NEWS

City Hall Digest

Posted 7/8/20

City promotes online, drop-off payment options as tax deadline nears Tax bills are out and the due date is approaching, although members of the public are being reminded that the tax collection office at City Hall remains closed to the public. The city

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NEWS

City Hall Digest

Posted

City promotes online, drop-off payment options

as tax deadline nears

Tax bills are out and the due date is approaching, although members of the public are being reminded that the tax collection office at City Hall remains closed to the public.

The city shared a message on its Facebook page Tuesday advising taxpayers that the tax collection office remains closed until further notice, and that payments should be left in a drop box located on City Hall’s first floor. Payments can also be made online at the city’s website, cranstonri.com.

Cash is not being accepted at present for physical payments, which can be made by check or money order. Those seeking a receipt are asked to include a self-addressed envelope with their dropped-off payment.

Those making payments for Division of Motor Vehicle clearances can schedule an appointment by calling 780-3124.

Director of Administration Daniel Parrillo on Tuesday said the reminder does not reflect any change or new development, but is a continuation of the approach that has been in place since the onset of the pandemic in late March. While City Hall has remained open on a limited basis, he said the administration has sought to “limit access” to protect residents and employees.

The due date for first-quarter tax payments arrives July 15. Parrillo said Cranston, like other communities, has not yet issued car tax bills as local leaders await final action on the state’s budget plan for the current fiscal year.

“We’re waiting for the state,” he said.

Bag ban delay OK’d

Implementation of the city’s ban on single-use plastic bags for retail checkout purposes will be delayed until Jan. 1, 2021, and no fines will be assessed for violators until July of next year.

The bag ban, which was approved through a unanimous veto override of the City Council on Earth Day 2019, was scheduled to take effect July 1 of this year. But in light of the pandemic and its economic fallout, Citywide Councilman Ken Hopkins introduced a proposal to delay its effective date by one year.

During a June 25 special meeting, the council amended Hopkins’ proposal to instead delay the effective date by six months. As part of the amendment, the additional six-month delay in implementing any fines for violators was also added.

The matter was then continued until a July 2 special meeting of the council to allow for additional advertising, based on the changes.

During the July 2 meeting, Citywide Councilman Steve Stycos proposed an additional amendment – one that, in effect, would have required that chain stores and businesses with locations in other communities comply with the ban if possible, and face fines for violations when applicable, starting on Jan. 1, 2021.

While some small businesses have only one location and might need additional time to work through their existing stock of plastic bags, Stycos said, other establishments – particularly larger chains, such as supermarkets like Dave’s, Shaw’s and Stop & Shop – have locations in other communities to which existing plastic bag stocks could be transferred. His amendment included a provision exempting stores whose other locations are in cities or towns that have also adopted bag bans.

Stycos said the amendment would “accomplish all the environmental goals [of the ban] … while not hurting the small business owner.”

Ward 3 Councilman John Donegan called Stycos’ amendment a “good compromise” that would allow small businesses to “get back on their feet” while ensuring larger operations remain “accountable.”

Other council members, however, were unsupportive of the amendment. Ward 6 Councilman Michael Favicchio said the proposal could create a “nightmare” in terms of enforcement.

“My gut feeling is that we’re delving into something that we shouldn’t,” he said.

Ward 5 Councilman Chris Paplauskas said he felt Stycos’ proposal was “too complicated.” He added: “I don’t think it’s our place to tell business owners how to run their business in other towns.”

Hopkins also said while he understood Stycos’ intent and supports the bag ban, he shared the concerns over enforcement and believes the uniform delays represent a “cleaner” approach.

“It just doesn’t seem fair to those businesses that are not open yet,” he said.

The amendment proposed by Stycos failed on 3-5 vote, with Ward 1 Councilwoman Lammis Vargas joining Stycos and Donegan in support. Council President Michael Farina and Ward 4 Councilman Ed Brady joined Hopkins, Paplauskas and Favicchio in opposition.

The original ordinance amendment to delay the bag ban’s effective date was approved by a 5-3 vote, with council members breaking along the same lines.

Mayor Allan Fung has previously indicated he would sign the bag ban delay when it reached his desk, and Director of Administration Daniel Parrillo on Tuesday said that remains the case.

Police contract approved

The City Council on July 2 unanimously approved a new three-year contract agreement with IBPO Local 301.

The agreement provides for 3-percent pay increases in each of the three years it covers, beginning July 1 of this year through June 30, 2023.

During last week’s council meeting, Chief of Police Col. Michael Winquist said the agreement includes “very substantial” concessions from the union, including significant changes in the department’s promotional process. He said the changes will enhance the department’s standing in terms of recruiting and will enable him to “promote some diversity” in various units within the department, including the Honor Guard and Explorer program.

“These are difficult times in our country, especially with law enforcement. Recruitment’s going to be especially difficult because of what’s going on in the country … It will put us in an excellent position to promote the best and brightest within the Cranston Police Department,” he said.

Michael Caramante, president of Local 301, also spoke highly of the agreement, saying the union’s executive board is “very proud” of the pact.

“I think it’s a very evolutionary contract … I think it’s going to take this department in a great step forward, and it’s going to evolve the whole department in a way we’re looking forward to,” he said.

Citywide Councilman Steve Stycos asked Winquist if he would commit to holding public informational sessions to explain police policies regarding issues like use of force and promoting diversity in like of the protests that have swept the nation following the killing of George Floyd and other Black Americans at the hands of police.

“I do think some people are making the, ‘all police bad’ assumption, which is of course very unfair … I think it would be helpful if you did some kind of a public event where people could ask questions and get assurances that there are safeguards in place for that a George Floyd-type incident or some of the other incidences that have been publicized wouldn’t happen here,” he said.

Winquist said he would “absolutely” be open to such a forum, noting that Cranston Police have signed on to the “Twenty for 2020” initiative organized by the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association. It is a set of 20 promises that include banning chokeholds, revamping policies and reaffirming “our commitment to being the very best that we can be,” the chief said.

“I agree we need to especially be out in the public arena to answer questions. I think there is a lot of misinformation out that’s out there, and how we differ from some police departments, say out in the South or other places, there’s a drastic difference that I’d like to be able to explain,” he said. “The high level of training and how the accreditation process works here for our department – these are the reasons we’re not having the incidents that you’re seeing in other parts of the country. We’re not completely immune to it, but I believe the probability is a lot less because of where we are as an accredited agency.”

City Council President Michael Farina praised Winquist, saying: “He’s ahead of the curve, he’s going to stay ahead of the curve in Cranston.”

Resolution to study child care at council meetings fails

The City Council’s Finance Committee on Monday rejected a resolution calling for further study of the potential for child care services being offered during council meetings at City Hall.

Citywide Councilman Steve Stycos, the sponsor of the resolution, is not a member of the committee and did not vote. But he said a vote in favor of the resolution would be a “vote to say we want to look into this more and possibly give it a try.”

He said child care could benefit citizens and local officials who may have difficulty securing someone to watch their children so they can attend public meetings.

“This is the beginning of a longer process,” he said, one that he envisioned involving discussions with experts in state child care regulations. He also suggested that students in Cranston High School West’s child development program might be able to serve as staff for the child care to gain experience.

There was little appetite to study the possibility, however. Concerns were raised over the expenses involved, including increases insurance premiums. Finance Director Robert Strom said he would “very hesitant” to proceed based on his initial discussions with insurance carriers.

It was also noted that the council now has the ability to live stream its meetings, and Ward 6 Councilman Michael Favicchio said there are discussions about providing opportunities for remote participation in meetings even once the council returns to in-person meetings at City Hall.

“I think this would be going the wrong way, going the wrong direction … I just see it being a really difficult situation,” Favicchio said.

The resolution failed on a 4-1 vote, with Ward 3 Councilman John Donegan – a cosponsor along with Ward 1 Councilwoman Lammis Vargas – in favor. Citywide Councilman Ken Hopkins, Ward 4 Councilman Ed Brady and Ward 5 Councilman Chris Paplauskas joined Favicchio in the majority.

-- Daniel Kittredge

city, city hall

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