News Briefs

Completion of Emergency Water Supply Interconnection is Announced
The Bristol County Water Authority (BCWA) and the City of East Providence (CITY) are pleased to announce that the pipeline interconnection between the two water supply systems has been completed and activated.  The $6.9 million project which consists of 1.5 miles of 24-inch pipeline links the BCWA East Bay Pipeline with the East Providence water system at the Kent Heights water storage facilities. The critical interconnection provides an emergency water supply from Providence Water to either utility.

“This interconnection is a significant milestone as it provides greater water security for both Bristol County Water and the City of East Providence,” said Stephen Coutu, P.E., Executive Director and Chief Engineer for BCWA. “We wish to thank the Mayor and his staff for their support and cooperation as well as the residents and businesses that were along the project route for their patience and understanding during construction of this critical infrastructure project.”

“Our administration took the safety and security of our residents’ access to water very seriously,” Mayor Bob DaSilva said. “This project had been tabled by previous councils and administrations – but we took action. We sat with the Bristol County Water Authority and moved this project forward so that our residents can have continued, reliable access to water.”

The completion of this essential water infrastructure project establishes a backup water supply for both BCWA and the City of East Providence. If something should happen to either utility’s pipeline, both will still be able to provide safe, reliable water to its customers.

BCWA completely funded the $6,909,780 project with East Providence providing support and assistance with traffic control during construction. The construction work was performed by CB Utilities of Bristol, RI and the design engineering firm was Beta Group from Lincoln, RI.

The new interconnection comes after BCWA experienced two leaks in April 2019 in its East Bay Pipeline. The leaks were unexpected and took more than six months to identify, access and repair. During that time, an existing East Providence interconnection was used selectively with activated water restrictions, as it was not able to supply enough water to support both utilities’ full distribution needs.

The new water main and interconnection will be able to provide a greater backup supply of water if such a need should arise in the future for either utility.  Additionally, the City of East Providence will now be able to move forward with its long-anticipated inspection of its water transmission main from Providence that was installed in the 1960s.  The inspection work is tentatively scheduled to take place towards the end of July and into early August of this year.

Both BCWA and East Providence continue to work cooperatively in the long-term objective of securing a redundant source of supply with a pipeline connection to Pawtucket Water.  They recently agreed to share in the cost of the design of that project which is currently in progress.

While the pipeline interconnection is complete and active, final paving of the impacted roadways remains to be completed. Those streets will be milled and paved curb to curb and are scheduled to be completed this summer.

Abandoned India Point Bridge to be Torn Down
"I am pleased to announce a major development in my ongoing effort to transform a vital part of the East Providence Waterfront District. In September of 2019 I introduced a council ordinance seeking the removal of abandoned piers and the abandoned India Point Bridge. The ordinance received unanimous passage from the City Council and Waterfront District Commission,” said ordinance sponsor Councilman Bob Rodericks.  The India Point Bridge was a swing bridge which spanned the Seekonk River, connecting the City of Providence, Rhode Island at India Point to the City of East Providence at Watchemoket. It was last used sparingly in 1974.  The original structure was a covered bridge built in 1835 for the Boston and Providence Railroad. After its closing, the United States Coast Guard eventually determined the bridge to be a navigational hazard. The City of Providence had ownership at one point but turned it over to the Federal Government. Many plans and years of discussion fell through and the rusting, dangerous remnants of this structure remain an eyesore and navigational hazard, keeping pleasure & business watercraft away from the East Providence side of the river.

“Area waterfront businesses are obstructed by its presence and are limited in plans to expand recreational, business, boating and public access to the waterfront. The East Providence Yacht Club has the bridge practically touching its recently renovated building, deck, docks and property. Open views of the waterfront are totally obstructed from many angles. Expansion of public boating is prohibited due to this bridge and underwater hazards. I have heard from many boaters who will not enter the cove for fear of this hazardous waterway,” said Rodericks.

The removal of the unsafe piers and bridge remnant would greatly increase the quality of East Providence's waterfront and the potential for an increase in Rhode Island tourism. RI Waterfront Events / Live Nation at Bold Point Park continue to see many popular events. The removal and cleanup of this eyesore and water hazard will help the concert venues greatly.  Contrast this with the other side of the bay. Providence had its half of this old bridge removed years ago. The result is a beautiful India Point Park and recreation area. The EP side has been ignored for years.

“When I first introduced the idea, I was advised by many that the Federal Government would never support the plan and bureaucratic red tape and cost would stand in the way. I sought the help of Congressman David Cicilline and Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed. Their staff aides worked closely with me and the Army Corps of Engineers. Our City Waterfront District and Economic Development Commissions also supported the effort. I received support and assistance from Mayor Bob DaSilva and Director of Planning & Economic Development, William Fazioli,” said Rodericks.

Eventually the US Army Corps of Engineers agreed to have the bridge removed at their cost. The remaining hurdle was that the private EP Yacht Club Owners would have to pay for removal of some piers and their docks temporarily, while the Army Corps removes the main bridge. This would cost the local business about $50,000.  “I met with the Yacht Club owners, Mayor DaSilva and Director Fazioli in August, 2021 and discussed the possibility of an EDC loan an other options for the business.”

In May, the East Providence Economic Development Commission (EDC) approved a loan to support this project. “The EDC continues to strive to prudently support projects that assist in the economic growth and development of our City,” EDC Chairwoman Michelle Botelho said in a press release. The locally owned waterfront bar and grill owned by East Providence resident Mikel Perry & family, will do their part for this project. The business will remove the mooring pilings & docks so that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can then remove the massive old bridge. This is a loan and not an outright grant. Work is slated to begin in the fall of 2022 with a completion date in early 2023.  I can’t wait to see our wide-open views of the bay when this work is done."

East Providence library to open 2022 Weaver Farmers Market
The City of East Providence, together with the East Providence Public Library, has opened the 2022 Weaver Library Farmers Market on Thursdays this summer.  “Once again the Weaver Library Farmers Market will be a destination for city residents, of all ages on Thursday afternoons,” East Providence Library Acting Director Meredith Bonds-Harmon said of the market, now in its ninth year. “Offering fresh, local food and products and live weekly entertainment, it will be a great, relaxing, fun, outdoor weekly event.”

The market, which will be located outdoors in front of Weaver Library at 41 Grove  Ave., will be held each Thursday from June 30  through September 15 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Many vendors will be returning to the market this year including:

• Sweetfern Farm
• Geek Garden
• Martinelli’s
• Daily Farm
• Digger’s Catch
• Harvest Kitchen
• Three Wishes Bakery

Exciting new additions include:

• Dancing Greens
• Ethiopian Eats
• Maggie’s Healing Path
• Ocean State Foods
• The Perfect Empanada
• Thrive Cakery (in September)

At the Market Table will be:

• Marley’s Earring Shop
• Sacred Cow Granola
• Rhed’s hot sauce, salsa, and barbecue sauce
• Secrets in the Kitchen Marinara sauce

Coffee mugs featuring our Weaver Farmers Market tree will also be on sale.  Pop-up Artisans will be offering beautiful jewelry, bags, macramé items, soaps, refrigerator magnets, dog treats, tree saplings, and more. “Our favorite knife/scissors sharpener will be back in August,” said library staff.

The Friends of the East Providence Public Library will be set up for their weekly outdoor book sale. Local organizations such as East Providence Health Equity Zone (EPHEZ), The Memory and Aging Program at Butler Hospital, East Providence Boys and Girls Club, and Friends of Homeless Animals will set up tables at the Market to share important community information.

In addition, the Library’s Children’s Department will be bringing out the Big Blue Blocks on Thursdays in July and August, from 4PM - 6 PM.

Children’s Programs are also on the agenda directly preceding the Market including: the Toe Jam Puppet Band and the annual Ice Cream Social.

We welcome customers with SNAP/EBT and WIC. Thanks to a grant from Farm Fresh RI, SNAP customers can double their SNAP! For every dollar swiped, SNAP customers get a FREE dollar in Bonus Bucks for fresh fruits and vegetables. Credit and debit cards are also accepted.

For more information on the Farmer’s Market, please contact East Providence Acting Library Director Meredith Bonds-Harmon at mbondsharmon@eastprovidenceri.gov or 401-434-2453.

Mayor’s Office and Council on LGBTQI+ Affairs collaborate on PRIDE month Celebration

City Motor Vehicle Tax Phase Out by One Year
The Rhode Island House passed legislation to enable the City of East Providence to accelerate East Providence’s motor vehicle tax phase out by one year.  East Providence has a different fiscal year than the State of Rhode Island and because of this, the City’s car tax phase out began a year later than all other Rhode Island’s 38 cities and towns.

While all other municipalities were preparing to enter the 2023 local fiscal year phase out schedule, East Providence was entering the 2022 local fiscal year phase out schedule. The original proposal in this year’s state budget would have kept East Providence on the Local Fiscal Year 2022 schedule and would have eliminated the local fiscal year 2023 next year.

“Working with Gov. Dan McKee’s Office and our state delegation at the General Assembly we were able to accelerate past our 2022 schedule to the 2023 phase out schedule,” Mayor Bob DaSilva said. “This helped us eliminate approximately 3,300 more vehicles off the tax roll and it cut the average motor vehicle tax bill by about 40 percent to 50 percent.”

With being able to accelerate ahead to the fiscal year 2023 phase out of the motor vehicle tax parameters, a car valued at $10,000 will now have a tax bill of $20, as opposed to the original plan which would have resulted in a tax bill of $75.  

Next year, the motor vehicle car tax will be completely phased out for East Providence. The budget amendment allowing us to move from the 2022 schedule to the 2023 schedule passed the House on Thursday, June 16 and will go before the Senate for a vote next week.

“Thank you to House Majority Whip Katherine Kazarian, Rep. Gregg Amore, Rep. Brianna Henries, Sen.Valerie Lawson, and Sen. Cynthia Coyne for their assistance on this legislation,” noted Mayor DaSilva.

City, State officials rally to delay property revaluation; Legislation passes
The East Providence City Administration released a statement concerning property tax revaluation.  “The City of East Providence Administration, together with the City Council, has worked with state legislators to pass legislation which authorized the City to delay the implementation of the most recent revaluation until December 2022.

Mayor Bob DaSilva worked with legislators including House Majority Whip Katherine Kazarian, Rep. Gregg Amore, Rep. Liana Cassar, Rep. Brianna Henries, Sen. Valarie Lawson, and Sen. Cynthia Coyne to pass legislation delaying the city’s revaluation and using the assessed values as of the last completed statistical valuation performed as of December 31, 2018.

The findings of the revaluation showed the real estate market was unstable and faced large fluctuations in value within the various classes of property within East Providence.”

The housing market saw an unprecedented acceleration between March 2021 and March 2022.  The market had an extreme imbalance in supply and demand driving the sales prices of certain property types to inflated levels and the City believes that many of the contributing factors for the inflation were related to the pandemic. As the City approached the end of the revaluation process and saw rising interest rates, gas prices and the war in Ukraine, it was determined that delaying the revaluation by a year was the right move for our residents. One of the main purposes of a revaluation is to be sure that all properties are assessed in a fair and equitable manner.

This was an atypical evaluation period what would have unfairly burdened our property owners with an enormous tax increase at a time when we are all facing higher costs because of global events.

“We worked hard to pass this legislation to benefit the people,” Mayor Bob DaSilva said. “The assessment of real estate needs to be based on stable market conditions. With the unstable market conditions and large fluctuations, we had to move to request this delay and we are thankful to all our partners at the local and state level for working to pass this legislation.”

“Had we moved forward with this revaluation and had we not worked with our state delegation to make this change, residents would have seen artificially inflated increases in tax payments for the next three years,” DaSilva added.

“The mailing of this year’s tax bill has been delayed because we were awaiting the passing of this legislation.  We expect real estate bills to be issued the week of June 13, 2022. The due date for the discount is July 1, 2022.  Property owners will see an approximate 1.6 percent tax increase – which is on average a $70 increase.”

Council approves construction of Riverside Rec lot
The City of East Providence will be constructing a long awaited new parking lot located to the south of Riverside Middle School.  The East Providence City Council voted in favor of the $412,000 contract enabling Yard Works Inc., (the contractor with the lowest bid) to construct the lot.  Yard Works Inc. will construct the porous pavement parking lot, wood guard rails, striping and paving of the walking paths. The parking lot project will be paid with $352,700 in Capital Improvement Funds approved by the Council. The remaining $60,000 balance will be paid via American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The improvements come as the Riverside Recreation Complex is being used more and more for softball, baseball, football, cheerleading and other uses. This parking lot will offer parking immediately adjacent to the recreation field. All organizations using the Riverside Recreation Field will be asked to use this lot once it is constructed to alleviate any concerns of surrounding neighbors.

The new area will serve the parking needs of visitors to both the Riverside Recreation Field and the new multi-use athletic field.  The field will be designed for use by football, soccer and lacrosse teams. The area will also feature the repurposed "Friends of Townie Athletics" scoreboard from the former turf field at the high school.  The plan was approved by a prior City Council but never acted on until now.  “The congestion and neighborhood parking problems are horrendous,” said Councilman Nate Cahoon.  “This will solve many needs of the area,” he added.

Catalytic Converter Policy Passed by City Council & State House
In May 2022, Councilman at Large Bob Rodericks submitted a proposed ordinance to help prevent the local theft of catalytic converters.  “I have received several requests to do something about the number of thefts going on in the City,” said Rodericks.  His ordinance included the following, in part:   

*  No person or entity licensed by the City of East Providence may purchase or otherwise accept or acquire a motor vehicle part known as a catalytic converter from another person or entity unless the seller or offeror presents proof of identification in addition to a bill of sale or other legal document demonstrating ownership of said catalytic converter. The licensee shall retain photocopies or digital images of said documentation.

*  In addition, every person or entity licensed by the City of East Providence shall record all catalytic converter transactions. The licensee shall, upon request, present any records created pursuant to this section to the chief of police or his or her designee. The records created pursuant to this section shall include the following:

            (1) Date of transaction;

            (2) Name, address, telephone number, and signature of the person from whom the     catalytic converter was purchased or received.

            (3) A photocopy or digital image of the person’s photo identification;

            (4) License plate number and vehicle identification number (VIN) of the vehicle used to transport the catalytic converter to the licensee, whenever applicable;

            (5) A description of the catalytic converter;

            (6) A photograph of the catalytic converter;

            (7) Photocopies or digital images of the bill of sale or other legal document demonstrating ownership by the seller or offeror; and

            (8) Price paid by the licensee for the catalytic converter.

Every person or entity licensed by the City of East Providence shall keep for a period of ten (10) days the catalytic converter acquired. During said holding period, the catalytic converter shall be kept separate and distinct from other property and shall not be disfigured or treated in any way by which its identity may be destroyed or affected.  No person or entity licensed by the City of East Providence shall be permitted to acquire catalytic converters in exchange for cash.

The House of Representatives approved legislation last month aimed to curb theft of catalytic converters.  The bill would require those buying a catalytic converter to get the vehicle information from which it was removed.  The House of Representatives approved legislation on aimed to curb theft of catalytic converters.  Either the vehicle registration or vehicle identification number would fulfill this requirement.  According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, there has been an significant increase in catalytic converter thefts in the nation since March 2020.

“This isn’t a guarantee to stop all catalytic converter thefts, but it should help a lot,” added Rodericks.  The ordinance received second passage unanimously.

Turner Reservoir Warning:
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) are advising people to avoid contact with Turner Reservoir in East Providence due to blue-green algae (or cyanobacteria) blooms. Blue-green algae can produce toxins that can harm humans and animals. While toxin production is variable during blooms, the sample from Turner Reservoir did have a potentially harmful level of a cyanotoxin.

https://eastprovidenceri.gov/.../ridoh-and-dem-recommend

RIDOH and DEM Recommend Avoiding Contact with Turner Reservoir
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) are advising people to avoid contact with Turner Reservoir in East Providence due to blue-green algae blooms. Blue-green algae can produce toxins that can harm humans and animals. While toxin production is variable during blooms, the sample from Turner Reservoir did have a potentially harmful level of a cyanotoxin.  

“People should be careful not to ingest water or eat fish from these ponds. All recreation, including fishing, boating, and kayaking, should be avoided. Animals who may ingest pond water are especially at risk from exposure to the algal toxins, so owners should not allow pets to drink or swim in the water.  Skin contact with water containing blue-green algae commonly causes irritation of the skin, nose, eyes, and/or throat. Common health effects associated with ingesting water containing algal toxins include stomach-ache, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Rarer health effects include dizziness, headache, fever, liver damage, and nervous system damage. Young children and pets are at a particular risk for health effects associated with algal toxins. People who have had contact with pond waters and experience those symptoms should contact their healthcare provider.  The advisory will remain in effect until further notice,” said DEM and RIDOH officials.  For more information and a list of current and historical advisories, go to www.dem.ri.gov/bluegreen  Please send reports of suspected blue-green algae blooms, along with photographs, if possible to DEM.OWRCyano@dem.ri.gov.