Providence City Council Meeting | June 18th, 2026

June 18, 2026

Call to Order and Roll Call

01:06 - 30:16

The meeting is called to order by the Council President. A roll call is conducted to establish a quorum of council members.

Agenda Item 6: School District Surplus Amendment

30:16 - 37:14

The council discusses and votes on an amendment to clarify that the city does not intend to take surplus money from the Providence School District. The motion passes on a roll call vote.

Agenda Items 7 through 9

37:14 - 38:17

The council votes to waive the reading of items seven through nine. These items are then passed for the second time on a roll call vote.

Agenda Items 10 through 13

38:17 - 38:58

The council waives the reading of items 10 through 13. These items are referred to their respective committees or have their reading requirements waived.

Agenda Items 14 through 16: Juneteenth and Condolences

38:58 - 46:40

The council discusses items 14 through 16, including condolences for Professor Gordon Wood and a resolution recognizing Juneteenth Independence Day. The items are approved on a voice vote.

Agenda Items 17 and 18: Community Recognitions

46:40 - 51:29

The council discusses and refers resolutions recognizing community leaders Bob Clarkin and Reverend Naomi Craig. The motion passes to refer these items to the Committee on IRF.

Agenda Item 19: Guggenheim Fellows Recognition

51:29 - 52:55

The council waives the reading and passes a resolution recognizing local scholars and artists who received the Guggenheim Memorial Foundation fellowship. This recognition is approved on a voice vote.

Agenda Items 20 and 21

52:55 - 53:20

The council votes to waive the reading of items 20 and 21. These items are subsequently laid on the table.

Agenda Item 22

53:20 - 53:42

The council waives the reading of item 22. The item is then referred to the Committee on City Property.

Agenda Items 23 through 34

53:42 - 54:05

The council waives the reading of items 23 through 34. These items are approved collectively on a voice vote.

Agenda Item 35: Juvenile Hearing Board Ordinance

54:05 - 01:12:18

The council holds an extensive discussion on an ordinance amending the guidelines for the Juvenile Hearing Board to ensure equitable diversion opportunities for youth. The ordinance is approved for the first time on a roll call vote.

Agenda Item 36

01:12:18 - 01:12:37

The council votes to waive the reading of item 36. The item is then laid on the table.

Agenda Items 37 through 39: Opposition to VA Cuts

01:12:37 - 01:15:13

The council discusses and passes resolutions, including one expressing opposition to proposed federal cuts to veterans' services and the VA. The motion passes on a voice vote.

Agenda Items 40 through 44

01:15:13 - 01:16:24

The council waives the reading of items 40 through 44, referring them to their respective committees or receiving them. Council members also share Father's Day wishes.

Personal Expressions and Announcements

01:16:24 - 01:20:59

Council members share announcements and personal expressions regarding upcoming Pride events, Juneteenth celebrations, and the World Cup tournament. These remarks highlight community events and celebrations.

Agenda Item 45 and Cape Verdean World Cup Recognition

01:20:59 - 01:22:27

The council passes item 45 on a voice vote. Following the vote, a personal expression is shared celebrating the Cape Verdean national team's historic World Cup performance.

Agenda Item 46

01:22:27 - 01:22:52

The council waives the reading of item 46. The item is then passed on a unanimous rising vote.

Adjournment

01:22:52 - 01:23:18

The meeting is adjourned in memory of several community members following a motion and second. The council president officially closes the session.

Speaker 0

01:06 - 10:32

Check one two. Mic check, test one two. Testing one two. Mic check. Test one two.

Speaker 0

10:32 - 10:40

Testing one two. Testing one two. This is a Providence City Council regular meeting.

Speaker 1

30:05 - 30:16

Alright. Good evening, everyone, and welcome to this city council meeting on 06/18/2026. Madam clerk, please call the roll. You can't hear me? Alright.

Speaker 1

30:16 - 35:36

Well, council president Miller? Second, madam president. As amended. As amended. Any discussion on item six?

Speaker 1

35:36 - 35:37

Chairman Sanchez.

Speaker 2

35:37 - 36:03

Thank you, madam president. I just wanted to quickly rise and speak on what was amended. It was a very small but very important language that got brought up to our attention. And what this amendment does is just we're removing language to make it, very clear that the city of Providence does not have any intention of taking any surplus money, from the Providence School District at any time. That's, all that this amendment does.

Speaker 2

36:04 - 36:17

While I'm up, I just wanna thank chief Mancini who's here. I don't think he was here on on Monday. Thank you for your partnership and your collaborative spirits and and work to get us to this point, and

Speaker 1

36:27 - 36:33

you, chairman. Further discussion on item six? Hearing none, madam clerk, please call the vote.

Speaker 3

36:33 - 36:39

Council President Miller. Aye. Deputy Majority with Vanderblois. Aye. Councilor Davidson.

Speaker 3

36:39 - 36:46

Aye. Majority Leader Espinal. Aye. Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonsalves. Aye.

Speaker 3

36:46 - 36:52

Councilwoman Graves. Aye. Deputy Majority Leader Harris. Aye. Councilwoman Peterson.

Speaker 3

36:55 - 37:04

Council President Pro Tempur Pichardo. Aye. Councilor Royas is absent. Councilwoman Ryan is absent. Majority West Sanchez.

Speaker 3

37:04 - 37:06

Aye. Aye. Councilman Councilman Taylor. Taylor? Aye.

Speaker 3

37:07 - 37:14

Councilwoman Anna Vargas? Aye. Councilman Oscar Vargas? Aye. You have thirteen eyes, two absent.

Speaker 3

37:14 - 37:21

The motion carries. The matter is passed for the second time on a roll call vote as amended. Thank you, madam clerk. Item seven.

Speaker 4

37:21 - 37:23

Madam president. Majority leader.

Speaker 0

37:23 - 37:28

Watch this away as a reader, madam seven through nine and pass for the second time on a roll call vote.

Speaker 1

37:28 - 37:31

Second, madam president. Any discussion on items seven through nine?

Speaker 3

37:33 - 37:41

Hearing none, madam clerk, please call the roll. Council president Miller. Aye. Deputy majority with Vanderblois. Aye.

Speaker 3

37:41 - 37:47

Councilor Davidson. Aye. Majority leader Espinal. Aye. Senior deputy Majority Leader Gonsal.

Speaker 3

37:47 - 37:53

Aye. Councilwoman Graves. Aye. Deputy Majority Leader Harris. Aye.

Speaker 3

37:53 - 38:02

Councilwoman Peterson. Aye. Council President Pro Tempur Pichardo. Aye. Councilor Royas is absent.

Speaker 3

38:02 - 38:10

Councilwoman Ryan is absent. Majority with Sanchez. Councilman Taylor. Councilwoman Anna Vargas. Aye.

Speaker 3

38:10 - 38:16

Councilman Oscar Vargas. Aye. You have 13 eyes. Two absent. The motion carries.

Speaker 3

38:16 - 38:17

The matters are approved for

Speaker 1

38:17 - 38:30

the second time on a roll call vote. Thank you and congratulations and please note that Councilor Reyes is present. Oh, noted. Item I'm sorry. Item 10.

Speaker 4

38:31 - 38:32

Madam president. Majority leader.

Speaker 0

38:32 - 38:34

Wash it away the riddle of Adam 10

Speaker 1

38:34 - 38:43

through 13. Second madam president. Discussion on 10 through 13. Hearing none, all in favor. Aye.

Speaker 1

38:43 - 38:58

Aye. Any opposed, any abstentions? The motion passes. Madam clerk, please refer 10 to public works eleven to and twelve to the city of city property committee and item 13 to waive the need. So noted.

Speaker 1

38:58 - 39:01

Item 14. Madam president. Majority leader. I wish

Speaker 0

39:01 - 39:05

to weigh the writ of item 14 through 16 and pass on a voice vote.

Speaker 1

39:05 - 39:10

Second, madam president. Any discussion on 14 through 16?

Speaker 5

39:14 - 39:16

Councilwoman Davidson. Thank you, Madam President.

Speaker 6

39:16 - 39:55

I want to briefly rise to discuss item 16. To note and send our condolences and sympathy to the family of Professor Gordon Wood, who recently died as a result of an auto accident in East Providence. Gordon Wood was a professor at Brown University for thirty nine years, got generations of students, and was an eminent scholar of the American Revolution. Many people came to Rhode Island, came to Providence to study with Professor Wood. While I was not one of them, I was lucky enough to take his class as an undergraduate.

Speaker 6

39:55 - 40:12

And I really feel privileged to have with and from him. You know, it's particularly sad because although he was 92, he was in full intellectual bloom and was eagerly awaiting, you know, many, things many that were going to

Speaker 2

40:12 - 40:13

happen this summer as the result of

Speaker 6

40:13 - 40:34

our nation's two hundred and fiftieth anniversary. I think there are many historians, scholars, and history buffs are really feeling his loss. I certainly am one of them. So I just wanted to make a note of it, again, to send condolences to his family, to his loved ones, and to the generations of students who were inspired by his scholarship. I feel lucky to be one of them.

Speaker 5

40:34 - 40:38

Thank you. Thank you, counselor. Counselor, you've raised.

Speaker 7

40:39 - 41:07

I wanna speak on Juneteenth, fifteenth. The reason I'm speaking on this is I spoke to a couple young people and they're elated to have a holiday. They don't know what the holiday is about though. You know? And I think it's really sad that to this day, we are still not educating our children about the different things.

Speaker 7

41:07 - 41:47

We're really not even educating ourselves because people are still running around believing that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves. It's a misnomer. He freed Washington DC slaves first just so he could have an army. And then months later, he just he freed only the slaves that were in the South that were fighting against him. Any other state in the North, West, or anywhere else, or had came on to believe in them were not free.

Speaker 7

41:48 - 42:07

So we need to really be careful about the information, but we need to also educate ourselves and everybody else. Juneteenth really is a day when the last of the slaves realized that they were free. The very last.

Speaker 2

42:10 - 42:11

And

Speaker 7

42:15 - 42:54

to to do amendment until And 2013. So, technically, they were still slave. They could still be slaves in their state. So, let us please learn our history, teach our children, so that we can keep it going because we're celebrating the this this is our two two hundred and fiftieth year and we still don't have, we don't know our history. We don't know our history and we need to learn it.

Speaker 7

42:55 - 43:18

We need to teach it but we need to learn it before we try to pass on the messages because like I said, all throughout school, when I was going to school, I was telling them, this is not true because my mother and my family told us, this nope. That's not true. That's not true. And I was told by teachers, oh, yes. Yes.

Speaker 7

43:18 - 43:46

This is it. This is it. You know? So, please, for all our holidays, all the Hispanic holidays, for all your different dates, make sure your children know what they're celebrating. For all of our holidays, let make sure we know because I think it's a sad state of affairs when a nation as powerful as ours still don't understand or know our history.

Speaker 7

43:47 - 43:49

But I'm gonna enjoy Juneteenth.

Speaker 1

43:51 - 43:56

Thank Thank you, counselor. Further discussion 14 through 16. Madam president,

Speaker 8

43:57 - 43:59

may I ask that the item be read?

Speaker 1

43:59 - 44:00

Which item?