by Billy Kepner | Mar 12, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-10
I have just received notice that the owner of 481 Allens Avenue has withdrawn their application from the City Plan Commission for a proposed transfer station that they were hoping to put in place there.
This was due in large part to the advocacy from our neighbors in Lower-South Providence and Washington Park, our partners in local and state government, and the many community groups that have spoken out against this facility that was intended for our backyards.
I want to personally thank all of our partners who were steadfast in voicing their concerns for the safety of our Port and for the residents that live in and around the area.
No longer will Lower-South Providence and Washington Park be a dumping ground. We deserve better, and I will work every day to make sure that happens.
Pedro Espinal
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 10
by Billy Kepner | Mar 11, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-8
I was impressed by the courage and integrity of the members of the Providence Ethics Commission who voted that there was sufficient information to move forward with an ethics investigation into Steven Paré, Commissioner of Public Safety.
They met this evening and refused to allow a whitewash predetermined investigation, and were outraged by the same. I will continue to monitor this matter closely and express my opinions.
James E. Taylor
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 8
by Billy Kepner | Mar 10, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1, Ward-10, Ward-11, Ward-12, Ward-13, Ward-14, Ward-15, Ward-2, Ward-3, Ward-4, Ward-5, Ward-6, Ward-7, Ward-8, Ward-9
The Providence City Council unveils updated website honoring our long and storied history
centered on our neighborhoods and community engagement
Today, the City Council unveils an updated user-centric website and a rebrand of its communications that pays homage to the City’s storied and diverse neighborhoods.
Council President Matos stated, “Providence residents love and are proud to represent the neighborhoods they come from. The rich history of our city could not exist without the great contributions made by generations of families who hail from every corner of this city. Wards and ward boundaries change over time. What anchors people to Providence are the memories made in settings like Federal Hill, Mt. Hope, and Washington Park. The story of our city is a story of neighborhoods.”
Providence is made up of 25 neighborhoods represented by 15 City Councilors. Those neighborhoods are Blackstone, Charles, College Hill, Downtown (Jewelry District), Elmhurst, Elmwood, Federal Hill, Fox Point, Hartford, Hope ( Summit), Lower South Providence, Manton, Mount Hope, Mount Pleasant, Olneyville, Reservoir, Silver Lake, Smith Hill, South Elmwood, Upper South Providence, Valley, Wanskuck, Washington Park, Wayland, and the West End.
President Matos continued, “We are extremely excited to have our neighbors interact with our new website. This new site is easier to use, navigate, and find relevant information about Councilors and meetings. Most importantly, from the landing page the site establishes a reverence for neighborhoods.”
In addition to the website, the Council will also begin livestreaming Council Meetings beginning in April on both Facebook and the Council’s YouTube Channel.
by Billy Kepner | Mar 10, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5
At tonight’s City Council Committee on Ordinance’s meeting, Chairwoman and City Council Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) introduced legislation that requires community engagement through a process which is already in place through the City Charter established City Plan Commission (CPC). The Commission is charged with ensuring that development in the City is consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan, and any major street alteration should fall under this open review process.
The substitution requires major street projects or alterations to be treated as Major Land Development Projects as defined in the City of Providence Land Development and Subdivision Regulations. Further, the amendment defines “alterations of a street” as the removal or expansion of on-street parking, installation of bicycle lanes, or installation of traffic calming measures such as permanent speed bumps.
“Over the past several months, I have heard from residents across the City that they feel that they are not part of the decision-making process when it comes to the street in which they live,” stated Chairwoman and Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan. “Transparency in government is critically important. When we are using precious tax dollars to create an Urban Trail rather than fix our sidewalks and roadways or are crumbling schools, we need to ensure that we are prudent in our spending. It is unacceptable that our Capital Improvement Plan only earmarks $12M for sidewalks and $20M for the Great Streets initiative. Following an already established process for outside developers, this creates a process of notification and engagement and will go a long way to help our neighbors better understand what is happening in their community, and allows them to be part of the process.”
The CPC requires three levels of review, technical oversight, complete plans that are drawn to scale, and public information sessions and hearings before a project receives recommended approval and finally sent to the City Council for vetting and passage.
Chairwoman and Majority Leader Ryan continued, “With a system that has been in place since 1996, and has worked well, and allows for the community engagement is an important step in any redesign process. I have been advocating for more community engagement around city projects since last year – when the two-way bike lane was installed on Eaton Street without notice to neighbors and caused a great deal of stress and outrage in my neighborhood. My neighbors and I have been characterized as being ‘anti-bike’ or ‘anti-bike lanes,’ which is simply not true.”
Exemptions to this ordinance include:
- Alterations to sidewalks or curb cuts required for development on private property.
- Installation or maintenance of any public utility.
- Any projects implemented by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.
This amendment to the Code of Ordinances would not impact any road repairs such as potholes or general maintenance including paving, and restriping of roadway lines. What it does do is call for community engagement around proposals and plans that have a significant impact to the design of any city roadway. It allows the opportunity to create meaningful dialogue with residents about how they want their neighborhoods to be designed.
by Billy Kepner | Mar 6, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-10, Ward-14, Ward-15
At last night’s City Council meeting Councilors, David A. Salvatore (Ward 14) and Pedro Espinal (Ward 10) introduced a resolution creating a Special Commission on Recycling. The City of Providence spent nearly $500 thousand on rejected contaminated recycling loads in 2019.
“The Johnson Landfill is perilously close to being at capacity; in fact, it is slated to close by 2034,” stated Councilman David A. Salvatore. “The City is spending our tax dollars on avoidable costs such as rejected recycling loads at the landfill – in addition to waste removal fees. We need to come together and find solutions to address this issue, while remaining vigilant on protecting our environment. I am happy that the City Council unanimously voted in favor of creating this Special Commission, as we have too much at stake to ignore this any longer. Our City is facing many challenges, and spending unnecessary funds on rejected recycling loads is avoidable which which could be earmarked to address quality of life issues, such as sidewalk and road repairs.”
The Special Commission on Recycling will be comprised of the Director of Public Works, five appointees by Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15), and one appointment by Mayor Jorge O. Elorza. The Special Commission is tasked with studying the current recycling process within the City and to make recommendations regarding appropriate changes to City procedures, State law, and programs aimed at educating the public on proper recycling strategies.
Councilman Pedro Espinal stated, “Bad recycling practices are rampant in Providence, and much of that has to do with education around what can and cannot be recycled. I believe that this Commission can help us formulate a plan to help educate the community, especially for those that may be new to Providence. Some cities have single-stream recycling like Providence, while other cities around the world have multi-stream recycling, accept plastic bags, Styrofoam, and other items that the Rhode Island Resource Recover Center does not accommodate. I look forward to learning what the Commission puts forth.”
The Special Commission on Recycling will be required to issue a report of findings and recommendations to the City Council 120 days after appointments are made to the Commission.
“I would like to thank Councilors Salvatore and Espinal for bringing this important matter forward,” stated City Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15). “Proper recycling seems like it would be easy but there is still confusion about what can and cannot be recycled. There is a great deal of education and outreach that needs to happen, and I’m confident that the Special Commission will be able to find solutions to the challenges we face. Solutions not just for our City’s bottom line, but for the environment as well.”
For more information on recycling in Providence, please visit the City of Providence’s resource page on recycling:
Recycling in Providence by Billy Kepner | Mar 6, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-15, Ward-3
The Providence City Council, Mayor Jorge Elorza, SISTAfire RI, and A Sweet Creation will be hosting the Fourth Annual International Women’s Day Celebration at City Hall on Friday, March 6, 2020 at 6:00 pm.
The first International Women’s Day was organized by Councilwoman Mary-Kay Harris (Ward 11), and for the past three years, has brought together a diverse group of women, elected officials and youth groups such as A Sweet Creation Youth Organization, from across the City to celebrate and uplift women. This year, we will gather to celebrate the ‘she-roes.’
Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune said, “I am honored to carry on Councilwoman Harris’s vision in bringing women together for International Women’s Day. I’m also thrilled to be partnering with SISTAfire and other organizations to bring women in our community together to celebrate our Sheroes. The goal is to create an inclusive space where all women can reflect, share their experiences and stories of the women who inspired them. I am grateful for women like Councilwoman Harris, and the women in my life who have paved the way and inspired so many of us.”
“I’m honored to serve with my colleagues who understand how important International Women’s Day is,” stated City Council President Sabina Matos. “Councilwoman Harris has been and continues to be an inspiration to me, and our colleagues on the Council. Her dedication to working with the community and bringing groups together in honor of International Women’s Day is a wonderful example of the power of what women can do when we come together. I’m very excited to share in this celebration with my colleagues and would like to thank Councilwoman LaFortune for spearheading this year’s celebration. I am reminded, as women, we must take the time to acknowledge how our experiences have shaped us, and the role models who showed us how much we could achieve. I am proud to be the President of the
first majority-female City Council in Providence’s her-story, and honored to
serve side by side with a dynamic and diverse group of women and men to serve the City we love so much.”
“It is always an honor to celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month with the strong and inspiring women that make our community great,” said Mayor Jorge O. Elorza. “In this moment in history, we have more women voices at the table both locally and nationally than ever before and we have seen the profound impact of their leadership. I believe that by centering these voices and experiences, we can continue to empower more generations of women and build a stronger future together.”
The City’s International Women’s Day Celebration will take place on the Third Floor of City Hall in the Alderman’s Chambers, and will incorporate vendors, group discussions, visual art, and performances and will feature Keynote speakers, Ms. Henrietta White-Holder and Ms. Marlena Rodrigues.
We want to thank our partners: SISTAfire RI, A Sweet Creation Youth Organization, Tiffany Rhule, Cesi Rivera, Gee Gee’s Southern Cuisine, Ellie’s, Sin Bakery, Plant City, and FireWorks Catering for their generous support of this wonderfully affirming event.
About International Women’sDay:
International Women’s Day – IWD (March 8) 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.
No one government, NGO, charity, corporation, academic institution, women’s network, or media hub is solely responsible for International Women’s Day. Many organizations declare an annual IWD theme that supports their specific agenda or cause, and some of these are adopted more widely with relevance than others. International Women’s Day is a collective day of global celebration and a call for gender parity.
International Women’s Day is all about unity, celebration, reflection, advocacy, and action – whatever that looks like globally at a local level. But one thing is for sure, International Women’s Day has been occurring for well over a century – and continues to grow from strength to strength.
Learn about the
values that guide IWD’s ethos.
