And welcome to this May the eighteenth, two thousand twenty-six regular city council meeting.

This time I'd like to call the meeting to order, and I ask the clerk to please call a roll.

Councilwoman Graziano.

Councilman Yanduhar.

Present.

Councilman Ritz.

Present.

Councilman Trafficante.

Present.

Councilman Vazieri.

Present.

Councilman Campo Piano.

Councilman Bonano.

Present.

Council Vice President Horrion?

Present.

Council President Wall.

Here.

Thank you.

Um first, I'd like to welcome uh the young ladies from Scout Troop Forty Two to come up here, and perhaps you ladies would assist us with saying the Pledge of Allegiance this evening.

Yeah, let's go regularly.

Whenever you're ready, we'll begin.

Under acknowledgments, commendations and citations.

We do have a citation.

Um, but it's going to be delayed if I'm not mistaken till next month.

Uh, congratulating the CLCF fifth grade basketball team on winning the R I UBA fifth grade division one state championship.

Unfortunately, they couldn't be here until next month, so we'll continue that to next month.

Next item would be the approval of minutes.

If there are no objections, I'd like to take them of a block.

I see none.

So I have a motion to approve the block of minutes.

Councilman Anduar.

Yes.

Councilman Ritz.

Yes.

Councilman Traficante.

Yes.

Councilwoman Vizieri.

Yes.

Councilman Campobiano.

Yes.

Councilman Banano.

Yes.

Council President Vice President Orion.

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

Next item will be public comment.

If there is anyone here in the chamber this evening who would like to make public comment on docketed matters only, please step up to the podium, state your name and your address for the record.

You know, you'll have four minutes.

Kimberly Bagoshan 45 Mount View Drive.

He was on uh WPRO earlier, and he said uh Councilman Bonano's uh baseball uh uh analogy too.

So thank you.

Very good.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else in chambers who would like to make public comment on docketed matters only?

I am seeing none.

Tom, is there anyone online who would like to make public comment on docketed matters?

There is no public comment online.

Okay, at this time I'm gonna close public comment and we're gonna move on to resolutions.

Next item of business would be a resolution proclaiming May 2026 as the older American is the older Americans month.

This was sponsored by Councilman Anderhar, Councilman Trafficante, and Councilman Banano.

Um, I'm gonna ask Councilman Anderhar to speak on this, and then I'll look for a motion to approve.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

At this time, uh Councilman, or I should say Mayor Trafficante and myself, we are gonna pass the baton over to our good friend over here, Councilman Banano, so we could speak on it with your permission.

Okay, Councilman Bonano, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you to my co-sponsors.

I'm very proud to be co-sponsoring this um with Councilman Anderhar and Councilman Trafficante.

Um as we know, May is older Americans month, which is a time to recognize the contributions, wisdom, resilience, um, and perseverance of older adults and our families and especially our communities.

Older Americans have helped build the neighborhoods we live in, the businesses that we work in, and most importantly, probably the traditions that we celebrate.

Uh their experiences remind us that every generation has something valuable to teach the next.

And it's often said that he who does not understand history is doomed to repeat it.

This month is also a reminder that aging is not about slowing down, it's about continuing to grow, adapt, and inspire.

And whether through volunteering, mentoring, caregiving, or simply sharing life's lessons for younger folks, older adults strengthen uh our communities every day.

We should also appreciate our sense of humor.

I've heard uh mayor traffic handy talk about uh um saving your knees, and at uh at certain ages, some I feel like sometimes my knees go out more than I go out, but um luckily we uh we agree that age uh with age comes wisdom.

So I uh I want to recognize um the older Americans in our community.

I'm very proud that um this body, all of us were able to uh to put our money where our mouth is this month of May and refund our senior center for our old Americans in our community, and uh I urge um us to pass this uh to further appreciate older Americans in our community.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Bonano.

And before I ask for a motion to approve, I'd ask if it's all right if you had me as a co-sponsor.

Would anybody else like to be see the show of hands?

I see Councilwoman Viziri, Councilman Ritz, Council Vice President Heroy, and Councilman Campa Biano.

If that's okay, is there a motion to approve?

So moved, second second.

Is there any any further discussion?

Councilman Campo Biano.

Thank you, Council President.

I just want to thank the sponsors for putting this resolution in for me, seeing that uh I'm one of the oldest men of the council, besides Mayor Traff.

Yeah, I'm glad to be with co-sponsor.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

Uh Councilman Ritz.

Same sediment there.

I just appreciate uh you guys putting this in there too.

And our second youngest council member uh making the comments there, but I was also gonna mention, even though she's absent, maybe we we had uh councilwoman uh Graziano approved.

Thank you.

I don't know.

My parliamentarian was that you think that's acceptable.

I've got an okay.

Thank you so much.

All right, Councilman Trafficandy.

No, I just wanted to say that uh you guys are babies.

God's sakes.

I'm like your grandfather, yeah.

I never get tired of hearing that traffic you know that okay.

If there's no further comment, I ask the clerk to please call it all.

Councilman Andor.

Yes, councilman Ritz.

Yes, Councilman Trafficanti.

Yes, Councilman Fazieri, yes.

Councilman Campopiano, Councilman Bonano, yes, Council Vice President Horayan, yes, Council President Wall.

Yes.

Okay, that resolution passes.

Moving right along to reports of committees.

The first up will be a report from Councilwoman Bazeri.

She is the chair of cleans the cleans committee.

Councilwoman, the floor is yours.

Thank you, President Wall.

Uh, we met on May 4th, 2026, and attached in your docket are the payments for review, and I have nothing further to report at this time.

Okay, thank you so much, councilwoman.

Um, next would be a report from Council Vice President Heroyan as the chair of the safety services and license committee.

Thank you.

We did meet on May 4th.

There were some votes taken.

One business was did not have everything in order.

So we are having a special safety services meeting this Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council.

Council Vice President.

Moving right along to a report from the chair of the finance committee, Councilman Anduhar.

Councilman Landuhar, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

The finance committee did meet on May 4th.

And there was a resolution in support of the state of Rhode Island General Assembly amending Cranston tax exemption sponsored by the majority of the council.

I urge passage.

Okay.

Is there a motion to approve?

So move, Ms.

President.

Second.

Is there a second?

Any discussion.

Okay.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilman Iaduar.

Yes.

Councilman Ritz.

Yes.

Councilman Trafficanti.

Yes.

Councilwoman Vazier.

Yes.

Councilman Campo Piano.

Councilman Bonano.

Yes.

Council Vice President Haroyan.

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

Resolution approved.

Moving on.

There was a resolution authorizing real estate tax abatements.

Um requested by the tax assessor and approved by the finance committee on May 4th.

I urge passage.

Is there a motion to approve?

There's a motion to approve.

There's a second.

Any discussion?

There being none, Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilman Anduhar.

Yes.

Councilman Ritz.

Councilman Trafficanti.

Yes.

Councilwoman Vazieri.

Yes.

Councilman Campo Piano.

Councilman Banano.

Yes.

Council Vice President Heroyan.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

The next item, just for the record, I don't know if everyone's uh agenda has the same thing.

The advice and consent on the appointment of Robert Strom was already done.

That was put on an error.

So we don't have to do that this evening.

We already passed it.

So next up would be a report from the chair, uh the chair of the uh public works committee.

Um, but she's not here this evening.

I see there's nothing to report there, if I'm not mistaken.

Um, so very good.

So we're gonna go back to uh councilman Anduhar is the chair of the ordinance committee.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

The ordinance committee did meet on May 6th, and we voted on um ordinance 04-2601 ordinance and amendment of Title 10, Chapter 32, Section 20 and Section 30 of the City of Cranston Code of Order says 2005 entitled stop intersections.

Um Irish passage.

Okay, is there a motion to approve?

Second.

There is a second.

Any discussion.

Um I see it says traffic report.

Let's see.

I thought we had one.

Okay.

We do have a couple, but it's not included here, right?

Hold on, one second.

Is it hold on?

Okay.

It's a favorable report item.

It is not.

It is not.

Um, let's see.

The traffic engineer recommends denial of this proposal.

He says that the engineering data does not support a multi-way stop as a request.

It's inconsistent with the manual on uniform traffic control devices.

However, in order to better align with proper traffic flow, he recommends removing the existing two-way stop and authorizing either a two-way yield or a two-way stop on Caraway Drive.

Um, obviously, you guys all have this report.

You can you don't have to follow the recommendation, but it was provided to you.

Thank you so much.

So noted.

Um, I see Councilman Anderhar.

Mr.

President, I feel that we should pass this.

Um councilman Ritz, you know, is you know, the front line on the front lines over there, and councilman and councilman Campo Biano really did their homework on this, and I feel that we should support the people's um motion on this.

So I will be in full support of it.

I tend to be in support as well, but I'm gonna go to Councilman Banano.

Did you put your hand now?

Yep.

I uh was gonna say everything he just said, and I was also gonna ask that for as long as I've been on the council, and I believe previous to me coming on the council, a lot of neighbors in this area have been desiring this particular stop sign.

Um I I appreciate that it's you know the recommendation of the uh uh traffic engineer, but I don't think it's that much of a um uh high traffic flow area where whether it's a yield or a stop, it's really gonna make that big of a difference.

Um, and I feel like people are going to be much more comfortable with the stop sign.

So that's why I will be supporting this.

Thank you.

Councilman Ritz.

Uh well, thank you to my my Pierre's uh for your support on this.

And um, although I do respectfully disagree with the traffic engineer, one thing I think he focused on was the speed element and this controlling the speed.

Talking to the residents there, that's only partially the concern they have.

The other concern is folks pulling turning into those side streets without stopping because there's no stop sign, and that uh a woman that lives right there, one of the residents had reached out and sent me a video of several people making that turn without even slowing down.

So uh there's two pieces to this.

Thank you again.

Thank you, Councilman, Council Vice Pres uh President.

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

Um, I actually went to this location over the weekend, and I did see people just going right through it, and I think a stop sign will be very useful there.

Okay.

Thank you.

Any oh, Councilman Campabino.

Thank you, Council President.

Um also this is obviously a stone throw for my house.

Uh and I went by there a few times, and I never took into the into account that you could go right across Alpine Estates if uh if you so wanted to, with there's no stop sign.

So most of the neighbors were uh complaining that people were taking a right or a left without stopping, but no one took into consideration that you can go right across that main drag without stopping.

So it is a good safety measure to have that just for that reason alone.

I mean, you can just could you continue on Calloway?

There's no reason for you to stop if there was no stop sign.

So uh I hope this helps.

And uh the neighbors, you did a good job of getting what they wanted.

Thank you.

No, thank you so much.

And I also will be in full support.

I thought I had asked to be a co-sponsor.

So if the if the sponsors would be okay, I'd like to be on it.

Would anybody else like to be a co-sponsor?

I see a lot of hands there.

If that's okay, can you keep them up so the clerk sees it?

Thank you so much.

Okay.

So with that in mind, clerk, please call the roll.

Councilman Andrehar.

Yes, Councilman Ritz.

Councilman Trafficante.

Yes.

Councilwoman Vizieri, yes.

Councilman Campopiano, Councilman Banano.

Yes.

Council Vice President Heroyan?

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes, that passes.

Moving on, we had ordinance four-2602 ordinance and amendment of Title Three, Chapter 8, Section 50 of the City of Cranston Court of Ordnance to 2005 and titled Tax Assessment Board of Review.

I urge passage.

So moved.

Second.

Okay.

Motion made and seconded.

Um let me just start off.

I supported this and we brought this up in the ordinance committee meeting.

And basically, to put it short, we wanted our ordinance to comply with the language in the charter.

However, um I do want to address solicit a Videcchio's concern, because at that time, if I'm not mistaken, you did uh express concern that we were putting things in here that weren't in the charter.

Is that okay?

Would you like to elaborate?

Just so we make sure we're doing the right thing.

Just um Council President.

So my my concern, and I just wanted to put this out on the uh record, is that the charter does not contain the language um regarding the alternates.

And my concern is simply this.

Um this ordinance, the practical effect of the ordinance is a de facto charter revision, at least insofar as it pertains to that particular um provision uh regarding uh the makeup of the board.

So I just I just put it out there because in the future, um, if the council is going to amend the charter through ordinance, then really the door is open.

I don't see how you can do it in this instance and not do it in the future if someone were of a mind to do that.

That's all, because the charter and the code obviously are two completely different sources of authority.

The charter being for lack of a better term, well, actually, it is the term is the constitution of the city of Cranston.

And if you want to amend the charter, it's done through a charter revision, it's presented to the voters is the way it's supposed to be done.

So I mean uh in and of itself, the language adding the two alternates isn't really a huge substantive issue.

This is more procedural concern.

That's all.

And I just think that and I just wanted to point out that this may be setting a precedent for the future.

That's all.

And that was my concern.

I don't know how Mike feels about it, but um, you know, if you're gonna enact an ordinance that has an effect on the charter, you you are I in my opinion, I think you're opening the door.

Can I just and I'm gonna let uh attorney Marcel weigh in?

Uh just I want to make sure.

So the first part um of the amendment says that no more than two of whom shall be members of the same party.

That part that conforms to what's in the charter.

I believe it does, yes.

So what we're concerned with is the second part and two alternates, which are mentioned, I guess.

Uh the alternates mentioned in the charter?

No.

I didn't see it at all.

No, I don't see it at all, correct?

No.

So the alternates are not.

So that part, two alternates, whom should by the way the language regarding alternates always is or has been in there a long time.

That's not point.

So that we're not amending that.

That's been part of the ordinance of the city of Cranson since I don't think that that is not an amendment that this this this council is making.

We're making an amendment to make sure that those alternates are are not of the same political party.

Whether or not that was legal when it was done, I that's that's well, that's my point.

I guess I think I I could make an argument one what either way, but I I I yes, I think you're right.

It would be much better if the charter had three members and two alternates, but we're not adding in my opinion.

This has been existing for a long time, number one.

Number two, we're adding, we're not adding membership.

We're just saying that the alternate takes a place of a member when that member is not there, and they can't be the same political party.

So we're not adding membership, we're just making sure that the Board of Assessment Review is always composed of at least three members.

And so that's so, I mean, that's and again, I don't know the history of this, but I want to make it clearer that language about the alternates has been in the chart in the ordinance for as far as the codification is going back to 2024, it looks like and I understand, and as I said, it isn't so much the substantive nature of it as it is the procedural aspect of it.

The fact that my position, as long as I've been a lawyer, has always been because I've heard this, I've heard arguments similar to this made by, for instance, the attorney general's office involving a criminal statute.

Well, that's the way we've always done it.

Well, you know, saying something's been done wrong for 20 years, uh converts it into it being right after 21 years.

I I I never subscribe to that viewpoint.

To me, if it's wrong from the inception, it's wrong.

So but I understand it's been like that a long time, but I don't think that justifies it.

But again, I I'm not I'm simply putting this on the record.

That's all, because I do think that you know, two years from now, three years from now, four years from now, I may not be here.

You're not gonna be here, and somebody well, who knows, right?

I hope I live a little bit longer than that.

I think I'm a little younger than you, but not much.

It my my my concern is just that someone might be able to make the argument.

Hey, look, um, you know, we've done this before.

We've we've added language to a charter provision, and it was fine.

Someone may in the future say that uh, you know, uh the solicitor's office should have X, Y, and Z or Department of Finance should have X, Y, and Z, and it's done through ordinance, and it may conflict with the charter, and someone will be able to say, well, you know, we we've enacted ordinances before, and we've added or revised the charter.

And I just think procedurally, again, I emphasize procedurally.

I'm I'm not questioning the the wisdom of having the alternates, nothing like that.

I'm just saying the process might be open to question in the future.

That's all.

So, solicitor, if I'm hearing you correctly, the that part, that second sentence regarding members and alternates, right?

That part that with its underlined that second sentence.

Yeah, what would ever let me just go ahead?

Sure.

That part you would feel more comfortable procedurally if we didn't amend that part.

Simply put simply, in my opinion, put simply, I would feel more comfortable.

I and more important than how I feel, I think the council, again, with an eye toward the future would be safer in doing that.

This may never become an issue.

I don't know.

But in case it does, I don't want someone to say, well, you know, who was a solicitor that night?

Why not that dope say something?

Well, um, the dope is saying it um now just to put it on the record.

That's all.

Well, I think I think when it was amended, the most important part is that it matched what we said in the charter about the political parties.

So the members and the the charter itself makes no mention of alternates at all.

Correct.

Perhaps we should amend that charter, and um then after that, we can fix our ordinance to conform to it.

So I would have no problem as the sponsor of this removing, in fact, um alternative.

Um I think I need the where it says, should I just strike it after party?

Yep.

All right.

So I would you know, I just want to I just want to respond quickly.

There's no need to get into a long debate about this.

Had this been a criminal statute, I agree with John absolutely.

This is not a criminal statute.

Criminal statutes are uh a much higher level of scrutiny than uh this is a civil statute.

No one's gonna go to jail for violating this statute or losing their life and liberty.

That's why criminal statutes are interpreted in the way they are.

Um again, I have you you are the legislative body if you wanted to strike and two alternates.

Um that is fine, that's up to you.

And we should and I agree with John, the better process is to amend the charter to allow for alternates.

Um issue that was raised at the last meeting, which I was not here, uh, about whether the unaffiliated voter could be considered a member of a political party.

They cannot be.

State law is very clear.

If if a statute calls for a membership of a political party, you have to either a recognized political party.

And we're all in the only two recognized political parties of Democrats and Republicans.

So an unaffiliated could not serve on this board uh and satisfy the requirements.

Yeah, I I agree with that.

And and just to be clear, you know, I'm I I don't stand up to uh council president and the members of the council.

I'm not trying to throw a monkey wrench in anything.

I think everyone here knows me better than that.

This is mostly, I mean, this again, this is for your protection and and for the city's protection, just in case someone in the future were to say, look, the proper procedure wasn't followed then, and they're gonna they're gonna that would use that argument, they're gonna say, well, it wasn't it wasn't done uh right then, so why can't we enact an ordinance, you know, two years from now to change something else in the charter?

We did it by enactment of an ordinance.

Why can't we do it again?

That's all.

So if I could amend the the ordinance, the president, may I may I ask a question before you amend?

If you must absolutely not that I'm against the amendment, I I I just I like to say quit it, quit when you win.

Yeah, go right ahead.

Um practically what's gonna happen tomorrow with this board if we pass it, and what's gonna happen tomorrow if we amend it?

What's gonna happen tomorrow if we don't pass it?

Is anything materially going to change as to how this board operates based on this ordinance?

And that that's gonna be my litmus test on how to vote, um, whether it's amended or not.

So what will happen?

Yeah, it's good.

And any anybody with the legal opinion on this matter.

Um, what will happen tomorrow after we pass this and what would be the difference in the scenario if we didn't pass it at all?

Well, I guess I'll currently have alternates, they'll no longer be able to serve.

You might affect the quorum of the of the of the body for able to meet.

Um, you know, I again I don't know what the history of this board has been, whether they've been able to meet and establish a quorum, but obviously the the purpose of alternates was to step into the place of the appointed member when that person couldn't serve.

As I said, I can make the argument again, being long-term practice, that we're not adding membership, we're making sure that the membership of the board of assessment review always is composed of at least three members, and therefore that's why the alternates can step up.

They're not they're not really members until they're actually sitting in that seat as a member.

So again, we can debate this all long to John.

I don't think John does even would disagree with that.

No, it's a good point.

The the per the purpose, and that's how I would argue to try to defend the statute if I was asked to do so.

Um, however, so one did you get rid of alternates altogether, which may affect the ability of the quorum.

I think the most important thing is is that you know these boards are supposed to, you know, they pass the person's assessment, so they have binding authority.

If someone you uh if you are um uh challenging your assessment uh and the board agrees with you, that is binding on the city.

The reason why it has to be, or I think I think the intent of having members of all political parties, you want you don't want someone to say, hey, I just got denied because I'm a Republican, right?

Or I just get denied because I'm a Democrat, right?

So that's why they keep it a bipartisan basis because it is a it is a board that has authority, but I'm I'm not as concerned.

I agree with John 100%.

Would it be better to have the charter say two alternates?

Absolutely, it would be clear, but I think I can make a fair good faith legal argument that the alternates are there to take the place of a sitting member when that sitting member is out, and therefore the board is always gonna be composed of three members.

We have the same thing on the on the zoning board.

My just a small follow-up question is passing this as it is materially going to keep the function of this board the same as it always has been, or is altering it gonna do that?

I'll defer uh I believe the functioning of the board will remain the same as it is because they currently have alternates on the board.

The thing that will change is that I believe that you have some unaffiliated voters on that board, um, and that would have to either declare uh a party or get off the board if they're not willing to do so.

All right, because yeah, I I personally would like to see the board still function the same tomorrow as it does today.

I would tend to agree with the councilman on that matter.

Um, so I was trying to amend it so we kept our alternates, you know, and we kept our I mean that that in effect, but if the charter does say they have to be the members have to be of a certain political party, then we shouldn't violate as rightfully said by solicitor Bedecia, our constitution.

So I I like with when I was gonna propose an amendment, I think the best way place to put the period is where it says two alternates.

So we keep our alternates, we don't we don't discern which political party they are, so nobody leaves leaves tomorrow as an alternate, so we can still function because that's the way it always has been.

Well, please except I'm sorry.

My understanding is that uh I don't know what the makeup of the two alternates is, but they have to be uh the two alternates can't be of the same political party because it makes sense they have to fill the spot of the person that that's yeah.

What would happen if two if there were two vacancies for someone got sick and someone went on a trip?

Now you've got two unaffiliated alternates filling it.

Now you've got a board made up of, as Mike said, maybe one member of a political party, and now you've got two people.

We don't know who they are, and I think that's the board that would be a bigger problem.

That's yeah, that would be a problem.

So you know, my recommendation just for the work for the co I think the ordinance is written as passed.

I think it's defendable in a court of law.

Um again, we could have in our charter, we can we can conform the charter after the fact, but again, just to be clear this is the way the ordinance has been written.

But the the nonpartisan, excuse me, the bipartisan stuff is actually in state law.

State law requires these boards to be bipartisan.

So, you know, that's another cover that we have as well.

I'm gonna take councilman and president.

I want to thank you for writing this up, and I would like to be added as a sponsor, and I will support the current wording.

Um, so after listen to, you know, uh the the both both sides, both council.

Uh I see the best avenue in this this way, unfortunately, is it's it's gonna be somewhat undesirable, would be to pass it in my view, and that's what I'm gonna support to pass it as is, and then make the charter conform because the charter is not logical in the way it functions.

So we make the charter conform to where it is, and like you said, no one's gonna go to prison for this.

Sure.

Um obviously it's that's going to be in your discretion, and I just point it out.

Your point is well taken by by myself and I think the members of the council.

So I'm gonna say councilman Bonano, and then I'm gonna circle around.

Just one more quote.

I'm gonna I agree with Councilman Anhar and I agree with council president that I'm I'm fine with this the way it is.

My my question is is if the charter is silent, is it sort of like Robert's rules?

If the charter is silent, can we uh speak with speci uh I want to be specific about this ordinance?

If the charter is silent on this, can we add additional stuff sort of like Robert's rules, or it doesn't work that way?

Generally, no, but I will say that in this case you could make the argument that the this case the charter sets a floor, not a ceiling.

In other words, the membership is three.

We're not adding any new membership, we're just adding two to fill in for that membership, and therefore you this is permissible.

That's an argument.

I'd say it's correct that the argument.

I like that argument.

Um, going right around if there's any comments.

I see councilman traffic.

Oh, pass it as presented.

Council uh councilman campabiano.

Thank you, council president.

No, I'm uh I'm glad uh the council attorney uh clarified the um the part about the um alternates, but I also when I expressed concern and when this was in committee about the payment, we went through a uh a real struggle with the budget, and um I mean they met for six hours.

I went through and did some research for six hours last year.

I mean, I'm not saying they do fine work, they're very important, especially on a year when we have uh re-evaluation, it's it's it is important.

But I I it's in the charter, the three thousand dollars each.

I mean, I don't know if that could be lowered to help us out this year.

Um I don't think salaries.

So the chat so the charter is that that's not in the charter.

Okay, so the salary is only in the ordinance.

Yeah, salaries are to my knowledge, I'm never in a charter.

The charter does not indicate itself.

But if I'm not mistaken, and and I said this last time, salaries of the people on the board are not on the agenda this evening.

And I'll I'll ask both my attorneys that I'm not saying you're wrong, and I'm not saying you're right.

Another time I might make an argument one way or another, but I won't do it tonight because it's not in the yeah, no, I I only brought it up because the ordinance before us tonight, and um I know we made some serious cuts.

I mean, we cut people's jobs away.

We did some serious things to make the uh the concessions that we did to fund the people we needed to fund.

And I just wanted to be on the record.

This is a concern of mine.

I'm not saying they they don't deserve it and don't deserve to be paid, but that's all you have to do.

Thank you for that.

Thank you.

Um very good.

Anyone else?

All right, is there any motion to approve?

Motion to approve second motion made and second it.

Any further discussion?

I see none.

Clerk, please call the roll.

I already had a motion and a second.

Oh long I I didn't take the original one.

We just did it before.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

That just for the record.

Um, the original motion was made by Vice President Heroyan and seconded by Councilman Trafficanti.

You guys are okay with that.

Okay, perfect.

Thank you.

Councilman Yanduhar.

Yes.

Councilman Ritz.

Yes.

Councilman Traficante.

Yes.

Councilwoman Viziri.

Yes.

Councilman Campopiano.

Councilman Bonano.

Yes.

Council Vice President Heroyan?

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

Okay.

That motion carries.

Moving right along to public comment on undocuted matters.

Once again, if there's anyone in the chambers who would like to speak on undocuted matters, please step up to the microphone, state your name and address for the record, and I'll give you four minutes.

Marcia Fowler, 35 Milton Av.

Uh, first I want to say how nice it is to see Scouts here in Chambers.

Both of my sons are Eagle Scouts, so I know the importance of both Scouting for America and Girl Scouts.

And thank you for this is great to see you here.

And also, um, I know no one wants to hear the word budget, but I do want to say thank you all for putting in endless endless hours uh for working on this budget.

That was a lot of work for all of you.

And my comments are about the budget tonight.

Um we all know that there was not one action that created this difficult situation, but one thing I personally I know is that when the last of our very strong financial watchdogs, who was also a lawyer, stood and resigned from her position.

We saw the director along with many of the other members of the administration applaud here in chambers.

They weren't saying good job, we'll miss you.

They were saying now all the watchdogs are gone.

That applause can be interpreted as intimidation and also joy, because now who was going to be the what the who was going to point out if the mayor had given out a no big contract, who was going to go head to head and argue with the administration about overspending, who was going to call them out for not giving the council the financial information requested on spending, such as on the pool.

In addition, when members of the public worked endlessly to stop the destruction and overspending of the pool, two of them were publicly mentioned in a PowerPoint presentation at East by the mayor with only his interpretation of their private meeting and without them knowing that their names were going to be highlighted.

That could also be interpreted as spiteful and as intimidation.

These actions by our administration is part of how we got here.

If you as council members feel you cannot have healthy financial discussions, question the administration about finances, call them out when they use no contract bids, or when they do anything financially that you feel is questionable, then we have a serious issue that's not going to end with just this year's budget.

It's going to continue for years.

Last week, Mr.

Moretti commented about how nice it is to work with this group.

And I think that's because there's not a lot of making the administration accountable for their finances.

Where are the questions about the cost of the new city hall landscaping and what company did the work?

Where are the questions about the cost of the water bill for this new landscaping and for the Ichri Park fountain?

Do you know what he's planning to do with the money from taxes?

A gazebo for the pool was one suggestion a few months ago.

And as we know from last week's meeting, residents don't want more decorations for the city.

We want services that we deserve.

My suggestion, which will not be popular, is that all pride is swallowed and the council gathers Steve Steichos, John Donegan, Robert Ferry, the former mayor, and his wife together and use their combined decades of city knowledge to ask for input on how to go forward with the budget.

You are the watchdogs for our money.

The administration should be proud to share with us where our money is being spent.

They should be proud to show us where they're saving us money.

They should not be trying to admit the council or the public who bring up financial concerns.

I also want to on financial note thank Councilman Campo Piano for spearheading the trip to the recycling recovery center and stressing that how we can all save money in the city by recycling correctly.

It was a really fun um event.

And I know Councilman Fritz and um Ms.

Gazi or Councilman Graziano was there as well.

And we've all been sharing um additional ideas on how to do that as well.

So thanks for being proactive about um how we can help the city getting back to be a healthy affordable budget.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is anyone else in chambers who'd like to speak on undocumented matters?

I see none.

Um Tom, is there anyone online?

There is no public comment online.

Okay, at this time I'm gonna close public comment.

Um, we're gonna move right down to item 12, executive uh communications and the legal expense report was in your packets.

Is there any questions for solicitor Videchia?

I do not see solicitor malay here.

I don't think I have it, Mr.

President.

It's not in your packet.

Oh, it's uh yeah, see.

Is there one?

No, we're gonna table and we're gonna have it again next month.

And I probably would be given the important point next month also, uh Tracy, to add an executive session to that one.

Um given some of the things coming out.

All right.

So um we're gonna table that legal present.

You do question.

Yeah, we're discussing legal expenses.

Uh, would it be sufficient if uh council was here?

The solicitor?

Yes, yeah.

I think it would be important that he was here.

Is this he's usually here for these meetings, but I see you here this evening.

It is kind of it's a kind of an awkward question for me to answer.

Uh, I mean, I cover all the meetings, obviously.

Um if I think if if he has a heads up ahead, if he knows ahead of time that there'd be questions and stuff, John.

I don't want to put you in an awkward place.

It's it's a standing agenda item that's on every month.

I know.

And last time we had to call him at home.

So listen, so it comes up every council meeting.

It's been since my three years I've been on the council.

Richard, a couple of years.

So I I didn't know if he was ill or something, but you can't speak to it.

You can't tell him why he's not here.

You would have told it would be be good if he's here next week, next month.

We're gonna have the executive session, so we're gonna need him to talk in depth about this matter.

Sure, thank you.

And it's not you, we're gonna put it in.

Yeah, no, I understand it, but if there's if there's general questions, I just can't answer specifics.

But if there were general questions, because I'm so somewhat familiar with with some of the um the matters there.

We're gonna table it to next month.

Okay, fine.

Thank you so much, John.

I appreciate it.

Um the next item is advice and consent.

Um, and with actually that advice and consent on Mayor Hawk Hopkins' nomination of Richard Green as the assistant fire chief.

What we're gonna do, I'm gonna entertain a motion to move that to the finance committee.

So second.

All right.

Any discussion, and basically we we need to hear it in committee prior to having advice and consent.

Okay, clerk, please call the roll.

Councilman Andor.

Yes, Councilman Ritz.

Yes, Councilman Traficante, yes, councilwoman Vizieri, yes, councilman Campobiano, Councilman Bonano, yes, Council Vice President Horroyan.

Yes, Council President Wall.

Yes, that motion carries.

Um moving right along to uh council president communications.

Um I probably am gonna need both the assistance of a solicitor and also a member of the uh Mr.

Strom for finance.

Um, if you could put up in the area in that uh the charter that I'm interested in, I'm only interested in one area this evening.

Um as we go through the budget process, I'm looking at section 6.15, and it's the allotment in the budget process.

It is on beautiful.

All right.

So about a month ago, I put this on here.

And as we it's apropos that we are speaking about the charter this evening, and there was some discussion about this.

Um some of the history of this charter provision was provided to me.

But it's thank you so much.

Some of the history of this was provided to me, but I'm gonna relay what I thought was very important.

We're pretty soon we're gonna pass a budget.

And after we pass a budget, it says that the head of each department, board, commission, office, agency, except for the school committee, shall submit to the mayor in such form as the mayor shall prescribe a work program which shall show the requested allotments of appropriations for such department, board, commission, office, and agency for the entire fiscal year by quarterly by quarterly periods.

Now, solicitor, as I read this over, it looks to me like before the before July 1st, the beginning of the next fiscal year, each department in the city is going to have to submit to the mayor a plan outlining how the annual appropriations will be used and spent in quarterly interviews that I s intervals that I assume conform to the first second financial quarters.

Is that how you're reading it?

Yeah, uh council president.

I I think that's a pretty reasonable interpretation.

I think I would I think I would agree with that, yes.

Okay.

So there's a lot been spoken of about the council's uh oversight.

And there's not a lot written in our charter about our oversight.

But this I see is a way we perhaps can maybe move into that oversight.

I would like to see those those reports prior to them coming out, what what they're going to look like prior to them coming out, divided up in those intervals.

I'd like to know what manner those reports are going to come in.

So even if they're not filled, we should have those reports ready, prepared.

What what type of format they're going to be in?

And I think we need to review them as we're doing as we're going through court by quarterly.

All right.

So each department is going to have make sure that they their reports are filed, and they're following their their uh their allotments in a on a quarterly basis.

So we never get too far away.

It was brought to my attention before that this was an old provision.

Though on my charter, it says it was improved in 1998.

I was around in 1998.

I don't think it's that old.

Um, and I don't think it's outdated.

I think it's quite apropos for what we're doing today.

I also would refer to the end of this section, where it says and it starts with if at any time during the fiscal year, the mayor shall ascertain that the receipts for the fiscal year will be less than the total appropriations for the department, board, commission, offices, and agencies, and revise the right in agencies and revise the allotments so the forest so to forestall the incurring of a deficit.

I believe that's a very important line that if we were doing that in the past two years, we would have seen a deficit.

My recollection from our monthly reports is we saw a deficit in May and we saw a deficit in June.

Each of each of them that came in late, the last one coming in approximately four months late, that I have stated in this room.

I believe that it would be nice to see those and make sure, because if we are incurring a deficit, I might remind the people in this room that we are incurring a deficit, that this council pointed out in the last two months in the financial report when we when we had in the financial committee.

So that's the oversight.

We don't have an ordinance yet, but I know there's several ordinances that I do want to propose that will provide some some oversight so we can I like the word forestall such a deficit going forward.

Please any if there's any issue with this, me doing this, or if there's any any way I'm overstepping my authority in the balance of power, please let me know.

I I'll just add, I'll just make a brief uh comment.

Uh council president.

So I mean much I'm not disagreeing with anything you're saying.

A lot of it is above my pay grade, quite frankly.

Um it goes, I I mean, anyone can read that.

I can read that.

I'm sure um attorney Marcelo can read that and interpret it the way you did.

Um, one of the problems um with the charter is that it's all well and good, and we and we see this a lot.

Um it contains provisions as to what should be done and how it's supposed to be done.

The problem is it stops there and it does not say what is the process or the procedure if it is not done.

And you run into a dead end.

So um as I said, obviously, you know, the charter speaks for itself.

It does appear that quarterly reports are supposed to be made.

Um, the very next section I think talks about transfers um in the fourth quarter, in case you know, one one one department short, you can transfer it over.

So clearly, um, you know, this particular section is geared toward forestalling as as it says um the incurrence of um significant deficits in any given department.

Granted, as I said, the problem is it doesn't really offer a solution.

Um it stops.

I'm with you.

Well, there's no penalty there.

However, no, no, not only no penalty, it's it's there's no process.

So what happens if it isn't done?

If there were another section, that's 6.15.

So if there was 6.16, and it said in the event that this is not done, then X, Y, and Z.

So not to belabor the point, because I didn't see anything like that that said you must do it.

Um, I think as a council, I'm gonna request that you do as a council president, because we're in an emergency situation.

And I've heard on more on one occasion that we're in it together.

Well, you know what?

I want to be in it together.

And if any of my colleagues don't want to let me know now, because I think they all want to be involved in this.

We would like this.

So I think there should be a work plan.

I think it's in the charter.

I think the mayor and his his office gets to decide what that work plan looks like.

I think we should see maybe we should have some input as to what it looked like if it's if it's a document that we could understand.

I'm not uh obviously not a CPA.

Um, but I don't think it's unreasonable.

Um before I take comments, I certainly want to hear uh what Mr.

Strom has to say on this matter.

Even though it's in the charter, we've never been exposed to a work plan that I'm aware of ever in any community I've been with.

Um we do the monthly financials, which you do receive whether you got them on time or not, that's another issue.

I believe you're getting them on time now.

You are I don't want to, I don't want to interrupt you, but I'm not talking about those.

And sometimes we got confused last time.

I'm not talking about the monthly reports that come after you spent the money.

I'm talking about the work plan as to how you're gonna spend your money.

And the truth is, I'm asking you as a council president for those work plans.

And if you haven't done in the past, I'm gonna ask you to conform to the charter and do them now.

And the mayor gets to determine.

So I understand we've talked about it.

I like the I like the way your system, I like how you're on top of things.

I do.

The truth is, but if you're not, I want to be there.

No offense to you.

No, they elected these people to look it over.

In fact, I just heard how perhaps I wasn't doing a very good job.

I want to do a better job in that respect.

So I'm gonna ask you to do it.

And if the administration has a problem, let me know.

And we'll sit in front of this body and we'll determine a better way to do it.

But no, this is not going to happen again.

As I mentioned uh week or two ago, maybe a month ago, we do run weekly reports.

And I mentioned to you that I'd be glad to sit with uh council member or other council to review it.

Yep, because a weekly report shows or indicates much more uh closer activity than waiting until the end of the month.

And that's based on the budget that's been given to each department, and we compare budget to actual with encumbrances and what's remains in their budget.

Sometimes you keep them, you gotta keep in mind that certain things are seasonal, certain things are not always.

Can I interrupt?

Wouldn't that come out in the quarterly monthly plan?

Some season some seasons require more.

That's how you make a plan and you don't just divide the money up into four quarters.

I certainly would like to see that.

I'm not disagreeing with you on your monthly your monthly or weekly report.

I'd like to see both of those as well.

However, what I'm asking, and I'll ask it once again in public on the record, I would like to see a work program, and I would like the council to monitor those work programs.

That's the truth.

That's what I'd like to see.

Now, you don't have to answer it.

I'm asking for it.

I you I by the way, I am adamant about it.

There you will not change my opinion.

You can say no, I won't do it, but you won't change my opinion.

So I don't wish to get in an argument because it's not gonna go go very well either way.

So I'm gonna open the floor.

Um, Councilman And Mr.

President, um, I agree with you a million percent.

Um, it is kind of frustrating that you know we're in the situation, but we're we still have our hands tied.

If they want to submit whatever report, they could.

Now, Mr.

Strom is here now and he's an open book, and I thank him for being here and coming into the city because any question you have, you could always go to his office.

He has an open door policy, and you can sit down with him, he'll show you the numbers daily.

But until we have an actual ordinance or a full-time auditor, our hands are tied, as you saw from November to February, we were basically trending a 1.7, and then come March after the letter, we went to 9.4, and that was overnight.

So until we actually pass an ordinance tying their hands, this is we're not going anywhere today.

So I thank you, and I agree with you a thousand percent.

I thank Mr.

Strom for having the open door policy, but unless we actually pass something, we have our hands tight.

I mean, I might and not that I don't want an ordinance.

I mean, listen, I'm gonna quote the solicitor.

This is the constitution of the city of Cranston.

There is no higher authority on the municipal level in your constitution, your charter.

This is the highest authority.

All your ordinances are supposed to come from there.

In fact, we had a great debate about whether our ordinance will comply.

So I like the idea of having an ordinance, but I I don't believe what I'm having an argument seriously with something that's written in there.

If you know you guys don't like what's in it, take it out.

But as to right now, it's the law of the land.

And I would like to see those reports.

Um councilman Bonano, and I'm gonna circle around right to you, count so you'll go right around because I started with Councilman Anderhouse.

Yep.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

First of all, I I also want to commend Director Strom because a lot of this stuff is not his fault.

He's come into a mess and he's trying to fix it.

Um so I just want to say that at the beginning.

However, we are continuously asking what happened.

And the difference with what the council president is saying is he's asking us, what are we going to do?

It's a lot easier to prevent issues that we've run into when we're requesting what we're gonna do as opposed to investigating what happened.

If if we don't understand, if people don't understand what the council president is asking for, that's what I'm hearing.

What are you gonna do?

Uh with here's the budget.

Now how's it gonna be spent?

And we can determine together what's gonna happen with that money and how we're gonna avoid this problem again.

So that's what I'm hearing the council president ask.

Um, and I couldn't agree more.

I don't want to ask what happened anymore.

I want to prevent what happened in the future by asking, how are you gonna spend this money?

How are you gonna keep it from going into the red?

And how are we gonna make sure that next year whoever is sitting here doesn't have to make uh these these very very difficult decisions that we had to make.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

Uh Councilman Ritz, yeah, just a few comments.

Uh, thank you for council president for bringing this up.

It's it's definitely a concern going forward.

But you know, I've also thought about we have a lot of institutional knowledge here that you brought back, Director Strom, and we're with Mr.

Igo too.

So with you uh retiring again and Mr.

Igo leaving, I think we lose a lot of that too.

So I just wonder what we use for budgeting technology.

Um, because my private life, we use budgeting technology, and I think to what the council president is saying, you have to forecast out stuff.

So if we were buying a new snowplow, you know, we would put that in October, and then you build up to that number, so we know we're at that too.

So I I think you have a very good point of allocating what month we're gonna make these larger purchases, if we're adding to staff, that kind of all has to be balanced out rather than then divided out too.

But I think technology and and not extremely advanced technology would help us with that for that, but then also to retain some of this knowledge of how we're budgeting, how we get there too for for the next set of folks that take this on.

So thank you.

Thank you, councilman.

Council vice vice president, no councilman traffic in.

Uh Mr.

Council President, I agree with you totally.

We are, even though we're part timers, we are the checks and balances of the city of Cranston's uh budgetary process.

But I have a question, guys, just for clarification.

When we approve a budget, we are basically approving uh the finances for each individual department, and in in that particular department, we're also approving line items for various categories, for example, personnel, supplies, materials, etc.

So just clarify what are you looking for in terms of a report?

So I thought you had to clarify that.

I think basically I'm looking for two things.

I'm looking for how it's allotted on a quarterly basis.

So all those line items, and I mean, I can't, I'm not writing the charter.

I'm not interpreting it, I'm just reading it.

Um each department is supposed to have that according to this charter provisions on the screen.

And I'm also looking for this, and this is a big one, that last part, where if we are running a deficit, it is going to be necessary to revise some of these allotments so that we can, and I do quote as to forestall the incurring of a deficit.

We are currently incurring a deficit.

Last year we incurred a deficit.

So when I asked those questions, I if we had a plan, and I don't know if it would help it, but I'd like to know.

So and and please understand this.

As I answer this question, and if it sounded like I was coming out after you, no director, I am not.

Everybody knows, and the director knows I have nothing but the highest respect for his financial accurate.

Um, however, I think we're I think at this point, the answer that we've never done it, and I've never done it.

I'm sorry, that I in with the res with respect, it's not gonna be good enough.

I'm gonna want this.

Okay.

But first let me let me councilman traffic candy still has a floor ticket.

Okay.

I I realize in the last quarter, we we'd make adjustments.

Uh between departments among departments.

Perhaps what the council president is asking for, and basically the city council is asking for is perhaps we start that process a lot sooner in terms of seeing how the how what the trend is in each department.

If we're going over budget a particular department, then we stop that particular trend.

I want to see the work plan.

I want to see what's in the charter.

Um, I'm not gonna write it.

I'm just gonna read it.

I'm gonna say this one and say if you don't want to show it to me, let us know.

Um, but I'm requesting it.

I I don't think it's a big ask.

Um so it says that you're gonna be meeting with your departments, it implies a meeting, it implies this is some type of work plan.

I think you do it.

Maybe you don't do it as formally.

I'm gonna ask you to be more deliberate and more formal about it.

That's all there is to it.

Um I guess I don't want to hear anything about our oversight.

If you're not gonna provide even the small document that's incurred that it's included in our own charter.

I don't think I can back down on that matter.

But Director Strom, I'm sorry, I've talked a long time by all means.

Wait, I I don't want to debate the issue, but I agree with Councilman Traffic Cante that every department in every division within that department has line items that is reviewed on a weekly basis based on purchase orders and based on actual uh payments for various expenses.

And when those expenses increase over that line item that was allotted for budget, that's when uh in my mind a red flag goes up, and I have discussions with each department head, and or do transfers from one line item that has monies within that department brought over to that uh deficit figure so things can balance out.

I mean, that's the procedure.

I'm not saying it's been that way, I'm not saying that's gonna resolve the deficit, but that's what I'm doing since I've been on board.

And and I believe that perhaps when you were here before, or maybe never, who knows?

I don't know.

Maybe it was never done.

Sometime it had to be done.

It wasn't while I was here, I can tell you that.

You weren't here in 98.

It's sometime it had to be done because it was approved by a referendum, it went before the voters in 1998.

It's not the dark ages.

I don't ever remember.

So I'm I'll be honest with you, and I don't even know why I'm wasting the time.

It's in there.

I'm not yeah.

So I I just would like it done.

That's all.

I'm that's all I'm asking.

All right, I just would like it done.

I'd like to see it.

Any other I'm I'm gonna go right around because I got council councilman traffic candy, you're all set.

Councilman Camper Bianca.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh I agree with you.

I don't see any harm with this checks and balance or but I do have uh one issue with the charter, and it's the line that says except school committee.

The school make up a significant part of our uh budget, and um we're left in the dark.

I mean, if we have to go into a executive session or something, but it would be valuable to this committee if we knew where the school was trending when it comes to budget season, we know how much the money they would need and and uh we would be better educated with how we would have to take care of that committee.

So I I would like to see them included to find out where we stand, even if it's quarterly or let's let this would be in the school committee, but I'm gonna let uh attorney market.

So have to be the bad bearer of bad news.

It's because state law invests the school committee total control of the budget once it's appropriated um by this council to them.

So title 16 Ron General Laws basically says once to give them the money they spend it the way by now.

They could certainly I don't I don't know if the director strong gets reports from the school department I uh about their spending, but you could certainly ask for it, but they're not on your monthly, but they would not be required to give a report like this.

Uh no, I I get it, I just find it to be counterproductive.

I mean, we we could see the value when helping the schools if if necessary, but we have no idea until it comes down to that very last day.

Council, I think the charter provision was drafted to conform with state law.

Um listen, I I would say say listen.

I know when I was on the school committee with councilman traffic candy, councilwoman Heroyan, I didn't serve with Councilman Ritz.

We got God, if not monthly, monthly updates in depth, uh, from Joe Balducci.

So I can only speak to when I was there.

I was not in the dark about my finances, uh, the finances.

Month your monthly report also comes.

It's that second line on the first page, it tells you if they're in a deficit.

That's how we knew that, too.

So that is, and I don't you probably can't run a weekly one for them because they they report theirs monthly.

And I bet if you contact the superintendent, she'll give you anything she has.

Uh Dr.

Strom.

That's that's what I believe.

I won't answer her, but she's pretty good.

Yep.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

No, he was yeah, exactly.

And that's what I at least monthly, yeah.

At least because we met by the month.

We were getting it all the time.

Councilman Traffic Candy, did you want to add something to that?

I just want to say that it's really not gonna hurt that we work hand in hand with you, Mr.

Schram.

I've known you since 1990, the 1990s, and you know the kind of person you are.

I know you'll keep this council updated as far as expenditures of revenues.

Mr.

Bonano, as far as what happened in the past, simply they overestimated their revenues and underestimated their expenditures.

It's simple as that.

Thank you, Councilman.

Um, I'm good.

Did I see another hand?

I did you no, no, no other hand?

All right, listen, that was I don't have anything to vote on.

This is just something I'd like to see.

I don't know.

I I don't believe I have to put a formal anything formal in ordinance to have it done.

It's already in the charter.

Um, so I would just I would just ask that with respect.

Um council president.

Oh, I did not see.

Could we keep this on for next month to get an update of where we I was thinking?

I'm glad you're all right.

Sorry, I too no, but I like the idea very much.

All right, so yeah, let's keep it on.

Um, and maybe this is because next month will be just about the I would imagine you'd be starting to form some of those because we'll have the fiscal, you know, we'll have the budget.

So you'll be busy, I know, but just at least the format that you want to present it, all right.

How you have your reports.

Council president.

Yes, council.

I'm trying to remind you, uh I asked you if you could if you wouldn't mind putting debt service on the docket as well.

Would it be all right if I put the debt service with the monthly report um on the finance committee meeting?

So we're probably gonna put that on the finance committee, probably the best place to discuss it with the monthly report next month.

Yes, just want to point out too that our outside auditors, CLA, they'll be coming in probably in June or the July to do a field audit.

Yeah, so they'll be at the school and they'll be here.

So if there's anything any time that you wanted to speak to any of the auditors, especially the head uh uh chief of uh audit, uh I can arrange it for you.

Thank you, thank you, Doug.

All right, I appreciate that.

All right, I think this we've pretty much covered this one.

Uh we're gonna move right on to council member communications, and councilman Ander is gonna have the floor talking about the status of the economic development grants.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I think if the administration could just um brief us on the status of the grants and what's going on in the department.

So Director Paulino has indicated he's given out 196 of the 200 grants.

He expects uh to complete the final review by the end of this week, and his goal is to be closing closing the program.

He says he is preparing an updated Excel or Google sheet with the key program information, including business name, owner, address, vendor number, clearance status, and checklist progress.

And he said and I will send that to you upon receipt.

Um, I do send you everything that he sends me right after he sends it.

So I don't know if those reports are clear to you and fine.

Um, but he only asked four more to give out, and then we did wipe out economic development, so I don't know where we really go from there.

Thank you.

So is it about four thousand dollars I have to give out?

Yes.

Okay.

Well, that's that's good.

Well, thank you.

No, I have no questions.

Anyone have any questions regarding this item?

Okay, all right.

Looking down, going across, we're looking to the introduction new business.

Um, if there are no objections, I'm gonna take a motion to move the entire section of new business to their respective committee.

If there are no objections hearing none, clerk, please call a roll.

Oh, motion to move.

Let me just say motion to move all of the new business to their respective committees.

Clerk would is there a second?

Okay.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilman Anduhar.

Yes, councilman Ritz.

Yes, councilman Traficante.

Yes.

Councilwoman Vizier.

Yes.

Councilman Campobiano.

Councilman Bonano.

Yes.

Council Vice President Heroyan.

Yes.

Council President Wall.

Yes.

Motion carries.

All right.

Next, we have information and informational items only.

There will be no vote.

There is a notice from the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

Explosive operations division blasting permit.

Number BP-26-17 effective May 12th through June 27th.

June 20, uh June 27, 2026 for 950 Pippin Orchard Road.

Um, another notice a resignation of Director Renzuli from the planning committee, effective June twelve uh January twelfth, two thousand twenty-six.

Another notice, resignation of Peter Rivelli from the Cranston Canvassing Authority, effective May 12th, 2026.

And also there's an appointment by Mayor Hockman Hopkins of John Calicente is electoral number two to the planning commission effective May 5th, or the term ending January 4th, 2025, replacing Nicole Renzouli.

And there is no further business before the city council this evening, so I'm gonna look for a motion to adjourn.

So move to second second.

All in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye, opposed, signify by saying nay.

The ayes have it.

That motion carries.

Thank you very much.

Good night.