Committee on Finance | Regular Meeting | April 7th, 2026 | 5:30pm

April 07, 2026

Call to Order and Roll Call

04:09 - 05:49

The Committee on Finance regular meeting was called to order, followed by a roll call and the swearing-in of presenters. The committee established a quorum and welcomed attending council members and city officials.

Item 7: Appointment of Tim Hamlin as City Register

05:49 - 11:41

The committee discussed the mayoral appointment of Tim Hamlin as the City Register. After reviewing his qualifications and discussing his dual role with MCCS, the committee voted to approve the appointment.

Items 1, 2, 3, and 4: Disability Waiver Requests

11:41 - 22:16

The committee bundled and reviewed disability waiver requests for several city and fire department employees, including Victor Freyer. After hearing testimony regarding the 18-month application window and pending medical procedures, the committee voted to approve all four waiver requests.

Item 6: Tax Exemption for Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center

22:16 - 34:25

The committee considered a resolution supporting a state tax exemption for the Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center's properties on Broad Street and Potters Avenue. Representatives and sponsoring council members highlighted the center's domestic violence advocacy services, and the committee approved a substitute resolution.

Item 5: Tax Exemption for Community Music Works

34:25 - 01:09:06

The committee debated a resolution endorsing state legislation for a property tax exemption for Community Music Works. After discussing the financial impact, amending the resolution to specify an FY 2027 abatement and subsequent exemption, and hearing testimony on the organization's youth music programs, the committee approved the amended resolution.

Speaker 0

04:09 - 04:22

Good evening. I'm Providence Councilwoman Joanne Ryan. Welcome to the Committee on Finance regular meeting. It is Tuesday, 04/07/2026, and it is 05:33PM. Madam Clerk, would you

Speaker 1

04:22 - 04:26

kindly read the vote? Chairwoman Ryan. Present. Vice Chairman Taylor.

Speaker 2

04:26 - 04:27

Here.

Speaker 1

04:27 - 04:34

Councilor Angela? Present. Councilwoman Graves is absent. Councilor Sanchez is absent. We have three present and two absent.

Speaker 1

04:34 - 04:35

We have a forum.

Speaker 0

04:35 - 04:45

Thank you very much. Let the record reflect that we are joined by Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris. Yay. So noted. Big shout out.

Speaker 0

04:45 - 04:51

And we're also joined by the fabulous city solicitor, Kenchavarini. Thank

Speaker 3

04:51 - 04:53

you. Thank you.

Speaker 0

04:53 - 04:58

Okay. And then, obviously, our wonderful partner, Gina Costa. Oh,

Speaker 2

04:59 - 05:00

okay. That

Speaker 4

05:00 - 05:01

is wonderful. So

Speaker 0

05:01 - 05:10

do we want them for do we have, I should have checked. Do we have someone from HR? Yeah. Oh, yes. We do.

Speaker 0

05:10 - 05:24

Okay. Why don't we have everybody who's going to present stand up, and we'll swear everybody in all at once. How does that sound? Anyone who's presenting, please stand up and listen to the clerk. She's gonna tell you everything you need to know.

Speaker 0

05:24 - 05:27

Please raise your right hands. Do you swear on the penalty of perjury that

Speaker 5

05:27 - 05:29

the testimony you're about to give is

Speaker 6

05:29 - 05:31

the truth, the whole truth, and nothing about the truth?

Speaker 2

05:31 - 05:31

I do.

Speaker 1

05:31 - 05:32

Please state your names for

Speaker 6

05:32 - 05:34

the record. It's not for your options.

Speaker 2

05:35 - 05:35

To the next one.

Speaker 7

05:36 - 05:42

John Sebastian. Eric Nelson. Sebastian Bruce. Final four. 23.

Speaker 7

05:42 - 05:44

Roger. Mhmm.

Speaker 0

05:49 - 05:51

Okay. On madam clerk,

Speaker 1

05:53 - 05:59

could you please read item one into the letter? An ordinance relating

Speaker 0

05:59 - 06:02

to Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You're supposed to be

Speaker 8

06:02 - 06:03

writing me.

Speaker 0

06:03 - 06:13

Just Like that. I would like to take a entertain a motion to take a matter out of order. May I ask for a motion to take item seven first?

Speaker 1

06:32 - 07:06

Communication from his honor, the mayor, dated 03/23/2026, informing the honorable members of the city council that pursuant to section three zero two b and six zero six of the Providence Home Rule Charter of 1980 as amended in public law chapter 45 through 50 sections one through 30 31 passed in 1987. He is this day appointing Tim Hamlin of 49 Trinity Park by Providence, Rhode Island 02908 as the city register and respectfully submits the same for your approval.

Speaker 0

07:06 - 07:09

Okay. Mister Hamlin, please join us.

Speaker 9

07:10 - 07:12

Hello, everybody. Thanks for having me.

Speaker 0

07:12 - 07:33

So, miss Hamlin, we have your resume. It's in your packet, folks. It's the last item. You know, we're taking it first. Could you kindly explain a little bit of your resume or take you through your resume, your qualifications, and tell us why you feel you're a good fit for the position that you have been

Speaker 3

07:33 - 07:37

appointed to. Most of my life, I've been in

Speaker 9

07:37 - 07:53

management positions. Let me see. The the biggest one of note is the Providence Downtown Improvement District, the Yellow Jackets. I was, nineteen years, I was with the the DIP. And eight of those, I was operations manager.

Speaker 9

07:53 - 08:39

I was in charge of a $1,100,000 budget, in charge of all the training, hiring, and planning all the projects and getting everything done. Previously to that, I helped Jamie D'Oliveira with the Red Stripe over at Wayland Square, Did all the hiring, managed that for a few months. After that, I did the same thing at Club Tantric on North Main Street to set up a restaurant, hiring the staff. So management and customer service is a big part of my life. As far as Vitals, right now, I'm the deputy director for MCCS, and Vitals now falls under that.

Speaker 9

08:41 - 08:55

So I'd just be taking on the management role of Vitals. I understand the process. I understand the keeping of records as far as money, keep things safe. Yeah.

Speaker 0

08:58 - 09:02

Wonderful. Committee members, any questions, concerns, thoughts?

Speaker 2

09:02 - 09:03

I don't

Speaker 0

09:03 - 09:05

know. Scott, can I take a second?

Speaker 6

09:05 - 09:09

Certainly. Councilwoman answer that. Thank you. And, Tim, What's

Speaker 7

09:09 - 09:10

up?

Speaker 6

09:10 - 09:13

Thank you for being willing to to serve. Apologies

Speaker 1

09:16 - 09:21

for my ignorance, I'll just ask. So are you leaving the deputy director of NZCS

Speaker 6

09:21 - 09:26

role to be the city registrar, or is this, like, an additional on top of that?

Speaker 9

09:26 - 09:27

It's an additional role on top

Speaker 7

09:27 - 09:28

of it. Okay.

Speaker 6

09:30 - 09:32

And, like, what percentage of your time do

Speaker 7

09:32 - 09:33

you think that will be?

Speaker 9

09:34 - 09:48

With vitals, all the time it needs and MCCS. I mean, vitals there's certain times when it's busy, and there's certain times when it's slow. My office is right next door to the office. It's literally

Speaker 8

09:48 - 09:49

you

Speaker 9

09:49 - 09:59

know, they sit not 15 feet from it. And MCCS is just around the corner there. We now share the same space at 104. So it it works very well.

Back to meetings