by Billy Kepner | May 7, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-10, Ward-13, Ward-14, Ward-2
At tonight’s City Council meeting Councilman Pedro Espinal (Ward 10) along with his colleagues, Councilwoman Helen Anthony (Ward 2), and Councilwoman Rachel Miller (Ward 13) introduced an amendment to the City’s Zoning Ordinance that would eliminate incinerator or waste facilities from being able to open in the City of Providence.
“As a City Councilor it is not my intention to stand in the way of bringing new businesses to our City,” stated Councilman Pedro Espinal. “That said, earlier this year a developer wanted to open a solid waste facility in the area around the Port of Providence that would have potentially caused serious consequences for the environment and the well-being of my constituents. I believe that this type of industry would only serve to harm our residents, and create more air and water pollution. There is no viable place for such facilities in a City as densely populated as Providence, and by removing this from our Zoning Code we can ensure the health and safety of our residents.”
In addition to the Ordinance, Councilors Espinal, Anthony, Miller and Councilman David A. Salvatore (Ward 14) introduced a resolution calling on the Providence Planning Department and the City Plan Commission to expand their distribution of written notices to abutting property owners and residents from 200 feet to at least 1,000 feet for any major land development projects.
Councilman Espinal continued, “We know that any major land development can have far reaching effects on residents further than the current 200 feet rule. By expanding this to at least 1,000 feet, more residents will be able to be notified and take part in the robust discussion that happens around these developments.”
Major land developments in the City of Providence undergo an extensive review process, which includes multiple public hearings prior to any approval by the City Plan Commission. Extending the distance for property owner notification for such projects would help to create more community engagement and ensure that more residents are notified about projects being planned in their neighborhoods.
by Billy Kepner | May 7, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-4
Earlier today I had a productive conversation with Mayor Jorge O. Elorza about the reopening of our City’s golf courses. As the Governor has indicated that she is lifting her “Stay at Home Order,” I believe that with proper safety protocols we can begin the reopening of our City’s golf courses.
Golf courses will be allowed to reopen by providing the City with a detailed safety protocol plan to keep employees and patrons alike safe from the spread of COVID-19.
Many in our community depend on these golf courses for fitness and stress relief, and I believe that we could all use both. It is my hope, that in partnership with Mayor Elorza, that we can get these open safely and sooner rather than later. I encourage these courses to submit their plans to the City as soon as possible and let’s work together to keep everyone safe and healthy.
I thank Mayor Elorza for his willingness to work with myself and my colleagues to do what we can to provide the residents of Providence with access to the “greens” safely and while practicing social distancing. That said, we must be mindful to adhere to any rules and regulations around access to these courses or we will be forced to close them once more.
Nicholas J. Narducci, Senior Deputy Majority Leader
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 4
by Billy Kepner | Apr 29, 2020 | Council News, COVID-19, Press Release, Ward-15, Ward-6, Ward-7
Providence City Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15) announced today that the City Council would be granting
Clínica Esperanza/Hope Clinic a $100 Thousand grant to expand COVID-19 testing at their health clinic. Data made public by the Rhode Island Department of Health last week showed that the City of Providence is being disproportionately affected by COVID-19 cases. More specifically, the hardest-hit zip code in the entire state encompasses the neighborhoods of Olneyville, Silver Lake, and Manton – communities that Clínica Esperanza/Hope Clinic serves.
“These neighborhoods are home to some of the hardest working and most marginalized populations in the state,” stated City Council President Sabina Matos. “These truths are also why they are more likely to be exposed to the dangers of this virus. These communities are the ones risking their lives manufacturing essential goods, ringing out and delivering food to everyone’s homes, and are more likely to access mass public transit. These critical funds will allow Clínica Esperanza/Hope Clinic to expand their testing operations from three days a week to six days a week and will provide the 02909 community a testing site that’s more easily accessible.”
Clínica Esperanza was founded in 2007 as a place for patients, volunteers, community partners and donors to be healthy. Their community health care model ensures that quality care comes from caregivers who are fully integrated in the community. They offer primary medical care to uninsured Rhode Islanders, with an emphasis on culturally accustomed and linguistically appropriate care.
Council President Pro Tempore Michael Correia (Ward 6) stated, “By providing expanded testing hours for our community we are sending a message to our residents that their wellbeing is our number one priority, and that we are doing whatever we can to make testing accessible and equitable. I commend the Council President for her leadership and guidance on this initiative.”
“The health of the community we serve is our highest priority,” stated Councilman John J. Igliozzi, Esq. “These funds will go a long way in ensuring that our most vulnerable residents can access COVID-19 testing safely and with the help and guidance of a culturally competent staff.”
Clínica Esperanza/Hope Clinic is located at 60 Valley Street in the City of Providence. With this grant, they will be increasing their COVID-19 testing to six days a week from 4 PM – 9 PM daily. Their staff is multi-lingual, and you will need to make an appointment by email at
coronavirus@aplacetobehealthy.org, or by calling 401-408-0238, or by sending them a
Facebook message.
by Billy Kepner | Apr 28, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-15
The City Council was scheduled to meet tonight to accept the Mayor’s Budget and to refer to Committee. Unfortunately, the budget articles were not made available to the public prior to our meeting. During these restrictive times, it’s paramount that the public be given every opportunity to scrutinize and engage with its government. To that end, I have decided to cancel the meeting and will reschedule once the budget ordinances are made available for public vetting.
Sabina Matos, President
Providence City Council
Councilwoman – Ward 15
by Billy Kepner | Apr 16, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5, Ward-7
At tonight’s City Council meeting Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) and Majority Whip John J. Iglozzi, Esq. (Ward 7), Vice-Chairwoman and Chairman of the Council’s Committee on Finance, introduced a resolution requesting that the City Finance Director submit a detailed report on the current financial position of the City to the City Council for review.
“The COVID-19 global pandemic has caused havoc on the economies of almost every nation around the globe, and locally, Providence is facing economic challenges like one we have not seen since the Great Recession of 2008,” stated Majority Leader and Vice-Chairwoman Jo-Ann Ryan. “Because of the partial economic shutdown caused by the COVID-19 mitigation efforts, the City is set to see a significant reduction in revenues, which is creating a fourth-quarter budget shortfall. Furthermore, as we look to the next fiscal year, the Council and the Committee on Finance needs to be proactive instead of reactive as we prepare to review the City’s FY 2020 budget. We have requested this information for several weeks from the Administration, and it has yet to be provided to our City Treasurer, the Internal Auditor, or the Committee on Finance.”
Before the City of Providence borrows any funds to address a shortfall or passes a budget for the fiscal year 2020, the Administration must provide the City Council with a thorough analysis of the City’s current financial situation.
Chairman John J. Igliozzi Esq. stated, “The Committee on Finance is tasked with ensuring that the City of Providence meets its obligations and that we are protecting our City’s tax dollars for our residents. Without a complete financial analysis, our Committee has no way to prepare for the coming budget and the best way to meet our responsibilities. Our request for a complete financial forecast is not only prudent but imperative during this economic crisis.”
The Council resolution requests that the financial report include an austerity plan for the City to address anticipated budget shortfalls. In addition, the report should include an assessment of all existing City contracts, as well as identify all unspent Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) funds (including any CIP projects that have not yet been initiated), and an evaluation of all planned expenditures for the remainder of the fiscal year including operational and personnel expenses.
Upon the passage of this resolution, the Council has requested that the detailed financial report be submitted within three days to provide time for the Council to review before engaging with the fiscal year 2020 budget.
by Billy Kepner | Apr 16, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5, Ward-7, Ward-8
Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5), Majority Whip John J. Igliozzi Esq. (Ward 7), and Councilman James E. Taylor (Ward 8) call on Mayor Elorza to reopen public parks, green spaces, and trails for respite and educational purposes.
Mayor Elorza issued an executive order to close all parks, green spaces, and trails to the public until May 8, 2020. While Governor Raimondo has allowed state parks and beaches to remain open while only closing parking lots to limit the number of individuals that can visit at one time. The Councilors believe that the Mayor’s executive orders should mirror the Governor’s orders to lessen confusion and the spread of misinformation.
Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan stated, “We are asking residents of Providence to stay in their homes as much as possible, which is needed to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus and flatten the curve. Yet, we also have an obligation to balance the need for the public’s physical health with their mental health. Time outdoors is critical to ensuring that our residents – of all ages – have opportunities to get fresh air and spend time in nature. We know that spending time outdoors helps lessen anxiety, depression, and feelings of loneliness. Over the years, my colleagues and I have invested much of our precious Neighborhood Infrastructure Funding and Capital Improvement Plan funding into our neighborhood parks for this very reason. I think we can all agree that many of us are experiencing a high rate of anxiety due to the current health crisis. I believe that by following the Governor’s lead of keeping parks open, wearing cloth masks, and by practicing social distancing measures, we can allow for residents to visit their neighborhood parks, trails, and green spaces.”
Public health is paramount to the City Council and its members, but that must include ways to address mental health as well. This also presents an opportunity to work with the Governor to use these spaces as a way to inform individuals of the current crisis.
“There are several positive public health factors to reopening our parks, green spaces, and trails in a controlled and responsible manner,” stated Majority Whip John J. Igliozzi, Esq. “By reopening our natural areas, we can provide our neighbors with the much-needed ability to get fresh air and exercise. By deploying members of our police department to monitor our natural areas, and to ensure that safety protocols like social distancing and number of individuals congregating together are being adhered to, I believe we can do this in a measured and safe way. By reopening the parks in a controlled manner, it provides us the opportunity to enhance our community’s well-being both physically and mentally. It will allow residents to get to know the men and women of the Providence Police Department that serve in their neighborhoods; provides an extra level of public safety; and more importantly, we have an opportunity to share information about the virus, testing, and mitigation efforts with individuals that might not otherwise have access to that important information. It is naïve to think that every resident is watching the Governor’s daily press conference or receiving City emails regarding the current crisis. I strongly encourage the Mayor to reopen our parks, trails, and green spaces and use this opportunity to get information out to those that might not otherwise have access to it.”
The Councilors understand that the virus can stick to metal playground equipment, and are supportive of cordoning off that equipment to keep residents and children safe. Yet, they also know that being able to spend time in nature has many positive impacts on productivity and mental health. There are 1000’s of scholarly studies that show that spending time in nature – even if it is just walking through a park – can relieve stress and anxiety for individuals. Now, more than ever, eliminating that option for residents could potentially do more harm than good.
Councilman James E. Taylor stated, “For many in my neighborhood Roger Williams Park is used daily for walkers, runners, and people who just need to get outside. I believe that if the Mayor would rethink his Executive Order and close our parks to traffic and parking, neighbors could safely use their neighborhood parks, all while practicing safety measures as recommended by the Governor and Dr. Alexander-Scott of the RI Department of Health. By closing the traffic to Roger Williams Park, it would create wider areas for individuals to run and walk, making it easier to maintain social distancing. I hope that for consistency sake, the Mayor will change his order to mirror that of the Governor’s so we can all take it outside and relieve the stress that so many of us are feeling.”
The Councilors are hopeful that by working together with the Mayor and his Administration that we can reopen our beautiful parks safely and provide the much-needed benefit – of Vitamin-N (for Nature).
