CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS
EMERGENCY CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
TUESDAY, JULY 16, 1996
AN EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE CENTRAL FALLS CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD ON THE ABOVE DATE IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 5:21 P.M.
| COUNCILMAN FARRELL | YES |
| COUNCILMAN FERRI | YES |
| COUNCILMAN WEBER | YES |
QUORUM PRESENT.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT PRO TEMP. ROBERT FERRI PRESIDED AND TURNED THE MEETING OVER TO COUNCILMAN WEBER.
MISSIONARY CHURCH OF CHRIST GOSPEL PREACHING AT THE COWDEN STREET PLAYGROUND.
COUNCILMAN WEBER GAVE A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE EVENTS THAT LED TO THE CALLING OF THIS SPECIAL MEETING. HE STATED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS DURING THE SERVICE HELD ON MONDAY, COMPLAINING OF THE NOISE COMING FROM THE SERVICE. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE PLAYGROUND HE WAS ASKED TO LEAVE. POLICE
WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE WITH A DECIBEL READER WHICH WAS PINNING OVER 90.
MR. APONTE APOLOGIZED FOR THE LOUDNESS OF HIS VOICE WITH THE USE OF A POWER MIKE. HE EXPLAINED THAT WHEN HE IS PREACHING HE THINKS OF NOTHING OTHER THAT GETTING GOD'S MESSAGE OUT, ALTHOUGH HE UNDERSTANDS THAT THE AMPLIFIER WAS TOO LOUD.
COUNCILMAN WEBER STATED THAT HE HAS NOTHING AGAINST THE MESSAGE THAT IS BEING DELIVERED, AND IN HIS OPINION, THE MISSION IS A WORTHY AND BENEFICIAL EVENT FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT THE MESSAGE SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO ARE ATTENDING AND NOT TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. THE NEIGHBORS WERE VERY DISTRAUGHT AND MR. APONTE MUST KEEP THE NOISE DOWN.
MR. APONTE REPLIED THAT HE IS SORRY FOR HIS LOUD VOICE.
COUNCILMAN FERRI ASKED WHAT TIME THE NEXT GOSPEL SESSION WAS AND WHAT DOES MR. APONTE PLAN TO DO DIFFERENT. HE SUGGESTED THAT MR. APONTE SELECT ANOTHER SITE AND LOWER THE VOLUME ON THE AMPLIFICATION.
COUNCILMAN WEBER STATED THAT MR. APONTE'S INTENTION WAS TO DRAW OUT THE PEOPLE FROM THE HOUSES IN THE AREA.
LOUIS PAQUETTE A RESIDENT OF SUMNER AVENUE COMMENTED THAT HE LIVES AT LEAST 500' AWAY FROM THE PLAYGROUND AND HE COULD HEAR THE PREACHER CLEARLY. HE SAID THAT HE AGREES WITH COUNCILMAN WEBER THAT AMPLIFICATION SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED.
BOB CHARETT STATED THAT A FRIEND, LIVING ON FLETCHER STREET, COULD HEAR THE NOISE FROM THEIR HOME WHICH IS AT LEAST TWO PLUS BLOCKS AWAY.
MAYOR MATTHEWS COMMENDED MR. APONTE FOR HIS CALLING, BUT SAID THAT THERE IS A TIME AND PLACE FOR ALL THINGS AND A PROPER MANNERS IN WHICH TO DO THEM. HE SAID HE FEEL THAT THE BASKETBALL COURT IS NOT A PROPER PLACE FOR
THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY AND SUGGESTED THAT ANOTHER LOCATION MAY BE BETTER SUITED FOR THIS EVENT. MAYOR MATTHEWS STATED THAT IN DISCUSSION WITH HIS MOTHER THE PREACHER COULD BE HEARD ON WASHINGTON. HE RECOMMENDED THE FOLLOWING:
1. THAT THE LOCATION BE CHANGED TO JENKS PARK.
2. THAT THERE BE A REASONABLE LEVEL FOR THE SOUND EQUIPMENT.
THE MAYOR STATED THAT HE DIDN'T WANT MR. APONTE TO LEAVE WITH A REASONABLE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.
MR. APONTE RESPONDED PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEEN TOLD THAT THE GOSPEL MEETING WILL BE AT THE COWDEN STREET PLAYGROUND.
MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN WEBER THAT GOSPEL MEETING BE RELOCATED TO JENKS PARK FROM 6:30 P.M. - 8:30 P.M AND THAT AMPLIFICATION BE USED FOR MUSIC ONLY FOR THE REMAINING TWO MEETINGS ON JULY 16 & 17TH. MOTION WAS SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN FARRELL. THE COUNCIL ALSO STIPULATED THAT THERE ARE NO CARS ALLOWED IN THE PARK.
| COUNCILMAN FARRELL | YES |
| COUNCILMAN FERRI | YES |
| COUNCILMAN WEBER | YES |
MOTION CARRIED 3 YES 0 NO 2 ABSENT.
MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN WEBER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN FARRELL. ALL AGREED. SO VOTED. TIME: 5:52 P.M.
__________________________________________
ELIZABETH A. CROWLEY, CMC
ACTING CITY CLERK