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

April 07, 2026

Call to Order, Roll Call, and Swearing In

04:09 - 06:03

Chairwoman Ryan called the Committee on Finance meeting to order and conducted roll call, establishing a quorum. Presenters in attendance were then sworn in collectively by the clerk.

Item 7: Appointment of Tim Hamlin as City Register

06:03 - 11:38

The committee discussed the mayoral appointment of Tim Hamlin to the position of 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

11:38 - 22:16

The committee bundled and discussed four disability waiver requests, including one for a former zookeeper and three for fire department personnel. After hearing testimony regarding the medical circumstances and timelines, the committee voted to approve all four waivers.

Item 6: Tax Exemption for Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center

22:16 - 34:25

The committee considered a resolution supporting a state tax exemption for properties owned by the Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center. Representatives and sponsors discussed the organization's domestic violence services and the financial impact of the exemption before the item was moved forward.

Item 5: Resolution Endorsing House Bill 7122

34:25 - 01:09:06

The committee discussed a resolution supporting a state tax exemption for Community Music Works' new facility on Westminster Street. After amending the resolution to clarify that it applies to fiscal year 2027 taxes and forward, the committee voted to approve the item as amended.

Unknown

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

Unknown

04:22 - 04:26

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

Unknown

04:26 - 04:27

Here.

Unknown

04:27 - 04:34

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

Unknown

04:34 - 04:35

We have a forum.

Unknown

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.

Unknown

04:45 - 04:51

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

Unknown

04:51 - 04:53

you. Thank you.

Unknown

04:53 - 04:58

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

Unknown

04:59 - 05:00

okay. That

Unknown

05:00 - 05:01

is wonderful. So

Unknown

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.

Unknown

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 make stand up and listen to the clerk. She's gonna tell you everything you need to know.

Unknown

05:24 - 05:27

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

Unknown

05:27 - 05:29

the testimony you're about to give is

Unknown

05:29 - 05:31

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

Unknown

05:31 - 05:31

I do.

Unknown

05:31 - 05:32

Please state your names for

Unknown

05:32 - 05:34

the record. It's not for your options.

Unknown

05:35 - 05:35

To the next one.

Unknown

05:36 - 05:42

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

Unknown

05:42 - 05:44

Roger. Mhmm.

Unknown

05:49 - 05:51

Okay. On madam clerk,

Unknown

05:53 - 05:59

could you please read item one, mister Bradley? An ordinance relating

Unknown

05:59 - 06:02

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

Unknown

06:02 - 06:03

writing me.

Unknown

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?

Unknown

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.

Unknown

07:06 - 07:09

Okay. Mister Hamlin, please join us.

Unknown

07:10 - 07:12

Hello, everybody. Thanks for having me.

Unknown

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

Unknown

07:33 - 07:37

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

Unknown

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.

Unknown

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.

Unknown

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.

Unknown

08:58 - 09:02

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

Unknown

09:02 - 09:03

I don't

Unknown

09:03 - 09:05

know. Scott, can I take a second?

Unknown

09:05 - 09:09

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

Unknown

09:09 - 09:10

up?

Unknown

09:10 - 09:13

Thank you for being willing to to serve. Apologies

Unknown

09:16 - 09:21

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

Unknown

09:21 - 09:26

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

Unknown

09:26 - 09:27

It's an additional role on top

Unknown

09:27 - 09:28

of it. Okay.

Unknown

09:30 - 09:32

And, like, what percentage of your time do

Unknown

09:32 - 09:33

you think that will be?

Unknown

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

Unknown

09:48 - 09:49

you

Unknown

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.