CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS
COUNCIL ORDINANCE COMMITTEE WORKSHOP
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1997
AT 6:30 P.M.
A WORKSHOP OF THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE WAS HELD ON THE ABOVE DATE IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 6:30 P.M.
COUNCILMAN FERRI AND COUNCILMAN WEBER WERE PRESENT.
COUNCILMAN WEBER CHAIRED THE MEETING
INVITED TO ATTEND THIS MEETING WERE VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT DEAL WITH CHILDREN AND RELATED ISSUES.
THOSE IN ATTENDANCE FROM THOSE INVITED WERE ASKED TO SIGN IN AS FOLLOWS:
JAMES BRIDEN, CITY SOLICITOR
COUNCILMAN WEBER
ANGELO GARCIA, DIRECTOR CHANNEL ONE
COUNCILMAN FERRI
JAVIER CENTENO, HOME/SCHOOL LIAISON
MAUREEN CHEVRETTE, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
LOUIS PAQUETTE, JR. MEMBER JUVENILE HEARING BOARD
BISHOP RAYMOND LALIBERTE
ALDEIRO BALDERA, CHAIRMAN JUVENILE HEARING BOARD
ELIZABETH CROWLEY, ACTING CITY CLERK
JACK LYLE, PRINCIPAL CENTRAL FALLS HIGH SCHOOL
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS REGARDING DAYTIME RESTRICTION FOR MINORS
JAMES BRIDEN REPORTED HIS FINDING RELATIVE TO THE ORDINANCE AND STATE LAW. HE STATED THAT IN HIS RESEARCH THE ORDINANCE, ALTHOUGH A GOOD ORDINANCE AND OBJECTIVE, WILL BE LEGALLY A PROBLEM IN THAT IT CONFLICTS WITH STATE LAW WHICH GIVES THE FAMILY COURT JURISDICTION OVER SUCH MATTERS. HE STATED THAT THE JUVENILE HEARING BOARD CAN DEAL WITH JUVENILES BUT NOT WITH PARENTS OR GUARDIANS WHICH THIS ORDINANCE ADDRESSES. HE FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT THE STATE LAW AND THE ORDINANCE ARE PARALLEL LAWS AND SINCE THE STATE LAW WOULD SUPERSEDE THE ORDINANCE THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE DEEMED USELESS. HE SUGGESTED THAT THE COMMITTEE PLACE THIS ON THE BACK BURNER FOR THE MOMENT AND DEAL WITH THE MATTER THROUGH THE FAMILY COURT. HE SUGGESTED THAT A MEETING BE SET UP WITH THE CHIEF JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT.
LOUIS PAQUETTE STATED THAT THE ORDINANCE COULD DEAL STRICTLY WITH DAYTIME RESTRICTIONS AND NOT MENTION SCHOOL IN ITS CONTENT. HE FEELS THAT A DAYTIME RESTRICTION WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH TRUANCY, BUT RATHER, WOULD PROHIBIT MINORS FROM VISITING PUBLIC PLACES WHILE SCHOOL IS IN SESSION.
DR. CHEVRETTE STATED THAT TRUANCY IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND IS FRUSTRATING ESPECIALLY WHEN DEALING WITH THE FAMILY COURT. IT TAKES TOO LONG TO GET TO AND FROM THE COURT AND HAS LITTLE AFFECT ON THE PARENTS OR THE CHILD AND IT ONLY WORKS WITH YOUNGSTERS IN THE LOWER GRADES IE:1-4. SHE STATED THAT FAMILY COURT IS JUST NOT WORKING.
JAVIER CENTENO THE HOME/SCHOOL LIAISON GAVE EXAMPLES OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN WHO SIMPLY ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THE TRUANCY LAWS.
COUNCILMAN FERRI QUESTIONED DR. CHEVRETTE AND JACK LYLE ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PER DAY WHO ARE ABSENT FROM SCHOOL AND ASKED WHAT PART OF THIS FIGURE WOULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE TRUANTS.
DR. CHEVRETTE EXPLAINED THE NUMBERS AND SPOKE ON THE TRUANT OFFICER AND RELATED DUTIES. SHE STATED THAT IN THIS CITY THE TRUANT OFFICER IS KEPT VERY BUSY AND ALSO HANDLES SOCIAL SERVICES TO THE FAMILIES.
JACK LYLE STATED THE PROBLEMS RELATIVE TO AGE OF THE STUDENT AND PARENTAL CONTROL OVER THEIR CHILDREN.
COUNCILMAN WEBER SPOKE OF THE EFFECTS THE JUVENILE HEARING BOARD.
JAMES BRIDEN STATED THAT THE COMMITTEE SHOULD SPEAK WITH THE CHIEF JUDGE AND PERHAPS RECOMMEND SUCH CHANGES AS EXPANSION OF JURISDICTION FOR THE JUVENILE HEARING BOARD. HE RECOMMENDED THAT THE COMMITTEE CONCENTRATE ON AMENDING CURRENT STATE LAWS.
BISHOP LALIBERTE COMMENTED.
A LETTER WOULD BE DRAFTED FROM THE JUVENILE HEARING BOARD TO THE CHIEF JUSTICE AS CALLED FOR IN STATE LAW WITH REGARDS TO THE JUVENILE HEARING BOARD.
COUNCILMAN WEBER AND ATTORNEY BRIDEN WOULD ARRANGE A MEETING WITH THE CHIEF JUSTICE AND COUNCILMAN WEBER WOULD REPORT THE COMMITTEE'S FINDINGS TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR REVIEW WITH REGARD TO THE ORDINANCE.
MR. PAQUETTE URGED THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS OF THE ORDINANCE AND RECOMMEND FIRST PASSAGE.
COUNCILMAN WEBER STATED THAT A RESOLUTION WOULD BE DRAWN FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE COUNCIL FOR MONDAY'S MEETING.
THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:30 P.M.
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ELIZABETH A. CROWLEY, ACTING CITY CLERK
INTERPRETERS FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED AVAILABLE UPON 72 HOUR NOTICE MADE AT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK