March 28, 2024

Commentary – My Take

Posted

As a citywide elected official in East Providence, I feel compelled to publicly comment on the scary pandemic we are all experiencing.  Most of all I comment as a lifelong Townie with a deep sense of love for this city.  My approach is to be available and aware of the needs of this city, while not getting in the way of the professionals whose job it is to provide daily oversight of municipal services.  I have been available to constituents, City Hall, Schools and others, but respect the lines of protocol that need to be observed.  I am very impressed with the reactions of many.  This is a worldwide horrific health emergency which is new to just about all of us on this planet.  It is uncharted territory.  While I am not an enthusiastic supporter of Governor Gina Raimondo on all issues, I think she is doing an excellent job in managing this emergency.  Without an initial panic, the Governor and Dr. Nicole Scott of the health dept. have shown measured, responsible and firm leadership.  The Governor has risen to the occasion and has been forceful and effective with public communication.

At the city level, first term Mayor Bob DaSilva has shown good leadership and has not hesitated to issue needed Executive Orders intended to notify and protect our community.  The Mayor has informed our city council and other officials just before issuing important public edicts so that we are all on the same page.  We know the Mayor and School Superintendent have had some prior professional differences on budget finances, but they have worked well together to ensure our educational system meets the needs of our kids.  While City Hall is technically closed due to this crisis, most departments are accessible to residents while many workers and department heads are at their desks monitoring city government.  Thanks, Mayor DaSilva, for your clear, decisive actions in this emergency.  While some raise an eyebrow at the frequency with which the Mayor posts information on social media, it has certainly helped with this crisis.  It is the quickest way to convey information in this age of electronic media.  I also applaud my city council colleagues for leading from a distance and staying out of the way of the day to day professionals.

Superintendent of Schools Kathryn Crowley has been most effective and swift in her actions.  I’ve witnessed Crowley and many school staff jump into quick action with little to no preparation time.  Within days of closing schools, a program was developed to provide nutritious meals for all students who want or need them.  Hundreds of meals have been given out in the first days of schools being closed and distribution sites have been expanded and will continue.  In my opinion, providing our kids with a nutritious meal is the right thing to do.  Our kids, especially the youngest, are understandably apprehensive and unsure of what this pandemic really means.  Yes, the “three R’s” are important, but so is providing for the psychological/social  needs of our precious kids.  Crowley and her staff should receive an A+ for their efforts, especially with such little preparation time.  East Providence was one of the first, if not the first community to put together a “virtual learning curriculum,” which was accepted by the state and used as a template for others in many cases.

Our awesome police and fire departments have been at the forefront of this crisis.  Police officers have helped kids with lunches and chromebook distribution.  Police and fire were there helping to hand out of food baskets to senior citizens in need.  Police Chief Bill Nebus and Fire Chief Glen Quick have worked together to provide EP with emergency planning and their staffs are ready for any issues that may arise.  Both departments have quietly been very busy responding to numerous calls for assistance.  Police & fire personnel meet up with danger every day and then face keeping their own families safe.  Godspeed to them all.

I feel awful for our small businesses.  Many will suffer.  Please help by patronizing the take-out food venues that may be offered.  When they all reopen, we need to support them widely! 

Obviously, our brave doctors and nurses and all health care workers are on the front lines.  They need our total support and admiration.  I also salute the unsung workers in our markets, stores, drugstores, gas stations etc. that may be open.  These workers are facing virus exposure and sometimes unruly shoppers who are panic buying.  Also to our U.S. Mail and other parcel carriers who still deliver to us daily.  Thanks to them all!

And so, Townies, we’re in this together and will never look upon everyday life as the same again.  Please take this pandemic as deadly serious.  Listen to the experts, not amateur rumors and remedies that appear on social media every hour.

Love, good luck and good health to all family, friends and everyone.

(Councilman Bob Rodericks is a contributor to the Reporter News Magazine.  His views here are his own and not necessarily the views of this publication.)

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