City Council - Regular Meeting

Check one, two.

Good evening, councillors, and welcome to this special council meeting on Thursday, July 30th. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Council President Miller. Present. Deputy Majority Whip Anderbois. Councillor Davidson. Majority Leader Espanol. Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonsalves.

Present.

Councilwoman Graves is absent. Deputy Majority Leader Harris. Councilwoman Peterson. Council President Pro Tempore Pichardo.

Present.

Councilor Royas is absent. Councilwoman Ryan is absent. Majority Whip Sanchez?

Present.

Councilman Taylor is absent. Councilwoman Ana Vargas is absent. Councilman Oscar Vargas?

Present.

You have 10 present and five absent.

You have a quorum. Thank you, Madam Clerk. This evening, the invocation will be led by Councilman Oscar Vargas.

Thank you, Madam President. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Car, please give your vision and passion to get things done in our city and to think and good resolutions and ordinance for our people. And please give us clarifying decisions how we can do better and work with our departments. Amen. Amen.

Thank you, Councilor. And the Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Councilman Peterson.

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

Madam Clerk, item one please.

Madam President. Majority Leader. Motion to weigh the reading of item one and two. Second, Madam President.

We have a motion and a second, any discussion on items one or two? Hearing none, all in favor? Any, okay. We'll finish the vote and then I'll call on you, is that all right? Any opposed, any abstentions on item one and two?

Madam President?

Yes.

Can you receive?

Yes, we haven't voted yet, but yes.

Any opposed, any abstentions?

The motion passes. Madam Clerk, please note one and two is received. Councilman Vargas, sorry, go ahead. You have the floor, sir.

Yes, thank you, Madam President. It's about number one. I remember when I first started five years ago, we used to get a phone call from anybody who gets appointed to this. I don't know who Mr. Thomas Vargas is, I would like to know the people when they appoint somebody, and at least a courtesy phone call to say, look, I'm working on it, and to introduce myself, thank you. Thank you.

Councilor, I will note that as a point of personal expression. That's okay, and we're moving on to item three that takes this up in more detail. Item three, please.

Madam President. Majority Leader. Motion to waive the reader of item three, and receive and approve.

second madam president we have a motion in a second any discussion on item three any further discussion All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed, any abstentions? The motion passes. Madam Clerk, please note item three as received and approved. So noted. Item four, and before we move on to item four, I would like to turn the floor over to the city solicitor to just do a brief introduction.

Thank you.

okay um so i think as uh you all are aware the background of this from the memo that i provided you it yep that i provided you at your request um i'll reiterate in general that um the vote on this resolution is not in support nor in opposition of the actual ordinance that has been proposed by the petitioners. It's merely to submit this proposed ordinance to the voters. I will read from the relevant portion of the charter, which is the reason why this is before you. 209C of the charter, uh states that in the event that the city council shall fail to enact such proposed ordinance without amendment and upon receipt by the city clerk of the notarized referendum petition signed by an additional five percent of the qualified electors of the city the city council shall submit such proposed ordinance to a vote of the people of the city at the next general election now as you know this council received this proposed ordinance did not enact it and then subsequently the city clerk did receive a notarized referendum petition and the board of canvassers confirmed that there were an additional five percent of the qualified electors of the city that had signed on to it those were the ministerial requirements, the basic requirements under the law for this to go to the voters. The final piece pursuant to the charter and it's not elective, but merely the charter says that the city council shall submit the proposed ordinance to the vote of the people. So as I noted to you in our memo, they've satisfied, the petitioners have satisfied the requirement for the number of qualified signatures. signatures of qualified electors and have done so within the time required under state statute so the final step is for the city council again pursuant to the city charter to submit the ordinance to the proposed ordinance to the vote of the people and i'll reiterate that that is not um by submitting it to the vote of the people, the council is not approving of the ordinance or not registering opposition or support one way or the other.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Solicitor. Madam Clerk, item four.

Madam President.

Majority Leader.

Motion to waive the reading of item four and pass on a vote of vote. Second, Madam President.

We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on item four? Hearing none, all in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed, any abstentions? The motion passes. Item five.

Madam President. Majority Leader. Motion to waive the reader of items five and six and pass in a roll call vote.

We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on items five or six?

Hearing none, Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Council President Miller. Aye. Deputy Majority Webb Anderbois. Aye. Councilor Davidson. Aye. Majority Leader Espanol.

Aye.

Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonsalves.

Aye.

Councilwoman Graves is absent. Deputy Majority Leader Harris. Aye. Councilwoman Peterson. Aye on five and nay on six. Council President Pro Tempore Pichardo.

Aye.

Councilor Royas is absent. Councilwoman Ryan is absent. Majority Whip Sanchez.

Aye.

Councilman Taylor is absent. Councilwoman Ana Vargas is absent. Councilman Oscar Vargas.

Aye.

You have 10 ayes and five absent on item five. You have nine ayes, one no, and five absent on number six. The motion carries, the matters are approved on a roll call vote.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Madam President, I ask that we rise as we prepare to adjourn, and tonight we do that in the memory of those that have passed away, and tonight we adjourn in the name of Fernando D. Valiente and Judy Crank, and all of those that have passed away, may God rest their soul. Motion to adjourn.

Any discussion? All in favor?

Aye.

Sorry, Madam President. Point of personal expression here to add on to the majority leader there. I just want to say rest in peace to Isidore Ramos, the former mayor of East Providence who passed recently. He was a Cape Verdean elected official who served honorably in East Providence, and I just want to wish his family my deepest condolences. Thank you.

thank you thank you counselor and i'm sorry i missed you on the discussion point to correct us that was a discussion um all in favor all right any opposed any abstentions the motion passes we are adjourned um very much inviting everyone to stay and celebrate pervian independence day with us shortly