CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
MONDAY, MARCH 21, 1994
AT 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 7:34 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.
RESOLUTION IMPROVEMENTS TO RECREATION FACILITIES
READ BY CITY CLERK DANIEL ISSA.
SO INTRODUCED.
RESOLUTION IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HIGGINSON AVENUE RECREATION COMPLEX WALKING/JOGGING TRACK
READ BY CITY CLERK DANIEL ISSA.
SO INTRODUCED.
CITY CLERK ISSA REVIEWED THE RETURNS OF PROPOSALS FROM ATTORNEYS WHICH WERE PUBLICLY OPENED EARLIER IN THE DAY.
CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN INSTRUCTED THE SUB COMMITTEE TO ARRANGE TO INTERVIEW THE APPLICANTS.
CLERK ISSA READ A LETTER FROM FRANCIS X. FLAHERTY OF WYNN AND WYNN, LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THE DETENTION FACILITY, STATING THAT HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO ATTEND THIS MEETING.
PATRICIA SALISBURY, CHAIRPERSON OF THE DETENTION FACILITY CORPORATION, INFORMED THE CITY CLERK THAT SHE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THIS MEETING.
WILLIAM FESIK, FORMER DETENTION BOARD MEMBER WAS PRESENT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN ASKED MR. FESIK QUESTIONS REGARDING THE CONTRACT AND POPULATION OF THE DETENTION CENTER.
MR. FESIK RESPONDED.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED MR. FESIK.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU QUESTIONED MR. FESIK.
MR. FESIK INDICATED THAT HE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE HELPING THE CITY, HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO SPECIFIC CHOICES FOR THE POSITIONS AND THAT THE DCA PEOPLE WERE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD MEMBERS.
MR. FESIK STATED THAT HE RESIGNED FOR SEVERAL REASON:
1. MR. MARSHALL BUILT THE FACILITY
2. THE DCA GROUP WAS PART OF THE ADVISERS FOR THE CENTER.
3. MR. VENTUTULO'S SALARY OF $85.00 PER HOUR WAS HIGH.
4. OPENING ON BOARD WAS FILLED BY THE CITY'S FINANCE DIRECTOR, HE DID NOT THINK THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED MR. FESIK.
JAMES STEPHEN MINIMUM HOUSING DIRECTOR WAS PRESENT AND WAS QUESTIONED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
ZONING DISCUSSED.
MR. STEPHENS STATED THAT IN HIS OPINION THIS WAS A CONTINUING USE OF EXISTING EXCEPTION, ACCORDING TO ZONING BOARD DECISION AND ACCORDINGLY HIS OPINION WAS BASED ON THE FACTS PRESENTED TO HIM AT THE TIME HE WAS ASKED TO SUBMIT A RESPONSE ON THE FACILITY.
DEFINITIONS DISCUSSED.
CAPACITY DISCUSSED.
CHARLES PYTEL, FORMER DIRECTOR, ISSUED PERMITS. CODE ENFORCEMENT INVOLVED THE STATE DUE TO THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF THE PROJECT. STATE BUILDING COMMISSION DID THE WORK, CITY ISSUED THE PERMITS. CERTIFICATIONS WERE GIVEN BY STATE.
COUNCIL DISCUSSION WITH MR. STEPHENS CONTINUED.
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE QUESTIONED STEPHEN.
EDNA POULIN, FINANCE DIRECTOR WAS PRESENT AND ANSWERED QUESTIONS REGARDING TAXES DUE ON THE PROPERTY PRIOR TO THE DETENTION CENTER. SHE RESPONDED THAT THE TAXES WERE PAID WITH 18% INTEREST.
COUNCIL MEMBERS ASKED HOW MUCH REVENUE HAS BEEN PAID TO THE CITY SINCE THE FACILITY OPENED.
EDNA POULIN ESTIMATED $40,000.00 DUE CITY SO FAR FROM DETENTION CENTER.
EDNA POULIN, DETENTION CENTER BOARD MEMBER QUESTIONED BY COUNCIL.
CAPACITY, TYPE OF INMATES, ETC. DISCUSSED.
COUNCIL QUESTIONED MS. POULIN FURTHER.
MS. POULIN STATED THAT THE BOARD AGONIZED OVER DECISION TO ACCEPT
NORTH CAROLINA INMATES.
MAYOR LAZIEH IN ATTENDANCE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL RECESSED.
MEETING RECONVENED
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN READ LETTER DATED 3-10-94 FROM CITY CLERK TO MAYOR REQUESTING HIS PRESENCE ON 3-21 OR 3-28.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN COMMENTED ON LETTER.
MAYOR LAZIEH COMMENTED ON HIS INVITATION TO ATTEND.
MAYOR LAZIEH REQUESTED THAT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE INVESTIGATION BE READ.
CITY CLERK ISSA READ THE RESOLUTION PERTAINING TO INVESTIGATION AND ENGAGING LEGAL COUNSEL.
MAYOR LAZIEH GAVE HISTORY OF THE PROJECT.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN QUESTIONED THE MAYOR.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED THAT HE DID NOT COMMIT ANY LOCAL MONEY TO PAY DEVELOPERS AND THAT THE CITY HAS NO CONTRACT WITH THE DEVELOPERS.
DESIGN CAPACITY AND SELECTION OF FIRMS DISCUSSED.
MAYOR LAZIEH STATED THAT HE DID NOT LIKE THE DECISION OF BOARD TO HOUSE NORTH CAROLINA INMATES IN THE FACILITY, HOWEVER HE DOES UNDERSTAND. HE STATED THAT THE BOARD DOES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO WHAT THEY DID.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED MAYOR REGARDING FUNDING, CAPACITY, ETC.
MAYOR COMMENTED ON A 302 CAPACITY MAXIMUM.
LEGAL BONDING DISCUSSED.
STATE OFFICIALS INFORMED MAYOR THAT BUILDING MET STANDARDS FOR PERMITS.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN QUESTIONED THE MAYOR ON ZONING ORDINANCE PASSED IN 1992 CHANGING M1 ZONE TO ALLOW THE DETENTION FACILITY AS WELL AS RESOLUTION FOR FACILITY.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN QUESTIONED THE MAYOR FURTHER.
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU QUESTIONED THE MAYOR.
MAYOR LAZIEH REPEATED THAT HE DOES NOT LIKE NORTH CAROLINA INMATES BEING HERE BUT UNDERSTANDS THE NEED. HE STATED THAT IT IS WHERE THE PROJECT IS NOW RELATIVE TO THE INMATES. HE STATED THAT THE CITY HAS FULFILLED ITS REQUIREMENTS. PROJECT WAS COMPLETED ON TIME, AND AS PROMISED. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT THE MARSHALLS SERVICE HAS NOT FILLED THE FACILITY AS PLANNED.
MAYOR LAZIEH READ FROM ANDERSON REPORT AND IGA.
NO BUREAU OF PRISONS OR INS DETAINEES YET.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS COMMENTED AND SPOKE WITH MAYOR.
MAYOR LAZIEH COMMENTED ON THE ENABLING ACT ALLOWING THE CORPORATION ETC.
MEETING RECESSED.
MEETING RECONVENED.
MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN GOES TO CONTINUE PAST 11 PM RULE.
SECONDED BY MOREAU.
| COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS | YES |
| COUNCILMAN GOES | YES |
| COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE | YES |
| COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU | YES |
| COUNCILMAN CANAVAN | YES |
MOTION CARRIED 5 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED THE MAYOR REGARDING FUNDING, BONDS, AND IF HE RECEIVED ANY MONEY FROM THE PROJECT.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED TO COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS' QUESTIONS AND GAVE A NEGATIVE RESPONSE TO HAVING RECEIVED ANY MONEY FROM THE PROJECT.
THE COUNCIL CONTINUED QUESTIONING THE MAYOR.
MAYOR LAZIEH STATED THAT HE HAS SOLICITED ADVICE FROM OTHER ATTORNEYS.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN QUESTIONED THE MAYOR.
CITY CLERK ASKED FOR DEFINITION OF RESOLUTION AND ITS PURPOSE.
CLERK ISSA RESPONDED.
CANAVAN QUESTIONED THE MAYOR REGARDING THE IGA SIGNED BY MR. FORAN.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED THE MAYOR.
THE MAYOR STATED THAT HE IS UNHAPPY THAT THE SECRET SERVICE, INS, BOP, ETC. ARE NOT USING THE FACILITY. THE PLAN WAS FOR THEM TO USE THE FACILITY. HE STATED THAT HE IS CONFIDENT THAT EVENTUALLY, NORTH CAROLINA INMATES WILL NOT BE NEEDED. NEW US ATTORNEY WILL BE SWORN IN, NEW FEDERAL LEGISLATION, WHICH INCREASES OFFENSES AND WILL INCREASE FEDERAL INMATE POPULATION AND INDITEMENTS.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS SPOKE.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN QUESTIONED THE MAYOR REGARDING THE CITY SOLICITOR.
DISCUSSION ON CITY SOLICITOR ENSUED.
THE COUNCIL THANKED THE MAYOR FOR COMING TO THIS MEETING.
MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE AND SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU.
| COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS | YES |
| COUNCILMAN GOES | YES |
| COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE | YES |
| COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU | YES |
| COUNCILMAN CANAVAN | YES |
MOTION CARRIED 5 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT. TIME 11:40 P.M.
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DANIEL J. ISSA
CITY CLERK