East Providence City Council 2/3/26

You know saying it's 6:30

check. All I need is one mic. Just one mic.

Good evening. I call the meeting to order of the East Providence City Council on February 3rd, 2026.

Uh, Madame Clerk, will you please call the role of the council?

Councilman Fogerty.

Councilman Lawson here.

Council Vice President Rio here.

Councilwoman Souza here.

Council President Rodri here. The record show there's a quorum for members present. I did hear from Councilman Fogerty uh who was the last minute unable to attend. U please stand for the pledge.

I aliance to the flag of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. Uh the first order of business tonight is uh the show cause hearing or hearings uh regarding uh licenses within the city. At this time um I would refer to the city solicitor uh Mr. Marcelo.

Thank you, Council President. As you know, um this board serves as a license board for the city of East Providence.

Uh and all licenses are administered through the clerk's office. Um, all the licenses that we're going to be discussing today, uh, should have been re renewed by December 1st of last year.

Um, we have been, um, diligently working to get all these businesses up to date in with their licenses. Uh, and I'll just go through these very quickly because I think a lot of these have been resolved. Um, but um, and I we've we did request that they people do appear today for the showcars hearing. Um, like I said, most of these have been resolved, but there are a couple issues that we

need to address and then I wanted to uh, and then we can move on. hopefully relatively quickly. Uh the first one is the business license for Dunes Brothers that we did get an email today from the uh owners uh and they have a they've had a conflict uh and so they I think I would ask that you continue this to our March meeting. Please do you need a vote?

Yes, please.

I make a motion that we continue this until the March meeting.

What date would that be? Uh Madam Clerk, the March date.

March 3rd.

I make a motion we continue this till March 3rd. Second motion made by Councilman Lawson, seconded by Councilwoman Souza. Uh, all in favor?

I. Are there any opposed? The eyes approve four to zero. And that note that is a seasonal business. They're not open in any event right now.

Correct. They have some time to get They have some time. Okay.

Next is Brazilian Family Market 1024 South Broadway. Someone here from there that you come up, sir.

you just give us your name for the record.

Wolson.

Thank you, sir. Um, this was a uh the only thing that was needed to complete this license application. Again, this was a viculating license was the fire inspection. I did speak with the fire marshall here today on the phone today.

He indicated that there was a fire inspection scheduled tomorrow. Um, and um, he didn't the 11th.

Yeah.

Okay. Um, he next Wednesday. Okay. Um and he did not uh anticipate any problems with that. Um so we can either continue that till after the fire inspection is completed or um whatever the pleasure of the council is. My recommendation would be to put it down for uh uh review on the at the March at our second meeting in February.

So we'll continue it to the March 3rd meeting.

No, the the second meeting.

Second meeting in February.

Oh, February. What date is that, ma'am?

Okay. I make a motion we continue this till February 17th meeting. Is that your recommendation?

That is my recommendation at this time.

Okay. Motion by Councilman Lawson to continue to February 17th. Seconded by Councilwoman Souza. All in favor?

I.

I. Any opposed? The eyes have that 40.

So that's the only thing that's holding up the issuance of your license, sir. If you get that compiance, but we've got to make sure that you're in compliance.

Okay. All right. Thank you.

You understand that you need to have this done by December 1st of every year?

Yeah.

Okay. Just we don't have to you don't have to go through this again next year.

So, no, that's everything's gonna be fine.

Yeah. No, just just to give you so you don't have to spend a night here with us so that you get it all done.

All right. [snorts] Thank you.

Thank you.

Just to clarify, that also includes payment for the inspection. So, they'll come do the inspection, then they'll issue a payment.

Yeah.

For the inspection.

Thank you. [clears throat] Next is um um Popeyes at 40 Newport Avenue. Um the only Sir, if you come come up, please.

The only thing that's holding up this license is a uh the payment of some tangible taxes. I did speak with uh Caesar. Is it Caesar? C um prior to the meeting today. Um he's dealing with corporate in New Jersey. Um they indicated that they uh anticipated paying the outstanding taxes. Um and uh so I'm recommending that we uh continue also this to um that he g be given till next Wednesday to to uh pay those taxes

and we'll continue this matter to this second meeting in February as well.

So the February 17th meeting is your recommendation based on the info you received.

Yes. And and if it's okay with the council assuming those taxes are paid, I will probably send him a letter indicating that he does not have to appear. We can just grant a license.

Yeah. Yeah. If he does what's need anybody does what's needed between now and then.

That's fine.

Do they need to come back before us?

Up to you. But um you know again I just want to make it very clear this is not the first letter that I get that we've been dealing this since before the letters go out in September about renewing these licenses. So I just want to make it clear. Um but you know this takes a lot of time and effort on behalf of the clerk's office. So can I ask in

in this case now you say you're dealing with with corporate sir whose responsibility is it for the taxes would it corporate office or would the local So were you aware are you the manager district manager. Okay.

Okay. So hopefully we'll have this cleared up by the 17th.

I'll make a motion we to February 17th.

Motion by Councilman Lawson.

I have a question for the solicitor.

What is the tangible tax that they owe?

Um, it's just under um without interest.

I believe it's just under $15,000, sir.

So, it's the first quarter of um uh one quarter, excuse me, they paid one quarter and 24 and nothing and paid in 25. So, three quarters and 24 and four quarters and 25 plus interest.

Plus interest. But that's calculated by the the office. He he does have the correct interest.

He has the correct amount. So, okay.

Yeah.

[snorts] Okay.

So, what is the date that you recommend that I'm making a motion to um have [clears throat] this back on the docket continuence until March 17th, uh February February.

And so, again, if we get proof that the taxes are paid, we'll send you a letter that you do not have to appear. But if you do, if those are not paid, you have to appear again. And then I'll second that. They have discretion as to what they want to do as far as operating. You really cannot be operating without the proper licenses.

Thank you.

Okay. And it was seconded by Councilman Lawson. All in favor?

I. Any opposed? The eyes have that.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you, sir. Appreciate it.

Good luck.

Next is Jeff's Pizza, 27 Waterman Avenue. Anyone here from Jeff's?

No one's here. Um, I did speak with the uh fire marshall. uh they have an inspection scheduled for tomorrow. He again he did not anticipate um any issues with that based upon his past inspections.

So 17th February, but he was asked to appear today. So I want to just make that clear and he did not.

Okay. So I'll make a motion to continue to February 17th.

Can I just ask a question?

Yes.

So it also states that he needs a building inspection.

No, that was uh we we deter we spoke with the building official. They only inspect the building once when they go into the building. Unless there's an issue, uh, they don't they don't inspect it again unless there's an issue or additions or or something like that.

But, um, I talked to Rob Walker. He he it's only the fire that's holding this up and and the license fee.

And the licensing fee.

But here here again, now they've known since September.

These letters go out to all the business owners that have issues with have licenses with the city in September indicating they need to renew their license for a December meeting. So they've September, October, November, and then it finally gets on the docket in December. Uh, as you know, most businesses comply. These are ones that we've had to chase for the uh, last couple of months. And frankly, I will

say that the clerk's office has done an excellent job of getting this number down. We started with we started with 11, I believe.

Um, and we're down to um, seven. So, yeah, that's not bad. and and we want to be careful whenever we we know there's fire inspections due in in light of you know countless examples of of tragedies that have happened. Um you know we we've we've got to get that done before we can continue. So we can go to the 17th but so Mike just for the public's knowledge what are the requirements to renew a license?

Well they're all different. I can't it's not it's not one sizefits-all. Some liquor license have different requirements than viculating licenses.

It's all sent out in the ordinance. It's all sent out in a letter that they receive what they need. It's all done electronically through the portal. If you go on to the portal, you can actually see where you are in the process. In other words, if a fire inspection is needed, when the fire inspector goes out and checks it off, then you'll see that it's completed.

Okay? The letter of good standing from the state gets issued.

The licensing clerk actually goes down to the state portal, downloads the letter of good standing, and puts it in our portal so that we know those those issues. So, it's not a one-sizefits-all.

Every license has different requirements.

So, we're notifying these folks. They can go online and see where they stand.

Yes.

And um so, we're doing what we can to ensure we are doing everything and more than to get these people to come in for their licenses. Technically, when you're operating without a license, they do they should not be operating with the city without a license, but we're trying to be, you know, some some things get held up like dealing with the Ron's division of taxation. They get inundated

with letters of good standing. It sometimes it takes a little bit of time.

Yep. We can follow that process through our portal where they are if they submitted an application for a letter of good standing if there's information that the state is requiring that they have it. So, we follow that. I say we, the clerk's office follows that um as the as the process goes along.

And I I want to thank Stephanie Melo from the clerk's office, Andrea, uh Andy and uh all the staff there and Mike, your work too, helping these small businesses and being there for them.

[clears throat] So 217, excuse me. And these letters went out in September. Did you say the initial letters for the reminding them that they have to come and reapply for existing the licenses they have goes out in September? Yes.

Almost almost 90 days before they're due. Correct. They're due December one.

So just to also she does she sends out letters every 3 weeks, email reminders.

and on the the particular people that didn't complete their licensings, I personally started calling them and leaving messages and sending emails and letters as well. So that's why they ended up here because no one responded.

Continue.

217 for the Jeff's.

Yes.

Thank you. [clears throat] Next are the alcoholic licenses. Uh alcohol licenses. Uh number one is the Holy Ghost beneficial.

Do I have to leave?

Yes. I'm sorry. You should. Yes.

read.

The council vice president has to um leave because of his his own um business in compliance with Rhode Island General Laws 36-14-6.

I hereby recuse myself from partic participating in discussion or taking official action related to the said matter. This does not prohibit participation as a member of the public in an open meeting pursuant to commission regulation 703.

Thank you.

So um B1 Holy Ghost Beneficial Brotherhood um we were waiting for the letter of certificate of good standing from the department of taxation. Um, I'm told that we did receive that and they are compliant and I know that they contacted the counciloman Souza and council council president Rodri's asking that they had a conflict tonight because of an event that was going on. So, we told them that they did not have to

appear because of that conflict.

Correct.

That's that'll be taken and the license I think has already been issued.

The next is contender sports bar. I know the gentleman's here. Sir, you can just state your name for the record.

Thank you, sir. So, um, again, we were waiting for a certificate of letter letter of good standing from the Department of Taxation. Uh, we I've been told through the clerk's office that that letter has a good sitting has been issued and is now downloaded into our portal. So, he's also in in compliance and u he's all set with his license.

Again, um, the license had to be reviewed by December 1st. Um, and hopefully that everyone's learning from this process that we we we want to make sure that people get the the stuff in on time, save you some time and money as well. Is there a motion? Oh, he's all set. There is no need. Well, he's in good. He's in standing.

He's in compliance, so everything's fine.

License will be issued. [clears throat] Thank you, sir.

Thank you. Thanks for coming.

Next, Town Liquor LLC, 179 Newport Avenue. Again, we were waiting for the letter of good standing uh from the Rale Department of uh uh of taxation, which I believe uh was received. And sir, if you could just state your name for the record, please.

Thank you, sir. Sir.

Thank you. So again, uh the clerk can confirm that we did receive the uh Department of Taxation letter of good standing. I believe the license has issued or is about to be issued if it hasn't been already. Again, um just a friendly reminder that these licenses need to be renewed from December 1st, by December 1st. Technically, under our ordinance, we could find you guys guys $25 a day. We have no interest in doing

that. We just rather get compliance. So, I appreciate your cooperation.

Thank you. So, they're they're all set.

They should be all set as well.

Thank you for coming and we are hopefully we'll avoid it in the future.

Continued good luck on the business.

Thank you, gentlemen, for coming in.

Thank you. Appreciate it. That concludes the show cause um except for the ones that are continued. And again, I want to thank the clerk's office for all their hard work on this.

Okay. And in closing, I I just want to say that I I know a couple businesses uh were wanted to know if they had to come tonight, even though maybe they were in compliance. There may have been questions. So, in most cases, unless there was an extenduating circumstance, we we did ask you to come because uh we have all been very pro business and will continue to be. But we also have to be

careful, you know, when you have things like health department regulations, fire regulations, if anything were were to happen, um then the whole city is is liable. You know, we we as a government, businesses are liable, taxpayers. So, it's a serious thing. Um we we took the easy road. Um, as the solicitor said, uh, fines could have been issued, businesses could have been closed. Um,

actually, in some cities, they do that.

When you go a couple of weeks past the deadline, they'll shut you down. Uh, we didn't do that. We don't want to do that, and we probably won't ever do that unless it really gets abused. So, I think we're all on the same page.

Everything's good. Uh we've got a couple businesses to we'll know by the 17th if everything's in order and it appears it will and uh we thank you for coming tonight and and that's the reason why we um really want to just keep everybody safe. So thank you for being here to those businesses that are here and thank you Mr. Solicitor and the clerk's office.

And you madame clerk, you want to continue the agenda?

Consent calendar for discussion and possible vote. Council's journals number one, regular meeting minutes 127 2026.

Letters number one, new address, 8 London Avenue, East Providence, Rhode Island 02916 map 403, block 21, parcel 055.10, zoning R3.

Make a motion to accept the consent calendar.

Thank you.

Licenses for discussion and possible vote.

A non-public hearing.

I will make a motion to bundle one through five. Um, just note one and three is the Lou Festival. Uh, they're just getting that in now. Um, but I will make a motion to bundle C1 through C5.

I second that motion.

Actually, is C correct?

It says A public hearing B.

Oh, licenses. Should it be B?

It's actually [clears throat] changed because um yeah, they we moved it up.

Oh, okay. Um, so I I make a motion to bundle one through five, whatever letter. And I would only thing I would request is because sometimes a question comes up because people don't people want to know who. So we we obviously don't have to get into all of the events, but if you either you or the city clerk wants to just read um the the special events that just so people

know what we're voting on. So, um, madame clerk, if could you just, and you're not don't have to do the whole thing, just the, uh, name of the special event and, uh, the date.

Special event one day entertainment license arts festival, August 8th, 2026, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Number two, special evented one-day entertainment license, DJ fundraiser cancer patient.

Um, February 21st, 2026, 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Special event block party application, food truck event, August 8th, 2026, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Rain date, August 9th, 2026.

Type of license, new business license, auto sales, 845 Toron Avenue, East Proidence, Rhode Island. Type of license new business license Sunday and holiday particular I can't say that address 1086 Willlet Avenue unit 6 Riverside Rhode Island.

Thank you uh madame clerk. So the motion was made to bundle. Did you second it?

Councilwoman Souza seconded. All in favor of bundle.

I. Any oppose? I Is there a motion to accept or or not?

I'll make a motion to accept one through five.

Second.

Motion made by Councilman Lawson to approve one through five. Seconded by Councilwoman Souza. All in favor? I I. Any oppose?

The eyes. Thank you. Next item.

D public hearing. Type of license liquor license class B victing.

Mr. President, I would say you don't have to read it again because we but just just as you previously read for the same reasons.

Okay.

You would need to uh redact recuse.

A lot of people would like to redact Councilman Fre.

It's Washington that's redacting.

[clears throat] All right. So, this is a public hearing.

It's the applicant present.

Uh, yes. Oh, I'm sorry. You didn't read it yet.

Society Coffee. Absolutely.

Okay. Madam Clerk is going to just read it first. Go ahead.

Type of license.

Applicant Keith Vas, Business Name Society Coffee Bar, Inc. at 50 North Broadway, East Proidence, Rhode Island.

Thank you. Just uh just a name and address for the record.

You shut it off.

The mic's off.

You need to see the red light.

Whoa, everybody's nervous over the coffee.

Uh Keith Viver. Uh it's actually 500 North Broadway.

Okay, that's the business address, correct?

500 North Broadway. Okay, but what is there now?

Well, it's our business building, but it used to be an engineer's office. It was a bank that was converted to an engineer's office approximately 15 years ago.

Yeah. Great. Oh, sounds good. Any questions from the council?

Is that up near like ScFS? I'm trying to think.

Yeah, kind of in between ScFS and um Rivera.

Yes, right across the street. You got a nice thing going there in North Broadway. Contenders, SCF, Francesca's.

Uh, now you guys, they're literally right across the street from Franchesca's.

Oh god, I was there Sunday for so good.

We got a good thing going here. I have no questions. I fully support. So, when is the uh the official opening day?

Uh, depending upon uh we're shooting for March 2nd. We're we're uh going through the process with this the board of health at the state level right now just to um we do have myself and my general manager both serve safe certified but apparently in Rhode Island you need a different certification and it has to be yeah a food manager and it has to be within three years. So um the serve safe

was done like four years ago. So we're in the process of obtaining that certificate. Um and if if that goes smooth I'm we're optimistically shooting for March 2nd.

Awesome. All right. I make a motion to approve.

I will second that.

Subject to meeting all legal requirements.

Correct.

Motion made by Councilwoman Souza, subject to all requirements and laws being met. Seconded by Councilman Lawson.

All in favor?

I Oh, that's right. We were That's why I was waiting.

Public hearing. Public hearing.

Public hearing.

Can we go back? Yeah.

Are there any uh comments from the public that are here in the in the audience?

We're still in a public hearing. Um ask once again, anybody want to comment for or against this? Seeing none, we'll close the public hearing. Now we have we do have the motion already in the second. All in favor?

I. Any opposed?

The eyes have it. Thank you and good luck.

Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

excited.

Thank you.

Next year, don't forget the December one deadline.

All right, next public comment.

Jim Bennett.

He's gonna That one, sir.

Uh, just name name and address for the record.

Push that button there. There you go.

Jim Bennett, 29 First Street, East Proidence, Rhode Island.

Welcome.

Thank you.

I'm here to talk about uh 122 First Street, LDC Jewelers, a pollution and a noise private nuisance.

And I'd like to read something from uh my cousin who runs manages the house that I live in with her cousin who's blind.

Uh we have a very serious ongoing problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. The community LD the company LDC located at 22 Fur Street is one of the biggest health hazards ever to take place and abuse the residents with their chemical and noise pollution.

As a community, we need to come together to protect ourselves and loved ones against this negligent abuse. Everyone needs to understand the long-term effects of this intrusive act of pollution. This man is being allowed by the city to violate the norms against US residents with no accountability.

We are inhaling and ingesting chemicals.

That man said to me when we walked out of the house tonight, he's got the machine running. I smell the chemicals and his nose is a little better than mine. He's blind. He's got better senses.

Chemicals being burned. These machines are not up to code. If you go in the back of the building and look at them, this machines are dinosaurs. They're not even cast in concrete. First of all, I've been a safety inspector on many jobs in Boston. I've built highrises. I built Foxwood's MGM Grand, so I know what I'm talking about. I first told this man that he needs to put those machines cast in concrete to stop

the vibration coming across the street into the house I live in. I retired in 2016. It was peaceful for four years. I sat in the backyard with that gentleman on a Saturday afternoon and I said, "Something bad's happening here, Steve."

I said, "There's two trucks that just pulled in down into the gully there in the back and they're unloading machinery into the building." and I said, "I'm gonna go over and check to see if they put permits on the uh doors out front or anywhere on the building." So, I went around. I got my camera with the lens on it and I started shooting pictures. No permits to put the machines in. I

couldn't get I got pictures of the trucks, but I don't have They had no signs on the trucks. I don't have pictures of the license plate because they put machines in front of the license plate. I've got all this on video and I will continue reading this. Our residents mainly consist of elderly, disabled, and children that are being subjected to this exposure of abuse. The city should be doing the most to protect

us in a residential neighborhood. We should also not have to be subjected to these very invasive ex obnoxious sounds that literally go on 24/7. For the last three days, he's been running these machines. He started up at 4 today.

Those machines will be going until 11 o'clock tomorrow morning. This is why I brought this to show you what the sounds we're listening to at 7:00 in the morning.

All right, I'll finish this here. I I only had two hours to prepare for this. Somebody gave the lady of the house a call and said there's an open meeting tonight if you want to express uh what your concerns.

The reason she's not here is because her psychologist told her this might trigger her if she comes here. So that's why I'm standing in for her. I've been dealing with this for five years.

Uh this man and his business do not belong here. He belongs in an industrial park. the short and long to the name of the company is LDC Industrial Jewelry Manufacturing Company and there's a casting company that just come in and they cranked up the business. The lady that owns that is Cindy Lane.

The short and long-term effects of high and low pitch sounds are being d uh are beyond dangerous and irreversible to all our health. the long-term effects of inhaling chemicals is more diabolical.

I am asking for your acknowledgement of this issue and also for your support to get this issue rectified once and for all. This is a decimal meter. I've called I've called the police over a hundred times myself. I've called the mayor and left over a hundred messages.

Never returned. The police come, they say they can't hear it and that their machine's not picking it up. This is made for amplified.

This is the only machine they have for amplified sound coming out of an amplifier like your speakers. That's what these are made for to control the sound in clubs.

So that meter is no good to use. You have to use what you would call a structural vibration meter or seismograph specifically one that uses an acceler accelerometer.

I haven't I haven't slept good for five years. And I told the police officers, everyone that came, I showed them my bedroom. I have condensed I had to go out and buy condensed foam. The stuff behind my backboards and my bed, my walls in the bedroom vibrate. But you can't hear it hear that unless you're in the house and you move around to spots.

When I lay in my bed, I hear the vibration coming through my pillow. You can't get to sleep. You know where I've been sleeping on the I've been sleeping on the floor on top of a double stack of pillows. every time he runs that machine. That's where I'll be sleeping tonight beside my bed on the floor. How would you like to have your grandfather do that? I'm 70 years old.

I'm going to let you hear a couple of noises and we're going to end this. This is Can I pass this around so you can look at it? These are leaves. I did a study on leaves that are contaminated by jewelry companies fumes coming out and this is what happens only to maple trees. And I went around the neighborhood. I got pictures and movies of all the trees in the neighborhood

that are within 100 ft of that building and every one of them has that on it.

You go beyond 100 feet, none of them have it. That's what we're ingesting into our lungs. We got two two kids that are one years old over there. one that just turned two years old and two on the corner that are like uh 17 and five.

This is going to come out in the long run. This is on record. When somebody comes down with cancer and dies of it, you'll have my voice saying it.

Look at the look at the disease on Mike and Andre. Hang on one second. Um I may sound angry.

No, no, you're I've been dealing with this for five years. Okay, hold on. Hold on. You're fine. You're you're doing you're doing fine. And I don't know if it is it you who has been emailing me or is it the woman in the house that you're talking about?

That's the woman that wrote this letter texting I should say.

She was advised by her psychologist not to come here because she would get triggered.

No, I get it. I just, you know, want to do acknowledge that I've received and I think so has council councilwoman Susan talking about Oh, I do. And I received I I would say maybe 200 texts to my phone. Um some of them at 2 in the morning, some of them at uh now I'm not saying that it's sleep. He's got the machine. Come over to my house and stay out.

Well, I' I've gone by and like you say, you can't Oh, you can't hear the noise outside.

You can't hear it outside.

I can take you in front of my house. If I walk you to certain spots, you hear it. I had a policeman come in with a gold badge one night when the community police officer So hang on, let me finish.

This guy come in my house and he said, "Oh my god, this is awful."

Yeah.

I'll have this put to stop. He community police officer got in an accident the next day or something about he never came to my house. Later I get a call from some girl from the police station saying we're we're looking into this.

And then another cop grabs the phone and says, "Listen, buddy. The next time you have that, hear that noise, call this number and we'll send two officers out there with a uh one of these decibel meters and see if we can hear the sound that doesn't pick up that sound. It's made for one thing, speakers. So, it's it's difficult and I um sorry to interrupt you.

No, it's okay. You you're doing fine.

Um, and I I've tried I know I I have I I made the suggestion that someone come tonight to the meeting and I said you come and and speak to your government, you know, live. Let us let people know.

That's when that's why I said I only had two twohour notice, right? But I had suggested that also in the past. You maybe didn't I didn't hear that.

Didn't hear that, but I've I've always said that opportunities to come here. I have contacted city administration. I've contacted building inspectors and police chief. And the word I get officially is that and I'm not taking sides. I'm just saying that the the official word is the business is in compliance. So I don't know what's going on. That's why I suggest I got I got pictures.

We'll we'll check further.

No permits on it. When he's had three fires over there, they opened them back up three times. How does that happen when you Wait a minute. There's a gas depot right on the corner that could blow that whole place sky high.

Something tells me that something tells me that with with your appearance tonight, which is a good thing that uh we'll we'll check it a little further. I'm sure the solicitor and uh chief of staff um building.

So I I again this is this is the first time I'm hearing of this.

Okay.

Um is that right?

Me? Yes. as a as a solicitor, but you know, I don't hear every complaint that comes into the city.

50 times the first time.

Yeah, but no, he's not police.

I'm not he's not they should I mean, but anyway, we will um I see Andre's taking copious notes here.

We we'll we'll look into it. There are a lot of issues that have been raised. I want to make it very clear, however, that the city does not regulate the discharge of chemicals or whatever in the air. That's the relative department of environmental management. We have no authority to regulate that. However, we can and I've suggested that in my answers to the texts that I receive uh is that

please call the Rhode Island Department of um environmental management environmental management. Call the um we certainly have contacts that we can help, you know, figure out and the first thing that we need to do is this may be and I don't know the neighborhood that well, but this could be a uh legal non-conforming use and of a building that existed before zoning was there.

So, there are a lot of issues that need to be um dug into. So, Councilman Lawson has the floor.

I was just going to say it sounds like he's describing an industrial building business and I don't know what that area is zoned for, but it could be it could have existed before the 133 in that area.

I had a house over there on Boston Street. I bought quite a long time ago in the 90s and I remember it was light commercial machines. That's what it was that was grandfathered in at. Well, I guarantee you we'll we will look into as as deeply as we can.

Go ahead briefly. Go ahead.

Keep it near the microphone so we can Well, we may not have to need need the microphone.

You got this, right?

You'll hear it out of this.

I just want to make sure I put the ones on that I didn't swear in.

been hanging around the council president.

Well, the reporter in the audience, he he'll redact the words then.

All right.

That's what we hear at 7:00 every morning.

It sounds like, if you look at the video, he's got two fires burning with the doors wide open.

All the chemicals are coming right outside.

They've been blowing smoke out all night long since yesterday at 7:30 at night.

That's going all night.

This noise gets louder and louder.

And he's got some control over that because when he turns it on at 4 from his house or whatnot, Bluetooth by 6:00 he ups and downs. And when everybody's everybody's sleep,

one one last question just to be clear in my mind. Uh now you say you can't hear it outside. You hear it in your house. Well, was this was this recorded in your house?

That's recorded in my house at the window.

But if I were outside, I wouldn't hear that. You would hear that if he's got the door open. Otherwise, you just hear a low tone.

Okay.

I feel the low tone in my house.

Right. The vibrations. Uh, Councilman Rigo, my question, sir, to you is I'm very concerned about this because environment with children, doesn't matter you, anybody else. You shouldn't be living in an area that could be toxic and where you got to get DM involved there. And it can, it's happening here and it it can happen anywhere in the city. My next, you just raised a question uh that now has me uh a question that I

want to ask you. You mentioned that he's got a fire going on in there. You mentioned like it's a machine or something that's you know there's a vulcanizing machine that blew my ears out. I DIDN'T PUT THAT ON.

THAT'S WHAT you hear for an hour and a half. They shut that off because we she complained about that and to close the door. He still opens the door halfway every morning.

So I mean but there's there's an actual there there's a fire going on in the building.

Oh yeah. All night long.

So my concern there is if you go over there right now, you'll see the smoke coming out both stacks.

He's burning in there right now.

Right. My my concern then is is there the proper and we talked about it just now with fire and building inspections.

Is there the proper fire like you know you know sprinkler systems and everything going on there because he had all that put in when he insurance on the three fires.

All right. Just cuz I'm not stupid. What what I want to what I'm trying to off here is, you know, having family members who are firefighters and the firefighters in this city, they could be walking into a situation even though we just got them great equipment and everything that this is how firefighters get cancer is on stuff like that that they they don't know what they're walking into. And I I

think that Mr. Walker needs to get involved in this and to look I want to have I I would feel comfortable if there is if there is some reports coming back here because vibration tester we inside my house I I don't know if we have one but I mean I think I don't know I don't know if we have one but DM I know as far as you know

we need to get the state we need to get the state DM the environmental management monitor no more professional because of that because of that vulcanizer it's blown right out he turns those machines on my ear it it goes in and out it starts I'm I'm pro business I own a small business and I you know and another one I mean it's not in anything like that but I mean I don't want to shut anybody

down but you know what you got to be a good neighbor I mean and and that's [clears throat] Can I tell you one more Yes, sir.

Issue. Those two machines that I call dinosaurs in the back, somebody should go back there and mark my words, those machines are sitting right on the right on the ground on two uh each machine is on a piece of 4x4 wood sitting on the ground jumping like this.

No, they're supposed to be on the cement as you said, cast and concrete. I many of them My father was a contractor. I know what they're supposed to be.

All right. So, I think, you know, we're we're definitely going to have the proper inspectors and um I appreciate, you know, and I have asked I have asked in the past, but now we'll ask them to redouble their efforts.

And did you say they were running fires with no one in the building?

The fires are running in there right now. The smoke's coming right.

Nobody's in the building.

You think they had three fires in there at night when nobody was there?

That explains it all.

Yeah. Right now, everybody in that neighborhood is a day at their life is in danger of him catching a fire, the building blowing up and then blowing up the whole gas depot. And that's the end of that. That's it. I want to thank you all for listening to me.

You had the you had the right people hear you tonight that can make the Thank you for coming out.

Thank you. So, I do want to also reiterate what the council president said. I we both have received a lot of um emails and texts throughout all hours of the day and evening and morning. Um this has been escalated on multiple occasions I know from myself and hearing from the council president to um the building officials office. So either through minimum housing or zoning. Um so

the administration is aware that this is an issue that's been going on and that this has been a health and um noise or and sound nuisance to this neighborhood um and to this uh house in particular.

So uh it is unfortunate that it has um escalated to um to today and I'm glad that you know he came forward and said it publicly. So now that um no pun intended, but a a fire has been lit to get more proactive um to help and of course we're not looking to um hurt any businesses. I know that that business has changed its production multiple times over the tenure of being there

because I'm sure of you know recessions.

Is this the corner of Waterman and across the street from the waterfront?

Oh, it's on First Street. over first street. Okay.

Yeah. So, it's no Boston 13.

So, from Black Duck to the corner the corner of First Street has a home and right before the home is where this building got um finishes. So, um it is it is a big and it used to be just a a lightning.

Excuse me one second. Could you take that conversation out in the for Thank you.

No problem. It's just picking up on the microphones here.

It used to be a light manufacturing. I knew people who used to do um jewelry work in there and there didn't have any of these issues. Um but with I think changing of the times and industries [clears throat] it's evolved to other u businesses. Um but I think part of the licensing process is you know I think going in and inspecting. We know we just had a serious fire at another location um in

the city um and that was you know again probably could have been preventable because that finding out what the cause was um it seemed um there might be other issues in other businesses that could prevent. So this business who also has had multiple fires um you know it's a it's an unsafe situation and I think we need to have a closer eye on some of these things. So thank you again for reaching out and

coming to us today.

Thank you Councilwoman. All right. Next on the comments, Renee Ignagio.

Okay. And I have a puppy for you, too.

Um, I just came to ask one simple question.

I just want to know if the stop on cameras on our school buses are up running and violations have been issued.

Well, as you know, that's not a function of the city council of my information is that they're they're up and and running is every single bus. I don't I don't know, but um the police, I guess, would get the violations, right? You know more about it than I think we do. Um so, it's really more of a police school department issue. We we get involved if if there are contracts and things but

did I what are you saying? Are you saying that they are not on the buses?

Well, I'm asking because so it makes my Andre can you ask the police department if anything's been issued and just like an update as of what's going on because So we don't get those updates but we can easily request that we do get that update.

I I know that um she made a you made a public records request about the uh I did. Yeah. So we she has the I have the answer.

I don't believe I believe there are no citations have been issued as of as of today and they're not up and running.

So if you have the answer, what are you asking?

But I don't know but I don't know if that means that there are that they're not up and running or that there just been no violations that I don't know. I know that there but but I do know there I did speak with the chief of police about two weeks ago on another issue but just happened to come up and they were meeting with the vendor because they were working on the form of the

citations that need to go be sent out.

So that's there was a little bit delay in that as well but they have there's certain forms that need to be um they need to process to be compliant with word island law and they were working with the vendor to make sure that those were accurate. That's that's the answer question. No.

Okay. But also I just want to know because our the contract with the city is dated August 7th. So but you do know, right? You said you got the information.

It's a school. It's a city. It's I called the police department themselves and they said they they don't know the contract itself um which this council did approve. Um the time clock running for the number of violations doesn't start until actually all the cameras are up and running. So there is there is a built-in protection for the city on that. But I I I do not I can't say whether they're all operating or

none are operating. I can tell you that based upon my own personal knowledge that it was an issue with the vend not an issue but the police department was working with the vendor to get the proper form of the citations and I'm sure Andre and I can can figure out where we are but I believe and again I don't want to um I believe all the cameras have been at least installed

and that's more information than I've gotten from anybody but but I could be wrong. I'm just saying but might be more to your point, Renee, they did say that at first they were going to be in by the start of the school year.

Um that was September, but then things got delayed a little bit again, September 25th.

Yep.

Or 27th, something like that. Um, and then the mayor said by the fall and then the chief of police came and spoke to the school committee on August, I mean September 9th and said that there was a delay because there was a form that had to be filled out about billing. I don't know what he means about billing because this is supposed to be free to everybody, taxpayers, schools. So I don't know what that

means. And then it was supposed to be whenever and here we are now what?

February.

Gotcha.

And we're not up running. We don't know if we're up.

And usually after we approve something like that, we don't get further updates on the status.

You approve the contract. Did you see the contract?

Yeah.

Okay.

Yeah.

But but we don't I came. It's always it's a school.

We also approve all by by ordinance. We approve all school contracts now, right?

teachers aids superintendent.

Be careful. Collective bargaining agreements.

Collective bargaining agreements. We don't follow the day-to-day activities of those unions. But because prior Hang on a minute, let me finish. Because prior councils had put in an ordinance, which I always did did not support strongly because we don't negotiate those contracts. We don't get involved in them, but we're asked to vote on them. Uh but that's okay. We can do that. Um, so all school contracts

and bargaining agreements, I should say, get approved by the city council. That does not mean we know the nuts and bolts of what's going on there. So, are they all working? Are they finding people? We We'll find out for you.

The only reason I ask is because I'm looking out for the taxpayers because you have to meet a 5,000.

Um, yes, I did see that language. Yep.

Thank you. Um, and we're already almost a full year into the we'reund by the next school committee meeting, we're 142 days into true with no tickets.

I I do believe that yes, there's a provision in the contract that I that I actually insisted on that that that that time period doesn't run and I and we gave you a copy of the contract that doesn't run until the actual all the cameras are installed and operational.

So that the 5,000 to that point though Mike if they are installed and operational and we haven't got the citation part done yet does that mean I don't I don't I don't remember all the language but it was I believe it's you know the whole pro the whole process is operational not just the cameras I have contracts inside outside back forth up down and I did not see that in

there so I will take a look again take a look I'll be happy to point out for you too but it is there and that could be something that Mike could talk to the company and say, "Can we extend the deadline?"

I'm not trying to be No, listen. The more people get involved, the better government works.

I just I'm looking for the safety of the kids and I think So, Mike, can I ask you a question?

It it's been raised that citations might have gone might not have gone out yet.

I I I I don't want to speak because I don't have all the facts, but I will tell you that, you know, my last conversations with the chief of police, actually with the deputy chief of police, was that they were working on making sure that the format, the formatting and the reporting of the citations to the police department because it's the police department that actually issues the citations. It's not

the company. The police department has to approve and verify that there was a violation occurred. They were working on that either the transmission of that information as well as the citation form. But but then I can presume that if there's a camera operating in the bus and somebody happens to be dumb and runs a red light on a school bus that it's getting picked up and but the transmission of the citation hasn't gone

out to that individual yet.

I I I don't want to speculate it. I don't know the all right. No, I'm just trying to get the com trying to get We can talk to the chief of police tomorrow.

Just trying to get the nuances of how this is operating. They might be as long as they're stored then you know I'm just asking you do have a process with the speed cameras on issuing us ID it's the same it's it's similar to that process but a little different because it's a different violation but yes it's not and it's a different company but it's a but it's a similar process and we straighten them out we straighten

the old comp we straighten the uh speed camera company out I just say one more thing in the contract it also states that um gatekeeper and whoever city police department are supposed to give monthly updates to each other.

I think that I think we get the number of citations that are that are issued and reported and collected.

I did not I don't believe we've issued any.

Unfortunately, I haven't brought I did not bring all my there was little issue at home, but um I do have copies of everything for you guys. More than happy to bring them to the next meeting, but they are supposed to give monthly updates. gatekeeper is supposed to give it to the either the city school department or police department and vice versa. The police department's supposed to give it to gatekeeper so that

everybody knows what's going on, how many citations and what's paid because it has to be 5,000 paid citations by the end of the five-year contract.

Yep.

So, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. Next, council members. A East Providence City Council Veteran Advisory Committee Hometown Hero being a initiative announcement. Councilman Lawson.

All right. So, um, unfortunately, I don't have what I was hoping to have as far as, uh, what the banner looks like and the registration form. That's still some paperwork being done. Um but this is an initiative was brought to the veterans advisory committee by Tori Jessup who is uh she sits at the table with us. She represents the blueest star families and basically uh towns like Secon Barington um they have banners

along the roadways that depict various uh veterans um people that served in the military. So, we put together a program where um people will be able to purchase a banner in a family member's name and we're going to put them up. I met with Dan Borges and Andre and we went through the process. We are going to be able to put them up in Riverside along the parade route, uh Roger Williams A, um

Warren and Toronto. So, when the form's finalized, folks will be able to have the option of choosing what part of the city they would like to see the banner go up in. Um, it's the first year doing it. We don't know what the reception is going to be. Um, I will be doing a lot of outreach being out in the community that people can come and sign out, fill out the form and stuff. Um, I'm just

waiting for um that to get finalized.

And basically it's just another way to honor veterans. Uh our veterans advisory committee is tasked to honor and advocate for veterans. And um part of the advocation we're going to have on February 28th uh another coffee hour.

It's going to be at Weaver Library uh 9:00 a.m. I also invited the state reps and they're going to be in attendance because there are some legislative um requests that the veterans have. um transitional house and being number one for our homeless vets on the streets. Um but some other things too. So February 28th, we're going to have that coffee hour at Weaver and um we will be rolling

out as soon as I get the completed form.

I will start doing outreach. Um I'll start setting up hours where I'll be available. Um and I think it may be the form online too. We got to double check.

There's a couple things that we had to finalize. Um, but we're going to be rolling it out and um hopefully I'll be able to present the look of the band and basically it's going to be um branch of service, the name, years served and um it's nice. We got a nice design going.

So, thank you for Tory Jessup for bringing this to the veterans advisory committee. Thank them for we vetted it out, talked about the pluses, minuses, what we can do. So, uh, I just wanted to announce that that that's gonna be coming and the hope is to have it up by Memorial Day and, um, so we'll probably have a deadline in like midappril. Um, it's going to depend on how quickly they

can manufacture the banners and Dan's team's going to need at least couple weeks lead time. So, so that's going to be coming. I just wanted to make that formal announcement and um, more info will be coming very shortly.

That's good. I remember we talked about that a year or two ago when we had the the opera funding for it and we talked about other cities in town. So it's very good that this is happening now. Is there going to be a is there a fee?

Yes. Yes. You will said that. So do you have an idea?

Well, I'm just waiting for the final numbers. Um we did have people that fabricated banners. So we did have quotes. We met the three quotes. We just wanted to refresh them to make sure because they were from a little while ago and um I'm just waiting to get that information back from Andrea and um once we get that and the forms finalized we can start pushing it out and um but yeah

it it's going to be um there will be a fee for the families. Um now by chance the company that would be doing the banners is that a city company or is that out of the city? I will verify. Uh my preference would be in city.

I know of a company that just opened up on Valley Street and there might be others. So, okay.

It would be good if we could keep it in city.

Send me the info and I'll pass it on to Andrea so she can um when she's refreshing the quotes.

Absolutely.

Councilman, just a quick question. Um are these going to be up all year round?

Are they going up during certain times?

No, we imagine they can last year round.

They're made out of that vinyl stuff, so they the weather doesn't affect them.

Like the flags get affected with the sun hitting, they start to fade and tear.

The banners should be fine. We've had the ones up in Riverside a couple years now. Um, so yeah, they would be year round and depending on the reception, we may do another round next year if enough people. Um, I do know some people have been asking about the bricks at Veterans Memorial Park. So, um, we have an opportunity to add to that park as well, some more, um, monuments, um, stuff. We

got very creative people in the city.

So, um, again, I thank you guys so much for your support of veterans and all our initiatives. You guys have been awesome.

So, thank you.

That's progress. Thank you.

Uh, so that's it. So, uh, you you may get more interest than Dan is available.

You know, you you might have a big turnout big again. First time you're doing something, you're not sure, right?

And um, Dan didn't seem to have a limit. Um, my anticipation is probably less than 100 people at first.

Um, but once they're up and people start seeing them, um, but it would have to be like a a one time a year type thing. It can't be a roll in like ongoing.

I I got one question in regards to the first ward.

Oh, how why was Roger Williams? I would pick what what I would pick would be from Freedom Green on North Broadway all the way up because it's more highly traveled to everybody.

So, I can bring that to Dan, but the uh question was more about what is the more feasible to get the the trucks and stuff like that. So, I'm just going by what I was told.

Yeah. No, but I I can if there's an alternative.

So that's center from Freedom from Center all the Yeah.

Excuse me. From Center all the way up to Newman Avenue. I mean, so you're talking going up Broadway.

Yeah. Going up by like, you know, you know, I I can definitely ask Dan if that's doable, if that's the preference. Um maybe telephone polls availability or something.

Yeah. Yeah. It was I'm just saying as far as the traffic flow more people and everything there you know between you know we did seven stars you know we did feel like Newport are so busy oh I that you kind of don't want too much visual um but if you want north Broadway over you know between the post office avenue and seven stops and and that's the fairway for you know thoroughway for

then we just mentioned all the I call the food court because we got that going on in Willard Um, so yeah, Frank, I can absolutely bring that around.

All right. Thank you. Next item.

Request for update on sales service issues around Crescent Park. Councilman Lawson.

Councilman. So, uh, a little while back, Mike, I mentioned that we are having some big cell service issues at the Crescent Park area. And, um, you had mentioned that the cell tower that was supposed to go at Grassy Plains um, that plan had to be adjusted and they were looking into it. Has there been any movement? Um, there's a lot of concerned folks that their cell phones don't work.

They can't call 911.

So, uh, assistant sol Valado has been that the point person from my office on that. I can check with him. I have not got any updates, but there you're correct. There was a issue about a land swap or where we wanted to put the t where the company wanted to put the tower was part of a conservation easement or some type of so they were looking into the possibility of moving

it further into the woods outside of the easement, but I don't know where that okay is right now. But I'll ask Joel to give you an update. Get an update.

Thank you. I appreciate that.

And and it would excuse me. It would have to come back before you anyway. So, right. Right. I just want to keep that on the burner because a lot of people are concerned and and this might be too obvious of a question. So, maybe um Mike, you could forward this. And I know for years all of Riverside has been a cell phone uh problem. Um what about our Riverside Middle School on the roof? you know, we

wouldn't need um permission from a business or I would have to defer to the people that and I I have no idea if that's I can tell you that um the industry in general has been kind of going through a transformation. In fact, I've gotten incessant calls from a company that owns the that that has the uh leases the the uh spot on Pierce Field that tower and they're trying to frankly negotiate down

their lease payments because they keep on telling us that um you know the technology is changing and they don't need all this space anymore and and so so there is a lot of movement in the industry and there's been a consolidation uh of these tower companies or the people that use them.

So, um, it's it's up to the tower company to determine where they certainly if we were approached to say, "Yes, we could put a cell tower or antenna on a middle school." That would something that but it's up to them to approach us. We don't go off.

But what I'm I'm saying is that we we could do that not so much to be making money for the city, but to help the the residents have better public safety issues. Yeah. But it's cell service. We we but we don't control the cell companies where they put their No, but we could say to the cell company, we have a site for you that is we're not looking for you to

So you're saying they approach us. We can generally Yeah. I mean that that they have all the information as to where they need to put their tower.

Can we be proactive and reach out to a couple of them and just say, "Hey, we're looking to add tower service. What do you guys think?"

Like a general inquiry. See, I don't Yeah.

I mean, who are these companies?

Verizon? Is it I don't know who it's a I mean Verizon is one of the most typical one but they're owned by other companies and there's there's they get together they get together and they lease they either own the tower they lease the tower there's a whole it's like the satellite companies like NBC CBS a lot of times they production trucks aren't doing it they have these conglomerate companies that are

it's a very interesting industry it'd be nice to let them know that we're looking I will tell you that just in my there was a gentleman I dealt with a lot from Georgia who who uh was in the business of of leasing or negotiating leases for these self-har companies that we did with the Pierce Field one and uh he indicated to you know they know the companies know where they're they have

service it's or lack of service. It's just trying to find a location that's one economical for them and two whether or not you know there's a entity willing to do it. So they do reach out to us when they say you know we have a problem in this area. Um and that's what's prompted this is what's prompting the pierce excuse me the uh grassy plains um and is that Verizon correct?

I don't I don't I don't think it's Ver I can't remember the name of the company I but it is it is a national company.

Okay.

Thank you. Next item.

C Community Choice Electricity Aggregation Council Vice President Rio.

Thank you Madame Clerk. Uh Andre, where are we on this? that we were this was a followup from last week. Thank you.

Good evening, Vice President Rio.

I have an update for you. So, right now we're working uh with the League of Cities and Towns. They're putting together an RFQ and the city is also putting together our own RFQ so that we can put it out to bid, get any companies that want to bid, evaluate them, and we're trying to get the best rate for our residents. Uh, and so it's it's uh going through the RFQ process. Uh, and

we'll let you know when that goes out to bid uh hopefully within the next month or two.

Okay. So realistically the RFQ is going to go out we'll say middle of March. So not to put you know I'm just you know a month away. So say middle of March it goes out right.

I can't pinpoint exactly it'll be worth the wait.

Yeah. So it's say it's the end you know sometime in March. Let's put it that way. I don't I'm not trying to pinpoint you. So what are we looking at? Uh what's the window for to re to get the RFQS back? Is it a 30-day window or what window are we what window are we going to give these those details? Uh still haven't been finalized yet. Uh but when we have a

draft RFQ or finalize the RFQ, we'll let you know and um it will go out to bid so we get the best companies.

So no, I'm just looking 30 days. Yeah, I'm just I'm just trying to back into this saying that maybe next when we're into, you know, again, October, November, December of, you know, of 2026 here, is there a possibility we could be up and running so that people can start saving money, especially if we have another winter like we're having right now? I'm just realistically, you know, where we are

and maybe we ask narrogance it how long it took them from the point of getting our FQ back and you know then there's going to have to be the process obviously of letting the residents know about this program and moving on from there. So I'm just trying to get a a timeline. I'm not trying to hold you. It's not feet to the fire. I'm just trying to get an a base, you know,

a base idea as to are we looking at November of 26 or are we looking at May of 27? I'm just, you know, trying if you can get those answers, I would appreciate Oh, uh, for the RFQ, uh, we should have an update on the status of that within the next month. I'll get that and then yeah when we turn this thing live so that people in the city can start saving some money again you know

there's going to have to be some explaining but I think if you can if it's explained right and we got the right company which I think we will then uh I think people will jump on board and everything if I can through the chair councilwoman Andre um do we know or Michael who's been tasked with um writing up the RFQ for this.

I think the the DPW director is doing in the cities and um Mr. Rossi from the uh in Galen um League of Cities and Towns is working with their own vendors to try to get a request for qualifications out. I know they've been meeting with people um but Dan Borges is spearheading this for us on our side.

He's spearheading it. Okay. And has he been given a timeline as to when?

because I mean I know as the director he's has a list of priorities. So I'm wondering where this may or may not fall. I guess I don't I know that he's working on it only because Andre talked to him today about it.

I did speak with Dan. Um, we're looking at one month from now for an update on the RFQ status. Um, and it could be finalized by then, but I don't want to confirm that time because it so just to be clear, it um confirmed that it is written and ready to go out or confirmed that it has gone out and we are waiting for um responses from the city side. the RFQ

what I spoke to Dan about it should be ready to go out in a month.

Okay.

But like I said, right, you know, give or take give or take weeks. Okay. Thank you.

Could uh madame clerk on through the chair, could we just then add this to the March 3 meeting? We there's no reason to put it on for the next meeting in February to get an update on the of this issue on the March 3rd.

Okay. So noted.

Thank you.

Next item, the W two round table talk monthly meetings. Councilwoman Souza.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Um the last council meeting I had mentioned um that I was going to be starting um some monthly meetings um for W 2 residents and or anyone actually in the city who's interested. I know some other council members host their own uh monthly meetings or bimonthly meetings, but it is obviously welcome to all uh residents and um elected officials. I will be reaching out to our state delegation

also if their schedule allows for them to attend. Um the meeting will be held at library weaver library on March 21st at 12:30. Again all are welcome to join in for a um productive civil conversation on the needs um suggestions and ideas or concerns that you have um particularly for W 2. Um but of course open to other areas of the city as well.

Thank you, Councilwoman. Look forward to that. Next, I will say they are invaluable. Um me and Bob's been holding them for two or three times a year since we've been it's when you look somebody in the eye and talk to them, let them know process, let them know where you're coming from and hear what they have to say. It's And we haven't had one issue. You know, you see a lot of these videos of these town

halls going south, but yeah, they have all been civil that I've Absolutely. And listen, we we're townies, man. The more we talk to each other and, you know, let each other know where we're coming from, the better things are, you know.

Thank you.

Next item.

Update on consultant report and plans to address ongoing pedestrian crossing signal devices issues. Councilwoman Souza, director. Thank you.

Hi, Councilwoman. Yeah. So, as I shared earlier, uh the draft, it's in draft form right now from the the consultant report. Uh we're waiting on the final details and once it's finalized, we'll get it over to you so that you can review it and uh disseminated with the public. But right now, we're just waiting on some federal grant uh scope of review uh details to be finalized and once that's done, we'll let you know.

Can you share um the locations that you shared with me that are of that procurement?

So, we have a couple quotes uh under procurement right now. two pedestrian crossings at Seventh Street and Warren A which are in the works right now and uh we're getting them replaced. We still need to reestablish electric uh service over there. So DPW is working on it.

Thank you. And just for the public's awareness, this is um when we say that there's a draft in place, this is something that happened um m last year.

So at the beginning of last year, the previous chief of staff had been working on this. So um to want to much like the speaker that came um earlier regarding the the school buses and the cameras um things don't happen as quickly um as we would like or expect them to happen.

there is unfortunately at times a longer process um and things get delayed because of priorities and for me obviously safety and I think for the rest of the council safety is of utmost importance um to us and making those things a priority are something that we you know work closely with the administration to make sure that they too u make that one of their highest priority as it involves our residents

our school children who are um using these crosswalks on a daily basis. So, thank you for the update. I appreciate that. Look forward to um more information.

Thank you. Maybe that will also tie in with the um proposals that are on the hopper about pedestrian, right? The the bigger the bigger plan in the city, bicycles. Yep. So, Madame Clerk, if you could put this um on the March 17th uh docket for a followup just to see where we are with any updates, that would be appreciated. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you. Next item.

Yeah. The effect of AI on local tax base. Council Vice President Regal.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, Madame Clerk. Mr. President, Andre, I Andre, I got one for you here.

You So, I read David a lot here. David Brody in in my in regards to my business and he always has some good keen eyes on what's going on down in Washington and being a small business owner and has a lot to deal with uh the federal regulations that I have to do here. This one really stuck out to me not because of my business but because of where I sit right here right now. Uh,

Senator Ted Cruz.

That's all I'm going to say. Um, and we'll briefly on the first page, the meat and bones. What I'm going to talk to you is on the second here. Uh, there's a lot of implications on AI on state level taxes on data centers when in ride shares. So if you turn to page two on how it's written, it's so broadly w written. It applies to all types of state laws including state tax laws. The

so-called AI moratorum could, let me of course I staple nine, could have a de devastating effect on state and local tax revenues which would likely do off the funding states receive from broadband because this is tied into the broadband industry. It could block state it could block state laws on online commerce software as service businesses sales on text pro tech products and services which again isn't

tight isn't with us but it all comes down to cities and towns. The ride share apps this is where it becomes where we come into play. the food and grocery delivery apps, data center property taxes, sector specific excise taxes, and other activities for sales use.

So basically what they're saying here in this law is that if we right now if a major company like Bank of America or any of the companies here if they were to put a an AI data center into the centers they already have they will become tax exempt from us to be able to collect property taxes because it goes on here the the expect and then the ride share and the food groceries we get the

1%. So that 1% sales tax that we receive would be exempt from here. The ex the exceptions in this moratorum will not insulate state and local tax laws to fall within the expectation clauses.

The state law must be both directed at reducing burdens on tax and techneutral generally applicable provisions.

That second requirement explicitly calls for tech sector taxation even if they may be in in many yeah in many states tax laws get preempted. State and localities will be tied up in years and litigations to sort through out and collect the tax revenues that are due. Many companies can exploit this new federal loophole to invade taxes, state and local governments may not have the resources

to chase them all. So I just found this very interesting that we it could affect the levy and it can affect obviously you know the state we get state aid. It can affect that you know state aid and it could the 1% that we get from uh from restaurants and deliveries. we could we could be affected by this. This is just something I just wanted to point out to my fellow council people that we you

know could have this issue coming upon us because this was part of the big wonderful blue bill.

You also have to consider uh the drain on power grids um that could rise electric bills.

Um we're already see I do it as my day job. We're already seeing the cost of um components skyrocket because all these data centers they need RAM chips and all that cost of that stuff has doubled in some cases tripled. So that's going to affect our city procurement when we have to upgrade computer systems and stuff. The cost of that um I was in a meeting with Dell reps and we were talking about AI and I

asked because the guy we had just come from a um Senate hearing I said should AI be regular? He said hell yeah. He goes, "That needs to be strong. You don't want AI controlling like weapon systems and all this stuff." So, it it's very valid and I'm glad you brought this up because it is stuff that when these big bills pass on the federal level, sometimes there's little things that we

don't see that have that unintended consequence like you mentioned affecting local municipalities budgets. So, it's definitely something to keep an eye on and hopefully we can be proactive as a state.

One one of the national newscasts last night that I saw had uh one of the in I don't know if the word is inventors, but one of the AI gurus on who is one of the top three people in the world developing it and even he said we don't know what we have here ourselves.

Absolutely. we can't control what what could could happen and he agreed with regulation but and that's why you see the push on the federal level to procure so many rare earth metals because you need to build chips and you need these certain components to do it that's why um it's good food for thought. Um, next item.

Excuse [clears throat] me. It's it alerted to me because, you know, obviously here we're ch we're charged with maintaining tax rates, keeping everything, you know, as low as possible for our, you know, t, you know, for the citizens of the city and we could have we could have thousands if not, you know, a million dollars just swing either way.

Thank you. Next item.

New business, Mayor Communications, Director of Policy and Constituent Services, Andre Herrera.

Good evening, members of the city council.

Reappoint requiring council confirmation. I have two reappointments requiring confirmation. the reappointment of Wayne Barnes to the Conservation Commission for a three-year term effective January 2nd, 2026 through January 1st, 2029.

I will make a motion do both. Why don't we do it the two people the same time frame?

Can we do that or do they each have to have an individual vote?

Yeah, we could.

Wayne and John are great. They got my full support.

Is that a motion? I make a motion to appoint Wayne Barnes and John Connie to reappoints uh for the conservation commission.

Seconded by Councilwoman Souza. All in favor? I I. Any oppose? The eyes have.

Thank you. Next.

Appointment reappoints not requiring council confirmation. I have none. And three items for announcement and discussion.

Uh, I have a proclamation honoring human resource analyst 3 Joan Kazerian upon her retirement after nearly 30 years of dedicated service to the city of East Providence.

I uh, Mr. President, I I just want to say uh Joan's a constituent of uh, of mine living in Ward One. Uh, she's done some great work for the city. city is going to miss her both in human resources, but her time when she was in the clerk's office, she epito ep epitomizes what a what a very good worker is. And uh she rose to the task all the time from what everybody has

said to me and and knowing her. Uh it's uh congratulating congratulations on her on 30 years of service, but definitely the city will miss her. Should should we tell Joan that because she's your constituent that you're taking some credit for her successes?

No, I did not say.

Is that what you're saying?

I did not say that. Okay. I did not say that.

I wanted to recognize her.

I'm I'm going to miss her emails, promotion opportunities.

Yeah, she's very valuable. We wish her the best.

She is awesome. Congrats, Joan.

Yes, Councilwoman.

Thank you. So I had the opportunity of attending her retirement party um last week um amongst the entire building um and even the firefighters came and DPW and police you know she did have really the support of all city workers um in sending her off with a good farewell and um I've known her obviously since my tenure here. She was in the clerk's office when I was first elected 10 years

ago and um it has been a pleasure um certainly echoing uh council vice president's um sentiments she's going to be gravely missed by so many uh her work ethics was um just the best um she had such a great disposition and um I hope that um if she gets forwarded this link on YouTube um I want her to know I hope she's enjoying Florida right now cuz she was on the first flight out the last day

of her retirement. So, I'm really excited though. I heard it's in the 40s down there currently. Um, but hopefully it'll get better.

But no snow. No, I I concur. Joan was fantastic. Um, one of one of those employees that goes through 30 years and most residents don't realize um the the value there. Next.

And next I have a proclamation honoring February as Black History Month in the city of East Providence.

Thank you. Always an important uh time uh not only for East Providence but for our for our nation with the contributions of uh the black um culture and history and we appreciate that reaching out.

Next, and I have a proclamation honoring February as gallbladder and bileduct cancer awareness month in the city of East Providence.

Very good. And with uh nurse representative here on the council, I'm sure you appreciate the concern with the health crisis that um we're we're in with people not being able to afford treatments and things. and we hope that awareness helps in some way.

Thank you for that.

Thank you uh Mr. Thank you, director.

Next item, Madame Clerk. E. Introduction of ordinances for discussion and possible vote. An ordinance and amendment of chapter 16 of the revised ordinances of the city of East Providence, Rhode Island 1998 as amended entitled taxation section 1 subsection B1 of section 16-16 entitled authority of city assessor of article 2 entitled property exemption for veterans and persons 65 years of age

and older is amended to update the following property tax exemptions based on the most recent reevaluations as follows. Did you want me to read them?

No, you don't have to. Um, go ahead, Councilman.

I'm going to respectfully request we table this to the March 3rd meeting so I can bring this in front of our Veterans Advisory Committee, which is meeting on February 26th.

I just had some questions and stuff, but fully support it. I just want to do make sure everything's nice and right. So, I'll Sure. So, that's a motion and a second by Councilwoman Souza. Um, I think we have a quorum for this right now. All in favor?

I. Any opposed? So, it's 300.

And that'll be for the March 3rd meeting. Andy.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Make a motion to adjurnn.

Motion to adjurnn by Councilwoman Souza, seconded by Councilman Lawson. All in favor? I. Any oppose? The meeting is adjourned. Thank you all. Anyone who wasn't present for the vote must stay until they can take their own vote.

And since there is no quorum, you'll be here till the next meeting.

That's it.