Coordinated effort and funding needed to address affordable housing and homelessness crisis.
At last evening’s Providence City Council meeting, Councilwoman and Housing Crisis Task Force Chairwoman Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) introduced a resolution, co-sponsored by all other Council members, endorsing the “Plan to Address Unsheltered Homelessness Crisis,” developed by a coalition of respected organizations working to end homelessness in Rhode Island. The resolution and plan call for immediate action to invest available funds to create 150 additional beds statewide to keep people safe, warm, and dry as winter approaches, while also developing solutions to provide long-term housing access for all.
“There is nothing more basic than providing a safe, warm, and dry place for those experiencing housing insecurity, especially as we are entering the cold winter months,” said Councilwoman Ryan, who thanked housing advocates for the comprehensive plan. “That is why this City Council in July approved $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to address immediate needs related to homelessness intervention. While this investment is making a difference, more resources are needed to create an estimated 150 additional beds across Rhode Island. That is why I have introduced this resolution endorsing the ‘Plan to Address Unsheltered Homelessness Crisis,’ and why the Council is urging coordinated action between the City, Governor’s Office, and the General Assembly to utilize ARPA dollars to address the immediate crisis facing our unsheltered population, while also developing long term solutions to increase access to affordable housing. Going forward we commit to working collaboratively with our housing providers to get the money on the streets. Working together, we can address this crisis and build a strong foundation to end homelessness and increase access to affordable housing of all kinds in Rhode Island. The Council will also continue to do our part through the Housing Crisis Task Force, where I am pleased to work closely with Councilman Pedro Espinal (Ward 10) and Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11). I’m proud to have sponsored and the Council passed the $26 million historic housing bond to capitalize the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to help finance, construct, and maintain affordable homes in our city. This is an important tool to address our housing shortage.”
“As Council President, one of my top priorities has been addressing the affordable housing crisis impacting our city,” said Council President John Igliozzi (Ward 7). “This Council has already approved over $26 million to capitalize an Affordable Housing Trust Fund to help finance, construct, and maintain affordable housing units throughout the city, and $500,000 to help those experiencing homelessness. Yet more needs to be done and that is why I support Councilwoman Ryan’s resolution endorsing the ‘Plan to Address Unsheltered Homelessness Crisis.’ This Council stands ready to work with our partners in the Governor’s Office and the General Assembly to invest ARPA and other funds to create safe, warm, and dry shelter beds for the homeless and longer-term solutions that will increase the supply of affordable housing in Providence and across Rhode Island.”
At tonight’s City Council meeting, Council President Pro Tempore Pedro Espinal (Ward 10) was joined by his City Council colleagues to pass a resolution preventing the storage of liquid propane gas (LPG) in the City of Providence.
The resolution, as passed by the council, calls on the Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board (EFSB) to deny Sea 3 LLC’s petition to import 450,000 gallons of liquid propane by rail into a storage site located in the Port of Providence.
The EFSB has jurisdiction over this matter because the property is qualified as a major energy facility. In order to approve the petition, the EFSB must determine that the project would not have a significant impact on the environment, public health, safety and welfare of the community. Councilman Espinal has been among many voices concerned that this expansion would put the surrounding area at risk of fires, accidents, and poor public health outcomes while also working against city and statewide climate goals.
“Since March of this year, I have been advocating for the rejection of Sea 3 LLC’s petition to ship hundreds of thousands of gallons of liquid propane into our neighborhood. I am grateful to my council colleagues and members of the community who have joined me in speaking up for South Providence and for the environmental future of our city,” stated Council President Pro Tempore Espinal.
In addition to the passage of this resolution, the City Council made the first passage of an ordinance prohibiting the storage of LPG’s within the City of Providence. The Council will vote on final passage of this ordinance in January 2022.
“Residents of South Providence have historically been ignored and underrepresented in the decision-making process surrounding the most intensive industrial land uses in the State. We as a community have come together as one voice to clearly state that we do not support any expansion or development in the Port of Providence that may lead to increased safety risks for the local residents. I look forward to moving forward with legislation and public advocacy that will uplift our community and conserve our environment,” added Pro Tempore Espinal.
Today, Shawn Selleck, the City Clerk, submitted his resignation, effective immediately.
The City Council was prepared to hold a public hearing this week to address the serious charges that had been brought against Mr. Selleck under Providence Home Rule Charter Section 403.
The hearing would have been the first time the City Council held a Section 403 proceeding, which is the only means to remove an appointed department director who refuses to resign amid alleged misbehavior as a supervisor. On October 7th, the City Council voted to begin the termination process for Mr. Selleck. The Council’s action was based on the findings of an independent report issued by Attorney Carly Iafrate regarding her investigation into complaints by Clerk’s Office staff members against Mr. Selleck. The report stated that Mr. Selleck violated the City Code of Conduct–specifically City anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies–as well as the City’s Workplace Violence Policy and created a toxic work environment in the City Clerk’s office. Additionally, the report concluded that staff members experienced harm due to Mr. Selleck’s behavior.
Council President John J. Igliozzi stated, “With the resignation of Mr. Selleck, effective immediately, the three female deputy clerks will not have to re-live their experiences in a public hearing. Rightly so, Mr. Selleck decided to resign before the hearing took place—a hearing which would have included public testimony from the three staff members and others who detailed their experiences in the Iafrate report.
“This situation has once again demonstrated the incredible courage and strength it takes for victims of alleged abuse and harassment to come forward. These three women put their safety and well-being first, and in doing so, subjected themselves to public scrutiny, and repeated commentary that minimized and mischaracterized their experiences. The situation has also brought to light serious questions about how workplace bullying and harassment complaints are handled in the City and the inequity and restraints involved in disciplining and firing appointed officers, even in egregious cases of alleged misbehavior.
“Bullies and harassers have no place in City Hall, or any workplace. Abusive and harassing behavior of any kind cannot be tolerated, and it certainly will not be tolerated on my watch as Council President. The City Council has a duty to protect City employees from harm, and I am proud to say the Council took that duty seriously in this case.
“The appalling accusations by staff members about Mr. Selleck’s alleged bullying and harassing behavior led the Council to pursue a Section 403 termination hearing. While Mr. Selleck and his attorney attempted to mislead the public with a false narrative at the expense of these women and their experiences, the City Council chose to believe the women. The entire City Council fulfilled its duty and obligation to protect City employees from harm, and unanimously voted to exercise the Council’s Charter-established checks and balances, by charging Mr. Selleck with the following: 1) Violation of the City Code of Conduct; 2) Violation of the City anti-bullying policy; 3) Violation of the City anti-harassment policy; 4) Violation of the City Workplace Violence policy; 5) Creation of a Toxic Work Environment; and 6) Inappropriate management (see resolution here).
“Thanks to the members of the City Council, who unanimously voted to issue these charges against Mr. Selleck, he submitted his resignation today. We can now move forward and reinvest in a fully functional City Clerk’s office that will be equitable, respectful and centered on transparency and accessibility to the public.
“Thank you as well to Council Chief of Staff Jim Lombardi who flagged the seriousness of the staff members’ complaints. I also want to thank the City Solicitor Jeff Dana for his counsel guiding us through the Section 403 process, and to the outside prosecutor he hired, Lauren Iannelli, who had begun excellent preparations for the hearing. And of course, thank you to Attorney Carly Iafrate whose thorough and even-handed investigation provided the City Council with the information we needed to address this horrible situation.”
City Council President John Igliozzi (Ward 7) today announced the hiring of Parker Gavigan as Director of Communications in the Administration to the Council. Gavigan, an award-winning journalist and 17-year veteran of TV news, most recently served the community as an investigative reporter at Channel 10 WJAR.
“I’m thrilled and excited to begin this new chapter and to work with the elected leaders and talented staff of the Providence City Council,” said Gavigan. “My goal is to use my communications skills, highlight the day-to-day work of the Council, and bring that vital information directly to the constituents of the capital city.”
“We’re excited to welcome such a talented and experienced professional to the Council’s staff as Director of Communications,” said Council President Igliozzi. “Parker is a trusted and respected communicator who will be a tremendous resource helping us to get the word out about the work of the City Council and our Councilmembers.”
Tonight, the City Council voted on several matters related to the upcoming Providence Home Rule Charter Section 403 public hearing to remove City Clerk Shawn Selleck from office for allegedly creating a toxic work environment and violating the City’s Code of Conduct.
The public hearing later this month will mark the first time the City Council has held a Section 403 proceeding. The hearing process was established by Home Rule Charter and approved by voters of the City of Providence to ensure there exists a failsafe measure to hold appointed officials in the City accountable, and to remove them from their positions in the most serious cases, “for neglect of duty or gross misconduct having an effect upon the discharge of the duties…..” Section 403 applies to all department directors and deputy directors, appointed officers and any appointee of the Mayor or the City Council, with the exception of the staff of the Mayor’s office.
In preparation for the hearing, the Council voted tonight to establish procedural rules for the upcoming hearing; to request that the City Solicitor provide certain records and documents to Mr. Selleck’s attorney; and to compel the appearance of certain individuals to provide testimony at the hearing.
Council President John J. Igliozzi issued the below statement following tonight’s Council meeting:
“Unfortunately, tonight the City Council was tasked with establishing the parameters of the first-ever Section 403 removal hearing against an administrative officer in the City of Providence. The actions we took tonight were in response to the long-standing complaints by three female employees who allege bullying, harassment and a toxic work environment caused by Shawn Selleck, the City Clerk.
“We all should give the three women who had the courage to come forward with their complaints the respect and dignity they deserve, and avoid minimizing or mischaracterizing their experiences.
“The City’s Code of Conduct, Anti-bullying Policy, Anti-harassment Policy, and the Workplace Violence Policy are designed to protect our employees. An independent investigation found that Mr. Selleck violated all of these policies. The City Council, upon reading those findings, voted unanimously to pursue charges against Mr. Selleck.
“The City Council has an ethical and moral duty to protect City employees from harm, and to exercise our Charter-established checks and balances.
“The charges against Mr. Selleck will be heard at the Section 403 hearing later this month in accordance with the Council’s votes this evening.
“The Council will weigh the charges and vote at the conclusion of the hearing.”
The Council’s Committee on Finance voted unanimously tonight to continue the ongoing discussion regarding the process involved in hiring of the Community Relations and Diversion Services Administrator (originally posted as a Police Major position) in the police department. The lengthy Committee meeting included testimony from Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré as well as two members of the selection committee—Kira Wills and Wole Akinbi.
The City Council voted unanimously at its October 21st meeting to send the budget ordinances creating the position back to the Finance Committee after new questions about the hiring process surfaced.
Finance Chairwoman Jo-Ann Ryan stated, “Unfortunately, the documents requested by Commissioner Paré in advance of this meeting were not provided to the Committee or to the Internal Auditor. The Commissioner continues to refuse to provide these documents, despite the Internal Auditor’s authority by City Charter to obtain them,” Ryan stated. “What was troubling this evening was that the Committee heard substantially conflicting testimony from members of the selection committee and the Commissioner. Therefore, we voted unanimously to continue the matter until the requested documents are provided to the Committee for review.” (October 22nd letter from Chairwoman Ryan to Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré requesting a series of documents regarding the hiring process is attached).
Regarding tonight’s meeting, Council President John J. Igliozzi stated, “The Council has a duty to address any potential appearance of impropriety in the selection and hiring process for this important new position. I support the Finance Committee’s continued efforts to ensure we uphold fairness, equity and transparency related to the hiring for this position, which the public has clearly and repeatedly prioritized.”
