I.          PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND COMMENDATIONS

Council President Paplauskas wished Multi-Media Coordinator, tom Lima, a Happy Birthday.

II.        PUBLIC HEARINGS & PUBLIC COMMENT 

            None.

III.       RESOLUTIONS

IV.       REPORT OF COMMITTEES

SAFETY SERVICES & LICENSES COMMITTEE

(Councilwoman Nicole Renzulli, Chair)

CLASS BV LIQUOR LICENSE- NEW  (Votes will be taken)

Cafe é Fumare (Amedeo DiRocco)                                                   1464 Park Ave.

(Over the BV cap-needs City Council approval)   

          On motion by Councilman Donegan, seconded by Councilman Campopiano, it was voted to approve the above license application.  Motion passed on a vote of 9-0.  The following being recorded as voting “aye”:   Councilwomen Marino, Renzulli, Vargas, Germain, Councilmen Donegan, Campopiano, Reilly, Council Vice-President Ferri and Council President Paplauskas -9.

FINANCE COMMITTEE

(Council Vice-President Robert J. Ferri, Chair)

V.        PUBLIC COMMENT FOR UN-DOCKETED ITEMS

            None. 

VI.       ELECTION AND/OR APPOINTMENT OF CITY OFFICIALS

ZONING BOARD OF REVIEW:

·        RE-APPOINTMENT OF JOY MONTANARO FOR TERM ENDING SEPTEMBER 26, 2027.  (Council President Paplauskas)

On motion by Councilwoman Renzulli, seconded by Councilwoman Germain, it was voted to re-appoint Joy Montanaro as a member of the Zoning Board of Review.  Motion passed on a vote of 9-0.  The following being recorded as voting “aye”:  Councilwomen Marino, Renzulli, Vargas, Germain, Councilmen Donegan, Campopiano, Reilly, Council Vice-President Ferri and Council President Paplauskas -9.

VII.     REPORT OF CITY OFFICERS

            None.

VIII.    EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

IX.       COUNCIL PRESIDENT COMMUNICATIONS

            Council President Paplauskas thanked the Cranston Police Department for putting on a wonderful Harvest Festival in the City this past weekend.  It was nice to see the community out and about probably one of the last nice days of the end of the summer beginning of fall.

            Council President Paplauskas reminded everyone that there will be a Special Finance Committee meeting and a Special Council meeting this Thursday to give Advice and Consent for the new Finance Director.

            Council President Paplauskas wished everyone Happy Rosh Hashanah and Happy New Year to all our friends and neighbors that are celebrating today.

X.        COUNCIL MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS

COUNCLWOMAN VARGAS:

• OAKLAND CEMETERY (Broad St.) (Cont. from 8/22/2022)

Councilwoman Vargas asked that this item be continued.

COUNCILWOMAN MARINO:

·         DISCUSSION ON THE ISSUE OF PARK PLACE THEATRE AND AFFILIATES’ AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF CRANSTON TO USE THE CITY PARKING LOT AND RELEVANT INSURANCE POLICIES.  (Cont. from 8/22/2022)

Councilwoman Marino stated that this item was placed on the agenda in error and no

further discussion is needed.

COUNCLWOMAN GERMAIN:

• REPORT ON THE COST OF THE TRAFFIC ACTUATED SIGNAL THAT WAS INSTALLED AT THE INTERSECTION OF GRACE ST. AND PARK AVE.  (Cont. from 8/22/2022

Director Moretti stated that the cost for that signal was approximately $17,000.

·         STATUS AND UPDATE ON THE BUDLONG POOL PROJECT   

Councilwoman Germain asked what has been done since the last meeting, do we have an architect’s point of view, do we have a real assessment of the facility and the cost associated with the repair or rebuilt and what has been designed?  Director Moretti stated that we all agree, Administration and City Council, that the Budlong Pool get back open next year.  The Public Works Director has contracted an architect to develop a conceptual design for including 3D models to be able to work on to propose what we call as Phase I, a phase where we minimally get the pool opened.  There could be different phases down the road, such as splash pads or other facilities, but put the facility in operable condition, that being the pool, the bathhouse to be able to meet minimum criteria such as the Fed and State and local purposes.  We should be hearing back in a month or two with the conceptual design and hopefully get some word on uses of funds once the conceptual design is determined and then actually hire an Engineer, which is more costly.

Councilwoman Germain asked if we are being reassured that the pool will be open next year.  Director Moretti stated that he can’t promise, anything can happen.  That is the goal and it is a reasonable goal we believe is provided the funding is there, we are able to continue the project, but the Director and the Mayor have committed to doing it.  Councilwoman Germain asked Director Moretti if he thinks the City has a budget of what we have in hand as of now and what the cost will be for the first Phase.  Director Moretti stated that this is part of determining that, so we do not have a number on that yet.  In terms of the costs, there will be some estimated construction costs in a month or so.

Councilwoman Germain stated that she would like this item continued to next month.

Council President Paplauskas asked Director Moretti if he would rather have this discussed in the Public Works Committee with the Director present.  Director Moretti stated, yes, that would be better.

Councilwoman Germain asked that this be continued to the next Public Works Committee meeting.

·          STATUS OF AQUEDUCT AND INTERVALE CROSSWALK AND THE TIMELINE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ORDINANCE

Director Moretti stated that the Engineering Department is working with the contractor in developing a design, which is in process now.  He pointed out that there is approximately $110,000 left in the Neighborhood Construction Bond Fund.  Before this project, there was approximately $10,000 remaining in that Fund.  If he recalls, this is about a $35,000 project.  We would have to wait until sometime later next year to be able to go out for financing.

Councilwoman Germain stated that she would like to continue this to next month’s meeting and would like an estimate for that.  Director Moretti stated that it was estimated at approximately $35,000 for the crosswalk.

·         UPDATE ON EDEN PARK AND AQUEDUCT RD. ONE-WAY DURING SCHOOL HOURS

Director Moretti stated that there is no Ordinance nor any signage from Aqueduct going onto Eden Park.  People, at all times, can enter that street heading towards the School during the School hours.  Where the street intersects with Eden Park, there is no left-hand turn during School hours, which prevents cars from going down the street, so in essence, it is a one-way going up, but Traffic Safety Engineer along with the Director, feels that it would be confusing if you say ‘one-way during School hours’ when it is really one-way all the time.  The real safety precaution is, near the School you cannot take a left-hand turn to go down to Eden Park to Aqueduct during School hours. 

Councilwoman Germain stated that the reason she brought this up is because there is no signage and people continue to do it even during School hours, so they use it both ways on Eden Park to Aqueduct.  Director Moretti stated that he will pass this information along to the Police and have them take a look at it.

·         DISCUSSION ON THE FEASIBILITY OF THE DO NOT BLOCK SIGN AT THE INTERSECTION OF RESERVOIR AVE. AND NORFOLK ST. 

Director Moretti stated that Reservoir Ave. is a State road and the City does not have authority and we would have to refer that to the Traffic Safety Commission for them to take a look at this.

·         REPORT ON THE COST OF THE TRAFFIC ACTUATED SIGNAL THAT WAS INSTALLED AT THE INTERSECTION OF GRACE AND PARK AVE.

This item was placed on the agenda twice and was discussed earlier in the meeting.

COUNCIL VICE-PRESIDENT FERRI:

• UPDATE FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION

Council Vice-President Ferri stated that at the last meeting, Director Moretti stated that the most complaints he gets on any issue in the City is speeding.  As he visits people throughout the city, asking them if they had any concerns, rodents and speeding are like neck and neck.  People ask what can be done.  His thought was, we have a Traffic Safety Commission.  He questioned if they are meeting and doing anything about it.  He stated that he thinks the citizens need to at least have some faith that we are making an effort to communicate with the Administration and the Police to see if in fact we are doing anything about the thing we get the most complaints about.

Council President Paplauskas stated that his first term on the City Council, his first time on the Council, Council Vice-President at that time, Richard Santamaria, put in an Ordinance to create the Traffic Safety Commission because it seems like the never ending issue in the City is traffic issues.  He did some research and the last time that the Committee met was in May of 2016, which that meeting was cancelled due to lack of quorum.  Prior to that, the last meeting was held in March of 2016.  He thinks that if we have something that we want to task this Commission with, this Council can send it to the Commission to do some work, but it seems like the traffic safety stuff we have had we have been sending to either Public Works or Safety Services.

Council Vice-President Ferri questioned if this would be a Committee that should meet regularly to address these issues.  Director Moretti stated that he does not know the answer to that.  We leave a lot to Police and they are pretty responsive to the requests and if the City Council is not satisfied with what Constituent Affairs is doing to resolve the complaints or the issues you are seeing, then it is probably worthwhile getting that Committee going again.

Council President Paplauskas indicated that the Commission just gives recommendations, so nothing they do is binding.  Maybe the Ordinance should be reworked or repealed if it does not have any teeth to it, but he does think the Police is very responsive.

Council Vice-President Ferri stated that he would personally like to see the Commission act and make recommendations.

Councilwoman Marino stated that she is glad Council Vice-President Ferri mentioned this subject because she is hearing this a lot from people as well and we did have this subject come up a year ago at the same time in September and the Committee was supposed to have been formed.  At that time, we had discussions.  If, as a City, you do not feel as though this Commission is going to be beneficial to this Traffic Safety, then she thinks that that is something that we need to be upfront with because exactly to the point, a lot of people have these concerns some of which have been appointed to that Committee and are asking what is going on.  She thinks we need to have a little bit more of a discussion as to whether or not this is actually going to be beneficial.

Councilman Reilly stated that he tends to agree with Councilwoman Marino on whether or not this is a necessary body.  The nine Council members were elected by the people to answer these things.  Now, over the years, in different terms and even in this term, these Commissions or Committees get put together of more people that we assign to go do that to give us recommendations on how to do our job.  We are all very smart and very capable people and he thinks we need to bring in the experts in before us.  If it is something important, we put it on the docket and we should hear from the Police to get their background and then we can take action.  The last thing we need is more bureaucracy, another Committee and then the Clerk and everybody has to get here and set up.  The Council was elected to do this and he thinks that this is something we can do.  we can work together with the Administration looking at different avenues for speeding.  He agrees that speeding is the number one complaint in the City, but he thinks we need a little more action and less Committees.

COUNCLMAN DONEGAN:

• STATUS OF SPLASH PAD AT BAIN TRACK

Councilman Donegan stated that this was discussed in Public Works or Finance earlier this month and we said that it would be kicked over to the full Council meeting for more complete update.

Director Moretti stated that we think the project is going to start in the next few weeks of breaking ground and the goal is to finish it before the wintertime.  He deferred to Director Tessaglia to expand on this.

Raymond Tessaglia, Parks and Recreation Director, appeared to speak via Zoom, and stated that the vendor has received the engineering component of the splash pad equipment from the supplier along with the design drawings, which he does have and he can forward them to Councilman Donegan.  The company is also completing the overall project design that incorporates the after mentioned design in the coming week.  The idea is to get the piping and everything in the ground.  The design, within the next week, will be submitted for permitting and when the City reviews these plans, we are going to ask the Permitting Department for advice and at that point, we intend to stage it, get all the permits and all the bells and whistles that we need to do and we are going to immobilize the project in the ground before the weather gets cold.  If the City Council would like him to bring the company in for incidents, he can, but they are on track and they plan on getting him more information for the City to review in a week to a week and a half and at that point, it is all systems go and hopefully we will be breaking ground very shortly, hopefully within a month.  He is confident that it is going to happen before the winter.

XI.       COUNCIL BUSINESS MATTERS CARRIED OVER

            None.

XII.     INTRODUCTION OF NEW MATTERS BEFORE THE COUNCIL*

XIII.    MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS ON CLERK’S DESK

The meeting adjourned at 8:00 P.M.

 /s/ Rosalba Zanni

 Acting City Clerk

(See Stenographic Notes of Ron Ronzio, Stenotypist)

Minutes approved at 10/24/2022 Council Meeting