City Council, April 7, 2021

 

 

A regular session of the Pawtucket City Council is held Wednesday, April 7, 2021, at 7:37 p.m., via videoconference on ZOOM during the COVID-19 pandemic, per Governor’s Executive Orders up to and including 21-30.

 

Present on ZOOM – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

Absent – 0.

 

(Councilor Ama Amponsah passed away on April 4, 2021)

 

President Moran presides.

 

 

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

 

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A 10-YEAR TAX STABILIZATION AGREEMENT FOR 593 MINERAL SPRING AVENUE ASSOCIATES LLC FOR THE PROPERTY AT 593 MINERAL SPRING AVENUE (AP48 L521)

 

THE COUNCIL RECONVENES AT 7:54 P.M.

           

 

The reading of the records of the March 24, 2021 City Property Committee meeting; Finance Committee meeting and 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 Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

 

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

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

*THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE READ AND ORDERED FILED:

 

028      A.     Resolution from the Town of Lincoln in Opposition to Rhode Island 2021 Gun Control Legislation

           

028      B.     Resolutions from the Town of Barrington in Support of Climate Bills H5445 and S0078; and in Support of the Prevention of Discrimination Against Lawful Sources of Income Bills H5257 and S0121

           

            D.     THE FOLLOWING CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY TO BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON CLAIMS AND PENDING SUITS:

James Melo - $745.00/$782.74

           

 

126      C.     Communication from John N. Blais, Recreation Director, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Summer Camps) 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 Councilors Wildenhain and Vasquez, is PASSED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

The clerk is instructed to send a communication to John Blais, Director of Parks and Recreation, requesting the following information regarding summer camps this year:

 

1.         Will the city be continuing the bussing of kids from the west side of the city to the Slater Park Summer Camp this year?  While understanding that there was very little response last year, Councilor Rudd believes now that the students are back in school, promoting the camp in the schools might help increase the number of kids who sign up for the camp.

2.         Is there any money that was unused last year in the Recreation budget due to COVID that is available to be used for summer or other recreation programs this year?

 

The following resolution is READ AND PASSED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

588      RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING THE SAINT RAPHAEL ACADEMY GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM FOR WINNING THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

 

 

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

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

636      RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A 10-YEAR TAX STABILIZATION AGREEMENT FOR 593 MINERAL SPRING AVENUE ASSOCIATES LLC FOR THE PROPERTY AT 593 MINERAL SPRING AVENUE (AP48 L521)

 

 

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

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

588      RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A SECOND AMENDMENT TO LEASE WITH OPTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET AND T-MOBILE NORTHEAST LLC FOR AN ANTENNA SITE AT THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 240 GROTTO AVENUE.

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR RUDD.

 

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

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

The clerk is instructed to send a communication to Tina Goncalves, Chief of Police, regarding San Antonio Way

 

1.         The Council is requesting that the police inspect the trucks parked on San Antonio Way to determine if they are registered.  If not registered, the trucks should be towed.  If other similar vehicles are on private property on San Antonio Way, the Council is requesting that the police department contact the zoning office to ask them to check those vehicles and if not registered, take appropriate action to have them removed.

2.         Councilor Rudd discusses a large truck full of trash that was seen going into the transfer station.  The Council, assuming that the truck will remain there overnight, is requesting that the police tag this or other trucks at the transfer station after hours for having uncovered trash/garbage or other violations of city ordinances.

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR RUDD.

 

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

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

The clerk is instructed to send a communication to Angelo Calcagni, Operations Manager, Waste Connections of RI, requesting that they have the area at and around the transfer station cleaned up.

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR RUDD.

 

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

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

The clerk is instructed to send a communication to Dylan Zelazo, Acting Director, Department of Public Works, regarding the above pictures:

 

1.         Councilor Rudd discusses a large truck full of trash that was seen going into the transfer station.  The Council, assuming that the truck will remain there overnight, is requesting that DPW do random checks once a week after hours at the transfer station to determine if trucks full of trash are staying there overnight in violation of the contractor’s agreement with the city.   The council believes that this can be accomplished with one hour of overtime.

2.         The council is also requesting that DPW clean up San Antonio Way.

 

 

592      Communication from Jeanne M. Boyle, Director of Commerce, Susan Mara, Planning Director and Edward Soares, CD Program Manager, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council, (Supporting Materials for the 2021-2022 Annual Action Plan for the use of funding from the CDBG, HOME, and ESG Programs)

 

Activity Applications                               Home Applications                    Public Service Applications

 

is READ AND ORDERED FILED, on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

 

The following resolution is READ AND PASSED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

588      RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FILING OF AN APPLICATION FOR FUNDS UNDER THE 2021-2022 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.

 

 

 

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

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

330      AN ORDINANCE REPEALING AND REPLACING THE SCHEDULE OF PAY RATES FOR LOCAL 1012 IN §88-12 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996.  (Reclassification of: Police Clerk II)

 

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DAROSA.

 

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

 

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Mercer, Rudd, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

The clerk is instructed to send a communication to Dylan Zelazo, Acting Director, Department of Public Works, William D. Vieira, Sr., Director of Zoning and Code Enforcement, and Tina Goncalves, Chief of Police, asking if the city still has a program to paint over graffiti on private property.  If so, how does it work?  Also, they want to know what, if anything, the city can do to discourage graffiti, such as arresting those who are doing the illegal graffiti. 

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Mercer, seconded by the Entire City Council, the meeting is adjourned at 8:54 p.m., in memory of City Councilor Ama Amponsah.