City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. My name is Miguel Sanchez. Uh calling this public hearing to order. Uh before we start, I just want to recognize the committee members of special uh committee on ways and means. We have vice chair Taylor to the right of me. We have Councilwoman Anderwis, uh, Councilwoman Graves, and Councilwoman Peterson. Thank you so much for coming. I also want to recognize, uh, my other city council colleagues, Majority Leader, uh, Espanol, Councilwoman uh, Davidson, Councilwoman Vargas, uh, Councilwoman Harris, and of course, Council President Miller. Thank you for being here. Uh, thank you to the clerk's department, thank you to the city solicitor, and of course, thank you to the council staff. Um, so before we start, I just want to make sure that everyone from the public is aware that in order to provide commentary, you need to sign in on that iPad um at this table. Um, since there's not many folks here, uh, we'll uh keep comments uh to three to four minutes if possible. Um and yeah, we'll get started. Uh I just want to also note that this is um one of two public hearings that this committee will be having um around the budget. And if anyone is interested in knowing what departments we're hearing when in committee, uh you can find that information on the council website. I'll wave the readings wave the reading of items 1 through five and we'll get started with our first um member of the public who signed up to testified which is Cheryl Space.

Thank you. I am Cheryl Space. Sorry. I am the executive director of the Community Libraries of Providence. I thank you for your time. I thank you for your deep and demonstrated support for our libraries and for hearing my testimony. I'm here tonight to express my gratitude and to communicate the importance of the level funding for the library and Mayor Smiley's proposed FY27 budget. Maintaining the $255,000 increase CLPVD received in fiscal year 25 is crucial to funding our operations. And just as important, municipalities must level fund their libraries in order to receive the full state aid, which for us is close to a million dollars. Our libraries operate on a very tight budget and stretch every dollar we receive, and I'm proud to say that we are responsible stewards of the public's investment. I know this is a challenging financial time for the city. The library board and staff are grateful that the city values the libraries, understands and appreciates their impact on the quality of life in our diverse Providence neighborhoods, and has demonstrated their support in a tangible way by maintaining funding. Our primary source of funding is our aid from the city of Providence, which provides 65% of our operating support. We receive 26 payments from the city annually, which corresponds with our payroll. Because so much of our funding is from the city, it pays for essential services like the staff who provide our programs, maintain our collections, and keep our libraries open. Personnel costs are 71% of our budget. However, I have to share that level funding, while appreciated, will cause to have to scale back some of our operations to account for nearly a $300,000 gap in our funding. ARPA funding allowed our libraries to open us to open Mount Pleasant, Rochambo, and Night Memorial Library additional hours, which includes four evenings a week and all day on Saturday. With the loss of ARPA funds and level funding from the

city, CLPD is likely faced with reducing hours back to two nights and two mornings per week at Mount Pleasant Night Memorial and Rosh Shambo libraries. Fortunately, we will not have to lay off staff since some positions have been are open through attrition. CLPVD can retain some new positions added with ARPA funding, specifically the makerpace program staff who bring the power of makerpace innovation and exploration to older teens and adults, building on the firm foundation of the city's investment in PVD young makers. CLPVD is grateful and thrilled to know that the city's capital improvement plan includes for the first time $2.5 million to fund critical upgrades in our libraries infrastructure. These projects will include new HBAC systems at the South Providence and Roshambo libraries and hopefully an elevator to make Night Memorial more accessible for all members of the community. The difference that this support makes cannot be overstated and we enthusiastically encourage this committee to maintain those dedicated funds. As we head into the summer, our libraries will be buzzing non-stop filled with youth participating in over 400 summer learning programs in addition to seeing nearly 500 young people each week through our mobile library which will operate in parks partnering with the summer meals program and serving youth in recreation center camps. As you know, public libraries are welcoming and inclusive free spaces where neighbors shield from inclement weather, access clean restrooms and cold drinking water, charge their devices, print notorized documents, and gain support in accessing benefits and jobs. Public libraries are unique places, there's literally no barrier to entry, and those spaces are more important than ever, especially as our neighbors are struggling to make ends meet. I ask you for your support in including essential operating support for the community libraries of Providence and these capital improvement funds to maintain our historic buildings so that they can remain safe, clean, warm or cool and welcoming spaces for

all of our neighbors. Thank you very much for your consideration. Thank you so much uh Cheryl and of course thank you to all the members of of your staff that do so much for our communities. We greatly appreciate it. Thank you. Um, next on our list is Dwayne T. Um, I see I I saw him step out. So, we'll keep uh moving on. Uh, next person is Alicia Lear. Hopefully, I pronounced your last name right.

Thank you, Chair Sanchez. I appreciate it. Um, Larer, you got it right. Um, hi everybody. Um [clears throat] uh happy to be here presenting to the city council and the ways and means committee. Um my name is Alicia Ler and I'm the executive director of the Wosquatucket River Watershed Council. And it was two years ago that the city council helped find funding for the river ranger staff at my organization to maintain and uh beautify and continue to uh keep safe the Wasquat River Greenway. So, um, this year I'm really pleased that the mayor has included level funding in the budget from the amount that you originally set into the budget uh, in 2025. And that amount is $125,000. And what that does is it allows us to maintain the Wasquat River Greenway, which is um a place where 75,000 residents can access in their own neighborhoods places to relax, to recreate, to feel safe, to have green space, to have park space. But the rangers do much more than just uh maintain those spaces. is when you think of maintenance, they do do things like pick up trash and remove graffiti. They plant uh planting beds, but they engage thousands of residents every year in greenway activities. Some of the things that they do is mitigate flooding around the city by building nature-based storm water infrastructure projects.

um they have planted in the last year 145 trees and 35,000 bulbs and plants along the greenway. So if you go out right about now, it's blooming like crazy. So, you know, on the west side of Providence, it's just wonderful to have that kind of a haven. um the city of Providence uh supporting that team has made a huge difference to the Wesquatucket River Wershed Council and we hope that you will continue to support us um in the mayor's budget this year. Thank you. Thank you so much, Alicia. And of course, also thank you so much to to all the work that your organization does for our community.

Appreciate you. Um, if anyone else uh wants to speak or uh testify, uh please come to the front and sign in. If that is it for testimony, um we also did receive um some test some written testimony that we will be entering into the record. Um but if that's it for testimony then we will end this public hearing um now. Thank you.

Um if any city councilors uh want to say anything, they're more than welcome to. Thank you. We'll see you all tomorrow at special committee on ways and means. Remember last year?