Good evening, everyone.

Today's January fifth, twenty twenty six, and I'd like to call this meeting to order.

Clerk, can you please take the role?

I would like to open the floor to public comment.

You'll have four minutes to talk about only agenda matters.

To take a motion to return to open session.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take the role.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

I'd like to take a motion to seal the minutes of the executive session.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take the role.

Yes.

Any discussion?

Yes.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take the role.

Yes.

Can we please have a motion to adjourn this meeting?

All in favor by saying I.

Services and license committee meeting to order.

Clerk, can you please take a roll?

Pastor McGraziano.

And Pastor Ritz.

Present.

Consulman Vazieri.

Present.

Present.

Here.

At this time I would like to entertain a motion to approve the amendments from December first, twenty twenty-five regular meeting.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take a rule.

Yes.

Councilwoman Vazieri.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

President Wall.

Yes.

At this time, I would like to entertain a public comment.

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

Okay, I'd like to close public comment.

At this time, is there any objection to take the agenda out of order?

Seeing none, I am going to start with additional hours.

The first one on your agenda is under public hearings is a victualing license request, which is obviously a food service license for their new proposed location at 1234 Oakland Avenue.

For members of the committee, I'm sure familiar with this.

This is the location of the former Superior Bakery, which has been raised.

Mr.

Levake's company bought that property, and we've been working our way towards uh getting our building permit to start uh construction.

Um the second application before you this evening is a request from him and his uh wife for a liquor license, a class B liquor license, which would be a new license uh that would be subject to full council approval if this committee were to grant it.

Uh in the third application before you this uh this evening is under new matters on page uh four, which is an entertainment license.

Um that um uh is uh requested by uh Mr.

Levake for the opportunity to have some uh small entertainment uh in the established once it's built and opened.

Um we have been through various levels of approval uh um uh with the city, including the development plan review committee.

Um uh Mr.

Levake at uh council president wall suggestion uh hosted a neighborhood meeting when we first started this.

Uh and we've tried to keep the neighbors apprised of uh plans.

Uh the uh we've been a little delayed in the construction, mostly because of the economy and the cost of construction and working uh working our way towards the ultimate uh uh beginning of uh construction.

But we uh we're waiting a final approval from the public works department uh and the building permit should issue shortly.

Um the reason we're here tonight is because uh if this council were to grant the liquor license, there would be certain modifications made to the interior of the um uh the restaurant um uh that we would like to accommodate if if there is a uh liquor license.

I understand that uh the granting of any of these licenses tonight will ultimately be subject to uh final approval from the health department.

Uh the and obviously certainly a certificate of occupancy.

Uh the uh under your uh on page two, uh page three, I'm sorry, under the liquor license, uh there were three outstanding items.

Uh one was the letter of good standing, which has been provided to the clerk's office uh after the docket uh was posted.

Um, but the other items would be in the normal course uh obtained by Mr.

Levake um once construction is completed and final inspections are made through city and state agencies.

Um with respect to first the uh victualing license, uh this location will have a drive-through.

Um and uh that is all part of the site plan's been approved by the city.

Um the drive-thru is not one that will be open late into the evening.

His plans are to close it at 6 p.m.

And that was part of a uh discussion that we uh we shared with the uh the neighbors.

Uh but uh he, as you may know, Mr.

Levake operates at Brood Awakenings on Pontiac Avenue near Route 37 right now.

He uh operates one on Baldur Road in Woolwick, which has a liquor license, uh, and he has one in Johnston.

So uh he in terms of liquor license, he's obviously experienced with the requirements of being a good uh class B liquor license holder and the requirements uh of all the protocols that would be required.

So the vixeling license is uh state's additional hours because uh he would like to open at 5 a.m.

rather than 6 a.m.

And so that's why it's listed as an additional additional hours.

Um the liquor license, as I already stated, would require full uh city council approval if this committee were to grant it, and we understand that.

And lastly, the entertainment license would be very uh low-key.

Um, not every day of the week, but uh uh depending on the time of year and the season.

Um he might have one or two pieces uh inside playing uh some music.

Um there will be a small outdoor uh area um uh at this location.

Uh but that is in some substance to three applications before you.

Uh I'm not trying to steal Mr.

Levake's thunder.

He is available to answer any questions in terms of operation and uh planning.

Thank you.

May I entertain a motion to approve additional hours for the Victorian license for Brood Awakenings at um one, two, three, four Oakland Avenue, subject to um approval from the Rhode Island Department of Health and uh obtaining a certificate of occupancy.

Motion to approve.

Second, any discussion, Mr.

President.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

And uh as attorney uh Murray rightly pointed out, um Mr.

Leverick and his wife um did come out.

It did a fine a good community meeting, really the way it should be done.

Um met with the members of the community, addressed any concern, answered questions straightforward.

Um I think I think the only thing that was maybe a year or so, maybe a little more than a year back.

Um I think the only questions we've got since then is when's it gonna open?

So people are people I I think the neighbors really embraced the idea.

Um and the drive-thru was discussed, they had some questions, the way it was situated.

It really, I think it's gonna work out well.

I think it's gonna be a good addition to the neighborhood.

And uh, you could tell the people ready for definitely have something positive in that area again.

All right, so I look forward to it, and I'm gonna be in full support.

Thank you, Councilman Woman Graziano.

Thank you.

I just want to confirm this.

We're just doing a one right now on this vote.

Yes, okay, thank you.

Uh Councilman Bonano.

Um, thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Um I want to uh uh commend route awakenings and their organization.

Um, I think they do a wonderful job and they generally improve everywhere that they uh they uh begin to set down some roots.

Uh like Council President Wall said, um the only questions that we've gotten uh you know that I've gotten is when's it gonna open?

Why don't they go faster?

Um so you know the the um the community there is uh very anticipatory there they're waiting for you.

So uh the only thing I can say is whatever we can do to make it faster, that seems to be what our constituents want.

So hurry up.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I believe before we vote, we have the our economic development director, Franklin Paulino.

Would you like to say something?

Name and address.

Yes.

Um good evening.

Uh Franklin Polino, director of economic development, 869 Park Avenue.

Um, we started working with um Brood Awakening, the administration uh Ken Hopkins, and we do have a positive recommendation for this business coming into the city of Cranston.

So welcome to the city and we look forward to um for this to be passed.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there any further discussion?

I would just like to thank you for staying in Cranston and just remind you that you could do a mini one in Ward 3.

So that might be for the future.

So with that being said, Clerk, please take a roll.

Yes, President Wall.

Yes.

Since there was no objection to taking the agenda out of order, I move to C class B V liquor license new brood awakenings, Oakland Avenue, located at 1234 Oakland Avenue.

Um, it is over the cap.

So I'm looking for an approval subject to the certificate of insurance and certificate of occupancy.

So move.

Second.

Any discussion.

Seeing none, Clerk, please take a roll.

Console McGraziano, yes.

Consider Consti.

Yes.

Consulman Vaziri, yes.

Yes.

Moving on to number eight, new matters before the council, before the committee, I should say.

Uh entertainment license.

Uh license period current um brood awakenings uh located at 1234 Oakland Avenue, indoor only.

Entertainment hours will be Sunday through Saturday, 11 a.m.

to 12 p.m.

at 12 a.m.

sorry.

Um, subject two, um entertainment motion subject two.

Um getting their certificate of occupancy.

So moved, Mr.

Chairman.

Second.

Any discussion.

Seeing none, Clerk, please take a roll.

Council McGraziano, yes.

Council Traffic Canti, yes, Councilman Vazeri.

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

Okay.

Thank you.

Moving on now to auto body licenses number B on additional on public hearings.

Uh K B Sons Auto Body Inc.

Mako Cranston, 1452 Park Avenue.

Do we have anybody here?

Are you doing so?

Just please come up, state your name and address, and uh you have four minutes.

Okay.

Thank you for calling.

My name is Ray Abbas.

Uh I am yeah, my name is Rai Abbas.

Uh the first name is Ray R A I.

The last name is Abbas, A B B A S.

Yep.

So I'm here to get the outdoor body license on uh 1452 Park Avenue.

We already have the shop there running uh as the DBS Damico.

So we'll try to take over that shop.

So we already have running the Mako in one in the Massachusetts in the Brockton.

So we'll try to run over here too.

So we're looking forward to get the license.

Thank you.

May I entertain a motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion?

Seeing none, Clerk, please take a roll.

Consul McGraziano.

Yes.

Consider Ritz.

Yes.

Consult Trafficanti.

Yes.

Consulman Vaziri.

Yes.

Consuhar?

Yes.

Yes.

Good luck.

Thank you.

Moving on to Class D, A liquor.

It's um, sorry, number D, Class A liquor license renewal.

GJ Corp, DBA as classic liquors located at 1358 Plainfield.

Seeing that they paid, um, may I entertain a motion to approve?

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion.

Clerk, please take a roll.

Consulman McGraziano.

Yes.

Conspect Ritz.

Council Trafficanti.

Yes.

Consulwoman Vazeri.

Yes.

Consular?

Yes.

Yes.

Moving on.

Number E, Class B V liquor license renewal.

Um Cafe Fumar, located at 1464 Park Ave.

May entertain a motion to approve.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion.

Clerk, please take a roll.

Consulma McGraziano.

Yes.

Casper Ritz.

Yes.

Consult Traficante.

Consulman Vaziri.

Yes.

Casmanduhar?

Yes.

Yes.

Moving on to number two.

High Hong L L C D B A S Fo Saigon and Bar located at 1106 Pontiac Avenue.

Anyone here?

No.

And to what uh would like to entertain a motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Consult McGraziano.

Yes.

Conservative.

Consul Bazeri.

Yes.

Consider Andrew Har?

Yes.

Yes.

Moving on to 39 West Phoenix Plaza, located at 39 West Restaurant and Lounge.

I see that there have some outstanding balance clerk.

Was that paid?

No, it has not.

Okay.

Entertain a motion to deny.

Through the chair, if I may just give the the committee just a uh a bit of uh information.

Counselor.

Um this particular establishment, along with the the two preceding it, uh in addition to the one following it, uh, were the subject of some enforcement action by the city over the past week.

I worked in conjunction with the Cranston Police Department and the clerk's office, who both did a uh fantastic job.

Um what we did was we sent out a an officer, uh compliance officer from the Cranston Police Department to these various establishments and informed them that unless they came into compliance forthwith, that they had a choice of either voluntarily removing their alcohol from the premises or having it seized by the Cranston Police Department.

Um I would say I I'm going to get more of an update from uh the police department.

I have to contact Major Padalano as of close of business on Friday.

I believe that Cranston Police visited every one of the establishments on my list, including this one.

Um 39 West, however, I believe there were two attempts to contact them at their place, physically at their place of business, and the police did not receive any type of response.

So at this point, um my recommendation, and you've already made it, would have been to deny this renewal.

And if it's denied, they will have to come in, they will have to reapply as a new licensee.

And I and I would just add that this is after multiple attempts by the clerk's office after a cease and desist order that I personally issued myself, which was ignored.

So I just wanted to uh bring the committee up to date on what we've been doing the past week in terms of enforcement.

Thank you.

Is there anyone in the orders from 39 West?

Seeing no one may entertain a motion to deny.

Motion to deny.

Second.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Consulwoman Vazeri.

I'm sorry, Consulwan Graziano.

Yes.

Conspa Ritz.

Yes.

Consul Traficante.

Consulman Vaziri.

Yes.

Consular?

Yes.

Consident Wall.

Yes.

Moving on to number four, Mexico City Tacos and Tequila LLC located at 1177 Reservoir Avenue.

Clerk, I see that they are missing their letter of good standing.

Did that come in by 4 p.m.

today?

We did not receive it.

No.

Sorry.

Through the chair again, if I may.

Um, I have personal uh knowledge of the situation with um this particular establishment.

In fact, I was on the phone with uh Sergeant Bruno of the Cranston Police Department when he went um and spoke to the proprietor of Mexico City.

Um, and he was he was very uh cooperative.

He uh paid as is uh indicated on the agenda.

He paid his uh fees, he paid his taxes.

He also uh showed a receipt from um the department of taxation, um, where he paid something in the vicinity of 37 to 38,000, um, which I believe was the problem, the hold up with the letter of good standing.

I am in possession of that receipt.

I'm satisfied that he is in good standing.

Uh, we we don't have the official document yet, but I would uh recommend that this be uh granted subject to production of the letter, which I expect that we will receive forthwith.

Thank you, council.

Um I still say we should continue it to the next meeting.

Um so may I entertain a motion to continue to motion to continue second.

Any discussion?

Yeah, but thank you.

I um in all of our conversations.

I mean, I'm not I'm on uh I'm not on this committee, but I attend every meeting.

And in all of our conversations, we've been trying to do um the right thing by the businesses that do everything on time and get everything correct and pay all their taxes.

Um, you know, so um I would be uncomfortable were I to have a vote to to grant it at this point pending.

I think what we can do is um I think the best course of action, as we sort of figured out already, is to continue it till we get the letter.

Um, because you know, there needs to be some sort of repercussion for folks that uh don't do it the right way.

Um, you know, and hopefully this is the last time somebody, you know, the Mexico City does it the wrong way, fires and error.

I think it's a relatively new business, but um, you know, we need to have some sort of subite in what we're doing.

Um, so I would I would say that continuing it until the next meeting is uh is the best way to do that.

Once we get the letter, we're good to go.

Any further discussion, Mr.

President.

Just I want to just make sure I'm clear, uh, solicitor Videquia.

Did you say you had seen the letter of good standing or I did not see the letter of good standing?

What he showed was a receipt from the division of taxation, which I believe was the impediment to him of obtaining the letter of good standing.

That outstanding obligation, that tax obligation was paid and cleared up with the division of taxation.

I assume without knowing um that that was the only block to him obtaining the letter.

So I instructed Sergeant Bruno to let him continue operating.

I mean, that was about as good a show of uh good faith as as you could ask of someone.

I did not want to shut him down given that evidence, but I I understand what the committee uh is saying.

Thank you.

Councilman Bonano.

First of all, uh well, second of all, I guess I think uh attorney Videkia, the clerk's office police department have done a fantastic job on this issue, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that.

Um I worked for 11 years at the division of motor vehicles where we collect many taxes and there were many tax blocks, both state and municipal over the years.

And um, the only thing we accepted uh was a sent in in essence a stamped letter of good standing because and I'm not saying that this is the case in this situation.

I don't want to infer that whatsoever.

If uh if these people are good people, um, you know, they probably did the right thing.

But there is there have been instances in the past where people show a receipt for taxes paid, and it's only a partial payment.

Um, I experienced that many, many times over the division at the division of motor vehicles.

Um, and once we researched with taxation, you know, it's it was only a partial payment.

So that's that's why I just want to want to say, you know, we should proceed with caution.

It is possible, not probable, but it's possible that people could try to pull a wall over eyes, not necessarily these people, but people in general.

Any further discussion?

See a non-clerk, please take a roll.

This is to continue the matter to the next agenda.

Consumer Braziano, House Permitts, Council Trafficante, yes, Councilman Vazeri, yes, Consuhar, yes, President Wall.

Yes.

Next up, we have expansion of hours from a rascal's bar and grill located at 1458 Park Avenue.

Do we have anybody here from Morascals?

Please come up, sir.

State your name and address.

My name is Joseph Morasco, uh president owner of Morasco's Byron Grill, 1458 Park Avenue Cranston.

So, sir, the reason why um I called you up is because you do understand that there is a memorandum for the St.

Mary's feast, and you will not be able to use these hours during that time.

Right.

Okay, so you are clear with that, sir.

Okay.

All right, may I entertain a motion to approve?

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion?

Seeing none, Clerk, please take a roll.

Wait, sorry, Mr.

President.

I'd only be remiss if I didn't touch base with my colleague, because this would be uh Councilman Traffic Candy's wood.

Do you have any issue with that change?

None.

That's all I need to hear.

I guess for discussion.

But uh councilwoman Graziano.

Does the motion need to um exclude um the St.

Mary's feast operation hours?

I believe he already applied for it, and that was already approved uh meeting ago.

So that's why I just wanted to remind the applicant about it on the record.

Okay, thank you.

Any further discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Consult McGraziano, yes, yes, Consul Trafficanti, yes.

Consul Mavazi, yes.

Casmianduhar.

Yes.

Yes.

Good luck.

There is no show cause, no committee business matters carried over.

We're going on to number eight, new business.

Um, number B, massage therapy license for Alice Zongzu, Vogue Massage Lounge located at 1495 Atwood Avenue.

If you could please come up, just state your name and address.

Hi, Alice Ossu, and it's at 495 Atwood Avenue, the U.S.

Salon speed.

Okay.

Um, so you're open from 10 a.m.

to 8 p.m.

Yeah, those are like the open windows that are always working with that.

All right.

Um CNN may entertain a motion to approve.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion?

Seeing none, Clerk, please take a roll.

Console McGraziano.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Traffic Cante.

Yes.

Consulwan Vazeri.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Okay, moving on to good luck.

Uh moving on to Victorian licenses.

Um, I mean to take two as a all right.

Let's move to number one.

Las Tres Chapinas Mini Market located uh uh and sorry, uh Mini Market.

Um DBA Las Tres Chaspinas located at 341 Webster Avenue.

Is there anyone in the audience?

Good evening.

How are you?

Good evening.

Good, how are you?

Okay, so you just state your name and address, please.

Jenny Ancantara from Latino Tex 801 Park Avenue.

And your client's name.

Mikaela Mats Makario.

You're gonna have to spell that for her.

My Kma M-I C A.

LA Mike M A T C.

Okay, so um your hours are Monday through Sunday, 6 a.m.

to 9 p.m.

Correct.

You want to tell her that you ask her?

See, go ahead.

Okay.

Um, just please tell her to keep in mind the bright lights if she does put any lights on, you know, because the neighbors in front, you know, at like eight o'clock, four o'clock, it gets dark now, so that light might be going into their um living room.

Just just to be cautious.

I haven't received any complaints.

I wish her luck.

Um, I will be um moving to um approve this, and and I'm glad she's opening it, but just tell her to please keep in mind the bright neon lights if she were to decide to use them.

Okay, and if you could get me that little spongy thing right behind you on the phone.

Thank you.

It runs away sometimes.

All right, saying that, seeing that, um, motion to approve.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Councilman Graziano, yes.

Yes, council traffic canti.

Yes, council, yes.

Yes, President Wall.

Yes.

Felicity.

Thank you.

Okay, and moving on to number two, Kava Mezi Grill, DBA Cava, located at two Chapel View Boulevard.

Um, is there anyone from Kava?

Just please state your name and address.

Good evening.

My name is Kevin Brown, and it's to Chapel View.

And we see here that you're gonna be open Monday through Sunday, 10 45 to 10 p.m.

That is correct.

No liquor, no liquor, sir.

What type of food?

We are Mediterranean.

Oh, okay, great.

Um motion to approve.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion?

Mr.

President.

Well, you know, I'm happy that's right in the uh the garden city area.

It's good.

My I had not heard of you until my daughter pointed at the sign, and she was very very encouraged that you were coming in.

So I I assume I'm gonna be partaking in some of your fair.

That's so I'm looking forward to it.

We appreciate that.

A lot of uh younger generation enjoy us.

Excellent.

Is there any further discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Okay, good luck.

Thank you very much LLC located at 334 Budlong Road.

Is there anyone here from Chicon?

Uh Chicondi Cafe.

Just please come upstate your name and address, please.

Uh my name is Yazia Arguello.

Uh the address is 334 Budlung Road.

Yazia Y A V I A H last name Arguello, A-R-G-U-E-L-L-L.

Thank you.

Uh 334 Budlung Road.

So we see that you're open from 7 a.m.

to 5 p.m.

Yes.

Now you don't plan on staying being open during the weekend, longer hours in the afternoon.

Um for us, it's more um if we see that the customers are coming in later, um, or if we're getting more business, uh more like in so on the weekend we're uh more subject to to change, but for right now, those are uh our hours.

Okay, so is this your first business you're opening?

Yes.

Okay, so just keep in mind that you can't stay open until five o'clock once we if we approve this today.

If you want to change your hours, just go to the clerk's office or go online to the portal and just update the hours and then you'll just come back in.

Okay.

Okay.

All right.

Motion uh who's there is oh, it's this council.

I'm pretty sure your councilwoman would be very proud of you.

So um motion to approve.

So move.

Second.

Any discussion?

I think they have uh see anything.

Oh, motion to approve subject to uh receiving your department of health license.

So motion to approve subject to the receipt of the Rhode Island Department of Health license.

Second.

Any discussion?

Clark, please take a role.

Yes, for Ritz.

Yes, Council Trafficantic.

Yes, councilman, yes.

Yes, present wall.

Yes, thank you.

So it is approved.

Once you bring us your Department of Health license, then you could open.

Okay, thank you.

Good luck.

Thank you.

Okay, moving on to Sariari Oriental Suites located at 1728 Cranster Street.

Is there anyone here from there?

How are you?

Just state your name and address, please.

Good evening.

Uh, I'm gonna speak on behalf of my husband because he doesn't speak English.

Okay, that's fine.

So we're gonna open um Oriental Suite.

Just your name.

I need your name and address your name.

My name is Nada al Halabi.

You're gonna have to spell it for her.

My name.

Do you know my husband's name?

Yeah, I am a D A L S A R Y R I.

Okay, so we're gonna um have uh opening a suite uh store, sailing Oriental Suite Baklava.

If you know Baklava, I don't know.

And then our opening hours will be from Saturday to Friday from 10 a.m.

to 8 p.m.

And Sunday from 10 a.m.

to 3 b.m.

And the location is in 1728 Granster Street.

So are you doing the whipped cream with the chocolate over it or just taking straight backlava?

Backlava and some oriental suit, yeah.

But you're gonna put do you put the whipped cream on it or no?

No, no.

I eat it all the time.

That's why so I go to Opal a lot.

All right, so you understand that you do need the department.

You are missing the department of health and your certificate of occupancy.

So reach out to the fire department so they could give you uh no building, and they'll give you the approval, and then you have to give us your health before you could open, okay?

Yes, yes.

Seeing that, um, motion to approve pending Rhode Island Department of Health license and certificate of occupancy.

Second.

Any discussion.

Seeing none, councilman, it's your area.

No, okay.

Uh Clerk, please take a roll.

Caswell McGraziano, yes.

Yes, Caswell Mavazi.

Yes.

Yes, good luck.

Okay, thank you very much.

Okay, moving on to Wonder, located at 1000 Chapel View Boulevard, HDR Holdings LLC.

Is there anyone here?

Please state your name and address, sir.

Thank you.

Uh, my name's Daniel Brennan for 1000 Chapel View Boulevard.

Uh representing HDR Holdings LLC doing business as Wonder.

Um, this restaurant's under construction.

Uh going in the former Cerveche space.

Um, hoping to open sometime in February.

Um, we have um 18 seats inside, 12 patio seats.

Um, the menu is uh a little bit of a different concept where we have uh many different menus.

Uh most of our space is kitchen, and um basically we have all different cuisines.

There's about 15 to 20 different menus um where you can get a Bobby Flay steak.

Uh they've partnered with uh renowned chefs, um, duplicating their recipes so you could actually get um Italian Thai, uh pizza, you know, the choices are pretty much endless.

Uh solving the what's for dinner.

Um they're primarily uh geared toward takeout.

But as you can see, we do have some dine-in seating as well.

Thank you.

So I'm pretty sure we'll be there with the council president eating a tomahawk.

Um may I entertain a motion to approve pending their Department of Health license.

So second.

Any discussion, Mr.

President?

No, no discussion.

Yeah, I think I'll be honest, I'm curious.

Uh as well.

Well, you're already, and I'm happy to see something going in there because it's a good spot.

So you're roped in for a tomahawk.

So um saying seeing none clerk, please take a roll.

Councilman McGraziano, yes, Casper Ritz, yes, Conscante.

Councilman Vaziri, yes.

Casman Andrew?

Yes, President Walk.

Yes.

Good luck.

Thank you.

Okay, moving on to item D, door to door solicitation.

Connor Byath, Trinity Solar.

Just for information.

Councilman Banano.

I know this is just for information, there's no vote.

However, um, I want to mention something, tell you a little story and why I think it might be problematic, and maybe on a future agenda, we should think about doing something about it.

Um Saturday uh was dark outside, and somebody rang my doorbell, my house, my family was home, all four of us.

Uh when the doorbell rings, the dogs go insane, as I'm sure many people can relate to.

So my wife threw the uh ring doorbell um that we have, communicated with the individual.

Um that was ringing our doorbell.

And as a politician who rings doorbells, you know, I know we all do.

Um sometimes even we feel bad for some of these folks.

So my wife said, you know, what are you here for?

And what are you doing?

And the response was I work for the city.

My wife said, Well, do you have a badge?

And he showed the badge up to the ring doorbell and it said Trinity Solar on it.

Uh, if I had time, I would have looked it up and submitted it for everybody to look at.

My only concern is the person, they can sell whatever they want, they can do whatever they want, they can go around the houses and be licensed properly.

When somebody says that they quote unquote work for the city, that's problematic to me.

And I saw that this individual was from um Trinity Solar.

So I want to mention that on the record.

Um, and perhaps uh I'll work with the council president to maybe get under a future um agenda item for a full meeting, uh Trinity Solar here to see what their training is for this door-to-door and how these people um you know get to where they're going, and why are they claiming to be employees of the city?

We can't even say that, by the way.

We when we go door to door as I can say I'm your councilman, but I can't say I'm an employee of the city.

So uh I just wanted to mention that.

Thank you for giving me the time to do so.

And I just find that to be problematic and uh would like to talk about it in the future.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Moving on to eMobile food establishment.

Oh, Mr.

President.

Just as in I'm not sure, I guess we can.

It would be appropriate to talk about the soliciting ordinance right away as I hear it, and I have it in front of me.

I I recall when we did it, it was a certain timetable, but if it wasn't dark, you you couldn't solicit after dark.

So, first, first of all, whatever that business is already violated, something.

The second, they misrepresented they work for the city.

There's no there's no one can say they like you said, no one can say they work for the city.

Third, that person's name should have been on the badge because those badges are they they have to pay for the badge, if I if I remember correctly.

I don't know if I'm affording it exactly.

So I certainly want to work with councilman uh Bonanno on this because we we put this ordinance in and we passed it last session because we wanted to provide a measure of safety for some of our constituents who didn't know who was in the neighborhood, and as a city, we didn't know it was in the neighborhood, and we took a great deal of time to draft it.

So I certainly want to sit down because if it needs leads a little tweaking, we should do it because I think we had a good ordinance, but it doesn't mean it's beyond you know, tweaking to make it better.

Uh so I thank you for bringing it up, Councilman Bonano.

Councilman, Councilman Comple.

Thank you, Chairman.

Uh to the solicitor, is there enough evidence there to for a uh a show cause of Trinity?

I know we're getting a few complaints from uh Alpine estates.

Uh I've heard several ones.

I don't know if they I know they're solar, but I don't know if they are always uh Trinity solar.

Um yeah, my my thought was um we're going a little bit off topic here because this really wasn't advertised for discussion, so I don't want to get too deeply uh into this, but um, I don't think there's anything wrong with the ordinance.

Uh I was a part of that ordinance.

The as is always the case.

The problem is the enforcement.

So people need to report these things.

We can show cause them.

It's a license.

Um, well, it's not a license, it's permitting correct.

But um, if there is a concern and if it's being abused, that um they can be, I would think, uh prevented from uh carrying on that that type of solicitation.

So, but I don't want to get too deeply into it.

That that's that's for another day, but um the short answer is yes, something can be done.

Thank you.

Okay, moving on to move.

Oh, Mr.

President.

Just I want to concur.

I think I think what councilman campagano was saying, I think we're just concurring.

Yeah, I think we should bring him in for a show because the truth is he didn't give you his name.

Name is supposed to be on the badge.

He misrepresented himself, and he violated a couple of provisions already on the ordinance.

They should come in.

Um, because perhaps next time, as the solar season gets heated up, we're you know, in spring, and we have more soliciting, they'll tighten up their game a bit, or they'll their license will be revoked or permit rather.

So yeah, I'd be for it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any further discussion?

Seeing none moving on to mobile food establishments.

We have number one, El Taconaso will be MFE 1636, and hope in Jesus Ministries will be MF M F E 1605.

Uh may I entertain a motion to take as a block license renewals before the committee, which is item seven.

What's this?

One minute, yeah.

So uh license renews before the committee motion to take one through four motion to take license renewals as a block.

Uh items one through four.

Second.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take a rule.

We have an objection without objection.

Oh, without objection.

Take a motion now, Clerk to take a rule.

As a bundle, council McGraziano, yes.

Console traffic, yes, Consperates, yes, councilman Vazeri, yes, manu har yes, council president wall, yes.

Now may I entertain a motion to approve as a block?

Yeah, motion to approve the block.

Second.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Council McGraziano.

Yes, council trafficante, councilman Vazeri.

Yes.

Yes.

Okay.

Motion passes.

Moving on to class F liquor licenses, annunciation Greek church located at 17 at 175 Oakland Avenue.

The date is February 7th.

Um the problem is we have is that the event starts at 7 p.m., but we don't have an end time.

So solicitor, can we give them an end time as 12 a.m.?

Yes.

Okay.

So may entertain a motion to approve uh annunciation Greek church event on January 7, 2026 from 7 p.m.

to 12 a.m.

So moved.

Second.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, clerk, please take a rule.

Council McGraziano.

Yes.

Conspe Ritz.

Yes.

Cons trafficante.

Councilman Vaziri.

Yes.

Yes.

That's President Wall.

Yes.

Moving on to per DM entertainment license.

Annunciation Greek Church.

Look at that one 175 Oakland Avenue.

Event date February 7, 2026.

Event time 7 p.m.

through 12 a.m.

And with entertainment live music.

May entertain a motion to approve.

So move.

Second.

Second.

Is there any discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Council McGraziano.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Traffic Canti.

Yes.

Councilman Pazeri.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Move moving on to D.

Uh Sceptage Hall is license.

Uh town sanitation located at 400 R Torton Avenue C Conc.

Mass.

May entertain a motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Councilman McGraziano.

Yes.

Council Ritz.

Yes.

Council Trafficanti.

Councilman Vazieri.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Now moving on to the Victorian license.

May I take may I entertain a motion to take as a block without objection?

Items number one through 34 as a block.

So move.

Second.

All right, let's let's figure this out.

This isn't my committee, by the way.

No objection.

Okay, we just bought it.

All right.

So may entertain a motion to bundle E Victorian licenses, items one through 34 because 34 paid already as a block without objection.

Objection.

Motion to approve the bundle.

Motion to approve the items as bundled second.

Any discussion?

Please take a roll.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Trafficanti.

Councilman Bazi.

Yes.

Councilman Andrew Hans?

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

Okay, moving on to mobile food establishers renewal.

Um, just for entertainment purposes only, I guess.

Uh Pilaris, Pelagi's ice cream, and what's up cupcake.

Um, I guess they're renewing.

So moving on to approval for the monthly schedules.

I'm pretty sure you also did in your packet.

May entertain a motion to approve the roads on the Patuxet schedule.

Second.

Any discussion?

Seeing none, Clerk, please take a roll.

Yes.

Moving on to B, the park theater.

It's in your packet.

May entertain a motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Councilwoman Graziano.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Traffic Canti.

Councilman Vazieri.

Yes.

Councilman Andrew Hara.

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

Well, there's no scheduling at the Cranston Stadium moving on.

There are no communications.

Now we're moving on to license approved subject two.

Not yet issued.

Council, can you please explain this to us?

What's going on there?

So as I uh started saying earlier, um, trying to give the committee some updated information.

As of last week, we had approximately 10 to 12 establishments that were serving liquor without either a uh new license or a valid license or a a renewal.

And what we did, there was a coordinated effort between the solicitor's office, the clerk's office, and the Cranston Police Department to personally go out to each one of these businesses and essentially give them a narrow like 24-hour window to either come into compliance or voluntarily remove the liquor from their premises or have it seized by the Cranston Police Department.

Uh as to be expected, that caused some panic amongst uh some of the business businesses that were on the list, and several did come in to compliance.

They came to the clerk's office.

I don't have an exact figure, but I I think conservatively estimating we probably raised anywhere from 10 to 15,000, if not more, in outstanding fees um that were in taxes that were owed to the to the city now.

There were I did receive updates on approximately half of them.

Uh because we ran into the holiday.

Um I needed to get further update as to what happened to those establishments that did not come in to the clerk's office and uh come into compliance.

I'm going to find out if the alcohol was voluntarily removed from those establishments.

I personally know of at least one where that was the case.

They are not serving because they cannot obtain a letter of good standing, unfortunately.

So they are not serving alcohol.

It was removed from their premises.

There are approximately five outstanding that I need to get an update on.

I will get that update from Major Padalano to see what the status is with those particular establishments.

In terms of the other licenses that are uh listed here, you'll notice that most of these are victualing uh and or um entertainment, but the the majority are victualing.

I can tell you that um that list enterprise rent a car and lawnfratera market are the subjects of superior court restraining orders.

They are not allowed to operate until they come into compliance, they will be served with that restraining order within the next day or two.

If they violate that order and continue to operate, they will have to face a superior court judge and could possibly be held in contempt.

As uh in terms of the rest of the businesses that that are listed here, uh we're going to work on these, uh, obviously.

We we can't get to them all.

So uh motion to continue liquor establishments operating without a license.

Sorry.

Any discussion.

Um, I just want to say, for the record, um, solicitor Videcki, I appreciate the efforts that you and the police department have made.

Also, uh, Chairwoman Horuyan.

Um, this has been, and I know uh Councilman Camp of Piano will agree.

This has been a bone of contention, an issue that's expanding for for as long as I've been on, I'm sure, as long as you've been on the city council.

So I appreciate the effort, and I I would definitely say we should keep this on until there is no longer a list.

Um we're going the right direction, and we noticed it right away when we looked at the list.

So appreciate the good work you've done.

Any further discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Councilman McGraziano?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Moving on motion.

May I entertain a motion to continue license issues.

Second.

Any discussion.

See an uncle, please take a roll.

Council McGraziano.

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Vazari.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

And just to note this meeting would have ended sooner if Councilman Bernardo didn't speak, but uh motion to adjourn.

May entertain a motion to adjourn.

Motion to adjourn.

Second.

Any discussion?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Ayes have it.

Any nays?

No.

I have it.

Thank you.

We're adjourned.

Starting in one minute.

I would like to call the finance committee meeting to order.

Today is Monday, January 5th.

And it is 704 PC.

Can you please take a room?

Councilman McGrath.

Present.

Mayor to take a motion to approve the minutes from the December 1st, 2025 regular meeting.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Councilman McGraziano?

Yes.

Consperts?

Yes.

Council Trafficanti?

Yes.

Councilman Baziri.

Yes.

Considering Duhar?

Yes.

Yes.

Since there are no uh committee businesses matters carried over, no correspondence.

I'd like to open the floor to public comment on documented items only.

There's anyone in the public that would like to speak on document items only, please come up to the podium.

And I'm here to speak on the uh the proposed elderly tax exemption.

And I'm I'm uh quite concerned about this for a couple of reasons.

Uh one of which is that there's a lot of uh bad stuff going on nationally, and if a large amount of money is spent on this, it won't be available to do things like uh help the Head Start program in Cranston or uh CCAP with health care costs because the Trump administration is uh doing its best to ruin uh the current uh system.

Uh the first thing that I did was I tried to come up with an estimated cost of uh this proposal, at least as I understand it.

I'd like to hand that out.

May I entertain a motion to accept this handout from Mrs.

Cycles.

Second.

Any discussion?

All those in favor say aye.

Any nays?

I guess we're taking it.

Continue, Mrs.

Cycles.

Yep.

All right, I'll just uh there's the uh Mike, there's one there for the clerk.

There should be enough for uh one for the clerk and everybody.

You are on the clock, so please continue.

Um all right, I'll just uh go through this.

So the the current uh residential tax rate is thirteen dollars and eighty-eight cents per thousand dollars of valuation, and um the ordinance in the first year proposes that the exemption for over 65 owner-occupied houses be 39,518 dollars of assessed value.

So the cost of the exemption in the first year, and there's an accelerator of three percent a year, is that 1388 per thousand times 39.5130, and that works out to 548 dollars and 51 cents per home.

Now the the big question is how many people would receive that exemption, and the um according to the census, the population of Cranston is six seventeen point one percent of the population is over 65, and that works out to 14,130 people, and then the key question is how many of those people uh live in owner-occupied housing and uh and owner-occupied housing.

So I don't know the answer to that question, but I took half of the 14,000, thinking that that was fairly conservative.

There are a lot a lot of um elderly people who obviously are couples, and there are also uh many who were single, and I just took that half as a conservative estimate, and then multiplying that 548 cost per person times 7,000 homes is 3.8 million dollars.

That's a a lot of money to find in the budget, and I hope that if people are still in favor of this proposal, that they can explain where that money is gonna come from.

Uh is everybody else gonna have to pay higher taxes?

Uh, are there going to be major cuts to the schools or to the libraries?

30 seconds.

And the other thing I'd just like to add at the end is that when I was on the council, the this idea came up, and we were told at the time that by the Fung administration, that one of the problems with the homestead exemption, which the city did have, was that it was very hard to enforce.

It was hard to determine who was honestly living in the buildings that they owned.

Were they living in Florida and renting a house out in Rhode Island?

There was no way for the city to really figure that out.

And I think that's that's a major problem.

I think probably most of you have heard complaints about well, I guess you don't hear them anymore.

There's no more car tax.

But when there was a car tax, it was always the complaint that people would be in Florida and they wouldn't pay any car tax here.

They'd register their car in Florida.

So I would uh I would urge some serious thought to be going uh towards this proposal.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is anyone else in the public that would like to speak on documented items only.

Uh good evening again.

Uh Robert Murray, 75 Debbie Driver Cranston.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chairman, members of the committee.

I'm here tonight to speak on several of your ordinances that appear on your agenda.

Two involve uh tax exemptions, and the third involves a proposed revolving loan fund.

Uh, I know several days ago, members of the council with some fanfare announced these ordinances to extend and expand tax exemptions for seniors and seniors over 65 and veterans.

Uh, in full disclosure, I am over 65, and I received the 548 dollars and 31 cents annual tax savings on my primary residence.

On the senior ordinance, and my comments tonight are not necessarily opposed to these things, uh, it's more um commenting on the drafting and what's intended here.

Uh on the senior ordinance number 12-2504S.

Uh, I want to bring to your attention whether or not our present exemption is in accordance with state law.

I'm having a hard time working with the city code and our Rhode Island statutes.

Rhode Island General Law 44-3-13 says you can grant a senior exemption not exceeding $9,000.

Part of the existing city ordinance in the code speaks to increased tax bills from revaluation.

I just can't find how we got to the $39,518 present value.

Um I just raised the question whether or not some type of General Assembly approval is needed to uh excuse me, to implement this proposed annual increase through the fiscal year 2037, and whether there are parts of the existing ordinance, section 3.20.010 that have been stricken by the proposed ordinance.

My understanding in drafting of ordinances you normally strike through the old parts and bold the new parts, but in this ordinance, we have left out certain portions of the existing ordinance.

And I'm just from a draftsman's point of view, whether or not that is correct.

I just bring that to your attention.

But my bigger concern tonight is the intentions of the veterans exemption ordinance.

What I heard last week and what I read through tonight are two different items.

Ordinance number 12-2505S is the section of the city code giving the assessor the authority to grant exemptions for prisoners of war on personal property.

You are amending chapters 3.40, and that's not the veterans exemption for real property.

The existing enabling statute, Rhode Island General Law 44-3-4, limits veterans' exemptions to $3,000 in Cranston.

Um there's an entirely different section having to do with veterans' exemptions in our code, and but you see to be focused on prisoners of war and personal property, not real property under our code prisoners of war, and there are only two in the city, get uh get a tax exemption for real property or prisoners of water can get a tax exemption for personal property.

This ordinance, whether it was intentional or not, is focused on personal property for prisoners of war.

And I that's not what I heard announced last week.

Well, I know a majority of the council want to pass these ordinances.

I caution you, you may want to take a step back and just make sure we're on good legal footing and that you don't need any additional General Assembly approval.

Uh lastly, on the revolving loan fund ordinance, um 12-2502.

Um I would just ask you to look at the end of the ordinance, whether if there's a conflict on when it takes effect on page three, in one place it says it takes effect in 30 days, and in another spot it says it takes effect upon its final adoption.

That's not a big issue.

It should probably just get cleaned up.

Um I didn't quite follow everything uh councilman Psychos uh mentioned, but you know, just for the assistance to the committee.

My understanding right now there are 6,217 property owners that receive a senior exemption, and there are 1,240 veterans who receive the veterans exemption, but there are only two prisoners of war who have served our country and uh received that exemption.

So those are my thoughts.

Um you may want to just take a step back and uh, but I said it's very confusing to uh correlate between the state law and our code um and whether or not we've made amendments along the way that just aren't in compliance with state law.

Thank you.

Thank you.

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

Drake Patton, 684 Natick.

The two gentlemen before me um said much of what I uh intended to say.

Um, and I appreciate that, but I was concerned about the prisoners of war um issue because actually, and to make a small correction, when I spoke to the assessor, they said there's only one left in the city.

So um I'm not sure if that was your intention because publicly um you certainly spoke about what you were going to do for veterans, but prisoners of war are only one component of that, and perhaps you meant to address a different part of the um ordinance um a different chapter.

And um, I would have to agree with our attorney Murray regarding um how you put an ordinance in by striking out the language.

That is typically what is done, and it helps people sort of stay on the page with what's happening.

So those would just be some um brief suggestions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

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

Seeing none clerk, is there anyone online that would like to speak on documented items only there is no public comment online?

Seeing none at this time, I'd like to close public comment.

Moving on to new matters before the committee was not a ordinance 1225-02S ordinance authorizing the establishment of the revolving loan fund for the school building improvements, sponsored by our mayor hopkins.

Um there anyone from the administration that would like to speak about it.

Seeing none, um I believe.

Well, let's do a uh I would like to um I would like to entertain a motion to send it back to committee because I believe the we're in committee, yeah.

Councillor Marcello I did send the solicitor an email uh later this afternoon on this ordinance, so I just want to comment on it um briefly.

Uh, this is a common ordinance that has been done uh with the support of the Royal and Department of Education.

Uh I have a couple of just concerns about it as a draft.

I can certainly talk to Mr.

Malay about this after the meeting.

But um, I want to I think it's very important that we separate those funds that are used for capital projects, uh, that would be part of the revolving fund as opposed to money that the state that excuse me that the community receives as a result of a bond reimbursement interest uh that is used to pay back the debt on the bond.

Um, and I think the way this is currently written that it could be interpreted to mean that that that bonded interest that goes back to reimbursed the city would also go into this fund, that would make a that would that would not be very uh fiscally responsible, nor would it be actually legal because the the bond issue has passed, the interest that is received from the state has to go back to pay the outstanding balance of the bond and any interest.

So I just want to make that there's usually we exempt that from that from this revolving fund.

We can add that with a definition, I think.

So that's yeah, that's a minor change, but I just want to bring that to the but I did something, Mr.

Millet today.

So would I suggest a motion to continue to a next special meeting?

Yeah, I don't know if there's a rush on this, but uh one moment motion director, please come up and shed some light on this.

Well, yeah, I just want to give a little background so uh so everyone under understands the context of this uh uh ordinance.

This ordinance is uh basically a prelude uh as a uh to establish a vehicle tell you be to be very transparent what the intent of this uh ordinance is to establish a vehicle uh that will um to enable the funding uh of the uh AAS charter school.

Um the laborers uh union has Layuna um is as a proposal to help fund uh some of the school uh capital needs and and it's a way of uh uh enabling the labors to receive reimbursement from ride as we're aware of the this we often hear of the 74 percent reimbursement.

So this is really a conduit or vehicle to enable that, whereas the laborers out of time.

I'll hold the details until it's time to go live, if you will.

But my understanding is that they would be providing uh X millions of dollars to help additional improvements um for the labor's academy.

Um so they would give X amount of dollars.

I'm just gonna give a uh an example.

Please don't run with these numbers, but to make it easy.

Let's say they're they're funding a million dollars that then uh to enable to you know to give to provide capital improvements to the schools.

It would it would because of legalities, right is aware of this, their cohort in this.

Um, where is that say million dollars would be uh uh transferred to the city?

The city would pay for those improvements, the city would seek reimbursement from right, and the city would reimburse uh the laborers uh the layuna for for that for the 74 percent that the city would get back.

The city is not intending to and it's uh to to fund that 24 26 percent, but it's it's a really funding vehicle that this is this is really trying to establish.

So it's it's so right now there's nothing to go in this vehicle or this conduit.

There's nothing in the pot, but this is a prelude to allow that to happen down the road.

Um, but I just want to be transparent of what the intent of this is while they work out the legalities, just to be transparent.

So a week or two or a month or two from now, you don't hear of this.

Just want to be up front to say what the intention of this ordinance is about.

I hope I was kind of clear on that.

If you have any questions, if I wasn't, please uh please let me know.

Thank you.

Um may entertain a motion to continue this to the next two uh motion to continue.

I believe if it's okay with the uh finance chair to perhaps a special meeting on the 19th prior to our regular meeting.

Would that be correct?

Motion to continue this to a special finance meeting on January 19th.

You need a second.

Is there a second?

Second.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Wait, Clerk, please take a roll.

Yes, Conservats, yes, council traffic, yes.

Yes, Cons?

Yes.

Yes, point of order, Mr.

Chair.

Our next meeting is the 20th.

Oh, perhaps let me uh just withdraw that.

Let me withdraw it and say a motion to continue to a special finance committee, which will be held on the 20th.

I would like to withdraw that last motion and I guess X that vote out.

And if we can if I can entertain a motion to move this matter, ordinance 2012-25-02 sort of ordinance authorizing establish of the evolving loan fund for school building improvements sponsored by the mayor to a meeting on January 20th.

So moved.

Is there a second?

Is that a question?

This will supersede the previously passed motion, correct?

Yeah, okay.

That's withdrawing.

Just want to put that on the record.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any further discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Councilman Graziano, yes.

Councilman?

Yes.

Yes.

Meetings moved.

Moving on.

Ordinance 122504 S ordinance and amendment of Title 3, Chapter 20, Section 10 of the Code of the City of Cranston entitled exemptions for real property taxation for those age 65 and older authority to the tax assessor to grant.

May I make a motion to amend this ordinance?

Amend line 24.

I'd like to make a motion to amend line 24 after the word amended to replace the period with the comma followed by the words.

And to be named the mayor Ken J.

Hopkins Senior Tax exemption.

Hopkins Senior tax exemption mayor entertain a motion is there a second second any discussion Mr.

President uh thank you Mr.

Chairman what can I say this in the most polite terms um I have nothing but the utmost respect and I've known the mayor great great long time um but I am unfortunately going to oppose naming an existing ordinance that we're amending after the mayor and I give you I give you my reasons um listen the mayor has served served a long time in the city four years as a councilman I believe he's in his fifth year and he's going to be eight years as mayor um however and that service is certainly service to the city is very important but I have the people who are working on this ordinance are members of the council and I certainly would respect the mayor supporting this ordinance when we finally get it right but I don't believe it should be named after him any more than it should be named after every member of this council so I'm going to oppose it oppose it it's an amendment to the existing uh ordinance and I don't believe it needs a namesake so I will oppose thank you is there any further discussion councilman Ritz I just want to say I've I've taken the time to thoroughly go through the ordinance and talk to some of the sponsors about it and I'm convinced now that it's a thoughtful responsible compassionate measure um that'll make a difference in a lot of the seniors in the city um I I feel the ordinance ensures that the elderly exemption um keeps pace with the rising cost of living um it increases three years for the next decade by doing so it'll help our seniors remain in their homes maintain their independence and their dignity um I look at it's a phased increase so it's very practical um based both financially responsible and also meets the the real needs of it so not only do I support this but I like to also be added as a sponsor thank you um we are on the amendment only right now so um because you could say that again yes is there anyone else that would like to um any other further discussion chair all right so I'm gonna speak now and I'm a person about legacy I've worked all over government different levels and I'm someone that believes in legacy and the minute I walked into Cranston the mayor opened his arms to me and going to high rises talking to people at you know whether it's E Tree Park or or um Harris Avenue the the seniors there everybody always raves about the mayor and he he deserves his respect and he to and he deserves this.

So I came up with the idea of naming this after him and you know the council everybody has their opinion but I believe respect is due here.

So if other council members want to have other ordinances and name it after people I'm pretty sure they could do it.

But I feel that the mayor deserves this and that's why I'll be voting for this that's why I introduced this today and I hopefully everybody here can support me on this so with that is there any um further discussion uh the director you want to say something chair counselor with with all due respect and it's so much appreciated it is and then I know the mayor's appreciates it he's flattered he knows your your your well well intentions but at the same time he's more humble than some people think and he'd be perfectly fine if it's not named after him and I'm not doing this to oppose you or saying it but just knowing that if he was standing here he'd be honored uh just with a thought just want to mention that to you also with all due respect so however you wish it to go but certainly he he would have no problem whatsoever in not being named after him um he would probably say prefer it not but with due respect and we do leave it to the council well with that being said um any further discussion councilman banana i mean i with respect to the naming of it um i have no problem with it being named after the mayor um i think that you know he's he is deserving of of of an honor uh i think he's been a fantastic mayor um you know and i think that he's he's uh more more important than that whether or not somebody's a good mayor is he's a good person he's a good human being and uh I think that even though you know sometimes everybody disagrees you know with people of different parties people within the same parties but if if you get to the crux of a person and ultimately they're a good person that's all that matters so I don't have a vote if this was before me I would support it I've known mayor hopkins since I was probably uh your age buddy so um you know I I think it'd be a great honor for him and but the most important thing whether we name it after the mayor or not is uh and we'll get to that is is the the spirit of the idea the spirit of the idea is the most important thing and as long as you know as long as that goes I know our mayor will be happy but um yeah I think uh I think this is a good idea from from councilman and hard

So I don't have a vote.

If this was before me, I would support it.

I've known Mayor Hopkins since I was probably uh your age, buddy.

So um, you know, I think it'd be a great honor for him.

And but the most important thing, whether we name it after the mayor or not, is uh, and we'll get to that is is the the spirit of the idea.

The spirit of the idea is the most important thing.

And as long as you know, as long as that goes, I know our mayor will be happy.

But um, yeah, I think uh I think this is a good idea from from Councilman Andah to uh sort of cement Mayor Hopkins' legacy as uh somebody who's caring for people uh who have uh been there for our city for longer than anybody else.

Thank you.

Any further discussion, Mr.

President?

And just just to reiterate uh my point as to not have a name on it.

It it's certainly not.

I think I tried to make sure I was very clear.

Listen, I know the mayor a long time.

I have in you and he he'll he'd tell you I have a great deal of respect for him, and sometimes we agree and sometimes we disagree, but we always walk away, you know.

And I certainly believe the mayor is definitely due respect.

Um, and I respect the service he's given to the city.

My intention was not to disrespect the mayor.

I just don't think his name belongs on it on this ordinance.

Should his name be on someone something else at some point?

Certainly.

Listen, you say a man who serves the city a number of years deserves it.

Um, but I just don't think it's appropriate.

This um I I think it's a good ordinance, and I'm I'm pleased that the mayor is support, you know, supporting it.

I want we want to get everything worked out properly when we you know we want to have a real good ordinance, but it's just my opinion.

I don't think we need a name on it.

Um, so that's like you say sometimes we're gonna agree and sometimes we're gonna disagree.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Well, I guess with that, we are taking a vote on the amendment.

So clerk, please take a roll.

Councilman Graziano, no.

Consoretz, yes, council canti.

Yes.

Consulman Vazeri, no.

Pass me into her, yes.

No.

So we're even motion fails.

Motion fails.

Okay.

All right.

So now let's move on to ordinance 122504 S, ordinance and amendment of Title Three, Chapter 20, Section 10 of the Court of Ordinance.

Huh?

Yeah, that was just the amendment.

Yeah, now we're gonna go on the actual ordinance.

No, that was just an amendment.

Yeah, so now we're gonna go on to the okay, yeah.

Sorry.

Yes, this is now the ordinance, yeah.

So now we're going on the ordinance, ordinance and amendment of title three, chapter 20, section 10, code of order in the city of Cranston and title exemptions for real property taxation for those aged 65 and older authority to for the tax assessor to grant.

Um may I entertain a motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion, Mr.

President.

I believe uh the the uh auditor, uh the mayor is gonna speak first, and I believe um our attorney has a has a couple of things to say on the matter, just again.

So thank you all.

Um once the ordinance was introduced and I reviewed it.

I just reviewed actually the fiscal numbers and the calculations.

So I brought to Councilman Anderha's attention that I believe the calculation based on what he initially wanted to do, and it's actually on both ordinances, was actually compounding.

So instead of just doing an even increase each year of, for example, simple numbers.

If you wanted to give a um the exemption was a thousand dollars, you wanted to give 10%, it'd be a hundred dollars in year one, in year two it'd be a hundred, and year three it'd be a hundred forward, not the way it's calculating.

So it's actually compounding, which to former councilman Steiko's um statement is that would make it an egregious amount going forward.

Uh example, uh, we're not on the veterans one, but the veterans exemption would triple.

What with that being said, I'm gonna pass out um a sheet that I had done.

Amelia, if you want to give that motion to accept uh order to the mayor's that just breaks it all categories down in a 10-year window format or supplier.

Without objection without objection, um it's the easiest way to explain it.

It was supposed to be a consistent amount to go up to a number.

So upon review and just my calculations, uh rough calculations of the time I did it, the increase wouldn't be nowhere near the four million dollars that former councilman Stiychos, all exemptions would only increase the uh tax exemption by about 1.3 million over 10 years.

So it comes out to about 130,000 per year um over a 10-year window.

Um so that was the first on that ordinance that was the major uh change.

So with that schedules there, um, if anybody has any questions, we'll I'll address this the next one um when it's up for discussion.

Thank you.

Any further discussion?

Councilman Traffic Antico.

I just want a clarification.

And I have to direct it my question to Mr.

Marcella.

Marcella, I am a senior and a veteran.

Should I recuse myself tonight?

That's uh no uh my my advice would be no, because this affects everybody in and you're in the class.

You this is not this you're you're in the class, and it's a huge class, so you wouldn't really have any effect on this.

So, but but but let me let me say this when it comes to a final vote.

If you feel the the safest the safest route is to get uh uh an opinion from the ethics commission.

I'm not authorized to give you ethics opinion um advice, but um that that would be the safest way.

But at this point, I don't I don't see this.

Any further discussion, Mr.

President.

So given these changes, is this is this something we can vote on and move out of committee tonight, or do we have to put this into a special meeting?

I actually think that's a question for legal.

I don't know if this is considered a major adjustment to it, or it's just a scribness error.

I I think we're in agreement.

Um myself and attorney Marcelo that this would be a substantial change.

I think what we could do is, and we've done this before, as uh all of you are well aware, we could um simply have a special finance meeting um just prior to the regularly scheduled council meeting, and that would give us time between now and then to basically clean this up.

It can then be passed uh from that special uh finance meeting right uh to the council if you so choose to do that.

But I I think it's it's the type of thing that does need to be, it's a substantial change.

I don't think it could be amended here.

I'll I'll defer to uh attorney Marcello, but I I agree with that, but we do have the other issue that we need to see.

The other elephant in the room is the statutory uh yeah requirement that the exemptions in the city of Cranston for elderly cannot exceed $9,000.

And those type of statutes are strictly construed in favor of the taxpayer.

So we might have to see actually General Assembly.

If we're gonna General Assembly uh amendment, if we're gonna exceed that, we're already exceeding the $9,000 cap right now.

So uh you know that's an issue that for another day that the city administration is gonna have to address.

But as of right now, we're in violation of that.

I I that that's a major issue.

Um I I agree.

So I have a question.

Councilman Banana.

First of all, aren't we already having we're already having a meeting on the 20th?

So that makes sense to move it there.

Number two is is the uh $9,000 exemption.

Is that on nine?

So how's the statute written?

Is it on $9,000 worth of property or is it $9,000 in taxes?

It appears that it's based upon the valuation.

So if your house is worth $99,000, you take $90,000, $9,000 off of it and you're a tax at $90, $90,000.

So since 2006, we've been doing it wrong.

I mean, I don't want to maybe based upon my quick reading on this.

We we may have a bigger issue here than just this week's.

I think I think it would be appropriate to discuss this in executive session.

Yeah, all right, good idea.

Thank you.

Any further discussion?

Councilman Campobiano.

I just want to thank you, Chair.

Just want to go on the record of saying that uh the last meeting, I says, uh, what's the rush?

Why don't we uh go back and uh do our homework and make sure everything's done right uh the first time, but I was uh push back.

So um here we are.

We're gonna put it over again to another special meeting.

So just wanted to bring that up.

Thank you, Councilman.

Any else, anybody else?

Well, I want to thank Councilman Bonano, um, Council President Wall, the other members of the council that joined me on this.

You know what?

To be honest with you, this is Cranston.

And I had the same issue with another ordinance that I introduced, and we're having the same issue with this ordinance.

And I think Cranston is Cranston today because of our seniors.

So whether we are in compliance or not compliance, I will be voting for this because we owe it to our seniors to every single one of them.

And this is just basically a way to thank them for the work that they did in shaping Cranston of what it is.

So if there's any further discussion, if anybody else wants to say something, Mr.

President.

Yeah, um, you know, your sentiments dead on in my opinion.

Um, just before I got here, I looked, I just looked at some stats, right?

And you would say the most vulnerable fixed income people are our seniors.

And these are the people who took care of us when we're small and taught us right from wrong.

Right.

And now they're telling us when we knock on those doors.

I'm having a hard time staying in Cranton.

I'm having a hard time.

And if I'm not mistaken, this hasn't been touched in 20 something years.

Just last year, regardless of what they tell you in the paper, according to the Bureau of Labor, food went up three percent last year between last year and this year.

Heat went up three point three point three percent.

If you want to eat out in some of those wonderful restaurants we proved of this evening, 4.1 percent.

So to I'm I'm not like disagreeing with you entirely, but I think 22 years, I'm glad we're having this discussion today.

It may be messy like the sausage of people make, but I think it's the right it's the right thing to make.

Um, so I don't think if we didn't introduce it right now, we would be talking about this.

So let it be a mess today.

Let's get it right.

Let's see if we can do something, those people.

Those are people who took care of us when we were small.

We owe it to them.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Seeing no further discussion, Councilwoman Graziano.

Sorry, so can we vote this through or illegally we cannot?

We're gonna vote this for a continuance.

Thank you.

Councilman Trafficani.

We want to amend it based on what the notion so at this time I would like to entertain a motion to continue this to us to a special council meeting on January 20th, 2025.

May I entertain a motion.

Motion to continue to January 20th.

Special finance committee.

Yeah, in the finance meeting.

Yes, I'll second that.

Any discussion?

Could be second vote.

Good idea.

I love it.

Councilman Banano.

Uh, thank you, Councilman Banano.

Clerk, please take our vote.

Councilman Graziano.

Yes.

Councilman Ritz.

Yes.

Council Trafficanti.

Yes.

Councilman Vazieri.

Yes.

Councilman Andrew Car?

Yes.

Council President.

Yes.

Okay.

That got continued.

Moving on to ordinance 122505S Ordinance and Amendment of Title 3, Chapter 40, Section 10 of the Code of the City of Cranston, entitled authority of the tax assessor to grant.

This was sponsored by myself, Councilman Ritz, Councilman Vizier, Councilwoman Vazier, and Councilwoman Graziano.

Um my name to that, please.

And uh, we would like to add Councilman Trafficante and Councilman Banano to that, please, Clerk.

And I want to speak about this.

This is another class that we owe it to them.

Without our veterans, we wouldn't be in the country that we're in.

And I want to make Cranston, I think we, I shouldn't say I, we want to make Cranston the most friendliest veteran city in America.

And when Councilman Ritz and I came up with this idea, you know, we we we kind of sat back and looked at it and we said, hey, you know, how do we do this?

And then we came up with a timetable so that way it doesn't burden the city's finances, and we came up with a schedule.

So Mr.

DeMeo just said that we might have to move it back to committee because the numbers are messed up, but you know what?

I I want to move this forward because I said our veterans are our veterans.

So um, I want to thank Councilman Traffic Cante.

That's why I named it after him, because there is nobody in this chamber that deserves that ordinance to be named after than our good friend Mayor, Councilman Trafficante.

So with that, I want to open up to any discussions.

Councilman Bonano, I see you your hand up, please.

I'm gonna paraphrase councilman Trafficante.

And um, I heard speech one time when he was mayor, and I've heard it when he's a councilman, but just because I've heard it twice doesn't mean it's any it's bad.

It's it's a it sums this up perfectly.

The reason why we're able to sit here and debate tonight, this this and we can disagree with each other is because the American soldier, right?

Our freedom of speech comes from the American soldier, our freedom is of religion comes from the American soldier, our freedom to assemble comes from the American soldier, and our freedom to to operate as the United States of America comes from the American soldier.

I've heard Mayor Trafficante say that numerous numerous times.

They have taken care of us, they've taken care of every single one of us that live in this country that live in this city.

Um, and this is a way that we can take care of them.

Notwithstanding some of the stuff that's got to be cleaned up, perhaps.

Um this is something I'm very proud to add my name to.

And if uh I didn't mention it earlier, I want to be added as a co-sponsor, please.

Um, and I and I give credit to Councilman Ritz, Councilman Anderhar, um, Councilman Viziri, Graziano, Heroyan, and President Wall who brought this forward.

Um, this is a great thing for the city.

And when we look at you know the amount of money it's gonna cost versus the return, it's a no-brainer for me.

Thank you.

Councilman Ritz.

So it's always hard to follow uh councilman Banana.

I think he just streams this stuff up.

Yeah, right.

I'm I'm proud to be involved with this, proud to be a sponsor.

I mean, we're updating something that hasn't been updated in over a decade.

Um, like it was said, you know, these veterans help build Cranston, and it's it's the right thing to do to help them similar to the seniors.

You know, these are the folks that are having trouble staying in their homes.

So I'm I'm proud to be a sponsor of this.

You know, it keeps pace with inflation and updates something that's been long overdue to be updated.

Thank you.

Councilman Graziano.

Oh, Councilman Anduhar.

Um, I appreciate all of the sacrifices that our veterans have made for us over the years and continue to make today.

Um, so I'm grateful to be a sponsor on this ordinance.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Campo Biano.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh I just want to say I uh 100% endorsed the spirit of both ordinances.

I I I hope I didn't come across that I didn't, but I do uh, but I do have a question for the sponsors.

Is it your intention to only give this tax to veterans of uh of prisoners of war?

Or is that we have to amend that?

Uh councilman, uh, as you know, this is Cranston.

We will be sending this back to committee for a few amendments.

I'm pretty sure you heard them in the audience, and um the numbers are kind of screwed.

So we will be sending this back to committee, but this is for all veterans, veterans, widows, and prisoners of war.

Yeah, but because I did watch the uh the press conference, and it said all veterans, and then when I read it, it says prisoners of war.

So uh I don't want to get somebody's hopes up if uh if that's not the case.

Welcome to Cranston.

Uh Councilwoman Vizier.

Um, I appreciate and want to thank our vets, which is why I also um sponsored this.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

And we'll finish with our president.

Oh, wait, wait, Mr.

Mayor Trafficani.

I know you're giving credit to many people tonight uh for the work on both ordinances for the seniors as all the veterans.

The person deserves the most credit is you, Andy.

I mean that with all sincerity.

You're the one who basically it was the initiator of these two ordinances, and we're gladly that we could support you, support our veterans and support our seniors.

Thank you, Mary.

And I'll be I'm flattered, but I I couldn't have done this without the help of my two friends here, Councilman Ritz and Councilman Benano.

So I can't take all the credit.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I think we could end with our president, Mr.

I'll keep it short.

Um, as I said, we I already went over the figures.

The uh inflation effects affects people, they affect our uh veterans, many of them is having struggles.

We go through a lot of times you'll see veterans around Veterans Day or when they're wearing some type of things, they'll say thank you for your service.

I think this is a good way, a real good way to start this discussion to actually as a city showing how much how thankful we are.

Um, so is it perfect today?

No, like I said before, we'll make it we'll make it right.

Um, I think it like you said, this these people we owe it to them.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Now I guess uh we're gonna hear the numbers from our auditor, Mr.

DeMayo.

As I stated in the pre for the previous audience, this is the same thing.

It's a compounding issue, which will be corrected.

There was one other modification I just wanted to get on record, is that the schedule that's in this ordinance is for 11 years, where I believe it was supposed to be for 10 years.

And basically the goal with this ordinance was to take the exemption currently at 13,177 and double it.

So for 10 years, they'll get 10% each year on the 10th year.

The um exemption would be doubled.

So I just wanted to get those corrections on the record.

Thank you.

Thank you.

With no further discussion, I see none.

May entertain a motion to move this ordinance to a special finance meeting on January 20th of 2026.

Motion to continue to a special finance committee on January 20th, 2026.

Second.

Uh any discussion?

Uh Clerk, please take a roll.

Councilwoman Graziano.

Yes.

Councilman Ritz.

Yes.

Council Trafficanti.

Yes.

Councilman Vazieri, yes.

Councilman Duhar.

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

Motion to continue passed.

Uh moving on to 122506S ordinance amending the city of Cranston 2025-2026.

Municipal municipal budget, rescue five, full time.

Sponsored by our mayor Hopkins.

Um entertain a motion to approve.

Moved.

Second.

Any discussion.

Councilman Ritz.

I just wanted to mention that I am definitely in support of this uh bill.

It helps uh ensure that with the fire department has the resources that they need, but also fair compensation that they uh they deserve.

Thank you.

Thank you for saying that for the people in my ward because uh things that might work, but anyways, uh any further discussion?

Seeing none, clerk, please take a roll.

Councilwoman Graziano, yes, councilman, yes, council traffic canteen, councilman Vazieri, yes, manuhar.

Councilwoman Vazeri, yes.

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

Motion passes.

Moving on.

There are no resolutions.

Pretty sure everybody got the real estate tax abatements in their packet.

May entertain a motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion?

Clerk, please take a roll.

Councilman Graziano.

Yes.

Councilman Ritz.

Council Trafficanti.

Yes.

Councilman Vazeri.

Yes.

Councilman Duhar.

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

There are no motor vehicle tax abatements.

Moving on to E.

Tangible Tax Abatements.

I'm pretty sure you all got it in your packet.

May I entertain a motion to approve.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Any discussion.

Seeing none, Clerk, please take a roll.

Councilwoman McGraziano.

Yes.

Councilman Ritz.

Yes.

Council Traffic Canti.

Councilwoman Vazeri.

Yes.

Councilman Duhar.

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

Uh tax interest waiver approvals.

Through the chair, there's none.

There are none.

Okay.

I see that.

And there are no tax interest waiver denials.

Um moving on to uh there's an information for the tax assessment board of review assessed December 31st, 2023.

It's for information only.

Uh there are no communications from the council.

May entertain a motion to adjourn.

Motion to adjourn.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any nays?

Ayes have it.

We are adjourned.

See you on the 20th.