by Abigail Appel | May 27, 2021 | Council News, Press Release
The Municipal Court of the City of Providence will re-open to the public beginning Tuesday June 1st, 2021, with a new schedule and new procedures in place.
Court operations will comply with current guidance from the Rhode Island Department of Health and the protocols established by the Rhode Island Supreme Court. As such, all court visitors will be required to wear face coverings. Additionally, capacity will remain limited, and only the person to whom a citation has been issued will be permitted in the building (Individuals with disabilities who need assistance may be accompanied by a caregiver.)
The Court Calendar will be as follows:
- Moving vehicle violations, which are citations issued after being stopped by a Providence Police officer, will continue to be heard on Tuesdays, beginning at 8 a.m. No other type of violations will be heard on Tuesdays.
- Red light camera violations, speed camera violations, and parking violations will be heard on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 8 a.m. beginning Wednesday, June 2nd, by appointment only. Individuals with red light camera, speed camera and parking violations must call Municipal Court at 401-243-6414 to schedule a day and time to appear. Additionally, beginning June 7th, night court will be held on Monday evenings at 4:30 p.m.
“I am pleased that we are able to resume public sessions of Municipal Court. This is a great step in continuing to reinstitute vital City services as COVID-19 cases decline. I extend my appreciation to Chief Judge Frank Caprio for his flexibility and resilience while leading the Municipal Court through this challenging time, as well as to all the judges and the court staff who have adapted operations and processes to remain responsive and effective during the pandemic,” stated Council President John J. Igliozzi.
The Municipal Court is responsible for the collection and adjudication of traffic and parking fines as well as environmental violations and is located at the Providence Public Safety Complex, 325 Washington Street, Providence.
by Abigail Appel | May 27, 2021 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1
As the installation of speed bumps at the base of Henderson Bridge have become a consistent traffic and safety hazard, I would like to share with my constituents that I am working with City departments to mitigate this issue.
I have been in contact with the Department of Public Works and City Traffic engineer and we have directed them to explore all options to quickly fix this issue.
While many residents in this area have called for traffic calming measures here, and while we recognize that speed bumps and other traffic calming infrastructure are necessary to mitigate speeding and reckless driving in our City, these speed bumps are too high and must be rectified in a way that does not inconvenience or endanger drivers, vehicles, and pedestrians.
I will continue to work with community members and our City offices to find the best way to keep our streets safe and to ensure that these speed bumps are reduced in height and reconstructed as soon as possible.
John Goncalves
Councilman, Ward 1
Providence City Council
by Abigail Appel | May 27, 2021 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-4
Last Tuesday, I had the pleasure of visiting E-Cubed Academy for their end of the year award celebration. During my visit, I was taken aback by the great work that the teachers at E-Cubed have done to build relationships with their students and improve their social and educational skills.
I attend E-Cubed Academy’s award ceremony almost every year. Last year, I met a student who was not able to fully communicate verbally with his peers or teachers. This year, I watched in amazement as the same student stood in front of his classmates and confidently gave a well-spoken speech.
This impressive young man is just one example of the great work that the teachers in Providence Public Schools do every day to change students’ lives and provide them with the structures and tools they need for success. I was impressed by all of the students I met on Tuesday who have achieved academic excellence and displayed great respect for their teachers.
As local and state leaders work together to create a stronger education system for our youth, we must remember to appreciate and support the many great educators we already have here in Providence. I would like to thank the teachers of E-Cubed Academy, and all of the teachers across the City of Providence for their dedication to the difficult work they do to provide our children with brighter futures.
Nicholas J. Narducci Jr.
Senior Deputy Majority Leader, Providence City Council
Councilman, Ward 4
by Abigail Appel | May 24, 2021 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-11, Ward-13, Ward-5, Ward-7
On Thursday, May 20th, the City Council voted to give final passage of the Tax Stabilization Investment Act. The ordinance now goes to the Mayor to be signed into law.
The Tax Stabilization Investment Act reforms the City’s Tax Stabilization Agreement (TSA) process by standardizing the tax stabilization benefit for all businesses who wish to take advantage of the development incentive. Key points of the legislation include:
- Establishing standard tax stabilization periods based on the size and scope of the project, ranging from five-year stabilizations for $3million and under projects to twenty-year stabilizations for projects over $50million.
- Streamlining and clarifying the citywide review and vetting process through applicable City departments including Inspections and Standards, Public Works, Planning and Development, the Tax Collector, Licensing, and the City Solicitor prior to review by the City Council.
- Specifying area standard wages for construction workers on projects over $10 million.
- Creating a commitment to ensure that post-construction jobs earn a wage twice the United States Department of Health and Human Services Federal Poverty Guideline for a family of three divided into an hourly wage at forty hours/week, fifty-two weeks/year on projects over $10 million.
- Ensuring that the full taxes on the property become due should the property be transferred to a tax-exempt entity.
Specifying a “clawback” procedure that allows for the Council and the City to reconsider an existing agreement in cases of non-compliance.
Additionally, the ordinance maintains current TSA standards on minority- and women-owned business enterprises, First Source hiring, obligations to the Affordable Housing Trust, payments to the City of Providence Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, and apprenticeship utilization.
“With the passage of this Act, the City is making an investment in neighborhood residents when we support development via tax stabilizations. For too long, high-level publicly subsidized development, while increasing the tax base, has not resulted in opportunities for city residents to gain meaningful employment that has the capacity to break cycles of intergenerational poverty. This Act ensures everyone can share in the opportunities in our city,” said Councilor Rachel Miller (Ward 13), a co-sponsor of the legislation who led the reforms effort.
“The TSA program has resulted in millions of dollars of investment in downtown Providence. A recent report to the Finance Committee projected that the city’s current tax stabilized properties will generate an additional $454 million in revenue over the next two decades. The TSA Investment Act is an evolution of this economic development tool that continues to incentivize major projects downtown and throughout the city, creating jobs, and ultimately increasing our tax base. I’m grateful to my colleagues on the City Council who have the foresight to adapt our approach to supporting growth in Providence,” stated Council President John J. Igliozzi.
“The Act levels the playing field for businesses who follow the law, treat their employees fairly, and want to invest in the future in partnership with the City. Additionally, the ordinance creates crystal clear procedures for developers of any size to know exactly what to expect when they seek support from the City for their projects. This level of clarity around expectations and timeline will support further development, while also standardizing the community benefits provided through the tax stabilization process,” said Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11).
“The ordinance is a critical first step in updating the laws related to contracting with the City of Providence. TSAs are just one piece of the puzzle in how the City supports and promotes small businesses. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues to review and update as necessary other key related ordinances, including the First Source Hiring Ordinance and the MBE/WBE ordinances,” said Finance Committee Chairwoman Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5).
The final passage of this ordinance is the culmination of several years of effort by the Council working in collaboration with stakeholders to revamp the tax stabilization process. The resulting Tax Stabilization Investment Act supports and incentivizes development, while also providing consistent and tangible benefits for local residents every time a stabilization agreement is approved by the City Council.
by Abigail Appel | May 21, 2021 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1
Providence City Councilman John Goncalves (Ward 1) has teamed up with residents and neighborhood groups in an effort to reform Brown University’s proposed dormitory development on Brook Street in the Fox Point neighborhood. Councilman Goncalves and concerned community members have shared their dissatisfaction with the current state of Brown University’s building plans and have put forth several suggestions to improve the plan to better fit the neighborhood.
The petition was first circulated on May 17th and has since accumulated over 500 signatures.
“The historic character of the Fox Point neighborhood is central to the area’s aesthetic identity and functionality. As a Brown alumnus, I appreciate Brown University immensely and recognize Brown as a valuable local partner. However, there are several aspects of the Brook Street plan that do not match the unique needs and characteristics of the neighborhood. I hope that residents will take interest in the petition that calls on Brown University to consider the valuable input of the residents who will be most affected by these development plans,” stated Councilman John Goncalves (Ward 1).
The petition urges Brown University to ensure the architectural design of the residential building is in harmony with existing neighborhood architecture and that the size of the building is in scale with other buildings and homes on the street. In the current design plans, the building would be much larger and significantly different than the existing architecture in the neighborhood.
Brown University’s revised design plan also removed retail space on the first floor of the building, which the petition calls on to be restored to be inclusive of the local community and contribute to City taxes. While revised design plans included expanded green space, community input indicated that a retail space would be more advantageous to the neighborhood.
Lastly, the petition urges Brown University to preserve three existing, historically significant houses in the area instead of tearing them down.
“Our neighborhoods have been forced to fight back against this once admired institution. In their zeal to build out the institutional zone, Brown planners do not seem to be acting on their promise to consider the context and culture of our historic architecture and genial way of living. Their plan is tearing at the fabric of our community,” stated Liz Mauran, neighbor.
“I would like to thank my community partners at College Hill Neighborhood Association, FPNA, Mile of History Association, and Providence Preservation Society for coming together to advocate for specific revisions to improve Brown’s development plans. I call on residents to consider signing our petition to strengthen our efforts to improve and enhance this development in the beautiful, historic Fox Point Neighborhood,” added Councilman Goncalves.
To read more about the above requests, and to view the petition, click here: https://bit.ly/3hkOChE
by Abigail Appel | May 20, 2021 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1, Ward-10, Ward-12, Ward-2, Ward-3, Ward-4, Ward-5, Ward-6
I am pleased to share that the Providence Police Department has announced the 70th annual Police Training Academy will commence on Monday, May 24th. The academy will be located in Ward 5, at the former Providence Water Supply Building at 552 Academy Avenue and will run Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
With fifty new recruits, part of the most diverse class in history, this is a great opportunity for our Police Department to grow and improve based upon the unique needs of our city. These men and women will be trained in classroom and role play scenarios on how to best serve and protect all Providence residents and visitors.
In my role on the City Council, I have been an advocate for the expansion, development, and enhanced training of our police force. With a large swath of our existing police officers approaching retirement eligibility, it is crucial that a new generation of officers is recruited and trained. I extend my appreciation to the Providence Police Department for working to get this year’s academy up and running despite the complications presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
I welcome this year’s recruits to our neighborhood and wish them the best of luck as they begin their training. I look forward to seeing the value that they bring to our community as future members of the Providence Police Department.
