And not bad.

Good evening.

I'd like to call the next committee, special committee on health opportunity, prosperity, and education, known as hope to order for Wednesday, September seventeenth, two thousand and twenty-five.

We have a colour.

No, this is a major investment will be West Band South Side, and that comes with a responsibility to ensure that our residents will be informed and included in a new school.

And the new school must be more than just the building, it has to be the foundation built on choice.

Um I know that the resolution is quite long.

But uh, I do want to have another record if we remind members.

Whereas the Providence City Council has a duty to see that school construction projects place children first, ensuring that every new building strengthens learning and honors the trust of the community.

And whereas the planned merger of Gilbert Stewart and Alfred Lima into a new pre-K through eighth grade dual language academy may offer an opportunity to reimagine learning on the Elmwood South Side, expanding access to bilingual education while providing families with a high quality facility that meets 21st century learning needs.

And whereas, at the same time, the Gilbert Stewart building holds deep historical and cultural meaning for the surrounding community, and the council affirms that preserving architectural legacy, wherever feasible must remain a priority in any redevelopment.

And whereas Council President Pro Tempore Juan M.

Pacharda at the inception of this project dating back to 2023 requested that one, the PPSD and city engage residents in a meaning meaningful way, the desires for the school into the planning process, and two, that planning incorporate an analysis of the feasibility of preserving and incorporating elements of the existing architecture into the design of the new school.

And whereas it appears that all members of the school planning committee may not have been provided with these same items that we have requested to enable analysis, deliberation, and decision making to determine if the proposed course of action constitutes the best use of funds for this project, and hindering the ability of the public and city council to closely follow the project and provide informed and timely input.

And whereas, following an August 14, 2025 community meeting on the South Side, in which a commitment was made to provide the analysis by three architect firms, supporting the determination that no portion of the existing school's architecture could be preserved and incorporated into the new school design, the council and the community members to which it was promised has not been received as of the granting of this resolution.

And whereas Council President Pro Temp 4 Juan M.

Pachardo by letter dated August 20th, 2025, formally requested from city administration specific documents and clarifications relating to the planned demolition and reconstruction at the Gilbert Stewart School site, including but not limited to preservation cost analysis, demolition and abatement plans, project controls, comparative assessments, design schedules, and historic preservation approvals.

And whereas, despite these repeated requests, only a limited portion of the requested materials has been provided.

And the administration has instead relied primarily primarily on verbal assurances rather than the clear written documentation for council oversight and public confidence.

And whereas time is of the essence to receive this documentation to ensure sufficient time for oversight input and enable the city to receive the maximum reimbursement from the state allowable.

And whereas this lack of timely and incomplete responses has raised significant concerns among constituents, community stakeholders, and members of the council regarding whether due diligence has been exercised and whether this project represents the best possible use of public funds.

And whereas the proposed plan of action by the administration and project manager would demolish the existing structure before a final design is completed and accepted, and a reliable cost estimate is completed based on that proposed final design in order to ensure that the new design would fit within the budget available for this project.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Providence City Council calls upon the city administration and its partners to promptly provide all outstanding documents and clarifications relating to the Gilbert Stewart Alfred Lima School Project to the City Council Office of Project Management and to all members of the school building committee in order to ensure meaningful review by both the council and the community.

And be it further resolved that the council calls upon the administration to halt all demolition activities at the Gilbert Stewart site, with the exception of remediation of materials and pest control activities, so long as they will not in any way damage the structural integrity of the building until such review has taken place.

So the project moves forward with public confidence and a clear commitment to delivering a school worthy of its students and the neighborhood.

And be it further resolved that should the administration believe that the halting of all demolition activities at the Gilbert Stewart site as described above could not be done without jeopardizing the maximum reimbursement rate from the state for this project.

It shall immediately present evidence of this in a public hearing and to request an amendment to this order.

Such hearing must include evidence that the city is in compliance with all state laws and regulations regarding filing and notifications to all to all requisite state entities, including but not limited to provide RIDOH, RIDE EM, and the Rhode Island Historic Preservation and Heritage Commission.

And be it further resolved that the city council calls upon the administration to provide the documentation and answers previously requested by President Pro Tempore Juan M.

Pichardo as summarized in its letter dated August 20th, 2025 to ensure sufficient time for oversight and input and to not jeopardize the city's ability to receive the maximum reimbursement from the state allowable for this project.

And upon passage, a copy of this resolution be sent to Mayor Brett Smiley, Courtney Hawkins, COO, Javier Montañas, Superintendent of PPSD, Zachary Scott, PPSD, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, Angelica Infante Green, RI Commissioner, Drew Eccleson, RI deputy commissioner for systems transformation, Joseph DeSantis, Director of Program Management, Downs Construction and Providence School Building Committee.

Thank you, Lord.

Thank you.

I also want to say that the merger of the school, Gilbert Stewart in Lima, transforming into a pre-K to language school has the potential to provide a modern 21st century learning facility.

This project is sound that we have financial financial investment to our city.

And through this process, I've discovered many flaws that I think that we need to talk to the committee and others to improve the process of providing documentation, the appropriate documentation, timely documentation for us to provide oversight and also decision making at the level of the city council, but also the community.

But also to hear about the project and the advantages and what has been the terms, the state uh reimbursement, which we uh fall into and um points that have uh been highlighted uh throughout this process.

Uh these benefits are important uh to the city, but they must not come at the expense of our community's voice and uh confidence and and also to make sure that the assurance um to this pathway represents the best use of funds.

Uh at the end it's um to build the confidence uh for our residents in our neighborhoods, but also um for us as decision makers.

I want to acknowledge the fact that uh we have uh we put the resolution in a lot of uh most of the information that's come forward from the BPSD and also uh the administration.

And uh today we're here just to hear from them some of that information that they provided and and that and provide some uh answers to the resolution.

Uh, but also um there were some other items that were still missing.

So some of that was about the design plans for the new building, uh, a schedule when those plans will be available and how the public will be able to give input, a detailed construction schedule once the demolition is complete.

And so at this time, we have uh a couple of people that uh are present to walk us through this process about the uh Gilbert Stewart School.

Um, and also as I've spoken to uh a couple of the members of the city council, we're all facing some challenges when it comes to getting uh information in a in an adequate time for us to make uh critical decisions.

I'd like to recognize um first uh the uh the chief of operating officer for the administration from the city of province, Courtney Hawkins, also from PTSD, the chief of operation, deputy superintendent of operations secretary Scott.

And I also um see Mario.

Um like topic.

This swear at the end of the right hands.

You swear in under penalty of perjury that the testimony you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Please state your names and titles for the record.

Courtney Hopkins.

Uh Zach Scott, he's superintendent, Margaret Chief Operations Officer.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um appreciate you being here, and also the colleagues that are here.

I know we've had uh several communications uh month, a month and a half also, uh, and especially uh several a couple of community meetings.

And uh so today is an opportunity to walk us through uh this project.

Um I know Courtney, Ms.

Hawkins uh is no strangers to this.