East Providence City Council Meeting Summary - January 6, 2026
East Providence City Council Meeting Summary - January 6, 2026
The East Providence City Council convened on January 6, 2026, with four of the five council members present, as Councilwoman Susan was absent due to illness. The meeting focused on youth sports infrastructure, transportation planning, major capital projects, and administrative reappointments. A significant portion of the evening was dedicated to the Rumford Little League's request for facility improvements for their Challenger Division and girls' softball program, alongside contentious discussions regarding road diets on Willimantic Avenue and the redevelopment of the Odum School. The council concluded with several unanimous votes on routine resolutions and an executive session to finalize a property tax settlement.
Consent Calendar
- The council unanimously approved the council journals from the regular meeting on December 22, 2025, moving them forward via a motion by Councilman Lawson and a second by Councilman Fogerty.
- Licenses C1 through C3 were bundled and approved unanimously after being vetted and receiving prior approvals.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Sam Archer (184 Walnut Street): Expressed full support for the bicycle and pedestrian master plan, urging the council to view road diets on Willimantic Avenue as a cohesive network safety measure rather than isolated elements. He advocated for integrating cars, public transit, and active transportation.
- John Harris (25 Park Drive, Riverside): Stated he is a daily cyclist and a huge fan of pedestrian infrastructure, citing increased safety on sidewalks and walkability as key benefits. He expressed no safety issues with current bike lanes on Willimantic Avenue and described the area as more functional for multi-modal transport.
- Unidentified Speaker (581 address): Offered congratulations, though their name and specific position were not clearly articulated in the transcript.
- Sina Tompkins (59 Mountain Avenue): Expressed that cars must share the road but highlighted a position of vulnerability while biking on Pawtucket Avenue. She requested the connection of bike routes to make the network safe for cyclists, walkers, and the elderly using buses.
- Libby Merrill (57 Fairview Avenue): Voiced disappointment that the bike and pedestrian plan presentation was tabled but strongly supported multimodal transportation. She noted the lack of biking options on Pawtucket Avenue and expressed hope for future connections to the East Bay bike path.
- Sana Chappelle (24 Dartmouth Avenue, Riverside): Stated support for the road diet on Willimantic Avenue as a step toward a connected network and praised the data collection for the master plan. She raised concerns regarding bicycle parking security and questioned the rationale behind the 5,000-square-foot lot requirement for Auxiliary Dwelling Units (ADUs), though the clarification that the council lowered the requirement from 20,000 to 5,000 square feet (based on average lot sizes) was provided by the council.
Discussion Items
- Rumford Little League Proposal: Council Vice President Rego introduced Michael Fisher, President of Rumford Little League. Fisher requested city support for two initiatives: (1) The Challenger Division for children with intellectual and physical challenges, requiring accessible walkways, restroom upgrades, and batting cage improvements; and (2) The girls' softball program, requesting the removal of infield grass at Sweeney Field to allow for home games. The Vice President expressed full support for youth sports and inclusion. Councilman Fogarty noted his role as an umpire and volunteer and expressed support, acknowledging the work required with the DPW. Councilman Lawson emphasized that the Challenger program serves all of East Providence, not just Rumford, and praised the girls' program's return.
- East Providence Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan: Director of Planning Keith Brian presented the plan, funded by a $160,000 grant. The council tabled the formal presentation to a future meeting (scheduled for January 20th) to allow council members time to review the document before addressing public questions. Councilman Fogarty emphasized the plan's importance for seniors, families with children, and small businesses, calling for a "happy medium." Councilwoman Susan (via proxy) and others discussed the need for intercity shuttles for mobility-impaired residents.
- Road Diets on Willimantic Avenue: Councilman Lawson requested the removal of road diets (which reduced traffic lanes to two) on Willimantic Avenue and the installation of physical barriers. He clarified that while he is pro-bike, he has received "overwhelming" complaints from constituents in Riverside regarding near misses caused by sharp merges. He asserted that the road diets are not needed there and that two lanes should be restored. Andre Herrera, Director of Policy and Constituent Services, stated that Mayor DeSilva supports road diets generally but is investigating irregular speed limits on the street. The Mayor was not in favor of dismantling the bike lanes at this time.
- Oldham Project Update: Councilman Fogarty questioned the "Oldham" (referred to as Oldham/Odum) project, expressing frustration after three years. He accused the administration of shifting focus from community space to a housing project. Andre Herrera explained that the feasibility study indicates the project needs approximately $24 million to be viable and requires developer investment (leasing the building) to offset costs. The councilman stated that the plan to include eight apartment buildings was dictated by the Mayor, contrary to the will of the Riverside community, and expressed strong opposition to the housing component, though the Mayor's position remains to move forward with the developer-funded plan.
- Auxiliary Dwelling Units (ADUs): A public commenter questioned the 5,000-square-foot lot size requirement for ADUs. The Council President and City Solicitor clarified that the requirement was lowered from a state proposal of 20,000 (and a city proposal of 7,500) to 5,000 to ensure feasibility for the average lot size in East Providence, making the city a leader in affordable housing access.
- Finance and TANS: Council Vice President Rego requested final revenue figures for Fiscal Year 2025. The Finance Director noted that final numbers would not be available until January 31st due to outstanding bills. Rego also asked about the timing of TANS (Tax Anticipation Notes) purchases, suggesting a delay to capitalize on potential Fed interest rate drops, but was informed issuance depends on cash flow needs and is not expected to deviate from the first quarter.
- Mayor's Communications: Director Herrera announced reappointments to the Housing Authority for Maria Lucci Stoddard and Elaine Gonsalves. He detailed the creation of the "One City, One 250" semi-quincentennial commission for the nation's 250th anniversary. Proclamations were read recognizing Army veteran Louis M. Falaguerra and honoring Director Diane Sullivan for her 40 years of service. Council members praised Sullivan and expressed excitement for her successor, Becky Chase.
Key Outcomes
- Rumford Little League: Council members offered verbal approval and support for the Challenger Division and softball facility improvements. Councilman Lawson was designated as the point person to coordinate the next meeting with Mike Fisher and City departments (DPW) to address the construction timeline before the April 1st practice start date.
- Bike Plan: The presentation on the pedestrian and bicycle master plan was tabled to the January 20th meeting for further public discussion.
- Road Diets: The request to remove road diets on Willimantic Avenue was not approved; the Mayor's office indicated continued support for the diets while investigating speed limit irregularities.
- Oldham Project: No vote was taken. The administration proceeded with the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process for developer investment, despite opposition regarding the inclusion of housing.
- Resolutions Approved (Unanimous):
- Authorization for the Mayor to contract with Olds Elevator Company for Weaver Library elevator upgrades.
- Authorization of a police mutual aid agreement between East Providence and Seekonk, Massachusetts (transcript says "Seacamp," context implies Seekonk or a specific town, but text says "Seacamp").
- Authorization to contract with CB Utility Company for the Sabin Point Stormwater Quality Improvement Retrofit Project.
- Authorization to purchase two replacement heavy-duty trucks for the Department of Public Works.
- Executive Session: The council met in closed session to discuss a proposed tax assessor settlement (Case PC 2024-006490). They voted 4-0 to approve the settlement. The specific terms of the agreement remain undisclosed until executed by the opposing party.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned successfully.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. Welcome to the meeting of the East Providence City Council, January 6th, 2026. Councilman Fogadi? Yeah. Councilman Lawson. Yeah. Council vice president Riga? Yeah. Councilwoman Susan. Council President. The Quarum or Consulwoman Susan is under the weather tonight. And indicated that she won't be able to make it. Madam Clerk, a couple of changes just in the very beginning, and then we won't bother you in the rest of the night with a lot of changes. Well, we will do the executive session at the close of our meeting. It'll still be public, but we'll meet in executive session at the close of the meeting. And right now, um, we do have uh some folks here on a agenda of at the request of Councilman Rego, and they also have a meeting of their organization later this evening. So as a courtesy, I'm going to ask with without um objection if we move them forward at this time. If you look at page four number three under council members, Madam Clerk, if you could uh just read that heading on page four under council members, I believe it's number three. Kimberly Ann Rockfield, Rumfit Little League, Council Vice President Regal. Council Vice President, you have the floor. Thank you, Mr. President. Um couple weeks ago, the president of Rumfort Little League, Mike Fisher called me, and there's really two great ideas that the this organization has proposed for us tonight, and they're gonna need the city's help. Uh I can't say enough for the leadership of Mike Fisher in this board since they took over a couple of years ago. They brought pride back into a league that a lot of us played, coached, and served on boards and were president and Mike and this board has brought Rumfield League back to the pride of the city as well as the state. So Mike's got two programs tonight that he wants to share. And uh it's two things that haven't happened in the city in a while. One before was led by Councilman Conley down in Wadfall with Riverside, and then there's another program, uh, a girls' program. So I'm not gonna steal the thunder because it belongs to Mike and all those great board members that are out there tonight. So I ask that Mike Fisher come to the podium and uh make the presentation on behalf of Rum for Little League. Michael, just push the button on that microphone there and just state your name and address for the record. All right, my name is Michael Fisher, 131 Roger Williams Avenue, Rumford, Rhode Island, 02916. Welcome. All right, thank you to all the members of the council for allowing me to speak tonight. My name is Michael Fisher, and I am president of Rumford Little League, serving my fourth year in this capacity. Rumford Little League has formally voted to approve the addition of a new challenger division, with approval also granted by Little League International. The Challenger Division is a little league program designed to provide children with intellectual and physical challenges, the opportunity to participate in baseball in a safe, supportive, and developmentally appropriate environment with a focus on inclusion, confidence, and joy. This division is very close to my heart and reflects the type of environment all you sports should strive to create. One rooted in inclusion, encouragement, and the opportunity for every child to be celebrated. With the introduction of this division, we will need the city's support to prepare to prepare our facilities to safely and properly host children with intellectual and physical challenges. These improvements include handicapped accessible walkways to all fields, upgraded handicap accessible restroom facilities, and batting cage improvements to allow us the opportunity to utilize those for all children. In addition to supporting our challenger division, Rumford Little League is also committed to ensuring equal access and opportunity for the young women in our community through our growing softball program. Now entering only its second year, the program is expected to expand significantly this season. Unfortunately, because none of our current fields are properly configured for softball, our girls were forced to play all of their games away from our home complex last year. This meant missing out on the same on-site amenities, sense of community, and home field pride that our baseball players experience. To address this inequity, we are requesting support to adapt Sweeney Field by removing the infield grass so the field can safely and appropriately accommodate softball play. This improvement would allow our softball athletes to finally play at home, surrounded by their families, friends, and community, just as the boys in our league do. While literally programs may, by rule, occasionally include participants from neighboring communities. While Little League programs may, by rule, occasionally include participants from neighboring communities, the focus and primary beneficiaries of these improvements are East Providence families and the investments being requested are in permanent public infrastructure that will serve the city for years to come. Every child in East Providence deserves the chance to play the game we all love.
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