by Michael Florio | Mar 7, 2018 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-11
Providence City Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11) along with the community group, SISTA FIRE RI, will be hosting a celebration in honor of International Women’s Day on Thursday, March 8, 2018 at Noon. The event will take place in The Aldermen’s Chamber on the third floor of City Hall. Rhode Island’s Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea will serve as the keynote speaker.
“I’m thrilled to be partnering with SISTA FIRE to bring the community together to celebrate International Women’s Day,” stated Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris. “Our goal is to bring women and men together for a discussion on the importance of the role women play in our society. It’s my hope that by sharing stories of our achievements and our failures that we can all learn from our unique experiences.”
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. The day is celebrated annually on March 8.
by Michael Florio | Feb 28, 2018 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-14
Mayor Jorge O. Elorza and City Council President David A. Salvatore are pleased to announce the opening of The Robert F. Kennedy Recreation Center (RFK Rec Center). The new recreation center is located at 195 Nelson Street in Providence (inside the Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School). A Grand Opening celebration will take place on Friday, March 2, 2018, at 1:00 pm.
The RFK Rec Center continues a partnership with the Providence Schools in which the Recreation Department uses existing space in a school for programming. Because of this partnership, students who attend RFK Elementary will not need to be bussed to another location for programming, but will only need to walk down the hall, making the rec center experience more accessible to our students. The Recreation Department will offer both morning and afternoon recreation opportunities for students of RFK Elementary.
“I’m thrilled that our partners in the Recreation Department have made Ward 14 a priority,” stated City Council President David A. Salvatore. “The services that the Rec Center will provide the families of RFK Elementary are invaluable. With opportunities for students beginning before the first bell rings and long after dismissal, the recreation program will become an essential part of these students lives.”
“Recreation centers add to the vibrancy of our neighborhoods as places where the entire community can come together for family-friendly activities,” said Mayor Jorge O. Elorza. “Providence children deserve access to safe and inviting places where they can make friends, have fun and be active when they are out of the classroom. I’m pleased to have worked with my colleagues in the City Council to offer families in Ward 14 a center to enjoy.”
RFK Rec Center runs Monday-Friday, with morning recreation from 6:30 am until 9:00 am and afternoon recreation beginning at dismal until 5:30 pm for RFK students. Programming includes breakfast/dinner, sports, and homework help amongst other programs. The Rec Center is also open to other members of the Ward 14 community beginning at 6: 00 pm until 9:00 pm Monday-Friday, and 9:00 am until 2:00 pm on Saturdays with similar programming. The RFK Rec Center acting director is Michael Holland Sr.
by Michael Florio | Feb 26, 2018 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-14
In the wake of the recent school massacre in Parkland, Florida, Council President David A. Salvatore and colleagues on the City Council today announced the intention to request legislation that would enable municipalities to regulate firearms.
“It is a very sad day in our nation when our children are so fearful for their safety that they feel they need to march on their U.S. and state capitols. Our children have become the voices of reason in the debate over gun control, and they have every right to be outraged over the senseless deaths of their friends and peers. I stand with our youth in this fight for justice. Enough is enough,” said City Council President David A. Salvatore.
“We must do everything in our power to ensure that there is never another Columbine, Sandy Hook, or Stoneman Douglas High School,” continued Salvatore. “Our commander in chief’s solution to prevent another school massacre is to actually suggest arming teachers. Our schools are not prisons. Since it is clear we are not hearing reason from federal officials, we must create proactive solutions at the municipal level. This legislation would give us the tools to enact meaningful firearm laws that work for Providence, that fit the needs of our citizens, and that serve to keep us safer than we are today.”
Council Majority Leader John J. Igliozzi, Majority Whip Jo-Ann Ryan, President Pro Tempore Sabina Matos, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Terrence Hassett, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr., Deputy Majority Leader Wilbur W. Jennings Jr., Councilwoman Carmen Castillo, Councilman Michael Correia, Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris, Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune, Councilman Bryan Principe, Councilman Seth Yurdin, and Councilman Samuel D. Zurier also voiced their support of the legislation, which will be sponsored by Senator Gayle L. Goldin (D-Dist. 3, Providence) and Representative Marcia Ranglin-Vassell (D-Dist. 5, Providence).
“Like thousands of parents in Rhode Island, I have sent my kids off to school every day since the Parkland massacre with fear and grief in my heart. It is unacceptable for us to wait any longer to change our gun laws. Since Congress won’t take action, we must. The people of our capital city have had enough with the NRA. It is time to repeal this absurd NRA-backed state law blocking municipalities, like Providence, that are willing to take on gun safety. Together, we can ensure that state, cities and towns move swiftly to give our citizens the protections from gun violence that they deserve,” said Senator Gayle L. Goldin.
“Gun violence has been a public health issue in this country and in the core urban areas of our state for a very long time,” said Representative Marcia Ranglin-Vassell. “We can fix it through sound intentional legislation, high paying sustainable jobs for young people and their families, and robust investment in small business development. I am a parent and a school teacher here in the capital city. Sadly, I have lost far too many of my own students who have been shot and killed. Almost every day, I speak with and mourn with mothers who have lost their children. Unfortunately, some of the murders are still unsolved. There is a push to arm teachers. My colleagues and I are teachers, not law enforcement officers, and we will not carry guns to school. Legislation like this is a win-win for all of us, and we cannot wait.”
The legislation would remove section 11-47-58 – The Firearms States Preemption clause – of the State’s Criminal Offense Code. Its removal would enable municipalities like Providence to enact regulations around firearms and their components. This will provide Providence with the necessary means to examine common sense gun policy in our state’s capital city.
by Michael Florio | Feb 15, 2018 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-6
Councilman Michael Correia (Ward 6) has formally requested a meeting with members of Mayor Jorge O. Elorza’s administration to review current safety protocols and procedures in the wake of yesterday’s tragic shooting in South Florida.
As this is the 18th school shooting in the first 45 days of 2018, Councilman Correia believes that we must come together to ensure the safety of our students, teachers, and staff at every Providence school.
“All too often we see events like the one that happened yesterday in Parkland, Florida, and we tell ourselves that it can’t happen here,” stated Councilman Michael Correia. “I’m guessing that the families, the administrators, and the elected officials in Parkland had thought the same thing. I’m asking my colleagues on the City Council, Mayor Elorza, Superintendent Maher, Commissioner Pare, and Chief Clements to come together to review what we are doing in regards to school safety, look for and fill gaps, and ensure that we are doing everything possible to keep the students, teachers, and staff in our care safe.”
The Councilman will be asking for an increased presence of uniformed Providence Police Officers at and around our city schools, a complete review of all policies and procedures in place regarding active shooter scenarios, and increased safety training for all members of the Providence School community.
by Michael Florio | Feb 14, 2018 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5
The Rhode Island Superior Court on Monday upheld an amendment to the Providence zoning ordinance that limits student housing in residential neighborhoods. In 2015, City Council Majority Whip, Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5), introduced an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance that placed a limit on the number of students that could live in a non-owner occupied single-family home. The amendment was passed by the Council, signed by the Mayor and later challenged in court. The Plaintiffs who brought the suit were a landlord and several tenants who claimed the law violated their constitutional rights. The Court, in a 20-page decision, rejected the Plaintiffs’ claim that the ordinance discriminated against college students in violation of article 1, section 2 of the R.I. Constitution.
“I am pleased that the Superior Court upheld the City ordinance,” said Ryan. “This ordinance is about preserving the single-family housing stock and about public safety. Single-family homes were not intended by zoning law to be used as mini-dorms. In a city where individuals and families are finding it harder and harder to find safe and affordable homes, it is imperative that we as elected officials work to preserve our housing stock and to protect the residential character of our neighborhoods.”
The ordinance states that in R-1 and R-1A zones, a single-family dwelling, which is not owner-occupied, may not be occupied by more than three college students. A college student is defined as an individual enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student at any university or college who commutes to campus.
Ryan introduced the legislation in response to concerns from residents in the Elmhurst and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods she represents, who were frustrated that single-family homes were being purchased by investors and rented to numerous college students. Ryan, whose ward borders the Providence College campus, said “off-campus student housing creates a host of challenges for residents in our City’s neighborhoods. Moreover, the Court held that limiting population density, congestion, noise, and traffic are all valid governmental concerns. This ordinance will help to ensure that our neighborhoods remain safe and will preserve the quality of life for all residents.”
Read the full Court Ruling
