July 30, 1997 - Special City Council Meeting

CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS

SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING

CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1997

A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD ON THE ABOVE DATE IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 8:02 P.M.

ROLL CALL

COUNCILMAN NOURY

COUNCILMAN FERRI

COUNCILMAN CANAVAN

COUNCILMAN WEBER

COUNCILMAN AUNCHMAN

QUORUM PRESENT.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

COUNCIL PRESIDENT ROBERT CANAVAN PRESIDED AND LED THE ASSEMBLY IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

(NOTE THIS MEETING WAS NOT TELEVISED DUE TO DIFFICULTIES AT THE CABLE STATION)

PERMIT

UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO BE HEARD GRANTED:

TOURETTE'S SYNDROME ASSOC. RHODE ISLAND CHAPTER

RAFFLE-NOVEMBER 1, 1997 CONRAD'S

MOTION TO APPROVE WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN FERRI AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WEBER.

MOTION CARRIED 5 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.

ORDINANCE (FIRST PASSAGE)

READ BY CLERK:

AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLE VII-SIGNS

EXECUTIVE SESSION

DETENTION CENTER AS PROVIDED FOR IN EXCEPTION #2 OF THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW DEALING WITH LITIGATION.

MOTION TO RECESS TO EXECUTIVE SESSION WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN WEBER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN AUNCHMAN.

MOTION CARRIED 5 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.

TIME: 8:10 P.M.

MEETING RECONVENED AT 8:55 P.M.

MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN AUNCHMAN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WEBER TO SEAL THE MINUTES TO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

MOTION CARRIED 5 YES 0 NO 0 ABSENT.

MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN NOURY AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN FERRI NOT TO APPEAL THE DECISION OF THE COURT RELATIVE TO THE DETENTION FACILITY LAWSUIT.

COUNCILMAN NOURY STATED THAT IT WAS TIME TO PUT THIS ISSUE BEHIND AND TO WORK WITH THE BOARD IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.

COUNCILMAN WEBER STATED THAT THE COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE TO ACT AS A WATCHDOG WITH REGARDS TO THIS FACILITY.

COUNCILMAN FERRI STATED THAT HE RESPECTS ALL THE EFFORTS MADE BY ATTORNEY OLIVERIO AND HE IS TO BE COMMENDED, HE ALSO COMMENDED THE EFFORTS OF THE FORMER COUNCIL FOR BRING THE ISSUE TO FRUITATION EVEN IF ITS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE CASE WAS NOT IN THE COUNCIL'S FAVOR. HE STATED THAT IS WAS NOW TIME FOR THE HEALING TO BEGIN AND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD CONTINUE TO BE A WATCHDOG ON THIS ISSUE.

COUNCILMAN WEBER POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE NO NICE PERSONS IN THIS FACILITY AND THAT THERE ARE VERY DANGEROUS INMATES AT THIS FACILITY.

THE CLERK WAS REQUESTED TO ASK THE MAYOR IF HE WAS RECEIVING WEEKLY REPORTS FROM THE FACILITY ON THE INMATE POPULATION.

COUNCILMAN WEBER STATED THAT THE COUNCIL DID MAKE ITS CASE AND THAT IT WAS AN OUTSTANDING PRESENTATION BY ATTORNEY OLIVERIO AND THE WITNESSES FOR THE CITY. THE JUDGE COULDN'T TAKE TO HEART WHAT WAS EXPRESSED TO THE TAXPAYER BUT RATHER HAD TO JUDGE THE MERITS OF THE CASE BASED ON THE LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. HE STATED THAT THE CITY SHOULD KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE FACILITY.

COUNCILMAN AUNCHMAN STATED THAT HE KNEW HOW HARD THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND PREVIOUS COUNCIL WORKED. HE STATED THAT THE BATTLE WAS WON BUT THE WAR WAS LOST. HE STATED THAT ITS TIME TO MOVE ON.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN STATED THAT HE APPRECIATED THE KIND WORDS OF HIS FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS. HE RELATED THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY WERE TOLD ABOUT THE FACILITY. HOWEVER, THE JUDGE CAN ONLY MAKE A DECISION BASED ON THE WRITTEN LAW.

ROLL CALL VOTE ON MOTION.

COUNCILMAN NOURY                              YES

COUNCILMAN FERRI                                 YES

COUNCILMAN CANAVAN                       NO

COUNCILMAN WEBER                               YES

COUNCILMAN AUNCHMAN                     YES

MOTION ON NOT TO APPEAL DECISION CARRIED 4 YES 1 NO 1 ABSENT.

MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN WEBER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN AUNCHMAN.

ALL AGREED. SO VOTED. TIME 9:10 P.M.

_________________________________

ELIZABETH A. CROWLEY, CMC

ACTING CITY CLERK

INTERPRETERS FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED AVAILABLE UPON 72 HOUR NOTICE MADE AT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK