City Council, November 6, 2019

 

 

A regular session of the Pawtucket City Council is held Wednesday, November 6, 2019, at 7:00 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 137 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI. 

 

Present – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, Barry, Kallman, Mercer, Rudd, Vasquez, Vitali and Wildenhain.

 

Absent – 0.

 

President Moran presides.

 

The reading of the records of the October 23, 2019 City Property Committee meeting, Joint City Property/Finance Committee meeting, Finance Committee meeting, Ordinance Committee meeting, and City Council meeting are dispensed with and the records are APPROVED as prepared by the Clerk.

 

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

 

 

*THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICATIONS ARE READ AND ORDERED FILED:

 

028	A.     Communication from Jerred Jones, Programs Director, Keep America Beautiful, to the City of Pawtucket.  (Keep Blackstone Valley Beautiful)
028	B.     Resolution from the Town of Johnston in Support of the Fully Funded E-911 Statewide and Municipal Services
611	C.     Communication from Jeannine S. Bourski, Deputy Finance Director, to Joanna L’Heureux, Finance Director.  (FY19 Medical Fund Report)
028	D.    Communication from Ronald Nossek, CPA, Audit Partner, Blum Shapiro & Company, P.C., to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Auditing Standard No. 114 regarding Audit of City of Pawtucket)
**1	F.     Communication from Tina Goncalves, Chief of Police, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Response – Mikes Truck & Trailer)
630	G.    Communication from Robert W. Burns, Tax Assessor, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Tax Abatements for July, August and September, 2019)
	H.    RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ABATEMENT OF TAXES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES, REAL ESTATE AND TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY FOR JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 2019 IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $114,843.35 – IS REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
	I.       RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A 10-YEAR TAX STABILIZATION AGREEMENT FOR NEXUS HOLDINGS, LLC FOR THE PROPERTY AT 49 NORTH UNION STREET (AP43 l629) - A PUBLIC HEARING IS SET FOR NOVEMBER 18, 2019.
**	TAKEN OFF CONSENT AGENDA FOR COMMENTS ONLY, NO OTHER ACTION TAKEN.

 

 

 

City Council, November 6, 2019

 

 

614  E. Communication from Eric J. Earls, PE, Director of Public Works, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council. (Response – Replacement of Street Signs) 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 Wildenhain, is PASSED on a unanimous voice vote:

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Eric J. Earls, PE, Director of Public Works, requesting that when people call DPW about streetlights being out that they explain to them what is happening with the replacement of all lights in the city.  Also, they should try to replace the bulbs right away in the streetlights being reported.  Finally, they should look at putting together something to explain the citywide bulb replacement program for the newspapers and/or the City website.     

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR RUDD.

 

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

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Tina Goncalves, Chief of Police, requesting the findings of the speed trailer when it was on Power Road.

 

 

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 RI DEM, requesting an update on whether DEM will continue to allow Waste Connections to operate the Grotto Avenue transfer station without a new permit. 

 

 

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 Eric J. Earls, PE, Director of Public Works, requesting the cost for the city to temporarily take over the operations of the transfer station once the current contract ends at the end of this year until a final decision is implemented on the future operations of the facility. 

 

In addition, they want to know if there is oversight by someone from DPW on the stated amount of tonnage taken in daily at the transfer station.

 

 

City Council, November 6, 2019

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR VITALI.

 

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

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Pawtucket Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation regarding issues with their fencing that is abutting property on Courtney Avenue.  They are also asking William Vieira, Acting Director of Zoning and Code Enforcement, to look into the matter.

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR VITALI.

 

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

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Tina Goncalves, Chief of Police, requesting that all vehicles parking in a tow zone near Mike’s Truck & Trailer Repair on York Avenue be towed.

 

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

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, Kallman, Mercer, Rudd, Vasquez, Vitali and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – Councilor Barry.

 

330   AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 379 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “VEHICLE REPAIR SHOPS,” (MAXIMUM NUMBER OF LICENSES)

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR BARRY.

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Barry, seconded by Councilors Araujo, Rudd and Wildenhain, the agenda is amended to include the following communication on a unanimous voice vote:

 

Communication from Robert W. Burns, Tax Assessor, to Council President David P. Moran. (Tax Treaty Request for Seven Stars Bakery – 111 High Street)

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Barry, seconded by Councilors Araujo, Rudd and Wildenhain, the following communication is READ AND ORDERED FILED and REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

 

Communication from Robert W. Burns, Tax Assessor, to Council President David P. Moran. (Tax Treaty Request for Seven Stars Bakery – 111 High Street)

 

 

City Council, November 6, 2019

 

 

UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE FOLLOWING CONTRACT IS RATIFIED ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, Barry, Kallman, Mercer, Rudd, Vasquez, Vitali and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

Drawer 7 Ratification of the Contract between RI Council 94, AFSCME, AFL-CIO Local 3960 (Professional and Technical Employees) and the City of Pawtucket for July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2021

 

 

UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE IS READ FOR THE FIRST TIME AND PASSED ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, Barry, Kallman, Mercer, Rudd, Vasquez, Vitali and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

AN ORDINANCE REPEALING AND REPLACING THE SCHEDULE OF PAY RATES FOR LOCAL 3960 IN §88-12 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996 (July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2021)

 

 

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 Eric J. Earls, PE, Director of Public Works, asking when the train tracks around the intersection of the George Bennett Highway and Central Avenue will be cleaned up. 

 

 

UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON CLAIMS AND PENDING SUITS, THE FOLLOWING CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY IS APPROVED FOR PAYMENT ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, Barry, Kallman, Mercer, Rudd, Vasquez, Vitali and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

Mary Reynolds - $220.00

 

 

UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON CLAIMS AND PENDING SUITS, THE FOLLOWING CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY IS REFERRED TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND THE RI INTERLOCAL TRUST FOR FURTHER REVIEW, ON A UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE:

 

Rachel Coleman by Thomas A. Madden, Esq. - $1,000,000.00