Ward 15
All MembersCouncilman Oscar Vargas
Councilman Oscar O. Vargas was elected to City Council in the summer of 2021. He represents Ward 15, which includes the parts of Silver Lake, Olneyville, Manton, and Valley neighborhoods. Councilman Vargas is the Chairman of the Committee on Public Works and a member of the Committee on Ordinances. He is also a member of the Water Supply Board.
As a resident of Providence for more than 20 years, Councilman Vargas has had the opportunity to experience firsthand the issues Ward 15 faces.
Born in Zacapa, Guatemala, Councilman Vargas immigrated to Providence, Rhode Island, in 1989. He attended Central High School, and after graduation, he worked at the Citizens Bank Corporation Office. Councilman Vargas has also worked as a jeweler; a year later, he opened his jewelry shop. In 2016 he received an auto mechanic certificate from MTTI.
Ward 15: Olneyville, Silver Lake, Valley
Recent News

Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr. Announces that the Hawkins Street Bridge is Reopened
On Saturday, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr. (Ward 4) was joined by City Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15), Council President Pro Tempore Michael Correia (Ward 6), Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5), Mayor Jorge O. Elorza, Director...

Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan and Council Colleagues Say “Yes to the Comeback”
Ensuring the Jobs of Over 700 Providence Hotel Employees City Council Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) introduced an Ordinance, which was passed by the Council for the first time, at tonight’s City Council Meeting ensuring that any hotel worker who was laid off or...

Statement from Council President Sabina Matos in Response to Mayor Saying We Can’t Have “Both” New Police Academy and Reinvestment
Statement from Council President Sabina Matos in Response to Mayor Saying We Can’t Have “Both” New Police Academy and Reinvestment: “I wish the Mayor would spend more time collaborating and resolving to address this issue of rampant violence in our City in partnership...

Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan and Council Colleagues Call for Mayor to Address Violent Crime
Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) along with Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15), Council President Pro Tempore Michael Correia (Ward 6), Majority Whip John J. Igliozzi Esq. (Ward 7), Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr. (Ward 4), Deputy...

City Council’s Committee on Finance Adopts a New Compensation and Classification Ordinance to Protect the City’s Financial Health and Current Workforce
Tonight, the City Council's Committee on Finance adopted a new Compensation and Classification (Comp & Class) portion of the Fiscal Year (FY) '21 Budget. The Council previously passed the tax levy keeping property taxes level and ensured no tax increase for...

Joint Statement from City Council President Sabina Matos and Councilman John J. Igliozzi, Esq.
Last night, we learned the disturbing news that a 9-year-old girl was briefly abducted in Providence after getting off of her school bus in the Hartford neighborhood. This shocking occurrence is currently being investigated by Providence Police. The suspect is...