City Council, September 22, 2021

 

A regular session of the Pawtucket City Council is held Wednesday, September 22, 2021, at 7:41 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 137 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI.

 

Present – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, DaRosa, Gregor, Mercer, Schuette, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

Absent – 0.

 

President Moran presides.

 

The reading of the records of the September 8, 2021 Committee on Claims and Pending Suits meeting and City Council meeting is dispensed with and the records are APPROVED as prepared by the Clerk.

 

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

 

 

*THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE READ AND ORDERED FILED:

 

028	B.     Communication from Steven Brown, Executive Director, and Hannah Stern, Policy Associate of the ACLU to the Members of the Pawtucket City Council. (Concerns on the Installation of Automated License Plate Readers - ALPR)
	E.     Communication from Lisette Gomes, Assistant City Solicitor, to Richard J. Goldstein, MMC, City Clerk. (Apostolic Church International Boston Assembly Tax Exemption) IS REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
	F.      Communication from Susan Mara, Director, Planning & Redevelopment, to the Honorable Members of the City Property Committee.  (200 Conant Street Parking/Public Parking Policy) IS REFERRED TO THE CITY PROPERTY COMMITTEE.
1	G.    Communication from Tina Goncalves, Chief of Police and Acting Public Safety Director, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Repealing Section 351-62 of Chapter 351 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Pawtucket, 1996, entitled “Streets and Sidewalks” – Soliciting)
	H.    An Ordinance Repealing Section 351-62 of Chapter 351 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Pawtucket, 1996, entitled “Streets and Sidewalks” (Soliciting) IS LAID ON THE TABLE AND REFERRED TO THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE
	I.        THE FOLLOWING CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY ARE REFERRED TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND RI INTERLOCAL TRUST: Bernadette Baptiste - $3,573.72-$3,696.26 Oriana Andrade by MAPFRE Insurance - $7,300.17 Marion Marrow - $8,417.61
	J.       THE FOLLOWING CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY TO BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON CLAIMS AND PENDING SUITS: Oscar Ramirez by Randall Johnson, Esq. - $1,594.77

 

 

613   A.  Communication from Frank J. Milos, Jr., Esq., City Solicitor, to Council President David P. Moran. (Annual Report Relative to Claims and Pending Suits) is READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

City Council, September 22, 2021

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SCHUETTE.

 

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

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Frank J. Milos, Jr., Esq., City Solicitor, requesting that he provide the council with the annual report as required by Section 50-14 of the Pawtucket Code of Ordinances.  Upon receipt by the council, they can refer it to the ordinance committee to make a recommendation on whether or not this reporting requirement should continue.

 

 

 

028   B.  Communication from Steven Brown, Executive Director, and Hannah Stern, Policy Associate of the ACLU to the Members of the Pawtucket City Council. (Concerns on the Installation of Automated License Plate Readers - ALPR) is READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

C.  Communication from Tina Goncalves, Chief of Police and Acting Public Safety Director, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Flock Safety Cameras) is READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR GREGOR.

 

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

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Tina Goncalves, Chief of Police, regarding the ALPR cameras.  They are requesting that she attend a Pre-council session of the city council on either October 6^th, if available, or October 20^th, if she can’t make it on the 6^th, to discuss the ALPR camera program.  They have questions on the two cases she mentioned in one of her letters, on the actual schedule of the trial period, on privacy issues and other aspects of the program. 

 

In the meantime, not wanting the cameras to be in use indefinitely pending the start of the trial period, the council is asking the following:

1. That all of the ALPR cameras be turned off until the 60-day trial actually starts;
2. That when the trial starts, the number of days the cameras have already been in use be subtracted from the 60-day total;
3. That she provides the council with a list of the locations of all 17 of the ALPR cameras;

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DAROSA.

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – Councilor Wildenhain.

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to the Attorney General’s Office, regarding the use of Flock Safety ALPR cameras.  The council is requesting any comments or positions the Attorney General’s office may have on the legality and constitutionality of the use of these cameras.

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR ARAUJO.

 

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

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to RI Department of Transportation’s traffic control division to request that they check the traffic light at the intersection of Newport Avenue and Benefit Street, in Pawtucket, to determine if the sequencing of the traffic light needs adjusting.  Council President Moran, who represents that district, has been getting complaints about long back-ups on Benefit Street, caused by the timing of the light.

 

 

 

 

Communication from His Honor, Donald R. Grebien, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council, submitting the following appointment as an Alternate Member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, FOR CONFIRMATION:

 

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

 

589   John DoCouto, 8 Hayward Street, Pawtucket, RI  02860. Term to Expire the 1^st Monday in January, 2025 is READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

The following nomination submitted by His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, for confirmation is CONFIRMED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

John DoCouto, 8 Hayward Street, Pawtucket, RI  02860. Term to Expire the 1^st Monday in January, 2025.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588   RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING FROM SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 TO OCTOBER 15, 2021 TO BE NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH 2021

 

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DAROSA.

 

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

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Tina Goncalves, Chief of Police, requesting that the police department pay close attention to activities in the city’s parks and enforce the closing time of the parks, especially at Payne Park, Galego Court, John St. playground and Prospect Heights.  Also, they are requesting that the chief ask the Nonviolence Institute to do outreach with the youth in our city, especially at the closing time of schools. 

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DAROSA.

 

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

 

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Tina Goncalves, Chief of Police, requesting that she provide them with a report on her list of 20 for 2020 promises.  They want to know how many of her promises she was able to achieve so far.  What were the successes she achieved and the challenges she faced in trying to keep all the promises?   

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DAROSA.

 

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

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Sara Miranda, Human Resource Director, requesting that she attend a pre-council session of the city council to discuss affirmative action plans for the city.  They want to know what the city is doing and plans to do going forward to ensure more diversity in the workplace. 

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DAROSA:

 

The following motion made by Councilor DaRosa, seconded by Councilor Schuette, is DEFEATED, on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

AYES – Councilors DaRosa, Gregor, Schuette, and Vasquez.

 

NOES – President Moran, Councilors Araujo, Mercer and Wildenhain

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Frank J. Milos, Jr., Esq., City Solicitor, requesting that he reconsider fees on an APRA request seeking Internal Affairs reports over a 5-year period.

 

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DAROSA.

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Frank J. Milos, Jr., Esq., City Solicitor, regarding the APRA request regarding five-years of Internal Affairs reports.  After defeating a motion to request that Mr. Milos reconsider his decision regarding waiving the fees for the IA reports, the council approved a motion requesting that he make those reports available to be reviewed by Councilor DaRosa.

 

THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE, WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL WITH AN AMENDMENT BY THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE, IS TAKEN UP:

 

AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF ARTICLE XII OF CHAPTER 40 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “FUNDS” (Alcohol Prevention Awareness Fund).

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MERCER:

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Mercer, seconded by Councilor Gregor, the following amendment to the above-entitled ordinance, as recommended by the ordinance committee, is APPROVED, on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

 

Amendment:

 

§ 40-40 Purpose.

The purpose of this fund is solely to provide various alcohol prevention awareness programs, and .  It may also be used to pay any city expenses for City Council requested liquor control activities.

 

 

 

The following ordinance is read for the FIRST TIME, AS AMENDED, and PASSED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF ARTICLE XII OF CHAPTER 40 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “FUNDS” (Alcohol Prevention Awareness Fund), AS AMENDED

 

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Araujo, seconded by the entire City Councilor, the meeting is adjourned at 8:48 p.m., in memory Elena Araujo and John St. Jacques.