March 29, 2024

Correction: From the Mayor's Office Column

Posted

Mayor Rogers' Column for May

(due to an error after our paper went to print, the monthly column submitted by Mayor Bruce Rogers was inadvertently omitted. Here is the Mayor's column for May):

From the Mayor’s Office

By Mayor Bruce Rogers

Most of the meetings with Department and Division Heads and the Budget Commission have been completed. I am now waiting for a discussion to occur involving the Commission regarding the City and School budgets and how all the proposed cuts will work toward putting East Providence back on solid financial footing. I also believe that Moody’s and the other rating agencies will be looking at the work that has been done and hopefully will be upgrading our bond rating status.

Another newspaper recently addressed the issue of the position of “Mayor” in our City on its editorial page as well as in some of its articles. I want to clarify something for the people of our City. Section 2-4 of the City Charter states “The Council shall elect an officer of the City who shall have the title of Mayor, shall preside at meetings of the Council and shall be recognized as head of the City government for all ceremonial purposes and by the Governor for purposes of military law, but shall have no regular administrative duties”. It is clear to me, that although the Mayor’s position in our City is mostly ceremonial, the Mayor, which to me is another way of saying “Council President” does have some stated duties, namely to preside at meetings of the Council. In the very vague legislation that allows a Budget Commission to be in our City, or any City, the legislation is however specific on the make-up of the Commission. In a strong Mayor form of government both the Mayor and the Council President would be members of the Commission, and in our form of government the City Manager and the Council President (which in accordance with section 2-4 of our Charter has been given the title of “Mayor”). The point being that whether or not I am called “Mayor” or “Council President” the position that I hold as “the person who presides at meetings of the Council” mandates that I be a voting member of the State appointed Budget Commission. These are actual facts. All other discussion about titles is semantics and semantics only.

On May 5, 2012, the 2nd Annual Walk the Walk to Stop Bullying in Rhode Island will be held at Roger William Park, Providence at 9:00AM. Registration fees are $15 for students under 18 and $20 for adults. You can register by logging in at www.ripin.org for more information call Linda McMullen at 270-0101 ext 104.

May 20, 2012 is the date set for the 8th Annual Police Officers Memorial Service. The dedication is to be held at the East Providence Police Department beginning at 11:00AM. The purpose is to honor all our deceased members of our local police force.

May 28, 2012 will be when the yearly Memorial Day Parade will be stepping off from Oldham School at 10:00AM. The parade route will be north on Bullocks Point Avenue, east on Turner Avenue, South onto Willet Avenue and into the Legion Hall parking lot. The Parade is usually well attended and is your opportunity to honor all our City’s Veterans both living and deceased. Please join me there.

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