PAWTUCKET CITY COUNCIL

CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL

137 ROOSEVELT AVENUE, PAWTUCKET, RI

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2025

 

 

A regular session of the Pawtucket City Council was held Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 7:14 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 137 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI.

 

Present – President Mercer; Councilors Araujo, Coderre, Gregor, Moran, Rubio, and Wildenhain.

 

Absent – Councilors Moreno and Stachowiak.

 

President Mercer presided.

 

1.      The reading of the records of the March 5, 2025 Finance Committee meeting, Committee on Claims and Pending Suits meeting and City Council meeting was dispensed with and the records were APPROVED as prepared by the Clerk.

 

2.      Upon motion made by Councilor Araujo, seconded by Councilor Moran, the *Consent Agenda was APPROVED on a unanimous voice vote:

 

*THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICATIONS WERE READ AND ORDERED FILED

           

1. 028 Various Forms and Statements from RI Infrastructure Bank

 

2. 028 Resolution from the Town of Portsmouth Regarding the Restoration of General Revenue Sharing to Cities and Towns

 

3. 028 Resolution from the Town of Charlestown in Support of House Bill 2025 – H 5315, An Amendment to the Rhode Island General Laws to Allow for the Temporary Service of Election Officials After Retirement

 

4. 028 Joint Resolution from the Burrillville Town Council and the Burrillville School Committee Requesting Support and Subsidy for Transportation of Homeless Students

 

5. 028 Resolution from the Burrillville Town Council in Support of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns’ 2025 Legislative Priorities

 

6. 028 Resolution from the Burrillville Town Council in Support of House Bill 2025 – H 5371 Relating to State Affairs and Government – Public Notice Act

 

7. 028 Resolutions from Exeter-West Greenwich Regional School Committee Regarding School Transportation

 

8. 591 Communication from Council President Terrence E. Mercer, to RI Attorney General Peter Neronha.  (Future Use of Memorial Hospital Building) WAS POSTPONED AT THE MARCH 5, 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING

 

9. AN ORDINANCE REPEALING ARTICLE X OF CHAPTER 50 AND AMENDING ARTICLE VI OF CHAPTER 63 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET 1996, REGARDING THE SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES – WAS LAID ON THE TABLE AND REFERRED TO THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE.

 

10. THE FOLLOWING CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY WAS REFERRED TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND RI INTERLOCAL TRUST:
    Wilinton Agudelo Giraldo by Progressive Insurance – $10,822.38 (Police Cruiser)

           

**  TAKEN OFF CONSENT AGENDA FOR COMMENTS ONLY, NO OTHER ACTION TAKEN.

 

            THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR CODERRE:

 

3.      Upon motion made by Councilor Coderre, seconded by Councilors Moran and Araujo, the agenda was amended to include the following ordinance, on a unanimous voice vote:

 

AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 388 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996 ENTITLED “VEHICLES & TRAFFIC” (Tidewater Stadium Zone Parking)

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Coderre, seconded by Councilor Moran, the following ordinance was LAID ON THE TABLE AND REFERRED TO THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE, on a unanimous voice vote:

 

AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 388 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, 1996 ENTITLED “VEHICLES & TRAFFIC” (Tidewater Stadium Zone Parking)

 

 

4.      Communication from His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council, submitting the following appointment as an alternate member (Democrat) of the Board of Canvassers, FOR CONFIRMATION:

 

BOARD OF CANVASSERS

 

589      John J. Barry, III, 118 Division St., Pawtucket, RI 02860. Term expires the 1^st Monday in January 2027,

WAS READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

The following nomination submitted by His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, for confirmation, was CONFIRMED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

AYES – President Mercer; Councilors Araujo, Coderre, Gregor, Moran, Rubio, and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

BOARD OF CANVASSERS

 

John J. Barry, III, 118 Division St., Pawtucket, RI 02860.

Term expires the 1^st Monday in January 2027.

 

5.      Communication from His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council, submitting the following appointment as a member of the Juvenile Hearing Board, FOR CONFIRMATION:

 

JUVENILE HEARING BOARD

 

589      Kevin Whalen, 132 Harris St., Pawtucket, RI 02861. Term expires the 1^st Monday in December 2027,

WAS READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

The following nomination submitted by His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, for confirmation, was CONFIRMED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

AYES – President Mercer; Councilors Araujo, Coderre, Gregor, Moran, Rubio, and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

JUVENILE HEARING BOARD

 

Kevin Whalen, 132 Harris St., Pawtucket, RI 02861.

Term expires the 1^st Monday in December 2027.

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR WILDENHAIN:

 

6.      Upon motion made by Councilor Wildenhain, seconded by Councilor Rubio, the agenda was amended to include the following communication, on a unanimous voice vote:

 

Communication from Toni Marie Roderick, MBA, Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Tax Exemptions for 727 Central Ave. and 1202 Newport Ave.)

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Wildenhain, seconded by Councilor Rubio, the following communication was REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, on a unanimous voice vote:

 

Communication from Toni Marie Roderick, MBA, Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Tax Exemptions for 727 Central Ave. and 1202 Newport Ave.)

 

7.      Communication from His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council, submitting the following appointment as a member of the Juvenile Hearing Board, FOR CONFIRMATION:

 

JUVENILE HEARING BOARD

 

589      Oscar B. Libreros, 82 Warwick Rd., Pawtucket, RI 02861. Term expires the 1^st Monday in December 2027,

WAS READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

The following nomination submitted by His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, for confirmation, was CONFIRMED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

AYES – President Mercer; Councilors Araujo, Coderre, Gregor, Moran, Rubio, and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

JUVENILE HEARING BOARD

 

Oscar B. Libreros, 82 Warwick Rd., Pawtucket, RI 02861.

Term expires the 1^st Monday in December 2027.

 

 

8.      Communication from His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council, submitting the following appointment as the Pawtucket Foundation member of the Public Arts Fund Committee FOR CONFIRMATION:

 

PUBLIC ARTS FUND COMMITTEE

 

589      Gaetan Kashala, 200 Main St. Suite 200, Pawtucket, RI 02860. Term expires the 1^st Monday in June 2028,

WAS READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

The following nomination submitted by His Honor, Mayor Donald R. Grebien, for confirmation, was CONFIRMED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

AYES – President Mercer; Councilors Araujo, Coderre, Gregor, Moran, Rubio, and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

PUBLIC ARTS FUND COMMITTEE

 

Gaetan Kashala, 200 Main St. Suite 200, Pawtucket, RI 02860.

Term expires the 1^st Monday in June 2028.

 

 

9.      UPON RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CITY PROPERTY COMMITTEE, THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

 

AYES – President Mercer; Councilors Araujo, Coderre, Gregor, Moran, Rubio, and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

 588     RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET TO ENTER INTO A ONE-YEAR LEASE EXTENSION AGREEMENT WITH CORE COLLABORATIVES, LLC, FOR THE PERIOD ENDING FEBRUARY 28, 2026, AT A RENTAL RATE OF $150 PER MONTH, FOR USE OF THE PARKING LOT ON MAIN STREET WHICH IS PART OF THE PARCEL LOCATED AT 217 MAIN STREET, PAWTUCKET, RI, DESCRIBED AS ASSESSOR’S PLAT 43, LOT 594 FOR THE PAWTUCKET PUBLIC LIBRARY.

 

 

10.  UPON RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CITY PROPERTY COMMITTEE, THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

 

AYES – President Mercer; Councilors Araujo, Coderre, Gregor, Moran, Rubio, and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

588      RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET TO ENTER INTO A ONE-YEAR LEASE EXTENSION AGREEMENT WITH NEXUS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC, FOR THE PERIOD ENDING FEBRUARY 28, 2026, AT A RENTAL RATE OF $600 PER MONTH FOR THE USE OF THE PARKING LOT ON SUMMER ST, (AP43 L629) FOR THE PAWTUCKET PUBLIC LIBRARY.

 

 

11.  The following ordinance was read for the SECOND time and APPROVED on a roll call vote, as follows:

 

AYES – President Mercer; Councilors Araujo, Coderre, Gregor, Moran, Rubio, and Wildenhain.

 

NOES – 0.

 

330      AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A PAY PLAN FOR THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET FOR UNIFORM MEMBERS OF THE POLICE AND REPEALING CHAPTER 3138 IN ITS ENTIRETY (July 1, 2023- June 30, 2024)

 

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Wildenhain, seconded by the entire City Council, the meeting was adjourned in memory of Ruth Borden, Teresa Cabral, and Walter “Buster” Wall at 7:38 PM.