City Council, March 22, 2017

 

A regular session of the Pawtucket City Council is held Wednesday, March 22, 2017, at 7:44 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 137 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI. 

 

Present – President Moran, Councilors Barry, Cano, Kallman, Mercer, Rudd, Tetreault, Vitali and Wildenhain

 

Absent – 0.

 

President Moran presides.

 

 

The reading of the records of March 8, 2017 is dispensed with and the records are APPROVED as prepared by the Clerk.

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Mercer, seconded by Councilor Tetreault, the *Consent Agenda is APPROVED, on a unanimous voice vote.

 

*THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICATIONS ARE READ AND ORDERED FILED:

 

625	A.    Communication from Antonio J. Pires, Director of Public Safety, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council. (Temporary Closing of Fire Station 1)
** 590	C.     Communication from the Honorable Mayor Donald R. Grebien. To the Honorable of the Pawtucket City Council. (Budget Initiatives)
061	D.    Communication from Joanna L’Heureux, Finance Director, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Statement of Estimated, Realized, and Unrealized Revenues for the fiscal period July 1, 2016 through February 28, 2017)
611	E.     Communication from Jeannine S. Bourski, Deputy Finance Director, to Council President David P. Moran. (Uniform Overtime FY17)
** 613	F.      Communication from Frank J. Milos, Jr., Esq. City Solicitor, to Council President David P. Moran. (Response – Public Safety Director – Amendment to Pay Plan Ordinance)
613	G.    Communication from Lisette Gomes, Esq., Assistant City Solicitor, to Richard J. Goldstein, MMC, City Clerk. (Response – Closed Captioning)
634	I.       Communication from Richard J. Goldstein, MMC, City Clerk, to Councilor Timothy Rudd. (Response – Graffiti on Exist 26 sign)
	L.     Communication from Susan Mara, Acting Director, Planning & Redevelopment, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council. (Response – Exchange Street Enhancement Project) IS REFERRED TO THE CITY PROPERTY COMMITTEE
	M.   Communication from Denise Panichas, Executive Director, the Samaritans of RI, to the Honorable Mayor Donald R. Grebien and the Honorable Councilor Timothy P. Rudd, requesting support of a $500 appropriation for Suicide Prevention.  IS REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
630	O.    Communication from Robert W. Burns, Tax Assessor, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Tax Abatements for April, May and June 2016)
	P.      RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ABATEMENT OF TAXES ON AUTOMOBILES, REAL ESTATE, AND TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $83,276.26 FOR APRIL, MAY AND JUNE 2016 IS REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
630	Q.    Communication from Robert W. Burns, Tax Assessor, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Tax Abatements for July, August and September 2016)
	R.     RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ABATEMENT OF TAXES ON AUTOMOBILES, REAL ESTATE, AND TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $316,381.38 FOR JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 2016 IS REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
630	S.      Communication from Robert W. Burns, Tax Assessor, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Tax Abatements for October, November and December, 2016)
	T.      RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ABATEMENT OF TAXES ON AUTOMOBILES, REAL ESTATE, AND TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $66,320.83 FOR OCTOBER, NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, 2016 IS REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
	U.    THE FOLLOWING CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY IS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON CLAIMS AND PENDING SUITS: Jorge Baptista - $600.00 Harriett Frank - $159.24 Kyle McCarthy – No Amount Specified Eldominic Ramsey by Richard A. Sinapi, Esq. – $100,000.00 Ann Roach – Pending Estimates Maria Semedo by MAPFRE Insurance - $6,480.23 Lucia Silva by Paragon Subrogation Services - $8,329.70 Marjorie Zahn – Pending Estimates
**	TAKEN OFF CONSENT AGENDA FOR COMMENTS ONLY, NO OTHER ACTION TAKEN.
614	B.     Communication from William D. Ankner, PhD., to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council. (Aligning Street Sweeping and Recycling Pick-up) is READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR BARRY.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Barry, seconded by Councilor Tetreault, is PASSED on a unanimous voice vote:

 

The Clerk is instructed to set a Public Works Committee meeting next week to discuss this new recycling and street sweeping plan.

 

 

 

592	H.    Communication from Susan Mara, Acting Director, Planning & Redevelopment, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Response – Northern Plaza) is READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR RUDD.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Rudd, seconded by Councilor Kallman, is PASSED on a unanimous voice vote:

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Susan Mara, Acting Director, Planning & Redevelopment, requesting that Zoning & Code Enforcement provide the Council with quarterly updates regarding the bedbug situation at Northern Plaza.

 

614	K.    Communication from William D. Ankner, PhD., Public Works Director, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council. (Response – Transfer Station) is READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR RUDD.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Rudd, seconded by Councilor Barry, is PASSED on a unanimous voice vote:

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Mayor Donald R. Grebien, requesting to know how much of the commercial commission fees and monthly licensing fees due this fiscal year for the transfer station from Link Environmental have not yet been paid.

 

 

616	J.       Communication from Michael E. Burns, Traffic Engineering Supervisor, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council. (Response – Belmont Street - Hope Artiste Village Parking Signage) is READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR KALLMAN.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Kallman, seconded by Councilor Rudd, is PASSED on a unanimous voice vote:

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Michael E. Burns, Traffic Engineering Supervisor, requesting an update on signage for parking in the lot behind Hope Artiste Village.

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WILDENHAIN.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Wildenhain, seconded by Councilor Barry. is PASSED on a unanimous voice vote:

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Michael E. Burns, Traffic Engineering Supervisor, requesting to know when the speed limit signs on the George Bennett Highway will be changed from 25 m.p.h. to 30 m.p.h.

 

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR VITALI.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Vitali, seconded by Councilor Mercer, is PASSED on a unanimous voice vote:

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Michael E. Burns, Traffic Engineering Supervisor, requesting the status of the signage replacement program throughout the City.  The Signs are hard to read and some are missing and need to be replaced.  If the program has been discontinued, the council is requesting that the program be reinstated.

 

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MERCER.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Mercer, seconded by Councilor Vitali, is PASSED on a unanimous voice vote:

 

The Clerk is instructed to include in the communication to Michael E. Burns, Traffic Engineering Supervisor, requesting that at least four of the No Parking signs be replaced on Dean Street by the end of this month.  It was noted that people are parking on both sides of the street because the No Parking signs are so faded that they cannot be read.

 

N.    Communication from Larry Holloway, to the DARE Committee Members. (Requesting Funds for Backboards for Pawtucket Summer Basketball League) is READ AND ORDERED FILED AND REFERRED TO THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE/DARE COMMITTEE

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR VITALI.

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Vitali, seconded by Councilor Mercer, the Clerk is instructed to schedule a joint meeting of the Substance Abuse/DARE Fund and Recreation Committees for April 19, 2017.

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR BARRY.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Barry, seconded by Councilor Cano, is PASSED on a unanimous voice vote:

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to John Blais, Recreation Director, requesting information on what type of maintenance has been done over the years at the skateboard park next to Jenks Jr. High School.    

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MERCER.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Mercer, seconded by Councilors Kallman and Rudd, is PASSED on a unanimous voice vote:

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Susan Mara, Acting Director, Planning & Redevelopment, requesting that the Zoning and Code Enforcement look at the allowable noise level after 10:00 p.m. in the city noise ordinance for the neighborhood around the Domino’s Pizza at 484 Newport Avenue.  An abutter to this property complained about being disturbed by deliveries being made to the restaurant at @ 1:00 a.m.  The council is seeking a way to regulate those deliveries either through the noise ordinance or other ordinances on the books.

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MERCER.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Mercer, seconded Councilor Wildenhain, is PASSED on a unanimous voice vote:

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to William E. Ankner, PhD, Director of Public Works, requesting that in the future, when utilities are planning to do work in Pawtucket, DPW coordinate this work with nearby businesses to try to minimize any disturbances to those businesses.    

 

 

 

The following ordinance is read for the SECOND time and PASSED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Barry, Cano, Kallman, Mercer, Rudd, Tetreault, Vitali and Wildenhain.

 

NOES - 0.

 

330   AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE 2017 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND REPEALING CHAPTER 2958 OF THE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET AND ANY AMENDMENTS THERETO IN THEIR ENTIRETY

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR VITALI.

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Vitali, seconded by Councilor Cano, the agenda is amended to include the following communication on a unanimous voice vote:

 

592   Communication from Susan Mara, Acting Director, Planning & Redevelopment, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Apex)

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Vitali, seconded by Councilor Cano, the following communication is READ AND ORDERED FILED:

Communication from Susan Mara, Acting Director, Planning & Redevelopment, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Apex)

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Vitali, seconded by Councilor Barry, the meeting is adjourned at 8:44 p.m.