ask for a motion

45:29to take item 34 out of order and uh

45:36have the initial original motion to uh

45:39substitute and pass on a roll call vote.

45:41>> Motion to take item 34 out of order and

45:44waive the reading and substitute and

45:45pass on a roll call vote as amended.

45:48>> Second.

45:49>> Thank you very much. Uh so, just a point

45:52of information on item 34,

45:55uh the total bill of $165,000,

45:59the abatement um is an estimate. The

46:02final call will still need to be made by

46:04the assessor, um, at uh, $80,000.

46:10Um, that final number coming from the

46:11assessor. This has been budgeted for and

46:15has been worked through in, uh,

46:17partnership with the mayor's office and

46:20the administration.

46:22Um, and again,

46:24uh,

46:25in many ways what was

46:28coming back to committee, because this

46:30is now the second time this has come out

46:31of committee, was a clarification,

46:34right? So, our understanding of how, uh,

46:38tax law in the city of Providence works

46:40is that commercial properties would not

46:41have been eligible to begin with. So, I

46:43am very happy that we are clearly

46:45stating that in the ordinance. However,

46:48uh,

46:49the resolution before us

46:51explicitly excludes them and, uh,

46:54this information had also been vetted in

46:56committee.

46:57With that information shared, further

46:59discussion on item 34.

47:04Hearing none, Madam Clerk, please call

47:05the roll.

47:06>> Council President Miller.

47:08>> Aye.

47:08>> Deputy Majority Whip VanderBrug.

47:10>> Aye.

47:11>> Councilor Davidson.

47:12>> Aye.

47:13>> Majority Leader Espinal is absent.

47:16Senior Deputy Majority Leader Goncalves.

47:19>> Aye.

47:20>> Councilwoman Graves.

47:22>> Aye.

47:23>> Deputy Majority Leader Harris.

47:25>> Aye.

47:26>> Councilwoman Peterson.

47:27>> Aye.

47:28>> Council President Pro Tempore Pichardo.

47:30>> Aye.

47:31>> Councilor Reyes.

47:32>> Aye.

47:33>> Councilwoman Ryan.

47:36>> Nay.

47:38>> Majority Whip Sanchez is absent.

47:40Councilman Taylor is absent.

47:42Councilwoman Ana Vargas is absent.

47:44Councilman Oscar Vargas.

47:46>> Aye.

47:48>> You have 10 ayes, one nay, four absent.

47:52The motion carries. The matter is

47:53approved on a roll call vote as amended.

47:56>> Thank you, Madam Clerk.

47:58Item 40.

47:59>> Madam President.

48:00>> Councilor Andrade.

48:01>> Motion to waive the reading of item 40

48:03and refer back to the Committee on

48:04Public Works.

48:05>> Second.

48:07We have a motion and a second. Any

48:08discussion on item 40?

48:13Hearing none.

48:16Hearing none. Uh all in favor.

48:19>> Aye.

48:20>> Any abstentions, any nays, any

48:23abstentions? The motion passes. Item 41.

48:27>> Madam President.

48:28>> Councilor Andrade.

48:29>> Motion to waive the reading of items 41

48:31through 44 and pass on a voice vote.

48:34>> Second.

48:35Any discussion on items 41 through 44?

48:38Councilman Goncalves.

48:39>> Thank you, Madam President. I just need

48:41to be on the record about this

48:42particular issue. So, as you all know,

48:45I'm a proud Brown graduate and a

48:48long-time Fox Point resident. And I

48:51believe we can support the university's

48:53future uh without erasing our

48:56neighborhood's past. Uh since 1940,

49:00Brown University has been responsible

49:03for demolishing upwards of um

49:07I believe over a hundred uh plus

49:10properties. Um and that's been

49:12documented over the years. These are

49:15historic properties that have very much

49:18uh

49:19contributed to our neighborhood. And as

49:21Brown continues its rapid expansion, uh

49:25there's been a lot of displacement,

49:27particularly in communities like Fox

49:29Point, uh community that was

49:31predominately uh Cape Verdean,

49:33Portuguese, Irish. Uh a lot of those

49:36people have been pushed out of that

49:37neighborhood as a result of

49:40um a myriad of factors, one being um

49:44uh Brown's expansion.

49:47Uh so, we have been working on this for

49:51months and months and months. There were

49:52more than 800 people that signed a

49:56petition that we circulated opposing the

49:59demolition of four historic homes to

50:02accommodate uh

50:04a Brown University economics building.

50:07And as a result, uh Brown has uh come

50:11back to the table and has decided that

50:15they will preserve

50:17two of the homes uh as a result of that

50:19public pressure uh built by Alexander

50:23Gorham. He was a black developer, uh but

50:27two other historic homes remain

50:30threatened and on the chopping block.

50:32And as I've conferred with the neighbors

50:34in that neighborhood, uh

50:37they agree that all four of the historic

50:41homes should be preserved and not

50:44demolished. So, our hope is that Brown

50:47will preserve all four of the historic

50:50homes.

50:51Uh and we again are not asking Brown to

50:55abandon its academic mission. We

50:57understand that growth is a part of

51:00being a an institution, but we're also

51:03asking that uh Brown pursue that mission

51:07without demolishing these four historic

51:09homes. So, I hope that uh this council

51:14and this body will support my neighbors

51:16in their effort to try and uh in trying

51:19to preserve these historic homes. And I

51:22hope for your support on this

51:25resolution. Thank you, Madam President.

51:27>> Thank you, counselor. Further discussion

51:28on 41 through 44.

51:31Councilman Vargas.

51:34>> Thank you, Madam President.

51:37I rise on um

51:39to discuss this

51:4141 resolution.

51:44To be qualification

51:48is not four properties that they want to

51:49destroy or demolish. It's only two

51:51properties.

51:53And to be clarified, it's not four

51:55properties on the historic books,

51:57neither. It's only two properties.

52:00The one that they want to

52:02remodel and keep

52:04and

52:05give it back to the community.

52:08It's not four properties, neither. It's

52:09five properties in total.

52:12They're going to be picking up the

52:13number five and they're going to move it

52:16back into the property

52:19for them to have an space where they can

52:21want to build another building

52:24with classrooms.

52:26Where my kids, your kids, your

52:28grandchildren can go back

52:30and get educated.

52:32As Brown's doing, educating people in

52:34this city.

52:37We discussed this in committee. We

52:39decide at the end that

52:41>> [clears throat]

52:42>> they will keep two,

52:44they will move two,

52:46and move the number five

52:49to create a new

52:51building.

52:53And they did have

52:55uh more than eight millions in the

52:57community

52:58talking about and at the end of the day,

53:00they make a decision that this will be

53:03the perfect way to go.

53:05I ask my colleagues,

53:07Madam President, to

53:09take as a consideration to have

53:12a better look in the area because now

53:14this

53:15two properties, the one on the historic

53:18books, they're falling apart.

53:21We don't want them to

53:23fall at all and then we don't have

53:24nothing anyway.

53:26So, let's give the opportunity to Brown

53:28to

53:29to invest, to remodel them,

53:32and to rent it back to the community.

53:34Thank you.

53:36>> Thank you, Chairman. Further discussion

53:38on 41, Councilman Reyes.

53:42On 41 through 44.

53:45>> Yes. Uh I just want to speak in support

53:48of this resolution

53:49um that my colleague has put forward.

53:52Yes, while Brown has compromised and

53:56offered uh to only

53:58um

53:59demolish two

54:01um homes.

54:03Um I I think about if I was living in

54:06that neighborhood and having to

54:08experience

54:09over the years Brown University just

54:12eating away

54:14um

54:15land, precious land, and um homes to at

54:19the expense of the neighbors there.

54:21Um so I think it's fair

54:24uh for neighbors in that in that ward to

54:28have a maximalist position

54:31and not settle with this compromise.

54:34Um I think we have to the only

54:37the only um

54:39uh tool we have as a council is to pound

54:43the table uh to put apply public

54:46pressure on Brown to do the right thing.

54:49I think we've seen decades that Brown

54:51has

54:52um at the expense of residents expanded

54:56and displaced folks. And I know my

54:58colleague has mentioned that over over

55:00again, so

55:02um as a member of the public works uh

55:05committee I I wanted to mention that uh

55:08in support uh of my colleague's

55:10resolution and his neighborhood. Thank

55:12you, Madam President.

55:14>> Thank you, counselor. Further

55:15discussion?

55:18Hearing none, all in favor.

55:20>> Aye.

55:21>> Any opposed? Any abstentions?

55:24The motion is passed.

55:26Item 45.

55:27>> Madam President.

55:28>> Councilor Nneduwa.

55:30>> Motion to waive the reading of items 45

55:32through 47.

55:33>> Second, Madam President.

55:35>> Any discussion on 45 through 47?

55:39Hearing none, all in favor?

55:41>> Aye.

55:42>> Any opposed? Any abstentions? The motion

55:44pass.

55:45Uh Madam Clerk, please send 45 to the a

55:48committee on claims and pending suits.

55:50Note 46 and 47 as received.

55:53>> So noted.

55:54>> Item 48.

55:55>> Madam President.

55:56>> Councilor Andrus Ward.

55:57>> Motion to waive the reading of item 48

55:59and pass on a voice vote.

56:01>> Second.

56:02>> Any discussion on 48?

56:04All in favor?

56:05>> Aye.

56:06>> Any abstentions? Hearing none, the

56:09motion passes. Item 49.

56:11>> Madam President.

56:12>> Councilor Andrus Ward.

56:13>> Motion to waive the reading of item 49

56:15and pass on a unanimous rising vote.

56:18>> Second, Madam President.

56:23>> Any discussion on item 49?

56:26All in favor?

56:27>> Aye.

56:29>> Uh the motion passes.

56:31>> Madam President.

56:32>> Councilor Andrus Ward.

56:33>> Motion to suspend rule 16B of the rules

56:36of the City Council in order to take

56:37matters not appearing on the printed

56:38docket.

56:40>> Second, Madam President.

56:41>> Any discussion on that motion?

56:44All in favor?

56:45>> Aye.

56:46>> Any opposed? Any abstentions?

56:48Councilors, you have uh a few items that

56:50are being sent to committee on your

56:51desk.

56:53>> Mhm.

56:53>> Um Madam Clerk, may I uh may we take

56:55item 50, please?

56:57>> Madam President.

56:58>> Councilor.

56:59>> Motion to waive the reading of items 50

57:01through 52.

57:03>> Second, Madam President.

57:04>> We have a motion and a second. Any

57:06discussion on items 50 through 52?

57:09Hearing none, all in favor?

57:10>> Aye.

57:11>> Any opposed? Any abstentions? The motion

57:14passes. Madam Clerk, please refer 50 to

57:17the Committee on Public Works, 51 to the

57:20Committee on City Property, 52 to the

57:22Committee on ARP.

57:24>> So noted.

57:26>> Madam President.

57:26>> Councilor Andrus Ward.

57:27>> Seeing as there's no further business,

57:29motion to adjourn.

57:30>> Second.

57:32>> Oh my goodness, uh there is one thing

57:34that I meant to say before this. I'm

57:36going to use discussion slightly out of

57:39order. Please forgive me.

57:41Counselors, please congratulate or join

57:43me in congratulating our own city clerk

57:46for publication in a national

57:48publication.

57:57I didn't get to read it thoroughly

58:00because I just got a copy of it, but it

58:01looks like a really beautiful story and

58:03it will be in all of our inboxes and we

58:05are so proud of the work that our

58:06clerk's office does and of your

58:09contribution in particular, Tina. So,

58:10thank you.

58:13Further discussion on the motion.

58:15>> [laughter]

58:17>> Hearing none, all in favor.

58:19Any opposed, any abstentions, the motion

58:22passes. We are adjourned. Thank you all.