City Council, January 17, 2024

 

A regular session of the Pawtucket City Council, which was postponed from January 10, 2024, was held Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at 8:11 p.m., in the Jenks/JMW Complex for the Performing and Visual Arts Media Center, 350 Division St., 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 December 20, 2023 Joint Committee of the Whole/City Property Committee meeting and City Council meeting was dispensed with and the records were APPROVED as prepared by the Clerk.

 

 

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

 

            *THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICATIONS WERE READ AND ORDERED FILED

           

028      A.     Various Forms and Statements from RI Infrastructure Bank

           

028      B.     Resolution from the Town of Warren (Class A Liquor License Holders to Collect 1% Gross Receipts Tax)

           

3          C.     Communication from the Pawtucket School Committee to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Public Input By-Laws)

           

061      D.     Communication from Jeannine S. Bourski, Deputy Finance Director, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Statement of Estimated, Realized and Unrealized Revenues for the fiscal period July 1, 2023 through November 30, 2023)

           

589      E.      Communication from His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Reappointment of Arthur Plitt to the Pension Board)

           

590      F.      Communication from His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien; Patricia Royal, School Superintendent; Mark Stankiewicz, Finance Director; and Taylor Matthews, Hague, Sahady & Co. P.C. to David A. Bergantino, CPA, DFE, RI Auditor General (Pawtucket Fiscal Year 2023 Audit Extension)

           

592      G.     Communication from Robert Runge, Construction Specialist, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Ordinance – Public Art Fund)

           

            H.     AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF ARTICLE XXIII OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “PUBLIC ART FUND” WAS LAID ON THE TABLE AND REFERRED TO THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE

           

            I.       Communication from the Samaritans of Rhode Island to His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien and the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Request for Municipal Support) WAS REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

           

611      J.      Communication from Mark Stankiewicz, Finance Director, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Salaries of the Mayor and Council)

           

**        K.     AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 88-4 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “SALARY OF PRESIDENT AND COUNCILMEMBERS” WAS LAID ON THE TABLE AND REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

           

**        L.      AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 88-5 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “SALARY” (Mayor) WAS LAID ON THE TABLE AND REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

           

            M.    Communication from Eric Hammerschlag, City Engineer, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (RIDOT Municipal Road & Bridge Program) WAS REFERRED TO THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE AND THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

           

3          N.     Communication from Joseph da Silva, Coordinator, School Building Authority, RIDE, to Patricia Royal, School Superintendent (Proposed Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan – Unified High School)

           

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

Alison Frigon – $599.65 (Railroad)

Joan Tremblay – $200.00 (Railroad)

           

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

Debra Borrelli by Amica Insurance – No amount specified (Walk Sign Malfunction)

Noah LeBlanc, et al. by Danilo A. Borgas – No amount specified (Fire Department)

           

**        TAKEN OFF CONSENT AGENDA FOR COMMENTS ONLY, NO FURTHER ACTION WAS TAKEN

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR ARAUJO

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Araujo, seconded by Councilor Coderre, the following communication was INDEFINITELY POSTPONED AT THE REQUEST OF THE APPLICANT, on a unanimous voice vote:

 

023      Communication from Wilson A. Soto, Princess Investment LLC, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Extended Operating Hours for Class B Licensed Establishments to 2:00 a.m.) 

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR ARAUJO

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Araujo, seconded by Councilor Gregor, the following ordinance was RECOMMITTED to the Ordinance Committee on a unanimous voice vote:

 

AN ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 227 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “GRAFFITI.” SUBSTITUTE A.

 

UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON CLAIMS AND PENDING SUITS, THE FOLLOWING CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY WAS APPROVED FOR PAYMENT UPON PROOF OF NO RENTAL INSURANCE, ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

Stacy Weaver – $543.13 (Firetruck)

 

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Gregor, seconded by the entire City Council, the meeting was adjourned in memory of Kate McGettrick and Emmanuel Vieira at 8:23 PM.