by Abigail Appel | Sep 8, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-15, Ward-6
City Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15) will introduce a resolution at tonight’s City Council meeting calling on the City Solicitor’s office to reconvene the Providence Nuisance Task Force. The Task Force was initially established to identify and address nuisance properties in the City systematically and collaboratively and has been dormant due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“We must address quality of life issues in our City, even as we are dealing with the continued economic crisis due to the ongoing pandemic,” stated City Council President Sabina Matos. “We have to address the issues that our residents are bringing to our attention every day. The Council Office has received hundreds of calls from residents expressing their concerns about the increase in nuisance properties, illegal dumping, overgrown vacant parcels, rat infestations, all of which has been exasperated by the furloughs in our Department of Public works.”
The Nuisance Task Force is comprised of representatives from the City Solicitor’s office, the Police Department, the Fire Department, the Department of Inspection and Standards, and the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office. They are tasked with resolving current and long-standing nuisance properties throughout the City to protect the health and well-being of residents.
Council President Matos continued, “We have an obligation to our residents to ensure their health, well-being, and that we are addressing these neighborhood issues and concerns head-on. Reconvening the task force will go a long way to addressing some of these more pressing issues.”
In addition to this resolution, Council President Matos and President Pro Tempore Michael Correia (Ward 6) will be introducing a resolution requesting the Department of Public Works to increase street-sweeping efforts across the City.
“Our streets are a mess, and we have the ability to do more street sweeping than we currently are,” stated City Council President Pro Tempore Michael Correia. “Due to the reduced workforce in the Department of Public Works, we have falling behind on our efforts to maintain our streets.”
There has been a noticeable increase in trash and rodent activity on City streets due to the lack of more frequent sweeping. Failure to sweep the City’s streets also poses a significant threat to the environment as the accumulated dirt and debris, and other contaminants can be washed from the streets directly into neighborhood waterways creating water pollution not just for the City but the State.
The resolution requests that the Department of Public Works immediately begin street-sweeping efforts throughout the City and, if necessary, hire a third-party contractor to help expedite the process of sweeping every City street.
by Abigail Appel | Aug 26, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1, Ward-10, Ward-11, Ward-12, Ward-14, Ward-15, Ward-2, Ward-3, Ward-4, Ward-5, Ward-6, Ward-7, Ward-8, Ward-9
The Department of Public Works is classified as an essential city department and for good reason. The hard work this department performs everyday to keep our streets and sidewalks in good shape, keep trash off of our streets, and our environment safe is vital to the operation of a healthy and prosperous city.
However, this summer we’ve experienced a rampant decline in the quality and frequency of these services due to DPW workers being put on furlough one and two days a week. This decline is of no fault of our hardworking men and women in the DPW, but of the circumstances we are facing due to the above mentioned furloughs.
While we understand that the city must find cost-saving measures to preserve the short-term financial stability of the city, we do not think those savings should come at the price of allowing our city to decline into a hazardous eyesore. Graffiti, illegal dumping, rat infestations have become a serious threat this summer to our residents’ quality of life.
Not only are these issues dangerous to our individual and collective health, but they also affect the community’s self-esteem and pride in their neighborhoods and invite further vandalism and destruction.
This is why we, the undersigned, are requesting that the administration end furlough days for workers in the City’s Department of Public Workers and that we wrap our arms around these exponentially growing issues before they get too out of control. We ask that you join us in asking the administration to bring back our essential workers in the DPW by signing the below petition so that we can restore these necessary services in our community.
Sabina Matos, City Council President, Ward 15
Michael Correia, City Council President Pro Tempore, Ward 6
Jo-Ann Ryan, Majority Leader, Ward 5
John J. Igliozzi, Esq., Majority Whip, Ward 7
Nicholas J. Narducci Jr., Senior Deputy Majority Leader, Ward 4
Mary Kay Harris, Deputy Majority Leader, Ward 11
Carmen Castillo, Councilwoman, Ward 9
David Salvatore, Councilor, Ward 14
Nirva Lafortune, Councilwoman, Ward 3
Helen Anthony, Esq., Councilwoman, Ward 2
Kat Kerwin, Councilor, Ward 12
James Taylor, Councilman, Ward 8
Pedro Espinal, Councilman, Ward 10
John Goncalves, Councilman, Ward 1
by Abigail Appel | Aug 24, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-6
Fire Engine 15, Located on Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Reopened Saturday
After Months of Renovations
City Council President Pro Tempore Michael Correia announced that the Fire Station located on Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Engine 15, has fully reopened, as of Saturday, August 22, and the men and women stationed there have moved back in.
“The fire station needed several upgrades and renovations and after months of work I happy to announce that the project is complete,” stated City Council President Pro Tempore Michael Correia. “This project was very important to me and my constituents as Engine 15 is our local station. The station was in desperate need of upgrades and I’m glad that our men and women are back home on Mt. Pleasant Avenue.”
Upgrades and renovations to Engine 15 included new doors and new apparatus bays, lounge area for the firefighters, new bathroom, boiler and emergency generator, and upgrades to plumbing and electrical work.
Pro Tempore Correia continued, “I want to thank the men and women of Engine 15 for bearing with us as we underwent the renovations and would like to thank our contractors and crews for working so hard to get this project completed and this station back online.”
Renovations for Engine 15 came from the City’s Capital Improvement Plan that was passed by the City Council in 2019.
by Abigail Appel | Aug 20, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1, Ward-10, Ward-14, Ward-3, Ward-6
Several years ago, the City of Providence asked taxpayers to borrow $40 million to repave some of our worst roads. Included in the road improvement program was Admiral Street, which was repaved by the City of Providence. In short order, National Grid completely destroyed the street. I have been asking politely for years that National Grid fix the street that they have torn up repeatedly.
If this were a City issue, I would have had it fixed the day it happened. National Grid has an obligation to fix this street, and after years of me asking and demanding, they must comply.
When the City Council returns in September, I will be introducing a resolution demanding that the City of Providence cease issuing National Grid permits to conduct work on our streets until they repair the damage they have caused.
Per their permit agreement with the City, National Grid is required to return streets that are opened to their original composition. Admiral Street was newly repaved when they first began the work there, and I expect nothing less than a curb to curb complete re-pavement from beginning to end.
David A. Salvatore
Providence City Council
Councilor – Ward 14
by Abigail Appel | Jul 19, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1, Ward-10, Ward-11, Ward-12, Ward-15, Ward-4, Ward-5, Ward-6, Ward-7, Ward-8, Ward-9
We as elected leaders of our community stand against acts of violence and vandalism against our colleagues, their families, and our neighbors.
We condemn the actions that transpired at Councilman Igliozzi’s home over the weekend and hope that whoever is responsible is held accountable.
It’s okay to disagree and to let that dissent be heard at an appropriate forum.
Vandalizing the home and tormenting the family of an elected official, or anyone else for that matter, is crossing the line and will not be tolerated.
We stand with Chairman Igliozzi and will continue to work with all stakeholders to find solutions and condemn intimidation and coercion in all its forms.
We know that these are not the values our city and neighbors uphold.
by Billy Kepner | Jul 16, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1, Ward-10, Ward-14, Ward-3, Ward-6
At tonight’s City Council meeting, Councilor David A. Salvatore (Ward 14) introduced an amendment to the Code of Ordinance, along with co-sponsors President Pro Tempore Michael Correia (Ward 6), Councilman Pedro Espinal (Ward 10), Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune (Ward 3), and Councilman John Goncalves (Ward 1), that would set forth a designated schedule for street and sidewalk sweeping in the City of Providence. Currently, there is no ordinance that creates a predictable plan to ensure that these vital qualities of life issues are handled in a timely matter.
“Over the past several weeks, I have made observations of the state of our streets and sidewalks in Providence, and my findings are disturbing. Our City needs a higher level of cleanliness,” stated Councilor David A. Salvatore. Currently, there is nothing in our City’s Code of Ordinances that spells out a street and sidewalk sweeping program. This amendment would ensure that our streets and sidewalks are swept on a regular and predictable basis while enhancing communication with city residents.”
The amendment would require the Department of Public Works (DPW) to sweep every street within the City at a minimum of six times per year. The DPW director will also be directed to maintain a street sweeping calendar that identifies a recurring schedule of when each street will be swept. Like other municipalities, the DPW will be required to notify residents with overnight parking permits using best practices from other cities including signage and other forms of direct notification in addition to PVD 311.
DPW will be also be required to sweep sidewalks along all principal arterials, minor arterials, major collectors, and minor collectors as classified by the State of Rhode Island Division of Statewide Planning within the City at a minimum of three times per year.
“Local governments promise a social contract with its residents to make certain that their quality of life is upheld. Unfortunately, Providence has portrayed itself as a dirty city, which jeopardizes the environment, homeownership growth, and expanding our tax base,” reiterated Councilor Salvatore. “Our residents and businesses deserve to have clean streets and sidewalks, and it is my hope that my amendment will fix this decades-old issue.”
The amendment to the Code of Ordinances will be sent to the Committee on Ordinances for vetting and consideration.
