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A regular session of the Pawtucket City Council was held Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at 7:51 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 137 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI.

Present – President Mercer, Councilors Araujo, Gregor, Moran, Moreno, Rubio, Stachowiak, and Wildenhain.

Absent – Councilor Coderre.

President Mercer presided.

THE COUNCIL RECESSED IMMEDIATELY TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE AMENDMENTS TO THE ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.

THE COUNCIL RECONVENED AT 7:53 P.M.

The reading of the records of the June 7, 2023 City Council meeting and the Joint Finance Committee and Committee of the Whole meeting was dispensed with and the records were APPROVED as prepared by the Clerk.

Upon motion made by Councilor Araujo, seconded by Councilor Rubio, the *Consent Agenda was APPROVED on a unanimous voice vote:

*THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICATIONS WERE READ AND ORDERED FILED

**028 A. Resolution from the Town of Portsmouth to Join the Town of Jamestown in Support of the Request to RIDEM for the South Gould Island Public Recreation Plan.

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

Joseph Heeps – $269.00 (Windshield)

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

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR STACHOWIAK

Upon motion made by Councilor Stachowiak, seconded by Councilor Araujo, the agenda was amended to include the following ordinance, on a unanimous voice vote:

AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 11 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS” (Public Input Periods)

Upon motion made by Councilor Stachowiak, seconded by Councilors Moran and Moreno, the following ordinance was LAID ON THE TABLE and REFERRED TO THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE, on a unanimous voice vote:

AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 11 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS” (Public Input Periods)

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

AYES – President Mercer, Councilors Araujo, Gregor, Moran, Moreno, Rubio, Stachowiak and Wildenhain.

NOES – 0.

330 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET ORDINANCE 2023-2024, AS AMENDED

UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE WAS READ AND PASSED FOR THE FIRST TIME ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

AYES – President Mercer, Councilors Araujo, Gregor, Moran, Moreno, Rubio, Stachowiak and Wildenhain.

NOES – 0.

CAPITAL BUDGET ORDINANCE 2023-2024, SUBSTITUTE A

UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE WAS READ AND PASSED FOR THE FIRST TIME ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

AYES – President Mercer, Councilors Araujo, Gregor, Moran, Moreno, Rubio, Stachowiak and Wildenhain.

NOES – 0.

AN ORDINANCE REPEALING AND REPLACING THE SCHEDULE OF PAY RATES FOR UNCLASSIFIED NON-UNION POSITIONS AND THE SCHEDULE OF PAY RATES FOR HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS AND APPOINTED POSITIONS, BOTH IN SECTION §88-12 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996 (ADD: ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF)

THE COUNCIL TOOK UP THE FOLLOWING:

AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 63 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “PERSONNEL POLICIES” (USE OF CITY OWNED VEHICLES – FIRE DEPARTMENT)

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR MORAN

Upon motion made by Councilor Moran, seconded by Councilor Araujo, the following AMENDMENT to the above ordinance was taken up:

Amend the following:

Section H was deleted in its entirely, as follows:

~~The Officers assigned to the Fire Prevention Bureau, provided that no more than five (5) vehicles may be assigned to such officers.~~

Add section 3, as follows:

In addition, the Chief of Fire shall be empowered to authorize the use of no more than five (5) additional vehicles, which may be assigned to the Captain and Lieutenants who work in the Fire Prevention Bureau. If assigned, said vehicles will be allowed to be garaged at the residence of the assigned individuals after established work hours. The Chief of Fire shall have the discretion to determine from time-to-time the appropriate number of vehicles assigned and authorized to be taken home.

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR GREGOR

To clarify if the last sentence enabled the Fire Chief to allow more than 5 vehicles to be taken home, Councilor Gregor made a motion to amend the original amendment, as follows:

There was no second.

The matter was not properly before the City Council.

Upon motion made by Councilor Moran, seconded by Councilor Araujo, the following amendment was PASSED on a roll call vote, as follows:

AYES – President Mercer, Councilors Araujo, Gregor, Moran, Moreno, Rubio, Stachowiak and Wildenhain.

NOES – 0.

Amend the following:

Section H was deleted in its entirely, as follows:

~~The Officers assigned to the Fire Prevention Bureau, provided that no more than five (5) vehicles may be assigned to such officers.~~

Add section 3, as follows:

The following ordinance was READ FOR THE FIRST TIME, AS AMENDED, AND PASSED, on a roll call vote as follows:

AYES – President Mercer, Councilors Araujo, Gregor, Moran, Moreno, Rubio, Stachowiak and Wildenhain.

NOES – 0.

AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 63 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “PERSONNEL POLICIES” (USE OF CITY OWNED VEHICLES – FIRE DEPARTMENT) AS AMENDED.

Upon motion made by Councilor Wildenhain, seconded by Councilor Moran, the meeting was adjourned in memory of former Registrar of Voters Dawn McCormick at 8:11 PM.