City of Central Falls

Special City Council Meeting

Central Falls City Hall

580 Broad St., Central Falls, RI 02863

Monday, October 29, 2018

6:00 p.m.

 

Meeting Minutes

 

City Council President Robert Ferri called the meeting to order in the Central Falls City Council Chambers at 6:01pm.

 

       I.                  Roll Call

Sonia Grace, City Clerk, conducted the roll call. Present were Councilman Robert Ferri, Councilman Jonathon Acosta, Councilman Hugo Figueroa, Councilman Thomas Lazieh, Councilwoman Maria Rivera and Councilman Frank Solano. Councilwoman Carlene Fonseca was absent.

 

    II.                  Pledge of Allegiance

Councilman Ferri led the reciting of the pledge

 

Councilwoman Carlene Fonseca entered the meeting at  6:03pm.

 

 

Per request of Councilman Ferri, city solicitor Matthew Jerzyk explained the reason, based on the charter why the Council met to consider the ordinances. Mr.Jerzyk, read for the record the following section of the charter: “Section 2-207During the period between the date of the municipal election and the date set for the swearing in of the newly elected mayor and council members pursuant to section 2-105 of this chapter, neither the mayor nor the council nor any appointed official of the city shall initiate or approve any appointment to office or hiring of city personnel, nor initiate any purchase of commitment of city funds which was not authorized in the annual budget, in the amount of $5,000.00 or more, nor enter into any contract on behalf of the city that will be binding beyond the period of time specified in this section, nor initiate actions on any ordinance or amendment thereto, provided however, that this section shall not be deemed to prohibit emergency expenditures as defined in section 2-302(1) of this Charter.”

 

 III.                  Schedule of Bills- Hearing and/or consideration

A.     Ordinance Amending the Central Falls Comprehensive Plan (Pawtucket / Central Falls Transit Oriented Development Area)- Second Reading (Ferri)

Public Hearing: no one signed up to speak

Motion to approve the ordinance was made by Councilwoman Fonseca, seconded by Councilman Figueroa. Roll call vote: Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Figueroa: yes; Councilwoman Fonseca: yes; Councilman Lazieh: yes; Councilwoman Rivera: yes; Councilman Solano: yes. Motion carried 7-0.

 

B.     Ordinance Permitting a Proration of the Homestead Exemption- Second Reading (Acosta)

Public Hearing: no one signed up to speak.

Motion to approve the ordinance was made by Councilman Solano, seconded by Councilwoman Rivera and Councilwoman Fonseca. Roll call vote: Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Figueroa: yes; Councilwoman Fonseca: yes; Councilman Lazieh: yes; Councilwoman Rivera: yes; Councilman Solano: yes. Motion carried 7-0.

 

C.     Ordinance Creating the Central Falls Participatory Budgeting Committee- Second Reading (Acosta)- tabled October 10, 2018

Public Hearing:

Edna Poulin, 68 Notre St.- expressed her concerns that the ordinance does not include sufficient city residents

Sidney Siegel, 14 Worth St- expressed his concern that the ordinance includes names or organizations. Mr. Siegel suggested that the ordinance describe organizations not names.

 

Motion to table consideration of the ordinance was made by Councilman Lazieh. Motion was not seconded. Motion died.

Motion to deny was made by Councilman Lazieh, seconded by Councilwoman Fonseca. Roll call vote: Councilman Ferri: no; Councilman Acosta: no; Councilman Figueroa: no; Councilwoman Fonseca: yes; Councilman Lazieh: yes; Councilwoman Rivera: no; Councilman Solano: no. Motion failed 2-5.

Motion to amend section B(3) to include “all of whom are Central Falls residents” was made by Councilman Acosta, seconded by Councilman Solano. Roll call vote: Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Figueroa: yes; Councilwoman Fonseca: yes; Councilman Lazieh: did not vote; Councilwoman Rivera: yes; Councilman Solano: yes. Motion carried 6-0.

Motion to amend the section B (3) to add “;and 3 Central Falls residents with not affiliation to the aforementioned organizations.” was made by Councilwoman Fonseca, seconded by Councilman Lazieh. Roll call vote: Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Figueroa: yes; Councilwoman Fonseca: yes; Councilman Lazieh: yes; Councilwoman Rivera: yes; Councilman Solano: yes. Motion carried 7-0.

Motion to approve as amended was made by Councilman Acosta, seconded by Councilman Solano. Roll call vote: Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Figueroa: yes; Councilwoman Fonseca: no; Councilman Lazieh: no; Councilwoman Rivera: yes; Councilman Solano: yes. Motion carried 5-2.

 

D.     Ordinance Creating the Wage Theft Prevention and Reduction Act- First Reading (Solano)

Public Hearing:

Edna Poulin, 68 Notre Dame St.- Ms. Poulin asked why the City would undertake the responsibilities delineated in the ordinance as they seemed to be duplicative of the state department of labor and training’s responsibility.

Members of the Council and Mr. Jerzyk responded to Ms. Poulin’s comment and clarified the intent of the ordinance. Fuerza Laboral, the organization advocating for this ordinance will be invited to speak at the next city council meeting.

Motion to approve the ordinance was made by Councilman Acosta, seconded by Councilwoman Fonseca. Roll call vote: Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Figueroa: yes; Councilwoman Fonseca: yes; Councilman Lazieh: yes; Councilwoman Rivera: yes; Councilman Solano: yes. Motion carried 7-0.

 

E.     Ordinance Amending Article II “City Council” Of Chapter 2, “Administration”- First Reading (Fonseca)

Public Hearing: no one signed up to speak.

Councilwoman Fonseca motioned to amend the ordinance by adding “section D: each department submits a quarterly financial and programmatic report at the Council’s regular meetings in September, December and April.” and “section E: the city shall submit a 5-year plan with each year’s budget”. Councilman Lazieh seconded the motion. Motion and second were withdrawn.

Motion to amend the ordinance by moving above referenced language to Chapter 2, Article VI, “Finance” after the City Clerk is able to confirm the section number, was made by Councilwoman Fonseca, seconded by Councilwoman Rivera. Roll call vote: Councilman Ferri: no; Councilman Acosta: present; Councilman Figueroa: yes; Councilwoman Fonseca: yes; Councilman Lazieh: yes; Councilwoman Rivera: yes; Councilman Solano; yes. Motion carried 6-0.

 

Councilman Figueroa left the meeting at 7:29pm.

 

Motion to approve the ordinance as amended was made by Councilwoman Fonseca, seconded by Councilman Lazieh. Roll call vote: Councilman Ferri: no; Councilman Acosta: present; Councilwoman Fonseca: yes; Councilman Figueroa: yes; Councilman Lazieh: yes; Councilwoman Rivera: present; Councilman Solano: yes. Motion carried 3-1.

 

  IV.                  Adjournment

Motion to adjourn was made by Councilwoman Fonseca, seconded by Councilwoman Rivera. Meeting adjourned at 7:39pm.

 

Sonia Grace

City Clerk

 

Approved November 14, 2018