Monthly News Briefs

Posted Thursday, March 5, 2020 1:28 pm

Eight Acre Vacant Site Explored in Rumford
A long vacant eight-acre site of land on heavily travelled Newport Avenue in Rumford is being considered for re-development to a mixed-use plan. Representatives of Schiavo Enterprises met with city council President Robert Britto and council vice-president Bob Rodericks and asked to present a draft proposal to the community. “The developers showed us some preliminary plans and agreed to schedule a public workshop on Saturday, February 29^th at 12 noon at the Uncle Tony’s restaurant on Newport Avenue,” Britto told the rest of the council. “They have some preliminary ideas and want feedback from the community,” Britto said. The property borders Newport Avenue, New Road, Pine Grove and Moore Streets.

“Once again we have a long vacant parcel that is unsightly and not productive. I am open to listen to their plan and the public response,” added at-large councilman Rodericks. The site is near the approved Carpionato Group development. Kelly Coates, president and chief operating officer at the Carpionato Group, said the redevelopment of the sprawling commercial property on the Pawtucket/East Providence line will be a “lifestyle center” on Newport Avenue and represents “a major economic impact,” said Coates earlier. “This project will have all the elements in it from apartments and retail to medical offices and restaurants – heavy on the restaurants,” added Coates. The vacant site is the former Narragansett Park Plaza which straddles the East Providence – Pawtucket border.

The new proposal suggests a continuation of the mixed-used philosophy in current developments. It suggests a possible combination of small business and apartments with appropriate landscaping and parking. The Saturday meeting at Uncle Tony’s restaurant was open to the public.

Home Improvement Grant Program Announced
In a press release the city announced details of its home improvement grant program. "Together with the Community Development Office, we have announced a grant and loan program for homeowners and landlords seeking to make general repairs," said Mayor Bob DaSilva.

Homeowners and landlords interested in updating old or inefficient heating equipment, replacing old windows and siding or updating leaky or old roofs, should consider this program. In addition, the program may also be used for lead paint hazard reduction. Lead paint can permanently harm children under the age of six.

The program offers grants, no-interest deferred payment loans and low-interest loans to owner-occupied and qualifying rental properties in East Providence. Eligibility is based on income and other factors.

Eligibility:

Those who own a single- or multi-family rental property in East Providence
Those whose household income is less than 80 percent of the area median income, adjusted by household size
Those whose tenant’s household income is less than 80 percent of the area median income, adjusted by household size

For more information or if you are interested in applying, please call 401-435-7536 or email Efox@cityofeastprov.com or dbachrach@cityofeastprov.com .

To download the application, please visit the Community Development page at: http://www.eastprovidence.com/content/9457/9923/9991.aspx

Whiteknact School Receives Donations
The Emma G. Whiteknact School received two donations last month. At the council meeting on February 18^th Ward 2 councilwoman Anna Sousa and officials from Rhode Island Waterfront Enterprises presented the PTA with $750 to be used for the school’s new playground. The school has been raising money to construct a state-of-the-art ADA accessible playground at the school on Grosvenor avenue.

At the end of February, RI State Representative Gregg Amore presented the school with a $2,000 grant from PhRMA for use in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education. See full story elsewhere in this issue.

Proposed Apartment Units at Fisher Street Withdrawn
A proposed three story twelve-unit apartment building on a dead end on Fisher Street, was withdrawn by developers after strong neighborhood objections. The area in question is tucked off South Broadway and adjacent to a portion of the Metacomet golf course. Developers agreed to reduce to the building from three to two stories with eight units instead of twelve, but residents were also not happy with that change. “Seems like too much for the dead end street in this very small neighborhood,” said many of the residents who addressed a meeting of the zoning board last month. Neighbors spoke of current difficulty getting rescue vehicles in and out of the area. The developers said, “we can hear you” and plan to come back with a plan to build three or four individual homes. Residents were more supportive of that idea. “The owners of this parcel do have a right to legally build something here,” said long time zoning board chairman Gene Saveory. Joining the neighbors and speaking against the original proposal were Ward Two councilwoman Anna Sousa and at-large councilman Bob Rodericks.

Council Approves Longer Hours for Business
The city council gave second passage and final approval for business to request permission to stay open twenty-four hours. In particular many residents had objected that some businesses like large gyms and fitness centers were not open late night hours to meet various individual work schedules. Councilwoman Anna Sousa proposed the ordinance change and it passed on a 4-1 vote with Council President Robert Britto the lone dissenter. Some of the arguments seemed to be aimed at local laundromats in the city. Local establishments serving alcohol must still abide by state law mandating no alcohol sales after 1:00 am.

City Council Dealing with Appointments
The city council continues to deal with procedures on making appointments to various boards and commissions in the city. In a resolution sponsored by at large councilman Bob Rodericks, the council approved a revised ordinance on juvenile hearing board appointments. The prior ordinance limited vacancy appointments to the month of October only. “This doesn’t make any sense,” Rodericks and others agreed. “If we have an opening, we need to fill it so the board can act in full membership.” The updated resolution corrects this and states “in the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of a member by death, resignation or otherwise, such vacancy shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment, but only for the remainder of the term of the former member. No member of the juvenile hearing board shall be entitled to receive any compensation by reason of his service on the board…” The Mayor shall appoint members of the juvenile hearing board with council confirmation needed.

Metacomet Country Club again in Jeopardy of Existence
The famed Metacomet Country Club on Veterans Memorial Parkway is possibly up for sale again after a one-year ownership by a group led by golfer Brad Faxon. Like most golf course and country clubs in the area, Metacomet is struggling with finances and reportedly has informed membership that they are considering a sale. The over 100-year golf course and club house has had extensive renovations, but membership numbers continue to drop. Speculation has either current or prospective buyers trying to keep a nine-hole course in conjunction with some commercial or condo development. See story elsewhere in this issue.

City Budget Timeline
At the February 18^th council meeting members gave initial approval to an updated process for receiving, presenting and passing a municipal budget. Sponsored by councilors Mourato, Sousa and Cahoon, the measure was unanimously approved. The ordinance reads in part:

Sec. 2-283. Timelines for Presentation and Passage of the Budget Ordinance.

The Mayor shall submit to the Council a budget and explanatory message to the Council at least seventy (70) days prior to the beginning of the next fiscal year.
The City Council shall take a final action on the budget ordinance at least fourteen (14) days prior to the end of the fiscal year.
A “final action” is defined as a vote by a quorum of the Council at a duly noticed public meeting.
The Council shall be furnished with a final updated copy of the certified budget within thirty (30) days passage of the budget ordinance.

Sec. 2-284. Financial Review Committee.

There shall be a Financial Review Committee whose duty shall be to review the financial records, budgetary concerns, and other issues of fiscal import.
The Financial Review Committee shall take no actions that are binding upon the City.
The Financial Review Committee shall have the authority to seek the expertise of consultants
Any expenditure of funds related thereto must be approved by the Mayor or the Council
The Financial Review Committee may make requests of the Mayor or the Council for information, including but not limited to requests that the Mayor or the Council make certain personnel available to give presentations regarding fiscal issues.
The Financial Review Committee shall meet at least quarterly.
The Financial Review Committee shall publicly issue a quarterly update regarding status of capital projects and requests for capital funding.
The Financial Review Committee shall be comprised of the following:
The Mayor or the Mayor’s Designee
The Council President or the Council President’s Designee
The Finance Director
The Planning Director

Sec. 2-285. Annual Capital Projects Presentation.

The Financial Review Committee shall make an annual presentation to the Council at least ninety (90) days prior to the end of the fiscal year. During said presentation, the Financial Review Committee shall:
Provide a status report as to all Capital Projects
For any completed Capital Projects, present the Council with a Resolution that closes out said completed project, de-authorizes any remaining appropriations, and appropriately transfers all remaining unspent funds.
Make proposals as to future Capital Projects.

SECTION II. This ordinance shall take effect upon its second passage and all ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.

Townie Ron McLarty Dies
East Providence High School graduate and Townie Hall of Famer Ron McLarty died late last month in New York. After graduating from EPHS in 1965 McLarty attended and graduated from Rhode Island College in 1969. McLarty was a writer, actor and audiobook narrator. According to an article in the Hollywood Reporter, “the Rhode Island native appeared in more than a dozen features, including Sidney Lumet's Daniel (1983), Garry Marshall's The Flamingo Kid (1984), Mike Nichols' Heartburn (1986), James L. Brooks' How Do You Know (2010) and, in his final role, St. Vincent (2014), starring Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy.” The actor also portrayed Sgt. Frank Belson on all three seasons of the 1985-88 ABC private-eye drama Spenser for Hire, starring Robert Urich and Avery Brooks. Later, he presided over several Law & Order episodes as Judge William Wright.

McLarty’s screen appearances also include the television shows “Spenser: For Hire,’’ “Law & Order,’’ and “Sex and the City,’’ as well as the feature films “The Sentinel’’ and “Tiger Town,’’ for which he received a 1984 ACE Award nomination for Best Actor in a Dramatic or Theatrical Program. On Broadway, he appeared in “Moonchildren’’ (1972) and “Our Country’s Good’’ (1991).

McLarty was a leading audiobook narrator; since the 1990s, his 100-plus credits included work for such authors as King, Danielle Steel, David Baldacci, Anne Rice, Richard Russo, Elmore Leonard, Ed McBain, Scott Turow and George W. Bush. McLarty was the beneficiary of a publishers' bidding war after Stephen King heard an audiobook of his novel 'The Memory of Running' and gushed about it (Hollywood Reporter 2020).

In 2001, McLarty persuaded the small company Recorded Books to produce his third novel, The Memory of Running, directly onto tape as an audiobook. (The actor also narrated what is believed to be the first recorded audiobook of an unpublished novel.) The Memory of Running was said to based mostly on his experience growing up in East Providence. Stephen King heard it and loved the story, about a 43-year-old man who, after his parents die, takes a cross-country road trip on an old Raleigh bicycle to find his sister's body, and in 2003 devoted one of his "The Pop of King" columns in Entertainment Weekly to it, calling Memory "the best book you can't read."

According to the Hollywood Reporter the King endorsement sparked a bidding war among publishers that led to McLarty getting a reported $2 million from Penguin that included rights to release the novel in 2004 (and later two others) in the traditional way (Hollywood Reporter).

"During the auction for the book, I asked these editors and publishers that I could never get to, who represented this great iron wall that I could never climb over, 'You're paying me this money because Stephen King liked the book?'" he recalled in a 2005 interview with Jay MacDonald for BookPage. "And they said, 'No, but we wouldn't have read it if Stephen King hadn't liked it, especially at your age.” McLarty was born on April 26, 1947, in Providence.