We good?

All right.

Good evening, everyone, and welcome to this uh city council meeting on June 18th, 2026.

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

You can't hear me.

Alright.

Well.

Council President Miller.

President.

Deputy Majority with Android.

Councilor Davidson.

Majority Leader Espinall.

Present.

Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonçalves.

Present.

Councilwoman Graves.

Present.

Deputy Majority Leader Harris.

President.

Councilwoman Peterson.

Council President Pro Tempor Pichardo.

Present.

Councilor Royus is absent.

Councilwoman Ryan is absent.

Majority with Sanchez.

Present.

Councilman Taylor.

Present.

Councilwoman Ana Vargas.

Present.

Councilman Oscar Vargas.

Present.

You have 13 present and two absent.

You have a quorum.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

This evening the invocation will be given by Councilman James Taylor.

Well, everyone please rise.

We dedicate this time to you.

Please guide our thoughts, bless our conversations, and give us the wisdom and clarity needed to make sound decisions.

Help us to work together in a spirit of unity and respect.

Amen.

Thank you, Councillor.

And the Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Councilwoman Anna Vargas.

I agree the meetings.

Madam Kirk, item three.

Madam President.

Majority Leader.

What's it the way the reader of item three and move approval?

Second Madam President.

We have a motion and a second.

Any discussion on item three?

Hearing none.

All in favor.

Aye.

All right.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Item four.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

What's it the way the reader of item four?

Second, Madam President.

Any discussion on item four.

Hearing none, all in favor.

All right.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Madam Clerk, please note item four as received.

So noted.

Item five.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

What should the way the reader of item five?

Second Madam President.

Any discussion on item five.

Hearing none, Madam.

Madam President?

Yes.

Councilwoman Vargas.

So sorry.

That's okay.

Go for it.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um rise in support of this budget today.

I want to call the administration to say thank you for all the hard work that everybody did to bring it up to the table and the proposal that won't affect our constituents.

The good thing of this budget is that we're not raising taxes.

And this common budget or free school year, how we call it.

And we can work together to have a better city and a better services to every single constituent in the city of Providence.

Thank you, Madam President.

Further discussion on item five.

Hearing none, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Council President Miller.

Aye.

Deputy Majority with Andrew Bois.

Aye.

Councillor Davidson.

Aye.

Majority Leader Espinall.

Aye.

Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonzalez.

Aye.

Councilwoman Graves.

Aye.

Deputy Majority Leader Harris.

Aye.

Councilwoman Peterson.

Aye.

Council President Pro Temp 4 Pichardo.

Aye.

Councilor Royus is absent.

Councilman Lion Alison.

Majority was Sanchez.

Substitute and pass for the second time on a royal call vote.

Second Madame President.

As amended.

That's amended.

Any discussion on item six?

Chairman Sandson.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just wanted to quickly uh rise and speak on what was amended.

It was a very uh small but very important language that got brought up to our attention.

And what this uh amendment does is just we removing language to make it uh very clear that the city of Providence does not have any intention of taking any surplus money uh from the province school district at any time.

That's uh all that this uh amendment does.

Um while I'm up, I just want to thank uh Chief Mancini who's here.

I don't think he was here on on Monday.

Uh thank you for your partnership and your collaborative uh spirits and work uh to get us to this point and think there's an idea of the city of Providence.

Um I think that's uh thank you to everyone else who has assistance.

I'm pretty sure I got you on Monday.

Thank you, Chairman.

Further discussion on item six.

Hearing none, Madam Clerk, please call the role.

Council President Miller.

Aye, deputy majority with Android, aye.

Councilor Davidson, aye.

Majority leader Espinal.

Aye.

Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonzalez, aye.

Councilwoman Graves, aye.

Deputy Majority Leader Harris, aye.

Councilwoman Peterson.

Council President Pro Tempore Pichardo.

Aye.

Council Arroyas is absent.

Councilwoman Ryan is absent.

Majority with Sanchez.

Aye.

Councilman Taylor.

Aye.

Councilwoman Anabargas.

Aye.

Councilman Oscar Vargas.

Aye.

You have 13 ayes, two absent.

The motion carries the matters passed for the second time on a roll call vote as amended.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Item seven.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

Second, Madam President.

Any discussion on items seven through nine.

Hearing none.

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Council President Miller.

Aye.

Councilor Davidson.

Aye.

Majority Leader Espinal.

Aye.

Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonzalved.

Aye.

Councilwoman Graves.

Aye.

Deputy Majority Leader Harris.

Aye.

Councilwoman Peterson.

Aye.

Council President Pro Tempore Picardo.

Aye.

Councilor Royus is absent.

Councilwoman Ryan is absent.

Majority with Sanchez.

Councilman Taylor.

Aye.

Councilwoman Anabargas.

Aye.

Councilman Oscar Vargas.

Aye.

You have 13 ayes to absent.

The motion carries the matters are approved for the second time on a roll call vote.

Thank you.

And congratulations.

And please note that Councilman Royus is present.

Oh noted.

Item uh I'm sorry.

Item 10.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

Second Madam President.

Discussion on 10 through 13.

Hearing none, all in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions.

The motion passes.

Madam Clerk, please refer 10 to public works.

11 to N 12 for the city.

City property committee.

And item 13 to raise and means.

So notice.

Item 14.

Madam President.

Majority Leader.

Second Madam President.

Any discussion on 14 through 16.

Councilman.

Councilwoman Davidson.

Thank you, Madam President.

I want to uh briefly rise um to discuss item 16.

Um to sort of note and send our condolences and sympathy to the family of Professor Gort Gordon Wood, who uh recently died as a result of an auto accident in East Providence.

Um Gordon Wood was a professor at Brown University for 39 years, got a generations of students and was an eminent scholar of the American Revolution.

Many people came to um Rhode Island, came to Providence to study with Professor Wood.

Um I you know it's particularly sad because although he was 92, he was in full intellectual bloom and was eagerly awaiting you know many, many things were going to happen this summer as the result of our nation's 250th anniversary, and you know, I think there are many historians, scholars and history's obviously are feeling his loss.

Um, I certainly am one of them.

So I just wanted to make a note of it again to send condolences to his family, to his loved ones, and to the generations of students who were inspired by his scholarship.

Uh, I feel lucky to be one of them.

Thank you.

Thank you, Counselor.

Councilman Graves.

I want to speak on um Juneteenth, 15th.

Um the reason I'm speaking on this is I spoke to a couple young people, and they're elated to have a holiday.

They don't know what the holiday is about, though.

You know, and I think it's really sad that to this day we are still not educating our children about the different things.

We're really not even educating ourselves because people are still running around believing that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves.

It's a misnomer.

He freed Washington DC slaves first, just so he could have an army, and then months later, he did he freed only the slaves that were in the South that were fighting against him.

Any other state in the North, West, anywhere else, or had came on to believe in them, we're not free.

So we need to really be careful about the information, but we need to also educate ourselves and everybody else.

Juneteenth really is a day when the last of the slaves realized that they were free.

The very last.

And even then there were states, Kentucky, Delaware, Missouri, and Maryland that still had slaves.

And in Mississippi, they didn't ratify the 13th amendment until 2013.

So technically, they were still slaves, they could still be slaves in their state.

So let us please learn our history, teach our children, so that we can keep it going because we're celebrating the twenty this is our 250th year, and we still don't have we don't know our we don't know our history, and we need to learn it.

We need to teach it, but we need to learn it before we try to pass on the messages because like I said, all throughout school, when I was going to school, I was telling them this is not true.

Because my mother and my family told us this nope, that's not true.

That's not true.

And I was told by its teachers, oh yes, yes, this is it.

This is it, you know.

So please, for all our holidays, all the Hispanic holidays for all your different states, make sure your children know what they're celebrating for all of our holidays.

Let make sure we know.

Because I think it's a sad state of affairs when a nation as powerful as ours still don't understand or know our history.

But I'm gonna enjoy Juneteenth.

Thank you, Counselor.

Further discussion 14 through 16.

Madam President.

May I ask that uh the item be read?

Which item?

Um the councilwoman just referred item number 15.

Thank you.

Whereas on June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger and some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to implement the emancipation proclamation issued two years prior by President Abraham Lincoln, and whereas the over 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were declared free on this momentous day, henceforth known as Juneteenth, and celebrated annually, initially only by the newly emancipated, but now by all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and whereas the United States Congress has recognized the cultural and historical sick significance of this day as part of the history and heritage of the United States by designating Juneteenth Independence Day as a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of all enslaved people.

And whereas the United States Congress has recognized the cultural and historical sick significance of this day as part of the history and heritage of the United States by designating Juneteenth Independence Day as a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of all enslaved people.

And whereas on March 20th, 2025, the Providence City Council passed an ordinance per permanently enshrining Juneteenth as a holiday at the city level, likewise acknowledging the importance of this day.

And whereas Juneteenth serves as a reminder to all Americans of the horrific injustices of slavery, but exists also to recognize and celebrate the courage, determination, and strength of the African American Americans who relentlessly fought for their freedom and dignity.

And whereas this day of remembrance invites open and honest dialogue around what measures are still needed in order to ensure permanent equality and opportunity for the African American community.

Now therefore, be it resolved that the Providence City Council hereby recognizes and celebrates Juneteenth to acknowledge its historical significance in the United States and to honor the contributions that formerly enslaved people and their descendants have made throughout the history of our nation, and be it further resolved that the Providence City Council hereby recognizes June 19th as Juneteenth Independence Day in the City of Providence.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Thank you.

Further discussion.

Thank you.

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Madam Clerk, item 17.

Madam President.

Majority Leader.

Well, just the way that we did about it.

17 and 18.

Second Madam President.

We have a motion and a second and discussion.

Councilman Gonkoffs.

Thank you, Madam President.

So I rise today to talk about wonderful members of our community who, in that vein, as councilwoman Graves Expressed, have had a storied history, particularly in Fox Point.

We go back to 1865 to your point, Councilwoman Galveston, Texas, those enslaved folks didn't learn of their freedoms until more than two years after the emancipation uh proclamation.

And if we even think about the 1964 Civil Rights Act following uh the overturn of Plessy versus Ferguson, these are things that happened in our lifetime.

So not my lifetime, but 62 years ago.

So it's something that we're still dealing with as a country, and some of the anti-blackness rhetoric that we still see today is something that we need to continue to fight back on, especially when things are being rolled back by the Trump administration.

But back to more uh local folks, uh, I wanted to recognize a couple people who have had uh extraordinary legacy, particularly on the Fox Point neighborhood.

I know this is gonna go before the uh herb committee, and I look forward to working with chairwoman Harris on this, but uh Mr.

Bob Clarkin or Bobby Clarkin, who is the former councilman of Ward One, he passed away a few years ago and was one of the most uh respected civic leaders and advocates uh in Ward One, so we're recognizing his contributions.

He actually did so much for the City of Providence, including serving as the Civic Center authority, um, and and also chairman of uh the Providence Community Health Centers, believe it or not, during the 1960s, helping to establish the institution that we know uh today to help so many Rhode Islanders and Providence residents with health care services, and uh Councilman Clarkin back then also became widely known for fighting the fight against pension abuse.

Uh he worked to promote fiscal accountability and transparency here in the city of Providence and uh represented Ward 1 honorably, so we're looking forward to uh recognizing his contributions in Ward 1.

And then Reverend uh Naomi Craig, who was really just uh a giant in our community, a woman of color who I think a lot of people tend to forget, and I want to make sure that her legacy lives on forever.

So Reverend Craig actually dedicated over 23 years of service to the state of Rhode Island.

She received numerous citations from everyone in this, not only in the state, but uh at the federal level.

There were several presidents that recognized her work as the first president of the Fox Point School PTA.

Uh she was uh someone who served as the secretary of the governor's advisory commission of aging and also um was the president of the board of directors of the Bannister House, uh formerly the home for age colored women, and I mean the list goes on and on.

Her accomplishments, um her witnessing Dr.

Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream Speech is something that resonates, of course, with everyone in our in our in our country and in our world, but certainly has connections to folks right here in the city of Providence.

And then uh lastly, I just want to acknowledge the uh folks from Brown University who received the distinguished Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship.

There are several people who I want to acknowledge tonight.

It's uh sorry, uh Counselor, that is the next item, so if we can go back to that in a moment.

Oh, yes, okay.

So uh I'll go get to that in a second, getting ahead of myself.

But ultimately, it's about uh acknowledging these wonderful people who have contributed so greatly to our community and uh looking forward to chatting more about this during the uh ERP committee and look forward to uh recognizing their contributions to the great city of Providence.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Counselor.

Further discussion on 17 and 18.

Hearing none, all in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed, any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Uh Madam Clerk, please refer 17 and 18 to the committee on ERP.

So noted.

Item 19.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

I'll just the way the reader of item 19 and pass and a voice vote.

Second amendment.

Discussion on 19.

Councilman Garnkell.

All right, so I'll keep this quick because I got ahead of myself on the last one.

But I just want to recognize uh the names of the folks who are part of the esteemed 223rd uh Guggenheim Fellows class, and uh it's the following people.

Uh professor of anthropology at Brown University, Ivea uh Justoni, also uh Matthew Kraft, who's a professor of education and economics at Brown, as well as Sharon Ann Murphy, who's the professor of history at Providence College, and finally uh Shayda Solomani, who is uh Nash internationally acclaimed uh multimedia artist who uh is going to also receive the Guggenheim Fellowship.

This is a pretty big deal.

I don't think people really recognize uh how important this is for the City of Providence.

So we're acknowledging their remarkable achievement of being named one of the Guggenheim Fellows and commending them for their contributions to the City of Providence.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Counselor.

Further discussion on 19.

All in favor.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Uh item 20.

Madam President.

Why should the way the reader of added 20 through 21 and laid on the treaty?

Second, Madam President.

We have a motion uh and a second.

Any discussion?

Hearing none, all in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Madam Clerk, please re please uh lay items 20 and 21 on the table.

So noted.

Item 22.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

Motion to weigh the reader of added 22.

Second Madam President.

Any discussion on item 22?

All in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

The motion passes.

Madam Clerk, please refer item 22 to the city uh to committee on city property.

So noted.

Item 23.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

What should the way the reader 23 through 34 and pass and a voice vote?

Second amendment president.

We have a motion and a second.

Any discussion on 23 through 34.

Hearing none.

All in favor.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions, the motion passes.

Item 35.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

Why should the way the reader item 35?

Second member president.

Sorry, ambassador first time in a local report.

Okay, second member.

We have a motion and a second.

Councilor Santa.

Thank you, Madam President.

Today I rise in super duper strong support of item 35.

And this is in regards to amendments to the juvenile hearing board.

First and foremost, I want to thank the members of the juvenile hearing board, uh, our city council staff that works with the juvenile hearing board.

We have our position of service leader, uh champion Melly Cruz here, and uh Louise uh is the juvenile hearing board uh coordinator.

Uh you guys have done a tremendous uh amount of work uh to get us to this moment.

Um and what this amendment does is it clarifies uh automatic eligibility uh guidelines uh for our police department to use uh when referring someone to the juvenile hearing board.

Um in the past three years uh the juvenile hearing board has heard, seen, worked with a hundred and eight uh young people here in the city of Providence that otherwise uh would have been caught up in the justice system.

Um I don't need to tell you guys uh what happens, uh what complications uh sometimes you know can occur from getting involved uh with the justice system at such a young age.

Um but the really troubling part of this is that in uh year 2023 to year 2025, you done cracking hands open over here.

Um 500 kids, young people uh were eligible, should have been referred to the juvenile hearing board, and only 108.

So that's about 400 kids give or take that not did not get an opportunity.

Uh that's a state law.

This isn't you know uh far left idea of this council.

This is uh juvenile hearing boards are should be happening uh across the state, all 39 cities and towns should have a juvenile hearing board.

Whether they have one or not, uh that's the question.

And where we're at now is we have one, and we need to be doing a little bit more.

Um we don't want the full discretion uh to rely on what detective is uh working that shift.

Um we need to make this process as clear, as fair, um, as simple as possible.

Um and if someone, uh a young person, you know commits a felony, commits an assault, they will be held accountable for their actions through the justice system.

That's not what this does.

What this does is low-level misdemeanor uh offenses, you know.

I'm not gonna, I'm not I'm not gonna get into examples, uh I don't want to you know say something incorrectly, but what I'm you know, saying here is how many of us here in this room haven't been provided a second, third, fourth, fifth chance.

I testified uh here before the the committee uh which I want to give uh a lot of gratitude.

There was uh the committee and there was a few counselors that that came to the juvenile hearing board uh uh ordinance hearing, public hearing.

Uh we had about six or seven uh folks come testify in support.

Uh we have an additional ten or so uh testimony letters of support, including from the chief of opportunity in access uh for the Providence School District.

Um, you know, this isn't an opinion of whether we should do this or not.

This is uh in a at a point where there's so much data uh to support this work.

Um so with that being said, uh I I'm in super strong support of this.

I I testify, I don't want to get too much into it, but I've been given so many opportunities, um, especially uh as a young person, and I've learned a lot from you know some mistakes in in my past, and and I definitely wouldn't have been here if I didn't have uh opportunities and support systems along the way, and that's what this is.

Uh, this is uh reastorative uh data-driven uh fact check uh work uh that keeps young people out of the justice systems and puts them right uh back on the on the right path of uh this very precious life that we live.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Counselor, for the discussion on item 35.

Madam President.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh I rise uh to speak on item 35 as the chairman of the health opportunity prosperity and education and to first uh commend my colleagues for uh staying the course on this on this issue for hearing long hours and getting testimony from many of our residents and those who work with our young people.

Uh as a result of of those hearings and getting uh the letters and the work of our staff and and through the leadership of uh the uh council members in particular uh Consul Miguel Sanchez and others, uh this ordinance uh is comes at the right time.

Uh one organizations such as the Rhode Island uh for community and justice, there, direct action for rights and equality, and many others fighting to make sure that kids that got into these uh low-level non-violent uh acts will at least get a second chance and that they would actually uh uh have a a bright future within those years of the 80s, 90s, and leading up to close to even uh uh the end of 2000 and uh in the 2000s, we knew that the numbers were high and that the tension in the community was very high.

In fact, when I represented a district two in the south side in the west end, myself and representative Tom Slater, the dad now, we fought to ensure that parents had a voice, young people had a voice, and that we when we visited the training school, we knew that the conditions were deplorable.

Two, that there were over 250 kids incarcerated, and most of them probably didn't deserve to be there.

I would tell you that till today, there's less than 50 kids in that training school in the Tom Slater training school, and that has been the work of so many in our community.

But just think about what also have we saved as a society.

Back then, we knew that incarcerating a young person in the training school would cost over 150,000.

Think of all that money that we have saved throughout those years, and this hearing board, all in the community have said this is the right thing to do.

As Councilman Sanchez indicated during the hearing, that in 2025, there were 371 arrested, young young kids, young teenagers were arrested.

148 were referred uh to uh should have been referred, but didn't only 27 were referred.

By making and passing this ordinance today, we're gonna get more kids uh to have that second chance.

And lastly, I ple I encourage my colleagues when we have events in our community that we can embrace our young people and given those opportunities to uh do their community service.

They need those mentors.

This past Saturday we had a cleanup in War 9, and over 50 people showed up.

And the stories that one young man that was referred to the juvenile hearing board and through the coordination of Luisa Cerrante, our juvenile hearing board coordinator, he got the experience of I would say that of a lifetime that he will forever remember because those that were there present had served time, 20, 30, 10 years, but also they were professionals, master's degree, people that were in the community.

Our kids need that exposure to the positive elements in the city of Providence.

And as Tom or Representative Tom Slater and I would say, at times we wanted to put the training school out of business.

So thank you, Madam President, and I encourage everyone to vote yes on this ordinance.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chairman.

Further discussion on 35.

Madam President Pearson.

Thank you.

I don't have my glasses, so we're gonna we're gonna win this one.

Um thank you.

I really should try to read without my glasses.

Um Madam President and colleagues, first I want to thank the sponsor of this particular bill.

Um I rise today in strong support of these changes to the juvenile hearing board because I believe that every young person in our city deserves access to a second chance, regardless of their zip code, the color of their skin, or the neighborhood in which they live.

The fundamental point of this ordinance is about fairness.

The juvenile hearing board was created to keep young people out of the justice system.

Thank you.

Um out of the justice system when appropriate, and to provide accountability within the community rather than punishment that can follow a child for years.

Yet we know that that access to these opportunities has not always been consistent.

When a system relies on discretion alone, disparities can emerge, and those disparities often fall hardest on black, latino, and low income youth.

These changes help create a more equitable pathway so that second chances are not reserved for some children while denied to others.

The proposed changes would automatically refer eligible cases to the board rather than relying solely on an officer's discretion, which supports which supporters argue will expand access to diversion opportunities for youth.

This is the diversion we're looking for.

I see these inequities firsthand in my own ward.

We routinely witness violations of laws and ordinances by underage college students who often are afforded grace, patience, and understanding because they are viewed as young people making mistakes.

We offer them community service opportunities when they must go to court because they were arrested.

I know this because I created these opportunities alongside fellow constituents because they also believed that a student's life shouldn't be measured by one silly mistake.

Yet, just a few blocks away, many of our Providence youth are not always granted the same benefit of the benefit of the doubt.

We cannot claim to believe in rehabilitation and second chances if those opportunities depend on who you are, where you live, or who you who advocates for you.

This ordinance does not eliminate accountability, it strengthens it.

The juvenile hearing board requires young people to take responsibility for their actions while connecting them to community-based solutions rather than pushing them deeper into a system that often creates lifelong consequences for youthful mistakes.

Our province police department must embrace this as a tool for good, a tool to inter uh to intervene early, a tool to build trust, a tool to help young people change direction before a mistake becomes a permanent barrier to their future.

Because every child in Providence deserves the opportunity to learn to grow and to recover from a mistake.

Every child deserves hope.

Every child deserves a second chance.

Thank you.

Further discussion, item 35.

Madam President, thank you very much to the sponsors of this ordinance, particularly Miguel Sanchez, for his hard work on this.

I just really appreciate the discussion that we're having tonight about this very issue because as you know, there are black and brown kiddos across our city that are disproportionately impacted by some of the laws that are on our books.

And I think that this is very important to ensure that we're not disproportionately impacting those folks.

And this uh kind of connects to what you are sharing, Councillor Peterson, which is and and also uh pro-tempochardo, where decades ago there was more of a punitive approach, and I really appreciate that here in the city of Providence, we're taking more of a restorative approach, an approach that helps kiddos when they're down and out, or if they to your point, you know, they they make a mistake, they that shouldn't be something that carries on with them throughout their entire career or their trajectory, and I think this is an important step in the right direction to ensure again that we're taking a more restorative justice approach as opposed to a punitive one, especially when our criminal justice system, as we're all very well aware, has disproportionately impacted communities of color.

So I want to thank you for your leadership, Councillor Sanchez.

I want to thank all the sponsors of this ordinance, and I hope that we can continue to support our young people, especially when they make mistakes, because that shouldn't determine their destiny, no matter what zip code they're from, no matter where they come from in our city.

I think this is the right way to ensure that they can have a future that they can all be proud of.

So thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councillor, for the discussion.

Hearing none, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Council President Miller.

Aye.

Deputy Majority with the Endorbois.

Absolutely aye.

Councillor Davidson.

Aye.

Majority Leader Espinal.

Aye.

Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonçalves.

Aye.

Councilwoman Graves.

Aye.

Deputy Majority Leader Harris.

Aye.

Councilwoman Peterson.

Aye.

Council President Pro Tempore Picardo.

Aye.

Councilor Royus.

Aye.

Councilwoman Ryan is absent.

Majority with Sanchez.

Aye.

Councilman Taylor.

Aye.

Councilwoman Ana Vargas.

Aye.

Councilman Oscar Vargas.

Aye.

You have 14 ayes, one absent.

The motion carries the matter is approved for the first time on a roll call vote.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

And yeah.

I really want to just take a moment and thank the council and my colleagues for moving this forward.

This is such a huge step for Providence.

And it's um a beautiful time to do it.

Um I don't think she's here, but uh Louise uh has been doing such an incredible job as a coordinator um with Melly and Cruz's support with Aaron and June, um, their support, and so like it is fundamentally making uh dramatic impact in people's lives.

Um and the words getting out, right?

So tonight we uh appointed a new juvenile hearing board member.

We have two open seats, and we have such a strong candidate pool that we need to take a minute and do some interviews.

So it's a it's a really good time for the juvenile hearing board and for this work, um, and that's in large part because counselors and staff are are moving it forward.

Um there's also something happening in the General Assembly at the last week of the General Assembly, Senator Vargas got passed a study commission, and so she's inviting Providence and other cities and towns to have a statewide conversation because it doesn't seem totally right, right?

That what happens in Providence to someone under 18 is different than what happens in Cranc.

So there's gonna be a conversation this fall, and I am grateful to Senator Vargas for moving that forward and putting it together.

Thank y'all.

Uh item 36, Madam President, majority leader, motion to weigh the reader item 36 and lay on the table.

Second, madam present.

We have a motion and a second, any discussion?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed, any abstentions?

Motion passes.

Madam Clerk, please lay item 36 on the table.

So noted.

Item 37.

Madam President.

Majority Leader.

Motion to weigh the reading item 37 through 39 and pass in the vote room.

Second, madam president.

Any discussion on 37 through 39.

Proto Picard.

Madam President, uh item 37.

Uh, this resolution uh was presented uh a while ago, but is still uh persist in the at the national level.

This resolution expresses support for state legislature uh what um expresses opposition to the proposed cuts that continue to uh play on the federal level for the veterans and the VA.

As you know that uh we continuously have in administration that we wake up and there's something new.

Um, but we also understand that when a young man or a young woman serves our country, the whole family serves, whether it's the grandma, whether it's the ma, whether it's the stepdad, and the kids, and the brothers, and so this resolution sends a clear message that we in the Providence City Council in the City of Providence continuously to oppose any federal cuts to any uh veterans or VA services.

And I finally I just wanted to say that this body, uh, through the efforts and your support, and through the commission of veteran affairs in the city of Providence that we've established, we're gonna continue to have a strong voice for veterans, whether we sit in this in this chair or not, because more and more of our young people are serving in the military, and they're going off to missions that we don't even know about when they return home, they're impacted on a physical level, but also an emotional level.

Every 21 days, a veteran commits suicide, and particularly when it comes to males, and as you know, uh June is also that month where it's men's health.

So when you see a veteran and their family, just think for a moment that at the federal level that we continuously hurt our families and our veterans who have served our nation.

And I urge my colleagues to support these resolutions.

Thank you.

Thank you, Counselor.

Further discussion, 37 through 39.

Hearing none, all in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed, any abstentions, the motion passes.

Item 40.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

Motion to weigh the reading of item 40 through 44.

Second, Madam President.

Any discussion on items 40 through 44.

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed, any abstain?

Motion passes.

Madam Clerk, please refer 40 to ordinance, 40 and 41.

42 to the committee on public works, 43 to Clinton Penn Seats.

Madam President.

And can we receive 44 is received.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

So no.

Councilman Vergus.

Thank you, Madam President.

I want to wish every everyone happy Father's Day.

It's coming up.

Yeah.

Why we don't get gifts like mothers, but let's get it.

And uh happy Father's Day to everyone and be safe.

And please enjoy the fans is great.

I want to say welcome to my wife.

This first time she comes here to no second time.

Alright, so yeah.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilman.

Item 45.

Uh Councilman Santan.

I just wanted to quickly uh make sure that everyone is aware and hopefully present as uh the pride parade and activities uh on Saturday.

Uh the pride team has been doing so much work.

This is the 50th anniversary, uh one of the biggest celebrations uh in the country when it comes to pride.

Um so I know uh councilman Vargas like that I'm hearing a rumor.

I don't know if it's true that uh we might have access to a truck and music and speakers.

I don't know.

You gotta you gotta go there to find out.

Uh but it's uh, you know, pride is is a very important uh time uh to celebrate and make uh known that we are always uh standing uh right there next to all of the members of the LGBTQ plus community here in Providence.

Um and then also on Sunday there's gonna be a Juneteenth celebration at Roger Williams Park, someone correct me if I'm wrong, um, from 12 to 7 p.m.

Uh that that committee does so much work uh to make this uh celebration special.

Um I think that's it.

I feel like I'm forgetting the what was that?

Yeah, no, no, I'm saying is I don't I don't know there's another event tomorrow or something, but uh those are the ones that in my mind.

I'm sure if I look at my calendar, other things will pop up, but just want to make sure folks are aware.

Uh and if you're available, please support uh these very important uh events here in the city of Providence.

Okay, Madam President, Pro Tem.

Thank you.

Uh another event that's been occurring, uh personal expression.

Thank you.

Uh in case you haven't noticed, we're having the biggest celebration throughout the United States and and uh and it's the World Cup.

And uh we've had the privilege of of being with the Ghana Nation and the Haitian community and Colombians and Argentinian.

So just inviting everyone to take uh uh part of of this World Cup tournament for the next 45 days and get your t-shirt, right?

Uh but not only that, is that we as a community have to really appreciate uh the work that's been uh has been uh implemented through the arts, culture, and tourism.

Uh Joe Wilson and his team and and the the administration continue to be a a uh a great team to put those uh consecutively and also to our public um service uh such as the uh the firefighters and also the police.

So uh let's continue to show up and hopefully uh the city council at one point we could all get up there and cheer for whatever country floats our boat.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Councilman Graves.

Well, I think Juneteenth has probably been covered.

Uh it's tomorrow Saturday at there in Cross Sunday.

Um, but also on Monday, there's gonna be several things going on.

Um my ribbon cutting for my splash pad at Fatherland's park is gonna be um at 4 45.

So please come on down and get your feet wet.

Um also at um they're gonna be honoring Ellen Swatts um from the library, uh one of the for the community library, she's one of the ones that found us.

So they're gonna have a memorial for her at the Washington Pop Library.

And I want to wish my colleague across the way a happy anniversary on the 23rd.

And I'm sure her and her husband are gonna have a ball because my me and mine will too on the same day.

Congratulations.

Congratulations.

That's amazing.

Related to the World Cup, there's this totally brilliant thing that if you don't normally go into the mall, you might miss.

But they're doing in open in um empty stores in the mall.

Uh local business pop-ups.

So like as people from around the world are coming through the mall, we actually have our local businesses being um showcased and selling stuff, and it's so so good.

Anyway, item 45.

Madam President.

Majority leader.

Motion to weigh the winner.

Item 45 and passion of voice vote.

Second, madam president.

Uh we let's pass 45 and then you're up.

Um discussion on 45.

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed, any abstentions, the motion passes.

Councilman Don Cops, 21.

Madam President, point of personal expression because everyone was talking about a World Cup.

And as the son of Kate Verdian immigrants, my mom is from Kaya, my dad is from Brava, mighty pray in your paydi Brava.

I just want to say I'm incredibly proud of our Kate Verdian team competing in its first ever FIFA World Cup.

Yeah, so it's a big deal.

And uh it's a nation, of course, of just over half a million people uh in the archipelago there, but there's so many people, particularly in the Fox Point neighborhood or New Bedford or in Taunton that are or Brocked in that are rooting for uh team K Bird and that historic draw against Spain, even though it was a draw uh was an incredible performance uh from the goalkeeper Vozinha, who has inspired K-Birds everywhere.

So no matter what happens next, they've already made history.

Go team K Bird, viva Cabu Verde, let's go get them.

New bike.

All right, thanks, counselor.

Item 46.

Madam President, majority leader.

Well, should the way they're reader item 46 and passing a unanimous rising votes.

Second, madam president.

Any discussion on 46?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed, any abstentions?

Motion passes.

Majority leader.

Madam President, as that tonight we adjourn in the name of Diego Abisu, Felix Duran Nidia Rodriguez, and Robin Elaine DeWillis.

Motion to adjourn.

Second, Madam President.

Any discussion?

All in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, any abstentions?

We are adjourned.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Well, enjoy the weekend councilman.