Monthly News Briefs

Rare Murders in City:
The East Providence Police released information in which they confirm the arrest of city resident Allen J. Hanson, 31. Hanson has been charged with Domestic 1st Degree Murder in connection with Jennifer Silva's death late last month. East Providence police responded to a 911 call at 85 Warren Ave. A caller, Hanson, said a woman was hit by a car.

Responding police officers found Jennifer Silva, 41, with "significant trauma and unresponsive, in the rear parking lot," of 85 Warren Avenue. Silva later died at Rhode Island Hospital. Hanson, who was at the location when police arrived, told police Silva was his girlfriend and was struck by a car. However a brief police investigation determined that her injuries were not consistent with a car accident.

The police ruled that the injuries were a result of a domestic violence attack on Silva by Hanson. Hanson was arraigned on Domestic 1st Degree Murder charges in District Court. Subsequent information revealed that this may not have been the first domestic violence type offense against Hanson.

In another matter, Yuland Stanfield, 45, of Providence, RI, plead guilty late last month to the murder of East Providence resident Christine Santurri, 42, in May of 2015. Stanfield faced multiple charges including first degree murder, violating a restraining order and several domestic offenses. Stanfield surprised Santurri upon her return to her East Providence apartment and murdered her. He received a life sentence in prison.

Charter Review Commission Update:
The Charter Review Commission continues to meet and develop a revised city charter to coincide with the upcoming vote for East Providence's first ever elected Mayor form of government. "Members of the public are encouraged to submit their comments relative to the Charter Commission to the City Clerk or Solicitor’s office and all such communications will be forwarded to the entire commission in advance of each meeting," said commission releases.

Members of the public are also welcomed to directly address the commission during meetings subject to the following rules: a. No person shall speak for more than five (5) minutes; b. No person shall address any topic not listed on this agenda.

Thomas Riley of the canvassing board addressed the commission and stated that "the language regarding appointments for the canvassing board is addressed as the canvassing authority and the board actually oversees the authority. They do not turn over every 6 years. They are employees. They serve at the pleasure of the board. Secondly, he was previously asked by the commission for a good answer regarding how long it would take for an election. The answer is 60-90 days depending on the Board of Elections who needs at least 50 days prior to the election. It must go before the Board of Elections. Mr. Riley stated the third item is regarding a recall, there needs to be this provision because if the residents elect someone who is off the wall, for whatever reason, the residents need to be able to replace them whether they serve on the council or as the mayor. In the past this provision could have addressed issues. Lastly, he addressed the issue of a super majority on the council to override the mayor with a line item veto.

Nicholas Oliver noted he would like to bring two items to the commission’s attention. The first is on Section B on the agenda and speaks to veto powers and the second issue which he feels needs to be addressed is executive orders.

He feels it places the mayor on the record for specific disagreements with budget items passed by the council. He disagrees with the super majority. He feels three out of five is 60% and if looking at the United States Congress this is the same.

Executive Orders are important to address. They relate to perimeters of issues in case of emergencies and are what other elected mayors use for purposes of direction of personnel for weather emergencies for example. These things can be issued as executive orders without council consent. Oliver asked that they consider veto power, line item veto and executive order issues.

Senator Conley said that the solicitor should not sit as the municipal court judge due to its role as prosecutor. A common practice among the cities and towns is to appoint an associate judge to sit in the absence. Chairman Russo asks for a motion to approve the amendment with that amendment added to it.

Jason Desrosiers makes a motion to approve the amendment with the addition to redraft section 4 of the municipal court to remove the solicitor to serve as acting municipal court judge and replace that with an associate judge and give the mayor the authority to appoint that associate judge, seconded by Scott Scienzo and it is unanimous.

Chairman Russo states the next topic will be the Planning Board.

Mr. Desrosiers states he is proposing a 7 member board as a split board, 3 appointments by the mayor and 4 appointments by the city council with and the planning director as an ex officio non-voting member. He is looking at experience being preferred in areas such as planning, zoning and public works etc… He feels this split and these ideas reflect a fairly good balance.

Mr. Rock asks if the council has authority to make decisions regarding planning and zoning and do those decisions go through the council as the final decision maker.

Mayor Briden notes the council approves zone changes with a recommendation from the planning board.

Assistant Solicitor Conley states yes there are different applications for each of the boards, planning and zoning. Large items such as the comprehensive plan amendments and zoning map amendments in these cases the board issues advisory opinions with the council serving as the final voting authority. However, not all decisions are subject to the council’s review.

Senator Conley states that a use variance is different than a zone change. A zone change is an ordinance approved by council and they receive an advisory opinion but a use variance or a dimensional variance is zoning relief and this goes in front of the zoning board. Those appeals go directly to superior court. The council would have to go to superior court to challenge those.

Mr. Desrosiers is asked about his reasoning regarding the split board. He notes bringing different people in from different backgrounds and appointing authorities helps to bring in different discussion and that this may be a better model for East Providence.

Senator Bill Conley states he is in favor of the planning board appointments by the executive. He is open to listening to discussion with the consent of council but he feels they need to look at the planning board as the heart of economic development policy for the community. When developers come into a city or town they look for continuity, stability and predictability and that the decisions are not subject to a divided executive and legislative branch because they could end up discouraging development if it’s subject to political whims. Also, as a part of economic development, the chief executive gets elected based on a platform and a vision of the city's future and that message ought to be consistent.

Valerie Perry states she wouldn’t have any problem with mayoral appointments but she would like to see some provision created for appointments to come from each ward so there would be representation from the entire city.

Mr. Desrosiers states he doesn't disagree with Mr. Conley’s premise but having the council appointments doesn’t necessarily defeat this. They can get stable and energetic appointments and it's not as if they switch them out each election. There is a lot of discussion about the mayor’s vision but council is duly elected also and should have a seat at the table.

Sen. Conley makes a motion that the planning board consist of 7 members appointed by the mayor with at least one from each of the 4 wards and subject to council approval, this is seconded by Mr. Dias and on a roll call the motion passes 8-1 with Mr. Rock voting Nay.

Pawtucket Avenue Bridge Work Update:
The Pawtucket Avenue Bridge Project which has played havoc with traffic is running ahead of schedule with the number of weekend closures significantly reduced. "The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is moving ahead swiftly with the replacement of the Pawtucket Avenue Bridge over I-195 in East Providence with the project running ahead of schedule. Amended plans developed by the Department's project management team will more than cut in half the total number of proposed weekend bridge closures and associated highway lane shifts," said RIDOT in a recent press release.

A recent closure of the bridge to all traffic allowed RIDOT to demolish the remaining portions of the old bridge. Originally the Department set aside two weekends for this work, but through close coordination with its contractor, they were compressed into one single weekend of work.  "This is another sign of the new way of doing business at RIDOT," Director Peter Alviti Jr. said. "Instead of sitting back and just following the predetermined schedule, our project managers have worked diligently to reduce the overall impact to the motoring public and get the bridge done as quickly as possible."

The Department already is employing accelerated bridge construction methods to replace the structure in just four months. Using traditional construction methods, it would have taken two years to complete the work. Further compressing the schedule, RIDOT was able to quickly install beams for the new bridge during overnight hours with brief highway closures as opposed to full weekend closures. Combined, the amended plan for the bridge work proposed by the project management team has reduced the overall number of weekend closures from eight to just three.

Another significant change is a full closure of the East Shore Expressway northbound to I-195 West. This will alleviate long delays for drivers on both the Expressway and I-195 West during weekend closures. A signed detour has been established using Wampanoag Trail, Pawtucket Avenue and Veterans Memorial Parkway to reach I-195 West. This only will be in effect for weekend closures.

RIDOT strongly recommends motorists plan ahead, provide extra travel time and consider alternate routes. Maps of recommended detour routes, including turn-by-turn directions, are posted on RIDOT's website at www.ridot.net.

Career Exploration Program:
Attention 14 & 15 year olds: Have you ever thought about what you want to be when you grow up? If so, come discover variety of career paths this summer through our Career Exploration Program. The East Bay Community Action Program in partnership with the East Providence Career and Technical Center are working together to provide youth 14-15 yrs. old with hands on experience areas such as Culinary Arts, Cosmetology, Construction, Marine Biology, and Automotive Technology to name a few. If you are interested in learning more, please contact the EBCAP Youth Center ASAP. Spots are limited.

City Celebrates Day of Portugal:
On June 7, 2017 at 11:00AM Councilwoman Anna M. Sousa and the City of East Providence will raise the Portuguese Flag in recognition of the Day of Portugal. The flag raising will take place at City Hall, 145 Taunton Avenue and will be followed by light refreshments. Additionally, on June 10, 2017 at 12:00PM there will be a celebratory parade and event at the East Providence City Hall. The event will feature food booths, dancing and music. Both events are free and open to the public.

The purpose of the Day of Portugal celebration is to recognize the April 25, 1974 Portuguese Revolution which successfully overcame a dictatorship ensuring democracy and Portuguese Independence. East Providence which is home to many Portuguese American families has strong ties to the Portuguese community.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to host this year’s Portuguese Celebration,” continued Councilwoman Sousa, “I am a proud first generation member of the Portuguese Community and look forward to an exciting event sharing our traditions, food and music.”

RIPTA Bus Stops Relocating:
In a change announced by RIPTA, the state's public transit authority, Peter Pan and Greyhound Bus Stops have relocated from Kennedy Plaza to Rhode Island Convention Center last month. "Relocation will reduce traffic congestion in Kennedy Plaza and RIPTA announced that Peter Pan Bus Lines and Greyhound Lines Inc. will relocate their bus stops from Kennedy Plaza to Sabin Street in front of the Rhode Island Convention Center now. "The relocation of the private carriers was facilitated by RIPTA and the State, and will reduce bus traffic in Kennedy Plaza by up to 45 trips a day on average," said RIPTA authorities.

In addition to the bus stop relocation, the private carriers will also move their ticket sales window from Kennedy Plaza to the Convention Center. The move comes just before RIPTA plans to announce summer service changes that will consolidate some bus stops in the Plaza and decrease bus waiting times there.

“RIPTA was pleased to work with the Convention Center and the private carriers in making this transition to Sabin Street,” said Ray Studley, CEO of RIPTA and an EPHS graduate. “This move will not only reduce the bus presence in Kennedy Plaza, but will allow Peter Pan and Greyhound to continue to provide safe, efficient and comfortable accommodations for their customers. This is another example of RIPTA’s efforts to assist the City and the State in creating a more community-oriented Kennedy Plaza – one that will allow accessible public transit use, but also provide civic opportunities for the downtown community.”

Governor Gina Raimondo said, “This announcement is an important sign of progress toward our goal of reducing the number of buses in Kennedy Plaza. I am grateful to RIPTA, Peter Pan and Greyhound for working collaboratively to make this a smooth transition.”

Famous Water Tower To Get Facelift:
In a May meeting the city council voted on a bid to finish the refurbishing of the Kent Heights Water Tower. One bidder from New York, Atlas painting Corporation, submitted a bid of $1.5 million for the project. Although city officials are not generally happy with the single bid, the $1.5M is significantly less than the original estimate of $2.5 million to complete the project. The city can now spend much less than was going to be bonded.

"I'm thrilled the current Council approved this bid. It was years of work put into getting this to this point. I'm glad for the update and the timeframe information you've provided," said former city councilwoman Tracy Adams Capobianco to current council members. "I live in Ward 3 so it was an important issue for me to work on (for years). I am glad the prior council started this process. Thank you for approving the bid to get it going," Capobianco stated.

Ward Three councilman Joe Botelho was pleased. "The City Council approval of this bid to complete the restoration of the long maligned Kent Heights water tower is a good thing," said Botelho. "The bid came in $700,000 under the projected cost and includes the EP logo as well. Staging will be started this summer and the project will be totally completed by this Fall," Botelho added. The project is slated to start in late summer.

Pleasant Street Rumford Changeover:
The city Department of Public Works (DPW) has restricted traffic entering the popular Rumford cut-through road, Pleasant Street. Motorists can no longer enter Pleasant Street north from Pawtucket Avenue. City administrators and Ward One councilman, Robert Britto proposed the change. Many Pleasant Street residents objected to the cutting through of their street by motorists heading toward Newman Avenue in Seekonk, Mass. Residents will have to stay on the main road until they reach Newman Avenue. However motorists can still take a right turn on Miller Street and then a left on Pleasant. Miller Street residents may have concerns with this development.

City Receives New Fire Trucks:
Flushed still with many new high tech new police SUV vehicles and squad cars due to Google money, the city fire department has now upgraded its fleet. "We needed these new engines to replace aging vehicles and avoid increased maintenance costs," said Fire Chief Oscar Elmasian. The trucks were paid for by a $1.5 million city budget appropriation. Two older trucks will be reserves and a third will be decommissioned. The new vehicles have a 20-25 year life expectancy said the Chief.

Sunlight and School Start Times:
As Rhode Island school districts explore the issue of later start times for their students, particularly at the high school level, they have examined the pros and cons of that decision. School districts in several states across the country are also engaging in this conversation with their communities to determine if it may be the right choice for their students.

"A particular study described in an article from the Atlantic is consistent with prior research that a later start time benefits students," said a statement from the Rhode Island Department of Education. "This study focused on students in the same state who attended schools in districts adjacent to each other but that are in Eastern Time and Central Time zones: though both districts start at 8:00 a.m. in their respective time zones, the students in the Central Time district received an additional hour of sunlight prior to school starting which positively affected teens who moved from the Eastern Time zone district to the other."

Hasbro’s BE FEARLESS BE KIND Local Grant Applications:
The grant application period is open June 30th, "BE FEARLESS BE KIND" is designed to inspire and empower kids to have the compassion, empathy and courage to stand up for others and include everyone throughout their lives.

Hasbro’s goals are to provide resources to help build a kinder world where all kids are included; where differences are appreciated; where empathy and compassion are nurtured in kids, and they get the feeling of fulfillment that comes with making a difference.

Hasbro is accepting grant applications from nonprofits that will help develop empathy and compassion in children in the following operating areas: Rhode Island, Los Angeles, CA, and Renton, WA. To learn more about the grant application visit: https://corporate.hasbro.com/en-us/community-relations/childrens-fund.