City Council, August 24, 2022

 

 

A regular session of the Pawtucket City Council is held Wednesday, August 24, 2022, at 12:31 p.m., in the City Council Office, Room 303, City Hall, 137 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI. 

 

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

 

Absent – 0.

 

President Moran presides.

 

 

The reading of the records of the August 10, 2022 City Council meeting, Committee on Claims and Pending Suits meeting, City Property Committee meeting, Finance Committee meeting and Ordinance Committee meeting is dispensed with and the records are APPROVED as prepared by the Clerk.

 

 

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

 

028      A.     Various Forms and Statements from RI Infrastructure Bank.

           

028      B.     Communication from the Town of Exeter requesting the RI League of Cities and Towns’ support for legislation pertaining to the 2022 House Bill (H-8220A, Assessment of Local Taxes)

           

061      C.     Communication from Jeannine S. Bourski, Acting Finance Director, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council. (Statement of Estimated, Realized, and Unrealized Revenues for the fiscal period July 1, 2021 through April 30, 2022)

           

061      D.     Communication from Jeannine S. Bourski, Acting Finance Director, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council. (Statement of Estimated, Realized, and Unrealized Revenues for the fiscal period July 1, 2021 through May 31, 2022)

           

061      E.      Communication from Jeannine S. Bourski, Acting Finance Director, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council. (Statement of Estimated, Realized, and Unrealized Revenues for the fiscal period July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022)

           

            G.     Communication from Robert Burns, Tax Assessor, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council regarding a tax appeal from Amalgated Financial Group IV’s property at 675 Beverage Hill Ave - IS REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

           

** 614 H.     Communication from Rick Karsulavitch, Business Manager, Department of Public Works, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council, submitting an ordinance proposal regarding graffiti.

           

            I.       AN ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 227 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “GRAFFITI.” - IS LAID ON THE TABLE AND REFERRED TO THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE

           

            J.      Communication from the Jose DaMoura, President, Cape Verdean Museum, to the Honorable Members of Pawtucket City Council requesting an easement onto city property, to build a handicap ramp at 617 Prospect Street - IS REFERRED TO THE CITY PROPERTY COMMITTEE

           

            K.     THE FOLLOWING CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY IS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON CLAIMS AND PENDING SUITS.

Arnold McKenzie - $119.95 (Vehicle Damage)

Damaris Duarte - $336.87 (Vehicle Damage)

Michael Squillante - $1,274.68 (Vehicle Damage)

           

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

 

592      F.      Communication from Bianca M. Policastro, Director of Planning & Redevelopment, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council.  (Morley Field) is READ AND ORDERED FILED

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SCHUETTE

 

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

 

The Clerk is instructed to send a communication to Frank Milos, City Solicitor, requesting an opinion on whether the sale of Morley Field is unlawful. Councilor Gregor states that the sale is unlawful for the following reasons:

When the property was transferred to the city of Pawtucket, it was gifted by Narragansett Wire Co. to be used by the city as an athletic field.

RIGL Sec. 45-2-6 prohibits the sale of land which was gifted to the city for a particular use.

 

The Clerk is also instructed to request that if a petition is to be filed in an effort to quiet the deed, the City Council should be notified prior to the petition being filed in court.

 

 

 

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 Bianca Policastro, Planning Director, requesting that the City Council be provided with the list of locations the Planning Department has looked at for green space in the 5^th district to replace Morley Field, and a list of reasons for not purchasing them.

 

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR STACHOWIAK

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Stachowiak, seconded by Councilor Mercer, the agenda is amended to include the following communication, on a unanimous voice vote:

 

Communication from Marlena Stachowiak, 6^th District Councilor, to David Clemente, Public Works Director, requesting an update on the construction of the new Pawtucket transfer station.

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Stachowiak, seconded by Councilor Gregor, the following communication is READ AND ORDERED FILED, on a unanimous voice vote:

 

Communication from Marlena Stachowiak, 6^th District Councilor, to David Clemente, Public Works Director, requesting an update on the construction of the new Pawtucket transfer station.

 

 

 

589      Communication from His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council, submitting the following appointment as a member of the Advisory Commission on Arts and Culture, FOR CONFIRMATION:

 

ADVISORY COMMISSION ON ARTS AND CULTURE

 

Anne Lagace, 350 Division Street, Pawtucket, RI.  Term Expires the 1st Monday in October, 2023. (To fill the unexpired term of Ricardo Pimental) 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, Stachowiak, Vasquez and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

ADVISORY COMMISSION ON ARTS AND CULTURE

 

Anne Lagace, 350 Division Street, Pawtucket, RI.  Term Expires the 1st Monday in October, 2023. (To fill the unexpired term of Ricardo Pimental)

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

330      AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 410 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “ZONING” CHANGE IN OFFICIAL ZONING MAP FOR 120 WEBSTER STREET (AP9 L570) FROM RT TO CG ZONE.

 

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Mercer, seconded by the entire City Council, the Council adjourns at 1:09 PM.