Ward 3 PVD News: July 7

Hello Friends & Neighbors,

Hello Friends & Neighbors,Summer is in full swing! It’s so lovely to bump into you all at the farmers market or walking on Camp or Hope or Benefit Street!I have been keeping busy for you all on Council — so lots of updates below! We will also be having our July Ward 3 meeting on July 29th (location still being solidified) — I’ll post final information on location via social media and in an email prior to the meeting!And as a reminder — the Council goes on its one-month recess for August. There will be no Council meetings/committees, etc at City Hall during that time. But I am, as always, available via email or phone.

Neighborhood Update and Upcoming Events

There are lots of things happening in the ward — and meetings happening at City Hall!

New Sidewalks:

The Department of Public Works will continue their investment in new sidewalks in high-traffic areas later this summer with new sidewalks along Hope Street near Lippitt Park. This will also include the section of 9th St off of Hope that has been a tripping hazard for some time.

Active Construction:

The utilities will be doing some active work under several roads in our ward throughout the summer. This will include Cypress Street (North Main to Knowles) and Locust Street. Both should be wrapped up by the end of July.

Nathan Bishop Courts:

The Nathan Bishop Courts are currently being painted and should be open very soon! The painters needed a few solid days without any precipitation and without major humidity so that the paint could dry appropriately — and we are almost there! Councilwoman Davidson and I will plan a ribbon-cutting celebration with the community for later this month to celebrate the new courts. Thank you to everyone who has provided feedback — I know you all are eagerly awaiting the ability to play on the courts (as am I!).

Full City Council Meeting:

The Full City Council Meeting will be at 6pm on July 16th. This will be our last full meeting before the Council’s August recess, though committees can continue to meet until July 31. As always, the Council will reconvene in September.

Reading of the Declaration of Independence:

Join us for the reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8th, 5:30pm at North Burial Ground! The Sons of the American Revolution will meet at the Rochambeau Gate and then walk to Stephen Hopkins' grave to read and reflect on the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

SOULstice Summer Music Series:

The Mount Hope Community Center is hosting the SOULstice Summer Music Series on July 18th, 5:00pm-6:30pm at Billy Taylor Park.

Swell Folk Fest in Lippitt Park:

The day after PVD Fest, September 20th, Ward 3’s Lippitt Park will be host to the Swell Folk Festival — an all-day music festival!

Miscellaneous Topics For You

There are several important topics being discussed in Council now, or that affect Ward 3, that I wanted to share:

FY27 Budget:

The Council passed the amended FY27 budget, which was signed by the Mayor in June. The budget keeps tax rates level. The Council also prioritized investments in several areas of particular importance to me and Ward 3 residents, which includes: additional funding for the libraries and rec centers; additional staffing for emergency management and in the City’s Sustainability Department to help implement our clean energy and energy-savings programs; new staff at DPW to ensure implementation of my ordinance that holds the utilities accountable for doing quality work and not leaving our roads a mess after construction; investments to support our veterans.

PPSD Return to Local Control:

The schools returned to local control as of July 1. PPSD has long cited the City’s procurement process as a barrier to effectively and efficiently keeping our schools stocked with necessary supplies. I want to commend Ward 2 Councilwoman Davidson for convening a working group and introducing legislation (that I have cosponsored) to improve the process PPSD uses for procurement while maintaining proper oversight over taxpayer dollars. This ordinance will have its second passage on July 16th, and hopefully be signed into law by the Mayor.

Juvenile Hearing Board:

I was so proud to vote to support updates to the City’s Juvenile Hearing Board process. This updated ordinance helps ensure kids who are eligible to be diverted through the JHB process — instead of going through the criminal justice system — have that opportunity. One small mistake should not ruin a child’s life, and this ordinance ensures that more kids are given a second chance and the support they need to learn from their mistakes.

“8-law” Amendments:

There is a law referred to as “8-law” meant to help the development and operation of affordable housing units. For the last several years, developers have been able to utilize it for subsidizing buildings that are primarily market-rate housing. The Council has passed legislation that helps close this loophole to ensure that incentives for affordable housing are only used for affordable housing. This legislation still needs to pass for a second time on July 16 and then will hopefully be signed into law by the mayor. (If there is a veto, we would need to reconvene during recess for the ⅔ majority required to override a veto.)

North Main Street:

There continues to be a lot of progress on our ongoing work on North Main! Our next newsletter will focus on these updates — but a teaser is that the City is in the process of contracting with a firm for the design/engineering process for larger structural changes for the roadway; there are 3 projects in the works to develop underutilized plots of land, and we are working with RIDOT and the Streets Coalition on another intersection safety improvement involving planters and beautification. Stay tuned for more!

Follow My Socials For Live Updates!

In between newsletters, I try to keep active on social media! Follow me on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook for more regular updates! You can also always reach me via email at AnderBois.Ward3@gmail.com.

It continues to be the honor of my life to serve as your City Councilor! Thank you for this opportunity to serve.

With Gratitude,

Sue A