Good evening. My name is Helen Anthony. I'm with Chair. I'm committing on finance. I'm calling to order a regular meeting on Tuesday, 01/28/2025 at 05:36PM.
Madam, would you please call the board?
Chairwoman Anthony. Present. Vice chairman Taylor?
Councilor Angela? Present. Councilwoman Gray is is absent. Councilor Sanchez?
have four questions and one's absent. We have the floor.
Thank you so much. I would just like the rest of the time. Solicitor's office joining us this evening, and a wonderful clerk, Marissa and Donna. Thank you so much for all you need for us always. And with that, I would like I need to read that.
Resolution authorizing approval of the following contract award by the Board of Contracts and Supply in accordance with section 21 by 26 b one and two. Odyssey Construction Incorporated $1,309,374 public property.
Madam chair, if if I may?
it. As you recall less than a week ago, this item came up, and there was discussion relative to the authority of the Providence building authority to go out to bid on their own, separate and apart from the city council. So and there was talk about Jeff Dana was aware of it and essentially knew about it and agreed with the opinion. At this committee's, request, I did speak to the solicitor, and he is in agreement. He and Megan DeSanto from the office researched this issue several years ago.
However, we did have mister Salvador provide a legal opinion, which Jeff has read and agrees with it regarding the authority. And if if that were to change, the authority would be if this committee had requested the authority to change where they would have to comply with the Board of Contract and Supply, that would require a change in the general law statute. K. So that was provided on I think they're two pages. Can you read this?
I said it was labeled. Oh, okay.
They're not stable. They're
Oh, it's a bit weird statement.
I think the Turks might be able to tell him, so I think I'm missing page one. Yeah.
This is going up. I'll know I have the patience.
No. I think I have to go to that. Oh, hang on. Maybe that'll
We'll have the clerks handle that. So But but another issue came, Madam Chen, this is a one page early page document, which I think I can handle. Yeah. I don't I don't understand how we take it. The the blue It
Yeah. If you look at the format.
Yep. The other relevant issue that or the issue that came up was, the agreement, the retainer agreement with Mr. Salvador and how that came about. Here, I have a letter from to Jeff Dana from Mal Salvador relative to that question. And just for clarity for the committee, the solicitor's office does not retain, does not pick the attorney in Salvador.
This is done separate and apart. They it's not paid through the city, the law department, and we'd have to discuss that with the Providence Public Building Authority of how what their process is for retaining Mr. Salvador and how they pay him. But the solicitor is not aware how they do that.
Okay. Thank you very much, dear. And
my apologies for the distribution of the first document.
Technically not your doc too. A copy.
Thank you. So I do appreciate it.
Appreciate it. This is what you did
This is the the separate documents, which everyone has. It's a one page document.
So I am going to mark these. I don't actually know if we your recommendation if I mark these, I can Yeah.
don't see a problem. Okay.
Alright. May I have a a motion to mark the three page to health Salvador to me? I'll take that exhibit one. So moved. Second.
Motion made by councilor Taylor, seconded by councilor Anderson. All in favor? Aye. Aye. All opposed.
And then I would like to mark the memorandum to Jeff Dana from Al Sabatoor regarding the auditor question regarding fee agreements. I'd like to mark that as exhibit two. So moved. Second. Alright.
Motion made by councilor Taylor, seconded by councilor Andrew Ball. All in favor? Aye. All opposed. So I very much appreciate this this in writing.
I think that the item itself I think the reason we've had such a robust discussion at the last meeting was you know, I think the the the FDA wanted to explain what their process was for their procurement outside with the Board of Contract and Supply. The fact is this is the debate. I think we were just basically getting our auditor. We wanted to bring this matter to our attention, I think, for good reason. So I think there are questions that have been answered, and this is the state statute that gives his his body the power to do what they can do so they can procure.
And they also do not are not subject, I believe, to the order of contract or the procurement regulations, which is concerning for us as counselors because we serve another you know, we are supposed to have oversight on all the financial affairs. And so, technically, the way that the state is risen is created, they don't have to you know, they aren't under they do not have to come under that as perputed. So all I'm gonna say is I know that you did a new appointment on the on this. We also have recently appointed I can't really. We have a board who was just recently appointed.
You know, it's the mayor's appointees. I think it's just gonna, know, subject to concern, not only under this, but I was in the prior mayor. And so I think the only way without going to the state federal legislation address, which which not only applies to the department, public building authority with others throughout the state. It might be not gonna be left to try to get that amended. My hope is that with the new or that will have more more collaborative.
