Bond Sale, Audit of Homestead Exemptions on City Council Agenda

The East Providence City Council meets Tuesday, Oct. 2, for its monthly meeting in the Council Chambers in City Hall.

Among the items on the agenda:

City Manager Peter Graczykowski will report on the successful sale of $15 million in bonds for critical health and safety repairs to schools that will save taxpayers about $5 million in interest payments.

The RI Health and Educational Building Corporation sold the bonds with an interest rate of 3.51 percent – which will save taxpayers about $150,000 a year, according to Graczykowski's report.

 Delivery date of the bonds is Thursday, Oct. 4.  The bonds will pay off a bond anticipation note of $6 million and an advance principal payment from RIHEBC of $1 million. The $8 million remaining will be set aside for continuing construction at the schools.

Graczykowski also will report on a Budget Commission-approved audit to be undertaken of Homestead Exemptions that could save the city up to $200,000.

The city has 11,231 exemptions worth $6.9 million. Letters will be sent to all taxpayers receiving an exemption.

Homeowners will have to sign a statement that the property receiving an exemption is their primary residence. They also have to provide proof.

Taxpayers who do not respond by Nov. 30 or do not qualify will have their exemptions removed.

Here is the complete agenda. Or click here and see the agenda online.

CITY OF EAST PROVIDENCE

DOCKET OF REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

October 2, 2012

Council Chambers, City Hall, 145 Taunton Avenue, East Providence, RI 02914

7:00 P.M. Executive Session, Room 101

7:30 P.M. Open Session

I.                   EXECUTIVE SESSION

The City Council of the City of East Providence will meet in Executive Session pursuant to RI General Laws § 42-46-5 (a) (2) and RI General Laws § 42-46-5 (a) (3)

A. New Claims

Derrick Cordeiro

Maria Furtado

Shanaz Sultan

Alexander Umyskov

B. Pending Claims

Manuel Machado

II.                CALL TO ORDER

III.             SALUTE TO THE FLAG

IV.             TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR

All items under “CONSENT CALENDAR” are considered to be of a routine and noncontroversial nature by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion.  There will be no separate discussion on these items unless a Council member so requests, in which event, the item will be removed from the “CONSENT CALENDAR” and will be considered in its normal sequence on the docket.

A. Letters

1. Notice of New Property Number, Joseph Ruggiero, 1 Nyatt Point Road, Barrington (02806), vacant lot 1 Pershing Street, Map 205, Block 4, Parcel 008.10, Zoning R4.

2. Notice of New Property Number, Joseph Ruggiero, 1 Nyatt Point Road, Barrington (02806), vacant lot 7 Pershing Street, Map 205, Block 4, Parcel 008.00, Zoning R4.

B. Alcoholic Beverage Class F

1. Kirsten Harvey, 35 Grant Avenue (02915), St. Mary Academy, Bay View, 3070 Pawtucket Avenue (02915), Wizard of Oz Play, November 2-4, 2012. 

C. Cancellation/Abatements

Year

Amount

2012

$7,206.15

Total

$7,206.15

D. Council Journals

1. Regular Meeting September 18, 2012

2. Regular Meeting April 5, 2011

Motion___By___2nd___

Conley___DiGioia___Kleyla___Rose___Rogers___

V.                PUBLIC COMMENT

VI.             PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

City of East Providence Retired Employees, December 2010-October 2012

(by Mayor Rogers)

VII.          APPOINTMENTS

A. Canvassing Authority - Alternate (by Mayor Rogers)

Stephanie Sivalingam, 150 Peach Orchard Drive (02915)

Motion___By___2nd___

Conley___DiGioia___Kleyla___Rose___Rogers___

B. Carousel Commission (by Councilwoman Kleyla)

Dennis Thibeault, 86 Woodward Avenue (02916)

Motion___By___2nd___

Conley___DiGioia___Kleyla___Rose___Rogers___

C. Traffic Control (by Assistant Mayor Rose)

Sandy Sanford, 72 Evergreen Drive, Apt. # 108 (02914)

Motion___By___2nd___

Conley___DiGioia___Kleyla___Rose___Rogers___

VIII.       LICENSES NOT REQUIRING PUBLIC HEARING

A. Annual Renewal of Miscellaneous Licenses Authorization Granting to Renew Subject Licenses, Excluding Alcoholic Beverage Licenses, for Year Commencing December 1, 2012 Upon Application by Licensee and Approval by Chief of Police And, as Required, by Health Inspector and Other City Officials.

(Miscellaneous licenses are renewed each year as a complete list. It is within the Council's purview to remove one or more establishments from the general list, a license holder will not be given a renewed license if they do not meet the requirements as set forth by City Ordinance and State Law)

Motion___By___2nd___

Conley___DiGioia___Kleyla___Rose___Rogers___

IX.             NEW BUSINESS

A. City Managers Report (by City Manager Peter Graczykowski)

1. Departmental Activity Update

2. Bond Sale for East Providence School District

3. Consolidated Information Technology Staffing

4. Consolidated Human Resources Hiring Process Update

5. Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant Award for Fire Hoses and Associated Hose Appliances

6. Audit of Homestead Exemptions

7. FY12-13 Budget Presentation

B. Reports of Other City Officials

1. Claims Committee Report -September 18, 2012 and October 2, 2012 (by Solicitor Orlando Andreoni)

2. School Committee Update (by Council Liaison School Committee Member Chrissy Rossi)

C. Council Members

1.  Bi-Weekly Update (by Mayor Rogers)

- EMS

- Providence Journal Mandatory Thursday Delivery

- Student Bus Route

- Reminders of Upcoming Events

- Other Issues

2. Update on the Labor Day Parade Committee (by Assistant Mayor Rose)

3. Possible Flood Solutions (by Assistant Mayor Rose)

D. Introduction of Ordinances

1. An ordinance amending no parking on Bentley Street.

AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 18 OF THE REVISED ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF EAST PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, 1998, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED “VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC”

SECTION I.  Section 18-307 entitled “Parking prohibited at all times.” of Article X entitled “Stopping, Standing and Parking.” of Chapter 18 of the Revised Ordinances of the City of East Providence, Rhode Island, 1998, as amended, entitled “Vehicles and Traffic.” is amended by adding thereto the following:

Bentley Street (east side) from Mauran Avenue to Juniper Street

SECTION II.  This ordinance shall take effect upon its second passage and all ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.

Requested by:  Mayor Rogers

Motion___By___2nd___

Conley___DiGioia___Kleyla___Rose___Rogers___

E. Communications

 1. Christopher Gagnon, 83 Prescott Avenue (02915) requesting to address the Council regarding urging the City Council to pass a resolution that it is the will of the elected officials of East Providence that the Constitution of the United States of America be amended to specify that corporations are not people and money is not free speech.

2. Anthony Ferreira, 44 Brightride Avenue (02914) requesting to address the Council regarding  the title and financial breakdown of each city position ie:  salary, benefits, pension.

3. Freddie Rybka, 9 Cozzens Avenue (02915) requesting to address the Council regarding the Pawtucket Avenue overpass re: the sidewalk being closed.