Council backs accessibility improvements at two East Providence schools

CDBG budget updated, retirement ordinances are changed

By Mike Rego
Posted 2/23/18

EAST PROVIDENCE — The city council at its’ meeting Tuesday night, Feb. 20, approved a request by City Manager Tim Chapman to contract with the state for funds to improve the …

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Council backs accessibility improvements at two East Providence schools

CDBG budget updated, retirement ordinances are changed

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — The city council at its’ meeting Tuesday night, Feb. 20, approved a request by City Manager Tim Chapman to contract with the state for funds to improve the sidewalks at two of East Providence’s elementary schools.
The administration will soon receive funding, both from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation, to either install or enhance walking and handicap access to the Kent Heights and Myron J. Francis buildings.
Mr. Chapman said the city was fortunate to receive the funding for the upgrades and that East Providence was just one of two districts in the state to get money for the projects. He added at the moment it was a one-off event, saying he did not know if another round of funding for similar efforts would be forthcoming.
“We got lucky,” Mr. Chapman said. “(The state) looked at (the projects)…We put our two cents in but it was mainly the state.”
The enhancements at Kent Heights include construction on portions of Dover and Howland Avenues as well as Wannamoisett Road. Those at Francis will be done on Horsford and Wilson Avenue.
Confirming with Department of Public Works Director Steve Coutu, Mr. Chapman said construction will commence late in the spring and through the summer when the current term concludes.
CDBG funds
The Planning Department’s Community Development Coordinator David Bachrach gave the council a brief update on the upcoming schedule for Community Development Block Grants.
Mr. Bachrach said East Providence should have access to approximately $700,000 in federal funds for projects in the 2018-19 fiscal year beginning July 1. He added his office. will soon seek Request for Proposals (RFPs) from interested parties. Direct mailings will be conducted and the information will also be available on the city’s website shortly.
Appointments
Mary Ellen Jessop, 217 Martin St, at the recommendation of Ward 3 Councilor Joe Botelho, was approved for a seat on the Traffic Control board.
The re-appointment of Elizabeth Peg, 74 Sweet Briar Ave., at the recommendation of Council President and At-Large member Jim Briden, was temporarily tabled so as to determine if it met the public posting requirement changes made recently to the ordinance.
Tax exempt status
The council threw its support behind a piece of legislation being considered in the General Assembly which would give the city non-profit Foster Foward permanent tax exempt status. The request came at the behest of Ward 2 Councilor Anna Sousa, in whose district Foster Forward is located, South Brow Street.
Also from Councilor Sousa, the council approved her submission for the installation of a stop sign on Mauran Avenue (eastbound and westbound traffic) at Sixth Street.
Pension updates
Amendments to three ordinances pertaining to city employee pensions, presented to the council by Ward 4 Councilor and its pension board representative Brian Faria, were approved last week.
Two additions were made to the ordinance pertaining to the service retirement annuity. Those were: Effective February 12, 2018, members retiring from service shall receive an annuity as provided for in the current collective bargaining agreement for police officers and fire fighters; All retired police officers and fire fighters currently receiving a service connected disability pension or receiving a service connected pension shall receive a cost of living adjustment as provided for in the current collective bargaining agreement for police officers and fire fighters.
The other change made was to the ordinance including administration of disability annuities was as follows: Medical examinations of a member for consideration of a disability annuity (for a service-connected or nonservice-connected disability), as described in this section, shall be made upon application of a member acting on their own behalf, or upon application of the Chief of the department of which said member is employed if the Chief believes that the member is unable to perform his or her duties due to a disability, and that said disability is likely to be permanent.
The third change approved was to the ordinance pertaining to the death of a retired participant. The wording of the amendment is as follows:
Upon death of a retired member while in receipt of a service retirement annuity shall be entitled to a survivor benefit. The survivor benefit annuity is a fixed amount and shall be equal to 67.5% of the deceased members’ annuity.
Eligibility for a survivor benefit shall be subject to the following conditions: The spouse shall have been married to the member at least one year prior to the date of retirement. The annuity shall terminate in any event upon remarriage, and any change in marital status thereafter shall create no rights for the widow to any annuity or any other payment from the system; The participant was not married at the time of retirement but had unmarried child/children under the age 18 including in utero. The legal guardian of the child/children shall receive the survivor benefit and would terminate upon their attainment of age 18, death or marriage, whichever first occurs. Minor children shall include children of the blood and adopted children, provided that the proceedings for adoption shall have been initiated at least one year prior to the date of the death of the member.

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MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.