Providence Committee on Finance-Tuesday, June 17, 2025-5:30 PM

Good evening. My name is Melanie Anthony. I'm the chair meeting on finance, and I have called on board or regular meeting on Thursday, Tuesday, June seventeenth at 05:39PM. Madam clerk, would you please call the roll?

Chairwoman Anthony?

Present.

Vice Chairman Taylor?

Here.

Councilor Andybaugh? Here. Councilwoman Graves? Here. Councilor Sanchez?

Present. We have five presents. We have a quorum.

Thank you so much. And I would like to thank Ruthie Puccito. Puccito. Puccito for coming from the city solicitor's office. Welcome.

Thank you for having me. For coming. I've also had other counselors come here. We have counselors

With that, I would like

to help you. I'm gonna have to ask everyone to settle down. It's very exciting in here. Okay. So I'm gonna ask to pick them today for appointment.

Item agenda item number six,

out of order. May I

have a motion?

Second.

Motion made by councilor Henry Hall, 75 councilor Graves. All in favor?

Aye.

All opposed. With that, we are going to on that report, please read tonight on the back of your slides. Forgot to say.

That's okay. Thank you. So

could you please read agenda item number six?

Communication from his honor, the mayor, dated 05/20/2025, informing the honorable members of the council that pursuant to section three zero two b and two zero three of the prominence total rule charter of 1980 as amended, he is this day appointing David Leach of 100 Swarth Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02904, the board of SAMHSAs for a term to expire on the first Monday in March two thousand thirty one and respectfully submit the same bureau approval. Mr. Leach, no place is on. Miss Burnell, who's chair

of the side. Appreciate you holding on. And, Mr. Leach, if you would stay seated for a minute, I understand I'm not in tactical difficulties and that you may need to take a brief recess. I'm so sorry.

Oh, no. Yeah. So we're gonna take those recess just for a couple of minutes while we grab our with you. Ready?

Madam chair, we're all set. We're all set. Thank you.

We are back on the record. On this Leitch, keep in mind coming to the end of the table and stating, and we all swear he went.

Mister Leitch, I go? He's bearing

the penalty of perjury that at times only you're about to give us a tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth.

And please state your name for the record.

David h, period, Leach, f e a c h.

Mister Leach, thank you so much for joining us this evening. We're very excited to have you. And you are here because you are going to be appointed to the board of key officers. So I was just wondering if you could give us a brief overview of your background and why it is that you'd like to serve on the board of king officers.

Well, I I live I live my entire life in Providence. My parents were born in Providence as well. I lived in three ZIP codes. Right now, I'm living in the North Providence. I have been involved in various forms of community activities, both social justice, social action, and organizations, nonprofits over the years.

I think the moment I'm on the board of the Alliance of Security and Justice, which I've been on for about twenty years, dealing with disadvantaged youth and and multiple bias and prejudice. And I saw this as an opportunity, to serve serve my community because I've always been for problems. And I just think it's an extension of all the kind of

things that I've been working on.

Very anxious to make sure that everybody who can vote, hopefully, will vote, and then we don't do anything here. I don't get we'll ride here to in any way limit that. Right? As in some of the places. So this is more opportunity in itself.

Well, I will say, oh, man, I'm gonna open it up that we are so appreciative. And I have no idea until I looked at your CD this evening that you were involved in so many activities. We really appreciate your engagement. And I think, you know, you're perfectly positioned to add to the board of campuses.

Oh, yeah. I'm just now we have formed the North End Neighborhood Association, and they have not been one. So my neighbor ended up by the secretary of state's office. It was one of the directors. You know, I'm looking for Bob.

We might.

Committee members. Anyone have yes. Absolutely. Not

not really a question. Just a comment. Thank you so much, for your willingness to serve in this very important role. We're seeing a lot of attacks, especially at the federal level, to election officers and and board members. So we definitely appreciate folks that are willing to step up and serve this very important role.

I personally don't know you, but, Councilman Roy is, speaks very highly of you and highly supports, this recommendation, other than I've seen checks out. So I'll definitely be, supporting, the salvation. Thank you.

Thank you.

Great. Not a question, I'll just just to comment. Thank you for this, like, amazing writing work that you've done in the community. I'll shout because the thing is so loud. Right.

I just wanted to thank you for all the work you've done in the community and for being willing to serve. I'm really grateful that you're willing to do this and will obviously be supporting you and just echoing it. Councilman Bryce has nothing but glowing things to say about you in the North End.

And if

he can vouch for you, that means a lot. So just thank you so much.

Really love to Thank you. Anyone else? Yes. Council Grace. The same.

Like, he did. But I

also had a question because

your face is so familiar, but I don't know where I know you from. I think it might have something to do with a Jewish. I don't know where I know you from, but your face looks very familiar. And haven't, yeah, have haven't been associated on the outskirts or within in a lot of these things. And most people wanted one of these things, but it's good to see that you are here and and share all of our interest in keeping, people engaged, cynically and and get those getting those people off the boat.

My question is, what can you do, or what do you think you bring to it to drink more people out? Because that's the less people are voting because of discontent ongoing. So That's a big problem. You know,