Special City Council Meeting | Mayor Budget Address | April 17th 2024

April 17, 2024

Call to Order and Roll Call

06:27 - 07:18

Council President Miller called the special meeting of the Providence City Council to order. The clerk called the roll, confirming 14 members present and establishing a quorum.

Invocation

07:18 - 07:58

Councilman Oscar Vargas led the council and attendees in the opening invocation. He prayed for guidance and wisdom for city leaders working on the upcoming municipal budget.

Pledge of Allegiance

07:58 - 08:22

Councilwoman Anthony led the assembly in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Members and attendees stood and participated before returning to the order of business.

Items 1 and 2 and Mayoral Escort Delegation

08:22 - 08:51

The council approved a motion to waive the reading of items one and two and marked them as received. Council President Miller placed the council at ease and appointed a delegation of members to escort Mayor Smiley into the chamber.

Mayor Brett Smiley's Budget Address

08:51 - 44:23

Mayor Brett Smiley presented his proposed fiscal year budget, emphasizing that it balanced without raising taxes or relying on expiring federal relief funds. He highlighted major city initiatives in affordable housing, public safety, public school funding, and climate resilience.

Motion to Suspend Rule 16(b)

44:23 - 44:49

Majority Leader Taylor moved to suspend Rule 16(b) in order to take up matters not appearing on the printed docket. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously by voice vote.

Items 4 through 8 - Referral to Finance Committee

44:49 - 45:12

The council approved a motion to waive the reading of items four through eight. Following the vote, items four through eight were formally referred to the Committee on Finance.

Adjournment

45:12 - 45:30

Majority Leader Taylor made a motion to adjourn the special meeting, which was seconded and carried unanimously. Council President Miller reminded members of a subsequent meeting before concluding the session.

Rachel Miller

06:27 - 06:36

Good evening and welcome to the Providence City Council special meeting on tonight April 17. Madam clerk please call the roll.

Tina L. Mastroianni

06:36 - 06:37

Council President Miller

Rachel Miller

06:37 - 06:38

present.

Tina L. Mastroianni

06:38 - 06:39

Councilor Andrew Bois

Sue AnderBois

06:39 - 06:40

present.

Tina L. Mastroianni

06:40 - 06:42

Councilwoman Anthony?

Helen Anthony

06:42 - 06:42

Present.

Tina L. Mastroianni

06:43 - 06:44

Councilman Espinal?

Unknown

06:44 - 06:45

Present.

Tina L. Mastroianni

06:45 - 06:47

Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonsalves?

John Goncalves

06:47 - 06:48

Present.

Tina L. Mastroianni

06:48 - 06:50

Councilwoman Graves?

Althea Graves

06:50 - 06:51

Present.

Tina L. Mastroianni

06:51 - 06:53

Deputy Majority Leader Harris?

Mary Kay Harris

06:53 - 06:53

Present.

Tina L. Mastroianni

06:54 - 06:55

Councilwoman Peterson.

Shelley Peterson

06:55 - 06:56

Present.

Tina L. Mastroianni

06:56 - 06:58

Council President Pro Tempur Pichardo.

Unknown

06:59 - 07:00

Present.

Tina L. Mastroianni

07:00 - 07:04

Councilor Royas is absent. Councilwoman Ryan.

Jo-Ann Ryan

07:04 - 07:05

Present.

Tina L. Mastroianni

07:05 - 07:07

Majority Whip Sanchez.

Miguel Sanchez

07:07 - 07:07

Present.

Unknown

07:07 - 07:09

Majority Leader Taylor.

Unknown

07:09 - 07:09

Present.

Tina L. Mastroianni

07:10 - 07:11

Councilwoman Anna Vargas?

Ana Vargas

07:11 - 07:12

Present.

Tina L. Mastroianni

07:12 - 07:14

Councilman Oscar Vargas?

Oscar Vargas

07:14 - 07:15

Present.

Tina L. Mastroianni

07:15 - 07:18

You have 14 present and one absent, you have a quorum.

Rachel Miller

07:18 - 07:28

Thank you madam clerk and welcome to all of our special guests. The invocation tonight will be given by councilman Oscar Vargas. Will everyone please rise for the invocation?

Unknown

07:29 - 07:57

In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit, Carl, please help us to understand the needs of our city of province and help everyone to make their best decisions on this common budget. God, please bless every single one who work putting this budget together. At the end of the day, we all want the better city, a better service to our constituents. Amen. Amen.

Rachel Miller

07:58 - 08:04

Thank you, counselor. The pledge of allegiance tonight will be led by councilwoman Anthony. I

Unknown

08:04 - 08:05

pledge allegiance to

Pedro Espinal

08:05 - 08:16

The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Unknown

08:21 - 08:22

Madam president.

Unknown

08:22 - 08:22

Majority leader Taylor.

Unknown

08:23 - 08:25

Motion to waive the reading of items one and two.

Unknown

08:26 - 08:27

Second madam president.

Rachel Miller

08:27 - 08:27

We have a motion

Unknown

08:27 - 08:31

and a second. Any discussion? All in favor.

Unknown

08:31 - 08:32

Aye. Any

Rachel Miller

08:32 - 08:39

opposed, any abstentions? The motion passes. And please note one and two as received.

Tina L. Mastroianni

08:39 - 08:40

So noted.

Rachel Miller

08:41 - 08:51

At this point I'd like to call our council meeting at ease and I'd like to appoint a delegation to please escort Mayor Smiley to us for this year's budget address.

Unknown

08:51 - 16:29

President Pro Tem Pichardo, Councilwoman Ryan, Councilwoman Graves and Councilwoman Anna Vargas. Council, we are reconvened in session. Welcome mayor Smiley.

Unknown

16:31 - 17:23

Thank you madam council president, honorable members of the council, state senators and representatives, department directors, community partners, and fellow residents of our great city of Providence. I'm pleased to be here with you tonight to present my proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. As I look around this room, I'm reminded about what I love about Providence, the passion and dedication of so many people from different walks of life working together in a unified commitment to seeing our city succeed. From the merchants association supporting our unique small businesses to the neighborhood groups building beautiful community spaces to the city leaders and city staff who exemplify the best in public service. It's the people in this room and the people at home tonight in living rooms and boardrooms across our city who've put us on a path to becoming the world class city we all know we can be.

Unknown

17:24 - 18:07

And for our part, our administration has worked every day to build a safer and stronger city that's more efficient, more effective, and more responsive to the needs of our community. We are building a city hall that works for you. And over the last year, we've seen what can be accomplished when we engage with one another and when we put the needs of our residents first as our guiding compass. Together, we have developed a budget for you tonight that invests in quality of life city services that matter most to our community while also responsibly avoiding the difficult financial decisions that cities across the country are having to face as federal funding runs out. It starts right here in this building.

Unknown

18:07 - 18:34

Since taking office, we have brought a culture of collaboration, communication, and results to city hall and all city departments. We are so fortunate to have some of the brightest minds in Rhode Island working within these walls, giving everything that they have to the city that we love, and they are seeing tangible results of... From their hard work. That didn't happen by accident. It happens when we go into our neighborhoods to recruit the best talent Providence has to offer.

Unknown

18:35 - 19:20

Smart, dedicated people from communities too often underrepresented. It happens when we set standards for our boards and commissions to ensure that they better reflect the diversity of our community. It happens when we professionalize and digitize our city systems, bringing city hall into the twenty first century and freeing up our staff to focus their time on impactful work that moves the city forward. And it happens when we set measurable and achievable goals for our departments and then provide them with the support they need to achieve them. Public service public service is never easy, but it is always noble.