I.                   EXECUTIVE SESSION

The City Council of the City of East Providence will meet in Executive Session pursuant to RI General Laws § 42-46-5 (a)(2).

A.    Sewer Charge Abatements:

1.      H.S. Management Group, LLC     

2.      Jesse & Joan Perry

II.                CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Rose calls the meeting to order at 7:38PM.

III.             SALUTE TO THE FLAG

IV.             TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR

A.    Council Journals

1.      Council Journal Joint Meeting January 12, 2016

2.      Council Journal Regular Meeting January 19, 2016

3.      Council Journal Executive Session August 25, 2015

A motion to approve the Consent Calendar is made by Assistant Mayor Cunha, seconded by Councilwoman Capobianco and on a roll call vote it is unanimous. 

V.                PUBLIC COMMENT

A.    Fire Chief Oscar Elmasian speaks under Public Comment commending the Police, Fire and Department of Public Works for the good job managing Storm Jonas.

VI.             PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

A.    Pomham Rocks Lighthouse (by Councilman Conley)

This item was deferred to the next Council meeting.

B.     Swearing-In New Probationary East Providence Police Officers

Chief Parella comes to the podium.  He states it’s the job of the Department and the Chief to make sure they are safe and successful.  Noting he will do everything he can to ensure their success and safety.

Lt. James Nelson comes to the podium and explains the hiring process and the training at the academy they go through to get to this point.  He notes how difficult it is and that if it was easy everybody would do it.  Now that they are to this point, there is still a lot of work ahead, they receive 12 weeks of training in the field and as training officers they use the skills they learned at the academy and are evaluated on a daily basis.

Mayor Rose swears in the new Probationary Officers. 

VII.          APPOINTMENTS

A.    Canvassing Authority (by Mayor Rose)

Isadore Ramos, 33 Bullocks Point Avenue, Apartment 5A (02915)

A motion to approve the Appointment is made by Assistant Mayor Cunha, seconded by Councilwoman Capobianco and on a roll call vote it is unanimous. 

VIII.       NEW BUSINESS

A.    City Manager’s Report (by City Manager, Richard Kirby)

There is no report.

B.     Council Members

1.      Winter Storm Jonas - Commending Public Works Department (by Councilman Conley)

Councilman Conley states that he just wants to follow up on what Chief Elmasian had stated earlier.  He would like to commend the Public Works Department for the great job during a very fast moving storm.  He was impressed with their ability to clear the roads in a timely manner.

C.     Reports of Other City Officials

1.      Claims Committee Report (by City Solicitor Timothy Chapman)

Pursuant to R.I.G.L. § 42-46-5(a)(2), a motion is made by Councilman Britto and seconded by Councilman Cunha to convene in closed session for the purposes of discussing claims & litigation.  Upon a roll call vote:  Mayor Rose – Aye, Councilman Britto – Aye, Councilwoman Capobianco – Aye, Councilman Conley – Aye, Councilman Cunha - Aye, the motion is approved 5-0. 

            EAST PROVIDENCE CLAIMS COMMITTEE

            CLAIMS & LITIGATION REPORT

            TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2016; 7:00 P.M.; ROOM 101

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            SEWER CHARGE ABATEMENTS

H.S. MANAGEMENT GROUP, LLC          $857.07

Request for a sewer charge abatement for the property located at 144-146 Arnold Street in accordance with City Ordinance Sec. 17-183(g).

Motion by:  Councilman Britto                                   Seconded by:  Councilwoman Capobianco

Motion:  Approve the sewer charge abatement in the amount of $857.07.

JESSE & JOAN PERRY       $935.88

Request for a sewer charge abatement for the property located at 100 Plymouth Road in accordance with City Ordinance Sec. 17-183(g).

Motion by:  Councilwoman Capobianco                    Seconded by:  Councilman Britto

Motion:  Approve the sewer charge abatement in the amount of $935.88.

A motion to approve the Claims Committee Report is made by Councilman Britto, seconded by Councilwoman Capobianco and on a roll call vote it is unanimous. 

D.    Report of School Committee Liaison

There is no report.

E.     Resolutions

1.      RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE GOVERNOR’S USE OF UNRESTRICTED MONEY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION AND RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE FOUNDATION TO FUND NON EDUCATIONAL EXPENDITURES

WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of East Providence is strongly opposed to Governor Raimondo using college non-profit foundation funds;

WHEREAS, the Governor intended to fund her trip to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland at a cost of approximately $7,000 from foundation funds;

WHEREAS, the Governor intends to pay the State of Rhode Island’s Chief Innovation Officer a $210,000 annual salary plus a $550 monthly car allowance and a $21,000 annual supplemental retirement payment plus benefits from foundation funds;

WHEREAS, the City Council claims that the intended use of these funds diverts resources that could have been used to advance the colleges directly;

WHEREAS, the City Council finds that use of the foundation’s unrestricted funds is a clear violation of donor intent, supplants money from scholarship, financial aid and academic programs, potentially violates separation of powers, and raises IRS concerns about the tax deductibility of gifts used for non-educational purposes;

WHEREAS, the City Council declares that donors support higher education institutions for the benefit of students not to support trips to international economic forum trips and salaries of state government officials.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of East Providence strongly opposes the Governor’s use of unrestricted funds for non-educational expenses and hereby requests that the City Clerk send a copy of this Resolution to Senators and Representatives of the City of East Providence legislative delegation, the House of Representatives, the Rhode Island Senate, the President of the Rhode Island Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Governor of the State of Rhode Island.

This resolution shall become effective upon its passage.

Requested by:  Councilman Conley

Councilman Conley states that he understands this bill is not in the prevue of the East Providence Council but he finds this move by the Governor to be very wrong.  The donors to State colleges and Universities work with those donations for the students and they are precious and are meant to help students and to enhance student involvement. He continues that to use this money to fund a summit forum in Switzerland is a gross abuse of donor funds.  East Providence through the School Department is also recipients of these important funds.  To create a job with salary and a car allowance and have it completely funded through these donations which are meant for students is wrong.  This should be subject to a cabinet approval.  He request that the City Clerk read the resolution and adds that the move is a gross dereliction of philanthropic support and is taking money from students.

A motion to approve the Resolution is made by Councilman Conley, seconded by Assistant Mayor Cunha and on a roll call vote it is unanimous. 

IX.             ADJOURNMENT

A motion to Adjourn at 8:01PM is made by Assistant Mayor Cunha, seconded by Councilman Britto and on a roll call vote it is unanimous. 

Approved By Council:  February 16, 2016

Attest:  _______________

                  City Clerk