CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1994
7:30 P.M.
A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CENTRAL FALLS CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD ON THE ABOVE DATE IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 7:35 P.M.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS
COUNCILMAN GOES
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN
QUORUM PRESENT.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT ROBERT CANAVAN PRESIDED.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN LED THE ASSEMBLY IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
DONALD WYATT UNABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT MEETING.
FORMER COUNCILMAN K. VAUDREUIL UNABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT'S MEETING.
TELEPHONE CALL TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN FROM MICHAEL DOYLE AND MR BRODY UNABLE TO ATTEND MEETING TONIGHT DUE TO OTHER COMMITMENT.
MR. VENTUTULO UNABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT.
DANIEL J. ISSA, CITY CLERK RE: LETTER TO VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS INVITING THEM TO DETENTION FACILITY INVESTIGATION MEETING.
MOTION TO ACCEPT COLLECTIVELY AND PLACE ON FILE WAS MADE BY COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE AND COUNCILMAN GOES.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS YES
COUNCILMAN GOES YES
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE YES
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU YES
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN YES
MOTION CARRIED 5 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.
AN ORDINANCE CLARIFYING THE STATUS OF THE CHIEF OF THE CENTRAL FALLS POLICE DIVISION RELATIVE TO HIS REMOVAL FROM THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNIT AS A RESULT OF THE ARBITRATION DECISION BETWEEN THE CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS AND CENTRAL FALLS LODGE #2 F.O. P.
PRESIDENT CANAVAN READ. SO INTRODUCED.
AN ORDINANCE GRANTING PETITION OF THE CENTRAL FALLS FIELD NATURALISTS SOCIETY FOR ABANDONMENT OF A PORTION OF OAKLAND STREET.
TITLE READ. SO INTRODUCED.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN COMMENTED AND THANKED THE FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S MEETING. HE ASKED THEM TO SPEAK BRIEFLY REGARDING THE DETENTION CENTER.
MAURICE BROUSSEAU, FORMER COUNCILMAN FROM WARD ONE GAVE HIS RECOLLECTIONS OF THE DETENTION FACILITY PROJECT AND STATED THAT THE PROJECT AT ONE POINT WAS DEAD AND WAS LATER RESURRECTED. HE STATED THAT FUNDING WAS TO COME FROM CANADIAN BANKS AT THAT TIME AND NO CITY OR STATE MONEY WOULD BE INVOLVED. HE STATED THAT THE FACILITY WAS TO HAVE 220 BEDS. HE INSISTED IN COUNCILMATIC APPROVAL OF BOARD APPOINTMENTS. BOND APPROVALS SHOULD NOT INCLUDE THE CITY LIABLE IN ANY WAY. NO CITY OFFICIALS SHOULD GET A JOB THERE. DETAINEES ONLY. IGA HAD
TO BE RENEGOTIATED EVERY 15 MONTHS. NO TAXPAYERS DOLLARS. FIVE TIMES PRESENT TAXES WOULD HAVE BEEN COLLECTED. CITY WOULD BENEFIT BY OWNING THE BUILDING AFTER IT WAS PAID FOR.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN QUESTIONED RE: PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES.
MAURICE BROUSSEAU INDICATED IT WAS A REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES PROVIDED. THIS WAS TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, DON'T REMEMBER EVERY DETAIL.
HECTOR CHARBONNEAU QUESTIONED THE COUNCIL'S INTENT OF THE INVESTIGATION. CITY DID HOLD MANY PUBLIC HEARINGS, WHERE WAS THE PEOPLE ON THE COUNCIL THEN. DID NOT LIKE THE LOCATION OF THE PROJECT. THOUGHT THE CITY SHOULD GET MORE REVENUE. IT IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE, AND WILL BE HERE.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED TYPE OF PRISONERS AS MR. CHARBONNEAU RECALLED.
MR. CHARBONNEAU ANSWERED, NO, ONLY DETAINEES.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED ANALYSIS OF NEED.
MR. CHARBONNEAU RESPONDED, NO.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN ASKED IF "DESIGN CAPACITY" MEANT ANYTHING.
MR. CHARBONNEAU RESPONDED HE DID NOT REMEMBER.
MR. CHARBONNEAU STATED THAT THE COUNCIL IS NOT TO BLAME RATHER THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS ARE TO BLAME. THE PEOPLE DID NOTHING. ALL OF THE PEOPLE ARE TO BLAME.
FORMER COUNCIL PRESIDENT ALBERT O. LAROCHE. AGREED WITH MR. BROUSSEAU AND MR. CHARBONNEAU. LAROCHE READ FROM LETTER REGARDING CITY LIABILITY FROM WILLIAM BRODY. HIS BIGGEST FEAR WAS LIABILITY TO THE CITY. SECOND WAS APPOINTEES TO BOARD. APPLICATION TO BOARD OF ZONING REVIEW TO MATTHEWS WAS READ. BRODY INDICATED THAT IT WOULD BE FEDERAL DETAINEES ONLY. NO STATE INMATES, PER WYATT.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN QUESTIONED THE 220 BED DESIGN CAPACITY.
MR. LAROCHE RESPONDED 220 BED CAPACITY.
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN QUESTIONED IF ANY NEEDS REPORT, OR ANDERSON REPORT WAS REQUESTED OR SEEN.
MR. LAROCHE SAID NO.
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE ASKED QUESTION ON THE CAPACITY. MR. LAROCHE RESPONDED.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED MR. LAROCHE RE:NAME AND SURVEY OR STUDY.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN ASKED WHAT CHANGED THE PROJECT TO "FAST TRACK"
MR. LAROCHE SAID MAYOR ALWAYS WAITED UNTIL LAST MINUTE. THIS PROJECT NO EXCEPTION.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED IGA VERSUS CONTRACT.
MR. BROUSSEAU SPOKE RE:IGA. AND STATED THAT IT WAS THE UNDERSTANDING OF ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT THE CAPACITY WAS 220 BEDS.
MR. BROUSSEAU TOOK PODIUM AGAIN. TIME FRAME MADE THE STATE LAW HAVE TO APPLY TO WHOLE STATE, PRESS FOR TIME. BILL HAD TO CHANGE. HAD TO BE GENERIC TO APPLY TO WHOLE STATE. NEAR END OF SESSION. STRICT RESTRICTIONS ON THE BILL. RESOLUTION OF 220 BED SHOULD HAVE READ MAXIMUM. HE DID NOT SEE ANDERSON REPORT THEN EITHER.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN QUESTIONED.
MR. BROUSSEAU INDICATED THAT THE VOTE KEPT ON GETTING POSTPONED.
VERBAL AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE FEDERAL CUSTODY PRISONERS ONLY.
FINANCING DISCUSSED.
MR.BROUSSEAU FELT IGA WAS A CONTRACT.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU GAVE TESTIMONY AS FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER DURING PROJECT APPROVAL. SHE READ FROM FACT SHEET REGARDING THE DETENTION CENTER. SHE WOULD NOT HAVE VOTED FOR PROJECT IF SHE HAD KNOWN OF THE PROBLEMS. ZONING BOARD APPLICATION ALSO READ. MAY WAS INTRODUCTION 5-8-91 OF IGA. VOTED BY COUNCIL IN AUGUST. SHE STATED THAT SHE WAS SORRY SHE VOTED FOR IT. WOULD LIKE IT TO BE DETAINEES.
MR. LAROCHE QUESTIONED TIMES ARTICLE REGARDING TAX COLLECTION.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN ASKED IF 220 BED WAS INTENTION.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU ANSWERED YES.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU READ 7-30-91 LETTER FROM MAYOR, INDICATING 220 BEDS.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN QUESTIONED COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU.
GENERAL COMMENTS FROM FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COUNCILMAN CHARBONNEAU QUESTIONED WHERE THE COUNCIL IS GOING WITH THE INVESTIGATION AND WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN RESPONDED. HE WOULD HAVE VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT BASED ON THE INFORMATION THEY HAD AT THE TIME. HE WANTS TO SHOW THE CHANGES MADE AND WHO MADE THEM. POSSIBLE COURT ACTION. HE REMARKED THAT EVEN RI INTERLOCAL RISK INCREASED RATE BASED ON TYPE OF INMATES.
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE SAID COUNCIL DOING LEGWORK. NO LAWYER BEING PAID.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN ASKED THAT LETTERS BE SENT OUT FOR NEXT MEETING. HE ASKED THAT LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION BE CHANGED TO MONDAY FEB. 28. 7:30 PM.
JIM STEPHEN ASK HIM TO BRING DOCUMENTATION FOR DECISION WHY DETENTION CENTER NOT NEEDING CHANGE OF USE PERMIT. PER HIS LETTER. AND BUILDING PLANS FOR THE FACILITY. DUE AT FEB. 28 MEETING.
MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN GOES. TIME: 9:30 P.M.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS YES
COUNCILMAN GOES YES
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE YES
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU YES
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN YES
MOTION CARRIED 5 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.
___________________________
DANIEL J. ISSA
CITY CLERK