City Council, June 10, 2020

 

 

A regular session of the Pawtucket City Council is held Wednesday, June 10, 2020, at 7:25 p.m., via videoconference on ZOOM during the COVID-19 pandemic, per Governor’s order 20-25.

 

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

 

Absent – Councilor Araujo.

 

President Moran presides.

 

The reading of the records of the May 14, 2020 City Council and Ordinance Committee meetings; the May 20, 2020 City Council and City Property Committee meetings; the May 22, 2020 City Council meeting; the May 26, 2020 City Council and City Property Committee/Ordinance Committee meetings and the May 29, 2020 City Council 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 Barry, Kallman, Mercer, Rudd, Vasquez, Vitali and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MERCER.

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Mercer, seconded by Councilor Kallman, the agenda is amended to include the following communication on a roll call vote as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

Communication from Mayor Donald R. Grebien, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council, regarding issues in the City of Pawtucket.

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Mercer, seconded by Councilor Kallman, the following communication is READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

590   Communication from Mayor Donald R. Grebien, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council, regarding issues in the City of Pawtucket.

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

*THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICATIONS ARE READ AND ORDERED FILED:

 

028      A.     Communication from the City of Woonsocket proclaiming June, 2020 to be Woonsocket Pride Month.

           

614      B.     Communication from Eric J. Earls, PE, Director of Public Works, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Streetlight LED Conversion Project – Update)

           

            C.     Communication from Jeanne M. Boyle, Director of Commerce, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Dexter Street Commons Project) TO BE REFERRED TO THE CITY PROPERTY COMMITTEE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.

           

            D.     Communication from Robert W. Burns, Tax Assessor, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Purchase of Beatty Street Parking Lot – AP44 L532) IS REFERRED TO THE CITY PROPERTY COMMITTEE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.

           

            E.      Communication from Leland A. Peyser, Peyser Real Estate Group, to the Honorable Mayor Donald R. Grebien and Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council. (Request to Purchase City Owned Parking Lot on Beatty Street and request for a Tax Stabilization Agreement) IS REFERRED TO THE CITY PROPERTY COMMITTEE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.

           

            F.      Communication from Eric J. Earls, PE, Director of Public Works, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Request to Accept approximately 426 square feet of land for a Right of Way (ROW) Expansion for the curb radius at Goff Avenue and Pine Street for the Pawtucket/Central Falls Commuter Rail Station and RIPTA Transit Hub) – IS REFERRED TO THE CITY PROPERTY COMMITTEE/PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE.

           

            G.     Communication from Rebecca Spencer, Lofts 125 Landlord LLC, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (No Objection to the Expansion of the Right of Way (ROW) at Pine Street and Goff Avenue) – IS REFERRED TO THE CITY PROPERTY COMMITTEE/PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE.

           

            H.     THE FOLLOWING CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY ARE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON CLAIMS AND PENDING SUITS:

James Rennick, by Allstate Insurance – No Amount Specified

Oscar Ramirez, by Allstate Insurance - $1,287.15

First Student, by First America/Gallagher Bassett - $1,800.00

Andrew Burkhardt - $251.21

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR RUDD.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Rudd, seconded by Councilor Vasquez, is PASSED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Police Chief Goncalves requesting that she send a detail officer to the area around Urban Avenue and Dora Street regarding speeding in that area and trucks travelling on Urban Avenue marked “No through trucking,” many of which are coming from North Providence.

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR RUDD.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Rudd, seconded by Councilors Barry, Kallman and Wildenhain, is PASSED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Police Chief Goncalves asking her if the city has a relationship with any or all of the following social service agencies: Family Services of Rhode Island, Day One and The Providence Center.  If not, the Council is requesting that she look into creating those relationships.  Councilor Rudd believes that working with these agencies would benefit the residents of Pawtucket.

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR KALLMAN.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Kallman, seconded by Councilor Vitali, is PASSED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to the administration requesting that they look into holding a summit or a listening session open to the public to solicit input from the residents about what is hurting them and what they want to see changed.  The meeting should give people an opportunity to share what they are feeling and experiencing. Working with the council the administration should find a format that works to discuss racial tensions between communities and police around the country and where it does and doesn’t show up in Pawtucket.  This would be done in order to create an environment that feels safe and comfortable to everyone.

 

The council added that the summit should include sharing with the public the types of leadership training for diversity issues or de-escalating tactics or non-violence tactics used by the police.  This will help the public be more informed.

 

The council also recognized that with all that is going on now, this would have to be done at a time and in a way that would be safe for the public.

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588   RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TRANSIT EMPHASIS CORRIDOR (TEC) IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE PAWTUCKET/CENTRAL FALLS BUS HUB AND COMMUTER RAIL STATION

 

 

 

COUNCILOR RUDD LEAVES AT 7:44 P.M.

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588   RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET FOR THE PAWTUCKET TOWN LANDING PROJECT.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588   RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE DEEPEST APPRECIATION TO ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS FROM PAWTUCKET, CENTRAL FALLS AND OTHERS FROM ALL AROUND RHODE ISLAND AND BEYOND FOR THEIR HEROIC EFFORTS DURING THE 280 RAND STREET MILL COMPLEX FIRE.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588   RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING JUNE 2020 TO BE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, AND QUESTIONING PRIDE MONTH.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

Deanna Mangum - $1,350.00

Gary Albert - $300.00

 

 

UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON CLAIMS AND PENDING SUITS, THE FOLLOWING CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY IS DENIED AND REFERRED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO FIX THE SIDEWALK ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

David Celio - $290.00/$700

 

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR BARRY.

 

With majority consent of the Council, the following motion made by Councilor Barry, seconded by Councilors Mercer and Wildenhain, is PASSED on roll call vote, as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Police Chief Goncalves, asking her if anything can be done to stop the fireworks that are going off all around the city.  They are disturbing the peace of the residents.  The council is requesting that she have the officers explain to callers about why it is so hard to catch the people shooting off the fireworks.

 

 

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Mercer, seconded by the Entire City Council, the meeting is adjourned at 7:54 p.m., in memory of Hugh Monahan and Elizabeth Grady.