September 20, 1993 - Special City Council Meeting

CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS

SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1993

CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 7:30 P.M.

A SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING WAS HELD ON THE ABOVE DATE IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 7:55 P.M.

ROLL CALL:

QUORUM PRESENT.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT ROBERT CANAVAN PRESIDED.

PER THE CALL OF COUNCIL PRESIDENT ROBERT CANAVAN.

MOTION TO ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER STATE LAW EXEMPTION NUMBER 5 PAQUETTE

SECOND MOREAU

MOTION CARRIES. 8:00 PM

COUNCIL BACK AT 8:25 PM

ADDENDUM TO AGENDA

INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE EMERGENCY ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A JUVENILE CURFEW.

SO INTRODUCED.

FIRST PASSAGE ON SAME ORDINANCE

NO MOTION TO MOVE ORDINANCE FROM COUNCIL

COUNCIL PRESIDENT STATES MOTION DEAD FOR LACK OF SECOND

MAYOR ASKED TO COMMENT.

MAYOR STATED THAT STATE STATUTE STILL IN EFFECT. IT IS MORE RESTRICTIVE.

MOREAU QUESTIONED EMERGENCY CURFEW PUT INTO EFFECT.

MAYOR RESPONDED.

MOREAU QUESTIONED IF ADDITIONAL POLICE ARE PLANNED.

MAYOR RESPONDED THAT ACTION TAKEN IS WITH CHIEF OF POLICE AND STATE LEGISLATION. PRESENT ORDINANCE IS INADEQUATE.

MOREAU-NONE OF THESE YOUTH WERE CITY. ANY ALTERNATIVE FOR YOUTH? HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENFORCE?

MAYOR RESPONDED THAT FIRST INTRODUCTION OF CURFEW ORDINANCE WAS 1992. HE FEELS THAT OTHER YOUTH WILL COME TO CITY AS A RESULT OF THIS WEEKENDS SHOOTING. THAT VIOLENCE IS ESCALATING. ABOUT 15 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION WAS RELEASED ON THE STREET. THIS CONCERNS HIM GREATLY. COUNCIL SHOULD ALLOW PUBLIC TO DISCUSS THIS ORDINANCE. THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION ON ORDINANCE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I HAVE SUBMITTED THE ORDINANCE. WE ARE

WORKING WITH JUVENILE OFFICER ON PREVENTION AND ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE, GOVERNORS JUSTICE COMMISSION ON FUNDING FOR GRANTS. I CANNOT WAIT TO TAKE ACTION. I HOPE THIS SAVES A LIFE. HE THEN COVERED ACTIONS HE HAS ALREADY TAKEN. INCLUDING COOPERATION WITH CUMBERLAND AND PAWTUCKET FOR MUTUAL AID. WE CANNOT PUT A POLICEMAN ON EVERY CORNER. INCREASED LIGHTING AND CURFEW AT RECREATION CENTERS, CRIME WATCH AREAS, ETC.

REPRESENTATIVE FARIA TODAY CONTACTED STATE POLICE TO REQUEST MORE COVERAGE FOR THIS AREA. THIS IS NOT OVER.

I REGRET THAT THE COUNCIL TOOK NO ACTION TONIGHT.

MOREAU CURFEW WITH NOT ENOUGH POLICE TO BACK AND ENFORCE IS NOT EFFECTIVE. I DON'T WANT POLICEMAN BABYSITTING THESE KIDS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

MAYOR CHIEF OF POLICE SUPPORTS ORDINANCE, IS NOT A FINAL OR EASY SOLUTION. IT WILL SOLVE SOME OF THE CONCERNS.

WE ARE APPLYING FOR FUNDS FOR MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION. IT IS NOT THE FINAL SOLUTION, BUT AN ONGOING BATTLE.

AS PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR, I AM SEEKING ADDITIONAL HELP.

MOREAU DISCUSSED FURTHER HER CONCERNS.

DISCUSSION.

PAWTUCKET AND MIDDLETOWN ARE CONSIDERING CURFEWS, THIS IS NOT NEW SAID MAYOR.

PAQUETTE QUESTIONED THE MAYOR REGARDING MANPOWER AND PRESENT CURFEW.

MAYOR RESPONDED WITH PARTICULAR ACTIONS.

MAYOR OUTLINED OTHER ACTIONS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH INCLUDING SER, CUMBERLAND COMPANY, ETC.

CURFEW WOULD BE PART OF A SOLUTION.

CANAVAN CURFEW WOULD NOT HAVE PREVENTED THE TRAGEDY SATURDAY.

MAYOR AGREED.

CANAVAN FEELS THAT CITY CURFEW IS BETTER THAN THE STATE CURFEW. CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT HAS MONEY WHICH COULD BE USED FOR THIS MAJOR ISSUE.

WE SHOULD DO WHAT IT TAKES TO PUT POLICEMEN ON THE STREET NOW. HIRING POLICE OFFICERS ALONE IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM ACCORDING TO THE CHIEF-MAYOR.

FURTHER DISCUSSION.

CANAVAN I WOULD SUPPORT A CURFEW FOR A LIMITED PERIOD OF TIME.

MAYOR I REGRET THAT THE COUNCIL WILL NOT PASS MY ORDINANCE.

FERRI I DON'T THINK THAT CONTROL OF CHILDREN SHOULD BE GOVERNMENTAL. CONTROL OF GUNS IS THE PROBLEM. GUNS ARE IN THE HANDS OF MINORS.

CHARTER REVISION COMMISSION DISCUSSION

DR. ELMER CORNWELL ADDRESSED COUNCIL. HE SAID THAT THE REFERENDUM MUST BE PRESENTED IN APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE.

THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN PUT THIS ON BALLOT THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE. HE GAVE COUNCIL THE REVISED FORM OF THE CHARTER REVISION AS SUGGESTED BY THE COUNCIL. HE ASKED COUNCIL HOW THEY WANT HIM TO PROCEED. SUMMARY MUST BE IN HANDS OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE BY WEDNESDAY. ALL CHANGES THAT ARE SUBSTANTIVE HAVE BEEN MADE. ONE SUGGESTION IS TO PUT THE QUESTIONS SEPARATELY THAT NEED A SEPARATE DECISION, LIKE THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION DID IN 1986. THE ONLY ISSUE IS TWO OR FOUR YEAR TERMS.

CORNWELL YOU MUST ADOPT A RESOLUTION.

LINE ITEM VETO QUESTIONED BY CANAVAN.

CORNWALL RESPONDED THAT COUNCIL ALREADY HAS THE POWER TO AMEND ANY LEGISLATION. ONLY EXCEPTION IS THE BOTTOM LINE. YOU COULD PUT IN AN EXPLICIT LINE, BUT DON'T FEEL IT IS NECESSARY.

DISCUSSION ON DEPARTMENT HEADS. APPOINTMENT AND CONFIRMATIONS BY COUNCIL.

COUNCILMAN FERRI IS EXCUSED.

CORNWALL ANY EXTENSIVE CHANGES WILL POSSIBLY CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH THE SUBMITTAL DATE TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.

MOREAU SPOKE REGARDING PUTTING PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR ON A SEPARATE QUESTION. IF THE PUBLIC WANTS THE MAYOR TO BE A PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR.

CORNWALL FEELS THAT THIS COULD CAUSE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF REDRAFTING WHICH WITH THE OTHER CHANGES COULD CAUSE A DELAY. THE NECESSARY REVISIONS WILL TAKE TIME.

ROLAND BOUVIER STATED THAT CHARTER WILL BE FOR FUTURE. IT SHOULD SERVE US FOR MANY YEARS. IN JANUARY I SENT YOU A LETTER FROM THE COMMISSION, NOW THERE ARE ALL THESE CHANGES.

MOREAU INDICATED THAT SHE DID MENTION THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR.

BOUVIER HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU REQUESTED THE INFO AND DID NOT GET ANY? IF THIS IS SUCH AN ISSUE, THEN SEND THIS BACK TO THE COMMISSION.

CANAVAN WHILE I SHARE SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS, I DON'T THINK THAT THIS WILL ANSWER YOUR CONCERNS.

FURTHER DISCUSSION.

CORNWALL REITERATED THE DEADLINE FOR SECRETARY OF STATE. COUNCIL APPROVAL OF FINANCE DIRECTOR WILL BE IN CHANGE. SEPARATE QUESTION FOR TWO OR FOUR YEAR TERMS OF COUNCIL AND MAYOR.

DR. PASSED OUT SHEET FOR FOUR YEAR LANGUAGE QUESTION. SWEARING IN WOULD BE 30 DAYS AFTER THE ELECTION.

COUNCIL WANTS 1995 AS DATE FOR FOUR YEAR TERMS AS PUT ON BALLOT.

COUNCIL CONFIRMATION FOR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR ALSO.

ISSUES TO BE ON BALLOT:

1. TWO OR FOUR YEAR TERMS

2. REMAINDER OF CHANGES TO CHARTER

DISCUSSION ON RECALL PROVISION.

COUNCIL ASKED DR. CORNWALL ON PROCEDURE TO PUT ON BALLOT.

A RESOLUTION WOULD DO IT.

MOTION TO PLACE ON BALLOT: SHALL THE REVISED CHARTER BE APPROVED, AND TWO OR FOUR YEARS TERMS.

RESOLUTION OF COUNCIL BE PASSED MATTHEWS

SECOND PAQUETTE

ROLL CALL VOTE

MOTION PASSES FOUR TO ZERO WITH ONE ABSENT

COUNCIL THANKED DR. CORNWALL AND CHARTER COMMISSION.

MOTION TO ADJOURN PAQUETTE

SECOND MOREAU

TIME: 10:07PM

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DANIEL J. ISSA

CITY CLERK

INTERPRETERS FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED AVAILABLE UPON 48 HOUR REQUEST MADE WITH THE CITY CLERK.