by Billy Kepner | Feb 21, 2019 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1, Ward-12, Ward-13
Providence City Councilors Rachel Miller, Seth Yurdin, and Katherine Kerwin introduced a resolution opposing the plans to privatize Providence Water and opposing the proposed state enabling legislation (House Bill 5390).
“It’s not credible that the City of Providence will somehow receive hundreds of millions of dollars today without residents, rate-payers and employees bearing the cost for future decades through higher rates, lower wages and potential water quality issues,” said Yurdin. “It’s a false choice to pit our water supply against the city’s fiscal health. No one disagrees that the city faces long-term financial challenges, but the water-transfer scheme is yet another one-time fix with serious long-term costs to our community,” Yurdin continued.
“To consider removing control of our water from the public hand’s in 2019, when access to affordable, quality water is a global risk, is a short-sighted proposal,” Miller said. “What we know from communities across the country, is that when private entities manage public resources like water, rates go up, quality goes down, worker protections are eroded, and the environment is threatened,” she added.
“Water monetization is being presented as the only option in a financial crisis,” Councilwoman Kerwin said. “But, our city spending priorities don’t align with the idea that we are in crisis. There are options we have not yet taken, and after hearing from countless members from my community, I feel selling water, one of our most precious assets at the expense of raising water rates, should be our last resort.”
The resolution was crafted in partnership with the Land and Water Sovereignty Campaign, a group led by Black, Indigenous, people of color, and environmental advocates. They shared the following joint statement:
“Water is an inalienable human right and shouldn’t be commodified. Monetization /privatization would negatively impact our most vulnerable communities and our environment. Over 600 cities and towns have already suffered the negative effects of monetization/ privatization. We oppose Mayor Elorza’s House Bill H5390, and we call for a moratorium of all negotiations and actions leading to monetization/privatization.”
by Billy Kepner | Feb 19, 2019 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-15, Ward-4, Ward-6
Providence City Council President Sabina Matos, Ward 15, on Friday, February 15, 2019 awarded City Year Providence $70K to support its partnership with Providence Schools.
“City Year Providence is an organization that the Council has long supported, and has great respect for,” stated City Council President Sabina Matos. “The work that City Year AmeriCorps members do in our schools is life changing, and has a proven track record of helping our students achieve great things.”
In Providence, City Year supports the Providence Public School Department by providing focused supports to ensure students stay in school and on track to graduate. In each school, City Year AmeriCorps members add capacity to universal student support and school climate initiatives, family engagement nights, before and after school programs, whole-classroom management and engagement support.
“City Year provides critically important supports to our kids and improves education outcomes in our Providence schools,” said Providence Mayor Jorge O. Elorza. “Through this award, City Year corps members will be able to continue their tremendous work helping our kids reach their full potential.”
The funding to support the City Year program was set aside by the City Council and the Administration during last year’s budget cycle. Councilman David A. Salvatore was a strong supporter of the cause, as well as the Council’s Committee on Finance.
“We are so grateful for the City, City Council, and Providence Public School District partnership, and for their trust and belief in our support of our schools and students,” stated Jennie Johnson, Executive Director, City Year Providence. “We look forward to continuing to work alongside our school leaders, teachers, and families to provide support to our amazing students as they strive to realize their full and amazing potential. Thank you, for your belief in the power of young people and for your investment in our service and partnership.”
City Year Providence has successfully worked with the Providence Public School District to provide partner schools with a holistic portfolio of research-based and data-informed academic and social-emotional interventions, expanded learning programs, and activities that foster a school-wide climate of achievement. City Year provides a cost-effective solution that increases the adult-to-student ratio in schools and builds schools’ capacity to deliver individualized supports to students. With these supports, more students can reach grade-level academic proficiency, develop their non-cognitive social-emotional skills, and benefit from caring mentoring relationships with City Year AmeriCorps.
Superintendent of Providence Schools Christopher Maher said, “City Year continues to be an invaluable partner with Providence Public Schools, and we cannot thank them enough for their commitment to education and to our student’s well-being.”
Photo (Left to Right): Alex Molina, Managing Director of Impact for City Year Providence, City Council President Pro Tempore Michael Correia, City Council President Sabina Matos, Jennie Johnson, Executive Director of City Year Providence, Providence Public Schools Superintendent Christopher Maher, City Council Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr., and Matthew Shumate, Deputy Chief of Staff to Mayor Jorge O. Elorza.
by Billy Kepner | Feb 15, 2019 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-10, Ward-11
On Thursday, February 14, 2019 a new exhibit will open to the public on the day of Frederick Douglass’ believed date of birth. The exhibit shares the story of the African American Community in South Providence, commemorating a history full of both triumphs and struggles.
In honor of Black History Month, the Providence City Council and Providence City Archives partnered to create the exhibit “South Side: Where Providence Begins,” which will be showcased throughout the month of February until April 12, 2019. Located on the third floor of City Hall, the display showcases archival documents and historic information including maps, city documents, newspaper articles and biographies.
City Council Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11), the Chairwoman of the Black History Committee and Councilman Luis Aponte (Ward 10), Co-Chairman will host the official opening ceremony for the exhibit on Friday, February 22, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. “This year we are shinning the spotlight on South Providence as a whole,” stated Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris. “People of color came to this City with limited resources and transformed South Providence into the vibrant neighborhood that it is today. Through this exhibit we are highlighting this resilient community and how they have shaped the history of Providence.”
“South Side: Where Providence Begins” is an homage to a region, whom many consider, the cultural and ethnic melting pot of Rhode Island. The exhibit is narrated through the social and historical lens of the African American community. From the post-WWII era; through the Civil Rights, education, and the Fair Housing Movement of the 60s, 70s & 80s; to the present, this exhibit explores the diaspora, adversity, growth, and achievement of African Americans – and people of color – who inhabit Wards 9, 10, & 11 of Providence.
Curated tours will be every Thursday starting at noon on the third floor of City Hall. Tours will also be available upon request by calling the Providence City Council Office at (401) 521-7477.
by Billy Kepner | Feb 13, 2019 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-11, Ward-13, Ward-4, Ward-6, Ward-8
Council President Sabina Matos has created a special committee to examine public safety in municipal-owned buildings and has tapped Councilman James Taylor to lead the effort.
“After much discussion with my colleagues I decided to create a special committee to explore public safety in our city-owned facilities,” stated City Council President Sabina Matos. “City Hall and other municipal buildings are used for public meetings, and although we have security protocols in place, there is always more we can do to ensure the safety of all that visit and work in our facilities.”
The Special Committee on Public Safety will include:
- Councilman James E. Taylor, Chair
- Council President Pro Tempore Michael J. Correia, Vice-Chair
- Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr.
- Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris
- Councilwoman Rachel M. Miller
Councilman James E. Taylor stated, “Public safety is only discussed during the budget season, and we need to be proactive instead of reactive. I believe that this committee can address some of these public safety issues that we face. In addition to looking at the security and safety of public buildings, we will be addressing the current challenges of having our E911 CAD system upgraded to receive ANI (Automatic Number Identification) and ALI (Automatic Location Identifier) to make Police and Fire Dispatch more efficient. The Committee will also address why the Providence Fire Department, the Country’s second oldest paid Fire Department, does not currently have a dedicated Chief and hasn’t for the past four years. We live in turbulent times, and as a life-long public safety officer I believe in preparedness, and that’s my goal for this committee.”
The Special Committee on Public Safety will meet regularly and will work closely with all stakeholders, including public safety officials in the city and the state.
by Billy Kepner | Feb 1, 2019 | Council News, Ward-11, Ward-13, Ward-2, Ward-5, Ward-6, Ward-8
Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris reminds us all to be the best street sweepers we can be at Providence’s 16th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards & Hall of Fame Ceremony hosted by Mayor Jorge O. Elorza.
In 1967, Dr. King in a speech to a group of middle school students in Philadelphia stated: “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.’”
Congratulations to Shawndell Burney-Speaks, Detective Anthony Roberson, and to the family of the late Laura Rodriguez who live, and lived, in service to others. They each were the best street sweepers Providence has to offer.
