East Providence City Council 5/19/26

There you go.

Yeah, I have. Yeah, because of the Patel. Uh, no, you couldn't get through a meeting.

meeting him. Oh,

good evening. I'll call the meeting to order these Providence City Council May 19th 2026.

Madame Clerk, could you call the role of the council, please?

Yes, sir.

Councilman Fogerty.

Councilman Lawson, here.

Council Vice President Rio here.

Councilwoman Soua here.

Four members present. Councilman Fogerty is on his way and will will be here. So, we change the order a little at this time. Please stand for the pledge.

Thank you, Madame Clerk. You can uh read the first item under the call to order.

Executive session.

City Council of East Providence may meet in executive session pursuing to RIL 42465A2 claims and litigation. M.

Is there a motion? Mr.

President, yes. Under Rhode Island General Laws 42-46-5 A2, I move to go into executive session at this time.

Second.

Second by Councilwoman Souza. All in favor?

I. Any opposed? The eyes have it. We'll have a brief executive session.

Good afternoon again. Is there a motion to seal a minutes of executive session and so moved return to public session? Motion by Councilman Lawson, seconded by Councilman Bogati. All in favor?

I. Any opposed? The eyes have. Thank you all for your patience. So, next item, madame clerk.

There are no proclamations and presentations. We'll move to consent calendar.

We have council journals for regular meeting minutes of May 5th of 2026.

For letters, we have a new address at 134 Juniper Street in East Providence, Rhode Island, 02914.

Map 16, block 12, parcel 007.10.

And new property numbers for Ivy Street.

Would you like me to read them?

No. It appears um you know you got units is it two through unit one 1 through 13 and they're all 15 Ivy Street. Um anyone here has any specific question about those addresses.

That's across the street.

Yes.

I'll make a motion to accept the consent calendar.

Second.

Motion to accept by Councilman Lawson.

Seconded by Councilman Fogy. All in favor? I I any oppose the eyes hat next item item licenses a motion to bundle non-public hearing licenses.

So before we do that can Andre we've gotten some calls um people upset they were blocked in their homes this past weekend. Um apparently the road race went through the terrace. Are we fully vetting these routes for public safety?

And if we're blocking off neighborhoods like Leah lives on the gully that was blocked off is anybody notifying these people in these neighborhoods that there's an event even if it's like a half hour 45 minutes. The gentleman that reached out he was trying to get his kid to a medical appointment and couldn't get out of his driveway for 45 minutes.

So I only bring that up because there's what three or four road races here. So I just wanted to show we're vetting them properly.

Councilman, thank you for bringing this to our attention. We did uh get complaints and calls to the city on the road races and the and the planning and review. We're we're in the process of reviewing our safety protocols and uh have discussed this uh internally with the teams so we're aware of it and um okay we're going to make sure those issues don't come.

We absolutely love all the things happening EP. We just want to make sure that the folks un unduly uh I don't want to say harassed but if you can't get out of your driveway that's kind of a problem. So thank you.

Obviously just as Councilman Lawson was talking uh I agree bringing in the people to the city is a great thing.

question, Andre. Um, does do the two chiefs of fire and police either themselves or do they have a representative there that sign off on this route or will they in the future sign off? So, god forbid there's a real emergency situation and from what we've been told sometimes they just, you know, you can't cross the street. They put ported John's and everything else there.

How how are we going to get the apparatus down there? God forbid there's a fire. Yeah, Vice President, we we discussed uh the internal plans for these races. Um but I'm not prepared to speak to this matter right now is not on the agenda, but um we are reviewing our protocols to make sure that incidents don't happen again.

Thank you. And we want them here because they end up spending money.

Andre, thank you. Um, so can once the uh internal plans have been finalized, can that be shared with the council, please, so that we're aware of what that is?

I don't see why not. We should be able to provide an update on that.

Thank you so much. I appreciate that.

Thank you. W I was bundling. Unless you need Leah to read off everyone, I'll make a motion to bundle.

Nope. I'm want to take the motion. I'll make a second.

Yeah, I don't see the the need to um read them all.

It's basically on the public docket that's been advertised and the basic every yearly some of these road races. I think the suggestions are duly noted about tightening up the planning. I got the same email that you got counseling and I I know that the administration had sent out a notice to the parties to tighten things up and work on that and I agree with everything that was said. So yeah,

motion by Councilman Lawson is to bundle our license, sir.

And yes, that's the show cause hearing and I I just want to point out Joe's Clamshack down at Crescent Park is on this getting their victim license.

So that was a motion by Councilman Lawson to bundle all of these.

Second the motion to bundle C1 through C12.

Seconded by Councilwoman Souza. All in favor of the bundling.

I.

Any oppose? The eyes have it. Is there a motion to approve C1 through C12?

Councilwoman Souza. I'm sorry. You you made the motion to approve.

Second.

Second. Counciloman Lawson. And all in favor? I.

Any opposed? The eyes have it. Thank you, Councilwoman. Everyone, next item.

Next item is a another business.

Council vice president Rigo does have to recuse himself.

Yes. Listed separately.

And that's going to be a new business for victualing and Sunday and holiday sales. And the applicant is Vishel Patel and it's Pouo Compero. And they are on 15 Arrogance at Park Drive in East Providence. Uh, just for the record, obviously I I can spell out Rhode Island General 36-14-6.

Uh, they are not here for an alcohol, you know, they're not here for an alcohol license, but Mr. Patel and myself have a business relationship in the alcohol business. So, with advice from uh fine city solicitor, he told me I needed to recuse myself at this time.

Thank you. So noted as the council vice president recuses himself. Is there a motion?

I'll make a motion to approve.

Second.

Motion by councilman Lawson, second by councilwoman Souza for approval. All in favor?

I I.

Any opposed?

You guys have it. 4 Z.

There is an item down for as you mentioned Councilman show cause. Do we want to move that now? And um that is on page uh seven of the agenda.

And madame clerk, if you could read under continued business.

Yes, sir.

That item.

There's a show cause hearing. The following business is subject to a hearing for them for the alleged failure to obtain the appropriate license as indicated. The business license is for subway at 1086 Willlet Avenue in Riverside, Rhode Island and they were for a victual license.

So, so just to be clear, council president, we already had the show cause hearing. This is really a status update.

As you know, the council at the last meeting um gave them opportunity to another additional two weeks to come in and get all their licenses um and all pay all their um requirements. I'm told today that um the owner has complied with everything that he needed to comply with and the license has been issued.

So, so the text I think there's three grand left.

Yes. Yes. Everything.

So, the clerk's office everything's square.

Yes, we are square in there also.

I'll make a motion to approve if everything is square.

Second.

Motion. Councilman Lawson to approve.

Seconded by both Councilman Fogerty, Council Vice President Rigo.

No further discussion. All in favor?

I.

I. Any opposed?

The eyes have it. Is number two related?

Uh yeah, it's a new they needed a new license.

Yeah, it was a change over.

That's what you just granted. So, yes.

Yeah, but we don't does not require Was the uh is the owner present? Um yes.

Did you need to make any comment?

Everything's square on your side. It appears that it's square on our side. In the future, can you comply a little quicker? Okay. Thank you and good luck.

You're all set.

Uh we'll revert back to the uh order of the agenda.

Yes, sir. There's no public hearings.

There are no communications. We do have one signed up for public comment. Candy Seal from 125 South Rose. And the docket item would be met comment.

You're going to be long tonight. You bring my water.

Thank you, Madame Clerk. Council Vice President Rigo, I timed this out. It should be three and a half minutes.

Thank you. Welcome.

Thank you, Council President and members of the council. A public meeting was held in these chambers last week to inform and engage with members of the community. The subject of the meeting was the developer soil remediation plan to remedy the hazardous materials unearthed on the metaccommit site over a year ago. This public meeting was required by Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management's regulations

that require a meeting to be held when certain conditions are met. These conditions were met first thanks to KMG's outreach efforts to the public and second thanks to the leadership of W 2 Councilwoman Anna Souza reaching out to Rym to schedule a meeting and placing the subject on the council's April 21st docket. The meeting itself was informative with lively at times contentious give and take between Ryum

and Sage environmental presenters and members of the public including representatives of the Narroans Indian Tribe Historic Preservation Office.

Councilwoman Souza was present via Zoom citing an unavoidable conflict in her schedule that did not permit her to attend in person. Council President Rodri was also unable to attend and reached out to KMG a week in advance to express his regret.

I would have encouraged the other members of the council to watch the proceedings on YouTube, but surprisingly and sadly the meeting was not video recorded. surprisingly because the whole purpose of holding the meeting in council chambers to our understanding was not only to accommodate a large group of the public in person but to make it available through live streaming and later viewing on YouTube. Sadly

because other members of the public including council members have been denied the opportunity to watch the meeting at their convenience.

I should as an aside take a moment to say I'm Candy Seal. I represent myself as a resident and heat medic. I live on South Rose Street in East Providence.

Getting back to my comments, the only recording of the meeting is the notes of the court reporter who diligently tried to capture the words of speakers who were sometimes speaking over one another or whose words were unintelligible due to a faulty microphone at the public's podium.

After a bit of back and forth with KMG, the developer committed to having the transcript available to the public in three weeks from the date of the meeting on May 12th, namely June 2nd.

Unfortunately, the deadline for public comments after the meeting is 14 days, May 26th.

This is this is certainly inadequate time for the public who did not attend the meeting in person to respond knowledgeably.

I am here to ask all of you and councilwoman Soua in particular to request a ridem that the deadline for public comments after the meeting be extended to 14 days after the transcript is made available to the public. KMG is making this request as well, but a request coming from the council will be more effective.

On another note, the revised code of ordinances under zoning still indicates that a hotel is a permitted use in the metaccomat subject district of the waterfront district. It is not. An argument could be made that a hotel is a prohibited use under the conditions set by the council in 2021 for reszoning the site from open space to a subdist of the waterfront district.

A counterargument could be made that the conditions were specific to the developer's plan and that a hypothetical new owner could look to the code of ordinances and rightly say that a hotel is permitted. It has been 5 years. This simple correction should have been made by now. I understand that either council president Rodri or Andre may have some comments on this after I conclude. And

in conclusion, I will email a copy of remarks my remarks to the clerk for the record. Thank you.

Thank you. Um this is uh seal as as always. Um and you actually were minute under 3 and 1/2 minutes so you can stay there. Uh but seriously, I do appreciate that you reached out and uh regarding the language of the hotel and you had reached out before and we had um changed some of the paperwork hadn't been done and it did get changed but evidently it um regarding a a vendor that controls

part of the website didn't make the the change the paperwork change. Um, and Andre may be able or the solicitor may add to that, but the bottom line remains that you are correct and we all agree that the language does not allow a hotel and will not um allow a hotel, but the appearance of it in writing certainly could be confusing to people. So, I understand it's in the process if not

that one last piece. The other language was fixed already. this one piece is either remaining or has been fixed. I don't know if the solicitor can add to that.

So, I just want to be very very clear.

The hotel was removed from the use table. Um but it wasn't removed from the um description of the waterfront district or the metaccomat district as it's called as a potential use. That is obviously a typographical or scrivenous error. They removed it for one. The use table is the table that uh controls what's in in that zone. Um, and it is is basically we we missed it. There's no question about it. We missed it. In

fact, um I will tell you today that my staff was instructed um to uh draft a ordinance that would show that it be stricken. In order to save time, I've asked we'll draft it. We're going to give it to the planning board. So, it comes to them from them to us. Uh and that will if it came to us first, we'd have to refer it to the planning board.

So, this was just a way of expediting it. It is a simple strikeout. We intend to strike out. We intend to make the change. There's been no development out of the site, no talk about a hotel. It is a error, no question. We take full responsibility for it, but there's no attempt to circumvent the wish of the previous council who struck the hotel from the um that use table. And again,

use table when there's a discrepancy from the use table and a description, the use table as a matter of law is what governs. So there should be no fear that a hotel can be put there.

Okay. Thank you. Do you want to add to that? Um, Cecil, before I I just want to say thank you, Mr.

Solicitor. And if if you don't need me any longer, I would go sit down.

Please. Thank you. Yes, council vice president.

Two notes. I agree with uh Mrs. Seal.

I'd like to have the period extended from the time that the uh DEM releases the transcript. I'd like that to be the clock to start the 14 days as soon as that becomes public. in regards to the meeting again uh that was up to you know that's up to DEM. I mean as far as providing all the you know what you needed as far as being live streamed. I was at an event representing the council

president and the council that I couldn't get here and and uh I was hoping to go home and see it and I couldn't see it. So, and then having done research, the solicitor said it's, you know, you know, it was up to DEM to provide that live stream. So, I'm I'm I guess I'm kicking the can, but I just want to I want to be in defense of my fellow council people on that, but

I move the 14 days.

Thank you, council vice president.

And would that be another meeting like the one that was had? No, I was going to say if there was, we could have request that it be recorded.

Okay.

So, just to um because I was um virtual um the virtual virtually there was the capacity to record and that was requested by our uh city clerk and she was under the impression that it was being recorded on her device. Um unfortunately, the next morning when she went to retrieve it, she couldn't locate it. um she asked for assistance from our IT director and they couldn't locate it on her device either. So something

happened, you know, with the program that unfortunately it didn't capture um the event.

So there was that intent to correct to video it, but uh absolutely a a gremlin got into the technical system somehow and it didn't get it may still be there.

Maybe they might find it. I I don't know. But I I agree. We can um extend the period of public comment.

We can we can we can request it.

So if we could through legal um draft a request um to have that 14 days extended from the date the transcript is provided to all interest all parties.

Sure. If if you want to draft a a letter like that, Mike, I I'll sign it as council president and we can send it off to them. No guarantee that they'll agree, but we can I kind of think they would. Uh when you got people walking around with hazmat suits, it's going to make people nervous. So, the more open and transparent we can be, I am fully in support of whatever we can do as a council.

Yep. Any other comments on on that?

Cecil, any closing comments? You okay going forward? Uh nothing to add. Okay.

Um All right. Next item, please.

Next item. There are no appointments tonight. We have council members. First item, crosswalk to be added between 1160 Pucket Avenue and 225 Newman Avenue.

Council vice president Rigo.

Thank you, Madame Clerk. Um, Andre, I'm going to need your help on this to go to the state uh DOT as both these roads cross uh state roads. uh the it's with all the we we put stuff we put the new stop sign down there and I thank my fellow council people on David Street but people continue to use this you know the side road there on uh Ferris to cut

up to avoid the excuse me to avoid the light at St. Margarets and uh it's just a hazard with the professional buildings right there in the corner. People are coming in and out. That building now has been fully remodeled. Uh it's fully occupied. Uh so there all the tenants there, you know, they doctors, you know, chiropractors, all different business there, accountants, and people are in

and out. and I don't want to see a situation of somebody getting uh hit by a motor vehicle. So, we definitely need some help with uh DOT on that matter.

Thank you.

Thank you, council vice president. Next item.

Next item, request to name the island on Pucket Avenue and Center Avenue after James B. Lapen, former superintendent of parks from 1960 through 1990. Council Vice President Rio. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Uh, some of you might remember, well, I call him Mr. Lapin because I grew up with the family, but Jim Lapin was uh long times, uh, PAC director when Ox was separated from DPW. Every everybody had water, everything was

separated, none under DPW.

uh he I guess I want to use the word uh he definitely moved the city forward as far as you know getting the pucks up to a standard and they were they were at their best and if you look at it then there was that decline and when did that decline happen was after Jim Lapen I think you would agree after Jim Lapen left other than Pierce Field being done by you know being maintained by Joe

Medeiros a lot of the fields was were then became aging and it wasn't until the last city council and the city council and administration that the pox in the city is something to be proud of again. So out of a little remembrance, this is the uh this is the little park where there's the Christmas tree on the corner right across the street from Awan Field and you know Harry Mutter uh Harry

Mutter Park that we would dedicate that island in memory of Jim Lapen for his 30 years of service to the city of East Providence.

Yeah. Well well said. Uh council vice president a resolution. Well, we we got to we gota request it. Yep.

Absolutely.

Yeah. Jim Jim Lapen, I remember him warmly. Um did all of those things that you said and uh it's one of the few uh icons of East Providence's past that um deserves some recognition. So, uh we can move forward. Uh do we need a motion to request? No, we just need a You'll take care of that. Okay. Thank you. We just might have to make Dan to make the sign or Andre to have a sign.

So, I'd like to have a little ceremony there, you know.

Sure. I know his family is still in the area and we've been talking.

They would appreciate this.

Very good. Well said. Next item.

Next item. Discussion on Riverside Tower issue. Council President Rodri.

So, just want to keep this in the news.

Uh, Councilman Lawson and myself have talked about this often. I recently talked to the mayor this this week uh in the end of last week. I spent some time at Riverside Middle School last week and uh all of Riverside or a big portion of Riverside neighborhood is having cell phones issue. Madame Clerk, probably your neighborhood where where you are, I don't know if you can add. Uh yes. Um, Crescent View Avenue when you

uh near Crescent View Manor is very poor cell a dead zone kind of it's very difficult actually my neighborhood in general it's very difficult with Verizon and Cox um the the service is just very shoddy and and they do their best but it's just it's difficult and as the principal of Riverside Middle School mentioned to me last week he said we're we're in fear that potentially we may not even be able to make a 911 call.

Uh I when I'm there, certain calls that have to be made to parents, uh staff have to go outside and walk around and try to find a a spot. So, this is not an issue that the city is at fault at. I'm not complaining about anyone in the city. The these uh towers run by private companies, whether it's Verizon or AT&T or Sprint or they all kind of work together now, and we know the history.

They've been trying to put one up in the Grassy Plains Park area and due to some deeding issues with a little bit of a wet land. You know, it doesn't make sense to me that they won't allow a tower to go up there. I've suggested the roof of Riverside Middle School, the landfill area, but the cell phone company say these are not optimum areas.

So, so there is a plan in place that I might add, but go ahead. April 23rd there was a a walk with Joel and I requested some info of how it went. Haven't heard anything back. Um so supposedly they went and they viewed a few sites in the area about the possibility um of adding but the fire department their radios they have issues over there. Um people in Crescent Park Mana

can't call 911 if you got no cell service. It is it's a high priority issue and I I get it's not the city's but it's our job to advocate for it, right?

And we got to keep pushing. We we can't just let things like this sit because it could be a public safety issue.

Yeah. And and that's what we're doing.

We're pushing and behind the scenes, you know, the not behind the scenes, but administration has been working on this.

We don't always get, you know, the the full communication because it's not our job, you know. I haven't heard anything from any.

They're there. But I don't know if the solicitor or if Andre wants to add to um so I I Joel is really the person who handled this. So copied on a couple emails. I know there was a site visit.

there is an issue about um where they can go because of a conservation easement on that in the park area grassy plains and we were hoping maybe to uh trade off another parcel for another parcel that's looking into which would require believe it or not um approval by the department of US department of interior which is we don't expect that to happen anytime soon. So we are looking into it they are aware of the

issue obviously they want to satisfy when I say they the cell phone companies want to satisfy their customers. We have been do this. We've been going on for about uh more than a year. If you remember, we the council did approve the site um about a year ago, but after more work and due diligence by the uh self tower company, they found out that we couldn't put it in that error because of

the conservation easement u that was restricted when that park was purchased.

So, can we appeal that?

No, because it's it's it's part of the deed. That's when we bought the property. Again, update a deed, huh? We can't update it with their approval with the department of interior approval but that's not going to take that's not going to happen overnight. That's was federal money that built government council vice president I have a question either you Mike can answer Andre can answer are we just

dealing with is we just dealing with one cell phone car uh tower company because there's multiple out there. I mean because there's a quick solution if it can't be there is what is a real because this happens out, you know, having spent many hours out in wine country and it's a relay system.

I don't know if I mean because you I mean you're in the middle of Napper and Sonoma, you're in the middle of nowhere and you get it.

It's like this relay system. So I'm thinking that this is if one of these companies can come up with this relay system, you know, so where our clerk lives down there or or you know down there, you know, rivers, like you said, the manor that there is a way to get that happening that you have a smaller relay system because if they can do it out in Napa Valley, which is in the

middle of nowhere, they can do probably don't have wetlands out there.

Oh, no, but I'm just saying the relay saying the relay system. Yeah.

Yeah. I can't get into about I I'm not an engineer. I don't know. I know that they listen I don't I don't even know if it's one I don't know if it's a cell phone tower um people who build the cell phone towers and then rent space because that's usually what happens.

There's it's not it's not like AT&T as far as I know.

Exactly.

They all work together. The one at Pierce Stadium there are three or four companies.

Yeah. They rent they rent it out from the company. I think they they've tried everything and the locations that we've suggested just aren't in in the the best place otherwise, you know, we could put it on the roof of the school. We could put it in the landfill. I was thinking they need to be, you know, the relay system. Yeah, that's what I mean. Yeah.

And part of the deal was they were going to redo the driveway and parking lot at Grassy Plains, right?

So hopefully the new location, that part doesn't go away.

Yep. Yep. which um that area is looking so good right now. But uh rest assured um we I say we the council mayor's office listen you know we've asked them to fast forward this and let's let's get this done.

Okay. No other questions on that. Uh next item.

Next item public hearings ordinance for second andor final passage for discussion discussion and possible vote.

an ordinance and amendment of chapter 10 of the revised ordinances of the city of East Providence, Rhode Island 1998 as amended entitled Nuisances amending section 10-5110 changing start time for construction or repair of buildings from 7 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. Councilman Fogerty.

Make a motion approved.

Second pendant.

So it is still public hearing. So we'll we do have the motion to approve by Councilman Fogerty. Was the second Councilman Lawson? It is something we discussed the last couple of meetings.

So other council comments before I open it up to any public comment. Yes.

Solicit. I think at the last uh first passage there was issues whether what what did this apply to and there we have different start times for different activities and the ordinance this would only apply to construction or repair of buildings. So 6:30 to 6:30 would be the new start time from 7. We were talked about remember someone asked about whether it was lawnmowers and stuff only construction.

Yeah good good clarification. It's a construction of buildings who asked me to do it. So, we honored what they requested and I'm fine with that.

So, lawnmowers, landscapers, 7 a.m.

I I don't want to quote the time, but they have different time. The ordinance is written has different time slots for different uh Okay.

I was cutting grass this morning at 8:01. I didn't want to disturb the neighborhood. Mr. Fogerties in my neighborhood.

A great neighborhood.

Yeah. So, I'll open it up to any public discussions. Anyone here that would like to speak on this?

Andre, you're the only person here. Do you do you you want to speak about that?

You want to cut my grass tomorrow morning early? Sure. He's in favor.

I'll move I'll close motion by council vice president Rigo. We will close the public hearing and all in favor of the motion.

I Any opposed? The eyes have it. Next item please.

Next item is under new business resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract with Beta Group, Inc. for planning and engineering services associated with the safe streets and roads for all supplemental action plan for the Six Corners area pre previous council action from May 5th of 2026. Councilman Fogerty. So, let me just add before you start, Councilman Fogy, we we've had some, you know,

further involvement with council members and some information. And I I think like we we've always said, sometimes we relook at things um add some new information or comments.

So, uh this point, I would give you the floor, Councilman Fogerty. Oh, that's true. And I apologize for being late last meeting and I didn't have full knowledge, you know, and after coming in for a couple hours with planning in the mayor's office and speaking with Councilwoman Souza, which I'll defer to her. My comment is just I approved the process going forward. So that's my comment and I I'd like to hear from

Councilwoman Souza. That's her area W two. So thank you. Councilwoman, you have the floor.

Thank you. So um I'll start off by making the motion to reconsider the resolution. Um that being said, this project or this general area has been a topic of conversation since 2017 at this dascese um and with the administration over the course of um his tenure. So fixing or um reconfiguring that area is a high priority and it always has been um for better business um vitality because it is a one-way um in both

direction, better travel for all vehicles and pedestrians and now of course the cycling component that we have um that we're trying to promote in or make safer in the city. Um lack of communication is always the breakdown of everything. So having had a discussion about it and understanding and combining the thoughts and working together, I do agree that this is something that we should and is in line

with what has been working towards um since 2017. So I'm very happy to uh bring this forward and reconsider. And I would just say um that keeping good lines of communication at all times is going to always be the success of the council and the administration with the council to move the city forward.

Thank you. So that is a motion a second by councilman Fogerty. All in favor?

I I Any opposed? The eyes have it. So now I make a motion to approve the um resolution to enter into the contract with Beta Group as um posted on the docket.

Motion by Councilwoman SA seconded by Councilman Fogerty to approve the contract with the Beta Group. All in favor?

I I Any opposed?

Nay. So the vote and my reasoning is Yes, please.

We pay tax dollars. We got a Department of Transportation. what the hell are we paying them for? This is the kind of stuff that they should be doing. So, that's why I absolutely agree. But the state of Rhode Island, there's something's got to change. If we're constantly throwing money at these uh consultants and stuff, why do we have these people on staff as employees? So, that's my reasoning why.

No, I absolutely support, but I I can't vote for any more um consultants.

And that's a fair council president.

Thank you. Yes, please. And that's a fair and that's how I felt um last week until I read the RFQ and spoke with you know the parties involved. So they are using the information from um and the work that um RDA has been doing. And so it's really a bigger collaboration.

Unfortunately, Radi can't do everything statewide um that it needs to do and so it's just a team effort and that's the only reason that I'm moving forward with it also and feel confident with it. But I do have the same sentiment for a lot of the projects that we've had in the past and it'll be a case by case um moving forward with any other consultants that come in through the city.

So it does bear just a response um from from me. The only thing I can say is as I understand this, most of these dollars are grant funded if not all. Um, and it's not coming from a a direct budget item. Now, sure, everything we do in this country is is from our pockets. We know that, but we have a budget and this is not in our budget. And when you have

an area as complicated as the Six Corners. So for people who are new to East Providence, if you drive over to the Six Corners, I mean, it's the area where the younger crowd will remember back in the day, it was Boy's Tavern.

That's Six Corners. And there were clothing stores and a couple other things. And it's a vital area. And the state I think mangled it all up when they decided to reroute streets and all.

Our parks department and DPW you know does not have the expertise and time I think to do the engineering necessary to fix six corners. I don't know that Beta Group will have anything overnight for us, but sometimes you have to go to the experts and if it's grant funded, which this is mostly, if not all, um it's for for me, our guys this time of year, we'reounding them to get uh bathrooms

and ballparks done. We'reounding them to get playgrounds done, potholes, streets.

uh redesigning six corners is going to take some engineering and hope and luckily this is being provided for by some some grant funding but all sides are well well taken. I um support us doing things locally when we can.

Anyway, that has passed. Um next item.

Next item. Mayor Communications, Director of Policy and Constituent Services, Andre Herrera.

Welcome sir.

Good evening, members of the city council.

The appointment and reappointment requiring council confirmation. We have the reappoint of John Pachico to the board of assessment review for a six-year term effective December 3rd, 2025 through December 2nd, 2031.

And secondly, we have a reappoint and appointment not requiring council confirmation. We have none. And I have some items for announcement. The administration is pleased to announce the the signing of executive order 2026001 establishing the mayor's bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee. The committee will consist of seven East Providence residents who reflect the diversity in neighborhoods of our city

and will advise the mayor on ways to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety and mobility.

Applications for membership will go live on the city website tomorrow for residents who wish to apply.

And next we have the proclamation honoring Battalion Chief Douglas Draville upon his retirement after 27 years of dedicated service to the East Providence Fire Department.

I just want to comment on that.

Obviously, I grew up with Doug. Doug came up through the ranks of this uh fire department. uh did worked everything from ladder, engine rescue, promoted to lieutenant after many years of uh in the past worlds getting overlooked where he should have gotten a stripe. But uh then he uh that was in the in the other form of government. Uh and uh his work was done. He got promoted to captain uh in I think around

tw 2020 somewhere around there and then uh was in charge of training for a you know training the last couple of themies and got promoted to uh battalion chief and good luck to Doug in his retirement.

Thank you. Yep. I'm sure we all add to that. Councilwoman Souza.

Uh nope. I just wanted to make the motion for the reappoint of John Chica.

Number one. Okay. So, that is a motion to approve. Is there a second?

Second.

Councilman Lawson. All in favor? I. Any opposed? The eyes have it. Good luck to Mr. Bico.

And next item.

Next item. We do not have any reports from other city officials. Oh, do you?

Oh, yes. You got the executive session.

Uh, please. Thank you.

I thought of the executive session. that was held uh at the start of this meeting. The claim of Miss uh of Taylor Aruda was approved in the amount of $1,400. The claim of Carolyn Burgess was approved in the amount of $300. The claim of Maria Fazioli was approved in the amount of $2,350.

The claim of Daniel Gowitz, sorry, was approved in the amount of $729 and 7, excuse me, $729.90.

The claim of Denise Lima was approved in the amount of $300. The claim of Darren J. Lopes was approved in the amount of $300. The claim of Kevin M. Mashado was approved in the amount of $300. The claim of Frederick Mason III was approved for $33457.

The claim of Matthew Morera was approved in the amount of $25344.

The claim of Nicole Patterson was approved in the amount of $9456.

The claim of Anna Penta was approved in the amount of $300. and the claim of uh Kenneth Reynolds was approved in the amount of $750. That concludes my report.

Thank you. And and for those listening, if it sounds like a voluminous report and generally those were going back to the big snowstorm, is that correct?

Damage that was was related to the snowstorm and potholes and other property damage.

There were a couple other issues there.

Thank you for that report.

And next item.

Next item. report of school committee liaison Councilman Lawson.

June 5th at 6 PM Pierce Field, the high school graduation will be taking place.

Uh new members of the East High School alumni family will be joining us. Um I want to say congratulations to them all.

Are we meeting the second? I'm sorry, I didn't see the schedule.

We meet.

Okay, so I'm a little early, but just ahead of time if folks want to come out and celebrate the new graduates. Um, June 5th, PS Stadium, 6:00 p.m.

Thank you. And, uh, as as we speak, we we'll we'll know maybe in a week or two, we'll have a new superintendent of schools in the city as Dr. Fan has uh, re retired and is moving on. So, we wish her well and we'll look forward to welcoming our new educational leader.

Next item, please. Next item, resolutions. First resolution is the resolution in support of House Bill H8151 relating to the Blue Wave Bond for Coastal Preparedness Act introduced by Council Vice President Rio.

Council Vice President and just for the note, um I think we're reinforcing this because this is something we've previously supported. Um but we've been requested to keep it in the news. So you have a uh get this thing uh redone.

Thank you, Mr. Pres. Madame Clerk and Mr. President. Uh this is to reaffirm and what we're going to what we're going to we're going to reaffirm is the Senate portion, the Senate bill, which is the like the House version that we passed already. It's Senate Bill S3181, the blue wave bond for coastal preparedness. Um it's got the same language in there obviously uh we we're a bay community sequant

bay sens point uh you know it it's it starts from Phil Rumford Woke Ken Heights Riverside we all represent all parts of the of the you know waterways of the city uh this is again got you know for storm sturge you know storm surges is flooding, public safety, transportation, and most importantly the infrastructure which you know which this council has been uh an advocate for in our term here. Uh so again it's it's the

identical bill uh and it's again it's Senate uh bill S3181.

I uh move passage of council president, vice president, as as submitted, this is the house. So, can we amend the resolution to include the Senate bill that you just stated? So, it's going to be H8151 and amend it to include S 3181 as well.

Correct.

That's a motion to amend the resolution.

Motion to amend the resolution to reflect the Senate bill.

Motion made in second to amend the resolution. All in favor? I I. Any opposed? The eyes have it.

Motion. Councilwoman Souza, make a motion to I make a motion to approve the resolution as amended.

Second.

Seconded by Councilman Lawson, Council Vice President Rigo. The motion was from Councilwoman Souza. All in favor? I. Any opposed?

The eyes have it. Is there a motion to adjourn?

So moved.

Second. Ocean but to