The East Providence City Council held a special meeting on October 29, 2024, with four of the five members present. The council first discussed the creation of a new part-time staff coordinator position, which was allocated in the FY25 budget. Councilwoman Souza volunteered to draft a job description for the role, with the goal of posting it for two weeks and conducting interviews to fill the position by December. The council then formally accepted the resignation of City Clerk Jela, effective November 1, 2024, expressing regret and wishing her well. Immediately following, they appointed Andrea Skipworth as the new City Clerk. Her start date was set for November 6, 2024. Council Vice President Rigo commended Council President Rodricks for his leadership in quickly filling the vacancy by revisiting the pool of candidates from the previous hiring process. The appointment passed unanimously, 4-0. Finally, the council approved a resolution to hire special legal counsel by a 3-1 vote. Council President Rodricks voted in opposition, citing reasons from a previous meeting, but affirmed his commitment to working with the new counsel. The meeting concluded with council members offering personal thanks to the outgoing clerk for her service and dedication before adjourning.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Watch the video to verify.
Council
City Officials
e
0:42good evening call the special meeting of the East Provident city council to order of Tuesday oober 29th Madam clerk could you please call a role of the council councilman foger councilman fogy is our ill tonight councilman Lawson here Council vice president rioo yeah councilwoman Susa yeah council president Rodricks here thank you the record show and four members present please rise for the salute to the flag
1:42thank you we will bypass executive session and just conduct those matters in the regular public agenda under council members discussion of part-time Council position job description and advertisement as recently allocated in the fy2 budget sponsor Council and soua thank you madam clerk so I put this on the docket for us to just to be aware of the allocation of funds for the position for the city
2:17council to have a staff coordinator staff assistant to help with legislative or um PR whatever the council needs in addition to um potentially the city clerk with uh some additional Council needs um previously uh we had in when hiring the city clerk we had gone through and done a description and posted and so I if the council is um okay with I will put together a description of the position
2:52we can post it two week or so um posting and then do an interview process um and then hopefully I'd say by December sure if you want to put that together and get it out to us any other comments on that just thank you councilwoman next item please acceptance of resignation of city clerk jela effective November 1st 2024 motion to accept second so motion made by councilman Aon seconded by
3:32councilwoman suar uh all in favor I I any oppos guys have it and I'm sure we have it uh with regret and we wish you well in your new uh your next in inor and thank you for all you've done but you're still going to be around for a while so thank you next item appointment of City Council of city clerk effective November 1st 2024 to Article 2 Section uh 20112 a excuse me 2-12 a Andrea
4:14skipworth so before there's a motion just to clarify um I I have spoken with the candidate so did uh Council vice president Rigo her effective start date um will lit literally be uh no November five I think that's election day so it might be the 6th but we can be flexible on that but so why don't we say the Wednesday after election why for the Monday be off Tuesday right back Monday
4:46yes so that would be clear which would be what the sixth or seven you may be right six right six the sixth my bed that's okay so it would technically be uh no November 6th Wednesday November 6th okay so is there a motion moved second motion by councilman Lawson second by councilman rioo all in favor Mr I just have something to say um I want to first thank you for your leadership role in this situation when
5:24we got the unfortunate news that our president clerk sep was resigning to go to another location or municipality I should say I think they provide her meals at the meetings and we don't do and then not as long so but your leadership right away said we got to act fast and we got to do this because as you said the last time we had over a 100 candidates and if we had
6:00if we had gone through that whole process it would have probably been a the person would have only had the job for a year and a half at at the most and we went through the pool of candidates that were out there and I thank you for your leadership in getting this done right away so that there was no you know you know in between time and you did an outstanding
6:28job in a matter of 72 hours of securing a good candidate I thank you for your leadership well thank thank you but it was certainly team effort you and I worked on this and then the rest of the council concurred and uh we'll move forward but thank you for that I I think the vote was unanimous I called for those in favor what were there any objections hearing none so that pass for
6:52to uh zero thank you again I do second C uh vice president Regal sentiment your leaders ship was Exemplar thank you thank you all okay so we will move along with that and we'll continue to meet with both um the outgoing Clerk and the new person and have a transition period uh next item please Madam clerk resolution authorizing the hiring of special legal council by the city council motion to approve
7:25second motion to approve by councilman Lawson second seconded by councilwoman Souza under discussion anything further the only thing I will add is I I will just be consistent and uh not vote for this for the reason stated at the prior meeting that I not going to go into now uh and as I told uh this candidate coming in uh as council president I I accept the the uh vote of
7:57the council and I will work uh with with him closely and as as leadership we will work together on on this but I I had earlier outlined my my thoughts on it so uh all in favor I and I'll oppose so that'll be approved uh 3 to one and we'll continue we'll work with him on uh the the agreement and he's away for a little while so we have some time and we'll we'll work on
8:32that any other comments on that if not next item looks like motion to adjourn look like adjournment we can see the broom come out tonight in Yankee Stadium I hope I uh I object I think we should go review the budget now since you brought up the well as long as can we put the game on this no all right I'll be home before we close I just um I want want to
8:59personally thank our Madame clerk for the time that she has spent with the city council um I'd like to thank her for the leadership um skills and dedication that she had to her staff um and what she brought to that clerk's office um she was highly regarded by her clerks um and myself uh and I I think I speak for the council she was extraordin in the work that she provided to us um
9:32very knowledgeable very professional and always jir and I really um wish you nothing but the best in all of your um future aspirations and I hope you know to see you around for a little bit longer as we transition um into our new our new clerk thank you for the honor of serving the Council of the sa's Providence I appreciate it thank you madam CL and again um good luck and we'll still be
10:03working with you in the transition all favor I I any opposed yeah