City Council, October 8, 2025

 

A regular session of the Pawtucket City Council was held Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at 7:00 p.m., in the Temporary City Council Chambers, 2^nd Floor, 100 Freight St., Pawtucket, RI.

 

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

 

Absent – Councilor Coderre.

 

President Mercer presided.

 

 

The reading of the records of the September 24, 2025 City Council meeting was dispensed with and the records were APPROVED as prepared by the Clerk.

 

 

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

 

            *THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICATIONS WERE READ AND ORDERED FILED

           

028      A.     Resolution from the Town of Westerly Preserving the Name, Significance and Observance of the Victory Day Holiday

           

028      B.     Communication from Jordan Karlik, Blackstone Distribution Center, LLC, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (1 Moshassuck St. Q3 2025 Construction Update)

           

630      C.     Communication from Robert Burns, Tax Assessor, to Tracey Giron, Director of Administration (2027 Full Revaluation) 

           

**3      D.     Communication from Omar Reyes, Chair, Pawtucket School Committee, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council (Requesting Extension for Reporting on School Department’s $500,000 City Grant) 

           

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

 

607      Communication from Christopher Montalto, Supervisor, Distribution Design, RI Energy, to the Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council, submitting a petition for installation of a joint pole at Montgomery St. WAS APPROVED PENDING APPROVAL FROM THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS

 

 

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

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

330      AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF WATER REVENUE BONDS AND NOTES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS ($50,000,000) FOR THE PURPOSE OF FINANCING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PAWTUCKET WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM

 

 

UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON CLAIMS AND PENDING SUITS, THE MOTION TO DENY AND REFER TO THE RICCI DRAIN-LAYING COMPANY THE FOLLOWING CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY WAS APPROVED ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

Joao Fernandes – $801.69 / $1,128.68 (Windshield)

 

 

UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON CLAIMS AND PENDING SUITS, THE MOTION TO DENY AND REFER TO THE RI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION THE FOLLOWING CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY WAS APPROVED ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

 

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

 

NOES – 0.

 

Lidia Trejo – $325.88 (Pothole)

 

 

THE FOLLOWING MATTER WAS POSTPONED AT THE MEETINGS HELD SEPTEMBER 10 AND 24, 2025, AND WAS AGAIN TAKEN UP:

 

DISCUSSION REGARDING USE OF CURRENT SCHOOL BONDING AND FUTURE SCHOOL BONDING NEEDS

 

The Council discussed their concerns about the School Committee spending $1.1 million on the design of a new Slater Middle School when there has been no dialogue with the administration or the city council about the economic feasibility of bonding over $100 million to build the new school at this time.

 

President Mercer asked Deputy Director of Administration Elizabeth Moreira to ask the RI Department of Education if there is an alternative funding method for building the school, similar to the method used for a new school in Central Falls.

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Wildenhain, seconded by the entire City Council, the meeting adjourned in memory of Bud Tessier at 7:42 PM.