Clerk, could you please take a roll call?

Caswoman Graziano Present.

Cosby Ritz.

Present.

Present.

Present.

Here.

Could I please ask for approval next from the October sixth meeting two thousand twenty-five?

Second.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Any discussion.

Clerk crap, please have a roll call vote.

Is this on the minutes?

I'm going to open up public comment tonight.

Is there anyone here that would like to comment on agenda items only?

Is anyone online?

The hours of operation will be Monday through Sunday from ten A.

M.

till twelve A.M.

is a misprinted.

So we're following along with you.

Yeah.

Second.

This is the Armenian place on the corner over there across from the old Benny's.

So I'm glad that they're expanding.

Yes.

Councilman Vizier.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

That will go to a full council meeting tonight, and you're all set for now.

And it's licensed period, current date twelve one twenty five.

Next, new matters before the committee.

Indoor outdoor entertainment license for Burogy LLC located at one sixty at Wood Av.

Could I please have an approve?

Motion to approve.

Any discussion here.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Okay.

The meeting is over.

I'm going to call the meeting to adjourn now.

All those in favor saying motion to adjourn.

A second.

All in favor.

Well, I.

We're gonna call the public works committee meeting to order on Thursday, October 16th, 2025 at 604 p.m.

Clerk, may I get the roll call, please?

Yes, present.

Present.

Present.

Present.

Here.

Thank you.

Approval of meeting minutes.

Um, we're looking for an approval of meeting minutes from September 11th, 2025.

Can I get a motion to approve?

Motion to approve.

Any discussion.

Seeing none, may I please get a roll call?

Yes.

Councilman Vazeri?

Yes.

Pas for Cape Piano?

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Graziano?

Yes.

Yes.

Thank you.

Committee businesses, business matters carried over.

There are none this evening.

We're going to move on to public comment.

Uh, I will offer the public in chambers to come up to the podium, state your name and address and provide public comment on docketed items only.

Seeing none in the chambers, um, may I please see if there's anyone on Zoom who would wishes to make public comment?

There's no public comment online.

Thank you.

So I'm gonna go ahead and close public comment on docketed items.

New matters before the committee.

Um we have a petition of Narragansett Electric and Verizon, New England for installation of a new poll, which is P1-50 for a new reclosure on Western Industrial Drive.

Um we've received a letter from our public works director, and it recommends that we move forward and approve this poll.

So I am recommending that we issue an approval.

Motion to approve.

Second discussion.

I do have a question.

Maybe Frank could answer this.

I have a question.

When Rhode Island Energy Verizon, they asked for a new poll.

How long is it taking them to remove the old poll?

And are they leaving it there?

Well, that's two different questions.

The this is not for that.

When they put in these are brand new polls in new locations, so it's got nothing to do with the removal of an existing poll.

As far as them having to take the time to take out the old ones after they put a new one adjacent to it.

It's a constant battle with us right now, trying to make sure we get them done in a timely manner.

I'm not aware of any required time that they have to take those out at this time.

Okay.

Uh councilman Anderhar.

Now that we're going off topic, uh director.

Question with when they take out the poll and install a new poll and it's concrete.

Do they repatch it with concrete or do they put asphalt or do they that's my only question?

Yeah, they're required to place it in kind.

It may not be done immediately, but they are required to go back and replace whatever they take out in kind.

Okay, because I know and especially councilman Ritz's area, that that's over there.

A lot of people walk and jog along that sidewalk.

So I just wanted to make sure that you know there's no hazards for the for our c our constituents over there.

Thank you.

Yes, question.

Uh Mr.

Director.

Uh I I received a request from um major Padlano.

Oh, well, Senator Padalano for a street light.

How do you go about getting a poll location?

Installed.

Yeah, I would have to look into that with them.

Uh I'm not sure why they would be looking for a poll, a new poll in that location.

I mean, if there is no light there today, at one point in time they felt that it wasn't necessary.

I'm not sure what has changed that they would require it now.

I I investigative the area.

It's basically a relatively a new street.

Uh with with several uh houses being constructed.

So that probably could be.

Would this happen to be situate farms?

Yes.

Would it happen to be we're headed off topic here?

Sorry.

How do you go about getting getting a poll location?

What's that?

I mean, if it was, they would have to put a request into either Rhode Island Energy to have a poll installed, and then the city would put in the light itself.

But Madam Chair, if I if I may, um respectfully, yeah.

We're going a little bit outside of what um the agenda item actually is.

It's really confined to this one specific location.

If we're going to talk about procedures, we'll add it to the agenda.

We need to re-advertise it.

Thank you.

Can I get the roll vote, please?

Cosman Duhar.

Yes.

Consulwoman Vazieri.

Yes.

Conspiano.

Yes.

Console Banano.

Yes.

Consul Vice President Heroyan.

Yes.

Consul McGraziano?

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

Thank you.

Next petition of Narragansett Electric is in New England for installation of another poll, which is P5-5-0 on Western Industrial Drive.

Again, we have a letter generated from our public works director, which recommends approval.

May I get a motion?

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion.

Director, thank you for submitting the letter.

When Western Drive was created, when they added the new polls, basically they just did a survey study, and then that's how you got the polls in this on the street, correct?

That's how they did it initially.

Now I guess they have other businesses moving in there, so we need additional polls to service some of those businesses.

Thank you, Director.

Traff, that was for you, buddy.

So Director Correo, it's it's not on the, but it's not on my agenda to approve new polls 17 and 18.

That's what I wanted to comment on.

Okay.

They seem to have trouble getting their narrative to match up with what they show us on the plans.

But the narrative that they provided us and the plan to show it is there are two additional polls, 17 and 18 on Western Industrial Drive as well.

Right, but my approval letter reflects that.

Okay.

It's not what's on the cover letter that they sent in.

Okay, solicitor.

I if I have a question.

So my opinion is we're only gonna approve new poll P550 because that's all that's listed on the agenda, even though they reference the other two, we'll have to move it to the next meeting.

That is correct.

That should be more that should be specifically stated.

We'll have to move it to the next meeting.

So right now we're only gonna this motion is just stated to approve new poll P550.

Um, and we'll put the other two on the next agenda.

Any other discussion?

Would we need a motion to continue and a withdrawal of the motion to uh approve?

No letter.

Would that be correct?

We're okay.

My understanding is so you're gonna take a motion to approve this P5-50.

I believe that's all you need right now.

We're we're good on the on the on the motion right now.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Okay, anyone else?

Okay.

Um, may I get a roll call vote, please?

Casmany Duhar.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Pasper Panano?

Yes.

Consul Vice President Heroyan.

Yes.

Console McGraziano.

Yes.

Yes.

Thank you.

So next topics are council communication, and I'm going to look uh to council president wall for discussion on 45 Poplar Drive for the corner of Hillside in Cyprus related to rat and rodent issues.

Uh thank you, madam chair.

Um, I did have an opportunity, actually.

Councilwoman Vizier and I did go out uh to this property uh two weeks ago, and I'd say we still had about a dozen a dozen, would that be about right?

Perhaps a little bit more a dozen uh rat holes in that property.

I won't belabor the point.

You all know what it looked like.

I've done more than a few shows and dances here.

Um, but the property still isn't isn't rodent-free.

Um, hence the reason I think we need stronger ordinances for this.

I won't I won't belabor the point.

You've heard enough.

Would you up absolutely director if you'd like to address it?

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Council President.

Um, no, it's a glad you're keeping the topic alive until it's fixed.

I've asked constituent affairs to speed with inspections to give it again, give an update.

So I'm happy to provide uh what was provided to me.

Uh there was a discussion at the last meeting.

I believe there was a cracked, I had witnessed it too, a crack dumpster that has been since been replaced.

Um the uh well, they're calling it the original rat holes, the rodent holes near the right building to the right, uh nearest the intersection.

Um those uh appear to be filled.

I think they filled them if they hadn't come back.

I don't know the exact timing that from what you witnessed.

Um, but they did also mention that there they did discover uh new holes in the area between the two buildings, which obviously tells us that it's not eradicated.

Um but uh but what's good to see that we're getting reports that this communication that they're addressing it and they're they're transparent you know with us.

Um but bake boxes obviously are uh still being used at all the locations, and certainly they addressed those uh spots that uh recently came about.

And uh they confirmed that there uh there was a report of a dumpster on the uh 125 midway building, but there's no outside dumpster there.

Uh that's just a it's a it's a fence around where a dumpster would have been probably in the past, but there's no dumpster there to repeat.

I did observe that as well.

And um inspections hasn't received any further complaints, which is not to say it's it's gone, but that's a good sign that the residents are not uh you know uh submitting complaints to us.

So certainly we'll keep up on it.

Um you know it's a good cooperative effort, but it's it does seem I think the the spirit of this thing, it appears that the the property owner is giving attention to this and they're and then they're addressing it.

And certainly it's wildlife and it could take time and it can't be complete, but uh I think we're feeling good that there's good communication with inspections, the council, uh uh the administration and the uh property owner themselves.

So we'll keep you up to speed as as we know.

Happy to do that.

And director, I certainly am uh thankful uh for the efforts you put in, and I know inspections put in and um the communication.

This is a uh how can I say this delicately?

This is definitely a moving target.

All right.

So I think the goal, and I I probably take a little little bit of umbrance with the phrase, these are new rat holes as opposed to old rat holes.

I don't know if I want to.

I mean, if if they were there, I'd say we just want to get rid of the rat holes.

But um, it's it's ongoing.

Maybe they have to step up there if if the holes and this listen, I don't want to go too far off.

You and I could talk about this for a great deal of time.

If the holes are popping up at greater frequency than you're able to fill them, and I think you have to increase your efforts to fill them.

That I mean, I don't know that that would be just logic.

Um, so whatever they're doing doesn't appear to be, it's it's working a little bit, not working well enough to eradicate as as you said.

That's all I said.

I'm sorry, I'm good with that.

Yeah, go ahead.

Um, they are traveling up towards Oakwana.

There was one in my yard dead.

It's very big.

So there's reports many locations in the city.

Um, and I just want to mention this, not misery loves company, but but there's a statewide problem.

You're gonna get in rural areas too.

Um, but as they come in, we we do try to address them.

Councilwoman, you're probably probably aware that we have a program where um residents call in, we will bait their properties, be happy to do so and uh and address it that way.

Dead rat's probably better than a live rat, to be honest with you.

Maybe it's being addressed, but thanks for letting us know.

Anyone else?

President Wall.

Councilman Capapiano.

Thank you, Chairman.

Uh I did go by there this morning.

Um I must say that the dumpster area was pristine.

It was it was well kept.

The dumpsters were in excellent condition.

Uh, I noticed all the bait boxes.

I walked around the property.

I didn't see any rat holes.

Um I did see some witness marks where they could have been filled, but I didn't see any live ones.

I called the uh I'll call him the assistant rotor control office, Chris Lowens uh, and I asked him about filling them.

And he says you can fill them all day long if they're still alive, they're just gonna poke their head back out, kind of like that that movie Caddyshack.

So you can do that.

They do make a they do make a bait that you could put down in those holes, but it's not Cranston doesn't use it because I guess it's dangerous to other animals, so it's not something that you want to do.

Um but I there's so many bait boxes there that there must be more bait more rats than bait boxes.

So it looked clean.

I just want to say it looked clean.

The dumpsters were in good shape.

I think they're addressing it.

It just might take more time than we are within than it we want it to take.

And uh, and if you do fill the holes, you could tell that they're still there if they pop a new one.

So hopefully this will end soon.

But thank you very much.

Thank you, Councilman Bonano.

Thank you.

Um, I just wanted to sort of echo a little bit of what Councilman Campiano said.

And you know, I think I've said it before that I drive by this location twice daily, at least going to work, come home from work, and usually, you know, when I'm exiting Garden City, that's the way I prefer to go.

Um council president Wall and I were out there at the beginning, and um, while there is still progress to be made, the progress that has been made is substantial, is is quite substantial.

I actually, when I was driving to work um one day this week or it might have been late last week, I saw them taking the old resin cracked up dumpster out and installing the new steel dumpster.

So I mean this is sort of a testament of how things are supposed to work, with the exception of some of the speed of the uh the people that own the building.

You know, the the residents came to the council people, council people went the administration, the administration then sent the inspectors out there and and the domino started to fall to get this rectified.

We would all like it to be done in 25 minutes, but we're making progress in the right direction.

I think and I hope that where there are problems, this property is a microcosm of what will be done throughout the entire city.

Somebody reaches out to us, we go to the uh administration, Purge of Charter, and then you know the administration and keeping us updated is able to enact something that's effective, and I think that's what's happening here.

Um, you're gonna see in the next meeting some stuff that has to deal with road abatement directly and indirectly.

And I hope that's also gonna improve things.

So I think we're definitely headed in the right direction.

It's no secret rats have been a problem for years, and um, you know, we should give ourselves a little credit because a lot of people have talked about it.

Everybody involved in this process wants to do something about it.

Everybody here, um, and you know, everybody representing the city of Cranston right now.

So that's it that's also a positive move in the right direction.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else on council?

Okay.

Very much.

We're gonna move on.

Um, councilwoman Heroyan and Graziano generally request updates on Budlong Pool and the splash pad.

Perhaps I don't know if there's anything new, but um, Director Moretti, if you have anything you'd like to, or Director Correo.

Yeah, there are three components to the Bud Long Pool.

It's the pool, the pump house, and the pool house.

Right now, they're currently working on the pool.

The pool, if anybody has had the opportunity to go by it recently, all the forms are up to actually outline what the edge of the pool will be.

All the reinforcing has been installed and inspected by the city, and they're going to be starting the placement of the what they call gunite on the pool bottom and walls starting the end of next week.

Again, that is weather dependent, so we're hoping the weather holds out.

They do plan on starting that next week, and it's probably gonna be anywhere from a three to five day process to do the floors, and then work the way up the walls.

The pump house is where you're actually gonna have the pumps to filter the water that's in the pool.

They're currently working on bringing the electrical into that.

They had to build up the floor system in there because it used to be on a wooden platform.

They did is took that out, they ran the conduit that they needed in order to bring electrical power to that system, and then from there they're going to be pouring a car concrete floor in there, and that'll be completing the pump holes, and that will be done this year.

And on the pool house, the current status is all of the interior work is pretty much done.

The only thing left is that working on the heating systems that are in there, doing the final steps of that, and then the final painting will go in once everything inside the inside of that building is complete on that lower level.

There were a couple of pieces that were damaged of the mirrors, so they had to replace those, so they're waiting for those to come in.

And then from there, um, everything else has been in, the toilets are in, the sinks have been installed, the heating unit is installed, the hot water tank has been installed, and anything left would be to test those once we bring water into that building.

Okay, great.

Um, do you have a a win?

I think I briefly touched upon this at our last meeting asking the same question, but based on progress, do you have a winter sort of wrap-up where you're gonna like get the site stabilize and stop work for the winter, or are you gonna continue through as long as the weather is good?

We're gonna try to continue as much as possible, but we're anticipating that by the middle of December, they'll complete the work.

Once they put the gunite around the pool, they'll put a little bit of water in the base of it to help stabilize the bottom of the pool, and then they need to backfill around the pool.

They're not going to do the flat work, which is the concrete patios, but they'll be able to backfill the pool.

That'll stabilize it for the winter.

That'll be able to allow it to settle, whatever needs to settle.

They'll winterize the piping for the filters that get back into the pump house, and then we'll be shutting down the project until March, depending on the weather.

President Heroyan, did you have something you would like to ask?

No, all's good.

Thank you.

Anyone else on council?

Um Councilman Capabiano.

Thank you, Chair.

So just a quick question.

Isn't a life expectancy to the gunite pool?

Is that is there a life expense expectancy to the gunite pool?

I would have to look into that for you to see what that life is of the gunnite.

I I'm not exactly sure what that won't.

There's a warranty on it once they install the pool.

But as far as how long the gunite lasts, I'm not aware of that right now.

I could gather that information and then get it to you.

It's the best you can get just in general.

Like it it's the only way to go in New England because it provides the most resistance to like the thawing and freezing that we see here in New England.

So I don't I don't know it either, but um it's the most expensive.

Right.

And again, that is the base.

Once that is done, and then next springtime when the weather breaks and the temperatures are there, they're actually gonna plaster the inside of the pool, and then you put the tile down that defines the line lane lines and any change in depth of the water, you have to have an underwater marking of that so people know when they're in there.

So that's really the base, so you don't even actually see the gunite itself.

That's just the actual foundation.

I expected that, but having a problem year after year with the pool in the past.

It's nice to hear that this is going to be state of the art.

Thank you.

Councilman Bonano.

One question.

When's it gonna open?

The pool itself, I understand in the past has been opening up at the first week in July, and we anticipate this pool will be done and open on that date.

Great.

That's keep hearing, so we appreciate that.

Anyone else on council?

Okay, thank you for the update.

We really appreciate it, and keeping the public informed.

Um, seeing nothing else on the agenda.

Um, may I get a motion to adjourn?

Motion to adjourn.

So those in favor?

We are adjourned at 627.

It's in three minutes.

Thank everybody for coming today.

Um, I want to begin the ordinance committee meeting on Thursday, October 16th.

It is about six thirty-three p.m.

Clerk, can you please take a roll?

Consider Vice President Heroyan.

Present.

Pastor Campiano.

Present.

Pastor Banano.

Here.

Councilwal McGraziano.

Present.

Councilman Andrew Hart.

Present.

House President Wall.

May I entertain a moment uh motion to approve the minutes from the September 11th, 2025 meeting?

Motion to approve minutes as presented.

Second.

Clerk, can you please take a roll?

House Vice President Heroyan?

Yes.

Councilwoman Vizeri.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Banano?

Yes.

Councilwoman Graziano.

Yes.

Councilman Andrew Harr?

Yes.

President Wall.

Yes.

May I entertain a motion to take the agenda out of order.

So move, Mr.

Chair.

Second.

Clerk, please take a roll.

Council vice president.

Yes.

Councilman Vaziri.

Yes.

Camp Piano?

Yes.

Council Banano?

Yes.

Councilwoman Graziano?

Yes.

Councilman Andrew Harr?

Yes.

Yes.

Thank you for that.

No, I would like to move to public hearings, public comment.

Uh is there anyone in the chamber that would like to give public comment today?

Mr.

Director.

Chair, normally it might be during council discussion, but maybe take this opportunity up front.

Um on this document, when there's when there's something on the docket, um the administration or various department heads or uh or people uh invest some time to prepare for the meetings.

And I'm not sure where this is going this evening, but I certainly want to give the uh the administration and the Kranston Police Department the opportunity to speak on a subject that's uh on the agenda.

Um versus just kind of sending them home if it if depending on the course of the events here.

And I think but this particularly important uh this is a council that except for Councilman Campo Piano, I think relatively in the role in your roles new to the role of council person to to hear what has been done at the Cranston Police range over the years.

Um it it's an important topic, and I think educating people um would be it'd be very very beneficial, whether it be the public or the newer council members.

Uh so with that, uh Colonel Winkwist is here um to to speak.

We have Lieutenant Daigon uh who's uh in charge of the range up there.

We also have uh Lieutenant Shore, we have Detective Caramanti and uh Officer La Qually, uh I see.

Uh but if at least uh the Colonel has the opportunity to speak, and also Lieutenant Daigon.

Because it's a very uh say important topic to not just the police department, but the safety of the city of Cranston.

So with that, I if if if the chair, if I can give them the opportunity to do that.

Yes, if the criminal thank you, director, if the colonel could please step forward.

And as the uh chief of staff said, um it's important there's new council members here that I think should be educated on the range and the steps we've taken uh since I've been the police chief.

I actually just hit my 11th year anniversary on October 1st.

So I've been at it a while.

And um, I just want you to know uh not to use the pump, but it hasn't fall on deaf ears whatsoever, uh the complaints that came forward.

I will tell you that the police department range is a critical asset to the police department.

Uh by state law, um, every officer on the police department must qualify with the weapons they carry, uh, a minimum of once a year, and a minimum of 100 rounds have to be fired, and that's based on state law.

The range uh first opened in 1952.

So it's almost 75 years that range has been in the same location.

And generally, the layout of the range has been the same, minus some addition of some buildings and uh some parking lot changes that took place there.

So um it's a critical asset.

It's one of the best police department ranges in the state.

And um, we join our partners in law enforcement in Warwick that have a range that's close to neighborhoods.

Um, I came from the Rhode Island State Police.

We trained in Foster, Rhode Island.

I trained there for 25 years and qualified there every year.

And we see receive minimal complaint from the neighbors.

We're carrying the exact same weapons that pretty much every police department's carrying across the state, and that's the pistol and the AR-15 uh rifle.

So we're not firing anything exotic up there, if you will.

We're firing your traditional weapons that that have been in place for a while.

Prior to the rifles being implemented when I became chief, we use shotguns.

And if anybody's heard a shotgun go off, quite honestly, it's as loud, if not louder than the rifles that we fire.

So, really, there hasn't been substantial changes.

The one consistent change is that there's certain neighbors that moved back to the area or um bought houses in that area, and then COVID happened, and they spent a lot more time in their homes and they could hear the range more often.

Um, I will tell you that the range itself is not used on a daily basis.

On average, um, it's used 65 days out of the year.

And that includes our police department and three other police departments that use the range for approximately three weeks a year.

So 65 days, that's 17.8% of the year, and that's 408 hours.

So unfortunately, um a lot of the range use is condensed in a short period of time.

So during the winter months, obviously, from you know, this time of year, November to January, February, it gets minimal use because obviously the weather's is what it is.

We qualify annually with our pistols in the fall.

So we're required to do a low light shooting um by law.

We're done by 8 30 when we do the light uh level shooting and restricted light unit shooting, I should say.

And um we qualify with the rifles twice a year.

And I don't need to tell you how how important it is that we're proficient with the weapons that we carry, not only by the law, but the fact that we may have to actually use our weapons.

And as you're aware from the playing field pipe shooting that we had, we were up against an armed assailant uh who pointed a gun at some of our officers.

He was but behind a vehicle, and thankfully those officers had rifles and were able to um eliminate the threat at that point in time.

Um, you can turn the news on every single day of the week, and you'll see active shooter situations taking place.

To think it can't happen here would be an illusion.

We know that we have to be prepared for the actual worst case scenario.

So I don't think anybody's arguing the fact that we need to qualify, we need to practice, we need to be proficient.

We have a tactical team that responds to the worst case scenarios.

They train twice twice a month at the at the range.

So one of the misnomers is that the range is used on weekends and holidays.

I can tell you absolutely 100% that's inaccurate.

Um, there's cameras on the range.

Um, some of the people that are against the range had uh alleged that we're using the range on the weekends.

All I do is pull up the cameras and I can verify that's not accurate.

So there's been a lot of false allegations regarding that.

So it's not used.

And I can tell you when I first became chief, that the outside departments, there were many that were using the department range in the spirit of cooperation, they would rent the range uh from the city, and we use the money to uh upkeep the range.

Um I eliminated all the rifle fire uh from outside police departments.

So there's no rifle fire other than the Cranston Police Department at our range, and we're down to three police departments that use our range currently because they have nowhere else to go.

And in turn, they pay a fee.

And we also um a lot they bring personnel to us when we have critical incident situations like the Bear Cat, some tactical vehicles that we fortunately unfortunately don't have right now, but we're in the process of getting.

So we've really cut down on the use of the range.

One of the uh resolution that was presented by uh Mayor Traffic Canny talks about bringing a sound mitigation expert in into assess the range.

That was already done in 2017 and was done in 2021.

And the results of that assessment by New England, I think it's New England Sound Um England Soundproofing.

They're an expert in the area and well respected company.

They looked at what we had and they said this is an outdoor range, there's ledge, obviously, as a backdrop.

Um, you're in an open space, and we can sell you a lot of different things.

We can have sound absorption curtains installed that hang from the rafters.

We can put more baffling in, we can plant trees, we can do all that, but it's going to be about 200,000.

At the end of the day, we can't guarantee that they're gonna have any significant impact.

I don't think anybody wants to throw money away, 200,000 in an outdoor range.

That's not it's not going to have any impact.

So that's already been done.

We've planted tons of trees up there that has minimal impact.

Um, we've increased the height of the berm.

We've installed baffling.

Um, we've done everything we physically could do to try to absorb the noise, but obviously um we did the best we can in that regard.

We also um submitted a grant to the state for the COVID money um to enclose the range.

And the approximate cost to fully enclose the range would be anywhere from three to five million dollars.

Last I checked, the state's not going to give um the city of Cranston $5 million.

Um, I don't think the uh city has the coffers to pay five million dollars due to a handful of complaints from certain neighbors.

And at the end of the day, it's just would I take an indoor range?

I would take an indoor range in a minute.

The guys would love it, they would be warm.

They would they wouldn't you know have to deal with the elements.

But bear in mind an indoor range to maintain is about 150,000 a year in filtration because of the lead.

So there's an ongoing cost that goes with it, even if we could find the three to five million dollars that it would cost.

And as you know, the planning commission was presented with a plan to study the feasibility to enclose the range.

That would have been 100,000 to do that feasibility study, and that planning commission voted that um that down.

So that never happens.

I want to say the most significant change that I've made from a policy standpoint was um asking the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy to leave our facility.

Um for years and years, every police officer with exception of Providence State Police.

When you're in the academy, you trained at the Cranston Police Department range, and they train twice a year for a total of 20 days or 160 hours.

And there was a hundred, that's 120 recruits and 240,000 rounds were fired on an annual basis.

We threw them out of there because of the complaints.

And now they're up at State Police Training Academy in Foster, and that's where they do the training.

And that took effect April of 2024.

So again, that's a huge reduction in the use of the range and the amount of time that it's being used.

Also, we reduced the number of rounds that we use for annual pistol qualifications.

We went down from 350 rounds down to 230 rounds.

Now that may not sound like a lot, but when you have 153 officers, that's a 50% um qualification ratio that we have to meet uh by state law.

So that was a made to address the noise complaints.

Um we also do our best to notify um City Hall, the mayor's office, when the range is going to be in use.

And you know, that's fluid.

I mean, we can't get it down to the minute, but if there's going to be steady, constant shooting, we let City Hall know and they post that information for the neighbors in that area so they're aware of what's going on and they could plan accordingly.

Again, this is our busy time of year.

Um, but we're about to wrap up for for the season very soon.

And there's been a lot of discussions about the schools and how we're in close proximity to the schools.

I can tell you, I've spoken to the superintendent school superintendent.

I've spoken to both principals and that of the schools in that area, and they have not received any complaints about the shooting that takes place.

And um, there's nobody diving on the desk, like you heard, is nobody hitting us hitting the floor.

There's nobody that's mistakes gunshots up at the range as an active shooter.

It's simply not happening.

And that's been alleged by the people making the complaints.

And I can tell you that the principals and the superintendents have come out publicly and said they appreciate the fact the range is where it is, but God forbid, if there was an incident, there's officers up there on a daily basis that could respond and be there and probably save many, many lives by just having the staff and the uh people up at the range.

So um we should eliminate that argument because it's just not a valid argument that's been put out there.

And then most recently, um, we purchased rifle suppressors, as um people know in the General Assembly.

Uh last legislative legislative session, uh, they signed into law, and it was actually supported by the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, which I'm a member of.

I'm on the executive board.

They passed a law that allows all law enforcement to use uh rifle suppressors or weapon suppressors.

We ordered those suppressors, they're in full use.

So all rifle fire at the range is now suppressed, and it's reduced the decibels down considerably.

So we spent thousands of dollars on these suppressors.

Unfortunately, you cannot suppress a pistol because you it makes the weapon too long.

You can't draw the weapon.

Um, you have to thread the barrels.

It's just it's just not simply possible to um outfit our pistols with suppressors as well.

Um, so I want to mention um lastly, we've done a lot of our own sound meter testing, and I think some of the officers that are here took part in that testing.

And I can tell you we've done it on live TV.

We've had reporters up there with that recorded.

The um we had people shoot a rifle and a pistol at the range, and we went into the neighborhood where the complaints are coming from with a certified noise meter, and we were below the the decibel levels uh set by the ordinance.

So to say we're we're at 85 decibels, it's simply not true.

And I want to also make a point to say that the range has been there.

I mentioned, you know, almost um yes, almost 75 years.

Um, we've been good neighbors, we've done the best we could, and we're at a point now there's nothing more that we can do.

And it was a suggestion that we pack up and we we bring 153 officers up to the Providence Police Department range and situate at a conversation with Colonel Perez today.

They have four um 300 and no, I'm sorry, 435 police officers, and they qualify twice a year by choice, and they also have some federal agencies and local agencies, and there's simply not room for 153 police officers to have to pack up and leave and go up to another town to do what we need to do to qualify with our weapons.

So that's not on the table as far as I'm concerned either.

So we've reached everything we could do.

I don't know what the answer is from here.

Unfortunately, you have a handful of neighbors that think it's um you know war zone.

I've heard that term used.

I honestly think it's not the noise that is upsetting these individuals, it's uh the police department in general, and it's also the fact we're shooting guns because I can tell you a weed whacker, a lawnmower, uh a plane flying overhead far exceeds the decibels that are coming from that range.

If you live near a train station, an airport, do you shut the airport down?

I mean, do you do you tell the trains you have to go a different route?

It's just not possible.

So I don't know what the answer is.

Maybe the people that live in that neighborhood can look into landscaping on their properties, maybe they can look at double pane windows.

I I don't know what the answer is.

But at the end of the day, the police department has a mission, the mission is public safety.

My job is to carry that out.

My job is to make sure the officers are safe and the public safe.

And the only way we can do that is to carry out the training that takes place at our range that's been going on for 75 years.

So I'm glad to answer any questions you have.

I hope I covered most of it.

I hope you received um an education about what's going on up there.

I welcome the council to come up and see you know what we're doing up there, what type of training we're doing.

Um, to actually listen to the noise and see what the suppressors have done and how how much it's reduced the noise that's up there.

But at the end of the day, unfortunately, you can't satisfy everybody.

And I know that as the police chief, I get complaints every day.

Nobody's afraid to make a complaint, believe me.

Because I've heard the police department is intimidating, that's why they don't get complaints.

And the only complaint I ever received about the range is from that one person who makes the most noise.

And I hate to say it because someone makes the most noise, doesn't mean they're right.

And sometimes the no button is the hardest button to hit, but I I hit it when I have to, and I'm hoping you'll listen to what we have to say, and you'll support the police department.

I know there's some other officers here that work up at the range, have done the actual sound testing, and they'd like to speak and talk to you about that as well.

But if I if there's any questions, I'd be glad to answer them.

Thank you for your time.

Appreciate it.

Is there anyone else in the chamber that would like to come up and speak during public comment?

Please note for the record, Councilman Graziano.

Thank you for being here.

We know you have to leave early.

Please state your name and uh badge number or whatever.

And my name is Lieutenant Joshua Digon, badge number 2242.

I am currently in charge of our training division at the at the range.

I just want to at least uh introduce myself to members of the council to uh let you know what steps we have taken.

I know Colonel had covered most of the steps we've taken.

Uh but I did want to at least give you some of the readings, the noise meter readings that we have compiled in the past.

Um back in 2022, Lieutenant Shore, who's also here in the audience, conducted a noise meter reading uh using both pistol as well as rifle.

At the time, we did not have suppressed rifles.

The outside ambient noise that he took a decibel reading of was approximately 45.8 decibels.

Using a volley pistol rounds, the maximum decibel rating he received was 46.6.

That was only an increase of approximately one decibel above what the ambient noise was.

Uh, this was this testing was done at the intersection of Laconia and Preston Av.

He then went to Midland Drive in Scotland Road and did another uh noise meter test at that point.

The ambient noise was approximately 46.6 decibels.

After pistol fire, it was approximately 51.4 decibels.

After rifle fire at that location, the decibel level was 53.8 decibels.

Again, that was only during the brief burst of rifle fire, it wasn't continuous.

That was back in 2022, um, September of 22.

This past May, I also conducted uh my own testing up there as well, um, using a certain uh calibrated noise meter at the training complex at the entrance to the training complex, which is obviously much closer than the neighborhoods, using pistol fire.

Um I'm sorry, this is at the at the range itself.

87.8 decibels per pistol for an unsuppressed rifle is 90 decibels, and for suppressed rifle, it was 72 decibels.

I then went into the parking lot at Cranston West High School into the uh employee parking lot.

The pistol decibel level during fire dropped down from 87.8 down to 59.2.

The unsuppressed rifle fire was 60 decibels, which was very comparable to what the pistol fire was, and the suppressed rifle fire was 48 decibels.

I then went over to the intersection of Laconia and Carpathia, and pistol was undetectable.

I could not hear it.

I was on the phone with the range officers at the time, asked them to fire.

I could hear it firing on the my phone.

I could not hear it ambient noise at all.

Unsuppressed rifle fire was 47.5 decibels at that location, and suppressed rifle fire was undetectable.

I want to also note that the ambient average ambient noise, um, just everyday traffic, everyday wildlife, whatever you might want to hear outside, was between 44 and 47 decibels.

So my whole point in bringing that up is suppressed rifle fire both at Cranston West and Laconia was on the upper range of the ambient noise.

These readings, like I said, were conducted.

Um there was also a video that we had taken of the readings as well.

And then talking to the uh the range officer on the phone, it was louder than what was being heard in the background.

I do want to stress that the range is vital importance to the department and their training.

We probably have some of the best trained officers in the state, and that's due to the staff that helps me out at the train range.

And the amount of training that we actually conduct there is head and shoulders above most other departments because we do have the facility, which is a huge benefit of most other agencies.

Um I know the colonel had mentioned that we do have other agencies that do come and use the range, and I get to see what their level of training is.

And this is not a knock on any other agency, but they have limited amounts of time to get their officers trained using a range elsewhere.

And when I compare that to the level of training that we are able to give our officers, that there's it's not even a comparison.

Anyone have any questions that they need?

We're in public comment, so we're good.

Thank you.

Is anyone else in the chambers that would like to speak on docketed items only?

Any police officers.

I guess we'll give the mic to our say representative.

Please state your name and address.

Good evening, everyone.

How are you doing?

Uh Chris Papelowski is 14 Highland Street in Cranston.

Uh, Chairman Andrew Harr, Council President, Council Vice President, thank you for the opportunity to speak.

I'm gonna take my state representative hat off for a minute and just speak as a resident of Michanaket.

Um we most of us, except for maybe a few, machine I could appreciate the police firing range and the training facility being in our community and in our neighborhood.

You know, I talked with my son before coming here.

He's uh student council president for the seniors at Cranston West, and I asked him if the firing range caused any issues that he knows of or is bothering them in class.

He said, No, Dad, I'm really happy the police are across the street.

So I I've heard it countless time and time again from the neighbors in Michannicate and outside of Michelle that they're appreciative that the police are there.

Um something that I heard for 10 years serving on the city council.

Um and Colonel Winchrist, you have been extremely supportive of the neighborhoods, responsive.

You've planted trees, you've done all the mitigation that that we you did over the last decade, honestly, since you came in and took over the police department.

Um you will hear gunfire even with planting more trees.

There's nothing you can do, even with sound barriers.

We we discussed baffles probably three or four years ago, tried to get that grant from the state.

Um, it's not gonna matter unless we close it in.

And right now, you know, you have to go through the planning commission.

The planning commission has said no.

Um, and that's how it's gonna be.

But as a resident of Michanakate and someone that hears you when you do practice, you know, I don't close my windows, I leave them open.

I'm thankful that you're doing your thing.

And as a city, the council included the administration.

We're we're obligated to make sure our officers are trained and that are on the street and know what they need to do.

And if we're changing that because we have to make changes to the training facility, we're doing a disservice to our employees.

So that's all I have to say.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else in the chambers that would like to speak on documented items only?

Ms.

Renzuli.

Thank you.

Um, Nicole Renzuli, 54 Massachusetts Street, Cranston.

Um, I just want to say I can appreciate the intent of the resolution.

I know that Mayor Trafficante has received probably the same calls that I received for for four years, and Councilman Papelowskis and probably most of you have received, and it is our job to respond to our constituents.

Um, but the health, wellness, and safety of all of our constituents takes precedent over a few.

And I can say, as someone who has run at the Cranston West Track for 25 years and coached there for the last 10, um, we hear the gunfire, and no child has ever said to me that they thought it was an active shooter.

No one has ever hit the deck.

Um, in fear, and I would say that Coach Vizieri, councilwoman Vazierry could probably say the same thing.

So beyond that, I think that the the colonel and the department has taken um a lot of effort to reduce the sound there.

Um, and we we don't have the money to enclose the range, and when we bring forth some kind of resolution that has a fiscal impact on the city, I know we're not in the finance committee right now, and I know you're not obligated to have a fiscal note for resolutions, just ordinances.

It might be sound practice to know how much something like a uh sound mitigation expert or a landscape architect would cost before you know making demands on the administration to to get them, especially when these things have already been procured by the police department.

So I would say that I would be very much against this while I do appreciate the intent of it.

Um otherwise, I would also like to say I would speak in favor of the housing court and the bipartisan effort, um, which is also on this agenda to try and give code enforcement some some more power and bring in financially more money through the housing court as well.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else in the chambers that would like to speak?

I think there's somebody outside.

No, you could go this way.

Thank you very much, uh Robert Murray.

Uh two different items that I just bear with me.

Um, first, uh on your agenda tonight, you have ordinance eight-2502 relating to the notice for the uh the rat eradic uh rat eradication or whatever.

Um I didn't have a chance to really look at this the last time when it was here in September, and I just just bear with me.

Uh I understand the intent of the sponsors, and I'm not your legal counsel.

Uh you have plenty available to you and maybe more tonight.

Um when I look at section 8.36 of the city code entitled rodent control.

There are definitions for rat eradication, rat proofing, they all talk about within buildings.

Okay, and I know this ordinance arose from uh the Garden City experience and things like that.

Just from my view, reviewing this, I think I want to say to you that you use the term uh rat-proof condition and rat uh rat um eradication in um in your amendments to 836 050.

When you read the whole chapter, it really is talking about rat-proofing buildings.

So I just um bring that to your attention.

I'm not saying don't pass the ordinance, but there may need to be a more global look at that whole chapter to make certain that when you use the term premises, you mean the outside of the building because I think the intent of this ordinance is probably many years ago.

It I didn't realize yes, but when you build a building, one of the requirements is it has to be rat-proof.

Um, but that goes back probably 50 years.

Um I'm saying with respect to that ordinance is you may want to take a bigger look at it just to make certain that because if you try and cite somebody for a condition on the outside under this ordinance, if I was defending them, I might say, well, it that ordinance talks about buildings that and my building is wrap-proof, you know, as opposed to holes in the in the lawn.

So I just I just bring that to your attention for consideration.

Um the second issue I'd like to just revisit uh and not at great length is the housing court, uh, with all due respect to former councilwoman Renzooli.

Uh, I don't support it.

Uh I didn't support it in September.

You were nice enough to accept into the record a letter from me dated September 9th.

I'm not going to go back over that letter.

I'd like to share with you some additional information that I I now have that I didn't have that evening.

Uh, first, um you now have the benefit of a fiscal note from the uh finance director.

The um and I'm not being critical, but the big uh the requirement of fiscal note in our charters under section 3.04.030 entitled fiscal notes.

In in the what was put up posted online is a fiscal note citing section 6.17 entitled additional appropriations.

Okay, that section is one that requires the mayor to support an additional uh additional appropriation through ordinance, and only the mayor can do it, and uh the finance director has to say that there are unencumbered funds available within the budget for the additional appropriation.

So I'm not I don't want to go over form of a substance.

He cited the a section of the charter which doesn't apply to fiscal notes.

Um so I I don't want this, in my opinion, should not be interpreted that somehow, because I think if you adopt a housing court, your next step would have to be to introduce uh additional appropriation ordinance uh that meets the the requirements of the the city charter.

All you're doing if this ordinance passes is create the court, you're not appropriating any money for it.

The fiscal note says what his estimate is through the end of the year.

Um I know the chairman has a uh discussion point about this, but the he only cited in the fiscal notes the cost of the uh $32,000 for part-time help municipal court part-time help, office supplies, and department inspection of part-time help.

There is no money allocated for the judges because uh the ordinance says the judges will start getting paid July 1, 2026 in the next fiscal year, fiscal year 27.

Um I don't know whether the intention is to appoint judges before that.

Um, and whether or not they're gonna work for nothing is is between you and them, but um so the real cost of this housing court, I don't think is really fully displayed here, and uh you should just be cognizant of that.

The last point I want to make, and with your permission, uh I'd like to just pass out a uh a handout for consideration of council.

Uh part of my objection uh to this ordinance um solicitor, how how do we do this in public comment except um solicitor?

How do we we're in public comment?

So how do I accept this um notification into the record?

Ask for a motion to uh accept it.

May I entertain a motion to accept this letter into the record, please.

So move yeah, motion to all those in favor say aye.

All right, any nays?

Ayes have it.

Thank you.

It was not necessarily my intention that being produced because I know I didn't comply with the rule getting you 48 hours ahead and all that stuff.

So, but I appreciate the fact.

All I'm trying to demonstrate in this cheat sheet here is as I read this ordinance tonight.

We are retaining seven judges in the municipal court and creating a housing court with six board judges, which would bring us to a total of 13 part-time judges.

I did a survey of surrounding communities, Providence, Walwick, Patrick, Providence.

And you can only Providence has they have three housing court judges.

I um I know Councilman Andrew Hars is familiar with the Providence experience.

Most communities are size, and I have the households listed.

You know, we're gonna have 13 judges in total.

As a taxpayer, I'm troubled by that.

I don't think it's I don't think the court's necessary.

I think we have municipal court.

If we give the inspection department more support, they could do more um processing of minimum housing complaints.

The um the other issues I raised in my September letter still stand.

When we left here in September, my understanding, and I went and looked at the YouTube again today.

Councilman Banano said it's being continued first because Chief Judge Coyer couldn't be here that evening, and you wanted to give him opportunity to be heard.

And the second point Councilman Banano made was the sponsors want to look at refined some refined paraphrasing, some refinements in the ordinance.

As I understand what's before you this evening is the same ordinance that was here in September.

If there are if there's a new alliteration of that, I haven't seen it, and I'll I'll stand corrected.

So those are my thoughts.

I I appreciate the effort that people have put put into this.

Uh uh I don't think it's the right idea for Cranston.

It's not the right time fiscally as a taxpayer, and um uh we really should hit the pause button on this.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else in the audience that would like to speak on documented items only?

Seeing none, clerk, is there anyone online?

Chair, is it possible to Mr.

Director, please?

Thank you.

For the second time, the first opportunity I took was to introduce the the uh police uh officers here today.

Um reverting back to the gun range uh and representing the mayor.

Um the mayor is is opposed to this in the sense that we feel it's redundant.

Um as the colonel and uh the lieutenant have expressed that uh the request, if you will, uh regarding the resolution is has been done in the past.

It's been shared now openly, and I don't think this is necessary.

Uh the information is there.

Um any further details you want.

Uh we don't see a need to incur expenses to high hire experts and consultants, uh, which could run uh tens of thousands of dollars, and we do not have a budget for this.

So, with that, we feel that the uh it's not necessary, but we'd be happy to share any uh uh uh past efforts that have been made uh and input that that has been given to we can save the city money and not not to distract and put energy into something that we're gonna end up where we are today relative to the knowledge that we have about mitigation efforts there.

So and uh I'm sure it'll be a nine-nothing here.

Uh the mayor stands firmly, has stand firmly and will stand firmly with the Cranston Police Department.

Thank you.

Thank you, Director.

Anyone else in the audience would like to speak on documented items only?

Seeing none, Clerk, is there anyone online?

Dominic Fusco.

Please state your name and address.

Thank you.

Dominic Fusco, 167 Fiat Avenue.

Um, and also school committee representing ward three.

I am here tonight to speak in favor of 925-2.

Full disclosure, many of you know my wife is a crossing guard in Cranston.

And her and I um well, I've gotten to know many crossing guards through her.

And her and I have approached Councilman Andrew Har and Councilman Branano regarding this request.

The problem is at the corner of Gansett and Cranston Street.

It's when you're coming northbound on Cranston Street toward Gansett.

Um you can turn right, you have to turn right to stay on Cranston.

Problem being that when the crossing guard is trying to cross the children there, people don't stop.

Um, because they know there's really nothing coming through uh from the side street on the basil pizza.

Um and it uh they're just not paying attention.

It's um it's a safety concern.

I know there's a small sign there that says yield to pedestrians and crosswalk, but people ignore that.

Um so I I thank you both for bringing this ordinance forward uh per our request.

And um I just like to say that uh I hope this passes in uh I think the colonel's still there.

So if it does pass, I hope that we can have a little bit of a police police presence as well, just to enforce it to send the message.

Um we have to watch out for our children as they cross.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else online?

There's no other comment online.

At this time, I'm gonna close public comment.

Moving on to item six, new matters before the committee.

Ordinance uh 925-01 ordinance and amendment of title 10, chapter 32, section 600 of the city of Cranston Code of Ordinances 2005 and title two hour parking between 6 a.m.

and 6 p.m.

Saturdays and Sunday.

Um, sponsored by our Councilwoman Graziano, who had to leave, and councilman Councilman Campo Piano.

Councilman, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much, Chairman.

You did a good job that time.

Yeah, uh Councilwoman uh Graziano and myself were approached by some of the uh residents on uh Woodbury Road with uh concerns with um the parking situations and um the safety concerns with um uh safety vehicles couldn't get through at certain portions of time.

And um this uh we came up with this ordinance and uh we feel this will help and uh hope we get the support tonight.

That's all I thought.

Thank you.

Man, to say a motion to approve.

So move, Mr.

Chair.

Second, any discussion.

Councilman Traffic Any.

Councilman, we're we're referring to the um municipal court, Mike, correct?

No, we're on new matters of the committee, councilman.

I'm in the wrong ordinance.

I'm sorry.

All right, so we have a second.

Any discussion?

Clerk, may you please call the roll.

Yes, councilman, yes, conspiracy.

Yes, yes.

Casmin Andrew Har?

Yes, President Wall.

Yes.

Motion carries.

Uh moving on to ordinance 925-02 ordinance and amendment of Title 10, Chapter 12, Section 130 of the City of Cranston, Court of Ordinances 2005 entitled Right Turns at Certain Red Lights.

So mounted by Councilman Bonano and myself.

Uh man to take a motion to approve.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion.

Yeah, I just wanted to uh I think uh actually school committee chair Fusco um summed it up very nicely.

Um I also just wanted to mention that you know, in addition to everything he said, which is what I was gonna say, so I thank you for that.

Um, you know, there was a very substantial accident not too far down the road uh of kids crossing Cranston Street to get to Bain school not too long ago.

So um, you know, this is uh uh an area when I was uh youngster, I'd like to think not too long ago, but my hairline says different.

Um I walked that way from Lloor Hill Avenue to Bain, and uh it was a problem then.

Um I also will mention, and I believe um Tom has it to put up if needed, but I did consult with the uh traffic engineer uh and he uh essentially signed off on it through an email that said this is fine with me, and this email uh serves um in lieu of a traffic study.

Uh he said there's plenty of room for the cars to stack while waiting for the the uh uh light to turn green for them to to go.

Um, because I believe there was some confusion, and it is also only slotted uh for hours when there'll be uh crossing guard present or kids, children, students who'll be walking uh to and from school.

So thank you.

Any further discussion?

Councilman Camelbiano.

Yeah, you can't better at.

Thank you.

Uh well, when it comes to children's safety, that's number one.

So what my only concern was well, first of all, I I think there was a no right turn on red there at one time, and it was removed.

I my memory could not maybe is faulty, I don't know.

But my only concern was if I've never seen a right turn on red with limitations, I never seen one with a time on it.

I I may be wrong, but uh, I don't I just want to make sure it would be no confusion that you can do it now and you can't do it in other times.

Uh I don't, I guess the traffic safety officer um engineer would be the one to answer that question, but that's um other than that, I would be full support of it.

Thank you.

Any further discussion?

If I may, through the chair, please to be honest, um my intention was to limit the impact on traffic.

If so that that's why the hours are there.

If the council sees fit, I, as the sponsor would have no problem with it being no turn on red, period.

Um I don't know if that's one of an amendments somebody wants to make or or or not, but um, you know.

Just just a couple, I agree with you.

I think you know, it could get confusing, but I hope that the the motorists will say no turn on red.

And even if they're there at 5 30 in the morning, they're not going to turn on red.

You know, but that's all.

Thank you.

Any further discussion?

Well, I'd like to first thank Dominic Fusco for his for bringing this attention and for a service to the school board, especially to all the crossing guards in the city.

I myself did um witness uh for a week there, and I think uh a lot of people need driver Z.

Um, hopefully the Cranston Police Department could send somebody there in the mornings.

Um there were a lot of people that didn't even stop, they would just turn on red.

And you know, we're we need to watch out for the kids, especially the safety of the kids.

So hopefully uh police officers that are here could note that.

But um, with that being said, if there's no further discussion, clerk, please take a rule.

Yes.

Consulman Vizier, yes.

Has been campcano?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Thank you.

Next up is uh 925-03, on it's an amendment of Title 10, Chapter 32, Section 40 of the City of Criston Court of Ortices 2005 entitled No Parking on Certain Streets Generally.

Sponsored by Councilman Banano and Council President Wall.

Council President, the floor is yours.

Actually, I'm gonna defer to Council um Bernano because he did this show right now on this.

Thank you, thank you, Council President.

Uh for the purposes of um my comments, my comments that I'm gonna make uh have to do with 925-03, 04, and 05.

So I'm gonna that doesn't mean councilman campiano, I'm gonna talk three times as long.

It just means that uh that I'm gonna um summarize all these at once.

I got uh I live very, very close to this area.

And uh since I've lived there going on nine years now, gotten to know many of the neighbors.

And when I got elected, some of the neighbors came to me, um, especially the ones on Poppy Drive, um, complaining that uh cars are cars of residents of Garden City apartments are permanently uh parking, in other words, 24-7 essentially, when they are home in this in in these areas, and they are given ample parking.

Uh there's uh an allotment of parking spots per apartment.

And um I don't think it's fair uh, you know, for the residents to have to, and additionally for the police to come out and repeatedly ticket some something as minuscule as um overnight parking constantly.

I know that overnight parking tickets are a pain in the neck because the officer has to go by twice, and a lot of times at those times during the evening or night, there's a lot more pressing things to be paying attention to uh than overnight parking.

I will also say, Tom, would you mind putting the the um picture up that I had sent?

This is a picture from a resident's house at the areas that I'm talking about.

This picture was taken very early in the morning, and you can see a car cover on a vehicle parked in the street.

So if that's not indicative of I'm not moving my car for a very long time, I'm not quite sure what is.

Um they are there are people doing um um motor vehicle repairs uh in the middle of the street.

There's a Mercury grandmarque that's constantly jacked up, hood open.

And there are two sequential license plates that are constantly parked on the on the street, which leads me to believe that's the same apartment that seems to be the culprit.

The neighbors all along this road and all along uh the road both ways on Poppy have complained.

They all have um, well, some of them have small young children, and they're concerned that as people come around the corner from Garden City Drive onto Poppy, especially um that you know their their children um again, you know, playing in the street in a residential neighborhood might not be as safe as they should be.

Uh one final thing when cars are parked on both sides of the road, it uh would inhibit um an emergency vehicle coming down the middle of that street.

Um, in in many ways, especially if they're trying to make the curb.

If you notice on 924, excuse me, 92504 and 92505.

One of those has to do with one hour parking on the weekend only, and that is simply to um allow for parking for people attending mass at St.

Mark's Church many times during the holidays uh or frankly, you know, larger um activities at the church.

Um there's not ample parking except for the street.

So uh this allows for Saturday uh and Sunday, whether you're attending mass on Saturday evening or Sunday at St.

Mark's Church, it allows for one hour parking on hybrid.

I think I've tried to address all the concerns of the neighbors.

Um that uh ends my comments.

Thank you.

Okay, uh any further discussion on ordinance 925-03, Councilman President.

So I was wise to defer my my time to Councilman Banano.

He he said it quite uh thoroughly but also concisely.

Um I I had the occasion just last week in councilman knows a better weekend than we had just previously to actually walk on these these very streets, and it was consistent a year ago when you first got on.

We took started talking about it, and it's consistent now, especially with that fact that people are concerned um and poppy, especially where people are coming around the streets and there are cars parked there 24-7.

So I appreciate the work that Councilman Benano has done, obviously, as as a as a sponsor.

I'm going to be in full support.

Councilman Campo Piano.

Thank you, Chairman.

Uh, I will be in support of this, but I do have one question.

Is this gonna impact people getting visitors at their home or nurses or something that have to come in?

Where would they park to uh visit these people or what they need to do?

There's um the Garden City residence has to my knowledge, uh they do have visitor parking.

Um, and in many of these cases, um, for instance, especially on Poppy, there will be some parking across the street for somebody that's gonna be parking there temporarily.

Thank you.

Any further discussion on ordinance 25-03, 925-03.

See a non-clerk, please take a rule.

I don't believe we have a motion or second.

Motion to approve them.

Second.

I think we did because we were in discussion.

Yeah, any further discussion.

Seeing none, clerk, please take a rule.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

You're right, madam clerk.

You were right.

Sorry about that.

Moving on.

Uh ordinance 925-04, ordinance and amendment title 10, chapter 32, section 40 of the city of Cranston Court of Ordnance 2005 title, no parking on certain streets generally.

Uh Councilman Bonano, do you want to give a quick what I everything I just said.

Okay.

Thank you.

Uh may I entertain a motion to approve.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion.

Seeing none, Clerk, please take a roll.

Consul Vice President Heroyan.

Yes.

Councilwoman Vaziri, yes.

Conspect Camp Piano.

Yes.

Council Banano.

Yes.

Councilman Andrew?

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

Thank you.

Moving on to ordinance 925-05.

When it's an amendment of Title 10, Chapter 32, Section 500 of the Cranston Code of Ordinance 2005 entitled one hour parking generally.

Councilman Banano.

I have nothing further to add except what I said in the previous two ordinances.

Thank you.

Thank you.

May entertain a motion to approve.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion?

Seeing none, Clerk, please take a roll.

House of Vice President Heroyan.

Yes.

Councilwoman Baziri.

Yes.

Casper Camp Piano.

Yes.

Council Benano?

Yes.

Councilman Andrew?

Yes.

President Wall.

Yes.

Thank you.

I want to thank the police officers that are here.

I did that on purpose so you guys could take notes and um realize what the what we face.

So moving on, I'm gonna now go to this resolution, Cranston Police Department Gun Range.

I believe Councilman Traffic Canty has something to say on this.

Members of the council, unfortunately.

Uh I intentionally told the neighbors not to show up at this particular meeting because I was able to draw the resolution.

I informed the council president of that.

I informed uh councilman and der Hau of that.

It's unfortunately they would have appreciated and probably would have helped me if they had heard uh the comments being made tonight by the chief by Mr.

Moretti and a few other individuals.

As you know, I inherited this problem and started about five years ago when it initially started.

So unfortunately, we lost that opportunity in the past several years before the city plan commission when this could have been resolved.

Uh I made a promise that I would meet.

I would, in fact, I would drew.

If you remember, I redrew the ordinance.

Uh, and I said that I wouldn't intentionally meet with the chief.

And at that time, when I did meet with the chief, I was also accompanied by the mayor, Mr.

Moretti, the city solicitor, and the major.

So perhaps Mr.

Moretti had intentions of trying to intimidate me.

Uh it didn't work.

I met with the chief, and I had we exchanged some good ideas.

And I promised him that I would meet uh with the with the few other neighbors and with the major.

And I did exactly that.

We met in fact in the council chambers a few weeks ago.

Some of the exchange was positive.

Some of the exchange was very heated.

Uh, did we accomplish that I accomplish what I intended to do?

Uh perhaps not.

That's when I said I would I would uh basically uh place the ordinance in in the November council meeting to discuss it further.

Unfortunately, uh the testimony given tonight would have to be repeated again, I assume, uh, when the ordinance is comes before the for this body.

Um it's really unfortunate.

Uh I I want you to know that I'm not trying to do away with the gun range.

That's not my intention at all.

In fact, in fact, when I was mayor of the city of Cranston, we expanded on the gun range.

So I have no intention of doing away with it.

I'm just trying to find a happy medium that the neighbors could live within the gun range and with the cost with the corporation, the chief, and the and the police department.

Uh hopefully when the ordinance is resubmitted that that we can accomplish that goal.

Uh, but I'm a little upset tonight that I did not know this testimony will be given because Mr.

Moretti didn't see fit to tell me I would have had the neighbors here, would have benefited all of us.

So Mr.

Chairman, I am going to withdraw the resolution.

Motion to withdraw is accepted.

Um, I do want to apologize.

Uh Councilman Trafficant, Mayor Trafficante.

Um, I wanted to let the police officers, the fine men and women of this department actually speak.

So that's why um I I moved it out of order.

Uh Councilman Bonano, do you have something to say on this withdrawal?

So I suppose do we have to vote on the withdrawal?

No.

Okay.

I don't sponsor.

I mean, uh, I had some things to say.

Um, I don't know if they're appropriate.

Are they appropriate to say?

Uh I'm sorry, Anthony Director Moretti.

Are they appropriate?

Is it still appropriate to comment?

Um, Attorney Videcia.

What's there's no motion on the floor or anything.

I just want to I want to talk about the resolution.

I would say no, because he it has been withdrawn and left the room.

Um that ends it.

Okay, that motion all right.

Well, thank you.

Okay, the motion is withdraw.

No.

No, no, chair.

I have to say this.

My name came up in vain this evening.

I think I should have the opportunity to speak.

So move, please.

I take it as a compliment, perhaps.

It's never been said first time in my life I've ever attempted to intimidate someone.

I can tell you a councilman mayor traffic, someone you don't intimidate.

I think he doesn't intimidate easily.

So I think I'd be foolish to attempt to intimidate councilman uh trafficante.

I have no clue, no justification where that comment came from.

The only thing we think of is the councilman requested a meeting to meet with the uh police department to discuss this issue, and the mayor was very concerned.

I was very well for the instruction of the mayor.

Uh we met the mayor, myself, the police chief, and uh other command staff with with uh the councilman to discuss this issue, and to basically say frankly, we opposed what it was being very straightforward about uh about this uh resolution to say we oppose it for the reasons I I mentioned today.

And to basically say frankly, we opposed what it was being very straightforward about uh about this uh resolution to say we oppose it for the reasons I I mentioned today.

Nothing more, nothing less, but to impinge upon my character to say I'm trying to intimidate anyone.

That's the first time that's ever been said.

I want you to know that, and it's baseless.

He made another reference later on, and frankly, because I'm so upset now.

I forgot it was referenced.

So he's got a vendetta against me for some whatever reason it might be.

Perhaps he was, you know, he was uh uh unsuccessful in this.

Um and I did not organize these gentlemen, if you will.

The police department stands on their own, and I don't think you tell any of these members of this department, nor Colonel Winquist to follow what Moretti has to say.

I I trust their integrity is above above whatever I can tell them in terms of trying to do any personal favors of intimidation.

So I don't think it's very truthful what came out of that mouth a little while ago.

Thank you.

Okay.

Oh what are we talking about here?

Do the chair the solicitor, please.

This afternoon, every council member received a letter from um a constituent in regard to this.

It has been withdrawn, but can we make a motion to receive and to put into a record or should I do it to council person communication read the letter from the constituent that resides on Five Lanconia Road?

You're the legal counsel, so it'd be better for you to say so just so I understand the the query.

So you want to know whether or not to make it part of the record at this point in time, whether to submit it.

I I would say since it's been withdrawn, I would say no.

I mean, there'll be a time and a place.

My understanding is that it's this um ordinance or resolution will be reintroduced by councilman traffic canthi at some point.

I think that would be the more appropriate time.

All right, moving on.

Let's go to committee business matters carried over.

Ordinance 82501 ordinance and amendment of Title II, chapter 40 of the City of Cranston Code of Ordinances 2005, entitled Municipal Court, sponsored by myself, Councilwoman Graziano, and Councilman Bernano.

So basically to make this because I know it's a long night.

Um, we came up with this idea to give our housing court more teeth, as as we know.

Oh, and before I do anything, um I would like to add councilman traffic cante as a sponsor.

Uh Mr.

Viduckia, how do we do this?

Uh we're gonna do I have to make a motion to add somebody for a sponsor.

What can we just say?

Okay, it's not a formal motion clerk.

Um, Madam Clerk, can you please add councilman trafficante to this ordinance, please, as a sponsor.

So that's noted.

So the housing court was basically we came up with the idea to give the the city more teeth.

As you all know during the budget season, the housing court has not generated any revenue.

The animal control has generated more revenue than the housing court in the last two years.

So it's a pilot program, it's something that we're gonna test.

Um the judges are gonna receive a dollar, they're basically here volunteer on a voluntary basis.

We have some inspectors to give our code our code enforcement inspectors more um help.

It's part-time.

I spoke to the union, the union's fine with it.

We're gonna have a part-time clerk, just like we're gonna have uh a solicitor on board.

So I have full faith in our finance uh director where the money's coming from.

He did give us a note.

I know there was some uh verbiage and some letters around uh we messed up somewhere, but I have full faith in our in our system.

So that's basically it.

Um it's a pilot program.

We're gonna deal with it again back when it comes budget time.

If it doesn't raise any money, I'll be the first one to put a uh put a withdrawal for this ordinance.

So with that being said, um, councilman, would you like to say anything?

I if I repeat something that you said, I I apologize.

I was asking police chief of short question.

Um I did speak to uh Chief Judge Koya today and in the past about this particular uh resolution, um, about this particular ordinance, I should say.

And uh at first he did have some concerns, but he had met with you know several council members, um, including myself.

And uh I think we've we've uh alleviated those concerns of his because his quote to me today was I'm cool with it, we're gonna make it work, should it pass.

Um, and that's a direct quotation.

I think one of the biggest concerns that he had uh was you know, this is not a separate court.

This is this is uh essentially a division.

You didn't say this, did you?

This is essentially a division of the municipal court that is going to um specifically deal with the housing portion.

Uh it's gonna add some uh gravitas to the um uh inspections process, and it's gonna give um it's gonna speed up the process as well.

Uh ultimately our goal here, which is why I signed on to it, um, is to keep Cranston the beautiful city that it is and keep it uh and even improve it.

Um and a lot of times uh, you know, just that notice is good enough to get people to improve some of their property.

And I think that we have something to back that notice up now is is gonna be even better for the city.

I'm not trying to, you know, we're not trying to make it difficult for people.

We're trying to um sort of reward the people who live around some distressed properties so that dispressed property is no longer distressed in the neighborhood.

I don't know that I know uh uh during public comment, the um attorney Murray brought up a couple of those concerns.

I wanted to answer a couple of those concerns.

Those are the two big changes, and uh we did speak to many of us spoke to Chief Judge Coya, and um, like I said, he has indicated that he is quote unquote cool with it and is gonna make it work.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Or uh mayor, councilman Traffic Cante as a sponsor.

Would you like to say anything on this?

Councilman, I I couldn't be happier that we're establishing this court.

And you and I, and along with the council president had an opportunity to visit a few of the abandoned houses in ward five.

Uh one that hasn't been abandoned for seven years.

Seven years.

That's a disgrace.

That's that that doesn't reflect well on our city that we don't have a building inspection office that that cites things like this.

We also found another house of 15 years abandoned.

15 years where the where the owner has not lived in the house.

I can imagine what the inside, the interior looks like with rodents and what have you.

So I'm I am totally supportive of this court.

Thank you.

May I entertain a motion to approve.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion.

Councilman Campo Biano.

Thank you, Chairman.

Um, I do have some concerns.

Um first of all, uh one of my concerns is that this is being done on one night.

It's uh we're uh entertaining it here in ordinance and then going to full council to approve it.

They've not given us much time to digest this.

Uh the other thing is being on the council for four years or four plus years now.

Uh I know one thing.

If there's two lawyers in the room, one's gonna argue the walls are white, the other one's gonna argue the walls are black.

And they're both gonna argue until they're blue in the face.

It's true.

And then when the third lawyer comes in, you're gonna say, what a lovely shade of pink.

So uh I did contact three lawyers, and I got three different opinions.

And uh right now we don't have a council attorney.

And I would have liked to wait to have a council attorney to discuss this to get feel better about this, understand it better, and I'm looking forward to our council attorney of uh for a uh bright new future for us.

Uh and uh especially myself.

Uh I'm looking forward to working with him.

So uh I I have nothing against the court.

Uh I I do see problems with um inspections.

We already challenging with inspections uh throughout the city.

I think everyone here will say that's probably one of our weakest departments and to add this burden to them.

And then we have a rat ordinance that's coming in later on that's gonna add more burden to that department.

I think we need to address that apartment.

So I I have nothing nothing against the the ordinance or the court itself.

I just would have liked to see it tap the brakes a little bit, maybe maybe um postpone it to next month where we can discuss this with the new uh attorney and understand a little bit more about it, maybe polish it a little bit better instead of just rushing into it.

That those are my concerns, and I can't support it unless uh we put this off a little bit.

Thank you.

Any further discussion?

Yeah, council president, council president.

Um first I wanna I I know this is I it seems this evening because we're doing it all together, and I have spoke to councilman uh camper Piano about it.

And I I listen, I understand your concerns.

I also know um, especially Councilman Andor has been he's been advocating for this type of court for probably almost as long as he's been on the council.

Um so I I appreciate the efforts of the people who sponsored it.

Um I think Councilman Traffic Handy, myself, Councilman Andah, and numerous other members of the council have seen houses that are broken down, holes, rat holes, all kinds of disrepair.

And we say what, you know, the neighbors around that say, when are you gonna do something about it?

Um and today, you know, I and I know it seems like it's rushed, but I think today maybe we do have to kind of head down that path and do something.

And if this, and and I see the financial note in it, if this is on a trial basis, and we take care of it, and it even if it fulfills half of what we're asking for, it would be at least half a step in the direction to doing something we've been saying we wanted to do for a long time.

Um, so as much as I I've heard the the councilman's um concerns and I get it.

Um I personally don't see see a problem going forward with it.

That would be my own opinion.

Um looking at the fin my only question I see uh Financial Director Zedellas is no these uh I would ask the sponsors, these are the only costs that that we're gonna have.

And it would look like those costs are already in the budget right now, and I don't know if perhaps perhaps the auditor would answer that question.

That would be my only question.

And if that's it, I think I think we're in uh I feel comfortable moving forward.

Um based on it's here on the fiscal note.

Um I'll make an assumption that these are gonna be fines that are gonna be received up to 32,000 are gonna court that are gonna um offset the expenditures.

So just as uh uh a side note, we don't know what the um fines are gonna be.

So that's the only concern.

So basically, this is just 32,000 increase in revenue to the municipal court from housing side, which would be fines, no different than the traffic court fines and the expenditures are offsetting that.

So I don't know if there's uh a table of what's being fined, what the fines cost, what they are, how they're being assessed, and how they're being collected.

So from a standard fiscal side, that would be the only question I would have.

Any further discussion?

Councilman, Councilwoman Heroin.

I'll be voting in full support of this tonight.

Thank you for taking all the time.

I know you this idea was your campaign running on.

You started talking to people in last February discussing this.

Um it's a trial, it's a pilot program.

Yes, it's a lot of judges, but you wanted to make sure you had the staff.

Am I correct to understand we will have an inspection person working under the court, so it won't be extra low caseload on the inspections that's already established.

Yes, we would there, there if you read the the ordinance, there are four part-time inspectors.

Thank you very much.

Also, would it be possible for the part time clerk to give us maybe an update every six months of how many cases came before them, how many violations have been given out and the financial impact it's done, and so we can know that this is working and it's revenue revenue for the city.

Yes, um, I I believe once it if it passes, um, there will be monthly reports.

The only reason why, you know, I wanted and I've basically um solicited for this thing to come now is because we still have another month to prepare and set this up.

So we're coming in April for budget season, and by then we have to see what's coming in because if nothing's coming in and we're setting up in March, then we're not come up completing anything.

Thank you.

I know you worked closely with other cities and towns, and the revenue did cover the staff that it employed.

So thank you for doing this.

Thank you.

And if you would allow, I'd like to be a co-sponsor on this also.

Madam Clerk, if you could add that.

Um, Councilman Banano.

I just, you know, as as we all know here, I'm sort of preaching to the choir, but for for the public and posterity, if this because this is recorded, you know, as council people, it is our job to deal with complaints and concerns of constituents.

Um this is up there for sure, if not the top complaint, it's in the top three.

You know, so and so's grass isn't cut.

What are you doing about that house down the street?

We live in such a beautiful neighborhood, and this one property is extremely distressed.

How many times uh as I see, you know, attorney Millet behind me.

We were talking about um the the property of the folks who may or may not have had a reverse mortgage at an address, you know, and the leaves are too close to the chimney and all these things, you know.

This is gonna alleviate us talking about that.

This is gonna enable there to be a sort of an automatic mechanism.

And as a council person, you know, whatever the procedure will be as far as reporting it to the inspectors, and it's gonna it's gonna be easier for us to work for our constituents.

This is for our constituents who come to us and have concerns about some of the properties, and like I said earlier in the meeting, there's gonna be some stuff that indirectly and directly relates to rodents coming up soon.

This is gonna also enable us to have more tools to alleviate that rodent problem that many many are concerned about.

So um, I'm in support of this.

Do I think it's perfect?

No.

Um, but you know, uh, this is why it's on a pilot basis.

We can we can come back to it, we can amend it as needed, and we can adjust it and we can reevaluate it, but we're not gonna know how to do that unless we try and we get it moving.

And you know, it might seem like a while away, but as councilman and Chairman Ander Hart alluded to budget season is gonna be here before we know it, and we gotta have some empirical data to look at before we get to that point.

So um, I'm in favor of this tonight.

I'm also, you know, I agree with my colleague, Councilman Campepiano that you know, maybe it isn't perfect, but um, you know, for fear of failing, I'm gonna give it a I'm not gonna avoid trying, you know.

So my vote will be in the affirmative.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh, two things.

One, uh, just want to make sure we convey that uh the mayor's been through this.

Um, he certainly supports the spirit of of it, uh leaving, I'll say the details, you know, to the council to work it out.

But the council, pardon me, but the mayor does support this effort uh for a uh housing court.

Just want to pass that along in in your deliberations.

And the other thing is uh to the councilman.

Uh we actually do have council attorney under the charter.

The solicitor's department is the council attorney, so if you wanted their resources they hear this evening, um so you shouldn't feel you don't have a council attorney.

I believe if I have it correct, we our our city solicitors are the council attorneys.

Uh so if you wish to call upon them.

And and and lastly, I think maybe they could address that budget uh consideration.

Um, if the if something might be necessary, I'll defer to the attorneys on that.

Thank you.

Councilman Campo Pionum.

Thank you.

Uh well, let me get it straight.

I I'm not against the spirit of it.

I'm not against, I mean, I understand houses have been abandoned for 10 years.

This is not a magic wand.

Um, they're not going to disappear all of a sudden.

I just feel that we it could have been a little bit more thought out and a little bit more information.

I mean, if it's gone for 10 years, then is the bank owner who we find in the bank?

Are we finding the I mean, are we there's gonna be liens?

Are the mechanic liens?

Is Joe the Roofer gonna get get penalized now because we're taking this house over and he don't get paid?

This there's a lot of things that and I and I did consult with the the council attorney to director Moretti's point, and that's where I alluded to in my uh first comments.

I contacted three different lawyers and I got three different opinions.

Uh I just I guess I needed a fourth opinion because it it wasn't I I wasn't satisfied with what was going on.

I just was hoping that we could we we without this for as long as the uh crisis has been in in around, and now all of a sudden we got to do this right now.

That's that's my point.

I mean, I don't think a month would have uh made that big of a difference, and I think I would have felt better knowing that all the T's were crossed and the I's butted.

That's it.

Any further discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Council Vice President Heroyan, yes, councilwoman Vazieri, yes, conspiracy Piano?

No, Councilman Banano?

Yes, Councilman?

Yes, Council President Wall.

Yes, I'll say yes, even though I don't have a vote in this particular committee.

Thank you, Councilman.

Okay, that motion carries.

Moving on.

258 25-02 ordinance and amendment of Title 8, Chapter 8.36, Section 50 of the City of Creston Court of Ordinance 2005 entitled duty of owner upon receipt of notice.

Sponsored by our president, council president Wall and Councilman Bonano.

Mr.

President, the floor is yours.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

This is essentially the same ordinance that we brought before the council about a month ago.

Um, there was some uh wordsmithing that had to be done, but essentially you look at the changes, and I I certainly heard the speaker this evening say that we probably have to make sure that the ordinances, the whole pack, the section of ordinances are clear that this is the premises.

I think before that goes before the council, we'll be able to take care of that.

Um, but if you look at it, it's pretty much it's it's basically saying find people a little bit more.

Um, because the truth is what we're doing right now.

If I take the property that we were referring to so many times over the last six months, we haven't fined them 25 dollars.

We haven't fined them.

I want to say that it's been since April.

We have not fined them 25 dollars for our time and our efforts, not 25 dollars.

So we have to do something to make it a little bit more urgent on this matter.

So that's why I put it forth.

It's the same thing I said a month ago.

Um I don't know if the council councilman banano, who also was uh uh involved in this, would like to say anything that but that's up to the chair.

Councilman Banano, yes, um well, again, I think I'm pretty sure everybody agrees with the spirit of it.

I think uh attorney Murray and his public comment brought up a good point.

Um the lawyers are speaking to each other over there.

Um, so when they come up for air, um I might want to ask them about what attorney Murray said uh to see if we can make sure we get it right and if we have to change anything.

So that's all I have to say for now.

When they come back, I'll ask that.

No, it's John there.

I can't see attorney Videcki.

Do you have do you have any opinion on the on the um language use as far as wrap proofing and whether or not something's inside or outside, and should we change anything in this in this ordinance before we push it to full counsel, assuming it passes the the term premises as I understand it and I I understand uh Mr.

Murray's concerns, the term premises to me does not, in my opinion, this is my opinion, doesn't necessarily limit um the definition is not limited to a building inside or outside premises to me includes exterior as well as interior.

If you want to clarify it more, then I think you could uh simply uh amend uh the language to clarify it and just put add the terms exterior premises includes exterior as well as interior, just if you want to clarify it some more.

I think premises is all inclusive.

That's my opinion.

I I tend to agree with you, but I also see uh my father's an attorney, and he would argue with me about what a cookie was when I asked him for a cookie when I was five years old.

So um, so I also I also see uh attorney Murray's point.

I as a sponsor, I wherever the word premises or premise or or whatever that appears, is it within my purview to make a motion to uh add in parentheses after the word premises inside and outside or or interior and exterior?

Yeah, I I think um you could put an insert a comma as opposed to parentheses, a comma uh and you could put language which says uh premises to include to include interior and exterior uh portions of the premises, all right.

So in the emboldened print on line 38 determines that the premises, comma interior and exterior.

Actually, you know, I solicitor Millet made a good point.

Um I think we should probably just limit it to say that premises uh includes all exterior areas, and the reason I say that, and he brought up a good point is that to legislate and tell people what they must do with regard to the inside of their homes might be problematic.

All right, so fair enough.

Just to clarify the premises also refers to all exterior areas, all right.

So what I'm gonna motion that on line 38 uh we add so it reads determines that the premises, comma, including the exterior of the property is in wrap proof condition, so on so forth.

So moved.

Sorry, clerk please take a role.

Any discussion?

None clerk, please take a rule.

Yes, but I'm gonna go to the same time.

Um discussion.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

May entertain a motion to adjourn.

All those in favor say aye.

Evening and welcome to this October six sixteenth special city council meeting.

At this time, I'm gonna ask the clerk to please call you uh call the roll.

Councilwoman Graziano, Councilman Andrewhar, President, Consman Ritz, President.

Council Trafficanti.

Present.

Councilwoman Vazier.

Present.

Conspect Campbiano.

Present.

Consider Banano.

Present.

Council Vice President Heroyan.

Present.

Here.

Before we begin, let me start with a couple of programming notes.

All right.

First, um public comment.

So one of the first things I'm going to ask for is a motion to make public comment on docketed items.

I'll ask for that in a moment.

Okay, not just yet.

Um also I'm going to make another program and note when we get to the letter of engagement um for attorney Michael Marcello.

We are probably gonna I'm gonna ask for a motion at that time um to refer that to the finance committee.

Just so we do everything dot our all our eyes cross all ITs and do it properly so we advertise it correctly and we don't fall into any issues with that.

Um for a motion, uh I'm gonna ask for a motion to have public comment this evening on docketed matters.

So we'll chair motion in a second.

Is there any any discussion?

Okay, there being none clerk, would you please call a roll?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Okay, so at this time I'm gonna ask if there's anyone in the chambers this evening who would like to speak on docketed matters only, please step up to the podium.

You'll have four minutes to speak, and I'd like your name and your address for the record.

Okay, I see none.

I'm gonna ask Tom, is there anyone online who would like to make a public comment?

There is no public comment online.

Okay, so at that point, I'll just close public comment.

All right.

So we're gonna go right to reports of committee.

Um, I'm gonna turn the floor over to um Council of Vice President Heroyan as chair of the safety services and license committee.

Earlier tonight, the special safety services licensing committee did meet, and we did vote to approve the class B V liquor license.

It is overcap for the city.

And I'm gonna ask tonight that we also approve this.

Is there a motion to approve?

Motion to approve.

Second.

Seeing none, clerk, please call roll.

Councilman Andrew Har?

Yes, Casper Ritz?

Yes, Casper Trafficante?

Yes.

Councilman Vazier, yes.

Conspiano?

Yes.

Consident Banano?

Yes.

Council Vice President Heroyan?

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

Motion carries.

All right.

Moving right along to um report of Chairman of the Ordnance Committee.

It's Councilman Ander.

Um the floor is yours, Councilman Ander.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh, we had a successful meeting.

Um, the motion did pass.

Um, this was for the housing court to create a a new division or added to a division of the municipal court.

Um, it did pass, but at this time, um, I would urge to table this for some tech to fix some technicalities, and we could come back to a special meeting.

Okay.

Would we require a motion to table?

Or is he can he just okay?

So moved, Mr.

President.

Is motion at table is there second?

Second, second in discussion.

There being unclear, please call the roll.

Casminduhar.

Yes, Consoritz, yes, Casper Traficante.

Yes.

Councilman Vazier.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Okay.

Moving on to new business.

Um, this would be the appointment of attorney Michael Marcelo as legal counsel and litigation counsel the Cranston City Council for a term ending uh January 1st, 2027.

Is there a motion?

So move, Mr.

President.

Second.

Second.

That would be a motion to approve.

Yes, sir.

Okay.

There's a motion made and seconded.

Is there any discussion?

Okay, there being none.

Clerk, please call.

Did you raise your hand?

He did first.

I see as soon as I put my head down.

Anyway, uh Councilman Campiano.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh, I just want to say uh it's gonna be a brush fresh air to welcome uh the attorney.

Thank you very much for uh considering our appointment and uh I look forward to working with you.

Councilman Anduha.

I would also like to thank uh legal council Marcello for taking this uh task upon himself.

Uh we look forward to welcoming you here with open arms and look forward to working with you.

Councilman Benano.

I had uh occasion to meet with attorney Marcelo a couple times now.

I think um it's gonna be a great asset to our council.

Uh he comes highly recommended.

His reputation speaks for itself, uh, both in the legal community and um in our state government.

I did have one question that I will ask Mr.

Marcelo on behalf of my colleague Councilman Trafficaney.

You know, um councilman traffic cany is and I um would like some help when we have to write ordinances.

Is this something that you're gonna do uh and help us with uh please attorney?

Thank you, members of the council.

Uh certainly I'll be more than happy to help whatever needs to be done or reviewed or whatnot.

All right, I was need one right away.

Okay, I'll I'll pass out my card as soon as you take the vote.

How's that?

We're glad to have you and we're very lucky.

Thank you.

If you indulge me for just a second, I appreciate the opportunity to serve the city of Cranston.

As you know, I used to represent uh maybe you don't know, used to represent the Western uh uh part of Cranston when I was a rep constituent.

Um, but most important to me is uh right down the street at Leslie Street.

Uh my grandparents uh uh uh had their home.

So the Marcellos actually come from Cranston and uh in 1947 they fled the situate uh to the country at the time.

Um but it's it's nice to be back.

And I was very proud to see uh Mateo Marcelo on the building uh plaque that was built in 1936.

I'm assuming I'm related to him, but I don't know.

But it's great to be back in Cranston.

So thank you, everyone.

Thank you, attorney.

Um, I'll add my comments.

I've had a a great deal great deal of uh conversations with uh attorney Marcelo.

Um I know Councilman Benano and I both met with him when we first tired talking about uh handling the uh litigation regarding open meetings violation.

Um everyone I've spoken to, and I don't want to embarrass you here, everyone I spoke to speaks blowingly of you, so I think when we actually do vote, we we're gonna get a very good attorney.

Any other any other comments or discussion?

Council woman Heroin.

I'd like to welcome you also.

Um, I've had the honor to work with attorney Marcelo before in both his roles, and I look forward to doing it again.

Thank you.

Further there being none, Clerk, would you please call the roll?

Yes, Consor Ritz, yes, Casmore Traficante?

Yes, Councilman Vaziri, yes, Conspect Camp Piano, yes, Consumer Banano, yes, Consul Vice President Heroyan, yes, President Wall.

Um, the next next thing I'm gonna move is to I'm gonna look for a motion to refer the consideration of the letter of engagement between Cranston City Council and Mike Michael Marcello Esquire, Lewis Brisboy, and Bisguard and Smith LLP for the services of council, attorney and litigation counsel for the city city council for the term of January 4th, 2027.

I'm gonna move that document to the finance committee.

Is it a motion to refer?

So moved, Mr.

President.

Second.

Any discussion?

Okay, there being none, Clerk, please call the roll.

Consman Induhar.

Yes.

Casman Ritz.

Yes.

Casma Trafficanti.

Yes.

Council Woman Vaziri.

Yes.

Casma Camp Piano?

Yes.

Consider Benano?

Yes.

Consider Vice President Heroyan?

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

There being no further business before this committee this evening.

I'm looking for a motion to adjourn.

Second.

Second.

All in favor, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Opposed signify by saying nay.

The ayes have it.

Thank you very much.

And good night.