City Council, February 21, 2024

 

A regular session of the Pawtucket City Council was held Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at Non-u8:02 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 137 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI. 

 

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

 

Absent – Councilor Moran.

 

President Mercer presided.

 

The reading of the records of the January 31, 2024 Joint City Property Committee/Committee of the Whole meeting and City Council meeting, the February 7, 2024 Finance Committee meeting, Joint Finance Committee/Public Works Committee meeting, Committee on Claims and Pending Suits meeting and City Council meeting, as well as the February 14, 2024 Ad Hoc Municipal Judge Application Committee meeting was dispensed with and the records were APPROVED as prepared by the Clerk.

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR ARAUJO

 

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

 

Communication from His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, to Scott Avedisian, Chief Executive Officer, RIPTA (Proposed RIPTA cuts)

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Araujo, seconded by Councilor Moreno, the following communication was introduced and placed on the March 6, 2024 City Council agenda, on a unanimous voice vote:

 

Communication from His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, to Scott Avedisian, Chief Executive Officer, RIPTA (Proposed RIPTA cuts)

 

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Araujo, seconded by Councilor Wildenhain, 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 Hopkinton in Support of Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns 2024 Legislative Priorities

           

028      B.     Resolution from the Town of Richmond in Opposition of Option A, Chariho Regional School District – New School Initiative & Stage Application

           

028      C.     Resolution from the Town of Charlestown in Support of Full Funding of Categorical Transportation Aid as Outlined in RIGL §16-7.2-6

           

591      D.     Communication from the Honorable Roberto H. Moreno, Councilor-At-Large, to Peter Alviti, Director, RIDOT (Trash on I-95)

           

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

Ruthie & Joseph White – $210.00 (Pothole)

Ruthie & Joseph White – $110.00 (Pothole)

Vange Giannakas – $301.20 (Pothole)

Brandon A. Barahona – $189.58 (Pothole)

Amadeu Garcia – $700.00, $1,650.00 (Property Damage)

           

            F.      THE FOLLOWING CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY WAS REFERRED TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND RI INTERLOCAL TRUST:

Dorothy C. Radnor – No amount specified (Trip and Fall)

Elida Goncalves by Jorina Arapi – No amount specified (Firetruck)

Arbella Mutual Insurance (Subrogation for Stacy Weaver) – $2,604.43 (Firetruck)

           

           

THE COUNCIL TOOK UP THE FOLLOWING:

 

Appointment of the Chief Municipal Court Judge.

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR RUBIO

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Rubio, seconded by Councilor Stachowiak, a motion to POSTPONE the appointment of John T. Gannon, Esq. as Chief Municipal Court Judge was DEFEATED on roll call vote, as follows:

 

AYES – Councilors Gregor, Rubio and Stachowiak.

 

NOES – President Mercer, Councilors Araujo, Coderre, Moreno and Wildenhain

 

 

UPON RECOMMENDATION FROM THE AD HOC MUNICIPAL JUDGE APPLICATION COMMITTEE, JOHN T. GANNON, ESQ. IS APPOINTED CHIEF MUNICPAL COURT JUDGE ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

 

AYES – President Mercer, Councilors Araujo, Coderre, Gregor, Moreno, and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – Councilors Rubio and Stachowiak.

 

 

 

 

UPON RECOMMENDATION FROM THE AD HOC MUNICIPAL JUDGE APPLICATION COMMITTEE, PATRICK MCBURNEY, ESQ. IS APPOINTED ASSOCIATE MUNICPAL COURT JUDGE ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

 

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR WILDENHAIN

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Wildenhain, seconded by Councilor Rubio, the agenda was amended to include the following communication, on a unanimous voice vote:

 

Communication from Mark Stankiewicz, Finance Director, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Response – Chief of Staff Position)

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Wildenhain, seconded by Councilor Rubio, the following communication was introduced and placed on the March 6, 2024 City Council agenda, on a unanimous voice vote:

 

Communication from Mark Stankiewicz, Finance Director, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Response – Chief of Staff Position)

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588      RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ABATEMENT OF TAXES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES, REAL ESTATE AND TANGIBLES FOR OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER 2023, IN THE AMOUNT OF $39,207.02

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588      RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET TO ENTER INTO A ONE-YEAR LEASE EXTENSION AGREEMENT WITH NEXUS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC, FOR USE OF THE PARKING LOT ON SUMMER STREET AND 49 NORTH UNION STREET (AP43 LOT 629) AND A ONE-YEAR LEASE AGREEMENT WITH CORE COLLABORATIVES, LLC, FOR USE OF THE PARKING LOT AT 217 MAIN STREET (AP43 LOT 594) FOR THE PAWTUCKET PUBLIC LIBRARY

 

 

 

UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE, THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588      RESOLUTION APPROVING THE LOCAL PUBLIC AGENCY AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET FOR THE APPROVED PROJECT ELIGIBLE FOR MRBP FUNDING – WEEDEN STREET BRIDGE, MAIN STREET BRIDGE, ADA SIDEWALK AND RAMP IMPROVEMENTS

 

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR GREGOR

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Gregor, seconded by Councilor Moreno, the agenda was amended to allow for the proposal of sending a communication to the Parks Commission, on a unanimous voice vote

 

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

 

The Clerk was instructed to send a communication to the Parks Commission requesting a copy of the Parks Commission’s latest annual report.

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR GREGOR

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Gregor, seconded by Councilor Moreno, the agenda was amended to allow for the proposal of sending a communication to the School Committee, on a unanimous voice vote

 

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

 

The Clerk was instructed to send a communication to the school committee, requesting a copy of the report submitted to them at their February 15, 2024 meeting regarding engineering value changes pertaining to the Baldwin School.

 

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Araujo, seconded by the entire City Council, the meeting was adjourned, at 8:50 PM.