CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
NOVEMBER 23, 1992
A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CENTRAL FALLS CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD ON THE ABOVE DATE IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 6:38 P.M.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS
COUNCILMAN FERRI
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN
QUORUM PRESENT.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT ROBERT CANAVAN PRESIDED.
MOTION TO APPROVE WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN FERRI AND SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU AND COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE.
ROLL CALL:
| COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS | YES |
| COUNCILMAN FERRI | YES |
| COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE | YES |
| COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU | YES |
| COUNCILMAN CANAVAN | YES |
MOTION CARRIED 5 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.
READ BY CITY CLERK.
CITY COUNCIL THANKED EDNA POULIN FOR LETTER AND ACTION ON THIS MATTER.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN COMMENTED TO MAYOR LAZIEH ON POSITION SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE REGARDING THE
APPOINTMENT OF EDNA POULIN TO DETENTION CENTER BOARD.
MAYOR LAZIEH INFORMED THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY SOLICITOR'S LEGAL OPINION REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU COMMENTED.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED STATED THAT IN HIS OPINION EDNA POULIN'S POSITION ON THE BOARD WILL INSURE THAT ALL FUNDS DUE THE CITY WILL BE APPLIED FOR AND PAID ACCORDINGLY.
COUNCILMAN FERRI QUESTIONED MAYOR LAZIEH.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED.
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE QUESTIONED EDNA POULIN.
EDNA POULIN RESPONDED.
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE COMMENTED.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU COMMENTED ON WARDS AND APPOINTMENTS TO THE DCFC.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN COMMENTED TO THE MAYOR REGARDING DEPARTMENT HEADS.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN QUESTIONED THE MAYOR REGARDING PLANS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TAX ASSESSOR AND
MINIMUM HOUSING DIRECTORS.
MAYOR LAZIEH COMMENTED.
MAYOR LAZIEH ELABORATED ON ACTIONS TAKEN AND STATED THAT HE WILL COORDINATE OFFICES IN THE MEANTIME. HE ALSO
COMMENTED THAT BOTH POSITIONS WOULD BE ADVERTISED.
EDNA POULIN INFORMED THE COUNCIL THAT THE STATE WILL LEND ASSISTANCE IN THE TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
COUNCILMAN FERRI QUESTIONED WHO IS SIGNING THE CO'S IN THE MINIMUM HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR JOHN RODRIGUES WILL SIGN THE CO'S.
DISCUSSION ENSUED.
MAYOR LAZIEH STATED THAT JOHN LEFRANCOIS WOULD ALSO ASSIST IN THE MINIMUM HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
COUNCILMAN FERRI ASKED IF POSITIONS WOULD BE FILLED BY FIRST OF THE YEAR.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED THAT HE HOPED THAT THIS WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THAT TIME AND COMMENTED ON JOHN RODRIGUES' QUALIFICATIONS RELATIVE TO THIS DEPARTMENT.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU QUESTIONED THE ROLES OF JOHN RODRIGUES AND JOHN LEFRANCOIS' EXPERTISE IN HOUSING.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED THAT MR. LEFRANCOIS WOULD NOT BE SIGNING CO'S BUT WILL COORDINATE ACTIVITIES IN THE DEPARTMENT.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU COMMENTED.
MAYOR LAZIEH COMMENTED THAT HIS DOOR IS ALWAYS OPENED TO THE COUNCIL AND THAT THE COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THERE IS A COUNCIL MEETING TO DISCUSS PROBLEMS OR QUESTIONS WITH HIM.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN COMMENTED.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED IF THERE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL PAY FOR HOUSING DUTIES.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED NO AND EXPLAINED.
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE QUESTIONED MAYOR LAZIEH ON CO'S
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED.
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE FURTHER COMMENTED.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU QUESTIONED THE MAYOR.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED THAT THE CITY HAS SIGNED OFF FOR DETENTION FACILITY CENTER AND IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY
OF THE STATE BUILDING COMMISSION TO OVER SEE THIS PROJECT.
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE QUESTIONED MAYOR LAZIEH ON HEAVY TRASH PICK-UP.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED MAYOR ON ZONE AUTHORITY.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED.
DISCUSSION ENSUED.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN COMMENTED ON POLONAISE CLUB.
CHESTER ARCISZ, OWNER OF THE CLUB, RESPONDED.
MOTION TO RECESS WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN FERRI AND SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU. ALL AGREED. SO VOTED.
TIME 7:35 P.M.
RECONVENED AT 8:10 P.M. ALL COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT WAS GIVEN TO ALLOW CHARLES PYTEL, FORMER HOUSING DIRECTOR, TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
CHARLES PYTEL RELATED MAYOR'S OPTION TO RESIGN HIS POSITION AS MINIMUM HOUSING DIRECTOR. HE STATED THAT UPON THE ADVICE OF HIS ATTORNEY HE DECLINED THIS OPTION. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WOULD FIGHT HIS DISMISSAL. HE ALSO
COMMENTED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE PRESS RELEASE THE CITY GAVE TO THE PRESS. HE STATED THAT THE POSITION OF CODE
ENDFORCEMENT OFFICER GENERATES MANY TYPES OF COMPLAINTS. HE COMMENTED THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN IN A TIME ZONE FOR THE PAST THIRTY YEARS AND THAT THE STAFF IN THIS DEPARTMENT IS 100% BEHIND HIS EFFORTS. HE ASKED THE COUNCIL TO HELP REINSTATE HIM. HE RELATED THAT THERE IS A GREAT NEED FOR HOUSING ENFORCEMENTS IN THE CITY AS CAN BE VERIFIED BY THE FIELD INSPECTORS WHO HAVE SEEN BABIES WITH BITES FROM ROACHES ETC. HE RELATED THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS UNDERSTAFFED AND THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE OF THE DEMANDS OF THE MINIMUM HOUSING OFFICE.
HE STATED THAT THE CITY IS IN BAD SHAPE AND THAT HE TRIED HIS BEST TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU COMMENTED THAT SHE FEELS THAT MR. PYTEL HAS DONE AND EXCELLENT JOB AND THAT SHE WAS NOT PLEASED WITH HIS DISMISSAL.
MR. PYTEL COMMENTED THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS UNDERSTAFFED AND IS IN NEED OF 3 OR 4 MORE INSPECTORS AND 2 MORE SECRETARIES, COMPUTERS ETC. HE FURTHER COMMENTED THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS NEED PROTECTION TO DO THE JOB.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN COMMENTED.
MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN FERRI AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS. ALL AGREED. SO VOTED.
TIME 8:10 P.M.
DANIEL J. ISSA, CITY CLERK