January News Briefs

City Businesses get Bridge Disaster Grant Checks at December 23^rd Ceremony
The City of East Providence issued several checks, many for $10,000, to local businesses which have been impacted by the Washington Bridge closure.  In a public ceremony on December 23^rd, city workers led by Mayor Bob DaSilva physically handed the checks to verified business owners.  Other businesses not able to attend will be able to make arrangements to get their grants in person.  The state provided East Providence with $1.2million dollars to be used as straight grant awards to area businesses.  The grant checks were awarded in person as part of a lengthy process to prevent fraud and scam requests according to Mayor Bob DaSilva.  “We had to go through a secure vetting process,” confirmed DaSilva.  “There were several fraudulent requests for grants which we stopped.  Business owners didn’t mind verifying ID’s and other steps in order to get their grants.  As we’ve just seen with the recent scam on a statewide data breach, fraud is always a risk.  We did our due diligence to make sure our local businesses got their funds,” said DaSilva.  Business owners present seemed to agree as all were pleased and lauded the efforts of East Providence.     

Awards were made up to $10,000 according to criteria set up by the state.  To date there have been 110 approved grant awards with more to come.  Over 50 businesses were eligible for the full $10,000.  “There is money left in the account and we will re-open the application process for businesses that didn’t apply for whatever reason,” said DaSilva.  “We did our best to get the word out and will reach out again to help more small businesses,” he added.

Overview of ARPA Revenue Categories - (American Rescue Plan Act)
The City Council received a report from DPW Director Dan Borges in its December meeting on the receipt and expenditures to date of federal ARPA funding. Council members nodded in approval as council president Bob Rodericks summed up the city’s ARPA allotment: “From the tip of Rumford to the tip of Riverside and all in between, we have provided infrastructure needs in many different areas.  Small and big projects, seawall repair and more, to the tune of $29 million we did not have available.  We had give and take, debates, that is government.  In the end, we received $30 million not otherwise available to taxpayers for these things,” said Rodericks.

ARPA Funding Revenue info:

$1,600,000.00 - Barrington WPCF Reimbursement

$27,785,912.00 - City of EP Federal ARPA Allocation

$29,385,912.00 – Total Funds Received

$25,961,773.98 Purchase Order allocation to date

Some of the funding breakdown but not all:

Citywide Asset/Infrastructure Improvements - $17,145,877.30:

Bold Point Park Improvements $284,782.59

Crescent Park Seawall Improvements $3,247,370.34

Former Oldham School Improvements $529,790.17

Pierce Stadium Improvements $93,412.50

Splashpad Providence Ave $50,000.00

Citywide Stormwater Improvements $665,699.57

Enterprise GIS Asset Management Development $217,634.53

Potter St & Burgess St Parking Lots $570,970.00

Public Building Improvements $338,597.47

Park/Field/Grounds Improvements $3,462,878.61

Runnins River Improvements $99,632.33

Sanitary Sewer System Improvements $5,445,407.99

Transportation Improvements $17,602.00

Vehicle Fleet Improvements $2,122,099.20

City Community Rec Center $1,578,339.22

East Providence awarded $225K hazard mitigation grant
In an effort to further improve upon and alleviate stormwater flooding issues, East Providence has been awarded a $225,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant. This grant will be used to conduct a hydraulic analysis to see what changes must be made to avoid flooding in vulnerable parts of the City.

“The proposed project scoping study for flood mitigation in East Providence is a vital and well-justified initiative that strategically targets areas most susceptible to repeated, severe flooding,” RIEMA Planning Branch Chief, Melinda Hopkins said. “This scoping study will serve as a foundation for identifying cost-effective, community-driven solutions to enhance drainage systems and reduce flood risks throughout the City.”

“I’ve been a firsthand witness to some of the incredible flooding that neighborhoods have had to endure because of record rainfalls that are becoming more and more frequent,” Mayor Bob DaSilva said. “It is our administration’s priority to find solutions so that residents don’t have to deal with the financial burden and instability caused by uncontrollable severe weather.

“I would like to thank RIEMA Director Marc Pappas and his team for awarding the City this grant to help further our administration's goal of assisting our residents in any way we can,” DaSilva added.

The BRIC program aims to shift federal focus away from reactive disaster spending and toward research-supported, proactive investment in community resilience.

Furthermore, BRIC aims to support community capability and capacity building by encouraging and aiding innovation, helping partnerships grow, supporting infrastructure projects, and fostering flexibility and consistency. As part of the grant agreement, FEMA will award $225,000, to the City of East Providence, with the City contributing an additional $75,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

City Awarded $480K RI Infrastructure Bank Housing Grant
The Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank, the state’s central hub for financing infrastructure improvements for municipalities, businesses and homeowners has awarded the City of East Providence $480,188 in a Municipal Infrastructure grant.  The Municipal Infrastructure grant funds will be used to implement necessary public infrastructure toward the Center City Apartments, an affordable housing development by ONE Neighborhood Builders.

“I’m very grateful to the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank for supporting this much-needed affordable housing project here in the City of East Providence,” Mayor Bob DaSilva said. “This funding will also help to deal with stormwater mitigation and help improve people's lives.”

The development, located at 330, 350 and 354 Taunton Ave., will redevelop three acres of blighted property into 144 new apartments, community spaces, offices for project partners to provide wrap around supportive services, as well as onsite property management and leasing offices.

“This $480,000 award to East Providence represents the kind of partnership and investment we need to tackle Rhode Island’s housing crisis,” Deborah Goddard, Rhode Island Secretary of Housing said.

“Infrastructure is a prerequisite to creating more housing, and this award to East Providence supports the infrastructure improvements necessary to construct a new 144-unit affordable housing development— a critical step toward achieving our shared goal of ensuring every Rhode Islander, in every municipality, has access to safe, affordable housing."

“Center City Apartments will transform a blighted and vacant former dormitory and surrounding acreage into a vibrant, campus-style, mixed-use community,” said City Council President Bob Rodericks.  “This is a classic example of converting a closed, empty site which is a major eyesore in the center of East Providence,” added Rodericks.

The finished development will span over three buildings; two of which will be new construction of four stories and a third, which will include a complete renovation of an existing four-story structure that currently remains vacant.

"New housing developments typically require upgrades to municipal infrastructure including site preparation, stormwater management, sidewalks, and wastewater utilities,” RIIB Executive Director, William Fazioli said.

“That is why we are pleased to provide $480,000 in Housing Infrastructure Grant Award funding to the City of East Providence for necessary infrastructure improvements to allow One Neighborhood Builders' Center City Apartments project to move forward and provide the additional residential units East Providence and the State of Rhode Island need to address our affordable housing crisis."

“This is a great example of a public-private partnership coming together to address an important community need,” Fazioli added.

The 2024 Municipal Infrastructure Grant will help with stormwater collection, specifically, it will help improve upon and alleviate stormwater flooding issues known to plague that part of the City.

City Awarded $550K Federal Grant on Traffic Infrastructure
The City of East Providence has been awarded a $549,770 federal grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program according to a Mayoral press release. This grant will be carried out in conjunction with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and will focus on local roadways that serve as critical access points to the Interstate 195, which cuts through East Providence and serves as the only east-west access point connecting eastern Rhode Island and Massachusetts to Interstate 95.

This Stage 1 funding will help East Providence determine the best ways to modernize local infrastructure, upgrade advanced traffic detection technology, replace outdated traffic signals, and help acquire new real-time data and traffic controls with the goal of relieving the pressure of gridlock traffic.

“I am committed to doing everything I can to help East Providence address traffic control issues and relieve congestion resulting from the emergency closure of the westbound portion of the Washington Bridge. The increased strain on local roads from the closure heightens frustration and increases hazards, drive time, and the potential for accidents,” said Senator Jack Reed. “This grant will help modernize the City’s traffic control systems and make roads safer, more efficient, and easier to navigate.”

“The Washington Bridge situation is causing backups into East Providence neighborhoods that were not designed to handle heavy traffic,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. “This federal funding will support upgrades to roads and traffic signals so that drivers can travel more efficiently through East Providence and small businesses can operate with less disruption while the Bridge remains at partial capacity.”

“As we remain laser-focused on the Washington Bridge rebuild process, it’s critical that we support the surrounding communities in East Providence by ensuring that local roads aren’t being overly strained by the emergency closure,” said Congressman Gabe Amo. “This federal funding from the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transport Grant lives up to its name as a SMART investment to modernize local infrastructure, advance traffic detection, and keep our communities safe.”

“We are so thankful to our congressional delegation for their leadership in securing this funding,” Mayor Bob DaSilva said. “This public safety infrastructure project will be an integral step in alleviating traffic congestion in some of the most impacted neighborhoods in our city.”

Specifically, this funding will help East Providence plan for upgrades to aged and outdated signal equipment and the installation of new, cutting-edge traffic control systems along the key high-traffic corridors of Taunton Avenue, Warren Avenue, Pawtucket Avenue, and Broadway. By utilizing smart technology hardware and software, these future improvements will enable real-time access to data on traffic conditions and will allow for adaptive control of traffic systems to reduce congestion along the most trafficked areas while minimizing impact for residential neighborhoods adjacent to entry ramps for I-195.

In addition to improving vehicular mobility, this project aims to reduce air pollution driven by frequent stopping and idling as well as other impacts on local neighborhoods stemming from increased congestion.

The Washington Bridge, which spans the Seekonk River connecting East Providence to Providence and has a daily traffic volume of 90,000 vehicles, was shut down on December 11, 2023 after the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) discovered broken anchor rods that put the bridge at risk of failure. The closure and related detours through East Providence have placed increased strain on the City’s roadways, resulting in delays and potential hazards for motorists and other roadway users.

City to Upgrade Water Metering System
City administration has announced last month a plan upgrade to the water metering system.  In a statement to residents, the City of East Providence and East Providence Water Utilities Division (EPWUD) said it is “implementing a system-wide upgrade to our water metering system. This is a mandatory replacement program for all residential and commercial business customers. There will be no cost to the homeowner or business owner for the meter replacement.”

Starting in the coming weeks, water customers will begin to receive notices in the mail from Hydro Utilities with information about how to schedule a meter replacement appointment and what to expect during your appointment. “Upon receiving this notice, the City of East Providence urges you to schedule your appointment immediately.  Appointments are available at a set time Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm with installation lasting approximately 30 minutes,” said water department officials.

The installer must enter the home/business to complete the installation. An adult (18 years minimum) must be present for the entire installation time and be able to sign a form to verify the water meter replacement. The area around your water meter must also be accessible to the installer before the appointment (minimum 5-foot radius).

“The City of East Providence appreciates your cooperation with the system-wide meter replacement. The new metering system will increase your water meter's reliability, long-term stability and accuracy, while allowing customers to view real-time water usage and receive potential leak alerts through the new customer portal,” said a city press statement.

Statewide Data Breach Update and Information
On December 13, 2024, the State was informed by its vendor, Deloitte, that there was a major security threat to the RIBridges system. In response, we have proactively taken the system offline so that the State and Deloitte can work to address the threat and restore the system as quickly as possible. Additionally, Deloitte confirmed that there is a high probability that a cybercriminal has obtained files with personally identifiable information from RIBridges. Details about the Data Breach which has impacted thousands of Rhode Island residents have been released by the Governor’s office.  “To the best of our knowledge, any individual who has received or applied for state health coverage or health and human services programs or benefits could be impacted by this breach. The programs and benefits managed through the RIBridges system include but are not limited to:   

• Medicaid    
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)    
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)    
• Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)    
• Health coverage purchased through HealthSource RI   
• Rhode Island Works (RIW)    
• Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS)    
• General Public Assistance (GPA) Program
• At HOME Cost Share

“While the analysis of the breach is still underway, unfortunately, Deloitte has indicated that the information involved may include names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers, as well as certain banking information, but is still assessing the situation.

What You Can Do:  Households that have had personal information compromised will receive a letter by mail from the State that explains how to access free credit monitoring.  In response to the RIBridges data breach, Deloitte has contracted with Experian to run a call center which is open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday – Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Call center staff will be able to provide general information about the breach as well as steps customers can take now to protect their data. Unfortunately, as the analysis of the data involved is still happening, call center staff will not be able to confirm whether a particular individual’s data is or is not included in the breach at this time. 

We are currently unaware of any identity theft or fraud related to this data breach. However, we advise customers to remain vigilant and monitor their accounts for any unauthorized activity. This includes: 

1.  Freeze Your Credit  - Reach out to all three credit reporting agencies to freeze your credit. This is free and means no one else can take out a loan or establish credit in your name. You won’t lose access to your money or credit cards. You can lift the freeze at any time.
2.  Monitor Your Credit - Contact one of the three credit reporting agencies to order a free credit report. You can also access a free credit report through www.AnnualCreditReport.com.
3.  Request a Fraud Alert  - Ask one of the credit reporting agencies to place a fraud alert on your files. This is free and lets creditors know to contact you before any new accounts can be opened in your name. Asking one agency to do this will cover this step for all three agencies.
4. Use Multifactor Authentication  - This means instead of having just one password to access your information, you have a safety backup to help prove that it’s really you before you can log into your account. 
5. Be Aware - Because of the breach, you may receive fake emails, phone calls or texts that look legitimate. Remember, never share personal information – such as your social security number, date of birth or password – through an unsolicited e-mail, call or text.

For the latest information on the breach and steps you can take to protect your personal information today, visit cyberalert.ri.gov.

EP Mayoral Aide Dies at 49
Executive Mayoral Aide Marlene Davis died on Christmas morning after a three-year battle with cancer.  She was also a volunteer for East Providence Youth Soccer.  A key aide to Mayor Bob DaSilva, she assisted in all aspects of running the office including resident concerns and questions.  Besides her husband Jeffrey, she leaves two sons, Mason and Jake Davis. “Marlene had a smile that would brighten up a room and lift your spirits if you were feeling down,” said Mayor DaSilva.  “She was always positive, with an infectious smile. Her positive attitude and desire to help people are but two of the reasons we loved her so much. Her desire to help our residents resolve issues and her desire to bring joy to her coworkers was evident every day. She would not rest until she knew she had helped a city resident with their concern. She took pride in her work and her ability to schedule and task manage and keep me on schedule was amazing.”  The East Providence Youth Soccer Organization issued a statement which said in part; “Marlene was not only our dedicated EPYSA Registrar but also a cherished member of our community. Her passion, kindness, and unwavering commitment to our organization touched the lives of so many.”