Microphone check one two evening and welcome to this uh council meeting on Thursday October 16th Madam Clerk please call the rule council president Miller present deputy majority whip anderbois is absent majority leader Espinall Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonçals Present Councilwoman Graves Present Deputy Majority Leader Harris Present Councilwoman Peterson Council President Pro Tempore Pichardo is absent councillor Royus present councilwoman Ryan present majority whip Sanchez present councilman Taylor is absent councilwoman on a Vargas Councilman Oscar Vargas present you have eleven present and three absent you have a quorum thank you madam clerk uh this evening the invocation will be given by councilman John Gonsalves will everyone please rise including our guests today we gather in gratitude for the city we call home providence a place of resilience and diversity and hope and in these challenging times when uncertainty tests our patience and hardship weighs heavy on so many of our hearts we ask for your strength and guidance bless the people of providence from fox point to federal hill to valley from mount hope the south side of providence our entire city every family every worker every elder every child who makes the city the vibrant city we all love and grant wisdom to our leaders tonight and compassion to our neighbors it reminds us that progress is not built by one voice alone but by the chorus of many working together in faith humility and courage help us meet division with dialogue struggle with solidarity and fear with love may we care for our most vulnerable neighbors our most marginalized neighbors amongst us the unhoused the sick the unemployed and the unheard in the unseen and build a community where every person is valued and uplifted let Providence live up to its name a city guided by divine care by the strength of its people and by the belief that better days are not behind us but ahead amen thank you councilman gonzals madam clerk please note that president pro tempardo is present so noted and this evening the Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Councilwoman Althea Graves to the flag United States of America for which is one nation under God and just as for Madam Clerk please note councilwoman andrebaugh present so noted thank you item three madam president majority leader motion second madam president we have a motion and a second any discussion on item three all in favor aye any opposed any abstention the motion passes item four madam president majority leader what should the way the writer item four and five second madam president we have a motion and a second any discussion on items four or five hearing none all in favor aye any opposed any abstentions the motion passes madam clerk please note item four as received

Second, Madam President.

We have a motion and a second.

Any discussion on item three?

All in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed, any abstention?

The motion passes.

Item four.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

What should the way the reader item four and five?

Second madam president.

We have a motion and a second.

Any discussion on items four or five?

Hearing none.

All in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Madam Clerk, please note item four as received.

Um item five as received.

Item six.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

Why should the way the reno item six substitute and pass for the second time on a row code?

No, I'm sorry.

And lay it on the table.

Yes.

Pardon me.

Second madam president.

So that was a motion to waive the reading of item six and lay it on the table.

And second it.

Any discussion?

Madam President.

Madam President.

Councilman Vargas.

Thank you very much.

I want to say thank you to the everybody who's working these ordinance to lay in the table in the table.

Sorry.

Because we don't have technology yet.

It's a good time to lay it down and start working how we can make it better and work for the constituents I asking for these type of um machines.

That's those are bodies.

But we don't have a technology yet, and we're not ready yet.

My I'm sure my constageans and my landscaping people is going to be very happy today because we take another step.

How to help everybody.

And that's the reason.

I want to say thank you to the colleagues to lay it in the eat on the table.

Thank you.

Further discussion on item six.

Hearing none, all in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Item seven.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

Why should the way the reader item seven second madam president?

We have a motion and a second.

Any discussion on item seven?

All in favor?

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Madam Clerk, please refer item seven to the committee on finance.

So noted.

Thank you.

Item eight.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

What should the way the reader item eight through eleven pass on our voice vote?

Second, Madam President.

We have a motion and a second.

Any discussion on items eight through eleven.

Councilman Sanchez.

Thank you, Madam President.

Today I I rise in in strong support of all four of these resolutions.

But I want to speak on item nine, if I may.

So as most of you are aware, we had uh uh ordinance, uh committee hearing, public hearing uh here last Monday, I believe, and dozens and dozens of people came and testified on a specific ordinance that is later on the agenda.

Uh but something that we kept hearing over and over from a lot of the people uh that provided testimony.

I'm sure that there's a lot uh that are here today as as well to support those ordinance that ordinance uh later in the agenda is uh a major thing that's happening in our city right now, and that is ice detentions happening outside of court uh facilities here in Providence, specifically district court.

Um, so while we acknowledge that we don't have uh direct oversight of district court, uh we do have direct oversight uh over municipal court.

Um so what this does in this ordinance, it directs kindly asks, uh collaboratively working with our municipal court uh to hold uh virtual uh proceedings, um uh hearings if uh the clients or or the people that have those hearings uh wish to do.

Uh this isn't something that requires uh a lot of technology, a lot of investment, uh, because I'm sure you're you're all aware.

Uh a couple years ago there was uh significant uh pandemic, and uh that's how courts uh proceeded to work through uh those uh challenges is to offer virtual hearings.

Um so not only are we asking uh kindly and urging uh our state leaders to offer uh virtual uh court hearings uh at district and superior court, but we're also leading by example.

Um, this is something we should all be extremely proud of.

Uh, that we're not following uh anyone where we're leading by directing our municipal court to offer virtual hearings if uh constituents wish, while at the same time uh asking and urging the state to do so at the state level, because that's where we're seeing uh most uh detentions uh here in Providence is outside of district court.

Uh we shouldn't uh penalize people that that are going to court uh to take care of their matters.

A lot of them and district court are minor and infractions.

Um they're trying to do the right thing by going to court and taking uh care of those matters through the uh justice system that we have currently established in the city and the state.

Um, but we're seeing is a lot of uh families being torn apart, a lot of trauma, a lot of chaos.

Um definitely would like to highlight and uplift uh the the support networks that uh are responding uh to certain uh cases outside of district court mostly.

Um while there is you know that support, uh the the main core issue is that there is an alternative to not even be in that position.

Um, and hopefully those uh support networks can uh support residents and other parts of our city.

Uh so that's what item number nine uh does.

Uh today I rise in strong support.

Um, want to give a lot of gratitude and uh recommendation or uh acknowledgement uh to all of the people that that provided testimony and and and just show as an example that sometimes it feels defeating coming to uh public spaces and voicing your opinion.

Sometimes you don't see a lot of action, but this is a prime example of uh people participating in the public process and us uh elected officials uh listening to to our constituents.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, uh Councilman.

Before we close when we close the discussion, I'm gonna ask uh the clerk to read item 11.

But first, is there further discussion on items eight through 11?

Uh uh President Pro Tem.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh, to you and through you, I rise also in support of this uh resolution.

As has been said before, uh the city of Providence, state of Rhode Island has always been an immigrant uh community, and particularly for all of us uh descendants of African and and uh and and Europeans.

I think that what we see in the YouTube videos or throughout our nation is blended families being separated, whether there is a father that is here undocumented, a mother with children in the schools, we see it nationally, but it has hit home, and it's affecting our quality of life for them, but for us, impacting those children, impacting their education.

And so we here in the city of Providence, through the leadership of this city council, continues to ensure that we take local action.

I know that at the federal level, we have continue for decades calling on for immigration reform.

20, 30 years later, nothing has happened.

Under this current administration, this city in this state is as blue as blue.

We are in the eye of the storm.

And so we continue and we must continue to be compassionate.

We need to see at the local level how our families are being impacted.

And as an immigrant and as a legislator, it is our job to make the hard decisions to ensure that the families, especially our blended families, continue to be protected.

Those produce that you're uh going to the grocery stores, shopping, those produce are going to be more costly for all of us, including here in New England.

When you go out there, apple picking, those who are working the farms uh at the nation uh at the national level and even locally, we're impacting those produce are gonna continue to increase.

So therefore, I commend you uh president for putting this resolution forward along with my colleagues, and uh I support the resolution.

Thank you.

Thank you, counselor.

Further discussion, items eight through eleven.

Uh hearing none, madam clerk, could you please read item 11?

Whereas federal immigration enforcement has increasingly occurred in and around courthouses across the United States, including in Rhode Island state courts, such as at the Garrihee Judicial Complex.

And whereas, excuse me, Madam President, I think the request was to read item 11.

Not nine.

I didn't mean to interrupt you, you were reading so lovely.

You were reading item nine, yes.

That is sorry.

Thank you.

My apologies.

Whereas Eric J.

Richie, DMD, is a second generation dentist operating a family-owned practice with a lengthy history of care to the residents of the fifth ward of Providence.

And whereas Dr.

Richie, a Rhode Island College graduate alumnus, has been recognized by Rhode Island Monthly Magazine as a top dentist every year since 2020.

And whereas Dr.

Richie is a fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Society and an esteemed member of the Rhode Island Dental Association, the American Dental Association, and the International Dental Fraternity Delta Sigma Delta.

And whereas, emblematic of his care for his fellow Rhode Islanders, Dr.

Richie has been an annual volunteer for the Rhode Island Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic.

And whereas, in recognition of his skill in and commitment to dentistry, Dr.

Richie was appointed by former Rhode Island Senate President Dominic Rogerio to the Health Services Council and by Governor Dan Daniel J.

McKee to the Rhode Island Department of Health Board of Examiners in Dentistry.

And whereas the Providence City Council wishes to convey its sincere gratitude for the work of Dr.

Richie, his practice, and of all working diligently in health professions across Providence.

Now they are bore therefore be it resolved that the Providence City Council congratulates Dr.

Eric J.

Richie for his considerable success in and service to dentistry in Providence and in Rhode Island.

And be it further resolved that upon passage copies of this resolution be transmitted to Dr.

Eric J.

Richie and to the Rhode Island Department of Health.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Any uh discussion?

We've had another um request, Madam Clerk.

If you could please read item 10 into the record and I have it for you.

You're welcome.

Whereas the Providence City Council acknowledges that it stands on the traditional homelands of the Narragansett and Poconet tribal nations, known as historically as Maswakasset and Moshassic.

And whereas the Narragansett and Pocahont are the first peoples and ancestral inhabitants of these lands whose presence long predates the founding of Providence and continues today.

And whereas the City Council also recognizes the Nipmuck, Niantic, and Manisian tribal nations as indigenous peoples to the region known as Rhode Island.

And whereas the Narragansett and Pocanet were not only the first people to call Providence home, but also the first to establish systems of governance, trade, and community grounded in respect and coexistence, shaping the cultural and political foundations of this country.

And whereas, despite centuries of displacement and marginalization, the Narraganset, Poconet, Nipmunk, Niantic, and Manisian nations continue to maintain their traditions, leadership, and active presence in Providence and across Rhode Island.

And whereas, as we work collectively to create a better and brighter future for all members of the Providence community, we acknowledge the original inhabitants of these lands and their lasting contributions to the city's identity and history.

Now therefore, be it resolved that the City Council of Providence expresses its deep respect and gratitude to the Narragansett, Poconet, Nipmunk, Niantic, and Manisian tribal nations as the first peoples of these lands, and be it further resolved that the City Council reaffirms its commitment to collaboration with indigenous communities and to advancing inclusion, understanding, and equity for all residents of the city of Providence.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Further discussion on items eight through eleven.

Hearing none, all in favor.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Counselors, at this point, I would like to ask the uh pro-tempe chardo to chair item 12 so that I can participate in the discussion.

Thank you.

Uh item uh 12.

Mr.

President.

Majority leader.

Second, Ms.

President.

There is a second.

Any further discussion?

President Pro Tem.

Thank you very much, sir.

Um I rise for two reasons.

One, the first, I'm just gonna share with all uh everyone briefly the technical um amendments that were made.

Um they are minor on and only made to section I three, which is on page seven of what is before you.

So this is the section that newly creates the right for organizations uh to bring suit in the CPRA.

The only change that was made was to make explicitly clear uh added the words, but not compensatory or other monetary damages to the sentence, may seek appropriate relief in civil action for adjunctive and declaratory relief.

And then we also are striking section uh B from that same I3 section, which is uh an organization having the right to sue uh law enforcement officers independently.

So everything that was in the uh CPRA uh originally in 2017 stays for individual right to sue.

We just wanted to clarify.

Um so that's the technical amendment.

I'm uh we could ask the solicitor if there's any further clarification you would like to make on that.

Okay.

So and if I may, uh I would just like to share, you know, two things.

One, why we made the amendments, but really what is at root uh in the amendments to the CPRA that are before us.

Uh so I want to thank everyone on the ordinance committee for um spending the time long into the night, uh 10 days ago, I believe, uh a week from Monday, and everyone who's here tonight who was part of that conversation.

Uh, we were here till nearly 10 p.m.

We heard uh community member after community member testify in favor of the changes to the CPRA.

And what the reason that we took up changes at all is we are in a moment where we can react to the urgency of the moment in a way that provides full clarity for community members, uh, for officers, for our uh law enforcement and community members alike.

I feel like in a lot of ways tonight, we are um that phrase of standing on the shoulders of giants.

We're standing on the shoulders of people who have been working very hard on this issue to expand community safety for the people of Providence in all of the ways.

And so we're talking about people who can um uh uh come to the police and know that they can report a crime without worrying about what might happen to them without worrying that they might not go home that night.

We're talking about that, but we're also talking about making sure that there is a direct line of communication.

Um there's real clarity on what is possible in terms of training, um, and and we know what people, what recourse people have if their rights um are not uh if their rights are violated.

And so what happened in 2017 was the culmination of decades of organizing.

What is happening tonight is because uh, and I thank counselors uh Royus and Sanchez for bringing this forward, but it's also because of what we are hearing in the community, what we are seeing in the community, the conversations that we had um just now about the resolution on the court is the same conversation that we're having here.

Uh so I am asking for the council support.

The substitutions are really addressing um at the hearing, several counselors shared concerns about uh expanding the liability, and so we just wanted to make crystal clear that that is not the case um by uh eliminating any doubt that there might it might be possible to um for organizations to get monetary damages um in the case of violations.

We just wanted to make that crystal clear.

And that all of my colleagues uh support on this.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman uh Miller.

Any further question?

Uh Councilman Sanchez.

Thank you, uh Pro Tem Pichardo.

Um I really don't have much more to add um other than just the gratitude and love.

Uh that's where that uh I've been thinking about while we've been working on this um subject for the past months at this point uh to give credit to my colleague uh councilman Royus.

He initially opened up this conversation back in in February, and where we've seen uh happen from uh February, uh the the beginning of our current president's uh term to where we're at now um is disgusting.

It's heartbreaking.

Uh it has caused a lot of panic uh in our communities.

All of our communities are very uh diverse uh from the west side to the south side to the east side to the north side, are all of our our communities are extremely diverse.

So this is impacting everyone uh across the city at the end of the day.

Um but what has happened and what we currently see on uh national TV and even local news, uh what we saw uh in July here in Providence, uh terms of uh enforcement and collaboration, what we saw this this week uh of an innocent uh driver being involved in an accident.

Thank God there wasn't any kids uh crossing the street from Nathaniel Green or or crossing guards on that intersection at that time because it could have resulted in a much more uh tragedy.

Um it comes down to is creating that trust and and accountability mechanisms uh here in the city of Providence.

And while it's clear and important to acknowledge that this alone isn't gonna stop ICE uh officials uh from creating and continuing the barbaric uh actions that they have been uh doing, it's gonna set a precedent on where the city of Providence uh lies in terms of uh what are our values are as a city, um, not only as individual counselors, but as a city as a whole.

Um it's been said from many elected officials the the past couple of weeks, and including uh the mayor, that Providence is uh a welcoming city and we welcome everyone.

Um it's has a very diverse uh history, uh, a lot of immigration, whether it was the Italians, uh, Irish, to what we're seeing more today in uh more Latino communities uh migrate, is that our immigrant community at the end of the day is is the backbone uh of our city, uh whether that was the case a hundred years ago or or today, where a working class welcoming uh diversity and and that's what what's before us today is to put in city ordinances uh clear uh accountability uh mechanisms, um, like my uh colleague council president Miller uh shared.

Um there is uh now uh hopefully depending on how the vote goes here shortly, um, gonna be uh a mechanism for uh the people that we serve uh to hold us uh accountable.

Um as an elected officials, we are held accountable to to the people that that put us in these positions.

Um so along that you know process, there's also gonna be uh an avenue of accountability uh for either individuals, as that has always been the case since 2017.

Uh, but now we're gonna add uh organizations.

And why it was very important to add uh these certain organizations is because what normally happens when someone is detained, um transported to another facility, because that's what we're seeing.

Someone might be detained here in Providence.

Uh they're quickly transported to Louisiana, Texas, there are certain examples that we've seen.

Uh, and then sadly, usually after that deported.

Um that individual in that specific case, you know, isn't thinking or doesn't have the the resources uh to uh hold uh the city accountable if there was certain collaboration between uh the Providence Police Department and uh immigration officials.

But now there's gonna be an avenue uh where uh organizations uh can hold the city accountable to our values, um, values that that we all share.

Um, as uh the the president mentioned, uh this is something that has been worked collaboratively with so many partners, uh locally, uh federally.

Um, we've been working with uh the mayor's office the past couple days, and I don't want to speak for the mayor, um, but I believe he he is very supportive of where we're at today on this ordinance.

Um because at the end of the day, uh that's what we all want is to have a welcoming city, uh clear uh procedures and policies when it comes to our uh colleagues on on the police department and immigration officials.

Um at the end of the day, we that's what we all want.

It's a safe, uh welcoming city, um, and for there to be uh accountability uh measures.

Um so lastly, I just want to say thank you so much to my colleagues, our policy staff, um, everyone that has uh testified.

Um definitely you don't want to uplift the the families and and uh in our communities that have been uh torn apart uh these past couple months.

Um hopefully, you know, they see this later today or or tomorrow and have a little bit more comfort knowing that their elected officials uh are listening and are paying attention and are doing the most that that we can uh from our platforms uh to protect and preserve uh the values uh that we all share here in the city of Providence.

Thank you, Pro Tem Pichardo.

Thank you, Councilman Sanchez.

Uh Councilman Spinal.

Yes, thank you, Council Pro Temp Pichard.

I writes in support.

Um, first of all, I I want to thank the uh committee non ordinance.

We sat here for close to four hours uh and we heard dozens and dozens of uh testimonies, uh, and they were well spoken and well said.

Um so I'd like to thank uh councillor Peterson, Councilwoman Right uh Harris, as well as Councilman Radagas.

Uh Councilman Royus, thank you so much for initiating this back in uh a number of months ago.

Uh you felt that it was needed then, today is needed more than ever.

Um we had a very interesting meeting, a very good meeting, and everybody had an opportunity to express themselves, including committee member.

I had the um when it came to me, I abstained at that time because I needed clarification on one of the items uh that has been provided to me.

So this is truly uh the culmination of true advocacy as well as collaboration from all uh angle.

Um grateful to the staff and the policy team that put it together uh to the administration and to all of my colleagues in general.

Uh, this is really what is needed today at this time.

Uh this amendments that we have touches upon all of the areas that need to be uh revisited and learning to ensure that Providence uh continues to be a city that is welcoming to all.

And I think this amendment uh accomplished that and assures that to all new comments and to all those that live here, the prosper here, and that are racing their family here.

So for that, I'm extremely grateful.

Uh there was also uh concern that was raised, and that was also addressed.

So again, this is great collaborative work, and I'm just so proud and thrilled to be here and be part of this body uh because we see something that is wrong, and we're not uh just uh uh walking by it, uh tossing it aside.

We're actually uh meeting it head on and doing something about it.

Uh, this body doing the most they can with what we have, and for that I'm proud.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman uh John Gonkows.

Thank you, Mr.

Pro Temp, and thank you for those remarks.

Thank you to everyone who has spoken on this ordinance, and thank you to those who have put this forward.

My colleagues, counselor Royus and Sanchez, the ordinance committee, everyone who is a part of this effort.

Trust between residents and law enforcement is built on fairness, and fairness is what we all value here, as you heard from Councillor Sanchez.

These updates to the community relations act make one thing crystal clear, and that is that our Providence Police Department is here to serve in to protect, not to act as agents for federal law enforcement.

It is not our job to do ICE's job.

And I think we need to be very crystal clear about that.

As you heard from the council president, we're expanding the forms of ID residents can use, we're banning discrimination based on immigration status, and we're protecting our schools and our clinics, and we're ensuring that accountability and transparency are the rule and not the exception.

I think what we have to take very seriously is that authoritarianism is at our doorstep.

Just yesterday, in fact, we saw the reckless actions of ICE in our city, and as you alluded to, there are people who have who could have been hurt in that situation.

We're seeing governors across this country, whether it's Governor Gavin Newsom in California or Governor Pritzker in Illinois that are standing up to the fascism that we're seeing from the White House in the Trump administration.

And we need to do the same here in the city of Providence.

This is about making our city safe.

And if we don't step up for the residents of our city, and I'm sure the residents of the East Side will stand behind me when I say this, then who will?

And if they continue to move the goalposts, then who will defend the people of our city?

So for those who are pushing back against these kinds of ordinances, you need to look around because it is at our doorstep, and we're here to protect the people of Providence and not fascist dictators.

These changes come directly from the voices of our residents who have spoken up, people who love our city, people who need to know that their government stands with them, and we're gonna stand with our neighbors.

And so with that being said, I'd like to thank so many people who are part of this effort.

We have Jennifer Wood from the Center for Justice, Juan Pablo Ocampo.

If you guys can both stand, because I know that you are so instrumental in this process, and I think, yes, we should give them a round of applause.

We've got Prism arise.

PSU, the immigrant uh coalition of Rhode Island member organizations, and there are there are far too many organizations here to list.

But Providence has always been a city of immigrants.

My mom immigrated here in the 1980s.

That's who we are, and that's our strength, it's not our weakness.

And with this vote, we're saying very, very clearly that our immigrant community, you belong here.

You are seen, and you deserve protection from the residents of uh the residents and elected officials in the city.

We've got your back, and that's certainly the providence I believe in.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Graves.

Um, I agree with everybody else.

Um I was having a problem with whether or not I was gonna vote for this only because of the language.

Um I'm glad that you guys continue to negotiate and come up with something else.

Um I just want to make sure that we are not villainizing the wrong people.

Um, as for the incident that happened in my ward.

The police were there, and they did what they had to do.

I saw the footage.

There was no um cooperation with ICE or anything like that.

And I want to make sure that we don't group all of the police in the same manner.

If someone does something wrong, you bring them to task.

But if they haven't done anything wrong, we don't I don't paint them all with the same paintbrush.

Um I'm glad that we were able to clean up some of the language, but I think moving on, we need to start watching how we word things, and whether or not we needed some of these words, because some of the stuff that we put in to me was just redundant.

Um you guys know how I am about words, you know how I am about reading.

And in this, too, it says um may file a civil action for an injunctive and declarative relief, as well as compository damages.

That's really all you needed.

It was already there.

We just need to follow what's here.

I don't think you really needed anything else.

All the rest of this, I think was fabulous.

We definitely need something about the courts.

I'm glad that the people came last week and brought that up.

Um, because if we could do it during the pandemic, we can do it now.

We definitely need people to stand up for the immigrants because they've taken them off my side of town, like they've taken them off for your side of town.

Um but I just want us to be careful and also know that we're doing this.

But we have no control over ICE running lights, if they running these things, if they put up their sirens and everything, that has to go to a court that has to be brought up.

It's way above us.

That's not it's something that we can do.

I think we can go out like these fine people do and just keep voicing our opinion.

We need to keep raising um the issue and and screaming and hollering, but they're a federal agency.

So I want you to all realize that there's only so much that the city can do, but we will do as much as we possibly can.

And I and I really applaud my colleagues because they worked hard.

I'm very proud of uh one of our youngest ones for bringing it out here, um, Councilman Morez.

And um I will vote for this because on the whole, I think it's a it's a great plan.

I think it's some there are some clarifications, but like I said, from when we start doing these things, we really need to listen to Aaron and Miguel and all of them and see if some of the comp some of the language that we're putting in, if it's really necessary, because I don't want stuff to get bogged down.

I don't want us to just put in a lot of pretty words and that mean nothing.

We need to go straight to the core of things and keep on doing it.

And like I said, I will I will vote for it because of our last minute adjustments.

And and I and also, please let's not all vilify one group of people.

Remember, we want our peace officers to be there for us.

We want them to join the police academy.

We want the people that to join that are coming from our communities.

They already know and see what's going on.

If we keep getting them from our community, believe me, they will know.

I have spoken to newbies that just came on.

I have spoken to ones that the veterans that's been around.

I have spoken to Mike and the Chiefs.

So I always speak to everybody to get everybody's point of view, and I think that's what we really need to do.

So let's not vilify, but when they're wrong, hold their feet to the fire, like you hold our feet to the fire.

That's all I have to say.

Thank you.

Uh, councilwoman Peterson.

Thank you, Pro Tem.

I couldn't agree with my colleague more.

Thank you very much.

Um, thank you, Protem, for allowing me to speak, uh allowing me the opportunity to speak on an ordinance that is critical to our community.

Colleagues, I know that this has been perceived as being contentious in some ways.

Um, concerns have been raised about liability, and some argue that limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement could actually interfere with police operations.

Um, I want to be, I want to offer a clear perspective that's grounded in trust, in right um, in rights and in community responsibility.

I support this policy as an immigrant to this country.

I support this policy as a Providence resident, and I support this policy as a member of this legislative body.

Across this country, we have witnessed people being taken while attending their court dates, abductions that violate constitutional rights and due process.

US immigration policy has historically shifted, yet our immigrants have consistently built this nation, and their contributions far outweigh any perceived cost.

My duty in this city is to protect all members of this community while ensuring our city upholds the rule of law.

As a Providence resident, I have seen both the erosion of trust between police and community, and I've also seen the efforts of our public safety colleagues, our police in trying to rebuild it.

It takes one bad seed to spoil all the good work sometimes that is being done to be able to uplift our communities.

And I've watched it so many times when our police have come out and supported our community in so many things.

I know that I've I've witnessed it in my community, and I'm very appreciative of it.

But this ordinance clarifies that the police providence police department will act on immigration matters only when presented with a judicial warrant, preserving local focus on public safety, on human rights, and constitutional protections.

What better time than now to find a way to build on that trust for our community?

Let me be clear.

Much opposition arises from assumptions about this ordinance that were simply incorrect.

Officers have structured protections and procedural safeguards, and our residents don't.

What they do have is consistently being infringed upon and disregarded daily.

What we are doing is not obstructing justice.

It's ensuring that justice is applied fairly and consistently.

Cooperation is provided when there is a judicial warrant.

Nothing more and nothing less.

Every resident should be concerned with safeguarding their constitutional rights, because if these rights are violated for some, they're at risk for all.

We'd fight to support our community regardless of who is being harmed.

Injustice harms us all, and when we compartmentalize who can receive justice, we all lose.

But providence must remain a city where every resident, regardless of status, can live free from unconstitutional intrusion.

When we protect our people, history shows that we can create stability, prosperity, and growth for everyone.

As I've watched what's happening to in my community, to my fellow immigrants, and to my fellow Americans in so many cases, I've actually tried really hard to lean into my Catholic faith.

And it's reminded me that praying for the reminders of this faith that teach us to put humanity first, support those in need, and respect the dignity of every person.

This ordinance, as I've come to see it, isn't about choosing sides, it's actually about choosing law, humanity, and trust.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

Consulman Royus.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh, before I begin my remarks, I of course just want to say I support these amendments.

And I want to thank the policy team behind me for making uh for their hard work and making sure providence stays grounded in fairness, justice, and the constitution, even when the federal government loses its way uh these days.

Uh I just, you know, I think I rise tonight with urgency because I think the facts on the ground, both locally and nationally demand it.

Um we've seen stories, if I may just pivot outside of province, we've seen horrific stories about um ICE's um you know abuse.

Um, just several days ago in Houston, Texas, a mother was selling fruit on a corner with her children when their 15-year-old son who has autism and the cognitive ability of a four-year-old, asked to use the bathroom.

Minutes later, he was gone.

ICE agents had taken him.

The family spent days not knowing where he was until they learned he had been placed in a federal children's detention facility.

No one told them, no one even thought to call.

Imagine the terror of a mother who doesn't know where a child is, only to find out he's been locked in federal custody for days.

Then in Chicago, a woman driving to work was slammed by an unmarked federal SUV.

Witnesses yelled hit and run as agents jumped out, dragged her out of the car by her legs, and detained her at gunpoint.

She was a U.S.

citizen, just cleared by her doctor to return to work after surgery.

In New York City, ICE officers tackled a follow journalist filming a protest outside outside a courthouse, claiming she had assaulted them.

They arrested her, cuffed her, and later released her with no charges because what do you know?

There was no assault.

The only thing she was guilty of was recording their actions.

In California, a U.S.

Army veteran who served in the Iraq war.

An American citizen on his way to work to work security at a farm, was surrounded by ICE agents, teared gassed in his car, and dragged out.

He was detained for days, stripped, placed on suicide watch, and kept under 24-hour light in a cell.

His family had no idea where he was.

His ID was sitting in the car, they told away.

He told reporters later that the only thing he could think about while being locked up was seeing his kids again.

And perhaps most haunting of all is what we saw in Chicago just days ago.

A massive pre-dawn raid at South Shore Drive.

Residents awoke to Black Hawk helicopters overhead, flashbangs, and hundreds of agents in combat gear storming their building.

Doors were kicked in, children were zip tied on the sidewalk, birth certificates of belongings were thrown into the hallway.

37 people were reportedly arrested, but many detained were U.S.

citizens or lawful residents.

The Department of Homeland Security called it a joint operation, but residents called what it was a military-style assault on their neighborhood.

This is what happens when a federal agency operates without restraint.

This is what we mean when we say ICE is a rogue agency.

An unmarked ICE vehicle ran a red light with its lights on, but no siren, struck another car, jumped, jumped a sidewalk and snapped a telephone pole.

Witnesses said it was witnesses had said it was chasing another unmarked car through a city intersection.

Back in July, ICE crashed into a suspect's car on Alverson Street, and province officers were found to have assisted them violing both department policy and city ordinance.

But the data holistically is also clear.

As I mentioned at last week's ordinance committee meeting, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearing House Clearing House, as of September 21st, 2025, ICE held nearly 60,000 people in detention, and over 71% had no criminal conviction whatsoever.

These are not hardened criminals.

They are parents, workers, students, and neighbors.

When people in our city, especially those who are undocumented, believe that calling 911 could bring immigration agents to their door, they stop calling.

Crimes go unreported, victims go unprotected, predators roam free.

That makes everyone of us less safe.

The amendments before you tonight make this law enforceable.

They spell out what cooperation means, so it includes every indirect way, local resources are pulled into immigration enforcement, like uh setting parameters, sharing data, offering staging space, or providing equipment.

They prohibit the use of any city resources for federal immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant.

They add protections against profiling based on immigration status or citizenship.

They strifted private privacy safeguards and limit data sharing with outside agencies.

They required that ICE warrants be verified by city personnel and that any administrative subpoenas be reviewed by the city solicitor before compliance.

And they empower the residents to take legal action if the city fails to follow its own law.

The 10th Amendment's anti-commanding principle makes clear that the federal government cannot force local police to enforce federal law.

So the question that I think we have before us is do we want a city where a mother can report abuse without worrying which badge shows up at her door, where a child can walk home from school without finding himself in the middle of a federal convoy, where our police are focused on protecting on protecting our residents and not enforcing civil immigration law.

The record, both nationally and here shows an agency operating with impunity, sweeping up citizens and non-citizens alike and eroding trust and local enforcement.

The old language, while I you know thought it was strong, and I value the contributions of what the community did in 2017.

The landscape has changed, and I don't believe it's enough.

So I think these are members tonight give the CPRA clarity and power it needs to protect our residents, uphold the Constitution, and keep province safe.

And so I urge you uh to pass these amendments tonight on first passage.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you, Councilman.

Any further discussion?

Councilwoman Vargas.

It's only the comment.

Um it's easy because all in here, we are immigrants for anyway.

So you're born in here or not, you have somebody in there.

The only thing I want to say to you guys, I went to the Paso Tessa to Juarez, and my heart, my eyes was cry.

You know why?

Because I see so many people, two or three buses to cross this bridge to bring it to Juarez, Mexico.

It's easy to say eyes.

It's easy to say that you had your papers, but people can know how the papers is your families.

People can have not papers, maybe it's your neighbor.

And the police, they have to protect the city.

But it's I come in, you know, you know, you know how Suke.

You know how nothing, you know how your families you only work like nothing, like a garbage.

It's not fair.

This countries is building with the immigrants to bring it before it brings the Canadiens to working to you know your New York.

So bring it in here for the factory and here in one socket to bring it people to working.

That's the people can come here to work in.

So remember, we all are immigrants.

All the Indian is a like minute, and you have to bring it to your papers.

Pressy, you know how that paper, you have to respect because we all are immigrants.

And in very sad, when you see two or three buses to bring it back.

Where?

Maybe you're not belonging to Mexico, you belong to somebody else.

So it's good to you can go and see and what it and the Paso Texas to see the difference and see all the people can have nothing, no bringing nothing, but cannot give it nothing.

This is only my comment.

Thank you.

Consulwoman Mary Gay Harris.

It's so many good things that's been said tonight.

It's sort of hard to just pick up and start talking.

But um, councilwoman, I want you to know I'm not an immigrant.

My people were and our ancestors were stolen.

They were stolen, they were bought here.

So that's my passion towards the people that's being chased around today.

I think back of my generation of people and the roots of this country and the history of this country.

I don't ever want to forget that history because I would love to know what uh I would have loved to keep my language.

I would have loved to keep my culture wherever I was stolen from.

I would have loved to continue to build like I see so many great immigrants doing in this country today, based on the fact that their culture and everything else that they were allowed.

The reason I enjoy so much um Thai and Spanish, you name it, food, Greek, you name it, is because it's culture and it was allowed to be here.

Never mind all of that.

That's a different story for a different time.

I'm standing today because I want you to know how proud I was of not only the people who showed up, I stayed awake.

I was surprised at myself.

I stayed awake during that whole thing.

The people of Providence standing together and talking about how we as neighbors and as people will not tolerate the misabuse of the federal agents who have come here.

By the way, federal money disappears just like everything else.

The work that we have done in the city of Providence, same people that were sitting in the audience, same people who for years have held our Providence police accountable, accountable in a way that we, to me, have one of the best police departments there is.

And I'm gonna say that out loud because I seen I was with most of the work that were being done to make changes.

And the same people are still here.

This started long be to before 2017.

2017, it just happened to make it through because I came out of that crowd.

And that crowd came back, that group, that masses of people came back and said, no, this has to be put in a law.

So when councilman Royus seen that that needed amendment after all of that time, they done the work, but it's up to us in our in our position to continue to do what's best for our people.

I alone in my ward.

I serve undocumented people, and I know they are undocumented.

I love them just as much as I do my neighbors, everybody else, because we all bring something to the table.

We all are one, you know, in our community.

And I seen that.

I seen that when with the testimonies.

I seen Providence, Rhode Island being one, and that is beautiful.

What other place can you go where people unite?

It was all walks of life, it was generations.

I I sit there and I witness all of that.

And to me, that made me proud to be a part of something big.

I want you to know that this ordinance with the amendments and all unties our chief hand.

Come on now, we got a good chief, we got a great chief.

Chief Perez have been doing an amazing job, have been able to send the right people.

I say that to say that when I got here, I didn't trust no police.

I didn't.

But what happened was the police started to work with us in our neighborhoods, sent us really smart people who come to the table and also help implement change at the table with our neighbors.

They built trust.

South Providence finally got trust.

South Providence neighbors finally got trust in the police that it's on the department right now, that is in our neighborhoods that go to our events that serve in our different capacities of things that we do as council people.

We can't go backwards for this federal stuff that's gonna disappear with all the other stuff that goes when it goes.

Dollars, the federal dollars that's being put into this entity that have came, should not ever change what we have built as Providence, as a people, not just politicians, but the people rooted together.

And that's what made it so beautiful the other night hearing a community standing together, stood together.

I appreciate the amendments because the amendments brought everybody together, everybody in collaboration, people that didn't even believe, like, of course, you're gonna have some that say, oh, this is not what we need for our police department.

You're gonna hear that.

But you're gonna hear a lot of them that say, we are doing our work for our constituents here.

If we do show up at a neighbor's house or someone's house that is undocumented, we don't want them to be afraid not to open the door because they think ice is right next door to us or right next to us.

We want that kind of image here.

That's what we want.

That's why we work so hard as a unit to make sure that we're doing the best we can to support as many people as we can when we can.

And I think this is really wonderful.

I appreciate you.

I appreciate you guys for just like this.

Is a time, this is a time to do it now.

We hear crazy going on, we hear it, we hear it, we hear that federal money eventually gonna cause them to do their job more than what they should.

Because dollars say one thing.

But when those dollars leave, is it gonna leave us with distrust?

Is it gonna leave us having to go backwards?

I've been in this game too long to have to keep repeating things, and I feel like this is a repeat of history, a repeat of stuff that we at one point as a community group had to create our own cut watch.

That's what we called it.

And we would show up at people's houses, get phone calls, three in the morning, whatever, 12, 2 o'clock, and we all jump in our gear and go and support that person that needed support, most likely undocumented.

So it's a lot that's been going on, but a lot have changed, and we don't want to have to go backwards.

We don't want to have to go backwards.

This is great.

This is a beginning of saying that we all stand together, we untie our chief's hands because now it's not mandatory that he run right out or send his uh officers out to assist.

It's not mandatory.

It wasn't all alone.

It was already written here, but that gives us even more power to say that no, you don't suppose to do that because it's already written.

It's already been amended.

So I want to appreciate all the work went in this.

I want to appreciate the conversations even after the ordinance committee.

I voted it on the ordinance committee simply because I wanted to make it to the floor.

I wanted to hear.

I wanted to, I wanted that debate.

I wanted that debate to take place in between, too, where people were not on the same page, but you know, becoming because it's a conversation that has to be had.

So again, I want to appreciate all a Providence neighbors, uh our politicians, and every in our police, everything that's great about Providence.

I appreciate it.

Except the federal agents, they gotta go.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any uh further discussion.

Uh just wanted to say that uh for clarification, there was a uh a question from President Miller to the city solicitor, and if there was any clarification or any question, he said no.

So I just want to make sure for the record that there was no no further question.

The other for me is I uh uh reiterate what my colleagues have said in our local communities.

We gotta stop separating families.

We gotta protect our communities, and as uh Mary Kay Harris, this is about the people.

And I'm glad that uh people came to the table to discuss, to disagree, and uh as it has been highlighted, many of the advocates and many of you who came out for four hours to speak.

All right, so I'll finish at this.

Thank you for being here.

Uh especially also uh the president uh of uh the province police uh union.

So with that said, I was just informed that I cannot uh speak too long here, but uh great, thank you.

Uh so with that said, with no further uh discussion, um as amended, it is before us.

Uh Madam Clerk, uh, can you please call the roll call as amended?

Council President Miller.

Aye.

Deputy Majority Whip Anderbois.

Aye.

Majority Leader Espinal.

Aye.

Aye.

Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonçalves.

Aye.

Councilwoman Graves.

Aye.

Deputy Majority Leader Harris.

Councilwoman Peterson.

Aye.

Council President Pro Tempore Pichardo.

Aye.

Councilor Royus.

Aye.

Councilwoman Ryan.

Aye.

Majority Whip Sanchez.

Aye.

Councilman Taylor is absent.

Councilwoman Ana Vargas.

Aye.

Councilman Oscar Vargas.

Aye.

You have 13 ayes, one absent.

The motion carries the matter is passed for the first time on a roll call vote as amended.

Thank you, Madam Cr.

I'd like to call back uh President Miller.

Thank you, President Pro Tem.

Madam Clerk, item 13, please.

Madam President.

Majority Leader.

Motion to weigh the reading around 13 and 14.

Pass on a voice vote and refer back to the borough contract and supply.

Second, Madam President.

We have a motion and a second.

Any discussion on items 13 and 14.

Hearing none.

All in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Item 15.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

Motion to weigh the reading of item 15 and pass for the first time on a roll code vote.

Second, Madam President.

Any discussion on item 15.

Councilman Vargas?

Councilman Sanchez.

Thank you, Madam President.

Today I rise um with not a strong opposition to this ordinance.

I I think the intention of it is well intended.

I do have uh a concern about it.

Um, kind of a question.

Should I direct that to you or the sponsor?

Uh you can direct the question to me, and then we'll let the sponsor answer.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, so so the intention I believe is to, you know, make sure there's some type of uh accountability and enforcement mechanism when it comes to uh folks leaving uh the trash barrels um outside past pickup day.

Um it's an issue that happens in all of our neighborhoods.

Um as we're all aware, our city is 60 plus percent renters.

Uh so there is a lot of uh rental properties.

Uh so what does that mean?

There's a lot of landlords.

Um, and as we know with all the concerns and complaints that we get, there's a lot of absentee landlords, uh, a lot of landlords that aren't responsible.

Um, of course, I definitely you know want to acknowledge that there is a lot of uh responsible and attentive and engaged landlords.

Uh but my concern with as written in this ordinance is um at the end of the day, uh the city and and the landlord go through this process, uh keep finding uh the the landlord.

Um the landlord doesn't pay the fines.

Um there is language in here that says that the city uh may uh remove the the trash barrels, and I believe that is intended.

Uh the sponsor can correct me uh if I'm reading it wrong, uh, to put an end uh to the behavior.

Um, which I think there should be some type of end to the behavior.

Uh, my concern is uh as written is that that would leave um a lot of uh tenants that might have a landlord that's not engaged with the punitive fines uh without a trash barrel.

Um so that kind of makes me question um a kind of uh unintended consequence to to someone that's that's renting.

Um of course you you could uh say uh or have the perception that you know as a tenant you would be hammering your your landlord, uh blowing up their their phones to figure out what is going on.

Um but uh as I've seen with current um experiences, uh sometimes I have neighbors that are renters uh that no matter what they do, uh they don't get a response uh from that uh their landlord.

Uh so my question or concern is uh are we kind of creating uh a system here that might leave uh a renter um without a trash barrel for for their trash uh or recycling.

Um so that is the concern of mine.

Um as I have read this ordinance uh as written.

Thank you, counselor.

Um, Mr.

Spencer, would you like to respond?

Thank you very much, Madam President.

Yes, you in some parts you're correct, but the the responsible in this ordinance is not the tenants, is the property owner.

According to the ordinance, it's going to be getting uh four times.

The idea is to cite the property four times, but at four times the property owner doesn't find out it doesn't respond.

We will DP will send a notified letter to the owner of this property.

In the meantime, the tenants still put in the trash out in the bins.

The issue that we have is that they live in the trash.

I'm sorry, the bins in the sidewalk where we have wheelchairs, we've got little kids going to school, and they don't they don't remove them.

It's more dangerous for a little kid to get hit by a car because he's avoiding the the cart and the sidewalk.

But we're giving a lot of time to the property owner.

When the first citation goes out, will take a month.

The second will take another month.

The third will take another month.

So we're talking about almost six months period for these property owners to act.

When that letter is when the letter will go out saying, look, if you don't remove this or fits this issue, I buy you trash cards out of the sidewalk.

We might remove the carts.

We might.

So that decision will make will be made by DPW director.

And that will be the solution that, but that will take at least six to eight months as a process.

We're not taking the trash out in the second the second month.

The idea is to send a message that this ordinance is in place.

It's like when you take the trash out, the ordinance is after 3:30 p.m.

And then when the truck goes by and pick up the pick up the trash, you have 72 hours to bring it back.

And that's what we're trying to give more teeth to DPW to correct this problem.

Further discussion.

Councilman Ryas.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just uh for my colleague to my left.

I just I did a key word in this ordinance is May.

And so I think as I just want to uh reinforce that uh they may take the barrels, but it's at the full discretion of DVW.

Thank you.

Counselor Anderbaugh.

Thank you so much.

And this is minor, but I think I just share my colleague Miguel's uh Counselor Sanchez's concerns and that the um the consequence is being put on the tenants and not on the person or like the landlords, they won't be feeling that consequence if they lose their trash.

And I know in my neighborhood we have problems with rats in parts of my neighborhood, and I would be worried if if DPW did end up taking away someone's trash bin because a landlord was um negligent and those folks were without trash.

I just wouldn't want there to be a rat problem for other neighbors who then don't have access to trash bins.

So I I love the intent of this, totally agree with it.

I don't want kids running out to the street to avoid the I just want to make sure that we're putting the um onus on the right person and on the right people and not harming uh either creating more rat problems or like harming uh renters.

Further discussion, Councilman Sanchez.

Any further discussion before Councilman Sanchez speaks again?

Uh Councilman Espinal Thank you, Madam President.

I um I don't see any confusion in this.

I think it's pretty clear.

I think that um there are consequences already written here.

Um if you don't bring your borrows in, I don't know the exact amount, but there is a fine.

So this goes to the uh land uh to the to the homeowners that have a habit of uh not bringing those in.

And they do sit on sidewalks uh for many days, weeks, and people cannot um access the sidewalk, especially those that are handicapped.

Now if those are not brought in, they will be cited, but it goes on and on and on.

Sometimes they don't even pay the fines.

So what the uh proposal that Councilman Bagas is doing is actually um to begin a conversation between the DPW and also the homeowners.

And and the key is as Councilman Royal says it may remove the uh the bins.

I mean, you cannot run a business without having the tools that you need.

I'm not sure that you can own a house without having uh container with the tenants could put the garbage in.

So it and there are further consequences when it comes to that because if your containers, your bins are removed and the tenants are piling up the uh garbage in the backyard or on the side or wherever, I mean, that's that increases to like $500 per ticket.

So it's a positive legislation that begins a conversation uh about something that is happening, but that it could be addressed to simple uh communications between DPW and the owner.

Uh so I I think it's a plus, and I'll be voting for it.

Thank you.

Thank you, everyone.

If you just give me a minute.

Uh I also have a question for the sponsor on this one.

Um what would a renter do if they had no trash can and a landlord who was not being responsive to them or to the city?

What would the renter do with their trash?

That's a process on place.

That's why they're going to get four times uh a violation, and the last time will be a letter sending to the owner before they take action to remove DPW will have to contact the owner to start the process to remove the the bins.

They not DPW is not going to remove the bins until they got in touch with the property owner.

That's that's why we put a word there may, because before we we say shoal, but now we say may is because we given the little window to DPW to get in touch with the property owner, know where he is, he will have at least eight months to to fits to to correct this this problem.

Um and and if the landlord does not respond, which happens, right?

I can tell a story, but I'm not going to as chair, but I I just want to an answer to the question.

If the landlord never responds to a letter, maybe they received it, maybe they moved, and the city doesn't have an address.

What happens to the renter who needs to put their trash somewhere?

We'll be the concern of DPW to give them plastic bags.

Okay.

Any further discussion on this item?

Uh Councilman Gansovs.

Thank you, Madam President.

I can hear the concerns from folks on this.

I I do think that sure there are a lot of tenants in the city that we certainly wouldn't want to not have a trash bin.

But the mechanisms that are put in place here, so the ability to reach out to them four times, but also the fee that's $500 that would double in 14 days.

And so I do think that the language change too from shall to May allows it to be more flexible, and I think to the council person's point, will allow us to uh enforce in a way that's that's more effective than what's currently on the books.

Now I understand that the the concern of a tenant who doesn't have a trash bin no longer uh accessible or readily available, but I I do think by passing this ordinance, we're going to be addressing a longstanding problem uh a problem that we're experiencing with with with some of our landlords not being responsive.

And I think this this streamlines that process, but also provides the mechanism to hold them accountable.

So I I do urge passage on this.

I think this is a good ordinance, it's a step in the right direction.

I understand that the concerns about tenants, but I I would hope that because of the provisions in this ordinance to hold landlords accountable, uh, we'd get the results that we're that we're looking for.

And I want to thank the councilman for his leadership on this.

Further discussion, item 15 councilwoman Peterson.

Thank you.

Uh, just a quick clarifying question for the sponsor.

Um, please forgive me if this was made readily available and I did not and I missed it.

Um is there interaction and uh communication going that's going to be happening between DPW and DIS if there is a said potential issue here.

Councilman Ferguson.

Thank you.

Uh no, it we don't this is only between DPW and the proprietor.

The DIA oh I'm sorry, the department of inspection doesn't have anything to do because it's not a code enforcement.

Thank you.

Um thank you for the clarification.

I have to tell you that um I can appreciate an ordinance like this.

There's notorious members of my community that all have multiple properties um that continuously are getting we get reports of them just not abiding by the ordinance.

So I actually I welcome an opportunity like this.

If I'm being fair to my community, I would say that, and I this is not to hinder any sort of tenants or renters in the city, but um I think that the extensive process of six to eight months is actually um really long, and I think that that's not something in my particular community when this has been an ongoing problem.

Um I I just can see my neighbor saying, well, why is this process taking too long?

But that's just a personal opinion.

Um I actually am going to be supporting this, but I do I did want to ask because uh the question the question that I had asked was more so if there's communication being involved between the two city departments, if there's an opportunity to bring some of these potential violations to the table at a sooner at a quicker response time than the eight-month period.

That was the reason why I asked.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Further discussion, councilman Sanchez.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just want to click clearly uh quickly make clear that uh I do support the the intention of it.

Uh I think this is uh something that that is needed.

I don't have any issue with finding the landlord.

Um, I just still have the concern uh that there is absolutely no uh clear uh next step or explanation or protection uh for a tenant uh with what to do with their garbage if they don't have a trash barrel.

Um what I for would foresee happening is they would put it on the sidewalk and it brings us back to point A of this exact same issue further discussion, Councilman Royas.

Thank you, President.

I just uh uh on this topic, I wanted publicly share that there was at least two um examples I could provide in my neighborhood where there were um multifamily homes uh in which the renters uh were struggling to bring in their trash bins, um, and and the trash bins were on the sidewalk um 24-7.

Um and and the trash bins were on the sidewalk um 24-7, and the DBW uh internally at the time had sent out warning letters, uh citations.

Uh it was a long drawn-out process, and they did as a last resort take the trash bins away.

Um and what happened was, and I recognize in this scenario that I'm laying out, the onus was still shifted on the renter.

But what happened was the renters uh recognized that the trash bins weren't there and they had to pretty much harass the property owner to respond to DPW to get those trash bins back.

Now what happened from that was that the trash bins never made it on the sidewalk past the trash collection day.

But that I recognize that to be a very um heavy-handed manner.

Uh as I as it may have been successful.

Um I guess depending on who you ask, but the but the trash bins are no longer on that sidewalk.

Um, but um I'm what I'm concerned about is uh could there be a scenario?

And I my my feeling is that, and I say I say this to the uh to the sponsor that my feeling is that there could be a scenario that I haven't experienced where the city could remove those trash bins, and and renters never make contact with the owner, and so they they're left with uh nowhere to put their trash.

So that's I'm what I'm concerned most with.

Um I've had how however you define success.

I had success with this um with a similar internal policy from for DBW doing exactly this, but I worry um about the the um the communication between the renter and the property owner, and and what if the property owner just doesn't respond?

And we have several landlords in the city that are hard to um get in touch with in part we have because we have a rental registry that is not enforced.

Uh, but that's uh that's another day.

Um thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, counselor.

Any further uh councilman Esminel.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just want to add that you know I I actually didn't think that this was gonna take this long.

It's pretty simple common sense.

There's open cyber channel communication that should exist between uh DPW and homeowners.

Uh the amendment uh that came in with the word May.

Actually, uh we had a wonderful uh DPW department that showed up and testify.

And some of the language came from them because the intention here is not to remove barrels and make sure that the garbage have uh goes all over the place.

So I trust that the DPW department is gonna carry the this legislation with responsibility, and that they are going to make connections, they are going to make contact with a property owner before an action like this is taken.

So that's just trust our department.

Thank you.

Uh Councilwoman Peterson.

Thank you.

Just as a quick follow-up, and I appreciate you uh my colleague saying that I think this is just me um expressing personally how I think the property manager ordinance that we passed a little while ago would be a perfect opportunity and a perfect venue for us to be able to capture a lot of information so that we can actually get some of these owners to be doing the work that they need to to support their tenants and their and and their renters.

So I'm hoping that our city departments actually take the initiative and do the work to make sure that they get that working for us.

Thank you.

Councilman Harris.

Yeah.

Um mine is just a quick question.

Um I guess mine is does uh does this mean that the property owners get away with um the fees that we said that folks should be paying and that we should be more vigilant about collecting those fees in order for our revenue not to be sold complicated around budget time.

Does that mean they get off the uh hook for the fees that should be coming to them for not doing whatever because it's already in the past ordinance that there's a fee that they owe when they're not removing the trash?

Just a question.

I don't know.

I can answer for you.

The fees are um to the property owner, yes.

The fines and fees are to the property owner.

Um further just uh one question.

I'm sorry for clarification.

If the barrels are removed, does that mean that they no longer are responsible for fees?

Uh no, I believe they have to pay the fees to get their barrels back.

Further discussion.

Any uh sponsor, any further comments?

Okay, I mean, hey, thank you very much.

Um, Madam President.

Like while saying that we propose this kind of ordinance to have a a better city, a cleaner city.

We understand that tenants, the tenants pay rent by somehow they had they get in touch with uh with the property owner.

As soon as they see uh something on the mail, they will call the property owners because they don't want to pay the fee.

So is it's a good ordinance?

Yes, to it's a process.

It's eight months.

We're not taking the borrows tomorrow.

It's a process.

I I ask every colleague to to please support this one.

Is it's as a beginner conversation to have a cleaner city.

Thank you.

Councilman Ryan.

Madam President, thank you so much.

Thank you, Councilman Vargas, for putting forth this ordinance.

It does make sense, and essentially what it really does is codify a process that we follow today.

It gives a little longer time to bring everybody into compliance.

We all have a problem with barrels that are left out and cause issues for pedestrian travel on our sidewalks on as well as it's just unsightly.

So I support this ordinance, and again, as we heard testimony from our colleague this evening, um, and I've experienced it as well.

That's what happens.

That's how DPW gets people to pay attention.

They threaten the that they will take the barrels away.

Nobody wants to do that, and they give as long as they possibly can to try to bring them into compliance.

They're not waiving fees.

Thank you, councilwoman Harris, for being concerned about those fees.

On but it codifies a process, it codifies a process, and it's dependable and it's predictable, and I support it.

Thank you.

Further discussion on this item 15 counts going once, going twice.

All right, madam clerk, please call the roll.

Council President Miller, aye, deputy majority whip and or bois.

No majority leader Espinal.

Aye, senior deputy majority leader Gonçalves, aye, councilwoman Graves, aye, Deputy Majority Leader Harris, Councilwoman Peterson, aye, council president pro temporar Picardo?

Aye councilor Royus, nay councilwoman Ryan.

Aye, majority whip Sanchez.

Councilman Taylor is absent.

Councilwoman Anna Vargas, hi Councilman Oscar Vargas.

Aye.

You have 10 ayes, three nays, one absent.

The motion carries the matters passed for the first time on a roll call vote.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Item 16.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

What's it to weigh the reader item 16 and pass on a voice vote?

Second, madam president.

We have a motion and a second.

Any discussion on item 16?

All in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Item 17.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

What should the way the reader items 17 through 20?

Second, madam president.

Any discussion on items 17 through 20 hearing none.

Um, all in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

Um, the motion passes.

Madam Clerk, please refer item 17 to the committee on public works.

Note item 18 as received, 19 to claims and pending suits, and 20 as received.

So noted.

Item 21.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

Motion to weigh the reading item 21 and passing a voice vote.

Second ban of president.

Any discussion on item 21?

All in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Majority leader.

Being that there is no further business, I'll motion to adjourn.

And tonight we'll do an in the name of Sandro Mastanza.

Who recently passed away?

Second, Madam President.

Any discussion on that motion?

All in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

We are adjourned.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Thanks.