City Council, March 20, 2024

 

A regular session of the Pawtucket City Council was held Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at 7:18 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 137 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI. 

 

 

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

 

Absent – Councilor Rubio

 

President Mercer presided.

 

 

The reading of the records of the March 6, 2024 License Committee meeting, Committee on Claims and Pending Suits 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 Moreno, 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 Charlestown in Opposition to Any Revival of the Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass (Railroad)

           

028      B.     Resolution from the Town of Charlestown in Support of Amendments to RIGL 45-24-38 General Provisions – Substandard Lots of Record

           

028      C.     Communication from Dale T. Kennedy, Chief Program Officer, The Arc of Blackstone Valley, to Chris Crawley, Acting Director of Public Works (Termination of Lease)

           

589      D.     Communication from His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Appointments to the Mayor’s Community Board)

           

630      E.      Communication from Robert Burns, Tax Assessor, to the Honorable Terrence E. Mercer, Council President (2023 Tax Stabilization Report)

           

**

126      F.      Communication from John Blais, Recreation Manager, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Response – 2022 Parks Commission Annual Report)

           

**028  G.     Communication from Jordan Karlik, Blackstone Distribution Center, LLC, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Response – 1 Moshassuck Q1 2024 Construction Update)

           

**        H.     Communication from Bianca Policastro, Planning Director, to the Honorable Terrence E. Mercer, Council President (Response – Maintenance Plan for 1 Moshassuck and Abutting Properties)

           

            I.       Communication from Gail Sebastiao, President, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, to the Honorable Terrence E. Mercer, Council President (Lease of Apex Building space) WAS REFERRED TO THE CITY PROPERTY COMMITTEE

           

            J.      AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 116-4 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “IMPOUNDMENT FEES” WAS LAID ON THE TABLE AND REFERRED TO THE ANIMAL CONTROL COMMITTEE

           

651      K.     Memorandum from Irina Gorman, Treasurer, and Ashley Tashian, Assistant Treasurer, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Returned Check Fee Ordinance Change Proposal – §202-14 Fee)

           

            L.      AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 202 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996, ENTITLED “FEES” (Returned Checks) WAS LAID ON THE TABLE AND REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

           

590      M.    Communication from Ryan Holt, Chief of Staff, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Request for Approval of Position: Human Resources Director)

           

            N.     AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF THE SCHEDULE OF PAY RATES FOR CLASSIFIED NON-UNION POSITIONS IN SECTION §88-12 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996. (ADD: Human Resources Director; DELETE: Consolidated Director of Human Resources) WAS LAID ON THE TABLE AND REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE)

           

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

Tara L. Gagnon – $275.33 (Pothole)

Jamilton Salazar – $117.00 (Tow)

Doreen Mowry – $189.78 (Pothole)

Anthony DiMeglio – $467.06 (Pothole)

           

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

Sait Sado – $2,716.32 – $3,500 (Tree)

Karen Corey by Charles J. Vucci – $100,000 (Trip and Fall)

           

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

 

611      Q.     Communication from Mark Stankiewicz, Finance Director, to Patricia Royal, School Superintendent (Critical School and City Finances) WAS READ AND ORDERED FILED

           

591      R.     Communication from The Honorable Terrence Mercer, City Council President, to Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green, RI Department of Education; His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien; and Superintendent Patricia Royal, Pawtucket School Department (Meeting on School Financial Issues) WAS READ AND ORDERED FILED

 

Council President Mercer called for a special City Council meeting to be held on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, and requested that the Clerk send a communication to Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green, RI Department of Education, His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien; and Superintendent Patricia Royal, Pawtucket School Department, to bring all parties together in an effort to resolve the financial issues currently being faced by the school department, and to discuss the following topics:

 

n  School construction bonding and reimbursement processes

n  Education funding, including ESSER and Title 1 funds

n  School Capital Reserve Account balances

n  Grant money for community schools 2024-25

n  Who is the current or acting CFO/contact person(s) for financial matters at the school department.

n  Status of the annual audit for FY 2023

 

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 Personnel Board, FOR CONFIRMATION:

 

PERSONNEL BOARD

 

589      William H. Ruggiero, 55 Rowe Avenue, Pawtucket, RI 02861. Term Expires the 1^st Monday in January 2025 to fill the unexpired term of Gary J. Convertino was READ AND ORDERED FILED

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

PERSONNEL BOARD

 

William H. Ruggiero, 55 Rowe Avenue, Pawtucket, RI 02861. Term Expires the 1^st Monday in January 2025 to fill the unexpired term of Gary J. Convertino

 

 

 

The following resolution was APPROVED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

588      RESOLUTION OPPOSING CUTS TO RIPTA SERVICES IN PAWTUCKET AND REQUESTING SERVICE TO 100 FREIGHT ST

 

 

 

COUNCIL PRESIDENT MERCER APPOINTS THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS TO THE AD HOC CITY HALL BUILDING REVIEW COMMITTEE:

 

·       Councilor Michael Araujo, Chairman

·       Councilor David Moran, Vice-Chair

·       Councilor Yesenia Rubio

·       His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, or his designee

·       Mayor’s appointment from the Planning Department

·       Mayor’s appointment from the Department of Public Works

·       Ms. Barbara Zdravesky (Pawtucket Preservation Society)

·       Mr. Kevin Miniati (Building/Construction Expertise)

·       Mr. Kevin Barry (Economic Development/Federal Grant Expertise)

 

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Wildenhain, seconded by the entire City Council, the meeting was adjourned in memory of Domingas Duarte at 8:30 PM.