We're going to call the public works committee a uh meeting to order Thursday, August 14th at six PM.

May I please get a roll call.

Present.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Next on the is committee matter carried over.

Seeing none, we're going to move on to public comment in the chambers.

I welcome the public to come up and comment on docketed matters only.

Please state your name and address.

And you'll have about four minutes to provide your comments.

Please step up in an orderly fashion.

Thank you.

Okay, seeing none, I'm gonna go ahead and ask Tom if there's anybody on Zoom that would like to participate in.

Pauline DeRosa.

Pauline, you can go ahead.

Pauline, please unmute or make sure your microphone is working.

Tom, would it be okay for her to type into the chat?

Please use the uh QA.

Ms.

DeRosa, if you could type into the question and answer box to confirm that you have microphone abilities.

Yeah, Tom, can you type in to her?

Okay, I apologize, Mr.

We're not able to hear you.

If you'd like to call back onto a phone or um type into the chat, I know I keep saying that, but I don't want to leave you hanging.

Okay, I apologize.

Um unfortunately, I'm going to have to move on, so I'm gonna have to go ahead and close public comment for this evening.

Okay, um, new matters before the committee.

Um we have a petition from Narragansett Electric for the installation of three new two-way manholes, approximately 1690 feet of conduit on Wellington Av.

Um, I have received a letter from Director Correo stating that he's reviewed the application from Narragansett Electric and recommends approval.

He is also here in the audience if you have any questions.

Um, so I will entertain a motion to approve.

So move.

Second.

Discussion.

Councilman Anduhar.

Uh Director, I have a question for you.

Do you know the last time that street that part of the street was paved?

Uh that work is part of that I 95 Route 10 interchange project with Rhode Island Department of Transportation.

We had received plans a few months ago with them regarding getting a right of way permit to work within the city right of way in the end, madam chair.

We have to, we're on for a poll.

We we can't be talking about future plans to pay roads.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

I mean, madam chair, my only question was if they're gonna retrench it with asphalt or cement.

That's where I was trying to get up.

But I mean, if we can't talk about it, let's move on to something else.

Is asphalt related to the poll?

No.

Not at this time.

Okay, thank you.

Um if there's no other discussion, may I please get a roll call?

Consmandujar?

Yes.

Yes, Consulwoman Heroyan, yes.

Yes, Preserino.

Thank you.

Next, another petition from Narraganson elect for the installation of a new poll, which is P9015-50 and P9009-75 for a feeder to 7 F1.

They're going to also install a new new polls and feeder at um 2213 on Wellington Avenue.

Um again, I have a letter from Dr.

Correo.

He reviewed the application.

Um he recommends approval.

He is here in the audience to discuss this specific item.

Um, if anyone has any questions, and we will go ahead and entertain a motion.

So moved.

Second.

Just for the record, is that a motion to approve?

Motion to approve.

And I'll second your motion to approve.

Thank you.

Discussion.

May I please get a roll call.

Consponduhar?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Thank you.

Next is council communication.

We're going to go ahead and start with Councilman Wall.

This is in regards to 45 Poplar Drive.

Um and rodent and rat issues at the apartment.

So we're going to hear an update on that.

Thank you.

Certainly I'd like to hear.

And I have a little feedback.

I did visit the site.

I just want to point out I took a couple of pictures when I went out Friday.

Um Poplar Drive.

That whole section.

Okay.

And recently, as sad as it had as it is, someone sent me a picture.

I I copied a couple of them.

They sent me about 40 of them.

There's about 20 rat holes there.

It's the same property, except on that property, there are two, two buildings.

In my initial my initial um presentation, I took pictures of some of the others.

Um I had the opportunity Friday to go out, and I'll say the first one, the one that is on Cypress Avenue and the Poplar Cypress Avenue there, that that one there, they seem to have done a pretty good job.

They put out some bait traps, they look new, there's no mud in it.

Most, I'll say most, I will not say all of the rat holes are filled in.

Most.

It was much, it was infinitely better.

However, if you turn the corner, the same property, that's why it's highlighted is under the same owner.

Um the other apartment building, as you turn the corner that's under the same listing, has multiple, if not 15 rat holes.

15 of them.

Um as I was out there, people asked me what I was doing because I had a complaint.

And they told me, yeah, there's plenty of rats here.

The thing that's interesting about this one is, and I asked, I I I looked, I was looking for the trash.

I figured where the rats eat, right?

They have to eat the trash.

Um, the trash in this one, it's a very nice apartment build.

Um, the trash in this one is in the parking garage that's underneath it.

But as I walked in and saw it, it was pretty highly filled, and it was uncovered.

So if a rat, and I know understand they're pretty ingenious little beasts.

If a rat can get in there, he's got a he's got a good meal there.

And he's uncovered from the height.

You know, um, so that is a concern because that's the same exact property.

So I can tell you the first property we looked at from my vision, and that's Friday as of Friday afternoon.

It still has some rat holes, but it's infinitely better than it once was.

The second one that's also in the same same lot.

It looks like nobody did anything to it.

I'll be honest with you.

I and I just wanted to preface that before I get the update that I was kind of surprised to see, you know, to get a call.

I thought they were gonna call me and say how how how it was doing so much better.

And um, I think we've got mixed reviews here.

Um, but I'm definitely ready for whatever update you have, director.

As to that, I uh make sure I call that to their attention, they'll be happy to go out and assess the situation you just described.

I'm not sure if they report included, I'm not sure those addresses as you said, because I know it's been reported as 43 or 45 Poplar.

I don't know if there's been confusion.

However, regardless, we'll have inspections take a peek and talk to the management there.

Um director, would you mind if I just make a commentary on this one?

And it's gonna sound snarky and it's not intended, but it's frustrating.

If we're going out there, and I know when I originally went out there, I didn't just go with the you know blind design to one apartment.

I walked all around.

I walked into Garden City to see what it was like.

I'm so surprised that no one decided to walk a little further down.

The apartment's almost, I mean, look at the space between them.

I'm just frustrated, not frustrated at you, but if we're really trying to do something about it, walking around specific places with blinders on, I I don't think, and maybe they could have looked at the same vision appraisal I did.

If I could find it, I'm not you know, I I don't know every home in them in the place, but it it is annoying.

I mean, I I know you can't voice that, but I I have the ability to voice it because my constituents are saying, Thank you.

I'm sorry to interrupt.

That's okay.

My only response is I'm not sure if that was inspected or not.

I'm not saying it wasn't, I'm not saying it was.

I need to confirm that.

Had it not been, then they'll take a peek.

Um, you know, to assess it.

And I don't think that would be a problem.

Uh so I really can't necessarily speak on that, but what's been reported to me about that property was that to the point you were making earlier, there's been uh substantial improvements.

And um, you know, as as we last reported, there they did replace it's confirmed the inspections was out there earlier this week, I believe sometime.

And um the property was re-inspected, the dumpster new you know, new dumpsters that seem very contained, uh accessible with lids down, the ones that were observed.

Certainly, as you mentioned, I'd be happy to you know point that out tomorrow.

Um they have developed a good inspections has developed a good rapport with the management company, who is I'm told also the owner.

Um that's all positive.

The one thing that they did mention to me specifically, and I don't know if this pertains to that that area of the property, but they did say there are open uh rat holes, and the reason for that is the that's because the pest company wants to be able to put uh to uh put the uh put bait or poison down those holes.

Um so people will observe rat holes, they're not covering those up.

And the attention there is that give the uh that the uh uh pest control people have access to basically put uh poison in the holes.

Again, I'm not sure what holes and where, but uh that may attribute some of uh their efforts.

I don't know.

But but if you observe some rat holes, some I was told.

I'm not a pest control expert by any stretch.

Um, but that's what I'm told was their means of uh uh you know mitigating.

Uh so that would account for some of them, I'm not sure all of them.

And I too am not, uh but I I've been doing a little research on it.

I seem like I um I the research I've said that and and anybody who knows anything, uh you know, I I don't know if director, if you know anything more than I do, that we're supposed to throw the poison down or gas and water, not gas like gasoline, but there's some type of poison noxious gas that they shoot down the hole and then they cover it.

The way I understand it is the holes are supposed to be covered, though those dwell where the rats dwell, we're supposed to cover it.

I I believe that's even in the state law, um, the state regs.

Um, because people are seeing that, and I don't blame them.

I mean, I'm I'm not and you know what?

I'm not gonna question, I certainly like to talk to them on that and on that matter.

Um, because they did fill in.

I mean, you know, we had in that one spot, we probably had 1520 easily spot holes there.

I think all but three are filled in right now.

So they filled in the majority of them.

All right.

Now on the other property, they didn't fill in, no one's even going there.

I'm sure of that.

I'm sure I I can't see how they went anywhere near it.

Right.

But I just just a commentary back and forth.

The way I understood it, that wasn't the way it was supposed to be, but you and I am both in the same boat.

I'm not a I'm not an exterminator.

I'm not a rat guy either.

Um they did mention there's uh they they're finding dog poop there.

Don't know if that's tenants or neighbors that allow the droppings to stay there.

Does not help the situation.

Um, but their maintenance uh that we're told the building maintenance people do go out and uh tend to that.

Uh so but uh again, we're happy to follow up as you indicated.

Um, and that's what I have.

I do I do have a question.

Um when uh I checked when we originally brought this up and we met in the mayor's office um in the first week of June, and this was brought up um shortly after on June the 12th.

All right, so we're about 60 some odd days later.

All right.

Um, as I did say, I was real clear that that property is a lot better.

But the truth is they haven't fixed everything.

They've had 60 days to do what they needed to do, and there are three holes.

Have they?

I mean, at that time we sent the letter.

Are we are we sending fines out at all?

Because the truth is 60 days later, it's not all done.

Uh I'm not aware of it, nor do I believe they would have fined people because of the improvement uh to the area, at least the area, if not the whole area that that they addressed again.

We'll we'll check it, but you can't find them for something that they're not guilty of.

Well, I mean, I'm not gonna go back and forth.

60 days is still not done.

You're saying that, but I'll ask inspections to they're saying it is if they miss that area of the property, be happy to check it out.

As you said, there's tremendous improvement at least in one section, and we just have to confirm the other um to see if they are inspecting it.

Councilman Wall, if you wouldn't mind if I added something.

Not at all.

So I do have yes, more.

Um well, I'm just thinking like can we get a report from inspections?

Like I would generally write like all my site visits down, what I've seen, um, the you know, the compliance, what what's not in compliance?

So I'm wondering if that would be helpful to you, Councilman Wall, if you received like what their inspection report was.

I mean, it's a public record, so like whatever their inspections were.

Would you like that?

I mean, I that's certainly I mean, and this would go through the director, and I don't, I'm not sure if that if they can appear before us.

I mean, between the the inspector and I were the only ones who've been out there.

So I'm saying you're saying this is what the inspector says, and I'm telling you what I saw.

Um, I took pictures.

Um, and I can show you, I can you know, Tom, I can show you a few of them.

These are just a few.

I got I it's a nice randle.

Show me the next one.

Yeah.

And similar to the other ones, and there's a bait box there.

I can say the bait boxes look like they change.

There should be one in a wall.

Every there's a there's a wall that goes around the parking lot in every seam in the wall is a pretty sizable hole, rat hole that that I that I found.

Um that the neighbors pointed out to me.

Um this is so that's there.

I didn't take any pictures of the existing structure.

I thought they had done a good job, but the job's done when it's done.

So that's my frustration.

You know, if it was one rat hole, there's about three there still now.

It's better than it was, but it's not done.

So, director, is that something we do, or just tell me the truth?

We wouldn't bring would we bring the inspector in before public works?

Is that something you'd be amenable to?

I'm not sure.

I'm not sure if it's just redundant or over the top, frankly.

Uh, here's her report.

I spoke with the owner's son who is in charge of the issue.

Attach our couple of invoices as indicated on one of the last dates of service on August 5th.

The property is clean, except for I'm assuming the tenants not picking up dog waste, as there are some in a couple of spots between the two buildings.

He says he has has his maintenance man there at least once a week.

They remove any and the any that they find on the ground, as well as the tenants have been notified.

Also, there are some holes which have bait boxes right next to them.

He is going to contact the pest company and see if the holes can be filled in again.

Uh, but they had told them the last time a couple need to stay open because they also use uh bait underground.

The dumpsters were replaced and closed.

That's the report.

You're not gonna hear any more than that.

We can have men and pay more overtime and get the same answer.

That's the only difference.

We're not lying to you, is we're not hiding anything.

No, and I and it, and I hope you understand.

I'm not accusing you either.

For what I am, and you can tell by the tone, you know how I I am uh director.

I am frustrated that I walked right right there and saw a similar thing right next door.

Um so that piece, and you're on you weren't the one who went out.

I get it.

That piece is pretty annoying because we know we have a bat situation here.

It's not beyond the realm of possibilities that they could be in the next building.

So I would like to continue this.

Is it possible to have for the members of the committee to also have the report available to us?

Is the copy in our packets?

Is that possible as well for next time?

Sure.

That's excellent.

Thank you so much.

Um next is Councilwoman Heroyan on a budlong pool update in a citywide splash pad update.

I know Director Correo is here to give us an update.

Um, Councilman Horyan, would you like to say anything before the director speaks?

No, he can speak and update us, please.

All right, thank you for having me come here.

I do have, yep, it is on.

Uh I do have good news and better news.

The good news is the building itself is moving along quite well.

All of the roughing has been done, all of the inspections have been completed.

They've already put up all the wallboard on the interior side.

They have primed all the wall boards.

They did some filling of the concrete floor that needed to be done so that it all becomes onto one level.

There's a companies are going in next week to finish the painting.

They were just waiting for a color choice, which they had received today.

They'll be out there next week to do finish the painting.

They'll be out there to start prepping the floor to put the epoxy coating that has to go on the floor.

And then once that is complete within the next two weeks, they'll be putting in the final fixtures, working on the petitions that have to go up in the showers and in the bathrooms.

And we're looking to have the actual building itself, which is only the lower level of the building, not the upper part, but only the lower level.

The lower level is scheduled to be completed by the end of September.

The better news is that the water is no longer entering the pool the way it was.

The dike that they built actually worked.

So that's we've been able to contain the water.

They did put in what they call a well point, and they put four pumps in the ground to help relieve the pressure that was originally pushing that water up into the bottom of the excavation.

So that's been in place.

We wanted to make sure that was functioning and that we were able to get that water down.

So right now there's almost zero amount of water in there.

And as a result, now they're going to get the site contractor back out there to clean out the excavation, and then he can continue his work to put the subdrain that needs to go in at the deeper end of the pool.

Once that's complete, then the pool company that's building the pool will be coming out, and they have approximately 45 days worth of work to actually get the pool itself constructed.

The way things are going now with the timing that we have, some of the final things that you need to do on the pool are weather sensitive and temperature sensitive.

So as a result, the plan right now is they'll get the pool structure itself in place.

They'll backfill around the pool, and we're gonna let it sit through the winter.

We're looking that that work should be completed around the end of November.

Then what happens is next spring, depending on the weather, whether it's March or April, they pull plaster the pool, put the tile in on the pool, and they need to fill that pool with water as soon as they complete the plaster because that helps cure the plaster on the pool.

And then once that's done, the rest of the flat work around the pool, which is the aprons, will be able to be completed, and we anticipate that that pool would be done by the late May of next year.

Thank you very much for the positive updates tonight.

Thank you.

Um, I just had a sorry, I have a question.

So no.

I'll just say, you know, we are drought hasn't rained in like I don't know, 10 days.

Um, so I would hope there was no water in there.

I guess I I last time I voiced my opinion, and I like about the concern of where it's going to be pumped and like what the soils are out in the area that it's going to be pumped and whether it's going to create another issue where the excess water is being pumped once the pumps go on.

And like if you've taken a look at that in the soils and if those soils can meet the criteria to handle that water.

Yeah.

The the good news is that's all adjacent to that, and I'm not sure what that would be called, but there's a wetland adjacent to where the pool area is now.

There is an area where they DEM had come out there a couple of weeks ago to review the site, and the only thing that they had asked was because the water that's coming out of there is groundwater, it's clean, there's no siltation, there's no chemicals, there's no nothing in it.

They said as long as we're dumping it into a hay bailed containment area, and you let that seep through any set any sediment that's within that water, which right now has been zero.

But if there was any, it would be captured in that containment area that they have, and they said it's fine to let it leach out over the ground and into that wetland adjacent to where the pool area is at the far side of that uh site.

But that's in that's not in perpetuity.

Is it in perpetuity?

No, we don't anticipate that to happen in pituity.

We're just trying to get that water down so they can construct the pool.

Once that's done, then we need to evaluate whether or not we need to have all that pumping to continue because once the pool is in the ground, it is designed to sit in the water table.

Because once the pool is in the ground, it is designed to sit in the water table.

So it's going to be about two feet in the water table at a constant level.

So they have a sub drain underneath the new pool.

The floor itself has been designed to withstand the pressure of that being in two feet of the water table.

It's reinforced concrete, and all of that should be the point so that we can continue or discontinue the use of the pumps and be able to let the groundwater seep its natural level again surround that pool in the area that it was, and hopefully we'll have minimal pumping required in order to maintain that.

Okay, yeah.

So just hear me out.

This is my thought.

So like if it had to continue in perpetuity, essentially there would be an area acting as like an infiltration basin.

And I'm not worried about the water.

I know it's clean and I absolutely agree with that.

I guess what I'm concerned about is um where the estimated seasonal high groundwater is where you're pumping it and whether or not during like large storms where the soils become saturated, whether or not the area that it's being pumped to, if it is this, I just want you to want to voice my concern that like if it can withstand like a hundred-year storm.

So like I guess my concern essentially is like if you pump it out somewhere and you're displacing the water, that's fine, but the soils need to be able to handle it, and that needs to be designed appropriately if it ends up being in perpetuity.

Right.

And if we were just dumping it on the soil, I mean, then you could consider doing it.

There was no watershed analysis done to evaluate what a 100 year storm would bring to that area.

But like I said, right now it's adjacent to a very, very large wetland area, and it has been able to contain that water.

There has been no additional flooding as a result of it.

We've had some significant rainfalls over the past couple of weeks before we had this nice weather that we've got now.

There was never a problem downstream, never an issue, and I wouldn't anticipate there would be any as we go forward.

Okay, all right.

Just if you need to give me a ring, I mean I can help out.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

So sorry, splash pad update.

Yeah.

Um, as we know from the last meeting, um we say citywide, but you know, soliciting input for where the residents feel uh the splash pad uh should best be placed.

Um we're so doing the mayor's taking an active role in that soliciting feedback.

Um given the feedback he's receiving, and then is his feelings is that uh uh it should be built uh adjoining uh when the abudlung pool uh complex because it makes a lot of sense.

Um couple of things in the project uh scope of the pool, there was uh it's plumbed, if you will, uh for for the water lines up to a certain point and was planned to be capped uh at a later date uh splash pad added.

So given the current scope of work, we're in gonna be in great shape just to be able to connect the splash pad to a site that will we could tap into at any time.

But probably the biggest advantages would be that uh there are restrooms there, there are changing facilities, there's showers there, and it really can envision more of a family environment, and I think you can get more family use of the pool by bringing people of different younger ages and different ages, older two, but to enjoy the splash pad and the pool facility, along with the amenity of the complex.

So, you know, that that's a favored direction to go in.

Um, the uh uh toys or the equipment are in um and probably better off making a decision sooner than later before the site work is completed if the pool if the splash pad would be located there.

Are there any plans to have a community meeting so the public can voice their opinion?

I believe we're gonna put that as a council agenda item that may be publicly noticed.

Uh uh to people come forward with that.

I did have a lot of they did want a splash pad in wood too.

That's what too.

Council President Marino.

Thank you, Councilman Graziano.

Um, Director Moretti, um do you want to have this meeting in August or September?

Earlier the better.

Council President, for the reason I mentioned that with the site work being completed over the next several weeks.

Okay.

Uh it would be better to know sooner than later.

So if you can, I would say if we could possibly do it for the end of August.

Okay.

Or it'd probably be better off.

All right, it makes sense to have its own uh its own meeting.

So okay, I'll um reach out to the clerk.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Okay.

Anyone else like to speak better?

Wonderful.

Okay.

Seeing none, I'm gonna head over to Councilman Ritz and myself are gonna sort of talk about speeding citywide.

So I'll let Councilman Ritz go first since um he added this to the agenda.

Thank you.

I'm not a member of this committee, so thank you for letting me uh talk about it.

When I um walk and meet with residents speeding for ward four is definitely the number one thing I hear about, mainly Hope Road and NATO Gav.

So um with NATO Gav, I know most of you guys are familiar with it, but it's it is a very windy road, has a lot of curves.

They did do a traffic study.

The average speed was 31.9 miles per hour, but like I said, it doesn't reflect the dangers posed by it, curves and narrow lanes.

Um I know temporary speed bumps had come up.

Uh I talked to Chief Winkwist, and you know, he shared his concerns when it interfering with emergency response, snow removal, liability risks.

So I I understand the concerns there.

But I did do some research on this with what other towns were doing, and I did talk to the traffic safety engineer uh on some of these ideas too.

I bring it up here just so I think these are things that could be used in other areas of the city, and then just to share it with you too, and I can email it over some of the things that had come up.

But some of the things I've seen and heard from the residents here too was installing the radar speed feedback signs, having them more prominent on the road, um, more police cruisers there, which I had uh speaking to Chief Winquist about when you have increased that a little bit.

But implementing traffic engineering solutions like lane narrowing, improved signage and curb extensions.

The traffic engineer thought that was an interesting idea.

Um, but needed some some approval with you to explore it a little bit more.

Um deploying um rumble strips on the winding portion of Natagav to reduce speeding, and the other issue is drifting into the other lanes.

This was Councilman Campo Piano's idea, which I did look up.

Other towns have done that with similar roads, and it has worked.

Um also center line buffers again, uh the lane drifting is an issue there too.

And then a community speed watch program to engage residents in monitoring reporting speed has worked in other towns, making it easier for them to report these issues, especially with habitual speeders on that road.

I know there's been a few that have been sent in and they've addressed that with them, and it seems to um alleviate that that issue that we had there too.

So I just want to share those ideas with everybody.

I'll I'll send them over to you to think about too.

But those are some different things that I thought that we could possibly try there, and if works, like could be used.

So um I have a few other streets, and and I agree with Councilman Ritz.

The radar sign was the only thing I could think that it slowed traffic over on Broad Street in the village.

Um, I think that has helped.

Um, but I have like smaller streets and then concerns around elementary schools and middle schools.

So I don't think for mine, like Prospect Street, Chiswick, I'm sure it happens on every street in the entire city of Cranston.

Um, these are just the people that have reached out to me specifically, and both have had traffic studies done by the city.

Um the smaller streets, I understand wouldn't have the radar signs because I we can't afford to do you know thousands of radar signs on every street.

Um, but I'm wondering if um, like at the elementary or middle school areas, um park avenue.

Um, you know, we could have some of those signs, and maybe like obviously NATO Gav would be a prime one for it.

And I would even say I think Hope Road has one in some spots.

Okay.

Um, but like definitely around the elementary and middle schools.

I think that is is a good investment.

I've also done the same thing that Councilman Ritz has done, which is reach out um to Major Padolano and explain all my issues um with speeding, and we had the Colonel here, and he did explain that you know, they have a team of people that that go through and target traffic.

Obviously, we're not going to completely alleviate every speeding person in the city of Cranson.

That's an unrealistic expectation.

Um, but I think little things go a long way.

So I'm wondering if, like, you know, the administration could think about exactly what we're talking about, like the radar signs in on some of these like larger roads.

And then I think we did talk about lane narrowing with the colonel.

Um, that also serves as an excellent stormwater reducer.

Um, so I would be in favor of that.

So I just wanted to, I mean, I thought I would piggyback because it's something that I get a ton of feedback um from my constituents and and our residents about the speeding.

Um, but if we could start tackling, like I said, like the high traffic areas like um elementary schools, middle schools, natagav, hope road, that would be great.

And I'm sure other wards have similar issues.

Um, and maybe there could be somebody that identifies these larger areas and there could be some type of budget um for these signs.

Um that's that's my thought.

The cut through streets to schools in areas um directly across the street here, rugby.

They speed.

Oh, and then the last thing was I think the colonel offered to do like a little community outreach on speeding.

So uh if you know council members were interested in doing that, um, maybe we could do that at like a central location somewhere.

I was thinking about reaching out to him and seeing if he could do that.

Okay, great.

And I don't know if anyone else had any comments.

I do.

I'm learning a lot.

I see you council people going directly to staff people.

That's against the charter.

Um sort of let me say the fine line between directing and inquiring.

Um is a good example where the administration is blindsided to the activities that you've engaged with our employees.

Our employees don't necessarily give the feedback, so we kindly request to play by the rules.

We'll be as helpful as we can to you if you can cooperate with us.

That'd be appreciated.

Um, so you threw a lot of stuff out, and that sounds like a lot of massive effort and Matt probably a very good amount of money.

So I think if you can arrange your priorities and let us know to hit to hit everything that you said, it's where do you want to start?

Um, so if you can f narrow that down a little bit, uh it would probably be more productive for all of us.

Thank you.

Uh great.

Anyone else?

There's nothing else on the agenda.

So um, can I get a motion to adjourn?

Motion to adjourn.

All those in favor?

Meeting adjourned at six forty-three p.m.

on Thursday, August 14th.

Clerk, maybe please take a roll.

Councilman Campbiano, Pastor Banano, Councilwoman Graziano, present.

Councilwoman Horyan.

Present.

Council by President Wall.

Here.

I would like uh entertain a motion to approve the minutes from the June 2nd, 2025 special meeting.

So moved.

Second.

Clerk, may you please take a roll?

Councilman McGraziano.

Yes.

Councilwoman Heroyan.

Council Vice President Wall.

Yes.

Councilman Andrew?

Yes.

Council Preservino.

Yes.

I would also like to entertain a motion to approve the minutes from the June 12th, 2025 meeting.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Clerk, may you please take a roll.

Councilwoman Graziano.

Yes.

Councilwoman Heroyan.

Yes.

Council President President Wall.

Yes.

Councilman Andrew Har.

Yes.

Council President.

There are no committee, no business carried over.

I would like to open up for public comment.

Is there anyone in public that would like to speak?

Seeing none.

Tom, is there anyone online that would like to speak?

There is no public comment online.

At this time, I would like to close public comment.

Moving on to new matters before the committee.

I would like to talk about uh ordinance and amendment of Title 10, Chapter 32, Section 225 of the City of Cranston Code of Ordinances 2005 entitled No Parking of Commercial Vehicles, sponsored by Councilwoman Graziano.

You may have the floor.

Thank you.

So this part of Ward One.

Tom, if you could put up the map that I provided.

That would be great.

So I've received several um phone calls from constituents' residents talking about 18 wheelers being parked along Narragansett Boulevard.

They're not just parked there for like a couple hours where they're making deliveries.

They're parked there all day and all night.

And this is something that's affecting the residents.

This is something that has affected the business owners that are over there.

There's several business owners.

Yes, thank you.

Along Montgomery, you know, on the edge of Montgomery Street on the corner of Narraganta Boulevard.

There's um freeway laundry over there.

There used to be Boulevard Pizza.

Um some of those businesses have since moved out, but they are um under new ownership now.

Um the residents are upset because thank you.

These trucks are there all the time, and I don't live that far from here.

So I um I drive by, so I drove by on Easter and they were there.

I drove by on Father's Day and they were there, and I drive by constantly.

Um that picture is from me.

Some of the other pictures are from constituents, Paul Griffin.

Um was an advocate for this.

Um, he is one of the residents that contacted me.

Um, and if the commit if the committee doesn't know, um, essentially some of the older members will recall um councilwoman Vargas of Ward One, who was my predecessor.

Um, she had the same issue along Broad Street in Ward 1, extending from same area, Montgomery Street all the way up to Betsy Williams.

And um, we had trucks, five of them parking overnight, and I drove by I would leave at 6 45 in the morning, and then I would get home at midnight from my meetings, and I would drive by and they're they're there all the time.

So my belief is they may have shimmied over to the other end on Narragante Boulevard, which one's parallel with with Broad Street.

Um, so based on the complaints and investigations by myself and the residents, I put forth this ordinance.

Thank you.

May entertain a motion to approve.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Are there any is there any further discussion?

Seeing none, Clerk, please take a roll.

Yes, Consman?

Yes, Council Preserino.

Yes.

Motion carries moving on to ordinance and amendment of Title 10, Chapter 32, Section 040 of the City of Cranston, Code of Ordinances 2005 entitled No Parking on Certain Streets, sponsored by Councilwoman Graziano.

You may have the floor.

Thank you, Councilman Andrew Har.

So I I would like to read a letter from a constituent um who lives on Wood Woodbury Road, who um reached out to me.

She reached out to me about an incident.

It was June 6, 2025.

Um, emergency services had been called for distressed resident, and they couldn't actually get down the road because it was a Friday night and there was parking due to Tuxit Village has a number of restaurants and areas where patrons go and they park on both sides of that street.

So she wrote to me on she didn't date it.

She did July 2025 with no no no date.

Um we would good evening, everyone.

We would like to have been here in person, but our travel plans didn't allow for this.

We are residents at 15 Woodbury Road in Edgewood and have witnessed rescues and fire trucks not being able to get down our part of Woodbury Road due to parking issues.

We have watched them having to back up and go around the block to get to its destination.

In the last two months of alone, we have had the rescue come to our Woodbury house at 15 Woodbury in our other side of our duplex at 17 Woodbury.

We are happy that it wasn't when people were double parked on both sides of the road, and this would have been a big issue, especially when a resident's having a massive heart attack and had to be rushed to the hospital.

We can't thank our fire department enough for all their efforts on saving his life.

Time was of the essence in that specific situation.

We have spoke with our relatives at Seven Woodbury and our neighbors at the corner of Parkway and Woodbury, and we are all in agreement that we need no parking signs on the west side of Woodbury Road from the corner of Parkway to in Woodbury south to the bend where Woodbury continues around the corner.

And I won't read the rest because it goes into like an incident with um the police and some cones, but that that's the gist of what on that was from Ralph and Delon Donna Balazzo.

In addition to that, I we there's also a letter attached to the agenda from our fire marshal who also supports the request for this ordinance.

Um, and there's a few pictures, Tom.

If you could just show really quick, just so the members can see.

Um, that's that's the length of the road.

It's 206 approximately 268 feet, and then there's some pictures from the residents of the parking on both sides and how difficult the width of the road, I also measured it is 24 feet, which is smaller than than a standard width road.

So the request is just to have parking on no parking on one side.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

May I entertain a motion to approve I'm gonna make a motion to approve.

Second.

Any further discussion?

Councilman Wall.

Um, first, should we enter the letter into the record?

All right.

First, uh you want in the record?

All right, and make a motion to enter the letter into the record.

Second.

Um further discussion.

Clark, please take a roll.

Councilman Graziano.

Yes.

Councilman Haroyan?

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Andy Hart.

Yes.

Council President Reno.

Yes.

Thank you.

Letter to be gone to the clerk.

Any further, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilman Andy Hart.

Um, thank you, Councilman Graziano, for addressing this.

I would like to be out as a co-sponsor.

If uh that's okay.

And the only other question I have with respect to this ordinance is for the solicitor, just to make sure we don't run up against the issue of do we need to hear back from the traffic engineer on this.

Can I go?

You may proceed.

So I did reach out to them through the administration about this, and I went I went back and forth with it, and I asked if if the traffic safety would provide a comment, and they said no, that they wouldn't do it.

And so this is this is where I was at.

Councilwoman Graziano, if we can to satisfy the charter provision, we can get something in writing that says that they choose not to make an opinion, then that'll suffice.

So I can somebody, I don't I don't know who's supposed to ask, but they're not gonna do it for me.

That's the way I understood it from my inquiry.

So how do I get that?

Madam President.

Thank you.

I'll send an email this evening addressing it on your behalf, and I'll CCU on it.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

So I guess we're back to we had some move.

Any further discussion?

Seeing none, Clerk Bleen, can you please take a roll?

Councilman Graziano.

Yes.

Councilman Heroyan.

Yes.

Councilman Dohara.

Yes.

Council President.

Yes.

Motion carried.

Um, no council communications.

May I entertain a motion to adjourn.

Motion to adjourn.

Second.

All those say aye.

And nay, ayes have it adjourned.