Call tonight safety services to order.

Clerk, please take a roll call.

Councilwoman Graziano, present.

Councilman Anduar.

Present.

Councilman Ritz.

Present.

Councilman Trafficante.

Councilwoman Vazierin.

Yes.

I'm also here.

Then we're going to have public comment and agenda items only.

Is there anyone here from the public that would like to comment?

Excellent.

Is the victory in license?

This is a new license for dinner on Elmwood, located at sixteen seventeen Elmwood Avenue.

Good evening.

Good evening and welcome to this special city council meeting this evening, May 20th, 2026.

I ask, uh I want to call this meeting to our I ask the clerk to please call a roll.

Councilwoman Graziano, present.

Councilman Anduar.

Present.

Councilman Ritz.

Present.

Councilman Traficanti.

Councilwoman Vaziri, present.

Councilman Campo Piano.

Present.

Councilman Banano.

Present.

Council Vice President Heroyan.

Present.

Councilman Wall.

I mean President Wall.

Here.

Thank you.

Um first let me just start by thanking publicly thanking uh Director Nicole Renzuli for once again again coming in and pinch hitting.

Um our clerk, the city clerk is at home clerking, but she was not able to be here, so she's taking some of the records.

But I do once again appreciate your efforts and thank you so much, Director.

Okay.

The first item of business will be public comment on docketed matters.

Anyone is in the chamber who would like to make public comment on documented matters only, please step up to the microphone, state your name and address for the record, and you'll have four minutes to speak.

Jonathan Francis, uh 35 Fifth Avenue, uh local 1363 fire president.

I come here on behalf of the membership.

Um I rise in support of the appointment of our new fire chief, Rick Mancini.

Uh our members are confident in his leadership, experience and commitment to the department as well as the community of the city of Cranston.

Public safety works best when leadership and labor can work hand in hand towards the same mission.

We look forward to continuing that partnership with Chief Mancini.

The local, myself, and the members of the Cranston Fire Department.

We res we respectfully ask you to advise and consent and vote, Chief Mancini for the next chief of the Cranston Fire Department.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else in chambers who'd like to make public comment on documented matters?

I see none.

There is no public comment online.

Okay.

So at this time I'm gonna close public comment and I'm gonna go out to uh reports of committees.

I'm gonna chair uh chair of the finance committee, uh Councilman Ander.

The floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh just to let everybody know the finance committee did meet on May 4th.

Votes were taken on the advice and consent of Mayor Hopkins' appointment of Richard Mancini as fire chief.

I urge passage.

We'll move.

Any discussion.

Well, listen, I just oh, wait a minute, I make sure.

I'm gonna let you go first because you know what's gonna happen, I'm gonna go quick.

Um Director Rinzuli.

Thank you, Council President.

Good evening, honorable members of the Cranston City Council.

I'm here tonight on behalf of Mayor Ken Hopkins to respectfully present the nomination of Assistant Chief Richard Mancini to serve as the chief of the Cranston Fire Department following the retirement of Chief Daniel Marcinko, Mayor Hopkins has selected a veteran leader with more than 30 years of service to lead the city's fire and rescue operations.

Assistant Chief Mancini has spent his career serving the people of Cranston and has risen through every rank within the department.

That experience gives him a deep understanding of fire operations, emergency response, personnel management, department regulations, and the daily demands placed on the men and women who answer the call for our residents.

During his time and senior leadership, he has helped to modernize the department through the strategic restructuring of battalions and the updating of long-standing departmental regulations.

Those efforts required institutional knowledge, credibility within the department, attention to detail, and the ability to balance the proud traditions of the Cranston Fire Department with the changing needs of a modern public safety agency.

Mayor Hopkins believes Assistant Chief Mancini brings the experience, judgment, professionalism, and steady leadership necessary to meet this moment.

On behalf of Mayor Hopkins, I respectfully ask this honorable city council to give Assistant Chief Mancini's nomination, advice and consent.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm gonna go right around.

I'm gonna go to Vice President Heroyan.

I'd like to speak on Rick Mancini's um behalf tonight.

I've had the honor of knowing him personally.

I am a little biased and have a little more insight into the fire department.

He has done every job on the fire department, rose up to the top, waited very patiently for this spot to open.

I think it's important to have a chief that has worked from every position, understands the department, understands what the firefighters are going through, whether they're rescue workers, firefighters.

He's always willing to discuss ways we can save money, cut down on overtime, and help the city as a whole.

He gets along well with the union, also with administration and obviously with the council.

I'll be in full support of this tonight.

Thank you, Vice President.

Going right around, anyone else would like to make go right ahead.

Councilman Ritz.

Quickly, uh, you know, I've heard heard wonderful things about your chief, and I and I'm to echo councilwoman Horonian, you know, moving through the ranks.

I know means a lot with everyone too.

So thank you.

I mean, I'm excited for you to join and to work together.

Thank you, Councilman.

Councilman Bonano.

Yes, uh, thank you.

Um I concur with my colleagues.

Um, it's it's quite a testament to the Cranston Fire Department that uh you've risen through the ranks in the Cranston Fire Department and being somebody that has always been in our community and has always served our community.

I think uh I think I can think of no more fitting person to uh to take the helm of the department at this time.

And um, to be honest, I hope that your tenure uh extends uh longer than the previous two chiefs.

Not to say anything bad about them, but uh I hope that you're here for a long time to come.

Uh and very congratulations to you and your family.

You should be very proud.

Thank you.

Any other discussion?

Uh Councilman Endear.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I just want to thank the chief um for taking the job at Boost Morale within the department, and I wish you success, and you could always count on us.

Thank you, Councilman Campabiano.

Thank you, Council President.

I also want to thank you for keeping us safe in the city safe and for the fabulous job and kind words that everybody's given you.

So thank you and good luck.

Councilwoman Vazeri.

Thank you for your service and congratulations.

I guess I had the opposite, I didn't get a chance to get Councilwoman Graziano.

Did you have your hand up and I missed you?

Sorry, I was reading something.

Congratulations, and we look forward to working with you.

Yes.

Listen, I want to concur with what everyone said.

Um, from what I know, your integrity, your experience, and your reputation, you lead by example.

You're example for the department.

Uh you know, so I look forward to working with you and congratulations, like everyone said.

With that, I'm gonna ask the clerk to please call a roll.

Councilwoman Graziano.

Yes, Councilman Anduhar?

Yes, Councilman Ritz, yes, Councilman Trafficanti, Councilwoman Baziri.

Yes, Councilman Campo Piano?

Yes, Councilman Banano?

Yes, Council Vice President Heroyan, yes, Council President Wall.

Yes, and that motion carries.

Congratulations, Chief.

Chief, I know I put you on the spot, but if you'd like to say a few words, be by all means.

Well, members of the council, thank you so much.

I've waited for this day for 30 almost 38 years.

Um, I started here um in 1988 with the mayor trafficante as the mayor, and I just love this job.

Um unfortunately, they're gonna kick me out at 65, and I'm planning on staying for the next three years.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next, we're gonna move on to the introduction of new business.

Um, we're gonna consider a resolution of the Cranston City Council in support of House Bill6 H 8483 by Representative John McNamara and forthcoming uh in a forthcoming Senate companion legislation by uh Senator Lamas Vargas.

This was sponsored by Councilwoman Graziano, and we're gonna take a motion tonight to refer it to the ordinance committee.

But I'm gonna ask attorney jersey in the room.

Um, perhaps you could just discuss it a little bit, and perhaps Councilwoman Graziano as well.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

And I I would be remiss if I didn't thank Councilman Graziano for doing this.

I know you've gone through some very difficult personal matters, and I thank you for your leadership at this time and offer my condolences to your family.

We have a Senate bill number now, Mr.

President.

It is Senate Bill 3288.

At the time this resolution was introduced, it hadn't been introduced yet.

But basically, you know, there's a uh a hundred-year-old prohibition era law that says if you're within 200 feet of a church uh or a school, you are not allowed to even apply for a liquor license in any city or town in in the uh state of Rhode Island.

So what the state house does is they allow you to um be exempt from that by putting in a piece of legislation, getting a city or town council resolution.

Uh and all that does is it allows the applicant to open the door and then come back to you to apply for a license.

So in this case, 1814 Broad Street is in Edgewood, where I live, and uh it's a you know formally known as the the Daily Mart.

Uh uh Al DeAndre is here, he's the uh the new owner of the building, and I just wanted him to briefly introduce himself, maybe for 60 seconds and talk about his vision.

Thanks, Matt.

Uh yeah, my name is Al DeAndre.

I'm the founder of the Edgewood group, and uh I've been uh acquiring and managing properties in Edgewood for about the last 10 years now.

And uh I was fortunate enough to get seven stars to come in last year to Edgewood into that former um vacant bank building, and we're just trying to build off that.

So we we recently acquired the what was a convenience store, and we have a vision of bringing in um something upscale more than like like an upscale pizzeria and just kind of build off the momentum we have right now with seven stars and you know, other restaurants have come into the area and just uh you know increase walkability and just you know bring more to the edgewood neighborhood.

So whatever it is, it's gonna be um you know something very low-key, upscale, uh something the neighborhood would definitely want.

Okay, could I could I ask both of you?

I know you both both said your name.

Could you just say your name and your address clearly?

Because the clerk is at home, and I I know she would be mad at me if I didn't ask you to state your address.

The the property address or your address.

Okay.

My name is Alfred D'Andria, and my home address is 100 Spring Valley Drive in East Grunt, Rhode Island.

Yeah, and attorney Jericho, could you state state your address as well?

Matthew Jerzik, 88 Woodbury Road, Cranston.

Thank you.

I'm sorry.

Um, did you have anything further on this?

Um, so there's a uh a church next door called Edgewood Congregational Church, and I did have the opportunity to speak to the I believe he's the pastor there.

His name's Ken Scarborough.

And uh we just had a you know very casual and formal conversation about um what we're thinking for the property, and he's he seemed very excited about it, very open to it, and uh basically said you know he would be in support of it.

So that was good.

Okay.

I want to I I want to thank you.

Um I would just you know I asked you asked uh attorney Jersey couldn't, so it's my bad on that matter, but I'm told as we introduce it for new business, really more of that discussion will happen during the committee.

So my my yeah, solicitor told me that.

Thank you for coming in.

And I know you said you'd you have been in contact with uh with the church.

We'll get to more of that then.

So at that, I'll take in um we probably shouldn't take a lot of discussion on it.

We're just gonna introduce it.

Um, all right.

Is there a motion to introduce um this resolution to the ordinance committee?

So moved.

Second.

Okay.

It shouldn't it shouldn't be any discussion now, John.

Right?

So we just okay, thank you so much.

Uh clerk, please go roll.

Councilman Graziano.

Yes, Councilman Anduar.

Yes, Councilman Retz.

Yes, Councilman Trafficante, Councilman Vazeri, yes, councilman Capapiano.

Councilman Banano?

Yes, Council Vice President Heroyan.

Council President Wall.

Yes, thank you.

That motion carries.

And if I'm not mistaken, there's no further business before the council this evening.

So I'm gonna entertain a motion to the journal this evening.

So moved.

Is there a second?

Second.

All in favor, please signify by saying aye.

Aye, opposed, signify by saying nay.

The eyes have it.

The motions carried.