by Billy Kepner | Jan 6, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-6
Today the Board of Contract and Supply approved a contract to demolish the property located at 60 Ernest Street. The building was home to the City’s old VIN Station and housed several other departments within the Department of Public Works. After several complaints from employees, and after seeing the state of the building for myself, I along with the Chairman of the Council’s Special Committee on Public Safety, Councilman James E. Taylor, called for the City to remove all employees from that building and to relocate the VIN station to the Public Safety Complex. We also called for the building to be demolished, and that the City invest in a new building for the Department of Public Works. Demolition will begin once all necessary permits are in place in the next several weeks. Although a new building is a ways off – I am proud of the work my colleagues and I did to ensure the safety for some of our City’s employees who worked out of this building which had asbestos and a serious rodent issue, all employees were relocated to safer and cleaner working conditions. Michael Correia, President Pro Tempore Providence City Council Councilman – Ward 6
by Billy Kepner | Jan 4, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-6
Today, I read on social media that on Thursday, January 2, a school bus carrying approximately 50 students were bystanders to an incident involving two vehicles that allegedly traded between 1 and 5 gunshots. Thankfully these young students were unharmed, and the driver instructed them to get down. However, it has been reported on social media that once it was dispatched to the First Student Dispatch Center it was allegedly not reported to the Providence Police Department. It is my sincere hope that the Providence School Department is offering counseling services to the young children onboard the bus at the time of the incident, and that First Student is taking responsibility for allegedly failing to notify the police immediately.
As a Councilman, my first priority is to the residents of Providence, and as the Vice-Chair of the Council’s Committee on Public Safety, I take these incidents very seriously and will be calling for an investigation into this matter.
A member of the Providence Police Department has confirmed this incident, but that there was no evidence of gunshots, and they only have witness statements. If you know anything about this incident I urge you to call the Providence Police Department at 401-272-1111.
Michael Correia, President Pro Tempore
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 6
by Billy Kepner | Jan 2, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-14
T.F. Green Airports has been nominated Best Small Airport by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards
USA Today 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards has nominated Rhode Island’s T.F. Green Airport for “Best Small Airport.” T.F. Green has reclaimed first place, and Councilman David Salvatore (Ward 14) would like to keep our state’s airport there.
“I’ve always loved flying out of our T.F. Green Airport, and apparently many others agree,” stated Councilman David Salvatore. “Having an airport that provides 22 direct flights to destinations across the country is imperative for our state and demonstrates to potential businesses that Rhode Island and Providence is just a short flight away. So, let’s show some love to the best airport in America by casting your vote today!”
To vote for T.F. Green Airport, participants should visit 10Best.com or follow this direct link to T.F. Green Airport’s page: http://bit.ly/votetfgreen. Votes can be cast daily until the contest concludes on January 13, 2020.
by Billy Kepner | Jan 2, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-15
I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your families the very best in the New Year.
Our neighbors are the pinnacle of hard work, compassion, and goodwill. My City Council colleagues and I are grateful and honored to serve you every single day.
As we gather with our families and friends to usher in this new decade, let us also come together as a community. We’ve grown a lot these past 10 years, but there’s still work to be done.
We are entering 2020 with some familiar challenges- lack of affordable housing, our struggling school system, episodic violence- but also with new opportunities to make real progress in these areas.
I am confident that with your continued diligence and passion, we will confront these challenges head-on and make the progress needed to move our city ahead.
I look forward to the opportunities that lay ahead of us in 2020.
Happy New Year!
Sabina Matos, President
Providence City Council
Councilwoman – Ward 15
Quiero aprovechar esta oportunidad para desearles a ustedes y a sus familias lo mejor en el Año Nuevo.
Nuestros vecinos son el pináculo del trabajo duro, la compasión y la buena voluntad. Mis colegas del Consejo Municipal y yo estamos agradecidos y honrados de servirle todos los días.
Al reunirnos con nuestras familias y amigos para inaugurar esta nueva década, vamos a unirnos también como comunidad. Hemos crecido mucho estos últimos 10 años, pero aún hay trabajo por hacer.
Estamos entrando en 2020 con algunos retos familiares: falta de vivienda asequible, nuestro sistema escolar en dificultades, violencia episódica, pero también con nuevas oportunidades para hacer progresos reales en estas áreas.
Estoy segura de que, con su constante diligencia y pasión, nos enfrentaremos a estos desafíos de frente y hacer el progreso necesario para hacer avanzar nuestra ciudad.
Espero con interés las oportunidades que nos esperan en 2020.
¡Feliz Año Nuevo!
Sabina Matos, Presidenta
Cosenjo Municipal de Providence
Concejal – Distrito 15
by Billy Kepner | Dec 22, 2019 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-6
The Providence Police Department has announced that they have arrested a serial vandal who has defaced multiple pieces of public property in the Manton and Atwells Avenue areas. I would like to extend my thanks and congratulations to Detective Mitchell Guerra for a job well done, and for his outstanding work in making this arrest. Vandalism will not be tolerated in Ward Six, or anywhere in Providence. I am a fan of “Street Art” when it has been commissioned or the artist has received permission to create art on a specific site. But, there is a difference between that work and vandalism, and we must remember that.
Michael Correia, President Pro Tempore
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 6
