From Matt, about the controversy over the Puerto Rican Festival:

This story has all the makings of a Wire or a Brotherhood episode.

7/24/2008 9:27:00 AM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |  

 In the latest installment of the long-running debate over the future of the Providence Public Library, the Library Reform Group has an action planned later this week:

PRESS CONFERENCE:

PPL PROPOSED AGREEMENT with CITY is FLAWED!
THE MAYOR AND PPL NEED TO
GO BACK AND FIX IT!

On Thursday, July 24, at 5:00 p.m., the Library Reform Group will hold a press conference outside the former Washington Park Branch Library building at 1316 Broad Street to bring to public attention the provisions of the Agreement for Library Services approved last week by the PPL Board of Trustees THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED before the Providence City Council ratifies this multi-year library services contract between PP Library and the City. 

1 The PPL-City proposed Agreement potentially commits taxpayers to REDUCED SERVICES and BRANCH CLOSURES following the 2008-2009 program year.  Yet the Agreement obligates the City to provide PPL with the SAME AMOUNT OF PUBLIC MONEY regardless of reduction in services or branch locations!                      
 DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?  NO!  GO BACK AND FIX IT!

2 Also, demand that the Washington Park Branch Library is immediately reopened at its original location, (recently renovated), with full library services!  The property sits un-used, ready for program use and PPL has made no effort to return its library programs to the building this year.

THE CURRENT PROPOSAL FOR LIBRARY SERVICES IS DANGEROUSLY FLAWED AND DOES NOT SERVE  THE BEST INTERESTS OF LIBRARY PATRONS, STAFF OR PROVIDENCE TAXPAYERS AFTER 2009!!

Press conference organizers include:
Mount Pleasant Friends of the Library,  Smith Hill Friends, the Rochambeau Friends of the Library and the Library Reform Group.

7/22/2008 11:06:00 AM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |  

 

Dan Barbarisi today describes the pro and con on a proposed reformulation of the Providence City Council, a topic I wrote about here, as well as how the matter could be decided this week:

WHEN THE 12-3 GROUP met in [Steve] Durkee’s office on Wednesday, possibly for the last time, there was a sense of urgency in the room. A City Council public hearing on the plan is scheduled for tomorrow night, with the hope of getting the proposal on the November ballot. The council’s ordinance committee will hold the hearing at 6 p.m. tomorrow at City Hall. Then the ordinance committee will decide Thursday whether to send the proposal to the full council.

If the committee doesn’t pass it to the council, the change won’t happen this year. The deadline for submitting ballot measures to the state is Aug. 6.

And with several longtime council members expected to retire in 2010, the feeling around the table was that it’s now or never. It is unlikely the council would vote to redistrict the city and force existing council members to face one another to hold onto their seats, unless several council members planned to leave already.

Separately, the ProJo editorial board endorses the rejiggered 12-3 concept, although its assertion that "hundreds of local residents" seems subject to dispute.

7/20/2008 12:49:00 PM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |  

 

Co-host Erik Bright sends this word:

I hope you can join us this Wednesday for food and drinks with Councilman Aponte at the Fabre Line Club. The Fabre Line, located on the top floor of 200 Allens Ave., provides a spectacular waterfront venue with sun set views of our City Skyline and the Bay.

Councilman Aponte has been a consistent advocate for small businesses and instrumental in helping PCIS locate 43 new creative businesses and 107 full time jobs to Providence's Waterfront. This year he sponsored and helped to pass The Relocation Ordinance that provides compensation & protective measures for artists and small businesses being displaced by development in the City of Providence. We are fortunate to have people like Luis in our City Council who understand the importance of the Creative Economy within our City.

Erik Bright, Lisa Carnevale, Julian Dash & Matthew Jerzyk

Cordially invite you to attend a reception
for Councilman Luis A. Aponte
Providence City Council
Democrat ~ Ward 10

Wednesday, July 16th
5:30 to 8:30 pm

at the Fabre Line Club
(Providence Piers - 200 Allens Avenue - Providence)

Donation: $50.00
In accordance with RI State Campaign Finance Law, only PERSONAL and PAC checks can be accepted.

7/16/2008 1:59:00 PM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |  

You didn't have to be a rocket scientist to realize that proponents of a reconfigured Providence City Council were operating with a very narrow window of opportunity.

Dan Barbarisi has the latest:

Last night at the council’s ordinance committee meeting, two proposals were axed outright, and two others seemed to draw a cool reception from many council members.

Cliff Wood’s idea for a 15-member council with 10 ward-elected and 5 at-large members, and Seth Yurdin’s plan for a 21-member body, with 15 ward-elected and 6 at-large members were both removed from the discussion.

The council then scheduled a public hearing July 21 to consider the two survivors. One plan, by Council Finance Committee Chairman John J. Igliozzi, increases the size of the council to 18, adding 3 at-large members to the 15 ward members.

The second, proposed by Council Majority Leader Terrence M. Hassett and Ordinance Committee Chairman Michael Solomon, maintains the size of the council at 15, but removes three wards and replaces them with three at-large members.

This plan has been backed by a private group of influential city residents calling itself the “12-3 Coalition,” for the distribution of the council after the split.

A change to the composition of the council must be approved by city voters. The first chance would be concurrent with the presidential election in November, and the deadline for sending an approved resolution to the state to be put on the ballot is Aug. 6. The council would have to vote on a change before that date.

With the city knee-deep in budget deliberations, even some of the sponsors questioned whether this is the right time to consider this kind of change — which would involve redrawing ward maps, and changing the nature of representation for Providence residents. An Aug. 6 deadline, Igliozzi said, won’t leave enough time to fully inform the public on the ramifications, and properly debate the issue.

7/2/2008 2:51:00 PM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |