City Council - Regular Meeting

yeah. Oh.

Yeah, because of the Patel. You couldn't get through a meeting.

Good evening. I'll call the meeting to order of the East Providence City Council, May 19th, 2026. Madam Clerk, could you call the role of the council, please?

Yes, sir. Councilman Fogarty? Councilman Lawson?

Yeah.

Council Vice President Rigo? Yeah. Councilwoman Souza? Yeah. Council President Rodericks?

Here, the records show there is a quorum of four members present. Councilman Fogarty is on his way and will be here. So we changed the order a little. At this time, please stand for the pledge.

thank you madam clerk you can uh read the first item under the call to order executive session the city council of east providence may meet an executive session pursuant to rigl 42465 a2 claims and litigation is there a motion president yes under rhode island general laws 42-46-5 a2 i move to go into executive session second

Second by Councilwoman Souza. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? The ayes have it. We'll have a brief executive session. Good afternoon again. Is there a motion to seal the minutes for executive session and return to public session? Motion by Councilman Lawson, seconded by Councilman Fogarty. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? The ayes have. Thank you all for your patience. Next item, Madam 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, you know, you've got units, is it two through, Unit one. One through 13 and they're all 15 Ivy Street. 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 Fogarty. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? The ayes have it. Next item.

ITEM? LICENSES? THERE'S A MOTION TO BUNDLE NONPUBLIC HEARING LICENSES.

SO BEFORE WE DO THAT, ANDRE, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME CALLS. People upset. They were blocked in their homes this past weekend. 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 get complaints and calls to the city on the road races and the planning and review. We're in the process of reviewing our safety protocols and have discussed this internally with the teams. So we're aware of it and we're going to make sure those issues don't come arising.

We absolutely love all the things happening in EP. We just want to make sure that the folks are unduly, 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 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 port-a-johns and everything else there. How are we going to get the apparatus down there? God forbid there's a fire.

Yeah, Vice President, we discussed the internal plans for these races, but I'm not prepared to speak to this matter right now. It's not on the agenda, but 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.

Andrea, thank you. So can once the 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 all. Bundling unless you need Leah to read off everyone, I'll make a motion to bundle.

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

Yeah, I don't see the need to read the wall. It's basically on the public docket. It's been advertised. It's 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, Councilman, and 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.

Are you here for a license, sir?

Yes, that's the show cause hearing.

Okay. I just want to point out Joe's Clam Shack down at Crescent Park is on this, getting their victual license.

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

I second the motion to bundle C1 through C12.

SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN SOUZA. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE BUNDLING? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE?

MOTION TO APPROVE C1 THROUGH C12.

COUNCILWOMAN SOUZA, I'M SORRY, YOU MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. SECOND, COUNCIL LAWSON. AND ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN AND EVERYONE. NEXT ITEM.

Next item is another business. Council, Vice President Rigo does have to recuse himself. Separately. And that's going to be a new business for Vic Chuling and Sunday and Holiday Sales. And the applicant is Vishal Patel and it's Pollo Campero. And they are on 50 Narragansett Park Drive in East Providence.

Just for the record, obviously, I can spell out Rhode Island General Law 36-14-6. They are not here for an alcohol license, but Mr. Patel and myself have a business relationship in the alcohol business, so with advice from our 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, seconded by Councilman Sousa for approval. All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed? You guys have it, board zero. There is an item down for, as you mentioned, Councilman Oshokoz. Do we want to move that now? And that is on page seven of the agenda. And Madam 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 willett avenue in riverside rhode island and they were for a victualing license

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 gave them an opportunity to another additional two weeks to come in and get all their licenses and pay all their requirements. I'm told today that the owner has complied with everything that he needed to comply with and the license has been issued.

So the tax, I think there's three grand left. 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 clear.

Second.

Motion, Councilman Lawson to approve. Seconded by both Councilman Fogarty, Council Vice President Rigo. No further discussion. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? The ayes have it. Is number two related?

Yeah, they needed a new license. It was a changeover.

That's what you just granted, so yes.

But we don't, does not require... Is the owner present? 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. And we'll revert back to the 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 metacommit.

They're going to be long tonight. You're going to bring them a water.

Thank you, Madam 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's soil remediation plan to remedy the hazardous materials unearthed on the metacomet 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 Ward 2 Councilwoman Anna Souza reaching out to RYDEM to schedule a meeting and placing the subject on the Council's April 21 docket. The meeting itself was informative with lively at times contentious give and take between RIDEM and SAGE environmental presenters and members of the public, including representatives of the Narragansett 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 Rodericks 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 keep Medicomic Green. 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 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 Souza in particular, to request of 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 metacommit subject or 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 rezoning the site from open space to a sub-district 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 five years. This simple correction should have been made by now. I understand that either Council President Rodericks or Andre may have some comments on this after I conclude. And in conclusion, I will email a copy of my remarks to the clerk for the record. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Seale, as always. You actually were under three and a half minutes, so you can stay there. But seriously, I do appreciate that you reached out regarding the language of the hotel. And you had reached out before, and we had changed some of the paperwork. It hadn't been done, and it did get changed, but evidently, regarding a vendor that controls part of the website didn't make the change, the paperwork change, 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 allow 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 very very clear the hotel was removed from the use table

but it wasn't removed from the description of the waterfront district or the metacommit district, as it's called, as a potential use. That is obviously a typographical or scriveness error. They removed it for one. The use table is the table that controls what's in in that zone um and it is is basically 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'd 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 and 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 of the site, no talk about a hotel. It is an 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 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, Cecile, before I?

I just wanted to say thank you, Mr. Solicitor, and if you don't need me any longer, I will go sit down.

please thank you yes council vice president notes i agree with uh mrs seal i'd like to have the period extended from the time that the uh em 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 dm now, 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. 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 dm to provide that live stream so. I guess I'm kicking the can, but I just want to be in defense of my fellow council people on that. But I'd 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 requested it be recorded. Okay. Okay.

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

So there was that intent to video it, but a gremlin got into the technical system somehow and it didn't get... It may still be there. They might find it. I don't know. But I agree we can extend the period of public comment.

We can request it. If we could, through legal draft... a request to have that 14 days extended from the date the transcript is provided to all parties?

Sure, if you want to draft a letter like that, Mike, 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.

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 that? Cecile, any closing comments? You okay going forward? Nothing to add? Okay. All right. Next item, please.

Next item, there are no appointments tonight. We have council members. First item, crosswalk to be added between 1160 Pawtucket Avenue and 225 Newman Avenue. Council Vice President Rigo.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Andre, I'm gonna need your help on this to go to the state DOT as both these roads cross state roads that needs With all the, 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 Ferris to cut up, to avoid the, excuse me, to avoid the light at St. Margaret's, and... 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. It's fully occupied. So all the tenants there, you know, they doctors, you know, chiropractors, all different business, their accountants and people are in and out. And I don't want to see a situation of somebody getting hit. by a motor vehicle. So we definitely need some help with DOT on that matter. Thank you.

Thank you, Council Vice President. Next item.

Next item, request to name the island on Pawtucket Avenue and Center Avenue after James B. Lappin, former superintendent of parks from 1960 through 1990. Council Vice President Rigo.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Some of you might remember, I call him Mr. Lappin because I grew up with the family, but Jim Lappin was a long time's park director when parks were separated from DPW. Everybody had water, everything was separated, none under DPW. He, I guess I want to use the word, he definitely moved the city forward as far as you know getting the parks 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 lappen i think you would agree so after jim lappen left other than pierce field being done by you know being maintained by joe madaris A lot of the fields then became aging, and it wasn't until the last city council and the city council and the administration that the parks in the city are something to be proud of again. So out of a little remembrance, this is the... This is the little park where there's the Christmas tree on the corner right across the street from Agawam Field and, you know, Harry Mudder Park that we would dedicate that island in memory of Jim Lappin for his 30 years of service to the city of East Providence.

Well said, Council Vice President. A resolution?

Well, we got to request it. Absolutely.

Yeah, Jim Lappin, I remember him warmly, did all of those things that you said. And it's one of the few icons of East Providence's past that deserves some recognition. So we can move forward. Do we need a motion to request? No, 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.

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 cell tower issue, Council President Rodericks.

So I just want to keep this in the news. Councilman Lawson and myself have talked about this often. I recently talked to the mayor this week and the last week. I spent some time at Riverside Middle School last week and All of Riverside or a big portion of Riverside neighborhood is having cell phones issue. Madam Clerk, probably your neighborhood where you are. I don't know if you can add.

Yes, Crescent View Avenue near Crescent View Manor. is very poor dead zone kind of very difficult actually my neighborhood in general it's very difficult with verizon and cox um the service is just very shoddy 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 in fear that

potentially we may not even be able to make a 911 call i when i'm there certain calls that have to be made to parents staff have to go outside and walk around and try to find a spot so this is not an issue that the city is at fault that i'm not complaining about anyone in the city These towers run by private companies, whether it's Verizon or AT&T or Sprint. 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 wetland problem, 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 companies say these are not optimum areas. So there is a plan in place that I might add, but go ahead.

April 23rd, there was a walk with Joel. I requested some info about when. I haven't heard anything back. So supposedly they went and they viewed a few sites in the area about the possibility of adding. But the fire department, their radios, they have issues over there. People in Crescent Park Manor can't call 911 if you've got no cell service. It's a high priority issue. And I get it's not the city's, but it's our job to advocate for it. And we've got to keep pushing. We can't just let things like this sit because it could be a public safety issue.

And that's what we're doing. We're pushing in behind the scenes. Not behind the scenes, but administration has been working on this. We don't always get the full communication because it's not our job. I haven't heard anything from anybody. But I don't know if the solicitor or if Andre wants to add to that.

So Joel is really the person to handle this, so I'm copying on a couple emails. I know there was a site visit. There is an issue about where they can go because of a conservation easement on that in the park area, Grassy Plains, and we were hoping maybe to trade off another parcel for another parcel that's looking into, which would require, believe it or not, approval by the US Department of Interior, which we don't expect that to happen anytime soon. 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 doing this. We've been going on for about more than a year. If you remember, the council did approve the site about a year ago, but after more work and due diligence by the Self tower company they found out that we couldn't put it in that error because of the conservation easement That was restricted when that park was purchased. So and we appeal that no Because it's it's it's part of the deed. That's when we bought the property again. We're not data deed Huh? We can't update with their approval with the Department of Interior approval, but that's not gonna take that's not gonna happen overnight That's it was federal money that best part of government council vice president

I have a question either you might can answer Andre can answer, are we just dealing with is it we just dealing with one cell phone carrot. tower. company because there's multiple out there, I mean because there's a quick solution if it can't be there is what the is a really. Because this happens, you know, I haven't spent many hours out in wine country, and it's a relay system.

I don't know if...

I mean, you're in the middle of Napa 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 Clark lives down there or or, you know, down there, you know, rivers, like you said, the manner 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 it.

Probably don't have wetlands out there.

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

Yeah, I can't get into it. I'm not an engineer. I don't know. I don't even know if it's a cell phone tower.

um people who build the cell phone tires and then rent space because that's really what happens it's not 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 toilet i think that they've tried everything and the locations that we've suggested just aren't

in the best place otherwise you know we can put it on the roof of the school we can put it in the landfill 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 we'll see um that area is looking so good right now but uh rest assured um we i say we the council mayor's office listed uh 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 and or final passage for discussion and possible vote in 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 Fogarty.

Make a motion.

second and then so it is still public hearing so well we do have the motion to approved by councilman fogarty was the second councilman lawson this is something we discussed the last couple of meetings so other council comments before we open it up to any public comment yes solicitor 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. But we were talking about, remember someone asked about whether it was lawnmowers and stuff.

Yeah, good clarification. It's the 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 don't want to quote the time, but they have different time. The ordinance is written, has different time slots for different buildings.

I was cutting grass this morning at 8.01. I didn't want to disturb the neighborhood. Mr. Fogarty's in my neighborhood. What 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 want to speak about that?

Do you want to cut my grass tomorrow morning or early? Sure, he's in favor. I'll close motion by council vice president Riga. We will close the public hearing and all in favor of the motion. I, any opposed the eyes have 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. Previous council action from May 5th of 2026. Councilman Fogarty.

So let me just add before you start, Councilman Fogarty, we've had some further involvement with council members and some information. And I think like we've always said, sometimes we re-look at things or add some new information or comments. So at this point, I will give you the floor, Councilman Fogarty.

That's true. And I apologize for being late last meeting. And I didn't have full knowledge. You don't have to come in for a couple hours with planning in the mayor's office and speaking with Councilwoman Sousa, which I would defer to her. My comment is just I approve the process going forward. So that's my comment. And I'd like to hear from Councilwoman Sousa. That's her area Ward two.

Thank you, Councilwoman, you have the floor.

Thank you, so I'll start off by making the motion to reconsider the resolution. That being said, this project or this general area has been a topic of conversation since 2017 at this diocese and with the administration over the course of his tenure so fixing or reconfiguring that area is a high priority and it always has been for better business vitality because it is a one-way in both directions better travel for all vehicles and pedestrians and now of course the cycling component that we have that we're trying to promote or make safer in the city. 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 bring this forward and reconsider and i would just say 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 Fogarty. All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed? Ayes have it.

So now I make a motion to approve the resolution to enter into the contract with Beta Group as posted on the docket.

Motion by Councilman Susan, seconded by Councilman Fogarty to approve the contract with the Beta Group. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed?

nay so the vote and my reasoning is 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, something's got to change. If we're constantly throwing money at these consultants and stuff, why do we have these people on staff as employees? So that's my reason and why.

I absolutely support, but...

I can't vote for any more consultants.

And that's a fair, Council President, thank you. Yes, please. And that's a fair, and that's how I felt last week until I read the RFQ and spoke with, you know, the parties involved. So they are using the information from and the work that RADA has been doing. And so it's really a bigger collaboration. Unfortunately, RADA... can't do everything statewide 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, moving forward with any other consultants that come into the city.

So it does bear just a response from me. The only thing I can say is I understand this. Most of these dollars are grant funded, if not all. And it's not coming from a direct budget item. Now, sure, everything we do in this country 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 Bovey'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 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, it's, for me, our guys, this time of year, we're hounding them to get bathrooms and ballparks done. We're hounding them to get playgrounds done, potholes, streets. Redesigning Six Corners is going to take some engineering and hope and luckily this is being provided for by some grant funding. But all sides are well taken. I support us doing things locally when we can. Anyway, that has passed. 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 reappointment of John Pacheco to the Board of Assessment Review for a six-year term effective December 3, 2025 through December 2, 2031. And secondly, we have a reappointment and appointment not requiring council confirmation. We have none. and have some items for announcement. The administration is pleased to announce the signing of Executive Order 2026-001, 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 a proclamation honoring Battalion Chief Douglas Drainville 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 fire department. He 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 2020, somewhere around there. And then, uh, was in charge of training the last couple of academies and got promoted to battalion chief and good luck to Doug in his retirement.

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

Nope, I just wanted to make the motion for the reappointment of John Pacheco.

Number one, okay, so that is a motion to approve. Is there a second? Second. Councilman Lawson, all in favor? Aye. Aye, any opposed? The ayes have it. Good luck to Mr. Pacheco. And next item.

Next item, we do not have any reports from other city officials, or do you?

Oh, yes, of the executive session, please. Thank you.

As a result of the executive session that was held at the start of this meeting, the claim of Taylor Arruda 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 improved in the amount of $2,350. The claim of Daniel Govitz, sorry, was approved in the amount of $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. Machado was approved in the amount of $300. The claim of Frederick Mason III was approved for $334.57. The claim of Matthew Morera was approved in the amount of $253.44. The claim of Nicole Patterson was approved in the amount of $945.56. The claim of Anna Penta was approved in the amount of $300. And the claim of Kenneth Reynolds was approved in the amount of $750. That concludes my report.

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

It 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 p.m pierce field the high school graduation will be taking place uh new members of the east province 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 Okay, so I'm a little early, but just ahead of time, if folks want to come out and celebrate the new graduates, June 5th, Pierce Stadium, 6 p.m.

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

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

Thank you, Madam Clerk and Mr. President. This is to reaffirm, and what we're going to reaffirm is the Senate portion, the Senate bill, which is like the House version that we passed already. It's Senate Bill S3181, the Blue Wave Bond for Coastal Preparedness. It's got the same language in there, obviously. We're a Bay community, Seekonk River, Narragansett Bay, Sabins Point. It starts from Phillipsdale, Rumford, Waujamoka, Ken Heights, Riverside. We all represent all parts of the waterways of the city. This is, again, you know, for storm surges, flooding, public safety, transportation, and most importantly, the infrastructure, which, you know, which this council has been an advocate for in our term here. So, again, it's the identical bill, and it's, again, it's Senate Bill S3181, I believe.

Move passage of this. Council President, Vice President, as submitted, this is the House bill, 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 S3181 as well. Correct. That's a motion to amend the resolution.

Motion to amend the resolution to refocus the Senate bill.

Motion made and second to amend the resolution. All in favor?

Aye.

Aye. Any opposed? The ayes have it. Motion, Councilwoman Sousa.

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? Aye. Any opposed? The ayes have it. Is there a motion to adjourn? So moved. Second. Motion to adjourn.