Providence City Council Meeting | July 30th, 2026

Check one two.

Good evening counselors and welcome to this special council meeting on Thursday, July 30. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Council President Miller, present. Deputy Majority Webb Vanderbois, Councillor Davidson, Majority Leader Espinal, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonsales,

Present.

Councilwoman Graves is absent. Deputy Majority Leader Harris? Present. Councilwoman Peterson? Present.

Council President Pro Tempur Pichardo?

Present.

Councilor Royas is absent. Councilwoman Ryan is absent. Majority with Sanchez.

Present.

Councilman Taylor is absent. Councilwoman Ana Vargas is absent. Councilman Oscar Vargas.

Present. You

have 10 present and five absent. You have a quorum. Quorum.

Thank you, madam clerk. This evening, the invocation will be led by councilman Oscar Vargas.

Thank you, madam president. The name of the father, the soul, and the holy spirit. Car, please give your vision and passion to get things done in our city and to think and good resolutions and ordinance for our people. And please give us clarifying decisions how we can do better and work with our departments. Amen.

Amen.

Thank you, counselor. And the pledge of allegiance will be led by councilwoman Peterson.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Madam clerk, item one please. Madam President. Majority Leader. Motion to waive the reading of item one and two. Second, madam president.

We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on items one or two? Hearing none, all in favor? Aye. Madam President.

Okay. We'll finish the vote and then I'll call on you. Is that alright? I'm sorry? Any opposed?

Any abstentions on item one and two? One. Madam president? Yes. Can you receive?

Yes. We haven't voted yet, but yes. Any opposed, any abstentions? The motion passes. Madam clerk, please note one and two is received.

So Councilman Vargas, sorry. Go go ahead. You have the floor, sir.

Yes. Thank you, madam president. It's It's about number one. I remember when I first started five years ago, we used to get a phone call from anybody who gets appointee to this, I don't know who Mr. Tomo Morgans is.

I would like to know the people when they appoint somebody. And at least a courtesy phone call to say, look, I'm I'm working on it and and and to introduce myself.

Thank you. Counselor, I will note that as a point of personal expression. That's okay, and we're moving on to item three that takes this up in more detail. Item three please.

Madam President. Majority Leader.

Motion to waive the reader of item three and receive and approve.

Second, madam president. We have a

motion and a second. Any discussion on item three? Any further discussion? All in favor? Aye.

Any opposed? Any abstentions? The motion passes. Madam Clerk, please note item three as received and approved. So noted.

Item four. And before we move on to item four, I would like to turn the floor over to the city fulsiter to just do a brief introduction.

Thank you.

Okay. So I think as you all are aware, the background of this from the memo that I provided you at yep. That I provided you at your request. I'll reiterate in general that the vote on this resolution is not in support nor in opposition of the actual ordinance that has been proposed by the petitioners. It's merely to submit it this proposed ordinance to the voters.

I will read from the relevant portion of the charter, which is the reason why this is before you. Two zero nine c of the charter, states that in the event that the city council shall fail to enact such proposed ordinance without amendment, and upon receipt by the city clerk of a notarized referendum petition signed by an additional 5% of the qualified electors of the city, the city council shall submit such proposed ordinance to a vote of the people of the city at the next general election. Now as you know, this council received this proposed ordinance, did not enact it, and then subsequently, the city clerk did receive a notarized referendum petition, and the Board of Canvassers confirmed that there were an additional 5% of the qualified electors of the city that had signed on to it. Those were the ministerial requirements, the basic requirements under the law for this to go to the voters. The final piece pursuant to the charter, and it's not elective, but merely the charter says that the city council shall submit the proposed ordinance to the vote of the people.

So as as I noted to you in our memo, they've satisfied the petitioners have satisfied the requirement of for the number of qualified signatures or signatures of qualified electors and have done so within the time required under state statute. So the final step is for the city council, again, pursuant to the city charter, to submit the ordinance to the the proposed ordinance to the vote of the people. And I'll reiterate that that is not by submitting it to the vote of the people, the council is not approving of the ordinance or registering opposition or support one way or the other. Thank

you Mr. Solicitor. Madam Clerk, item four.

Madam President. Majority Leader. Motion to waive the reading of item four and pass on a voice vote.

Second, madam president.

We have

a motion and a second. Any discussion on item four? Hearing none. All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed? Any abstentions? The motion passes. Item five.

Madam President. Majority Leader.

Motion to waive the reader of item five and six and pass on a roll call vote.

We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on items five or six?

Hearing none, madam clerk, please call the roll. Council president Miller, aye. Deputy majority Webb Vanderbois, Councilor Davidson? Aye. Majority Leader Espinal?

Aye. Senior Deputy Majority Leader Gonsal?

Aye.

Councilwoman Graves is absent. Deputy Majority Leader Harris? Aye. Councilwoman Peterson? Aye on five and nay on six.