City Council, December 21, 2020

 

A regular session of the Pawtucket City Council is held Monday, December 21, 2020, at 7:52 p.m., via videoconference on ZOOM during the COVID-19 pandemic, per Governor’s Executive Orders up to and including 20-103.

 

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

 

Absent – 0.

 

President Moran presides.

 

 

THE COUNCIL RECESSES IMMEDIATELY TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FOLLOWING:

 

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET TO ENTER INTO A 5-YEAR EXTENSION THROUGH DECEMBER 2026 FOR THE TAX STABILIZATION WITH RICHMOND MOTOR SALES INC FOR ALL MOTOR VEHICLES REGISTERED AT 519 PAWTUCKET AVE (AP63 L717)

 

THE COUNCIL RECONVENES AT 7:55 P.M.

 

The reading of the records of the December 9, 2020 City Council meeting, Committee on Claims and Pending Suits meeting, Finance Committee meeting, City Property Committee meeting, and License Committee meeting and  December 10, 2020 City Property Committee meeting is dispensed with and the records are APPROVED as prepared by the Clerk, on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Mercer, seconded by Councilor Vitali, the *Consent Agenda is APPROVED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

 

*THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICATIONS ARE READ AND ORDERED FILED:

 

590      A.     Communication from His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Motor Vehicle Taxes)

           

028      B.     Communication from Ronald Nossek, CPA, Audit Partner, Blum Shapiro & Company, P.C., to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Audit Engagement Letter – Auditing Standard No. 114)

           

592      C.     Communication from Anthony Hebert, Senior Planner, Planning & Redevelopment, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Pawtucket-Central Falls Restaurant Weeks 2020 Final Report)

           

**

613      D.     Communication from Frank J. Milos, Jr., Esq., City Solicitor, to Councilor Timothy P. Rudd, Jr. (Response – Speed Cameras - Times of Operation)

           

            E.      THE FOLLOWING CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY IS REFERRED TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND RI INTERLOCAL TRUST:

Manuel Munoz, by Robert J. Levine, Esq. – No Amount Specified

 

**        TAKEN OFF CONSENT AGENDA FOR COMMENTS ONLY, NO OTHER ACTION TAKEN.

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR BARRY.

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Barry, seconded by Councilor Araujo, the agenda is amended to include the following resolution on a unanimous voice vote:

 

RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE GRACE PERIOD TO PAY MOTOR VEHICLES TAXES IN FULL FOR FY 2021 WITHOUT INCURRING INTEREST PENALTIES UNTIL JUNE 30, 2021.

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Barry, seconded by Councilor Araujo, the following RESOLUTION IS REFERRED TO FINANCE COMMITTEE, on a unanimous voice vote.

 

RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE GRACE PERIOD TO PAY MOTOR VEHICLES TAXES IN FULL FOR FY 2021 WITHOUT INCURRING INTEREST PENALTIES UNTIL JUNE 30, 2021.

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

Drawer 8         Ratification of the Contract between RI Council 94 AFSCME, AFL-CIO, Local 1012 and the City of Pawtucket for the period July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021.

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588      RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET TO ENTER INTO A 5-YEAR EXTENSION THROUGH DECEMBER 2026 FOR THE TAX STABILIZATION WITH RICHMOND MOTOR SALES INC FOR ALL MOTOR VEHICLES REGISTERED AT 519 PAWTUCKET AVE (AP63 L717)

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

033      RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TAX ABATEMENTS FOR AUTOMOBILES, REAL ESTATE AND TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY IN A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $91,083.07 FOR JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, 2020

 

 

UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY PROPERTY COMMITTEE, THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION IS READ AND PASSED ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588      RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET TO ENTER INTO A “TRANSFER STATION OPERATION AND LEASE AGREEMENT” WITH WASTE CONNECTIONS OF RHODE ISLAND, INC., FOR THE OPERATION OF THE CITY’S SOLID WASTE TRANSFER STATION, LOCATED AT 240 GROTTO AVENUE FOR AN INITIAL PERIOD OF TEN (10) YEARS.

 

 

 

The following ordinance is read for the SECOND 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.

 

330      AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTERS 1810, 1845, 1853, 1899, 1933, 1971, 1995, 2007, 2037, 2114, 2262, 2496, 2511, 2547, 2864, 3169 AND 3221 OF THE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, APPROVING AMENDMENT NO. 17 TO THE PAWTUCKET REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED “DOWNTOWN GATEWAY PROJECT.”

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588      RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE PAWTUCKET REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO ACQUIRE THE “APEX SITE” FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDING FOR THE FINANCING OF SUCH ACQUISITION AND REDEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS, NOTES, OR OTHER EVIDENCES OF INDEBTEDNESS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS ($20,000,000).

 

 

 

The following resolution is read and PASSED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588      RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING AND THANKING COUNCILOR MEGHAN KALLMAN FOR HER YEARS OF OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF PAWTUCKET AS A MEMBER OF THE PAWTUCKET CITY COUNCIL

 

269

 

City Council, December 21, 2020

 

 

The following resolution is read and PASSED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588   RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING AND THANKING COUNCILOR ALBERT J. VITALI, JR. FOR HIS YEARS OF OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF PAWTUCKET AS A MEMBER OF THE PAWTUCKET CITY COUNCIL

 

 

 

The following resolution is read and PASSED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588   RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING AND THANKING COUNCILOR JOHN J. BARRY, III, FOR HIS YEARS OF OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF PAWTUCKET AS A MEMBER OF THE PAWTUCKET CITY COUNCIL

 

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Barry, seconded by Councilor Vitali, the meeting is adjourned at 9:23 p.m.