EAST PROVIDENCE  — Not yet discussed in any detail by the current City Council seated in January of 2023, the body and representatives from the administration of Mayor Bob DaSilva briefly engaged in talks about how best to use the remainder of East Providence's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds during the former's meeting Tuesday night, April 17.

New Ward 4 Councilor Rick Lawson placed the item on the docket, noting he and his four peers, two whom like him freshmen legislators, comprise the "financial body that has to authorize" spending the some $14 million balance in the city's ARPA coffers.

As a refresher, East Providence now some two years ago already received the first of two equal troves of money from the federal COVID-19 pandemic response program. The city took in an initial $13,892,956 from the Treasury Department in 2021 in the amount of $13,892,956. The second was received in May of 2022. Also of note, there are two key dates around the use of the money. It was must earmarked by December 31, 2024 and spent by the last day of 2026.

Lawson said his aim in raising the issue last week was to "start a conversation" about how best to allocate the money. Specifically, he said at least a "few million dollars" should go towards the continued revitalizations of the city's "parks, playgrounds and fields."

"Let's do what we can with this money that won't affect the tax rate," said Lawson, noting this was a chance for city to spend money not related to its annual fiscal budget. "It's an opportunity to utilize this money to really transform our public spaces."

Upon inspections of parks and playgrounds in his ward, Lawson said while he has seen prior improvements, he has noticed "some rusted and outdated equipment" that could be upgraded.

Ward 1, 2 and 3 Councilors Frank Rego, Anna Sousa and Frank Fogarty, respectively, voiced their favor of including apparatus for Special Needs children in parks/playgrounds around the city. Rego, like Lawson and Fogarty in his first-ever term on the body, has previously raised the issue of Special Needs apparatus. Sousa said there was a need to have facilities for said youngsters other than at Whiteknact Elementary School, which has a significant Special Needs enrollment.

"Riverside Rec has some wonderful momentum. I'd like to keep that momentum going," Lawson said, adding of the Parks and Rec Department employees, "The staff is doing a great job out there. We appreciate that. I just thought if we could create a nice fund of a few million we could really transform our parks, playgrounds and fields."

In addition, Lawson has suggested the former Oldham Elementary School located on Bullocks Point Avenue in Riverside, ownership of which the School Department just recently conveyed back to the city, should also be considered for ARPA funding. An idea the council, administration and local residents apparently have agreed upon for the Oldman structure is to serve as an incubator for burgeoning small businesses among other things, but the structure is in dire need of a roof, which likely comes with a seven-figure price tag.

Lawson, as well as Sousa, both liked the notion of earmarking more money into a Economic Development Commission program for businesses and commercial property owners to improve the facades of their structures. Sousa also proposed issuing some of the money towards qualified Arts-related endeavors.

"We could use some of the money for the little aesthetic things that catch people's eye and makes them feel better about East Providence," Lawson said. "I think ARPA is the perfect opportunity to do some of these things."

Lawson also suggested some of the funding be appropriated for video capabilities upgrades in rooms throughout city hall to make them capable of hosting virtual meetings in an attempt to provide greater "transparency" of government activities.

Of how any of the ARPA money is spent, he added, "We definitely want to work with the administration on this. Please don't think we're going to go 'cowboy.'"

One project near and dear to the mayor that the council roundly opposed allocating any ARPA funds of significance was his proposal to build a community/recreation center at an initial cost of some $45 million.

Lawson said he did not see an "appetite" from his constituents to spend or borrow such a large sum of money for the endeavor, asking DaSilva's Director of Administration Napoleon Gonsalves to have the mayor consider refining his proposal to something more "palatable" financially.

Council president and At-Large member Bob Rodericks called the community center the "elephant in room," adding "I think it's safe to say this council is not in support of a $45 million center, and even the mayor has acknowledged he's going to walk that back...I only mention that to keep residents assured that it's not really being considered anymore, that it was just a starting point."

Gonsalves responded by saying the administration believes there's an "intense desire for recreational spaces" from residents around the city. He specifically highlighted the need for more indoor basketball courts and a pool.

DaSilva's initial plan for the "community" center (Gonsalves emphasized the difference between a "community" and a "recreation" center) includes the athletic spaces as well as a multi-use theatre, offices as well as interior and exterior learning/meeting spaces.

Gonsalves said, besides the $3 million the city received from Rhode Island's Congressional delegation for the center, the administration is seeking several other sources of funding for the project. He said its looking into other federal monies, speaking with Gov. Dan McKee about gaining state workforce training dollars, using money from the police department's "Google" asset forfeiture account along with any unattached city capital improvement cash.

Gonsalves added, the administration is "searching everywhere we can for extra funds" so if there is a need to approach the voters with a bond referendum at a future election it would be a "small amount."

The director concluded by telling the Council, "Whatever we do, we're going to be as fiscally responsible as possible."

Lawson reiterated his call for the mayor to come up with a "Plan B" that could be more easily and readily paid for. He acknowledged, as Gonsalves cited, twice previously residents had approved funding for a "rec" center, not the "big Taj Mahal" as he referred to DaSilva's initial concept.

"If he could get it down to $10-$15 million, we could almost pay cash for that...a (basketball) court, program room, fitness are, locker rooms that's what people voted for," Lawson said, later ending with, "We're with you. We want to get the rec center built. We just want to be fiscally responsible and we're just going to banter back and forth until we get to the right place."