City of Central Falls

City Council Meeting

Board of License Commissioners Meeting

Thursday, June 4, 2020

6:00 p.m.

 

Pursuant to Governor Gina M. Raimondo’s Executive Order 20-25 (April 15, 2020), the meeting of the City Council will be held using the platform Zoom-

https://zoom.us/j/97219443103?pwd=NWFyM0tremZRMEIxV0dLMDRFb1Z0QT09

Detailed meeting invitation is found on page 3

 

Minutes

 

Council President Maria Rivera called the order at 6:14 PM

 

I.       Roll Call

City Clerk, Sonia Grace, conducted the roll call. Present were Council President Maria Rivera, Councilman Jonathon Acosta, Councilman Hugo Figueroa, Councilman Franklin Solano, and Councilwoman Jessica Vega. Councilman Robert Ferri and Councilman Gus Silva were absent. Quorum was present.

 

Councilman Robert Ferri entered the meeting at 6:50pm.

 

II.     Pledge of Allegiance

Council President Rivera led the reciting of the pledge of allegiance

 

Council President Rivera invited members of the audience to provide public comment

Ms. Tia Ristaino-Siegel, 14 Worth St.- asked where to find a copy the budget on the city’s website.

David Veliz, 49 Marietta St, Providence- thanked and congratulated the Council for its leadership during the Coronavirus Pandemic

 

III.    Executive Communications

A.   Mayoral Proclamation declaring April 24, 2020 as Arbor Day in the City of Central Falls

Received

 

B.   Mayoral Proclamation making June 1, 2020 A National Day of Mourning and Lament

Received

 

IV.    New Business

A.   Consideration of Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Central Falls and Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #2, re: revisions to Article VI- Appointments to Department- Promotions, and Article VIII- Wages of the Collective Bargaining Agreement

Motion to approve the Memorandum of Agreement was made by Councilwoman Vega, seconded by Councilman Figueroa.

Matthew Jerzyk, City Solicitor and Colonel Daniel Barzykowski, Chief of Police, answered questions from the Council regarding the agreement and changes in interviewing processes.

 

Roll call vote: Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Figueroa; yes; Councilman Solano: yes; Councilwoman Vega: yes; Council President Rivera: yes. Motion carried unanimously.

 

B.   City Council Sitting as Board of License Commissioners

i.    Consideration of petition of license

Class of License	Business Information
Class C- Variety Transfer (New Location)	Paula Duarte Polanco d/b/a Mi Pueblo Market 528 Dexter St.

Motion to approve the transfer was made by Councilman Acosta, seconded by Councilman Solano. Motion carried 5-o. Councilman Ferri was not in attendance for this vote.

 

C.   Hearing and/or Consideration of Claims

i.    Executive Session pursuant to R.I.G.L § 42-46-5 (a)(2), pertaining to litigation or work sessions pertaining to litigation

 

ii.   Claim by of Isabel Peraza for alleged injuries suffered on May 5, 2020

Motion to refer the claim to the RI Trust was made by Councilwoman Vega, seconded by Councilman Solano. Motion carried 5-0. Councilman Ferri was not present for this vote.

 

V.      Schedule of Bills- Hearing and/or Consideration

A.   Annual Operating Budget Ordinance-General Fund, Sub A - Second Reading (Rivera)

Public Hearing: no one signed up to speak

 

Motion approve the ordinance was made by Councilman Solano, seconded by Councilwoman Vega.

Roll call vote: Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Figueroa; present; Councilman Solano: yes; Councilwoman Vega: yes; Council President Rivera: yes. Motion carried 5-0.

 

B.   An Ordinance Pertaining to the Salaries of Department Heads and Others in Unclassified Service, Sub A - Second Reading (Rivera)

Public Hearing: no one signed up to speak

 

Motion to approve the ordinance was made by Councilman Solano, seconded by Councilman Acosta.

Roll call vote: Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Figueroa; present; Councilman Solano: yes; Councilwoman Vega: yes; Council President Rivera: yes. Motion carried 6-0.

 

C.   An Ordinance Amending the Wage Schedule Generally-Second Reading (Rivera)

Public Hearing: no one signed up to speak

 

Motion to approve the ordinance was made by Councilwoman Vega, seconded by Councilman Ferri and Councilman Solano.

Roll call vote: Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Figueroa; yes; Councilman Solano: yes; Councilwoman Vega: yes; Council President Rivera: yes. Motion carried 6-0.

 

D.  The Capital Program and Capital Budget Ordinance- Second Reading (Rivera)

Public Hearing: no one signed up to speak

 

Motion to approve the ordinance was made by Councilman Acosta, seconded by Councilmen Ferri, Figueroa and Solano.

Motion to amend the section 1 by adding: “The City Council shall receive monthly reports of any expenses related to the capital program” was made by Councilman Acosta, seconded by Councilman Figueroa. Roll call vote: Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Figueroa; present; Councilman Solano: yes; Councilwoman Vega: yes; Council President Rivera: yes. Motion carried 6-0.

 

Motion to approve the ordinance as amended was made by Councilman Acosta, seconded by Councilman Ferri. Roll call vote: Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Figueroa; present; Councilman Solano: yes; Councilwoman Vega: yes; Council President Rivera: yes. Motion carried 6-0.

 

E.   Ordinance Amending Chapter 2, “Administration,” Article VI, “Finance,” Division 1, “Generally,” Sec. 2-328. Reserve Fund” and Sec. 2-330. Capital Improvement- Second Reading (Rivera, by request)

Public Hearing: Joshua Giraldo, Chief of Staff, thanked the department directors for their work with budget and for all their efforts.

 

Motion to approve the ordinance was made by Councilman Ferri, seconded by Councilman Figueroa. Roll call vote: Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Figueroa; present; Councilman Solano: yes; Councilwoman Vega: yes; Council President Rivera: yes. Motion carried 6-0.

 

F.   Resolution Supporting Local Community Development Block Grant Program Application (Rivera, by request)

Motion to approve the resolution was made by Councilman Ferri, seconded by Councilman Solano.

Jim Vandermillen, Assistant Director of the Department of Planning and Economic Development provided an overview of the CDBG program, the requirements set up by the State and the projects that the City expects to submit.

Mr. Vandermillen also answered questions from the council about the program

 

Roll call vote: Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Figueroa; present; Councilman Solano: yes; Councilwoman Vega: yes; Council President Rivera: yes. Motion carried 6-0.

 

G.  Resolution Approving the Restructuring of the City’s $5,435,000 General Obligation Refunding Bonds Dated July 25, 2017 (Rivera, by request)

Motion to approve the resolution was made by Councilman Ferri, seconded by Councilwoman Vega.

 

Barbara Addison, Director of Finance answered questions from the Council regarding the restructuring of the bond obligations and explained the expected benefit to the City.

 

Roll call vote: Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Figueroa; present; Councilman Solano: yes; Councilwoman Vega: yes; Council President Rivera: yes. Motion carried 6-0.

 

H.  Resolution condemning the Killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and Calling for an End to Racism in the Criminal Justice System (Rivera, Acosta, Figueroa, Silva, Solano, Vega)

Carlene Fonseca, 40 School St- spoke in support of the resolution and announced that she will host an event with the goal of fostering community conversation about the current issues facing the nation.

 

Colonel Barzykowski spoke in support of the resolution and answered questions from the Council about police training and interactions with the community.

 

Motion to approve the resolution was made by Councilman Figueroa, seconded by Councilman Solano. Roll call vote: Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Figueroa; present; Councilman Solano: yes; Councilwoman Vega: yes; Council President Rivera: yes. Motion carried 6-0.

 

I.    Resolution Calling on the Rhode Island Department of Education and the General Assembly to Adequately Fund Public Education for Central Falls Public Schools and to make Per Pupil Funding more Adaptive to Actual Enrollments (Acosta)

Motion approve the resolution was made by Councilmen Solano and Ferri, seconded by Councilwoman Vega.

Roll call vote: Councilman Acosta: yes; Councilman Ferri: yes; Councilman Figueroa; present; Councilman Solano: yes; Councilwoman Vega: yes; Council President Rivera: yes. Motion carried 6-0.

 

VI.    Adjournment

Motion to adjourn was made by Councilman Acosta, seconded by Councilman Figueroa. Meeting adjourned at 8:10pm

 

To view an electronic version of the agenda with supporting documentation minutes and video, click on link: https://clerkshq.com/default.ashx?clientsite=centralfalls-ri1

 

 

Sonia Grace

City Clerk

 

Approved July 13, 2020