February 2, 1994 - Special City Council Meeting

CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS

SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1994

A SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING WAS HELD ON THE ABOVE DATE IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 7:11 P.M.

ROLL CALL PRESENT

COUNCILMAN GOES

COUNCILMAN CANAVAN

COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE

COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU

QUORUM PRESENT.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT ROBERT CANAVAN PRESIDED.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

MOTION TO ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN GOES AND SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU.

ROLL CALL

COUNCILMAN GOES                                              YES

COUNCILMAN CANAVAN                                    YES

COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE                                    YES

COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU                                 YES

MOTION CARRIED 4 YES 0 NO 1 ABSENT.

MEETING RECESSED TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 7:12 P.M.

MEETING RECONVENED AT 7:26 P.M.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN STATED THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD RECESS SO THAT THE CLERK COULD PREPARE A RESOLUTION FOR INTRODUCTION. COUNCIL

RECESSED AT 7:27 P.M.

MOTION TO RECESS WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE AND SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU.

COUNCILMAN GOES                                              YES

COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE                                    YES

COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU                                 YES

COUNCILMAN CANAVAN                                    YES

MOTION CARRIED 4 YES 0 NO 1 ABSENT.

MEETING RECONVENED AT 7:50 P.M.

RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION REQUESTING REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPH FARIA TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENTS TO THE APPROPRIATE STATE

STATUTE ESTABLISHING THE JUVENILE HEARING BOARD.

MOTION TO APPROVE WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE AND SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU.

THE AMENDMENTS TO THE RESOLUTION WERE READ BY THE DEPUTY CLERK ELIZABETH CROWLEY.

ROLL CALL:

COUNCILMAN GOES                                              YES

COUNCILMAN CANAVAN                                    YES

COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE                                    YES

COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU                                 YES

MOTION CARRIED 4 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.

RESOLUTION

MOTION FOR UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST PASSAGE WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE AND SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU.

COUNCILMAN GOES                                              YES

COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE                                    YES

COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU                                 YES

COUNCILMAN CANAVAN                                    YES

MOTION CARRIED 4 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.

DISCUSSION

DETENTION CENTER

COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN EXPLAINED THE NEED FOR THE RESOLUTION IN LENGTH. HE GAVE A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE EVENTS WHICH LED TO THE DECISION OF THE COUNCIL TO HIRE AN INDEPENDENT ATTORNEY FOR THE COUNCIL TO INVESTIGATE AND TAKE LEGAL MEASURES NECESSARY TO KEEP CONVICTED STATE PRISONERS OUT OF THE DETENTION FACILITY WHICH WAS DESIGNED FOR FEDERAL DETAINEES. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD BE PLACING THE CITY SOLICITOR IN A DIFFICULT POSITION. HE FURTHER EXPLAINED THE SECRETARIAL DUTIES THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED WHICH CANNOT BE PROVIDED BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND THAT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE WOULD BE PLACED IN THE SAME POSITION AS THE

SOLICITOR'S OFFICE. HE COMMENTED ON THE CITY CHARTER AND ITS LEGAL ASPECTS RELATIVE TO RETAINING LEGAL COUNSEL AND WHAT ACTIONS WOULD BE NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN COMMENTED ON INCIDENTS AT THE DETENTION FACILITY AND COMMENTED THAT THE COUNCIL PREDICTED THAT THIS TYPE OF EVENT COULD HAPPEN.

COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU COMMENTED ON A CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED BY THE COUNCIL FROM THE CITY SOLICITOR RELATIVE TO THE HIRING AN ATTORNEY. THE LETTER BACKDATED TO THE 12TH OF JANUARY, STATED THAT THE CITY SOLICITOR WAS AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE COUNCIL.

COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU STATED THE COUNCIL IS WORKING TO SEE TO IT THAT THE DETENTION FACILITY BE USED JUST FOR THE PURPOSE OF A DETENTION FACILITY AND NOT AS A PRISON. SHE EMPHASIZED THAT THE COUNCIL DID NOT WANT TO JEOPARDIZE ANYONE'S JOB.

COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE COMMENTED BRIEFLY TO THE COUNCIL ON THE DETENTION FACILITY.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN READ A LETTER FROM MAYOR LAZIEH DATED JAN. 12, 1994 REGARDING THE HIRING OF ATTORNEY HARSCH AND PAYMENT THEREOF.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN COMMENTED ON THIS LETTER. HE STATED THAT IT WAS THE OPINION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY SOLICITOR THAT THE PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING WAS ILLEGAL. HE STATED THAT IF THE COUNCIL INVESTIGATES MAYOR THEN THE COUNCIL CANNOT USE CITY SOLICITOR.

MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION FOR FIRST PASSAGE WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE AND SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU.

ROLL CALL

COUNCILMAN GOES                                              YES

COUNCILMAN CANAVAN                                    YES

COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE                                    YES

COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU                                 YES

MOTION CARRIED 4 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.

ADJOURN

MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE AND SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU.

COUNCILMAN GOES                                              YES

COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE                                    YES

COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU                                 YES

COUNCILMAN CANAVAN                                    YES

MOTION CARRIED 4 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.

TIME: 8:10 P.M.

_______________________________________

ELIZABETH A. CROWLEY, DEPUTY CITY CLERK